Sample records for ex-post facto research

  1. Designing research: ex post facto designs.

    PubMed

    Giuffre, M

    1997-06-01

    The research design is the overall plan or structure of the study. The goal of a good research design is to insure internal validity and answer the question being asked. The only clear rule in selecting a design is that the question dictates the design. Over the next few issues this column will cover types of research designs and their inherent strengths and weaknesses. This article discusses ex post facto research.

  2. What about ex post facto

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

    McKee, H.C.

    This note presents a legal question in an attempt to find an answer. The author hopes that some legal scholar can explain the principle of ex post facto in the US Constitution as it applies to some of the environmental laws. One of the major advantages of the Association is that it provides a forum for communication among members with different backgrounds and experience. An ex post facto law is one that is applied retroactively. Under such a law, a person could be punished for some act that violated a law passed after the act was committed, even though themore » act was legal when committed. The US Constitution prohibits such laws, as will be discussed later. States are also prohibited from enacting ex post facto laws.« less

  3. Ex Post Facto Monte Carlo Variance Reduction

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

    Booth, Thomas E.

    The variance in Monte Carlo particle transport calculations is often dominated by a few particles whose importance increases manyfold on a single transport step. This paper describes a novel variance reduction method that uses a large importance change as a trigger to resample the offending transport step. That is, the method is employed only after (ex post facto) a random walk attempts a transport step that would otherwise introduce a large variance in the calculation.Improvements in two Monte Carlo transport calculations are demonstrated empirically using an ex post facto method. First, the method is shown to reduce the variance inmore » a penetration problem with a cross-section window. Second, the method empirically appears to modify a point detector estimator from an infinite variance estimator to a finite variance estimator.« less

  4. Studies on the Multi-functional Nature of Courses in Economics and the Role of Domain Specific Expertise. Ex Post Facto Research 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dochy, F. J. R. C.; Bouwens, M. R. J.

    This paper reports an investigation that was done ex post facto, examining the hypothesis that within economics courses defined economics students achieved better results than did law students in the same courses. This should not be the case if the courses are truly multifunctional. Information on an economics and money course and a course on the…

  5. An Ex Post Facto Study Exploring the Impact of Parental Level of Education and Parental Support on First-Year College Adjustment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huntley, Kristy M.

    2011-01-01

    This study explored the impact that parental levels of education and parental support have on college adjustment for first-year students. An ex post facto design was used to examine parental level of education and parental support as variables. Parental level of education is a categorical variable based on report from the student. Parental support…

  6. An ex post facto evaluation framework for place-based police interventions.

    PubMed

    Braga, Anthony A; Hureau, David M; Papachristos, Andrew V

    2011-12-01

    A small but growing body of research evidence suggests that place-based police interventions generate significant crime control gains. While place-based policing strategies have been adopted by a majority of U.S. police departments, very few agencies make a priori commitments to rigorous evaluations. Recent methodological developments were applied to conduct a rigorous ex post facto evaluation of the Boston Police Department's Safe Street Team (SST) hot spots policing program. A nonrandomized quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the violent crime control benefits of the SST program at treated street segments and intersections relative to untreated street segments and intersections. Propensity score matching techniques were used to identify comparison places in Boston. Growth curve regression models were used to analyze violent crime trends at treatment places relative to control places. UNITS OF ANALYSIS: Using computerized mapping and database software, a micro-level place database of violent index crimes at all street segments and intersections in Boston was created. Yearly counts of violent index crimes between 2000 and 2009 at the treatment and comparison street segments and intersections served as the key outcome measure. The SST program was associated with a statistically significant reduction in violent index crimes at the treatment places relative to the comparison places without displacing crime into proximate areas. To overcome the challenges of evaluation in real-world settings, evaluators need to continuously develop innovative approaches that take advantage of new theoretical and methodological approaches.

  7. Practice-Based Research: Ex Post Facto Evaluation of Evidence-Based Police Practices Implemented in Residential Burglary Micro-Time Hot Spots.

    PubMed

    Santos, Roberto G; Santos, Rachel Boba

    2015-10-01

    Police agencies around the country are implementing various strategies to reduce crime in their communities that need to be evaluated. These strategies are often based on systematic crime analysis and are focused on crime occurring in hot spots, which are areas of disproportionate amounts of crime. This article takes a practice-based research approach to evaluate whether evidence-based police strategies implemented by one police agency as its normal everyday crime reduction practice are effective in reducing residential burglary incidents in micro-time hot spots. A quasi-experimental ex post facto design is employed using 5 years of data from one police agency that has institutionalized the identification and response to micro-time hot spots into its day-to-day practices. Propensity score matching is used to match 54 pairs of micro-time hot spots using logistic regression to compute the propensity scores and greedy 1 to 1 matching with a caliper width of 0.5 of the standard deviation of the logit to match the cases. Independent t-tests show that tactical police response to micro-time hot spots can lead to significant reductions in residential burglary incidents without the spatial displacement of crime. Tactical police responses that seek to achieve short-term reductions in crime appear to be well suited for micro-time hot spots since they are, by nature, short term. Importantly, the conclusions are based on the evaluation of an agency's systematic implementation of the evidence-based practices as its normal practices and not for the sake of research. © The Author(s) 2015.

  8. An Ex-Post Facto Examination of Relationships among the Developmental Designs Professional Development Model/Classroom Management Approach, School Leadership, Climate, Student Achievement, Attendance, and Behavior in High Poverty, Middle Grades Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hough, David L.; Schmitt, Vicki L.

    2011-01-01

    This study reports finding from an ex post facto causal-comparison study utilizing data from a multifaceted program evaluation of a professional development approach to classroom management known as Development Designs 1 and Developmental Designs 2 (DD1 & D2). Data from this program evaluation indicate that teachers implement a number of classroom…

  9. Effect of streptokinase on reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction and its complications: an ex-post facto study.

    PubMed

    Taheri, Leila; Boroujeni, Ali Zargham; Kargar Jahromi, Marzieh; Charkhandaz, Maryam; Hojat, Mohsen

    2015-01-01

    Emergency treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction is very important. Streptokinase in Iran is often as the only clot-busting medication is used. The purpose of using streptokinase medication is to revive the ischemic heart tissue, although has dangerous complications too. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of streptokinase on reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction and its complications, has been designed and conducted. This is an Ex-post facto study. The study population included patients who suffer from acute myocardial infarction. The sample size was 300 patients, and 2 groups were matched, in variables of age, sex, underlying disease, frequencies and area of MI. Data collection did by researcher making questionnaire, that accept face and content validity by 10 expert researcher, the reliability was conducted with Spearman's test (r=0.85) by Test-retest method. Data analysis did by SPSS software: V 12. Mean of EF in SK group was (46.15±8.11) and in control group was (43.11±12.57). Significant relationship was seen between SK, arrhythmia occurring and improve EF reperfusion by chi-square test (p=0.028), (p=0.020).The most arrhythmia in SK group was Ventricular Tachycardia (20.7%). Significant statistical relation between SK and mortality were found by Chi-square test (p=0.001). But a meaningful statistical relation was not found between SK and pulmonary edema incidence (p=0.071). Nurses of CCU should be aware about SK complications such as hypotension, bleeding and arrhythmias. Proposed compare SK and tissue plasminogen drug in reperfusion and complications effect.

  10. Evaluating multicenter DTI data in Huntington's disease on site specific effects: An ex post facto approach.

    PubMed

    Müller, Hans-Peter; Grön, Georg; Sprengelmeyer, Reiner; Kassubek, Jan; Ludolph, Albert C; Hobbs, Nicola; Cole, James; Roos, Raymund A C; Duerr, Alexandra; Tabrizi, Sarah J; Landwehrmeyer, G Bernhard; Süssmuth, Sigurd D

    2013-01-01

    Assessment of the feasibility to average diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of MRI data acquired in the course of a multicenter study. Sixty-one early stage Huntington's disease patients and forty healthy controls were studied using four different MR scanners at four European sites with acquisition protocols as close as possible to a given standard protocol. The potential and feasibility of averaging data acquired at different sites was evaluated quantitatively by region-of-interest (ROI) based statistical comparisons of coefficients of variation (CV) across centers, as well as by testing for significant group-by-center differences on averaged fractional anisotropy (FA) values between patients and controls. In addition, a whole-brain based statistical between-group comparison was performed using FA maps. The ex post facto statistical evaluation of CV and FA-values in a priori defined ROIs showed no differences between sites above chance indicating that data were not systematically biased by center specific factors. Averaging FA-maps from DTI data acquired at different study sites and different MR scanner types does not appear to be systematically biased. A suitable recipe for testing on the possibility to pool multicenter DTI data is provided to permit averaging of DTI-derived metrics to differentiate patients from healthy controls at a larger scale.

  11. Effect of Streptokinase on Reperfusion After Acute Myocardial Infarction and Its Complications: An Ex-Post Facto Study

    PubMed Central

    Taheri, Leila; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Jahromi, Marzieh Kargar; Charkhandaz, Maryam; Hojat, Mohsen

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Emergency treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction is very important. Streptokinase in Iran is often as the only clot-busting medication is used. The purpose of using streptokinase medication is to revive the ischemic heart tissue, although has dangerous complications too. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of streptokinase on reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction and its complications, has been designed and conducted. Materials and Methods: This is an Ex-post facto study. The study population included patients who suffer from acute myocardial infarction. The sample size was 300 patients, and 2 groups were matched, in variables of age, sex, underlying disease, frequencies and area of MI. Data collection did by researcher making questionnaire, that accept face and content validity by 10 expert researcher, the reliability was conducted with Spearman’s test (r=0.85) by Test-retest method. Data analysis did by SPSS software: V 12. Findings: Mean of EF in SK group was (46.15±8.11) and in control group was (43.11±12.57). Significant relationship was seen between SK, arrhythmia occurring and improve EF reperfusion by chi-square test (p=0.028), (p=0.020). The most arrhythmia in SK group was Ventricular Tachycardia (20.7%). Significant statistical relation between SK and mortality were found by Chi-square test (p=0.001). But a meaningful statistical relation was not found between SK and pulmonary edema incidence (p=0.071). Conclusions: Nurses of CCU should be aware about SK complications such as hypotension, bleeding and arrhythmias. Proposed compare SK and tissue plasminogen drug in reperfusion and complications effect. PMID:25946921

  12. Analysis of international content of ranked nursing journals in 2005 using ex post facto design.

    PubMed

    Dougherty, Molly C; Lin, Shu-Yuan; McKenna, Hugh P; Seers, Kate; Keeney, Sinead

    2011-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine articles in ISI-ranked nursing journals and to analyse the articles and journals, using definitions of international and article content. Growing emphasis on global health includes attention on international nursing literature. Contributions from Latin America and Africa have been reported. Attention to ranked nursing journals to support scholarship in global health is needed. Using an ex post facto design, characteristics of 2827 articles, authors and journals of 32 ranked nursing journals for the year 2005 were analysed between June 2006 and June 2007. Using definitions of international and of article content, research questions were analysed statistically. (a) 928 (32·8%) articles were international; (b) 2016 (71·3%) articles were empirical or scholarly; (c) 826 (89·3%) articles reflecting international content were scholarly or empirical; (d) among international articles more were empirical (66·3 % vs. 32·8 %; χ(2) ((1)) = 283·6, P < 0·001); (e) among non-international articles more were scholarly (29·2 % vs. 22·7 %; χ(2) ((1)) = 15·85, P < 0·001; 22·7 %); (f) 1004 (78·0 %) articles were international, based on author characteristics; (f) 20 (62·5 %) journals were led by an international editorial team; and (g) international journals had more international articles (3·6 % vs. 29·2 %; χ(2) ((1)) = 175·75, P < 0·001) and higher impact factors than non-international journals (t = -14·43, P < 0·001). Articles with empirical content appear more frequently in international journals. Results indicate the need to examine the international relevance of the nursing literature. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  13. Ex post facto assessment of diffusion tensor imaging metrics from different MRI protocols: preparing for multicentre studies in ALS.

    PubMed

    Rosskopf, Johannes; Müller, Hans-Peter; Dreyhaupt, Jens; Gorges, Martin; Ludolph, Albert C; Kassubek, Jan

    2015-03-01

    Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for assessing ALS-associated white matter alterations has still not reached the level of a neuroimaging biomarker. Since large-scale multicentre DTI studies in ALS may be hampered by differences in scanning protocols, an approach for pooling of DTI data acquired with different protocols was investigated. Three hundred and nine datasets from 170 ALS patients and 139 controls were collected ex post facto from a monocentric database reflecting different scanning protocols. A 3D correction algorithm was introduced for a combined analysis of DTI metrics despite different acquisition protocols, with the focus on the CST as the tract correlate of ALS neuropathological stage 1. A homogenous set of data was obtained by application of 3D correction matrices. Results showed that a fractional anisotropy (FA) threshold of 0.41 could be defined to discriminate ALS patients from controls (sensitivity/specificity, 74%/72%). For the remaining test sample, sensitivity/specificity values of 68%/74% were obtained. In conclusion, the objective was to merge data recorded with different DTI protocols with 3D correction matrices for analyses at group level. These post processing tools might facilitate analysis of large study samples in a multicentre setting for DTI analysis at group level to aid in establishing DTI as a non-invasive biomarker for ALS.

  14. Evaluating multicenter DTI data in Huntington's disease on site specific effects: An ex post facto approach☆

    PubMed Central

    Müller, Hans-Peter; Grön, Georg; Sprengelmeyer, Reiner; Kassubek, Jan; Ludolph, Albert C.; Hobbs, Nicola; Cole, James; Roos, Raymund A.C.; Duerr, Alexandra; Tabrizi, Sarah J.; Landwehrmeyer, G. Bernhard; Süssmuth, Sigurd D.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Assessment of the feasibility to average diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of MRI data acquired in the course of a multicenter study. Materials and methods Sixty-one early stage Huntington's disease patients and forty healthy controls were studied using four different MR scanners at four European sites with acquisition protocols as close as possible to a given standard protocol. The potential and feasibility of averaging data acquired at different sites was evaluated quantitatively by region-of-interest (ROI) based statistical comparisons of coefficients of variation (CV) across centers, as well as by testing for significant group-by-center differences on averaged fractional anisotropy (FA) values between patients and controls. In addition, a whole-brain based statistical between-group comparison was performed using FA maps. Results The ex post facto statistical evaluation of CV and FA-values in a priori defined ROIs showed no differences between sites above chance indicating that data were not systematically biased by center specific factors. Conclusion Averaging FA-maps from DTI data acquired at different study sites and different MR scanner types does not appear to be systematically biased. A suitable recipe for testing on the possibility to pool multicenter DTI data is provided to permit averaging of DTI-derived metrics to differentiate patients from healthy controls at a larger scale. PMID:24179771

  15. Exploring Cultural Predictors of Military Intervention Success

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-04-01

    research employed a sequential, mixed method analysis consisting of a quantitative ex post facto analysis of United Nation’s (UN) interventions... research . Results In spite of the many assumptions and limitation forced upon the research by its ex post facto design, it nonetheless provided some... post facto exploration of predictors of military intervention success. As such, the research examined pre- and post -intervention

  16. Financing long-term care: ex ante, ex post or both?

    PubMed

    Costa-Font, Joan; Courbage, Christophe; Swartz, Katherine

    2015-03-01

    This paper attempts to examine the heterogeneity in the public financing of long-term care (LTC) and the wide-ranging instruments in place to finance LTC services. We distinguish and classify the institutional responses to the need for LTC financing as ex ante (occurring prior to when the need arises, such as insurance) and ex post (occurring after the need arises, such as public sector and family financing). Then, we examine country-specific data to ascertain whether the two types of financing are complements or substitutes. Finally, we examine exploratory cross-national data on public expenditure determinants, specifically economic, demographic and social determinants. We show that although both ex ante and ex post mechanisms exist in all countries with advanced industrial economies and despite the fact that instruments are different across countries, ex ante and ex post instruments are largely substitutes for each other. Expenditure estimates to date indicate that the public financing of LTC is highly sensitive to a country's income, ageing of the population and the availability of informal caregiving. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Managing Research Output for Knowledge Creation in South-South Nigerian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akuegwu, B. A.; Edet, A. O.; Uchendu, C. C.

    2012-01-01

    This ex-post facto designed study investigated the extent of Deans and Heads of Departments' effectiveness in managing research output for knowledge creation in South-South Nigerian universities. One research question and one hypothesis were drawn along the four dimensions of knowledge creation namely: socialization, combination, externalization…

  18. 75 FR 81849 - Office of the Attorney General; Applicability of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-29

    ... convictions would violate the Constitution's prohibition of ex post facto laws or other provisions of the... purposes, and accordingly do not implicate the Constitution's prohibition of ex post facto laws. See 42 U.S... distinction for ex post facto purposes between the SORNA requirements and the sex offender registration and...

  19. 78 FR 51821 - Sentencing Guidelines for United States Courts

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-21

    ... inserting ``However, the Supreme Court has held that the ex post facto clause applies to sentencing.... Ct. 2072, 2078 (2013) (holding that 'there is an ex post facto violation when a defendant is... ex post facto clause, in which case the court shall apply the Guidelines Manual in effect on the date...

  20. Measuring the payback of research activities: a feasible ex-post evaluation methodology in epidemiology and public health.

    PubMed

    Aymerich, Marta; Carrion, Carme; Gallo, Pedro; Garcia, Maria; López-Bermejo, Abel; Quesada, Miquel; Ramos, Rafel

    2012-08-01

    Most ex-post evaluations of research funding programs are based on bibliometric methods and, although this approach has been widely used, it only examines one facet of the project's impact, that is, scientific productivity. More comprehensive models of payback assessment of research activities are designed for large-scale projects with extensive funding. The purpose of this study was to design and implement a methodology for the ex-post evaluation of small-scale projects that would take into account both the fulfillment of projects' stated objectives as well as other wider benefits to society as payback measures. We used a two-phase ex-post approach to appraise impact for 173 small-scale projects funded in 2007 and 2008 by a Spanish network center for research in epidemiology and public health. In the internal phase we used a questionnaire to query the principal investigator (PI) on the outcomes as well as actual and potential impact of each project; in the external phase we sent a second questionnaire to external reviewers with the aim of assessing (by peer-review) the performance of each individual project. Overall, 43% of the projects were rated as having completed their objectives "totally", and 40% "considerably". The research activities funded were reported by PIs as socially beneficial their greatest impact being on research capacity (50% of payback to society) and on knowledge translation (above 11%). The method proposed showed a good discriminating ability that makes it possible to measure, reliably, the extent to which a project's objectives were met as well as the degree to which the project contributed to enhance the group's scientific performance and of its social payback. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Academic Staff Research Productivity: A Study of Universities in South-South Zone of Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Usang, Bassey; Basil, Akuegwu; Lucy, Udida; Udey, Franca U.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined academic staff research productivity in Universities in South-South zone of Nigeria. Ex post facto design was adopted for this study. Three hypotheses were formulated to guide this study. The sample size comprised of 480 academic staff drawn from a population of 3120. Data collection was carried out using a…

  2. Ex post and ex ante willingness to pay (WTP) for the ICT Malaria Pf/Pv test kit in Myanmar.

    PubMed

    Cho-Min-Naing; Lertmaharit, S; Kamol-Ratanakul, P; Saul, A J

    2000-03-01

    Willingness to pay (WTP) for the ICT Malaria Pf/Pv test kit was assessed by the contingent valuation method using a bidding game approach in two villages in Myanmar. Kankone (KK) village has a rural health center (RHC) and Yae-Aye-Sann (YAS) is serviced by community health worker (CHW). The objectives were to assess WTP for the ICT Malaria Pf/Pv test kit and to determine factors affecting the WTP. In both villages WTP was assessed in two different conditions, ex post and ex ante. The ex post WTP was assessed at an RHC in the KK village and at the residence of a CHW in the YAS village on patients immediately following diagnosis of malaria. The ex ante WTP was assessed by household interviews in both villages on people with a prior history of malaria. Ordinary least squares (OLS) multiple regression analysis was used to analyze factors affecting WTP. The WTP was higher in ex post conditions than ex ante in both villages. WTP was significantly positively associated with the average monthly income of the respondents and severity of illness in both ex post and ex ante conditions (p < 0.001). Distance between the residence of the respondents and the health center was significantly positively associated (p < 0.05) in the ex ante condition in a household survey of YAS village. Traveling time to RHC had a negative relationship with WTP (p < 0.05) in the ex post condition in the RHC survey in KK village.

  3. Ex Ante or Ex Post? Risk, Hedging and Prudence in the Restructured Power Business

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

    Makholm, Jeff D.; Meehan, Eugene T.; Sullivan, Julia E.

    Inconsistent regulatory decisions continue to frustrate the establishment of a new ex ante regulatory equilibrium that will serve to prevent unfair and inefficient ex post prudence disallowances. Extreme volatility in gas and power markets will continue to tax the uneasy regulatory status quo until a new equilibrium can be established. (author)

  4. Cleanup liability and the Constitution

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

    Friedland, D.M.; Hagen, P.E.

    It was observed in the July 1992 issue of this Journal that a plain reading of the Constitution's prohibition on [open quotes][ital ex post facto][close quotes] suggests that some environmental statutes such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) conflict with Constitutional principles. Like many Constitutional principles, however, the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Constitution's bar on [ital ex post facto] laws has a long history. The Court has consistently interpreted this clause as limited to criminal or penal statutes. This article discussesmore » the history of the [ital ex post facto] clause, the retroactive application of CERCLA and RCRA, the decision that retroactive application of CERCLA and RCRA does not violate the [ital ex post facto] clause, and laws, regulations, and guidance. 27 refs.« less

  5. Initial Performance of the Aspect System on the Chandra Observatory: Post-Facto Aspect Reconstruction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aldcroft, T.; Karovska, M.; Cresitello-Dittmar, M.; Cameron, R.

    2000-01-01

    The aspect system of the Chandra Observatory plays a key role in realizing the full potential of Chandra's x-ray optics and detectors. To achieve the highest spatial and spectral resolution (for grating observations), an accurate post-facto time history of the spacecraft attitude and internal alignment is needed. The CXC has developed a suite of tools which process sensor data from the aspect camera assembly and gyroscopes, and produce the spacecraft aspect solution. In this poster, the design of the aspect pipeline software is briefly described, followed by details of aspect system performance during the first eight months of flight. The two key metrics of aspect performance are: image reconstruction accuracy, which measures the x-ray image blurring introduced by aspect; and celestial location, which is the accuracy of detected source positions in absolute sky coordinates.

  6. Willingness to pay for rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis and treatment of malaria in southeast Nigeria: ex post and ex ante

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background The introduction of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) has improved the diagnosis and treatment of malaria. However, any successful control of malaria will depend on socio-economic factors that influence its management in the community. Willingness to pay (WTP) is important because consumer responses to prices will influence utilization of services and revenues collected. Also the consumer's attitude can influence monetary valuation with respect to different conditions ex post and ex ante. Methods WTP for RDT for Malaria was assessed by the contingent valuation method using a bidding game approach in rural and urban communities in southeast Nigeria. The ex post WTP was assessed at the health centers on 618 patients immediately following diagnosis of malaria with RDT and the ex ante WTP was assessed by household interviews on 1020 householders with a prior history of malaria. Results For the ex ante WTP, 51% of the respondents in urban and 24.7% in rural areas were willing to pay for RDT. The mean WTP (235.49 naira) in urban is higher than WTP (182.05 Naira) in rural areas. For the ex post WTP, 89 and 90.7% of the respondents in urban and rural areas respectively were WTP. The mean WTP (372.30 naira) in urban is also higher than (296.28 naira) in rural areas. For the ex post scenario, the lower two Social Economic Status (SES) quartiles were more willing to pay and the mean WTP is higher than the higher two SES while in the ex ante scenario, the higher two SES quartiles were more WTP and with a higher WTP than the lower two SES quartile. Ex ante and ex post WTP were directly dependent on costs. Conclusion The ex post WTP is higher than the ex ante WTP and both are greater than the current cost of RDTs. Urban dwellers were more willing to pay than the rural dwellers. The mean WTP should be considered when designing suitable financial strategies for making RDTs available to communities. PMID:20148118

  7. The Relationship between Post Reach Exit Exam (E[superscript 2]) Failure Remediation and NCLEX-RN Success of Graduates of Baccalaureate Nursing Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Patricia Gale

    2009-01-01

    An ex post facto study was conducted to determine whether any relationship exists between remediation post Reach Exit Exam (E[superscript 2]) failure and NCLEX-RN success of graduates of baccalaureate nursing programs. Data was gathered from responses to the seventh annual validity study (V7S) offered to deans and directors of nursing programs by…

  8. Using causal maps to support ex-post assessment of social impacts of dams

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

    Aledo, Antonio, E-mail: Antonio.Aledo@ua.es; García-Andreu, Hugo, E-mail: Hugo.Andreu@ua.es; Pinese, José, E-mail: pinese@uel.br

    - Highlights: • We defend the usefulness of causal maps (CM) for ex-post impact assessment of dams. • Political decisions are presented as unavoidable technical measures. • CM enable the identification of multiple causes involved in the dam impacts. • An alternative management of the dams is shown from the precise tracking of the causes. • Participatory CM better the quality of information and the governance of the research. This paper presents the results of an ex-post assessment of two important dams in Brazil. The study follows the principles of Social Impact Management, which offer a suitable framework for analyzingmore » the complex social transformations triggered by hydroelectric dams. In the implementation of this approach, participative causal maps were used to identify the ex-post social impacts of the Porto Primavera and Rosana dams on the community of Porto Rico, located along the High Paraná River. We found that in the operation of dams there are intermediate causes of a political nature, stemming from decisions based on values and interests not determined by neutral, exclusively technical reasons; and this insight opens up an area of action for managing the negative impacts of dams.« less

  9. An Ex Post Facto Evaluation Framework for Place-Based Police Interventions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Braga, Anthony A.; Hureau, David M.; Papachristos, Andrew V.

    2011-01-01

    Background: A small but growing body of research evidence suggests that place-based police interventions generate significant crime control gains. While place-based policing strategies have been adopted by a majority of U.S. police departments, very few agencies make a priori commitments to rigorous evaluations. Objective: Recent methodological…

  10. A Ten-Year Analysis of the Post-Secondary Outcomes of Students with Disabilities at the Pennsylvania State University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hong, Barbara S. S.; Herbert, James T.; Petrin, Robert A.

    2011-01-01

    This proposed exploratory study represents the largest and first investigation in the USA that will purposefully analyse and track students who have sought disability services over a 10-year span (academic years 2000-2011). Using "ex post-facto" data on a non-probability purposive sample of approximately 6000 undergraduates, the research…

  11. Technology and Engineering Education Accommodation Service Profile: An Ex Post Facto Research Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ernst, Jeremy V.; Williams, Thomas O., Jr.

    2014-01-01

    Technology and engineering educators have an opportunity to serve a vital role in contributing to or assisting in the guidance of educational programming for students qualifying for accommodation services. Within this article, students referred to as at-risk were from two specific special populations within this group: individuals with…

  12. Ex-ante and ex-post measurement of equality of opportunity in health: a normative decomposition.

    PubMed

    Donni, Paolo Li; Peragine, Vito; Pignataro, Giuseppe

    2014-02-01

    This paper proposes and discusses two different approaches to the definition of inequality in health: the ex-ante and the ex-post approach. It proposes strategies for measuring inequality of opportunity in health based on the path-independent Atkinson equality index. The proposed methodology is illustrated using data from the British Household Panel Survey; the results suggest that in the period 2000-2005, at least one-third of the observed health equalities in the UK were equalities of opportunity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Relationships between Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Style, and School Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Segredo, Mirta R.; Cistone, Peter J.; Reio, Thomas G.

    2017-01-01

    Research regarding the association between emotional intelligence, leadership style and organizational culture has been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to explore these relationships in elementary school settings. A non-experimental ex post facto research design was utilized to investigate four research hypotheses. Fifty-seven…

  14. Students Perceived Value towards Quality of Distance Education in Tamil Nadu

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeyaraj, P.; Sugumar, D.; Thandavamoorthy, K.; Xavier, S. Joseph

    2014-01-01

    The quality of education of any distance learning programme is maintained by various ways, such as: quality of study material, internal and external evaluation, and student support methods and so on. The above aspects should be available in aspects to the Post graduate degree students. In this research Ex Post Facto research with field survey is…

  15. Educational Cloud Services and the Mathematics Confidence, Affective Engagement, and Behavioral Engagement of Mathematics Education Students in Public University in Benue State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iji, Clement Onwu; Abah, Joshua Abah; Anyor, Joseph Wuave

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of cloud services on mathematics education students' mathematics confidence, affective engagement, and behavioral engagement in public universities in Benue State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The instrument for the study was the researcher-developed Cloud Services Mathematics…

  16. Assessment of Students Attitude and Perception of Teaching Practice: The Case of Undergraduates of Delta State University, Abraka

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ifeoma, Asiyai Romina

    2016-01-01

    This descriptive survey research employed ex-post facto design to examine teaching practice in Delta State University, Abraka Nigeria. Interview and questionnaire were used to generate data from 280 respondents. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the investigation. Data collected were analyzed via the use of mean, standard…

  17. Assessment of Information and Communication Technology Integration in Teaching and Learning in Institutions of Higher Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asiyai, Romina Ifeoma

    2014-01-01

    Employing survey research design of the ex-post facto type, this study examined information and community technologies integration in teaching and learning in institutions of higher learning in Delta State, Nigeria. Four research questions and four hypotheses guided the investigation. Descriptive statistical tools such as mean and standard…

  18. Relative Contributions of Selected Teachers' Variables and Students' Attitudes toward Academic Achievement in Biology among Senior Secondary School Students in Ondo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gbore, L. O.; Daramola, C. A.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the relative contributions of selected teachers' variables and students' attitude towards academic achievement in biology among senior secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. It involved descriptive survey research and ex-post facto research designs. The sample, 360 respondents which consists of 180 biology teachers and…

  19. From "At Risk" to "At Promise": An Evaluation of an Early Reading First Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zoll, Susan Marie

    2012-01-01

    This study demonstrates the impact of an Early Reading First intervention on preschool children's language and literacy development using an ex post facto, causal-comparative research design. The project's professional development model was evaluated to produce a process and outcome evaluation to answer two overarching research questions: (1) What…

  20. Impact of In-Service Training and Staff Development on Workers' Job Performance and Optimal Productivity in Public Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fejoh, Johnson; Faniran, Victoria Loveth

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of in-service training and staff development on workers' job performance and optimal productivity in public secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria. The study used the ex-post-facto research design. Three research questions and three hypotheses were generated and tested using questionnaire items adapted from…

  1. Project EX: A Program of Empirical Research on Adolescent Tobacco Use Cessation

    PubMed Central

    Sussman, Steve; McCuller, William J; Zheng, Hong; Pfingston, Yvonne M; Miyano, James; Dent, Clyde W

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents the Project EX research program. The historical background for Project EX is presented, including a brief summary of reasons youth fail to quit tobacco use, the disappointing status of previous cessation research, and the teen cessation trial that provided the template for the current project (Project TNT). Next, program development studies for Project EX are described. Through use of focus groups, a theme study (concept evaluation of written activity descriptions), a component study, and pilot studies, an eight-session program was developed. This program involves novel activities (e.g., "talk show enactments," games, and alternative medicine-type activities such as yoga and meditation) in combination with motivation enhancement and cognitive-behavioral strategies to motivate and instruct in cessation initiation and maintenance efforts. The outcomes of the first experimental trial of Project EX, a school-based clinic program, are described, followed by a posthoc analysis of its effects mediation. A second EX study, a multiple baseline single group pilot study design in Wuhan, China, is described next. Description of a second experimental trial follows, which tested EX with nicotine gum versus a natural herb. A third experimental trial that tests a classroom prevention/cessation version of EX is then introduced. Finally, the implications of this work are discussed. The intent-to-treat quit rate for Project EX is approximately 15% across studies, double that of a standard care comparison. Effects last up to a six-month post-program at regular and alternative high schools. Through a systematic protocol of empirical program development and field trials, an effective and replicable model teen tobacco use cessation program is established. Future cessation work might expand on this work.

  2. Project EX: A Program of Empirical Research on Adolescent Tobacco Use Cessation

    PubMed Central

    Sussman, Steve; McCuller, William J; Zheng, Hong; Pfingston, Yvonne M; Miyano, James; Dent, Clyde W

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents the Project EX research program. The historical background for Project EX is presented, including a brief summary of reasons youth fail to quit tobacco use, the disappointing status of previous cessation research, and the teen cessation trial that provided the template for the current project (Project TNT). Next, program development studies for Project EX are described. Through use of focus groups, a theme study (concept evaluation of written activity descriptions), a component study, and pilot studies, an eight-session program was developed. This program involves novel activities (e.g., "talk show enactments," games, and alternative medicine-type activities such as yoga and meditation) in combination with motivation enhancement and cognitive-behavioral strategies to motivate and instruct in cessation initiation and maintenance efforts. The outcomes of the first experimental trial of Project EX, a school-based clinic program, are described, followed by a posthoc analysis of its effects mediation. A second EX study, a multiple baseline single group pilot study design in Wuhan, China, is described next. Description of a second experimental trial follows, which tested EX with nicotine gum versus a natural herb. A third experimental trial that tests a classroom prevention/cessation version of EX is then introduced. Finally, the implications of this work are discussed. The intent-to-treat quit rate for Project EX is approximately 15% across studies, double that of a standard care comparison. Effects last up to a six-month post-program at regular and alternative high schools. Through a systematic protocol of empirical program development and field trials, an effective and replicable model teen tobacco use cessation program is established. Future cessation work might expand on this work. PMID:19570278

  3. Strategies Towards Effective Management of Higher Education for Building a Culture of Peace in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asiyai, Romina Ifeoma

    2015-01-01

    This study was aimed at investigating strategies for effective management of higher education for building a culture of peace in Nigeria. Four research questions and four hypotheses guided the investigation. The study is a survey research which adopted the ex-post-facto design. The respondents comprised of one thousand four hundred and eighty…

  4. Impact of Cloud Services on Students' Attitude towards Mathematics Education in Public Universities in Benue State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iji, Clement Onwu; Abah, Joshua Abah; Anyor, Joseph Wuave

    2017-01-01

    This study focused on the impact of cloud services on students' attitude towards mathematics education in public universities in Benue State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The instrument for the study is the researcher-developed Cloud Service Impact Questionnaire--CSIQ (Cronbach Alpha Coefficient = 0.92). The…

  5. Improving Agricultural Science Teachers' Work Attitude in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria: The Financial Initiative Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ben, Camilus Bassey

    2014-01-01

    This research study carried out to investigate the influence of financial incentive initiatives on agricultural teachers' work attitude in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. One hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A total sample of 150 agricultural science teachers and 150 students drawn…

  6. A Multidimensional View of Resistance to Organizational Change: Exploring Cognitive, Emotional, and Intentional Responses to Planned Change across Perceived Change Leadership Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szabla, David B.

    2007-01-01

    In this survey research study, the researcher employed a causal-comparative, or ex post facto, design to explore the relationship between how union employees of a U.S. county government perceived implementation of a new electronic performance appraisal process and how they responded to the planned organizational change along cognitive, emotional,…

  7. Principals Leadership Styles and Gender Influence on Teachers Morale in Public Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eboka, Obiajulu Chinyelum

    2016-01-01

    The study investigated the perception of teachers on the influence of principals' leadership styles and gender on teacher morale. Four research questions and four research hypotheses guided the study. An ex-post facto research design was adopted in the study. Through the simple random sampling technique a total of 72 principals and 2,506 in 72…

  8. Checklist content on a standardized patient assessment: an ex post facto review.

    PubMed

    Boulet, John R; van Zanten, Marta; de Champlain, André; Hawkins, Richard E; Peitzman, Steven J

    2008-03-01

    While checklists are often used to score standardized patient based clinical assessments, little research has focused on issues related to their development or the level of agreement with respect to the importance of specific items. Five physicians independently reviewed checklists from 11 simulation scenarios that were part of the former Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduate's Clinical Skills Assessment and classified the clinical appropriateness of each of the checklist items. Approximately 78% of the original checklist items were judged to be needed, or indicated, given the presenting complaint and the purpose of the assessment. Rater agreement was relatively poor with pairwise associations (Kappa coefficient) ranging from 0.09 to 0.29. However, when only consensus indicated items were included, there was little change in examinee scores, including their reliability over encounters. Although most checklist items in this sample were judged to be appropriate, some could potentially be eliminated, thereby minimizing the scoring burden placed on the standardized patients. Periodic review of checklist items, concentrating on their clinical importance, is warranted.

  9. The Contribution of Information Acquisition and Management Capacity to Administrators' Decision-Making Effectiveness in Tertiary Institutions in South-Western Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fabunmi, Martins; Erwat, Eseza Akiror

    2008-01-01

    This study investigated through empirical methods the extent to which information acquisition and information management capacity of administrators in tertiary institutions in South-Western Nigeria contributed to their decision-making effectiveness. It adopted the ex post facto survey research design, using the random sampling technique to select…

  10. Impact of Parent-Child Relationship on the Career Development Process of High School Students in Ibadan, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salami, Samuel O.; Aremu, A. Oyesoji

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to investigate the relationships of parental attachment and psychological separation to the career development process of secondary school adolescents. Design/methodology/approach: An "ex post facto" survey research design was adopted. The sample comprised 242 (males = 121, females = 121) senior…

  11. Automated Writing Evaluation Program's Effect on Student Writing Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holman, Lester Donnie

    2011-01-01

    In an ex post facto causal-comparative research design, this study investigated the effectiveness of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) programs on raising the student writing achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) writing achievement scores from the 2010 administration were utilized for this study. The independent variable…

  12. Characteristics of Highly Effective Cooperating Teachers: A Study of Their Backgrounds and Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Killian, Joyce E.; Wilkins, Elizabeth A.

    2009-01-01

    This study used interviews and other artifacts collected during student teaching as the basis for rating 13 elementary cooperating teachers on their supervisory effectiveness. Once highly effective cooperating teachers were differentiated from their less effective peers, researchers used ex post facto methods to identify background and…

  13. The Revolutionary United Front and Child Soldiers during Sierra Leone’s Civil War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-12

    Armed Forces served as an ex post facto force during the internal conflict period between the APC and SLPP jockeying for the position of Prime Minister...civil war. Chapter 3, Research Methodology, addresses biases and the reliability of the study regarding the thesis findings. Chapter 4, Analysis

  14. The Effects of Write Score Formative Assessment on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Janice M.

    2013-01-01

    In an "ex post facto" causal-comparative research design, this study investigated the effectiveness of a formative writing assessment program, Write Score, on increasing student writing achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) reading language arts and writing scores from 2012 were utilized for this study. The…

  15. Horse-Girl Assemblages: Towards a Post-Human Cartography of Girls' Desire in an Ex-Mining Valleys Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Renold, Emma; Ivinson, Gabrielle

    2014-01-01

    The paper works with queer and feminist post-human materialist scholarship to understand the way young teen valleys' girls experienced ubiquitous feelings of fear, risk, vulnerability and violence. Longitudinal ethnographic research of girls (aged 12-15) living in an ex-mining semi-rural community suggests how girls are negotiating complex…

  16. Explaining Michigan: Developing an Ex Post Theory of a Quality Improvement Program

    PubMed Central

    Dixon-Woods, Mary; Bosk, Charles L; Aveling, Emma Louise; Goeschel, Christine A; Pronovost, Peter J

    2011-01-01

    Context: Understanding how and why programs work—not simply whether they work—is crucial. Good theory is indispensable to advancing the science of improvement. We argue for the usefulness of ex post theorization of programs. Methods: We propose an approach, located within the broad family of theory-oriented methods, for developing ex post theories of interventional programs. We use this approach to develop an ex post theory of the Michigan Intensive Care Unit (ICU) project, which attracted international attention by successfully reducing rates of central venous catheter bloodstream infections (CVC-BSIs). The procedure used to develop the ex post theory was (1) identify program leaders’ initial theory of change and learning from running the program; (2) enhance this with new information in the form of theoretical contributions from social scientists; (3) synthesize prior and new information to produce an updated theory. Findings: The Michigan project achieved its effects by (1) generating isomorphic pressures for ICUs to join the program and conform to its requirements; (2) creating a densely networked community with strong horizontal links that exerted normative pressures on members; (3) reframing CVC-BSIs as a social problem and addressing it through a professional movement combining “grassroots” features with a vertically integrating program structure; (4) using several interventions that functioned in different ways to shape a culture of commitment to doing better in practice; (5) harnessing data on infection rates as a disciplinary force; and (6) using “hard edges.” Conclusions: Updating program theory in the light of experience from program implementation is essential to improving programs’ generalizability and transferability, although it is not a substitute for concurrent evaluative fieldwork. Future iterations of programs based on the Michigan project, and improvement science more generally, may benefit from the updated theory present here

  17. Explaining Michigan: developing an ex post theory of a quality improvement program.

    PubMed

    Dixon-Woods, Mary; Bosk, Charles L; Aveling, Emma Louise; Goeschel, Christine A; Pronovost, Peter J

    2011-06-01

    Understanding how and why programs work-not simply whether they work-is crucial. Good theory is indispensable to advancing the science of improvement. We argue for the usefulness of ex post theorization of programs. We propose an approach, located within the broad family of theory-oriented methods, for developing ex post theories of interventional programs. We use this approach to develop an ex post theory of the Michigan Intensive Care Unit (ICU) project, which attracted international attention by successfully reducing rates of central venous catheter bloodstream infections (CVC-BSIs). The procedure used to develop the ex post theory was (1) identify program leaders' initial theory of change and learning from running the program; (2) enhance this with new information in the form of theoretical contributions from social scientists; (3) synthesize prior and new information to produce an updated theory. The Michigan project achieved its effects by (1) generating isomorphic pressures for ICUs to join the program and conform to its requirements; (2) creating a densely networked community with strong horizontal links that exerted normative pressures on members; (3) reframing CVC-BSIs as a social problem and addressing it through a professional movement combining "grassroots" features with a vertically integrating program structure; (4) using several interventions that functioned in different ways to shape a culture of commitment to doing better in practice; (5) harnessing data on infection rates as a disciplinary force; and (6) using "hard edges." Updating program theory in the light of experience from program implementation is essential to improving programs' generalizability and transferability, although it is not a substitute for concurrent evaluative fieldwork. Future iterations of programs based on the Michigan project, and improvement science more generally, may benefit from the updated theory present here. © 2011 Milbank Memorial Fund. Published by Wiley

  18. The Influence of In-Service Training, Seminars and Workshops Attendance by Social Studies Teachers on Academic Performance of Students in Junior Secondary Schools In Cross River State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Essien, Ekpenyong Essien; Akpan, Okon Edem; Obot, Imo Martin

    2016-01-01

    This research examined the influence of in-service training, seminar and workshop attendance by social studies teachers on students' academic performance in Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, one hypothesis was formulated to direct the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A sample of five…

  19. Leadership Aspects of Hidden Curriculum Students Practice in Nigerian Universities: A Preview of Students' Union Government Contributions in University Governance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emesini, Nnenna Orieoma

    2016-01-01

    The paper examined the leadership aspect of Hidden Curriculum that students practice in Nigerian Universities and their contributions to university governance. Four research questions guided the study and Ex-Post-Facto Method was adopted as the design. Unstructured interviews with staff/students officials cum critical analysis of Students' Union…

  20. Collaborative Work Competency in Online Postgraduate Students and Its Prevalence on Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castillo, Marisela; Heredia, Yolanda; Gallardo, Katherina

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this research was aimed to establish a relationship between the level of collaborative work competency and the academic performance of students in an online master's degree program. An ex-post-facto investigation was conducted through a quantitative methodology and descriptive analysis. A collaborative competency checklist was…

  1. A Descriptive Study Comparing GPA, Retention and Graduation of First-Time, Full-Time, Provisionally Admitted First-Generation College Students and Their Peers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lodhavia, Rajalakshmi

    2009-01-01

    This quantitative research study used ex post facto data to analyze possible relationships between a discrete set of independent variables and academic achievement among provisionally admitted students at a public, four-year historically black university located in the mid-Atlantic United States. The independent variables were first-generation…

  2. The Effect of Single Gender Instruction on Eighth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammel, David Michael

    2013-01-01

    In the research study, this investigator utilized a non-experimental, causal-comparative design (ex post facto) with archival data to determine the real impact single gender instruction had on eighth grade students' mathematics achievement. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively analyze the benefits of single gender mathematics…

  3. Corporate Philanthropy in American Higher Education: An Investigation of Attitudes towards Giving.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meuth, Elsbeth F.

    This study investigated corporate attitudes toward giving to American higher education in order to contribute insight into corporate philanthropy and to facilitate better understanding and improve university and college fund raising strategies. The research design used was ex post facto. A survey instrument was developed to collect attitudinal and…

  4. High School Learning Environments: Hybrid versus Traditional Formats

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clifton, Mary Beth

    2017-01-01

    This research study examined the effects of hybrid course format as compared to face-to-face instruction format in a high school setting. At this time, there is little research on hybrid courses in the secondary schools. The quantitative portion of this ex post facto study utilized causal comparative design. Student data was collected from teacher…

  5. School Administrators Strategies for Combating Corruption in Universities in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asiyai, Romina Ifeoma

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine corruption in universities with the aim of finding out the types/forms, causes, effects and measures for combating the menace. Four research questions guided the investigation. The study is a survey research, ex-post facto in nature. A sample of 780 comprising of students, academic staff and administrative…

  6. Determining the Effectiveness of Bilingual Programs on Third Grade State Exam Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vela, Adriana; Jones, Don; Mundy, Marie-Anne; Isaacson, Carrie

    2017-01-01

    This ex-post-facto quasi-experimental research design was conducted by selecting a convenient sample of approximately 2,000 3rd grade ELLs who took the regular reading and math English STAAR test during the 2014-15 school year in an urban southern Texas school district. This study was conducted using a quantitative research method of data…

  7. 47 CFR 1.9030 - Long-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Long-term de facto transfer leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9030 Long-term de facto transfer leasing...) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a long-term de facto transfer leasing arrangement in which the...

  8. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short-term de facto transfer leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de facto transfer leasing...) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangement in which the...

  9. Bio-Social Variables as Predictors of Teacher Union Leaders' Adherence to Democratic Principles in Ogun State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fejoh, Johnson

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the influence of bio-social variables - educational status, age and family socio-economic background on teacher union leaders' adherence to democratic principles in Ogun State of Nigeria. The study employed the ex-post-facto research design. Five hypotheses were generated and tested using an instrument titled "union…

  10. Psycho-Demographic Correlates of Behaviour towards Seeking Counselling Intervention among Workers in Lagos, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gesinde, Abiodun Matthew; Sanu, Oluwafunto Jolade

    2015-01-01

    This study sought to examine the impact which age, gender and psychological adjustment have on behaviour towards seeking professional counselling intervention. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select a total of three hundred workers across Lagos metropolis. The ex post facto research design was adopted for the study. Inventory of…

  11. Instructional Supervisory Practices and Teachers' Role Effectiveness in Public Secondary Schools in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sule, Mary Anike; Eyiene, Ameh; Egbai, Mercy E.

    2015-01-01

    The study investigated the relationship between instructional supervisory practices and teachers' role effectiveness in public secondary schools in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State. Two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study…

  12. The Influence of Local Politics on Educational Decisions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bigham, Gary; Ray, Jan

    2012-01-01

    This ex post facto, causal-comparative research study examined student reading performance data within a school district before and after a school district-wide decision to alter the reading curriculum in response to local political pressure from parents. Data analysis revealed that test scores dropped to a significantly lower level, especially…

  13. Gender Disparity Analysis in Academic Achievement at Higher Education Preparatory Schools: Case of South Wollo, Ethiopia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eshetu, Amogne Asfaw

    2015-01-01

    Gender is among the determinant factors affecting students' academic achievement. This paper tried to investigate the impact of gender on academic performance of preparatory secondary school students based on 2014 EHEECE result. Ex post facto research design was used. To that end, data were collected from 3243 students from eight purposively…

  14. Teacher Qualification and Students' Academic Performance in Science Mathematics and Technology Subjects in Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musau, Lydia M.; Abere, Migosi Joash

    2015-01-01

    Performance in Science, Mathematics and Technology (SMT) subjects among students in Kitui County, Kenya has perpetually been unsatisfactory. The aim of this study was to look into the extent to which teacher qualification influenced students' academic performance in SMT subjects. The study applied ex-post-facto survey research design. Random…

  15. Utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Resources and Job Effectiveness among Library Staff in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ntui, Aniebiet Inyang; Inyang, Comfort Linus

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and job effectiveness among library staff in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted…

  16. A Comparative Study of Academic Achievement and Participation in a High School Freshman Academy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seng, Mark Patrick

    2014-01-01

    The transition to high school can be problematic for many ninth graders. Researchers and administrators have sought ways to improve academic performance and promotion rates while reducing dropout rates. A quantitative causal-comparative (ex post facto) and correlation study using a two-group design compared two freshman classes at separate…

  17. How Principals Learn to Lead: The Comparative Influence of On-the-Job Experiences, Administrator Credential Programs, and the ISLLC Standards in the Development of Leadership Expertise among Urban Public School Principals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Stephen H.; Leon, Ronald J.; Fultz, Miriam

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the comparative influence of college administrator credential programs, on-the-job experiences, and the ISLLC Standards in the development of leadership expertise among urban public school principals. An exploratory, ex-post-facto research design used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A survey…

  18. Education and Health Matters: School Nurse Interventions, Student Outcomes, and School Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolfe, Linda C.

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents findings from a quantitative, correlational study that examined selected school nursing services, student academic outcomes, and school demographics. Ex post facto data from the 2011-2012 school year of Delaware public schools were used in the research. The selected variables were school nurse interventions provided to students…

  19. Globalization of Access to Higher Education: Lessons for Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uchendu, C. C.

    2013-01-01

    Education is such a powerful instrument for national transformation and development such that anything that affects an educational system negatively affects the national development. This study investigated the extent to which access to higher education is globalized and the implications for Nigeria. An ex-post facto research design was adopted…

  20. Factors of Role Conflict among Livestock Extension Professionals in Andhra Pradesh, India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sasidhar, P. V. K.; Rao, B. Sudhakar; Sreeramulu, Piedy

    2008-01-01

    To know the factors of role conflict among livestock extension professionals in Andhra Pradesh, India. Study was conducted following ex-post facto research design. Data were collected from 180 respondents through survey questionnaires. The data were subjected to multiple regression and path analyses to know the factors of role conflict.…

  1. Differences in Affect, Life Satisfaction, and Depression between Successfully and Unsuccessfully Rehabilitated Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapin, Martha H.; Holbert, Donald

    2009-01-01

    This study assessed whether persons with spinal cord injuries who were successfully rehabilitated differed from those who were not with regard to positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and depression. An ex post facto research design compared persons with spinal cord injuries who were previously employed with persons with spinal cord…

  2. 76 FR 64 - Safety and Health Requirements Related to Camp Cars

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-03

    ... creating an unconstitutional, ex post facto law, and that is what Congress provided with the new statutory... preempting State regulation of the hours of railroad employees. See Hill v. State of Florida ex rel. Watson...

  3. The Relationship between Scores of Mathematics Knowledge and Teaching Practice of Diploma Mathematics Students: A Quest for Quality Assurance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adamu, L. E.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between scores in mathematics knowledge and teaching practice of Diploma mathematics students. A sample of 39 students was used. Two research questions and two hypotheses were asked and formulated respectively. An ex-post facto correlation design was used. The data were analyzed using…

  4. The Relationship between Elementary School Principals' Transformational Leadership and Spiritual Well-Being

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mehdinezhad, Vali; Nouri, Fatemeh

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between transformational leadership and spiritual well-being among elementary school principals. A correlational research or ex post facto method was used in this study. The sample population comprised 141 subjects, of which 69 were male and 72 were female. Bass and Avolio's Transformational…

  5. Student Satisfaction as a Predictor of Retention in a Professional Online For-Profit Higher Education Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Page, Eric; Kulick, Melinda

    2016-01-01

    This study expanded on prior satisfaction and retention research by exploring this relationship within the online for-profit sector. An ex post facto design was utilized at an online for-profit undergraduate institution with programs in the creative arts to explore the relationship between student satisfaction as measured by the Priorities Survey…

  6. Predictive Power of School Based Assessment Scores on Students' Achievement in Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) in English and Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Opara, Ijeoma M.; Onyekuru, Bruno U.; Njoku, Joyce U.

    2015-01-01

    The study investigated the predictive power of school based assessment scores on students' achievement in Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) in English and Mathematics. Two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. A sample of 250 students were randomly drawn…

  7. Impact of English Proficiency on Academic Performance of International Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martirosyan, Nara M.; Hwang, Eunjin; Wanjohi, Reubenson

    2015-01-01

    Using an ex-post facto, non-experimental approach, this research examined the impact of English language proficiency and multilingualism on the academic performance of international students enrolled in a four-year university located in north central Louisiana in the United States. Data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire from 59…

  8. Quality Regulation in Expansion of Educational Systems: A Case of Privately Sponsored Students' Programme in Kenya's Public Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yego, Helen J. C.

    2016-01-01

    This paper examines the expansion and management of quality of parallel programmes in Kenya's public universities. The study is based on Privately Sponsored Students Programmes (PSSP) at Moi University and its satellite campuses in Kenya. The study was descriptive in nature and adopted an ex-post facto research design. The study sample consisted…

  9. Teachers' Utilization of School Facilities and Academic Achievement of Student Nurses in Human Biology in Schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Usen, Onodiong Mfreke

    2016-01-01

    The study examined the relationship between teachers' utilization of school facilities and academic achievement of student nurses in Human Biology in schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State. Four (4) specific objectives, four (4) research questions and four (4) null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto survey design was…

  10. A Study of the Relationship between Multicultural Teaching Training Methods and Teacher Attitudes about Diversity in Rural Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, Russell E.

    2010-01-01

    The lack of research about the efficacy of the three primary methods for training teachers to work with students from diverse cultures makes it difficult for universities to provide the proper training. The following quantitative, non-experimental, causal-comparative, ex-post facto study gathered and analyzed data concerning the efficacy of the…

  11. Investigating the Effects of the Academy of Reading Program on Middle School Reading Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, Brenda Gail

    2016-01-01

    Using a quantitative ex post facto causal comparative research design, this study analyzed the effects of the Academy of Reading software program on students' reading achievement. Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) reading scale scores of students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades from 2013-2014 were utilized in this study. The…

  12. Goal Setting, Decision-Making Skills and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Distance Learners: Implications for Retention and Support Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanglang, Nebath; Ibrahim, Aminu Kazeem

    2015-01-01

    The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. Randomization sampling technique was used to select 346 undergraduate distance learners and the learners were grouped into four, High and Low Goal setter learners and High and Low Decision-making skills learners. The instruments for data collection were Undergraduate Academic Goal Setting Scale…

  13. Developing and Testing a Self-Regulated Learning Assessment Methodology Combined with Virtual-Patient Simulation in Medical Education

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-04-09

    Cleary, Dong, & Artino, 2014). Collectively, various ex post facto studies have shown that experts or high achievers display more adaptive forms...regulated learning and academic achievement: A case study analysis [Special Issue]. Educational Research International. doi: 10.1155/2013/272560...Services University of the Health Sciences 4301 Jones Bridge Road Bethesda, Maryland 20814 AF Medical Research Program Air Force Surgeon General

  14. 78 FR 35191 - 2000 Biennial Regulatory Review, Separate Affiliate Requirements of the Commission's Rules

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-12

    ... concerns through ex-post facto investigations, such as under a section 208 complaint process? Are existing..., Overlap, or Conflict with the Proposed Rules. None. Ex Parte Presentations 27. This proceeding shall be treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules...

  15. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum..., the following standard is applied for purposes of determining whether a licensee retains de facto...

  16. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum..., the following standard is applied for purposes of determining whether a licensee retains de facto...

  17. 78 FR 40430 - De Facto

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-05

    ... the government in making decisions regarding the selection of management; and (4) whether the... government; (2) export sales negotiations and prices; (3) composition of company management, the process... de facto Test With Requests for Additional Documentary Support and Additional Questions Regarding the...

  18. Assessing Learners' Satisfication towards Support Services Delivery in National Open University Nigeria: Implications for Counselling Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okopi, Fidel; Ofole, Ndidi

    2013-01-01

    This study aims at determining the level of students' satisfaction of learner support services in the study centres of NOUN--National Open University of Nigeria and whether the support services offered at the study centres have significant influence on the level of students' satisfaction. A descriptive survey of ex-post facto research design was…

  19. Gender Issue in the Performance of Students Admitted through UME and Pre-Degree into the Nigerian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omirin, M. S.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined the gender issue in the performance of students admitted through Universities Matriculation Examination (UME) and pre-degree into the Nigerian Universities. Ex-post facto design of descriptive research was adopted for the study. A proforma was used to collect data from a sample of two hundred and fifty students from the…

  20. Reduced Admissions for Acute Myocardial Infarction Associated with a Public Smoking Ban: Matched Controlled Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seo, Dong-Chul; Torabi, Mohammad R.

    2007-01-01

    There has been no research linking implementation of a public smoking ban and reduced incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among nonsmoking patients. An ex post facto matched control group study was conducted to determine whether there was a change in hospital admissions for AMI among nonsmoking patients after a public smoking ban was…

  1. Assessment of the Adequacy of Instructional Resources in Business Education Programmes Relative to NCCE Standards for Colleges of Education in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Onyesom, Moses; Okolocha, Chimezie Comfort

    2013-01-01

    The study assessed the adequacy of instructional resources available for business education programmes at the colleges of education in Edo and Delta states of Nigeria in relation to the standards stipulated by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE). The study adopted the ex-post facto research design and was guided by five…

  2. The Difference in the Academic Achievement of Hispanic High School Students Based on the Theme of the Small Learning Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Beate M. Winter

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to describe the difference in the academic achievement of urban Hispanic high school students based on the small learning community theme. The study used a quantitative method of ex post facto research to examine how the academic achievement of Hispanic high school students differs across the themes of small…

  3. Air and Space Power Journal. Volume 29, Number 4. July-August 2015

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-08-01

    Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It is incredibly difficult to prevent these attacks when the most explicit strategies are reactive ex post facto military...Editor, Strategic Studies Quarterly Air Force Research Institute Dr. Grant T. Hammond USAF Center for Strategy and Technology Dr. Dale L. Hayden Air Force...of War Studies at King’s College London, researches nonproliferation, terrorism, and US security policy. He observes that deterrence strategies

  4. Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Aging among the Aged in Ihitte-Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ojukwu, M. O.

    2016-01-01

    The major aim of this study was to examine influence of psychosocial factors on aging among the aged in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto or casual comparative research design was adopted for the study. Two hundred and twenty-five (225) old people were selected through random sampling for the study.…

  5. Parental Involvement as a Correlate of Academic Achievement of Primary School Pupils in Edo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fajoju, Samuel A.; Aluede, Oyaziwo; Ojugo, Augustine I.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between parental involvement in children's education and the academic achievement of primary six pupils in Edo State, Nigeria. The ex-post facto research design was employed in this study. The sample consisted of 1,895 primary six pupils (1,024 males and 863 females drawn from 37,908 primary six pupils in…

  6. Assessment of Service Delivery in Guidance and Counselling Units in Selected Secondary Schools in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owino, Elizabeth Akinyi

    2015-01-01

    This paper assesses the type of services delivered by the existing Guidance and Counselling units in secondary schools in Kenya based on a survey conducted in Eldoret Municipality in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design the target population being all secondary schools in the Municipality where a sample was…

  7. Aspects of Tutor and Writing Ability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zaidin, M. Arifin

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to assess the correlation between aspects of tutor and the students' basic writing outcomes of the Elementary School Teacher Education at the Distance Learning Program Unit, Open University of Palu. This is ex post facto correlation with the population research of 387 people and the total sample of 100 people. This…

  8. Mode of Entry as a Predictor of Success in Final Year Bachelor of Education Degree Examinations in Universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adeyemi, T. O.

    2009-01-01

    This paper investigates the mode of entry as a predictor of success in final year bachelor of education degree examinations in universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria. As an ex-post facto and correlational research, the study population comprised all the 1810 final year 400 level students in the two universities offering education courses,…

  9. School Dropout Pattern among Senior Secondary Schools in Delta State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ajaja, O. Patrick

    2012-01-01

    The major purpose of this study was to determine the pattern of dropout among secondary school students in Delta State. To guide this study, 7 research questions were asked and answered, 3 hypotheses stated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of study was ex post facto using the past school attendance registers as the major…

  10. Al-Qaeda and Islamist Militant Influences on Tribal Dynamics: The Northern Mali and Northeastern Nigeria Regions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-01-05

    is we made progress, ex post facto , in terms of methodology development towards what DARPA recently called for, namely “improve[ing] our understanding...for their bases of activity. Prior quantitative research , by the P.I. and by others, has shown that tribalism is an important incubator of Islamist...undergraduate students partook in the research , and were involved in conceptualization of problems, quantitative and qualitative research , coding of

  11. Subject descriptions, control groups, and research designs in published studies of language-impaired children.

    PubMed

    Schmitt, J F; Meline, T J

    1990-12-01

    We reviewed the 1983-1988 issues of six journals that frequently publish papers including specifically language-impaired (LI) subjects. A total of 92 research reports provided data for our review. The research reports included experimental studies, ex post facto studies, and intervention studies. These studies represent a broad spectrum of the theoretical and empirical foundations of knowledge regarding LI children. The analysis of the published research centered on subject descriptions and the use of control groups. A descriptive analysis of the data showed few consistent trends among the studies with respect to subject selection, subject description, and the number and types of control groups. We discuss the importance of more complete subject descriptions in studies of LI children as well as the importance of the choice of matching criteria for control groups in between-subjects designs.

  12. Untangling outcomes of de jure and de facto community-based management of natural resources.

    PubMed

    Agarwala, Meghna; Ginsberg, Joshua R

    2017-12-01

    We systematically reviewed the literature on the tragedy of the commons and common-property resources. We segregated studies by legal management regimes (de jure regimes) and management that develops in practice (de facto regimes) to understand how the structure of regime formation affects the outcome of community management on sustainability of resource use. De facto regimes, developed within the community, are more likely to have positive impacts on the resource. However, de facto regimes are fragile and not resilient in the face of increased population pressure and unregulated markets, and de facto management regimes are less successful where physical exclusion of external agents from resources is more difficult. Yet, formalization or imposition of de jure management regimes can have complicated impacts on sustainability. The imposition of de jure regimes usually has a negative outcome when existing de facto regimes operate at larger scales than the imposed de jure regime. In contrast, de jure regimes have largely positive impacts when the de facto regimes operate at scales smaller than the overlying de jure regimes. Formalization may also be counterproductive because of elite capture and the resulting de facto privatization (that allows elites to effectively exclude others) or de facto open access (where the disenfranchised may resort to theft and elites cannot effectively exclude them). This underscores that although the global movement to formalize community-management regimes may address some forms of inequity and may produce better outcomes, it does not ensure resource sustainability and may lead to greater marginalization of users. Comparison of governance systems that differentiate between initiatives that legitimize existing de facto regimes and systems that create new de facto regimes, investigations of new top-down de jure regimes, and studies that further examine different approaches to changing de jure regimes to de facto regimes are avenues for

  13. Knowledge and attitudes of nurses on a regional neurological intensive therapy unit towards brain stem death and organ donation.

    PubMed

    Davies, C

    1997-01-01

    The study aimed to explore nurses knowledge and attitudes towards brain stem death and organ donation. An ex post facto research design was used to determine relationships between variables. A 16 item questionnaire was used to collect data. Statistical analysis revealed one significant result. The limitations of the sample size is acknowledged and the conclusion suggests a larger study is required.

  14. Ex Ante Research Explored: Numbers, Types and Use of Ex Ante Policy Studies by the Dutch Government

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haarhuis, Carolien Maria Klein; Smit, Monika

    2017-01-01

    Ex ante research can contribute to evidence-informed policies. In this article, we explore numbers and types of ex ante studies as well as their use. First, we took stock of a potentially wide range of ex ante studies published by the Dutch government between 2005 and 2011, applying a systematic approach. Though unevenly distributed across…

  15. The Case for a Joint Evaluation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-01-01

    intelligence, and engineering. Finally, the comparative time ex - pended by the combatant commanders (CCDRs) on fulfilling four different evaluation...template for the joint-centric construct would align with the four de facto sections noted earlier: an identifica- tion section, a performance metric...intangible or have not been properly researched. For example, under one evaluation system, a Servicemember’s separation or retire- ment into a post

  16. Assessment of De Facto Wastewater Reuse across the US: trends between 1980 and 2008.

    PubMed

    Rice, Jacelyn; Wutich, Amber; Westerhoff, Paul

    2013-10-01

    De facto wastewater reuse is the incidental presence of treated wastewater in a water supply source. In 1980 the EPA identified drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) impacted by upstream wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges and found the top 25 most impacted DWTPs contained between 2% and 16% wastewater discharges from upstream locations (i.e., de facto reuse) under average streamflow conditions. This study is the first to provide an update to the 1980 EPA analysis. An ArcGIS model of DWTPs and WWTPs across the U.S. was created to quantify de facto reuse for the top 25 cities in the 1980 EPA study. From 1980 to 2008, de facto reuse increased for 17 of the 25 DWTPs, as municipal flows upstream of the sites increased by 68%. Under low streamflow conditions, de facto reuse in DWTP supplies ranged from 7% to 100%, illustrating the importance of wastewater in sustainable water supplies. Case studies were performed on four cities to analyze the reasons for changes in de facto reuse over time. Three of the four sites have greater than 20% treated wastewater effluent within their drinking water source for streamflow less than the 25th percentile historic flow.

  17. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements. (a) Under the rules established for spectrum leasing...

  18. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements. (a) Under the rules established for spectrum leasing...

  19. 47 CFR 1.9010 - De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false De facto control standard for spectrum leasing... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9010 De facto control standard for spectrum leasing arrangements. (a) Under the rules established for spectrum leasing...

  20. Grief responses, coping processes, and social support of widows: research with Roy's model.

    PubMed

    Robinson, J H

    1995-01-01

    This ex post facto descriptive correlational design study of widows during their second year of bereavement utilizes Roy's adaptation model as a guiding framework. Contextual stimuli (social support, social network, income/education, spiritual beliefs) were related to the cognator function (coping process), which was related to adaptation outcome (grief response). Significant moderate positive relationships were found between social support and coping process, and between social network and coping process. A significant relationship was also found between coping process and grief response. The path model accounted for 18% explained variance.

  1. Ex-post-facto analysis of competitive employment outcomes for individuals with mental retardation: national perspective.

    PubMed

    Moore, Corey L; Harley, Debra A; Gamble, David

    2004-08-01

    Disparities in proportions of competitive job placements and provision of vocational rehabilitation services by level of mental retardation were identified for 28,565 individuals. Chi-square results reveal that consumers with mild mental retardation are significantly more likely to achieve competitive jobs compared to those with more severe levels. Logistic regression indicated that the odds of achieving a competitive job for consumers receiving job placement services, business/vocational training, and counseling were nearly two times that of individuals not receiving such services. Findings suggest that a significantly lower proportion of these services were provided to consumers with severe/profound mental retardation. Implications of findings for service, research, and policy are discussed.

  2. Racial Disparities and Similarities in Post-Release Recidivism and Employment among Ex-Prisoners with a Different Level of Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lockwood, Susan Klinker; Nally, John M.; Ho, Taiping; Knutson, Katie

    2015-01-01

    Previous studies, both international and domestic, rarely examined racial disparities in post-release employment and recidivism. Finding a job is an immediate challenge to all ex-prisoners, and often more difficult for African American ex-prisoners who typically return to economically-depressed neighborhoods upon release from prison. The present…

  3. Artificial neural network predictions of lengths of stay on a post-coronary care unit.

    PubMed

    Mobley, B A; Leasure, R; Davidson, L

    1995-01-01

    To create and validate a model that predicts length of hospital unit stay. Ex post facto. Seventy-four independent admission variables in 15 general categories were utilized to predict possible stays of 1 to 20 days. Laboratory. Records of patients discharged from a post-coronary care unit in early 1993. An artificial neural network was trained on 629 records and tested on an additional 127 records of patients. The absolute disparity between the actual lengths of stays in the test records and the predictions of the network averaged 1.4 days per record, and the actual length of stay was predicted within 1 day 72% of the time. The artificial neural network demonstrated the capacity to utilize common patient admission characteristics to predict lengths of stay. This technology shows promise in aiding timely initiation of treatment and effective resource planning and cost control.

  4. 76 FR 67073 - Safety and Health Requirements Related to Camp Cars

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-31

    ...), a new compliance date would be necessary in order to avoid creating an unconstitutional, ex post facto law, and that is what Congress provided with the new statutory deadline for compliance of December...

  5. Psycho-Social Study of Outstanding Female Athletes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balazs, Eva K.

    1975-01-01

    This was an ex post facto analysis of the life histories of 24 Olympic female champions to determine events and variables in the psychological and social driving forces behind outstanding achievement in sports. (RC)

  6. Frontier Security: The Case of Brazil

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-08-01

    locations close to indigenous and other settlements along the northern border. In concept, the military post would be augmented by civilian ex - pertise...legal doctrine of uti possidetis de facto —possession takes precedence over legal title. The presence of some Brazilian settlers, particularly in...possidetis de facto to seize unoccupied territory. In the 1970s, the armed forces launched a colonization program along the nation’s western frontier called

  7. Economic and environmental effects of the manure policy in The Netherlands: synthesis of integrated ex-post and ex-ante evaluation.

    PubMed

    Westhoek, H; van den Berg, R; de Hoop, W; van der Kamp, A

    2004-01-01

    This paper summarises the results of both an ex-post evaluation of the Dutch Mineral Accounting System (MINAS) and an ex-ante evaluation of the effect of different levy-free surplus values. The MINAS system has been introduced in 1998 in order to reduce nitrate and phosphate leaching from agricultural soils. MINAS resulted in a reduction of the N surplus on dairy farms of approximately 50 kg ha(-1) to limited or no costs to the farms involved. MINAS resulted in higher costs for manure removal for intensive livestock farmers. Though emissions of N and P have decreased significantly during the last five years effects of this reduction in environmental quality cannot be observed, except for a small decrease in nitrate concentration of the upper groundwater. The ex-ante evaluation of different variants for possible future levy-free surplus levels indicated that under the lowest variant, the nitrate concentration in groundwater will exceed 50 mg per litre on 14% of the area. The environmental effect of the different variants for P were not distinguished. The lowering of the levy-free surplus for P will have a drastic effect on the intensive livestock farms. The incorporation of fertiliser P under the MINAS system would be a cheap option to reduce the P surplus.

  8. 32 CFR 151.7 - Fair trial guarantees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... not be prosecuted under an ex post facto law. (c) Accused shall not be punished by bills of attainder... the United States. The list is intended as a guide for the preparation of country law studies...

  9. 32 CFR 151.7 - Fair trial guarantees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... not be prosecuted under an ex post facto law. (c) Accused shall not be punished by bills of attainder... the United States. The list is intended as a guide for the preparation of country law studies...

  10. 32 CFR 151.7 - Fair trial guarantees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... not be prosecuted under an ex post facto law. (c) Accused shall not be punished by bills of attainder... the United States. The list is intended as a guide for the preparation of country law studies...

  11. 32 CFR 151.7 - Fair trial guarantees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... not be prosecuted under an ex post facto law. (c) Accused shall not be punished by bills of attainder... the United States. The list is intended as a guide for the preparation of country law studies...

  12. 32 CFR 151.7 - Fair trial guarantees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... not be prosecuted under an ex post facto law. (c) Accused shall not be punished by bills of attainder... the United States. The list is intended as a guide for the preparation of country law studies...

  13. Modeled De Facto Reuse and Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Drinking Water Source Waters

    EPA Science Inventory

    De facto reuse is the percentage of drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) intake potentially composed of effluent discharged from upstream wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Results from grab samples and a De Facto Reuse in our Nation's Consumable Supply (DRINCS) geospatial wat...

  14. FAILURE OF NUCLEAR DETERRENCE IN THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-06

    performance in executing strategy should be approached. “One must in particular avoid ex post facto judgements: the fairer procedure is to evaluate the...Charles Bartlett. “In Time of Crisis.” The Saturday Evening Post , (8 Dec 1962), 15-20. Barlow, Jeffrey G. “The Cuban Missile Crisis.” In Naval

  15. The use of de jure to maintain a de facto status quo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gallard Martínez, Alejandro José; Antrop-González, René

    2013-12-01

    The vignette we use as the introduction works to define and distinguish the concepts of de jure and de facto pedagogical actions, especially as related to Latin@ education and its relationship with STEM fields. The authors assert that de jure educational policies, which are often legal guidelines that mandate minimum levels of compliance, unfortunately become translated to mean the normative way to implement educational practice. Hence, going above and beyond the call of duty to educate Latin@ children and youth through culturally meaningful STEM practices while respecting, affirming, and utilizing decolonizing ways of viewing science and math is not viewed as standard. Thus, it is imperative that STEM educators who work with Latin@ learners demand that de jure education guidelines translated as de facto pedagogical actions are not enough. On the contrary, de jure and de facto ways of teaching and learning should always consist of a counterhegemonic normative.

  16. Strategies for Minimizing Monetary Loss in the Department of Defense Budget through Use of Financial Derivatives

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-03-01

    purpose of this research was to examine whether it would be in the best interest of the Department of Defense to consider using currency hedging as a...the aforementioned hedges during the same period of time. Using an ex post facto analysis with the gathered data, the results show that hedging with...futures or call options on the USD/EURO would have provided a tremendous overall savings to the DOD. Currently the DOD does not hedge its budget

  17. A Grassroots Solution to "De Facto" School Segregation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Broderick, Mary

    1997-01-01

    Connecticut is struggling to address the "de facto" desegregation that finds 80% of the state's minority schoolchildren enrolled in only 18 of its 166 school districts. In 1996, the state's supreme court ruled that Connecticut's two-tiered system was violating these students' rights. Southeastern Connecticut's improvement plan reflects…

  18. Science dual enrollment: An examination of high school students' post-secondary aspirations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berry, Chelsia

    The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in science dual enrollment courses influenced African American high school students' post-secondary aspirations that will lead to college attendance. The investigation examined the relationship between African American students' learning experiences and how their self-efficacy and outcome expectations impact their goal setting. The goal was to determine the impact of the following variables on African American students' plan to pursue a bachelor's or advanced degree: (a) STEM exposure, (b) Algebra 1 achievement, (c) level of science class, and (d) receiving science college credit for dual enrollment course. The social cognitive career theory framed this body of research to explore how career and academic interests mature, are developed, and are translated into action. Science dual enrollment participation is a strategy for addressing the lack of African American presence in the STEM fields. The causal comparative ex post facto research design was used in this quantitative study. The researcher performed the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric analysis of variance and Pearson's chi-square tests to analyze secondary data from the High School Longitudinal Study first follow-up student questionnaire. The results indicate that STEM exposure and early success in Algebra 1 have a statistically significant impact on African American students' ambition to pursue a bachelor's or advanced degree. According to the Pearson's chi-square and independent sample Kruskal-Wallis analyses, level of students' science class and receiving college credit for dual enrollment do not significantly influence African American students' postsecondary aspirations.

  19. Two Different Points of View through Artificial Intelligence and Vector Autoregressive Models for Ex Post and Ex Ante Forecasting

    PubMed Central

    Aydin, Alev Dilek; Caliskan Cavdar, Seyma

    2015-01-01

    The ANN method has been applied by means of multilayered feedforward neural networks (MLFNs) by using different macroeconomic variables such as the exchange rate of USD/TRY, gold prices, and the Borsa Istanbul (BIST) 100 index based on monthly data over the period of January 2000 and September 2014 for Turkey. Vector autoregressive (VAR) method has also been applied with the same variables for the same period of time. In this study, different from other studies conducted up to the present, ENCOG machine learning framework has been used along with JAVA programming language in order to constitute the ANN. The training of network has been done by resilient propagation method. The ex post and ex ante estimates obtained by the ANN method have been compared with the results obtained by the econometric forecasting method of VAR. Strikingly, our findings based on the ANN method reveal that there is a possibility of financial distress or a financial crisis in Turkey starting from October 2017. The results which were obtained with the method of VAR also support the results of ANN method. Additionally, our results indicate that the ANN approach has more superior prediction performance than the VAR method. PMID:26550010

  20. Two Different Points of View through Artificial Intelligence and Vector Autoregressive Models for Ex Post and Ex Ante Forecasting.

    PubMed

    Aydin, Alev Dilek; Caliskan Cavdar, Seyma

    2015-01-01

    The ANN method has been applied by means of multilayered feedforward neural networks (MLFNs) by using different macroeconomic variables such as the exchange rate of USD/TRY, gold prices, and the Borsa Istanbul (BIST) 100 index based on monthly data over the period of January 2000 and September 2014 for Turkey. Vector autoregressive (VAR) method has also been applied with the same variables for the same period of time. In this study, different from other studies conducted up to the present, ENCOG machine learning framework has been used along with JAVA programming language in order to constitute the ANN. The training of network has been done by resilient propagation method. The ex post and ex ante estimates obtained by the ANN method have been compared with the results obtained by the econometric forecasting method of VAR. Strikingly, our findings based on the ANN method reveal that there is a possibility of financial distress or a financial crisis in Turkey starting from October 2017. The results which were obtained with the method of VAR also support the results of ANN method. Additionally, our results indicate that the ANN approach has more superior prediction performance than the VAR method.

  1. Estimating post-marketing exposure to pharmaceutical products using ex-factory distribution data.

    PubMed

    Telfair, Tamara; Mohan, Aparna K; Shahani, Shalini; Klincewicz, Stephen; Atsma, Willem Jan; Thomas, Adrian; Fife, Daniel

    2006-10-01

    The pharmaceutical industry has an obligation to identify adverse reactions to drug products during all phases of drug development, including the post-marketing period. Estimates of population exposure to pharmaceutical products are important to the post-marketing surveillance of drugs, and provide a context for assessing the various risks and benefits, including drug safety, associated with drug treatment. This paper describes a systematic approach to estimating post-marketing drug exposure using ex-factory shipment data to estimate the quantity of medication available, and dosage information (stratified by indication or other factors as appropriate) to convert the quantity of medication to person time of exposure. Unlike the non-standardized methods often used to estimate exposure, this approach provides estimates whose calculations are explicit, documented, and consistent across products and over time. The methods can readily be carried out by an individual or small group specializing in this function, and lend themselves to automation. The present estimation approach is practical and relatively uncomplicated to implement. We believe it is a useful innovation. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. In America’s Wake: A Comparison of Rising Power Foreign Policies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-01

    judgments or pronouncements as to the propriety or impropriety of any particular course of action. The author is unconvinced that ex post facto ...Expansion, 3rd ed, Cambridge Imperial and Post -Colonial Studies Series (Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York: Palgrave/Macmillan, 2002), 14...Century, 1815-1914: A Study of Empire and Expansion, 3rd ed, Cambridge Imperial and Post -Colonial Studies Series (Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire

  3. An Examination of Factors Contributing to Student Satisfaction in Armenian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martirosyan, Nara

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that affect student satisfaction in college environment in Armenian Higher Educational Institutions (AHEIs). Design/methodology/approach: This study used an "ex-post facto," non-experimental approach to investigate factors that affected student satisfaction in college…

  4. A Study to Determine the Academic Progression between Economically Disadvantaged Students and Their Economically Advantaged Peers on Georgia's Statewide Criteria Referenced Competency Test

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warner, Tonya

    2009-01-01

    This quantitative study implemented a non-experimental design that was descriptive, ex-post facto, and longitudinal. This study is examining economically disadvantaged students (EDS) with comparison to non-economically disadvantaged students (non-EDS) and their academic performance on Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT).…

  5. A Comparison and Contrast in Alternative Learning versus Traditional Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simmons, Mia A.

    2013-01-01

    Preparation for today's influenced technology professional world starts with structure of primary and secondary educational learning environments. The student learning platforms should be aligned in some ways to professional working platforms. This quantitative correlational ex post facto study compared the effectiveness of learning modalities in…

  6. Attitudes towards Disability in Education through the SSCI (2000-2011): A Topical and Bibliometric Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia-Fernandez, Jose Manuel; Ingles, Candido J.; Juan, Maria Vicent; Gonzalvez-Macia, Carolina; Manas-Viejo, Carmen

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: The purpose of this study is to describe and characterize the international scientific output relating to "attitudes towards disability in education", using a battery of bibliometric indicators that make it possible to analyze and monitor international scientific activity. Method: This "ex post facto"…

  7. Measuring Research Competitiveness in UK Universities: Introducing the Herfindahl Index to the 2008 and 2014 Research Assessment Exercises

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Anthony

    2016-01-01

    Like its 2008 predecessor, the, 2014 Research Excellence Framework was a high-stakes exercise. For universities and their constituent departments, it had zero-sum implications for league table position in a way that the 2001 exercise did not, and "post facto" it is having a significant effect on investment and disinvestment as…

  8. Stigmatizing Attributions and Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes of People with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Jacob Yui-Chung; Keegan, John P.; Ditchman, Nicole; Gonzalez, Rene; Zheng, Lisa Xi; Chan, Fong

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To determine whether employment outcomes of people with disabilities can be predicted by the social-cognitive/attribution theory of stigmatization. Design: Ex post facto design using data mining technique and logistic regression analysis. Participants: Data from 40,585 vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumers were extracted from the…

  9. The Role of Online Reader Experience in Explaining Students' Performance in Digital Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gil-Flores, Javier; Torres-Gordillo, Juan-Jesus; Perera-Rodriguez, Victor-Hugo

    2012-01-01

    This study explores the relationship between students' extracurricular experiences online and their performance on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), focusing specifically on students' competence in digital reading. The study uses a descriptive, correlational, ex post facto design. The data are taken from Spanish students'…

  10. The Influence of Student Demographics and Internal Characteristics on GPA, Persistence, and Academic Success of First-Time College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodriguez, David B.

    2013-01-01

    Employing a non-experimental, ex-post facto design, the study examined the relationship of student demographic information and internal characteristics identified from the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) to student persistence, grade point average, and academic success. Cognitive Learning Theory (CLT), which focuses on the internal…

  11. Predictors of Employment Outcomes for People with Visual Impairment in Taiwan: The Contribution of Disability Employment Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jang, Yuh; Wang, Yun-Tung; Lin, Meng-Hsiu; Shih, Kevin J.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: We investigated the employment status and identified factors that may affect the employment outcomes of people with visual impairments in Taiwan. Methods: A retrospective, ex post facto design study was conducted. The sample included 313 visually impaired clients who commenced and "closed" (completed) disability employment…

  12. Lifelong Adaptability: A Cultural Literacy Perspective (Revised Edition)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moyer, John Thayer

    2011-01-01

    This revised 1997 ex post facto study attempted to identify a lifelong adaptability curriculum from a cultural literacy perspective. It investigated students' lifelong adaptability ratings of 15 general school subjects as predicted by family structure, parental age, parental educational level, student cultural literacy, and student gender;…

  13. A Comparative Study of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged and Non-Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Fourth-Grade Students in Reading and Math in an Online Charter School and a Traditional School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mansheim, Richard Lynn

    2017-01-01

    Few empirical studies explore how socioeconomic status (SES) disadvantaged students perform academically in a 100% online school. This causal-comparative ex post facto quantitative study examined how SES-disadvantaged students at an online charter school performed academically when compared with both SES-disadvantaged and non-SES-disadvantaged…

  14. The Respective Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Ways of Measuring the Instructional Sensitivity of Reading Comprehension Test Items.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perkins, Kyle

    In this paper four classes of procedures for measuring the instructional sensitivity of reading comprehension test items are reviewed. True experimental designs are not recommended because some of the most important reading comprehension variables do not lend themselves to experimental manipulation. "Ex post facto" factorial designs are…

  15. Perceived Vocational Students' Intentional Persistence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ikegulu, T. Nelson; Barham, Wilton A.; Farmer, Vernon L.; Roberson, Louvenia T.

    A study investigated the distribution of attrition-related factors of 900 (351 male and 549 female) adult vocational students enrolled in selected postsecondary Louisiana vocational and technical institutions. Comparative, predictive, and ex-post facto designs were used. The outcome measure was students' perceived intentional persistence, which…

  16. Implications of Transitioning from De Facto to Engineered Water Reuse for Power Plant Cooling.

    PubMed

    Barker, Zachary A; Stillwell, Ashlynn S

    2016-05-17

    Thermoelectric power plants demand large quantities of cooling water, and can use alternative sources like treated wastewater (reclaimed water); however, such alternatives generate many uncertainties. De facto water reuse, or the incidental presence of wastewater effluent in a water source, is common at power plants, representing baseline conditions. In many cases, power plants would retrofit open-loop systems to cooling towers to use reclaimed water. To evaluate the feasibility of reclaimed water use, we compared hydrologic and economic conditions at power plants under three scenarios: quantified de facto reuse, de facto reuse with cooling tower retrofits, and modeled engineered reuse conditions. We created a genetic algorithm to estimate costs and model optimal conditions. To assess power plant performance, we evaluated reliability metrics for thermal variances and generation capacity loss as a function of water temperature. Applying our analysis to the greater Chicago area, we observed high de facto reuse for some power plants and substantial costs for retrofitting to use reclaimed water. Conversely, the gains in reliability and performance through engineered reuse with cooling towers outweighed the energy investment in reclaimed water pumping. Our analysis yields quantitative results of reclaimed water feasibility and can inform sustainable management of water and energy.

  17. The role of attachment in the post-divorce experience.

    PubMed

    Berman, W H

    1988-03-01

    The loss of the spouse resulting from marital breakdown appears to be a central component of post-divorce distress. However, comparatively little empirical research has examined the nature of this broken bond or its impact on the divorced adult. This study tests the hypothesis that the continuing positive feelings for the ex-spouse following divorce are very salient for the individual and are related to increased distress. Sixty recently divorced women selected from court records were randomly assigned to one of three conditions in which they recalled the ex-spouse in a positive, loving interaction (PS); the ex-spouse in a conflictual interaction (C); or a friend in a positive, loving interaction (PS). A post-recall thought sampling procedure was employed to measure the frequency of thoughts about the ex-spouse. The subjects in the PS condition had significantly more post-recall thoughts of the ex-spouse and significantly more thoughts about coping than those in either the C or the PF conditions. The implications of these data for theories of post-divorce adaptation and adult attachment are discussed.

  18. Do Prospective Classroom Teachers Perceive Themselves as Effective and Willing to Teach Young Learners English?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sad, Süleyman Nihat

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the perceived efficacy and willingness levels of prospective classroom teachers to teach English at the primary level. The study was designed as a baseline descriptive survey, followed by complementary correlational and ex post facto models. Participants were 251 prospective classroom teachers. Data was collected…

  19. Relationships among Faculty Training, Faculty Degree, Faculty Longevity, and Student Satisfaction in Online Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kane, Robert Todd; Shaw, Melanie; Pang, Sangho; Salley, Witt; Snider, J. Blake

    2015-01-01

    With the ever-increasing availability of online education opportunities, understanding the factors that influence online student satisfaction and success is vital to enable administrators to engage and retain this important stakeholder group. The purpose of this ex-post-facto, nonexperimental quantitative study was to investigate the impact of…

  20. 78 FR 17395 - Media Bureau Announces Filing of Request for Clarification of the Commission's Policies and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-21

    ... such as The Guardian, Japan Today and The Jerusalem Post; Internet portals such as Google, Yahoo! and... facto authority to disallow a transaction unless and until any national security concerns have been... be treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules...

  1. Predictors of Graduation among College Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pingry O'Neill, Laura N.; Markward, Martha J.; French, Joshua P.

    2012-01-01

    This exploratory study determined which set of student characteristics and disability-related services explained graduation success among college students with disabilities. The archived records of 1,289 unidentified students with disabilities in three public universities were examined ex-post-facto to collect demographic data on the students, the…

  2. Faculty Professional Development and Student Satisfaction in Online Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kane, Robert Todd; Shaw, Melanie; Pang, Sangho; Salley, Witt; Snider, J. Blake

    2016-01-01

    With the ever-increasing availability of online education opportunities, understanding the factors that influence online student satisfaction and success is vital to enable administrators to engage and retain this important stakeholder group. The purpose of this ex-post-facto, nonexperimental quantitative study was to investigate the impact of…

  3. South-South Universities Curriculum Characteristics and Global Collaboration in the 21st Century

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Obiekezie, Eucharia Obiageli; Essien, Margaret; Essien, Alexander Timothy

    2013-01-01

    Globalization imposes certain inescapable requirements on a university's curriculum. One such requirement is the elasticity of the curriculum to sustain local demands and accommodate global concerns. Using the ex post facto design, this paper examines the impact of global collaboration on the curriculum characteristics of selected universities in…

  4. Personal Traits and Experiential Characteristics of Developmental Mathematics Faculty: Impact on Student Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preuss, Michael D.

    2008-01-01

    This ex post facto study of the relationship of selected personal traits and experiential characteristics of developmental mathematics faculty with student success rates was conducted at a rural, North Carolina community college. The data gathered was from all classroom based sections of three levels of developmental mathematics taught between…

  5. The Differences in Academic Achievement between Single-Sex Education and Coeducation Classes in Fifth Grade

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scoggins, Donna K.

    2009-01-01

    Single-sex education is an instructional innovation implemented to improve student academic achievement by teaching to the learning styles and interests of boys and/or girls. This ex post facto quantitative study examined the differences in academic achievement between single-sex education and coeducation classes on students' achievement in…

  6. Modeled de facto reuse and contaminants of emerging concern in drinking water source waters

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nguyen, Thuy; Westerhoff, Paul; Furlong, Edward T.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Batt, Angela L.; Mash, Heath E.; Schenck, Kathleen M.; Boone, J. Scott; Rice, Jacelyn; Glassmeyer, Susan T.

    2018-01-01

    De facto reuse is the percentage of drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) intake potentially composed of effluent discharged from upstream wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Results from grab samples and a De Facto Reuse in our Nation's Consumable Supply (DRINCS) geospatial watershed model were used to quantify contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) concentrations at DWTP intakes to qualitatively compare exposure risks obtained by the two approaches. Between nine and 71 CECs were detected in grab samples. The number of upstream WWTP discharges ranged from 0 to >1,000; comparative de facto reuse results from DRINCS ranged from <0.1 to 13% during average flow and >80% during lower streamflows. Correlation between chemicals detected and DRINCS modeling results were observed, particularly DWTPs withdrawing from midsize water bodies. This comparison advances the utility of DRINCS to identify locations of DWTPs for future CEC sampling and treatment technology testing.

  7. An ex-post evaluation approach to assess the impacts of accomplished urban structure shift on landscape connectivity.

    PubMed

    Huang, Junlong; He, Jianhua; Liu, Dianfeng; Li, Chun; Qian, Jing

    2018-05-01

    Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of different urban structures on landscape connectivity, and most of them rely on the comparison approach or ex-ante scenario analysis. However, we still lack an ex-post method to capture the consequences of accomplished urban structure shift (from monocentric to polycentric), which is guided by the land use planning. To fill this gap, we develop an ex-post evaluation approach which integrates counterfactual analysis and landscape graphs. Counterfactual analysis is combined with cellular automata simulation model, to uncover what the city might look like, if it had continued to expand in a monocentric structure; and the landscape graphs enable us to reveal the possible landscape connectivity in actual and counterfactual scenarios. We select Nanjing city as the study area and 4 target species, to delve into the varying impacts of the urban structure shift on different taxonomic groups. Our case study demonstrates that: (1) the impact of urban structure shift is more relevant to the long disperser; (2) the actual landscape (polycentric) would facilitate the bird's dispersal, while (3) forest mammals have higher connectivity in the counterfactual scenario (monocentric), and the possible reasons are discussed. Finally, we demonstrate that the urban structure shift might not necessarily cause the connectivity decline, on condition that the key connectivity providers are identified by integrating ecological network analysis into the land use planning, and well preserved in the shift. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The "Post-Post Period" and Environmental Education Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKenzie, Marcia

    2005-01-01

    Described as "post-experimental" and of the "post-post period," the current moment in social science research is typified by multi-voiced texts, researcher reflexivity, cultural criticism, and experimental works; characteristics in keeping with post-structurally informed understandings of social science research as contingent, evolving and messy.…

  9. Analysis of covariance as a remedy for demographic mismatch of research subject groups: some sobering simulations.

    PubMed

    Adams, K M; Brown, G G; Grant, I

    1985-08-01

    Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) is often used in neuropsychological studies to effect ex-post-facto adjustment of performance variables amongst groups of subjects mismatched on some relevant demographic variable. This paper reviews some of the statistical assumptions underlying this usage. In an attempt to illustrate the complexities of this statistical technique, three sham studies using actual patient data are presented. These staged simulations have varying relationships between group test performance differences and levels of covariate discrepancy. The results were robust and consistent in their nature, and were held to support the wisdom of previous cautions by statisticians concerning the employment of ANCOVA to justify comparisons between incomparable groups. ANCOVA should not be used in neuropsychological research to equate groups unequal on variables such as age and education or to exert statistical control whose objective is to eliminate consideration of the covariate as an explanation for results. Finally, the report advocates by example the use of simulation to further our understanding of neuropsychological variables.

  10. Developing an Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation Framework for U.S. Department of Defense Security Cooperation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    be conducted midstream, at the end of an activity program or LOE, or ex post facto . Not all security cooperation endeavors require evaluation...noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only...iv Developing an AME Framework for DoD Security Cooperation approach, the study team analyzed documents, interviewed subject- matter experts

  11. Ex post power economic analysis of record of decision operational restrictions at Glen Canyon Dam.

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

    Veselka, T. D.; Poch, L. A.; Palmer, C. S.

    On October 9, 1996, Bruce Babbitt, then-Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior signed the Record of Decision (ROD) on operating criteria for the Glen Canyon Dam (GCD). Criteria selected were based on the Modified Low Fluctuating Flow (MLFF) Alternative as described in the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam, Colorado River Storage Project, Arizona, Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (Reclamation 1995). These restrictions reduced the operating flexibility of the hydroelectric power plant and therefore its economic value. The EIS provided impact information to support the ROD, including an analysis of operating criteria alternatives on power system economics. This exmore » post study reevaluates ROD power economic impacts and compares these results to the economic analysis performed prior (ex ante) to the ROD for the MLFF Alternative. On the basis of the methodology used in the ex ante analysis, anticipated annual economic impacts of the ROD were estimated to range from approximately $15.1 million to $44.2 million in terms of 1991 dollars ($1991). This ex post analysis incorporates historical events that took place between 1997 and 2005, including the evolution of power markets in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council as reflected in market prices for capacity and energy. Prompted by ROD operational restrictions, this analysis also incorporates a decision made by the Western Area Power Administration to modify commitments that it made to its customers. Simulated operations of GCD were based on the premise that hourly production patterns would maximize the economic value of the hydropower resource. On the basis of this assumption, it was estimated that economic impacts were on average $26.3 million in $1991, or $39 million in $2009.« less

  12. Clarifying the Rules for Targeted Killing: An Analytical Framework for Policies Involving Long-Range Armed Drones

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-08

    the ability of the United States to influence how countries will use these systems ex post facto is always limited, as demonstrated by Saudi...Greg Miller, “CIA Didn’t Know Strike Would Hit al-Qaeda Leader,” Washington Post , June 17, 2015 (as of February 29, 2016: https...Targets Two Leaders of Somali Group Allied with al-Qaeda,” Washington Post , June 29, 2011 (as of February 29, 2016: https://www.washingtonpost.com

  13. Command and Control of Guerrilla Groups in the Philippines, 1941-1945

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-05-25

    However, the phasing concept in this case seems ex post facto , rather than descriptive of any initial design. Especially in its early days, the trajectory... post -independence era. They apply a framework that examines the environment, organization, tactics, doctrine, and technology of each phase of history...defenses on Mindanao and destroyed the bulk of Sharp’s force, though the command post at Del Monte remained intact.33 On May 9, Sharp met with a

  14. Dual Enrollment Programs: A Comparative Study of High School Students' College Academic Achievement at Different Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flores, Agnes L. Acker

    2012-01-01

    The "ex post facto" causal-comparative study examined the academic achievement of high school students who took their dual credit English or mathematics college credit-bearing course in two different environments, namely, the college setting and the high school setting. Due to non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences…

  15. Middle School Response to Intervention and Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Kelly A. Obrion

    2013-01-01

    This ex post facto descriptive-comparative quantitative study compared the differences in reading achievement between groups of 6th- through 8th-grade students enrolled in a response to intervention (RtI) classroom against groups of students enrolled in a general education classroom. Students across English language learner and low socioeconomic…

  16. Return on Postsecondary Education Investment: An Analysis of Professional and Technical Education Degrees in Idaho

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Midgley, Jeri S.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this ex-post facto quantitative study was to evaluate the benefits of professional technical postsecondary education in Idaho. Human capital theory formed the basis of understanding the importance of acquiring education beyond high school, both for the individual and society. Interactions between entry earnings and cost of attending…

  17. An Analysis of Homeless Veterans Participating in the Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Katrina Lanelle

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct an analysis on ex post facto data of the federal grant supported Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) administered at Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina. Pre-existing data on variables such as performance goals, training activities, support services, and demographics from program years…

  18. Science Laboratory Environment and Academic Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aladejana, Francisca; Aderibigbe, Oluyemisi

    2007-01-01

    The study determined how students assess the various components of their science laboratory environment. It also identified how the laboratory environment affects students' learning outcomes. The modified ex-post facto design was used. A sample of 328 randomly selected students was taken from a population of all Senior Secondary School chemistry…

  19. Validation of Rehabilitation Counseling Accreditation and Certification Knowledge Areas: Methodology and Initial Results.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szymanski, Edna Mora; And Others

    1993-01-01

    Conducted ongoing study to validate and update knowledge standards for rehabilitation counseling accreditation and certification, using descriptive, ex post facto, and time-series designs and three sampling frames. Findings from 1,025 counselors who renewed their certification in 1991 revealed that 52 of 55 knowledge standards were rated as at…

  20. The Relationship between Credit Acceptance and Baccalaureate Degree Persistence for Transfer Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turk, Kimberly Tisdale

    2012-01-01

    Articulation agreements were created to make transferring from a state-supported community college to a state-supported university a smoother process while reducing the higher education costs for the state. This ex-post facto study examined the relationship between the pathway North Carolina community college students used to complete the general…

  1. A Comparative Analysis of Preschool Attendance and Reading Achievement among Second-Grade Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burton, Kelly Latham

    2011-01-01

    Preschool attendance is considered an important factor for predicting later success in literacy achievement. This quantitative ex-post facto study examined whether attendance of public prekindergarten is related to improved reading achievement in 2nd grade students in a rural, southeastern school district. The learning theories of Piaget, Bandura,…

  2. Parental Perceptions of Home Internet Use among Rural African American Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Jeananne Oldham

    2008-01-01

    Despite the growth of home Internet use over the past decade, disparities still exist among certain socioeconomic groups of the population. Rural, lower socioeconomic and African Americans fall further behind in technology access than any other group. The purpose of this ex post facto qualitative study was to investigate parental perceptions…

  3. Motivational and Volitional Variables Associated with Stages of Change for Exercise in Multiple Sclerosis: A Multiple Discriminant Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiu, Chung-Yi; Fitzgerald, Sandra D.; Strand, David M.; Muller, Veronica; Brooks, Jessica; Chan, Fong

    2012-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to determine whether motivational and volitional variables identified in the health action process approach (HAPA) model can be used to successfully differentiate people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in different stages of change for exercise and physical activity. Ex-post-facto design using multiple…

  4. Decentralization of Educational Development Reforms in Nigeria: A Comparative Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ikoya, Peter O.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to seek to appraise regional compliance to decentralization laws establishing Education Boards and Committees since the Nigerian Government has for some time now been making efforts aimed at reforming her educational system. Design/methodology/approach: Employing ex post facto design, the study uses survey…

  5. Personal Factors as Predictors of Students' Academic Achievement in Colleges of Education in South Western Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adeyemi, Abisola Moradeyo; Adeyemi, Semiu Babatunde

    2014-01-01

    Educational stakeholders have continued to express concerns over the poor academic performance of Nigerian students at virtually all levels of academic engagements. This paper investigated personal factors as predictors of students' academic performance in the South-Western Nigeria. The study employed the ex post facto design using a survey design…

  6. Institutional Factors as Predictors of Students' Academic Achievement in Colleges of Education in South Western Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adeyemi, Abisola Moradeyo; Adeyemi, Seminu Babatunde

    2014-01-01

    The enhancement of the academic achievement of the Nigerian students has continued to engage the attention of educational practitioners and policy makers. This paper investigated institutional factors as predictors of students' academic performance in Colleges of Education in South-Western Nigeria. The study employed the ex post facto design using…

  7. Family-Work Conflict and Type-E Personality as Stress Inducers in Married Female Nigerian University Administrators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shobola, A. A.; Nwoha, P. C.

    2013-01-01

    This piece of article is culled from a larger study. The study investigated the relationship between family-work conflict, Type-E personality and stress in married female Nigerian University Administrators. The study adopted ex-post facto design. The sample consisted of 800 female administrators in the senior cadre of executive/administrative…

  8. The Relationship between Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Perceived Career Barriers in the Career Decision Making of Selected Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Rosemary Ritter

    2010-01-01

    This study explored the differences between career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and perceived career barriers of students enrolled in the applied technology program compared to those enrolled in a college transfer program at a southeastern urban community college. Participants in the ex-post facto cross-sectional survey included 787…

  9. High School Graduates: The Influence of Academics and Attendance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardnett, Sharon G.

    2013-01-01

    Public awareness of the severity of the high school completion problem in terms of its educational, social, psychological, and economic impacts has grown in recent years. Using ex post facto data, this non-experimental, correlational study was designed to determine whether there are differences in academic performance and school attendance between…

  10. Ex post manipulation of barriers in InGaAs tunnel injection devices

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

    Talalaev, Vadim G.; Fock Institute of Physics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 198504; Cirlin, George E.

    Ex post manipulation of ∼1.1 μm emitting InGaAs/GaAs-based quantum dot–quantum well tunnel injection light emitting devices is demonstrated experimentally. The devices were operated at elevated forward currents until irreversible alterations were observed. As a result, changes in the steady-state optical spectra (electroluminescence, photoluminescence, and photocurrent), in carrier kinetics, in transport properties, and real structure are found. Except for degradation effects, e.g., of larger quantum dots, also restoration/annealing effects such as increased tunnel barriers are observed. The results furnish evidence for a generic degradation mode of nanostructures. We qualitatively interpret the mechanisms involved on both the nanoscopic and the device scales.

  11. "De facto" Privatisation of Education and the Poor: Implications of a Study from Sub-Saharan Africa and India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tooley, James; Dixon, Pauline

    2006-01-01

    Three types of privatisation are identified--involving demand-side financing, reforms to the educational supply-side and "de facto" privatisation, where responsibilities are transferred to the private sector, through the rapid growth of private schools, rather than through reform or legislation. Although "de facto"…

  12. Opening the Gates to Foster Scholarship for Urban Students: Organizational Policies and Systemic Practices in a High Performing High Poverty Urban High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellis, Regina Anderson

    2012-01-01

    The problem of underachievement seems to exist in school districts across the country, particularly, where there are a significant percentage of students of color and low socio-economic groups. The purpose of this qualitative case study, conducted with an ex post facto approach, was to bring to light the organizational policies and systemic…

  13. 78 FR 75563 - Commission Policies and Procedures Under the Communications Act, Foreign Investment in Broadcast...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-12

    ...; see also CBI May 28, 2013, Ex Parte at 1. CBI members comprise national broadcast networks, radio and... alien de facto control and real-party-in-interest issues for section 310(b)(4) compliance). \\21\\ See, e... Designs Compromised by Chinese Cyberspies, by Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post (May 27, 2013). IV...

  14. Social Cognitive and Planned Behavior Variables Associated with Stages of Change for Physical Activity in Spinal Cord Injury: A Multivariate Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keegan, John; Ditchman, Nicole; Dutta, Alo; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Muller, Veronica; Chan, Fong; Kundu, Madan

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To apply the constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand the stages of change (SOC) for physical activities among individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: Ex post facto design using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The participants were 144 individuals with SCI…

  15. A Comparison of Burnout among Honors, Regular Education, and Special Education K-8 Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharpe, Christopher

    2017-01-01

    This study employed a quantitative, ex-post facto non-experimental design to examine the effect of whether teaching honors, regular, or special education classes in either an elementary or middle school setting influenced the experience of teacher burnout. Participants included 69 teachers from two counties in a Southern state. The study survey…

  16. Assessing Cultural Validity in Standardized Tests in STEM Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gassant, Lunes

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative ex post facto study examined how race and gender, as elements of culture, influence the development of common misconceptions among STEM students. Primary data came from a standardized test: the Digital Logic Concept Inventory (DLCI) developed by Drs. Geoffrey L. Herman, Michael C. Louis, and Craig Zilles from the University of…

  17. General Education Requirements in a Community College Baccalaureate RN-to-BSN Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krupp, Jason Bentley

    2012-01-01

    Increasing demand for nurses with bachelor degrees, the growing culture of accountability in higher education, and the community college baccalaureate phenomena provided the impetus for this study. This ex-post facto quantitative study examined the graduation rates and time to degree of 240 students who were enrolled in a bachelor of science in…

  18. An Examination of Five Benchmarks of Student Engagement for Commuter Students Enrolled at an Urban Public University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Galladian, Carol

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to provide a description of the student engagement of commuter students attending a large urban public university located in a mid-Atlantic state using the five National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) benchmarks of student engagement. In addition, the study examined the relationship…

  19. A Comparison of Student Outcomes and Overall Retention between a 10-Week Accelerated and a 15-Week Traditional Curriculum in a Postsecondary Apprenticeship Training Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Gilbert L.

    2013-01-01

    This ex post facto comparison study of a postsecondary apprenticeship program at a naval ship construction company examined 8 years of academic performance and program completion data for two curricular formats: a 15-week traditional group (1,259 apprentices) and a 10-week accelerated group (736 apprentices). The two groups were investigated to…

  20. A Comparison of Single-Purpose and Non-Single-Purpose Clinical Education on the Retention Rates of Registered Nursing Graduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bush, Dana I.

    2012-01-01

    There are 26 single-purpose nursing programs in the United States. They are nursing programs operated by hospitals with the single purpose of supplying the hospitals with well-prepared health care staff. Using a quantitative methodology and an ex post facto design, this study compared employment retention rates between single-purpose and…

  1. The Use of Technology in Relation to Community College Faculty Characteristics and Instructional Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perry, Kimberly A.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the use of a course management system in relation to faculty characteristics and instructional environments at a rural community college in California. The use of the course management system, Blackboard, was the technology studied. This study used a nonexperimental quantitative ex post facto research…

  2. Empirical Assessment of Effect of Publication Bias on a Meta-Analysis of Validity Studies on University Matriculation Examinations in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adeyemo, Emily Oluseyi

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the impact of publication bias on a meta-analysis of empirical studies on validity of University Matriculation Examinations in Nigeria with a view to determine the level of difference between published and unpublished articles. Specifically, the design was an ex-post facto, a causal comparative design. The sample size consisted…

  3. America Reads-Mississippi Future Teacher Corps: A Study of Program Completers' Perception of Factors Influencing the Decision to Become and Remain Classroom Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Deborah Green

    2012-01-01

    Despite the number of programs in Mississippi that focus on developing and training teachers, the State continues to face a critical teacher shortage. This non-experimental, ex-post facto, quantitative study investigated the America Reads-Mississippi (ARM) Future Teacher Corps (FTC) program, an AmeriCorps program in Mississippi with a mission to…

  4. Trust in Leadership: Investigation of Andragogical Learning and Implications for Student Placement Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillespie, LaVerne

    2014-01-01

    Purpose. The investigation sought to determine the significance and or the effects of an ex post facto staffing intervention involving the addition of a Regional (mid-tier) team of instructional leaders as a viable and sustainable solution for increased operational effectiveness year over year, and, if there could be implications on employment…

  5. Spatial and temporal variation in de facto wastewater reuse in drinking water systems across the U.S.A.

    PubMed

    Rice, Jacelyn; Westerhoff, Paul

    2015-01-20

    De facto potable reuse occurs when treated wastewater is discharged into surface waters upstream of potable drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) intakes. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges may pose water quality risks at the downstream DWTP, but additional flow aids in providing a reliable water supply source. In this work de facto reuse is analyzed for 2056 surface water intakes serving 1210 DWTPs across the U.S.A. that serve greater than 10,000 people, covering approximately 82% of the nation’s population. An ArcGIS model is developed to assess spatial relationships between DWTPs and WWTPs, with a python script designed to perform a network analysis by hydrologic region. A high frequency of de facto reuse occurrence was observed; 50% of the DWTP intakes are potentially impacted by upstream WWTP discharges. However, the magnitude of de facto reuse was seen to be relatively low, where 50% of the impacted intakes contained less than 1% treated municipal wastewater under average streamflow conditions. De facto reuse increased greatly under low streamflow conditions (modeled by Q95), with 32 of the 80 sites yielding at least 50% treated wastewater, this portion of the analysis is limited to sites where stream gauge data was readily available.

  6. India-Japan Strategic Cooperation and Implications for U.S. Strategy in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-01

    Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. In a 2015 ex post facto evaluation of Japan’s ODA Rural Electrification Project, project evaluator Keishi...rights are observed and extended. Implicit in the rebalance was a hedge against a China acting to challenge the existing post –World War II rules-based...during the last 45 years of the 20th century. In the immediate post –World War II era, India provided urgent supplies of food and other equipment to

  7. An Ex Post Facto Study of First-Year Student Orientation as an Indicator of Student Success at a Community College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellis-O'Quinn, Amanda

    2012-01-01

    While community colleges do an excellent job of fulfilling their open door mission, research shows that the completion rate for community college students is dismal. One retention strategy often employed by community colleges is providing support through orientation programs. A great deal of research has focused on orientation at the four-year…

  8. School Location, School Section and Students' Gender as Predictors to Secondary School Dropout Rate in Rivers State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christian, Mathew

    2015-01-01

    This study was undertaken to underscore the extent the variables of school location, students' gender and school section can predict the rate of drop out of secondary school students. Ex post facto design was adopted and all data on students' enrollment, retention and completion were collected from available schools' records for two cohorts of…

  9. Understanding the Decision to Enroll in Graduate Business Programs: Influence of Sociological and Economic Factors and Gender

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Douglas, Stephanie

    2017-01-01

    This ex post facto study describes the associations of economic factors as well as social and cultural capital variables on enrollment in business master's degree programs and differences of associations by gender and race/ethnicity. Data from the 2008/2012 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B: 08/12) of those who completed a…

  10. The Impact of Physical Facilities on Students' Level of Motivation and Academic Performance in Senior Secondary Schools in South West Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akomolafe, Comfort Olufunke; Adesua, Veronica Olubunmi

    2016-01-01

    The paper examines the relevance of physical facilities in enhancing the level of motivation and the academic performance of senior secondary school students in South West Nigeria. The study adopted ex-post facto design. The population consists of all senior secondary students in South West Nigeria. The sample for the study include one thousand…

  11. Exploring the Relationship between Use of a Selected Phonics Program and the Oral Reading Fluency and Nonsense Word Fluency Scores of First-Grade Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Day, Bryce B.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects, if any, of a supplemental phonics curriculum, Saxon Phonics, on the reading achievement of first-grade students in one mountain-west, semirural, school district. The design was casual-comparative and ex post facto, and answered the questions: (1) Do students taught using a…

  12. Factors Related to Learning Occurring in an Adult Education Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okoro, Daniel; Miller, Larry E.

    A study examined the factors related to learning occurring in an adult education program. A purposeful sample of Ohio counties and 151 participants in a specific 1993-1993 adult education program who self-selected to participate in the study was used. A descriptive ex post facto study design was used. Pretests-posttests were administered to…

  13. Determinants of Girls' Performance in Science, Mathematics and Technology Subjects in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musau, Lydia Mbaki; Migosi, Joash; Muola, James Matee

    2013-01-01

    There has been incessant low academic performance in Science, Mathematics and Technology (SMT) subjects especially among girls at form four level in Kitui Central District over the years. The aim of this study was to investigate the determinants of girls' performance in SMT subjects in public secondary schools. Using ex-post-facto survey research…

  14. The Dynamics of Team Characteristics within Professional Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morr, Shelly D.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if Professional Learning Communities in elementary schools that have strong evidence of the five dimensions of a Professional Learning Community have a higher degree of teamness than those schools that do not have strong evidence. Methodology: Using a descriptive and ex post facto study, the…

  15. A Better Benchmark Assessment: Multiple-Choice versus Project-Based

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peariso, Jamon F.

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this literature review and Ex Post Facto descriptive study was to determine which type of benchmark assessment, multiple-choice or project-based, provides the best indication of general success on the history portion of the CST (California Standards Tests). The result of the study indicates that although the project-based benchmark…

  16. The Effects of Read 180 on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plony, Doreen A.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this ex post facto study was to analyze archive data to investigate the effects of Read 180, a computer-based supplemental reading intervention, on students' academic achievement for the academic school year 2011-2012. Further analyses examined if influences existed in variables such as grade level, gender, and ethnicity of the…

  17. The Impact of Optional Flexible Year Program on Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Test Scores of Fifth Grade Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Longbotham, Pamela J.

    2012-01-01

    The study examined the impact of participation in an optional flexible year program (OFYP) on academic achievement. The ex post facto study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The non-probability sample consisted of 163 fifth grade students in an OFYP district and 137 5th graders in a 180-day instructional year school…

  18. Internationalization Efforts in United States Community Colleges: A Comparative Analysis of Urban, Suburban, and Rural Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harder, Natalie J.

    2011-01-01

    With community colleges educating up to one-half of all U.S. undergraduates, more focus on internationalization is warranted in order to ensure student competitiveness in today's global labor pool. This ex post facto study of 2006 survey data from the American Council on Education (ACE) found a low level of internationalization occurring at most…

  19. Affecting College English Placement Scores: College Readiness Remediation for High-School Seniors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsen Rowland, Joyce Kay

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the quantitative ex post facto study was to compare the English Placement Test (EPT) scores of students before and after the Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum (ERWC) remediation efforts had been employed and to determine the effectiveness of the ERWC in raising EPT scores. Using a Wilcoxon signed rank test, the researcher…

  20. Assessing Teaching Readiness of University Students in Cross River State, Nigeria: Implications for Managing Teacher Education Reforms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akuegwu, B. A.; Edet, A. O.; Uchendu, C. C.; Ekpoh, U. I.

    2011-01-01

    This ex-post-facto designed study was geared towards assessing the readiness of would-be teachers in universities in Cross River State for the teaching profession, and how reforms can be managed to strengthen this. Three hypotheses were isolated to give direction to this investigation. 200 students from the two universities in the state…

  1. Factors That Affect the Academic Success of Foreign Students at Cardinal Stritch University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Annor, Peter

    2010-01-01

    There are limited studies in the literature on the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students in the United States. This ex post facto mixed method study investigated the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students at Cardinal Stitch University (CSU), a medium size, private university located in the Midwestern…

  2. Rural Electrification and Level of Living: Evaluation of Impact.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, J. Michael; Saunders, John

    Utilizing an ex-post-facto experimental design, all occupied households located within the rural area of Canton San Carlos in Costa Rica (La Fortuna) were studied in August of 1972 for purposes of testing the hypothesis that electricity use is positively associated with level of living. Interviews with 452 heads of households (when possible)…

  3. The Relationship between Self-Perceptions of Accountability by High School Principals and Student Test Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koester, Edward L.

    2010-01-01

    The high school principalship has been designated an area of professional shortage by many states. Resignations and terminations have been numerous as a result of poor student test performance. The purpose of this ex post facto correlation study was to investigate the self-perceptions of accountability by high school principals as they related to…

  4. Predictors of Student Enrollment Patterns in High School Career Academies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cox, E. Daniel

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe participation patterns at the district level of students enrolled in career academies and determine whether participation in career academies is a function of demographic and/or prior learning experience and prior performance variables. Ex-post facto data was used to determine six-year enrollment trends.…

  5. Increasing Oral Reading Fluency of below Grade-Level Elementary Students through Parent Involvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Royal, Louise I.

    2012-01-01

    An increasing number of elementary students in a rural school were promoted to a higher grade without having grade-level reading fluency skills, thereby becoming at risk of not reaching or maintaining their academic grade level reading skills. The purpose of this ex post facto quantitative study involving archival data analysis was to investigate…

  6. "We Been Hurt, Been Down Before. When Our Pride Was Low, Lookin' at the World Like "Where Do We Go?'": An Exploration of Educational Attainment and Post-Release Employment Outcomes for Connecticut Department of Correction Ex-Offenders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corbett, Erin S.

    2017-01-01

    While recent research has focused on the relationship between educational attainment and recidivism for formerly incarcerated persons, less research has focused on the relationship between educational attainment/level and employment. This study employed mixed methods to examine data on post-release employment outcomes for ex-offenders from, and…

  7. The Effect of Automation on Job Duties, Classifications, Staffing Patterns, and Labor Costs in the UBC Library's Cataloguing Divisions: A Comparison of 1973 and 1986.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Bruijn, Erik

    This report discusses an ex post facto study that was done to examine the effect that the implementation of automated systems has had on libraries and support staff, labor costs, and productivity in the cataloging divisions of the library of the University of British Columbia. A comparison was made between two years: 1973, a pre-automated period…

  8. 77 FR 3075 - Resolution Plans Required for Insured Depository Institutions With $50 Billion or More in Total...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-23

    ... commenter suggested that the Rule should not require the CIDI to demonstrate a strategy is least costly ex... the ipso facto rule or the 90-day stay on enforcement of contracts in default. However, the FDI Act... above, but is not limited to these methods. As suggested by one commenter, a CIDI may consider a post...

  9. The Relationship between Grade Configuration and Standardized Science Test Scores of Fifth-Grade Students: What School Administrators Should Know

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Delonda; Jones, Lisa; Simieou, Felix; Matthew, Kathryn; Morgan, Bryan

    2013-01-01

    This study utilized a causal comparative (ex post facto) design to determine if a consistent relationship existed between fifth-grade students' success on the Science Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) at the elementary (K-5) level in comparison to fifth-grade students' success on the science TAKS at the intermediate (5-6) level. The…

  10. The Impact of Online Programs Used as a Home Resource to Improve Student Achievement in Mathematics in Low-Achieving Students in a Large Chicago Suburban High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shanahan, Anne

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this quasi-experimental ex post-facto mixed methods study was to investigate the impact of an online homework program on the academic growth of students in the area of mathematics. For this study, achievement in a specific mathematics course, Plane Geometry, was studied to determine the impact of using an online homework method…

  11. The Effects of Career Academies on Academic Achievement and College Readiness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frost, Mandy J.

    2017-01-01

    This quantitative ex post facto study investigated the effects of career academies on academic achievement and college readiness. A total of 1,206 12th-grade participants (196 career academy and 1,010 nonacademy students) were used in this study. These participants came from six high schools located in one large urban school district. Each of the…

  12. Heading toward the Finish Line: Effects of PLATO[R] Online Courses on Credit Recovery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luopa, Patricia E.

    2010-01-01

    Students who have failed a core course that is required for graduation often re-take the course they failed. In recent years, school districts have been using on-line courses for the purpose of allowing their students to recover the credits they need. This study was an ex post facto exploratory examination of descriptive and inferential statistics…

  13. A Quantitative Study on Student Engagement at Achieving the Dream and Non-Achieving the Dream Community Colleges Evaluated with CCSSE Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washington, Lisa Romaine

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this ex post facto study was to determine differences in the level of student engagement in (a) students attending community colleges that participated in the Achieving the Dream (AtD) in 2011 and 2012 and (b) students attending community colleges that did not participate in AtD in 2011 and 2012. The Community College Survey of…

  14. The Quality of University Writing: A Preliminary Analysis of Undergraduate Portfolios.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lavelle, Ellen

    2003-01-01

    Conducted an ex post facto study to test for differences in the quality of university student writing as reflected in years 1 and 2 and again in years 3 and 4. Findings from 30 undergraduate portfolios show no significant differences between early and late samples and no significant relationship between grade point average and writing quality.…

  15. Wyoming's Instructional Facilitator Program: Teachers' Beliefs about the Impact of Coaching on Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rush, Leslie S.; Young, Suzanne

    2011-01-01

    In 2006, the Wyoming state government allocated monies for the Department of Education to fund the work of Instructional Facilitators, or coaches, in schools across the state (Wyoming Department of Education, 2008). In Spring 2009, after the program had been in place for two years, an ex-post facto study was designed to examine the impact of the…

  16. Pell Grants Are a Waste of Taxpayer Money: A Study of the Effects of Pell Grants on Persistence in For-Profit Four-Year Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Filerino, William J.

    2013-01-01

    This ex post facto study examined the relationship between Pell Grant aid and persistence of for-profit four-year college students enrolled during 2003-04 through the next six years in the United States and Puerto Rico. This study examined the demographic dissimilarities in students based on age, gender, financial aid status and ethnicity of those…

  17. Success and Persistence of Developmental Mathematics Students Based on Age and Ethnicity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolfle, James D.

    2012-01-01

    This ex post facto study examined the fall-to-fall persistence and academic success of students in a medium-sized Virginia community college. The variables of age and ethnicity in combination with whether a student's first mathematics course was developmental were used to examine the effects of each. It was found that neither the interaction of…

  18. Evaluation of Achieving a College Education Plus: A Credit-Based Transition Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luna, Gaye; Fowler, Michael

    2011-01-01

    This ex post facto study evaluated Achieving a College Education (ACE) Plus program, a credit-based transition program between a high school district and a community college. Achieving a College Education Plus is an early outreach program. It is designed to aid at-risk students in graduating from high school and making a smooth transition to…

  19. Elementary Teachers' Perceived Use of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices and Their Relationship to Teachers' Demographics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hohensee, Jo-Anne

    2013-01-01

    The quantitative ex post facto study had a two-fold purpose: (1) to determine which of the cultural responsive teaching practices of kindergarten through sixth grade teachers were used most often and (2) to determine to what extent each of the teacher's demographics (i.e., the predictive variables) differ for each CRTI factor (i.e., the criterion…

  20. A Quantitative Examination of the Educational Technology Characteristics of Ohio Schools and Their Blue Ribbon Status

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goon, Dean A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze data from Ohio schools and the frequency of use of educational technology, a teacher's comfort level using technology, and a teacher's beliefs about the effect of educational technology on teaching and learning based upon the school's Blue Ribbon award status. The study used an ex-post facto, quantitative…

  1. A Literature-Based Basal Reader's Effects on Student Achievement: An Evaluation of Literature-Based Basal Textbook Adoption at Terre Town Elementary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burk, Anne

    An ex post facto study examined third grade students' achievement test scores both before and after the adoption of a literature-based basal reading text. The experimental groups consisted of five third grade classes at Terre Town Elementary School (Indiana) for each of the years 1988 through 1993. Mean scores were plotted and data were visually…

  2. Unequal Achievement of Science Undergraduates: Does Sex Influence the Differences?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patrick, Ajaja O.

    2012-01-01

    The major purpose of this study was to determine if gender influences grade points earned by university students who majored in biology, chemistry, and physics. The design of the study was ex-post facto, considering the academic records of science students admitted from 2003 to 2007. The total number of subjects used for the study was 637 biology,…

  3. Influence of Students' Understanding and Goal Commitment on Academic Achievement in Introductory Technology in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akpan, Godwin A.; Mbaba, Uduak G.; Udofia, Aniefiok E.

    2012-01-01

    The study examined the influence of students' understanding and goal commitment on their academic achievement in Introductory Technology in secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. An ex-post facto survey design was used and a random sample of 2,500 junior secondary three (13-14 years old) students from a population of 48,302 JSS three…

  4. The Impact on Writing Achievement of Two Bilingual Education Models for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valdez, Angela L.

    2012-01-01

    The number of English language learners (ELLs) within the school system in one Western U.S. state continues to rise; writing scores of ELLs lag well behind those of their English speaking peers. The purpose of this ex post facto quantitative causal comparative study was to examine the writing achievement of fourth grade ELLs instructed within a…

  5. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de... any of the included services) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer... the leased spectrum is transferred to the spectrum lessee for the duration of the spectrum leasing...

  6. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de... any of the included services) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer... the leased spectrum is transferred to the spectrum lessee for the duration of the spectrum leasing...

  7. 47 CFR 1.9035 - Short-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... PROCEDURE Grants by Random Selection Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9035 Short-term de... any of the included services) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a short-term de facto transfer... the leased spectrum is transferred to the spectrum lessee for the duration of the spectrum leasing...

  8. The relation between learning mathematics and students' competencies in undesrtanding texts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hapipi, Azmi, Syahrul; Sripatmi, Amrullah

    2017-08-01

    This study was a descriptive study that aimed to gain an overview on the relation between learning mathematics and students' competencies in understanding texts. This research was classified as an ex post facto study due in part to the variable studied is the variable that was already happening. While the technique of taking the sample using stratified proportional sampling techniques. These techniques have been selected for the condition of the population, in the context of learning mathematics, diverse and also tiered. The results of this study indicate that there is a relationship between learning mathematics and students' competencies in understanding texts.

  9. Non-Parametric Model Drift Detection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-07-01

    de,la,n,o,the,m, facto ,et,des,of Group num: 42, TC(X;Y_j): 0.083 42:resolution,council,resolutions,draft,recalling,pursuant,reaffirming,sponsors...Y_j): 0.019 80: posts ,cost, post ,expenditure,overall,infrastructure,expected,operational,external, savings Group num: 81, TC(X;Y_j): 0.018 81...90, TC(X;Y_j): 0.014 90:its,expresses,mandate,reiterates,appreciation,expressing,endorsed,reiterated, ex peditiously,literature Group num: 91, TC(X

  10. Building the Plane Inflight: Observations from Case Studies in Wartime Flight Training for Partner Nations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-26

    guidance on how to build an effective SC program. Whether used as pre-decisional guides or ex post facto evaluation tools, they fall short of...Building the Plane Inflight: Observations from Case Studies in Wartime Flight Training for Partner...Nations A Monograph by Major Timothy J. Day United States Air Force School of Advanced Military Studies United States Army Command and General

  11. Supporting Snow Research: SnowEx Data and Services at the NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leon, A.; Tanner, S.; Deems, J. S.

    2017-12-01

    The National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center (NSIDC DAAC), part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder, will archive and distribute all primary data sets collected during the NASA SnowEx campaigns. NSIDC DAAC's overarching goal for SnowEx data management is to steward the diverse SnowEx data sets to provide a reliable long-term archive, to enable effective data discovery, retrieval, and usage, and to support end user engagement. This goal will be achieved though coordination and collaboration with SnowEx project management and investigators. NSIDC DAAC's core functions for SnowEx data management include: Data Creation: Advise investigators on data formats and structure as well as metadata creation and content to enable preservation, usability, and discoverability. Data Documentation: Develop comprehensive data set documentation describing the instruments, data collection and derivation methods, and data file contents. Data Distribution: Provide discovery and access through NSIDC and NASA data portals to make SnowEx data available to a broad user community Data & User Support: Assist user communities with the selection and usage of SnowEx data products. In an effort to educate and broaden the SnowEx user community, we will present an overview of the SnowEx data products, tools, and services which will be available at the NSIDC DAAC. We hope to gain further insight into how the DAAC can enable the user community to seamlessly and effectively utilize SnowEx data in their research and applications.

  12. An Ex Post Facto Analysis of Juvenile Recidivism and the Effectiveness of Rehabilitation and Incarceration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mbangowah, Ngowah Hans

    2017-01-01

    Up to the close of the 21st century, criminal justice experts and probation officers in Minnesota expressed frustration with lack of resources and program effectiveness to address the delinquency and recidivism problems in the juvenile justice system. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effectiveness of rehabilitative and…

  13. Implementation of Algebra I in Eighth Grade: An "Ex-Post Facto" Study on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Realdine, Dorothy S.

    2010-01-01

    Only recently have school districts across the nation begun to offer Algebra I to all eighth grade students. Currently, most eighth grade Algebra I curriculum does not have a national consistent focus of topics or level of rigor. A key issue of implementing Algebra I in eighth grade is defining national Algebra I concepts and skills that students…

  14. ExMC Technology Watch

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krihak, M.; Watkins, S.; Fung, Paul P.

    2013-01-01

    The Technology Watch (Tech Watch) project is a NASA project that is operated under the Human Research Programs (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element, and focuses on ExMC technology gaps. The project coordinates the efforts of several NASA centers, including the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and the Langley Research Center (LaRC). The objective of Tech Watch is to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current NASA HRP technology development efforts. Identifying such technologies accelerates the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues encountered during human space exploration missions. The aim of this process is to leverage technologies developed by academia, industry and other government agencies and to identify the effective utilization of NASA resources to maximize the HRP return on investment. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion and further NASAs goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. In 2012, the Tech Watch project expanded the scope of activities to cultivate student projects targeted at specific ExMC gaps, generate gap reports for a majority of the ExMC gaps and maturate a gap report review process to optimize the technical and managerial aspects of ExMC gap status. Through numerous site visits and discussions with academia faculty, several student projects were initiated and/or completed this past year. A key element to these student projects was the ability of the project to align with a specific ExMC technology or knowledge gap. These projects were mentored and reviewed by Tech Watch leads at the various NASA centers. Another result of the past years efforts was the population of the ExMC wiki website that now contains more the three quarters of the ExMC gap reports. The remaining gap reports

  15. Enhanced HIV-1 replication in ex vivo ectocervical tissues from post-menopausal women correlates with increased inflammatory responses.

    PubMed

    Rollenhagen, C; Asin, S N

    2011-11-01

    Knowledge about early innate immune responses at the mucosal surfaces of the female genital tract is important in understanding the pathogenesis of heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). As estradiol decreases inflammatory responses, we postulated that an estradiol-deficient state such as post-menopause could enhance expression of inflammatory factors that stimulate HIV-1 replication. We compare HIV-1 integration, transcription, and viral p24 release levels among ectocervical tissues obtained from pre- and post-menopausal donors. We detected enhanced HIV-1 p24 release levels in post- compared with pre-menopausal tissues (P<0.0001), but saw no difference in HIV-1 integration. Overall, 100% of post-menopausal tissues exhibited levels of HIV-1 transcription above background compared with only 60% of pre-menopausal tissues. Increased HIV-1 transcription was associated with enhanced interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, growth-regulated oncogene-α, and interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 expression. Neutralization and nuclear factor-κB-targeting small-interfering RNA experiments both decreased HIV-1 transcription, suggesting that the early inflammatory response may facilitate HIV-1 replication in ex vivo ectocervical tissues from post-menopausal women.

  16. The Use of De Jure to Maintain a De Facto Status Quo

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallard Martínez, Alejandro José; Antrop-González, René

    2013-01-01

    The vignette we use as the introduction works to define and distinguish the concepts of de jure and de facto pedagogical actions, especially as related to Latin@ education and its relationship with STEM fields. The authors assert that de jure educational policies, which are often legal guidelines that mandate minimum levels of compliance,…

  17. A study to determine the difference in clinical judgment abilities between BSN and non-BSN graduates.

    PubMed

    Sanford, M; Genrich, S; Nowotny, M

    1992-02-01

    The purpose of this retrospective study is to determine the difference in clinical judgment abilities of recent baccalaureate nurses (BSN) seeking employment in a large metropolitan hospital and of nurses without a baccalaureate degree. Using an ex post facto design, the orientation records of 116 newly hired nurses were analyzed to determine the clinical judgment abilities using video vignettes produced by Medcom, Inc. Findings indicated that there was no difference in clinical judgment in newly hired BSN and non-BSN graduates. These findings indicate a need for more research studies to determine how clinical judgment is developed and to evaluate teaching strategies that facilitate clinical judgment.

  18. Post-Colonial Theory and Action Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parsons, Jim B.; Harding, Kelly J.

    2011-01-01

    This essay explores connections between post-colonial theory and action research. Post-colonial theory is committed to addressing the plague of colonialism. Action research, at its core, promises to problematize uncontested "colonial" hegemonies of any form. Both post-colonial theory and action research engage dialogic, critically reflective and…

  19. Optimized magnetic resonance diffusion protocol for ex-vivo whole human brain imaging with a clinical scanner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scherrer, Benoit; Afacan, Onur; Stamm, Aymeric; Singh, Jolene; Warfield, Simon K.

    2015-03-01

    Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) provides a novel insight into the brain to facilitate our understanding of the brain connectivity and microstructure. While in-vivo DW-MRI enables imaging of living patients and longitudinal studies of brain changes, post-mortem ex-vivo DW-MRI has numerous advantages. Ex-vivo imaging benefits from greater resolution and sensitivity due to the lack of imaging time constraints; the use of tighter fitting coils; and the lack of movement artifacts. This allows characterization of normal and abnormal tissues with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity, facilitating our ability to investigate anatomical structures that are inaccessible in-vivo. This also offers the opportunity to develop today novel imaging biomarkers that will, with tomorrow's MR technology, enable improved in-vivo assessment of the risk of disease in an individual. Post-mortem studies, however, generally rely on the fixation of specimen to inhibit tissue decay which starts as soon as tissue is deprived from its blood supply. Unfortunately, fixation of tissues substantially alters tissue diffusivity profiles. In addition, ex-vivo DW-MRI requires particular care when packaging the specimen because the presence of microscopic air bubbles gives rise to geometric and intensity image distortion. In this work, we considered the specific requirements of post-mortem imaging and designed an optimized protocol for ex-vivo whole brain DW-MRI using a human clinical 3T scanner. Human clinical 3T scanners are available to a large number of researchers and, unlike most animal scanners, have a bore diameter large enough to image a whole human brain. Our optimized protocol will facilitate widespread ex-vivo investigations of large specimen.

  20. Exogenous and Endogenous Impacts into Teachers' Work Performance Sphere

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nasrun

    2016-01-01

    By this synopsis research which conveyed of findings to unfold mutual effect between teachers' performance and incentive scheme and teachers' personal competency, and principal leadership, and work motivation, by means of explanatory research in which ex facto method was ad hock model chosen because of classified as non-experiment. The grounds…

  1. Reduced ex vivo release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and elevated plasma interleukin-6 are inflammatory signatures of post-stroke delirium.

    PubMed

    Kowalska, Katarzyna; Klimiec, Elzbieta; Weglarczyk, Kazimierz; Pera, Joanna; Slowik, Agnieszka; Siedlar, Maciej; Dziedzic, Tomasz

    2018-04-18

    Experimental studies suggest that systemic inflammation contributes to the pathophysiology of delirium. The aim of our study was to determine blood-derived inflammatory signatures of post-stroke delirium. We included 144 ischemic stroke patients. We assessed delirium on a daily basis during the first 7 days of hospitalization. Venous blood was collected at day 3 after the onset of stroke and stimulated ex vivo with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We measured LPS-induced cytokine concentration (TNFα, IP-10, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12p70) as well as plasma levels of IL-6 and TNFα. Delirium was diagnosed in 21.5% of patients. After correction for monocyte count, patients with delirium had reduced LPS-induced TNFα, IP-10, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12 release. The plasma IL-6 level was higher in delirious patients compared to patients without delirium. After adjusting for stroke severity and infections, higher ex vivo TNFα (OR 0.29, 95%CI 0.11-0.72, P = 0.01), IP-10 (OR 0.25, 95%CI 0.08-0.73, P = 0.01), IL-1β (OR 0.42, 95%CI 0.20-0.89, P = 0.02), and IL-12 (OR 0.07, 95%CI 0.01-0.70, P = 0.02) release was associated with the reduced risk of delirium. In multivariate analysis, the higher plasma IL-6 was associated with the increased risk of delirium (OR 1.61, 95%CI 1.00-2.58, P = 0.04). Reduced ex vivo release of pro-inflammatory cytokines after LPS stimulation and the elevated plasma IL-6 are signatures of post-stroke delirium.

  2. Ex vivo administration of trimetazidine improves post-transplant lung function in pig model.

    PubMed

    Cosgun, Tugba; Iskender, Ilker; Yamada, Yoshito; Arni, Stephan; Lipiski, Miriam; van Tilburg, Koen; Weder, Walter; Inci, Ilhan

    2017-07-01

    Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is not only used to assess marginal donor lungs but is also used as a platform to deliver therapeutic agents outside the body. We previously showed the beneficial effects of trimetazidine (TMZ) on ischaemia reperfusion (IR) injury in a rat model. This study evaluated the effects of TMZ in a pig EVLP transplant model. Pig lungs were retrieved and stored for 24 h at 4°C, followed by 4 h of EVLP. Allografts were randomly allocated to 2 groups ( n  = 5 each). TMZ (5 mg/kg) was added to the prime solution prior to EVLP. After EVLP, left lungs were transplanted and recipients were observed for 4 h. Allograft gas exchange function and lung mechanics were recorded hourly throughout reperfusion. Microscopic lung injury and inflammatory and biochemical parameters were assessed. There was a trend towards better oxygenation during EVLP in the TMZ group ( P  = 0.06). After transplantation, pulmonary gas exchange was significantly better during the 4-h reperfusion period and after isolation of the allografts for 10 min ( P  < 0.05). Tissue thiobarbituric acid levels, myeloperoxidase activity and protein concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage samples were significantly lower in the TMZ group at the end of EVLP ( P  < 0.05). Ex vivo treatment of donor lungs with TMZ significantly improved immediate post-transplant lung function. Further studies are warranted to understand the effect of this strategy on long-term lung function. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  3. De Facto Versus de Jure Political Institutions in the Long-Run: A Multivariate Analysis, 1820-2000.

    PubMed

    Foldvari, Peter

    2017-01-01

    In this paper we use the components of the PolityIV project's polity2 and Vanhanen's Index of Democracy indicators to analyse the relationship between de jure and de facto political institutions from 1820 until 2000 with a canonical correlation method corrected for the sample selection bias. We find considerable fluctuation in the relationship between the two measures. After a moderate positive correlation found during the first half of the nineteenth century, the two measures become statistically unrelated until the 1940s. The relationship becomes strong and positive only in the second half of the twentieth century. The relationship between de jure and de facto political institutions hence can be described as a U-curve, reminiscent to an inverse Kuznets-curve.

  4. ExMC Technology Watch

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krihak, M.; Barr, Y.; Watkins, S.; Fung, P.; McGrath, T.; Baumann, D.

    2012-01-01

    The Technology Watch (Tech Watch) project is a NASA endeavor conducted under the Human Research Program's (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element, and focusing on ExMC technology gaps. The project involves several NASA centers, including the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and the Langley Research Center (LaRC). The objective of Tech Watch is to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current NASA HRP technology development efforts. Identifying such technologies accelerates the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues encountered during human space exploration missions. The aim of this process is to leverage technologies developed by academia, industry and other government agencies and to identify the effective utilization of NASA resources to maximize the HRP return on investment. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion and further NASA's goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. In 2011, the major focus areas for Tech Watch included information dissemination, education outreach and public accessibility to technology gaps and gap reports. The dissemination of information was accomplished through site visits to research laboratories and/or companies, and participation at select conferences where Tech Watch objectives and technology gaps were presented. Presentation of such material provided researchers with insights on NASA ExMC needs for space exploration and an opportunity to discuss potential areas of common interest. The second focus area, education outreach, was accomplished via two mechanisms. First, several senior student projects, each related to an ExMC technology gap, were sponsored by the various NASA centers. These projects presented ExMC related technology problems firsthand to collegiate laboratories

  5. ExMC Technology Watch

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krihak, M.; Barr, Y.; Watkins, S.; Fung, P.; McGrath, T.; Baumann, D.

    2012-01-01

    The Technology Watch (Tech Watch) project is a NASA endeavor conducted under the Human Research Programs (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element, and focusing on ExMC technology gaps. The project involves several NASA centers, including the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and the Langley Research Center (LaRC). The objective of Tech Watch is to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current NASA HRP technology development efforts. Identifying such technologies accelerates the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues encountered during human space exploration missions. The aim of this process is to leverage technologies developed by academia, industry and other government agencies and to identify the effective utilization of NASA resources to maximize the HRP return on investment. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion and further NASAs goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. In 2011, the major focus areas for Tech Watch included information dissemination, education outreach and public accessibility to technology gaps and gap reports. The dissemination of information was accomplished through site visits to research laboratories and/or companies, and participation at select conferences where Tech Watch objectives and technology gaps were presented. Presentation of such material provided researchers with insights on NASA ExMC needs for space exploration and an opportunity to discuss potential areas of common interest. The second focus area, education outreach, was accomplished via two mechanisms. First, several senior student projects, each related to an ExMC technology gap, were sponsored by the various NASA centers. These projects presented ExMC related technology problems firsthand to collegiate laboratories

  6. Prospects for the Rule of Law in Cyberspace

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-01-01

    a de facto norm being outsourced to the private sector—since the U.S. Government and other countries have, in effect, delegated the task—cor...encountered less resistance from the cybersecurity community, but it is still under scru- tiny by researchers who vehemently oppose any ex - port...and reli- able Internet; • Using the OSCE as a platform for dialogue, ex - changing best practices, awareness-raising, and information on capacity

  7. Post-War Research on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Part I. Research before 1989.

    PubMed

    Rutkowski, Krzysztof; Dembińska, Edyta

    2016-10-31

    The paper presents the post-war history of post-traumatic research conducted at the Department of Psychiatry of the Jagiellonian University and the analysis of the main research approaches and selected publications. The time after World War II passed in Poland in two directions: coping with the finished war trauma and simultaneously the experience of communist persecution trauma. First scientific publications appeared in the fifties and were focused on the research of former concentration camps prisoners (KZ-Syndrome). Between 1962 and 1989 a special edition of Przegląd Lekarski, which concentrated entirely on war trauma research, was published. The journal was nominated for the Peace Nobel Prize twice. The research team from the Department of Psychiatry headed by Professor Antoni Kępiński made a very extensive description of KZ-Syndrome issues. The paper summarizes the most important contemporary research findings on psychopathology of KZ-Syndrome (Szymusik), reaction dynamics (Teutsch), after camp adjustment (Orwid), paroxysmal hypermnesia (Półtawska), somatic changes (Gatarski, Witusik). The result of the study was the basis for the development of a methodology and a new look at the classification of the consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as the development of ethical attitudes towards patients.

  8. Research on nursing practice. Stress.

    PubMed

    Lyon, B L; Werner, J S

    1987-01-01

    Clearly, there is not agreement among nurse researchers regarding a definitional orientation to stress that best fits nursing's orientation to human experiences. Varying theoretical orientations are used to explain stress or stress-related phenomena, for example, stress as a stimulus, stress as a response, and stress as a transaction. The studies are fairly evenly distributed among the four definitional categories. The various approaches do not represent expanding theoretical explanations of stress, but rather are incompatible approaches to explaining stress. More disconcerting than the lack of direction in research efforts, however, is that all too commonly the measurement of the variables and the methodology were not "linked" or consistent with the theoretical framework. For the most part the research efforts reviewed fell short of theory testing. Even for those studies that were designed to contribute to theory development, it was rare to find research reports that included implications regarding theory in the discussion sections. Additionally, discussion sections of the reports typically did not identify alternative explanations for the findings. Quasi-experimental, ex post facto, and causal comparative studies typically were flawed with validity problems. If nursing is to strengthen its contribution to knowledge in the area of stress, more emphasis will need to be placed on congruence between design and measurement, and on issues of statistical rigor, validity, and reliability. Although some might argue that it is too early to expect a coalescing of definitional orientations, it is important to point out that considerable confusion regarding stress phenomena results from a nonsystematic or nondeliberative mixture of incompatible orientations to or definitions of stress. It is little wonder that the vast number of opinion articles that appear in the nursing literature include varied definitions of stress, often making conflicting recommendations regarding the

  9. Amelioration of Radiation-Induced Hematopoietic and Gastrointestinal Damage by Ex-RAD (trademark) in Mice

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-06

    recovery from radiation-induced neutropenia Figure 3 shows the protective effects of Ex-RAD prophy- laxis on acute radiation-induced cytopenia. We used a... neutropenia on Day 4 post-TBI. For platelets, the nadir was observed between Days 7 to 17 post-TBI in the vehicle-treated group (Fig. 3d). Peripheral blood cell...recovery from neutropenia and restored blood Fig. 7. TUNEL staining in the jejunum sections from Ex-RAD-treated and vehicle-treated groups 24 h post

  10. Treatment outcomes in patients with migraine: an ex-post-facto comparison of two in-patient facilities.

    PubMed

    Weidenhammer, W; Linde, K; Melchart, D

    2004-08-01

    In two hospitals we performed an open, prospective observational study on patients with chronic headache as a measure of internal quality assurance using identical methods. Available data were subordinately analysed in order to compare both studies. Are the patient samples of both hospitals comparable? If not, which form of statistical adjustment is recommended? Are there differences in the outcome measures of both facilities? The outcomes were defined as differences between baseline values and values at discharge from hospital, respectively 6 months after. Frequency of headache attacks, intensity of pain, intensity of general complaints as well as of concomitant symptoms, and quality of life were determined in advance as dependent variables. To compare both patient groups univariate analysis of variance without and with inclusion of covariates were used. For calculating propensity scores (conditional probability of belonging to one of two groups) a logistic regression with the same covariates serving as independent variables was performed. 426 patients with the main diagnosis "Migraine" and complete data sets concerning the covariates were selected for analysis. 87% of patients are female, the mean age is 45.5 +/- 11.7 years (range 14-73 yrs). 4 out of 11 potential covariates show statistically significant differences between the patients of both hospitals. Correct classification of patients by means of the propensity score succeeds in 67%. Comparing the outcomes at discharge from hospital, significant differences between both groups exist which are, with one exception, not affected by controlling for covariates. 6 months after discharge two of the initial differences between both patient groups are no longer present. These findings are independent from the statistical technique of risk adjustment. Because of the observed differences between both patient groups it is recommended to adjust data by regression analysis in order to enhance comparability. The choice for one of the two proposed techniques is secondary. With respect to the analyses clear differences between both hospitals exist in short-term outcomes, disappearing 6 months later. Copyright 2004 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg

  11. Two Faces of Attrition: Analysis of a Mismatched Strategy against Mexican and Central American Drug Traffickers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-31

    Washington Post , August 15, 2014. 30 William Kelleher Storey, The First World War: A concise Global History (USA, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014...Hector became the de- facto leader to replace Arturo because of his familial relationship. The group’s operations continued to smuggling drugs because...through a “narco banner” hung across Nuevo Laredo’s Avenida Reforma reading “Los Zetas wants you, soldier or ex -soldier. We offer a good salary

  12. Home intervention as a tool for nursing care: evaluation of the satisfaction of the elderly.

    PubMed

    Nogueira, Iara Sescon; Previato, Giselle Fernanda; Scolari, Giovana Aparecida de Souza; Gomes, Ana Caroline Oliveira; Carreira, Ligia; Baldissera, Vanessa Denardi Antoniassi

    2017-04-06

    To evaluate the results of home nursing interventions according to the satisfaction of the elderly users. Ex-post facto evaluative, qualitative and descriptive research, conducted from November 2015 to January 2016 with 12 dependent elderly individuals accompanied by an extension project in the city of Maringá, PR, Brazil. Data were collected after home interventions based on the Single-User Treatment Project, by means of semi-structured interviews subjected to content analysis and the theoretical framework of Donabedian. The following thematic categories emerged: "home nursing intervention: synonymous with joy, distraction and bonding" and" home nursing intervention: health and lifestyle transformations". The home nursing interventions had positive results that signal the quality of the provided care.

  13. Suicidal Ideation, Depressive Symptomatology, and Self-Concept: A Comparison Between Mexican Institutionalized and Noninstitutionalized Children.

    PubMed

    Chavez-Hernandez, Ana-Maria; Correa-Romero, Fredi-Everardo; Acosta-Rojas, Irma-Beatriz; Cardoso-Espindola, Karen-Viviana; Padilla-Gallegos, Gustavo M; Valadez-Figueroa, Isabel

    2018-04-01

    Previous research reports a significant prevalence of child depression worldwide and self-concept as a predictor of depression and suicide behavior. Although suicide in children is an increasing problem in Mexico, there are scarce studies reporting risk factors and none of children in foster care institutions. This was a comparative, ex post facto study whose aim was to analyze associations between suicidal ideation, depression, and self-concept in two paired samples of Mexican children (83 institutionalized and 83 noninstitutionalized). Results show 16% of the children reported suicidal ideation and statistically significant differences among variables in both samples. Suggestions are made to address this problem from early ages. © 2017 The American Association of Suicidology.

  14. ExMC Technology Watch

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krihak, M.; Watkins, S.; Shaw, T.

    2014-01-01

    The Technology Watch (Tech Watch) project is directed by the NASA Human Research Program's (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element, and primarily focuses on ExMC technology gaps. The project coordinates the efforts of multiple NASA centers, including the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and the Langley Research Center (LaRC). The objective of Tech Watch is to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current NASA HRP technology development efforts. Identifying such technologies accelerates the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues encountered during human space exploration missions. The aim of this process is to leverage technologies developed by academia, industry and other government agencies and to identify the effective utilization of NASA resources to maximize the HRP return on investment. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion, and advance NASA's goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. In fiscal year 2013, the Tech Watch project maintained student project activity aimed at specific ExMC gaps, completed the gap report review cycle for all gaps through a maturated gap report review process, and revised the ExMC Tech Watch Sharepoint site for enhanced data content and organization. Through site visits, internships and promotions via aerospace journals, several student projects were initiated and completed this past year. Upon project completion, the students presented their results via telecom or WebEx to the ExMC Element as a whole. The upcoming year will continue to forge strategic alliances and student projects in the interest of technology and knowledge gap closure. Through the population of Sharepoint with technologies assessed by the gap owners, the database expansion will develop a more comprehensive

  15. ExMC Technology Watch

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krihak, M.; Watkins, S.; Shaw, T.

    2014-01-01

    The Technology Watch (Tech Watch) project is directed by the NASA Human Research Programs (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element, and primarily focuses on ExMC technology gaps. The project coordinates the efforts of multiple NASA centers, including the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and the Langley Research Center (LaRC). The objective of Tech Watch is to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current NASA HRP technology development efforts. Identifying such technologies accelerates the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues encountered during human space exploration missions. The aim of this process is to leverage technologies developed by academia, industry and other government agencies and to identify the effective utilization of NASA resources to maximize the HRP return on investment. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion, and advance NASAs goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. In fiscal year 2013, the Tech Watch project maintained student project activity aimed at specific ExMC gaps, completed the gap report review cycle for all gaps through a maturated gap report review process, and revised the ExMC Tech Watch Sharepoint site for enhanced data content and organization. Through site visits, internships and promotions via aerospace journals, several student projects were initiated and completed this past year. Upon project completion, the students presented their results via telecom or WebEx to the ExMC Element as a whole. The upcoming year will continue to forge strategic alliances and student projects in the interest of technology and knowledge gap closure. Through the population of Sharepoint with technologies assessed by the gap owners, the database expansion will develop a more comprehensive

  16. The Impact of Subsidies on Researcher's Productivity: Evidence from a Developing Country

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aboal, Diego; Tacsir, Ezequiel

    2017-01-01

    In this article we perform an impact evaluation of a programme that provides ex post subsidies to researchers in Paraguay. The analysis spans across the first 2 years following the programme (short-run). Ex post subsidies are prevalent in Latin America; however, the analysis of their effects has received little attention in the literature. Thanks…

  17. Evaluation of the in vivo and ex vivo optical properties in a mouse ear model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salomatina, E.; Yaroslavsky, A. N.

    2008-06-01

    Determination of in vivo optical properties is a challenging problem. Absorption and scattering measured ex vivo are often used for in vivo applications. To investigate the validity of this approach, we have obtained and compared the optical properties of mouse ears in vivo and ex vivo in the spectral range from 370 to 1650 nm. Integrating sphere spectrophotometry in combination with the inverse Monte Carlo technique was employed to determine absorption coefficients, μa, scattering coefficients, μs, and anisotropy factors, g. Two groups of mice were used for the study. The first group was measured in vivo and ex vivo within 5-10 min post mortem. The second group was measured in vivo and ex vivo every 24 h for up to 72 h after sacrifice. Between the measurements the tissues were kept at 4 °C wrapped in a gauze moistened with saline solution. Then the specimens were frozen at -25 °C for 40 min, thawed and measured again. The results indicate that the absorption coefficients determined in vivo and ex vivo within 5-10 min post mortem differed considerably only in the spectral range dominated by hemoglobin. These changes can be attributed to rapid deoxygenation of tissue and blood post mortem. Absorption coefficients determined ex vivo up to 72 h post mortem decreased gradually with time in the spectral regions dominated by hemoglobin and water, which can be explained by the continuing loss of blood. Absorption properties of the frozen-thawed ex vivo tissues showed increase in oxygenation, which is likely caused by the release of hemoglobin from hemolyzed erythrocytes. Scattering of the ex vivo tissues decreased gradually with time in the entire spectral range due to the continuing loss of blood and partial cell damage. Anisotropy factors did not change considerably.

  18. Evaluation of the in vivo and ex vivo optical properties in a mouse ear model.

    PubMed

    Salomatina, E; Yaroslavsky, A N

    2008-06-07

    Determination of in vivo optical properties is a challenging problem. Absorption and scattering measured ex vivo are often used for in vivo applications. To investigate the validity of this approach, we have obtained and compared the optical properties of mouse ears in vivo and ex vivo in the spectral range from 370 to 1650 nm. Integrating sphere spectrophotometry in combination with the inverse Monte Carlo technique was employed to determine absorption coefficients, mu(a), scattering coefficients, mu(s), and anisotropy factors, g. Two groups of mice were used for the study. The first group was measured in vivo and ex vivo within 5-10 min post mortem. The second group was measured in vivo and ex vivo every 24 h for up to 72 h after sacrifice. Between the measurements the tissues were kept at 4 degrees C wrapped in a gauze moistened with saline solution. Then the specimens were frozen at -25 degrees C for 40 min, thawed and measured again. The results indicate that the absorption coefficients determined in vivo and ex vivo within 5-10 min post mortem differed considerably only in the spectral range dominated by hemoglobin. These changes can be attributed to rapid deoxygenation of tissue and blood post mortem. Absorption coefficients determined ex vivo up to 72 h post mortem decreased gradually with time in the spectral regions dominated by hemoglobin and water, which can be explained by the continuing loss of blood. Absorption properties of the frozen-thawed ex vivo tissues showed increase in oxygenation, which is likely caused by the release of hemoglobin from hemolyzed erythrocytes. Scattering of the ex vivo tissues decreased gradually with time in the entire spectral range due to the continuing loss of blood and partial cell damage. Anisotropy factors did not change considerably.

  19. Ex vivo diffusion MRI of the human brain: Technical challenges and recent advances.

    PubMed

    Roebroeck, Alard; Miller, Karla L; Aggarwal, Manisha

    2018-06-04

    This review discusses ex vivo diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) as an important research tool for neuroanatomical investigations and the validation of in vivo dMRI techniques, with a focus on the human brain. We review the challenges posed by the properties of post-mortem tissue, and discuss state-of-the-art tissue preparation methods and recent advances in pulse sequences and acquisition techniques to tackle these. We then review recent ex vivo dMRI studies of the human brain, highlighting the validation of white matter orientation estimates and the atlasing and mapping of large subcortical structures. We also give particular emphasis to the delineation of layered gray matter structure with ex vivo dMRI, as this application illustrates the strength of its mesoscale resolution over large fields of view. We end with a discussion and outlook on future and potential directions of the field. © 2018 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Histological Methods for ex vivo Axon Tracing: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Heilingoetter, Cassandra L.; Jensen, Matthew B.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives Axon tracers provide crucial insight into the development, connectivity, and function of neural pathways. A tracer can be characterized as a substance that allows for the visualization of a neuronal pathway. Axon tracers have previously been used exclusively with in vivo studies; however, newer methods of axon tracing can be applied to ex vivo studies. Ex vivo studies involve the examination of cells or tissues retrieved from an organism. These post mortem methods of axon tracing offer several advantages, such as reaching inaccessible tissues and avoiding survival surgeries. Methods In order to evaluate the quality of the ex vivo tracing methods, we performed a systematic review of various experimental and comparison studies to discern the optimal method of axon tracing. Results The most prominent methods for ex vivo tracing involve enzymatic techniques or various dyes. It appears that there are a variety of techniques and conditions that tend to give better fluorescent character, clarity, and distance traveled in the neuronal pathway. We found direct comparison studies that looked at variables such as the type of tracer, time required, effect of temperature, and presence of calcium, however, there are other variables that have not been compared directly. Discussion We conclude there are a variety of promising tracing methods available depending on the experimental goals of the researcher, however, more direct comparison studies are needed to affirm the optimal method. PMID:27098542

  1. Histological methods for ex vivo axon tracing: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Heilingoetter, Cassandra L; Jensen, Matthew B

    2016-07-01

    Axon tracers provide crucial insight into the development, connectivity, and function of neural pathways. A tracer can be characterized as a substance that allows for the visualization of a neuronal pathway. Axon tracers have previously been used exclusively with in vivo studies; however, newer methods of axon tracing can be applied to ex vivo studies. Ex vivo studies involve the examination of cells or tissues retrieved from an organism. These post mortem methods of axon tracing offer several advantages, such as reaching inaccessible tissues and avoiding survival surgeries. In order to evaluate the quality of the ex vivo tracing methods, we performed a systematic review of various experimental and comparison studies to discern the optimal method of axon tracing. The most prominent methods for ex vivo tracing involve enzymatic techniques or various dyes. It appears that there are a variety of techniques and conditions that tend to give better fluorescent character, clarity, and distance traveled in the neuronal pathway. We found direct comparison studies that looked at variables such as the type of tracer, time required, effect of temperature, and presence of calcium, however, there are other variables that have not been compared directly. We conclude there are a variety of promising tracing methods available depending on the experimental goals of the researcher, however, more direct comparison studies are needed to affirm the optimal method.

  2. Ex vivo adenoviral gene transfer of constitutively activated STAT3 reduces post-transplant liver injury and promotes regeneration in a 20% rat partial liver transplant model.

    PubMed

    Huda, Kamrul A S M; Guo, Lei; Haga, Sanae; Murata, Hiroshi; Ogino, Tetsuya; Fukai, Moto; Yagi, Takahito; Iwagaki, Hiromi; Tanaka, Noriaki; Ozaki, Michitaka

    2006-05-01

    Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) is one of the most important transcription factors for liver regeneration. This study was designed to examine the effects of constitutively activated STAT3 (STAT3-C) on post-transplant liver injury and regeneration in a rat 20% partial liver transplant (PLTx) model by ex vivo adenoviral gene transfer. Adenovirus encoding the STAT3-C gene was introduced intraportally into liver grafts and clamped for 30 min during cold preservation. After orthotopic PLTx, liver graft/body weights and serum biochemistry were monitored, and both a histological study and DNA binding assay were performed. STAT3-C protein expression and its binding to DNA in the liver graft were confirmed by Western blotting and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), respectively. This treatment modality promoted post-Tx liver regeneration effectively and rapidly. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (AST/ALT) and bilirubin decreased in rats with STAT3-C. However, albumin (a marker of liver function) did not. Ex vivo gene transfer of STAT3-C to liver grafts reduced post-Tx injury and promoted liver regeneration. Thus, the activation of STAT3 in the liver graft may be a potentially effective clinical strategy for improving the outcome of small-for-size liver transplantation.

  3. Effects of walking with a cane on balance and social participation among community-dwelling post-stroke individuals.

    PubMed

    Hamzat, T K; Kobiri, A

    2008-06-01

    Walking devices such as canes and frames are often prescribed to post-stroke individuals to enhance their balance and walking, and thus facilitate community reintegration and social participation. The aim of this study was to observe social participation and balance in post-stroke hemiparetic patients and compare the performance of those walking with a cane (AD group) and without a cane (WAD group). The relationships between cane usage and activity participation and balance were also studied. In this ex post facto research study, balance and social participation were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART) in 50 individuals with hemiparesis secondary to first incidence hemispheric stroke. The study included 25 AD subjects (mean age 59.88+/-12.04 years) and 25 WAD subjects (mean age 55.84+/-11.30 years) who were consecutively recruited from the physiotherapy units of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and the 37 Military Hospital in Accra (Ghana). Before recruitment into the study, both groups of subjects were matched for age, height, weight, BBS and CHART scores at the point of discharge from the inpatient units of the two hospitals, the duration of stroke, and the duration of physiotherapy post-stroke. Mann-Whitney U statistics showed that the AD group had comparatively higher mean participation scores (U=22.37; P=0.00) and lower mean balance performance (BBS score U=30.68; P=0.00) than their WAD counterparts. Spearman's correlation coefficient also revealed a significant negative correlation between the BBS and CHART scores in both groups (AD rho=-0.063; P=0.00 and WAD rho=-0.037; P=0.05). These findings indicate that post-stroke individuals who used a cane to aid in walking had poorer balance and less social participation than their age-matched counterparts who walked unaided. As balance improved (higher BBS score), participation also improved (lower CHART score) in both groups. In spite of

  4. Examining Physics Career Interests: Recruitment and Persistence into College

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lock, R. M.; Hazari, Z.; Sadler, P. M.; Sonnert, G.

    2012-03-01

    Compared to the undergraduate population, the number of students obtaining physics degrees has been declining since the 1960s. This trend continues despite the increasing number of students taking introductory physics courses in high school and college. Our work uses an ex-post facto design to study the factors that influence students' decision to pursue a career in physics at the beginning of college. These factors include high school physics classroom experiences, other science-related experiences, and students' career motivations. The data used in this study is drawn from the Persistence Research in Science and Engineering (PRiSE) Project, a large-scale study that surveyed a nationally representative sample of college/university students enrolled in introductory English courses about their interests and prior experiences in science.

  5. Reduced admissions for acute myocardial infarction associated with a public smoking ban: matched controlled study.

    PubMed

    Seo, Dong-Chul; Torabi, Mohammad R

    2007-01-01

    There has been no research linking implementation of a public smoking ban and reduced incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among nonsmoking patients. An ex post facto matched control group study was conducted to determine whether there was a change in hospital admissions for AMI among nonsmoking patients after a public smoking ban was implemented in Monroe County compared with Delaware County, Indiana without such a ban. Poisson analysis was conducted for 44 months of hospital admissions. A significant drop occurred in the number of admissions among nonsmoking patients in Monroe County after the ban whereas a nonsignificant decrease in the number of admissions occurred in Delaware County. The changes in the number of smoking-patient admissions before and after the ban were not significant.

  6. Factors associated with adequate pain control in hospitalized postsurgical patients diagnosed with cancer.

    PubMed

    Paice, J A; Mahon, S M; Faut-Callahan, M

    1991-12-01

    The inadequate management of pain continues to be a significant problem for persons with cancer. Experts suggest that contributing factors include discrepancies in pain assessment, inadequate administration of opiate therapy, and insufficient documentation of the patient's pain experience. This study, part of a multidepartmental investigation into the adequacy of pain management in hospitalized patients, describes the pain experience of surgical oncology patients. Its correlational ex post facto design (n = 34) was guided by Loeser's model of pain. Randomly selected surgical oncology patients were interviewed using a structured format. The patient's primary nurse and physician simultaneously completed brief assessments of their perceptions of the patient's pain intensity. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics, and implications for nursing practice and future nursing research are discussed.

  7. [Research progress in post-fire debris flow].

    PubMed

    Di, Xue-ying; Tao, Yu-zhu

    2013-08-01

    The occurrence of the secondary disasters of forest fire has significant impacts on the environment quality and human health and safety. Post-fire debris flow is one of the most hazardous secondary disasters of forest fire. To understand the occurrence conditions of post-fire debris flow and to master its occurrence situation are the critical elements in post-fire hazard assessment. From the viewpoints of vegetation, precipitation threshold and debris flow material sources, this paper elaborated the impacts of forest fire on the debris flow, analyzed the geologic and geomorphic conditions, precipitation and slope condition that caused the post-fire debris flow as well as the primary mechanisms of debris-flow initiation caused by shallow landslide or surface runoff, and reviewed the research progress in the prediction and forecast of post-fire debris flow and the related control measures. In the future research, four aspects to be focused on were proposed, i. e., the quantification of the relationships between the fire behaviors and environmental factors and the post-fire debris flow, the quantitative research on the post-fire debris flow initiation and movement processes, the mechanistic model of post-fire debris flow, and the rapid and efficient control countermeasures of post-fire debris flow.

  8. One-Party Dominance: Future Political Implications for the Conservatives in South Korea

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-01

    the vote to 26.1%.48 One of the reasons for the progressive defeat was the failure of ex -President Roh Moo-hyun to uphold his anti- corruption...appoint individuals to posts in a way that creates an advantage in implementing policies.65 The biggest advantage of the presidency is the ability to self...were necessary for South Korea to grow; he legitimized his rule with results.114 One method was the distribution of de facto pork barrel not only

  9. A post-hoc analysis of music therapy services for residents in nursing homes receiving hospice care.

    PubMed

    Hilliard, Russell E

    2004-01-01

    This study analyzed the use of music therapy for residents in nursing homes receiving hospice care. An ex-post facto design was utilized to evaluate participants' length of life on the hospice program, time of death in relation to last visit by the social worker and music therapist, the number of sessions and total number of minutes spent in direct care by the social worker and music therapist, and care plan needs treated by the nurse, social worker, and music therapist. A total of 80 participants' medical records were randomly selected for this study. All participants were in nursing homes, 40 of whom had been referred to music therapy. Results showed no significant differences on the time of death in relation to last visit by hospice professional, but there were significant differences in the length of life for those receiving music therapy. Females in this study lived significantly longer than males. Participants received significantly more music therapy sessions than social work sessions, and music therapists spent significantly more time in direct care with participants than did social workers. Care plan needs were analyzed graphically and indicate that music therapists meet important needs of participants.

  10. Longing for Ex-Partners out of Fear of Being Single.

    PubMed

    Spielmann, Stephanie S; MacDonald, Geoff; Joel, Samantha; Impett, Emily A

    2016-12-01

    This research investigated whether people who fear being single have a more difficult time letting go of ex-partners following a romantic breakup. Data were collected in a cross-sectional study (N = 209, 64% women, M age  = 30 years old) as well as a 1-month daily experience study of individuals who just went through a romantic breakup (N = 117, 44% women, M age  = 27 years old). Findings from both studies revealed that those with stronger fear of being single (Spielmann et al., 2013) reported greater longing for their ex-partners. Pre- to post-breakup analyses revealed that fear of being single increased after a breakup, regardless of who initiated the breakup. Within-day analyses revealed that longing for an ex-partner and attempts to renew the relationship were greater on days with stronger fear of being single. Lagged-day analyses provided support for the conclusion that fear of being single increased longing and renewal attempts over time, but longing and renewal attempts did not influence fear of being single. These findings suggest that fear of being single is a particularly useful construct for understanding the romantic detachment process. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. When can social media lead financial markets?

    PubMed

    Zheludev, Ilya; Smith, Robert; Aste, Tomaso

    2014-02-27

    Social media analytics is showing promise for the prediction of financial markets. However, the true value of such data for trading is unclear due to a lack of consensus on which instruments can be predicted and how. Current approaches are based on the evaluation of message volumes and are typically assessed via retrospective (ex-post facto) evaluation of trading strategy returns. In this paper, we present instead a sentiment analysis methodology to quantify and statistically validate which assets could qualify for trading from social media analytics in an ex-ante configuration. We use sentiment analysis techniques and Information Theory measures to demonstrate that social media message sentiment can contain statistically-significant ex-ante information on the future prices of the S&P500 index and a limited set of stocks, in excess of what is achievable using solely message volumes.

  12. When Can Social Media Lead Financial Markets?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheludev, Ilya; Smith, Robert; Aste, Tomaso

    2014-02-01

    Social media analytics is showing promise for the prediction of financial markets. However, the true value of such data for trading is unclear due to a lack of consensus on which instruments can be predicted and how. Current approaches are based on the evaluation of message volumes and are typically assessed via retrospective (ex-post facto) evaluation of trading strategy returns. In this paper, we present instead a sentiment analysis methodology to quantify and statistically validate which assets could qualify for trading from social media analytics in an ex-ante configuration. We use sentiment analysis techniques and Information Theory measures to demonstrate that social media message sentiment can contain statistically-significant ex-ante information on the future prices of the S&P500 index and a limited set of stocks, in excess of what is achievable using solely message volumes.

  13. When Can Social Media Lead Financial Markets?

    PubMed Central

    Zheludev, Ilya; Smith, Robert; Aste, Tomaso

    2014-01-01

    Social media analytics is showing promise for the prediction of financial markets. However, the true value of such data for trading is unclear due to a lack of consensus on which instruments can be predicted and how. Current approaches are based on the evaluation of message volumes and are typically assessed via retrospective (ex-post facto) evaluation of trading strategy returns. In this paper, we present instead a sentiment analysis methodology to quantify and statistically validate which assets could qualify for trading from social media analytics in an ex-ante configuration. We use sentiment analysis techniques and Information Theory measures to demonstrate that social media message sentiment can contain statistically-significant ex-ante information on the future prices of the S&P500 index and a limited set of stocks, in excess of what is achievable using solely message volumes. PMID:24572909

  14. Follow-Up Study of Ex-Students of a Residential School for Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hornby, Garry; Witte, Chrystal

    2008-01-01

    A follow-up study was conducted on ex-students of a residential special school for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in New Zealand. Previous research on post-school outcomes for students with emotional and behavioural difficulties has found low levels on quality of life indicators such as education, employment and community…

  15. Recruitment strategies for a lung cancer chemoprevention trial involving ex-smokers.

    PubMed

    Kye, Steve H; Tashkin, Donald P; Roth, Michael D; Adams, Bradley; Nie, Wen-Xian; Mao, Jenny T

    2009-09-01

    The ability to recruit qualified subjects who are willing to adhere to the study protocol in clinical trials is an essential component of translational research. Such tasks can be particularly challenging for chemoprevention studies when the targeted study population is healthy, at risk individuals who do not have signs or symptoms of the disease, and the study participation involves complex scheduling and invasive procedures such as bronchoscopy. In this report, we describe the recruitment process and evaluated the effectiveness of various recruitment strategies utilized in our National Cancer Institute sponsored lung cancer chemoprevention study with celecoxib. Heavy ex-smokers were recruited into the study through various methods such as radio advertisements, print media, mass mailings, flyers, internet postings and others. The number of inquiries, on-site screenees and randomization generated by each method determined the efficacy of that recruitment strategy. We prescreened 4470 individuals, invited 323 people for on-site screening and randomized 137 subjects. Radio advertisements (ads) generated the most inquiries (71.1%), followed by internet posting (11.8%), print media (6.0%), posted and racked flyers (4.4%), mass mailings (2.7%) and other strategies such as referrals from friends or family members or health care providers (2.3%). Radio ads, although costly, yielded the most subjects for on-site screening and randomization. Moreover, among the various types of radio stations, news radio stations were by far the most successful. Our results suggest that advertising on news radio is a highly effective recruitment method for successful accrual of ex-smokers into lung cancer chemoprevention trials.

  16. 75 FR 34689 - Pure Magnesium From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the 2008-2009...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-18

    ..., the Department issued its antidumping duty questionnaire to TMI, TXR, and Pan Asia by FedEx. TXR.... Absence of De Facto Control Typically, the Department considers four factors in evaluating whether each... profits or financing of losses.\\32\\ The Department has determined that an analysis of de facto control is...

  17. Ex-vivo and live animal models are equally effective training for the management of a penetrating cardiac injury.

    PubMed

    Izawa, Yoshimitsu; Hishikawa, Shuji; Muronoi, Tomohiro; Yamashita, Keisuke; Maruyama, Hiroyuki; Suzukawa, Masayuki; Lefor, Alan Kawarai

    2016-01-01

    Live tissue models are considered the most useful simulation for training in the management for hemostasis of penetrating injuries. However, these models are expensive, with limited opportunities for repetitive training. Ex-vivo models using tissue and a fluid pump are less expensive, allow repetitive training and respect ethical principles in animal research. The purpose of this study is to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of ex-vivo training with a pump, compared to live animal model training. Staff surgeons and residents were divided into live tissue training and ex-vivo training groups. Training in the management of a penetrating cardiac injury was conducted for each group, separately. One week later, all participants were formally evaluated in the management of a penetrating cardiac injury in a live animal. There are no differences between the two groups regarding average years of experience or previous trauma surgery experience. All participants achieved hemostasis, with no difference between the two groups in the Global Rating Scale score (ex-vivo: 25.2 ± 6.3, live: 24.7 ± 6.3, p = 0.646), blood loss (1.6 ± 0.7, 2.0 ± 0.6, p = 0.051), checklist score (3.7 ± 0.6, 3.6 ± 0.9, p = 0.189), or time required for repair (101 s ± 31, 107 s ± 15, p = 0.163), except overall evaluation (3.8 ± 0.9, 3.4 ± 0.9, p = 0.037). The internal consistency reliability and inter-rater reliability in the Global Rating Scale were excellent (0.966 and 0.953 / 0.719 and 0.784, respectively), and for the checklist were moderate (0.570 and 0.636 / 0.651 and 0.607, respectively). The validity is rated good for both the Global Rating Scale (Residents: 21.7 ± 5.6, Staff: 28.9 ± 4.7, p = 0.000) and checklist (Residents: 3.4 ± 0.9, Staff Surgeons: 3.9 ± 0.3, p = 0.003). The results of self-assessment questionnaires were similarly high (4.2-4.9) with scores in self-efficacy increased after

  18. Long-term effect of exercise on bone mineral density and body composition in post-menopausal ex-elite athletes: a retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Andreoli, A; Celi, M; Volpe, S L; Sorge, R; Tarantino, U

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the long-term effect of exercise on bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) and body composition (BC) in post-menopausal women who were elite athletes during their youth compared with sedentary controls. It is a retrospective study and carried out in an outpatient clinic. A total of 48 post-menopausal women (54-73 years of age) were enrolled. Ex-elite athletes with long-term (>20 years) histories of significant training and performance were divided into two groups: weight-bearing sports (runners, n=12) and non-weight-bearing sports (swimmers, n=12). The athletes were age matched with sedentary controls (n=24). BMD, BMC and BC were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Healthcare and sport activity histories were evaluated using a questionnaire. No significant differences were found with regard to body weight, height, body mass index and hours of activity between the two groups of athletes. There were no significant differences in activity levels between athletes and controls at the time of this study. BMD and BMC were not significantly different between athletes; they were significantly higher in athletes than in controls (P<0.001). Although the ex-athletes did not significantly differ in BC, left and right lean arm mass and arm BMD were significantly higher in swimmers than in runners (P<0.0001). The high level of physical activity observed in female athletes is associated with improved muscle mass, BMD and BMC, and physical activity during youth seems to have a beneficial effect on bone mass and helps to prevent bone loss due to aging.

  19. Green initiative impact on stock prices: A quantitative study of the clean energy industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jurisich, John M.

    The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto research study was to explore the relationship between green initiative expense disclosures and stock prices of 46 NASDAQ listed Clean Edge Green Energy global companies from 2007 to 2010. The independent variables were sales and marketing, environmental, customer and supplier, community, and corporate governance practices that were correlated with the dependent variable in the study of stock prices. Expense disclosures were examined in an effort to measure the impact of green initiative programs and to expose the interrelationships between green initiative expense disclosures and fluctuations of stock prices. The data for the research was secondary data from existing annual reports. A statistically significant relationship was revealed between environmental practices and changes in stock prices. The study results also provided substantial evidence for leadership and managerial decision making to reduce or increase green initiative practices to maximize shareholder wealth of their respective organizations.

  20. Transverse compression of PPTA fibers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singletary, James

    2000-07-01

    Results of single transverse compression testing of PPTA and PIPD fibers, using a novel test device, are presented and discussed. In the tests, short lengths of single fibers are compressed between two parallel, stiff platens. The fiber elastic deformation is analyzed as a Hertzian contact problem. The inelastic deformation is analyzed by elastic-plastic FE simulation and by laser-scanning confocal microscopy of the compressed fibers ex post facto. The results obtained are compared to those in the literature and to the theoretical predictions of PPTA fiber transverse elasticity based on PPTA crystal elasticity.

  1. Digital Literacy Development of Students Involved in an ICT Educational Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quintana, Maria Graciela Badilla; Pujol, Meritxell Cortada

    The impact of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has become the core of a change that involves most of the society fields, consequently the technological and informational literacy are essential requirements in education. The research is a quasi-experimental and ex-post-facto study in schools from Spain. The aim was to describe and analyze the involvement showed by 219 students who participated in a development of ICT's Project named Ponte dos Brozos. The research objective was to respond if the students who usually worked with ICT, had better knowledge and management with computing tools, and if they are better prepared in researching and selecting information. Results showed that students who have a higher contact with ICTs know about the technology and how to use it, also better knowledge and control of the computer and operative systems, a high information management level trough the Internet, although their literacy in information is devoid.

  2. Industrial Internship and Entrepreneurship Competencies on Vocational High School Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wendi, H. F.; Kusumah, I. H.

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of the research is to explore the influence of internship and vocational skill to student’s entrepreneurship competencies. The research used ex post facto approach. Population in this research is all students of Vocational High School in Bandung, Indonesia. The sample of 40 respondents was determined by proportional random sampling technique. The data were collected by instrument questionnaire and test. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The results show that almost half students have a low the competencies of an entrepreneur. The hypothesis testing shows many the influence of factory teaching has a positive and significant effect on the competencies of an entrepreneur. Similarly, vocational skills have positive influence and significant on the competencies of an entrepreneur. Respectively, the influence of factory teaching and vocational skills expertise collectively have the effect on the competencies of an entrepreneur. Therefore, the influence of factory teaching and vocational skills are effective to student’s entrepreneurship cap competencies.

  3. Legally White, Socially "Mexican": The Politics of De Jure and De Facto School Segregation in the American Southwest

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donato, Ruben; Hanson, Jarrod S.

    2012-01-01

    The history of Mexican American school segregation is complex, often misunderstood, and currently unresolved. The literature suggests that Mexican Americans experienced de facto segregation because it was local custom and never sanctioned at the state level in the American Southwest. However, the same literature suggests that Mexican Americans…

  4. FedEx Hybrid Electric Delivery Truck Testing | Transportation Research |

    Science.gov Websites

    hybridization. Hybrid Electric Straight Box Trucks In 2013, the team completed its six-month evaluation of six hybrid electric trucks and six conventional diesel trucks operated by FedEx Express in Ontario

  5. Line and Rabble: Drill, Doctrine, and Military Books in Revolutionary America

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-04-20

    professionalism demanded the de facto wholesale adoption of European military knowledge. Yet, in addition to more sophisticated works suited for...angustiis, feroci hostium saevitiae, belloque crudeli ex inopinato patriae nostrae illato debitis, maxime accommodata. (Philadelphiae: Ex officina...civitatum pertinentis ; hodiernae nostrae inopiae rerumque angustiis, feroci hostium saevitiae, belloque crudeli ex inopinato patriae nostrae illato

  6. Drivers of Microbial Risk for Direct Potable Reuse and de Facto Reuse Treatment Schemes: The Impacts of Source Water Quality and Blending.

    PubMed

    Chaudhry, Rabia M; Hamilton, Kerry A; Haas, Charles N; Nelson, Kara L

    2017-06-13

    Although reclaimed water for potable applications has many potential benefits, it poses concerns for chemical and microbial risks to consumers. We present a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) Monte Carlo framework to compare a de facto water reuse scenario (treated wastewater-impacted surface water) with four hypothetical Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) scenarios for Norovirus, Cryptosporidium , and Salmonella . Consumer microbial risks of surface source water quality (impacted by 0-100% treated wastewater effluent) were assessed. Additionally, we assessed risks for different blending ratios (0-100% surface water blended into advanced-treated DPR water) when source surface water consisted of 50% wastewater effluent. De facto reuse risks exceeded the yearly 10 -4 infections risk benchmark while all modeled DPR risks were significantly lower. Contamination with 1% or more wastewater effluent in the source water, and blending 1% or more wastewater-impacted surface water into the advanced-treated DPR water drove the risk closer to the 10 -4 benchmark. We demonstrate that de facto reuse by itself, or as an input into DPR, drives microbial risks more so than the advanced-treated DPR water. When applied using location-specific inputs, this framework can contribute to project design and public awareness campaigns to build legitimacy for DPR.

  7. Drivers of Microbial Risk for Direct Potable Reuse and de Facto Reuse Treatment Schemes: The Impacts of Source Water Quality and Blending

    PubMed Central

    Chaudhry, Rabia M.; Hamilton, Kerry A.; Haas, Charles N.; Nelson, Kara L.

    2017-01-01

    Although reclaimed water for potable applications has many potential benefits, it poses concerns for chemical and microbial risks to consumers. We present a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) Monte Carlo framework to compare a de facto water reuse scenario (treated wastewater-impacted surface water) with four hypothetical Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) scenarios for Norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Salmonella. Consumer microbial risks of surface source water quality (impacted by 0–100% treated wastewater effluent) were assessed. Additionally, we assessed risks for different blending ratios (0–100% surface water blended into advanced-treated DPR water) when source surface water consisted of 50% wastewater effluent. De facto reuse risks exceeded the yearly 10−4 infections risk benchmark while all modeled DPR risks were significantly lower. Contamination with 1% or more wastewater effluent in the source water, and blending 1% or more wastewater-impacted surface water into the advanced-treated DPR water drove the risk closer to the 10−4 benchmark. We demonstrate that de facto reuse by itself, or as an input into DPR, drives microbial risks more so than the advanced-treated DPR water. When applied using location-specific inputs, this framework can contribute to project design and public awareness campaigns to build legitimacy for DPR. PMID:28608808

  8. Lactobacillus casei DG and its postbiotic reduce the inflammatory mucosal response: an ex-vivo organ culture model of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome.

    PubMed

    Compare, Debora; Rocco, Alba; Coccoli, Pietro; Angrisani, Debora; Sgamato, Costantino; Iovine, Barbara; Salvatore, Umberto; Nardone, Gerardo

    2017-04-14

    The evidence on the role of gut microbiota in post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) is convincing. Lactobacillus spp. positively affect IBS symptoms, although the mechanisms through which probiotics exert their beneficial effects are largely unknown. The aim of the study is to evaluate the role of Lactobacillus casei DG (LC-DG) and its postbiotic (PB) in modulating the inflammatory/immune-response in PI-IBS in an ex-vivo organ culture model. Ex vivo cultures of ileal and colonic mucosa from 10 PI-IBS, diarrhea predominant subtype (D) patients, and 10 healthy controls (HC) were treated with LPS, LC-DG and PB. Interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 mRNA levels were assessed by real-time PCR and Toll like receptor 4 (TLR-4) protein expression by Western blotting. At baseline, IL-1α, IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA levels as well as TLR-4 protein expression were significantly higher while IL-10 mRNA levels were lower in PI-IBS D than in HC in both ileum and colon. LC-DG and PB significantly reduced the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and TLR-4 while increased that of IL-10 after LPS stimulation. The protective effect was more pronounced for PB than LC-DG treatment. LC-DG and its PB attenuate the inflammatory mucosal response in an ex-vivo organ culture model of PI-IBS D.

  9. VA Health Care: VA Spends Millions on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Research and Incorporates Research Outcomes into Guidelines and Policy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Services

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    post - traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) and...Veterans Affairs (VA) Intramural Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD ) Research Funding and VA’s Medical and Prosthetic Research Appropriation...Table 6: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Research Centers and Programs That Conduct or Support Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD ) Research

  10. Supramolecular Ex plorations: Ex hibiting the Ex tent of Ex tended Cationic Cyclophanes

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

    Dale, Edward J.; Vermeulen, Nicolaas A.; Juricek, Michal

    Acting as hosts, cationic cyclophanes, consisting of π-electron-poor bipyridinium units, are capable of entering into strong donor–acceptor interactions to form host–guest complexes with various guests when the size and electronic constitution are appropriately matched. A synthetic protocol has been developed that utilizes catalytic quantities of tetrabutylammonium iodide to make a wide variety of cationic pyridinium-based cyclophanes in a quick and easy manner. Members of this class of cationic cyclophanes with boxlike geometries, dubbed ExnBoxm4+ for short, have been prepared by altering a number of variables: (i) n, the number of “horizontal” p-phenylene spacers between adjoining pyridinium units, to modulate themore » “length” of the cavity; (ii) m, the number of “vertical” p-phenylene spacers, to modulate the “width” of the cavity; and (iii) the aromatic linkers, namely, 1,4-di- and 1,3,5-trisubstituted units for the construction of macrocycles (ExBoxes) and macrobicycles (ExCages), respectively. This Account serves as an exploration of the properties that emerge from these structural modifications of the pyridinium-based hosts, coupled with a call for further investigation into the wealth of properties inherent in this class of compounds. By variation of only the aforementioned components, the role of these cationic receptors covers ground that spans (i) synthetic methodology, (ii) extraction and sequestration, (iii) catalysis, (iv) molecular electronics, (v) physical organic chemistry, and (vi) supramolecular chemistry. Ex1Box4+ (or simply ExBox4+) has been shown to be a multipurpose receptor capable of binding a wide range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), while also being a suitable component in switchable mechanically interlocked molecules. Additionally, the electronic properties of some host–guest complexes allow the development of artificial photosystems. Ex2Box4+ boasts the ability to bind both π-electron-rich and

  11. Supramolecular Ex plorations: Ex hibiting the Ex tent of Ex tended Cationic Cyclophanes

    DOE PAGES

    Dale, Edward J.; Vermeulen, Nicolaas A.; Juricek, Michal; ...

    2016-01-19

    Acting as hosts, cationic cyclophanes, consisting of π-electron-poor bipyridinium units, are capable of entering into strong donor–acceptor interactions to form host–guest complexes with various guests when the size and electronic constitution are appropriately matched. A synthetic protocol has been developed that utilizes catalytic quantities of tetrabutylammonium iodide to make a wide variety of cationic pyridinium-based cyclophanes in a quick and easy manner. Members of this class of cationic cyclophanes with boxlike geometries, dubbed ExnBoxm4+ for short, have been prepared by altering a number of variables: (i) n, the number of “horizontal” p-phenylene spacers between adjoining pyridinium units, to modulate themore » “length” of the cavity; (ii) m, the number of “vertical” p-phenylene spacers, to modulate the “width” of the cavity; and (iii) the aromatic linkers, namely, 1,4-di- and 1,3,5-trisubstituted units for the construction of macrocycles (ExBoxes) and macrobicycles (ExCages), respectively. This Account serves as an exploration of the properties that emerge from these structural modifications of the pyridinium-based hosts, coupled with a call for further investigation into the wealth of properties inherent in this class of compounds. By variation of only the aforementioned components, the role of these cationic receptors covers ground that spans (i) synthetic methodology, (ii) extraction and sequestration, (iii) catalysis, (iv) molecular electronics, (v) physical organic chemistry, and (vi) supramolecular chemistry. Ex1Box4+ (or simply ExBox4+) has been shown to be a multipurpose receptor capable of binding a wide range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), while also being a suitable component in switchable mechanically interlocked molecules. Additionally, the electronic properties of some host–guest complexes allow the development of artificial photosystems. Ex2Box4+ boasts the ability to bind both π-electron-rich and

  12. ExGUtils: A Python Package for Statistical Analysis With the ex-Gaussian Probability Density.

    PubMed

    Moret-Tatay, Carmen; Gamermann, Daniel; Navarro-Pardo, Esperanza; Fernández de Córdoba Castellá, Pedro

    2018-01-01

    The study of reaction times and their underlying cognitive processes is an important field in Psychology. Reaction times are often modeled through the ex-Gaussian distribution, because it provides a good fit to multiple empirical data. The complexity of this distribution makes the use of computational tools an essential element. Therefore, there is a strong need for efficient and versatile computational tools for the research in this area. In this manuscript we discuss some mathematical details of the ex-Gaussian distribution and apply the ExGUtils package, a set of functions and numerical tools, programmed for python, developed for numerical analysis of data involving the ex-Gaussian probability density. In order to validate the package, we present an extensive analysis of fits obtained with it, discuss advantages and differences between the least squares and maximum likelihood methods and quantitatively evaluate the goodness of the obtained fits (which is usually an overlooked point in most literature in the area). The analysis done allows one to identify outliers in the empirical datasets and criteriously determine if there is a need for data trimming and at which points it should be done.

  13. ExGUtils: A Python Package for Statistical Analysis With the ex-Gaussian Probability Density

    PubMed Central

    Moret-Tatay, Carmen; Gamermann, Daniel; Navarro-Pardo, Esperanza; Fernández de Córdoba Castellá, Pedro

    2018-01-01

    The study of reaction times and their underlying cognitive processes is an important field in Psychology. Reaction times are often modeled through the ex-Gaussian distribution, because it provides a good fit to multiple empirical data. The complexity of this distribution makes the use of computational tools an essential element. Therefore, there is a strong need for efficient and versatile computational tools for the research in this area. In this manuscript we discuss some mathematical details of the ex-Gaussian distribution and apply the ExGUtils package, a set of functions and numerical tools, programmed for python, developed for numerical analysis of data involving the ex-Gaussian probability density. In order to validate the package, we present an extensive analysis of fits obtained with it, discuss advantages and differences between the least squares and maximum likelihood methods and quantitatively evaluate the goodness of the obtained fits (which is usually an overlooked point in most literature in the area). The analysis done allows one to identify outliers in the empirical datasets and criteriously determine if there is a need for data trimming and at which points it should be done. PMID:29765345

  14. 42 CFR 93.507 - Ex parte communications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... RESEARCH MISCONDUCT Opportunity To Contest ORI Findings of Research Misconduct and HHS Administrative Actions Hearing Process § 93.507 Ex parte communications. (a) No party, attorney, or other party...

  15. Learning problem-solving skills in a distance education physics course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rampho, G. J.; Ramorola, M. Z.

    2017-10-01

    In this paper we present the results of a study on the effectiveness of combinations of delivery modes of distance education in learning problem-solving skills in a distance education introductory physics course. A problem-solving instruction with the explicit teaching of a problem-solving strategy and worked-out examples were implemented in the course. The study used the ex post facto research design with stratified sampling to investigate the effect of the learning of a problem-solving strategy on the problem-solving performance. The number of problems attempted and the mean frequency of using a strategy in solving problems in the three course presentation modes were compared. The finding of the study indicated that combining the different course presentation modes had no statistically significant effect in the learning of problem-solving skills in the distance education course.

  16. The predictive ability of critical thinking, nursing GPA, and SAT scores on first-time NCLEX-RN performance.

    PubMed

    Romeo, Elizabeth M

    2013-01-01

    This study was conducted to investigate the predictability of several variables in achieving first-time success on the NCLEX-RN. Several researchers have attempted to investigate the differences between students who passed the NCLEX-RN the first time and those who failed. No studies used a large enough failure group to have statistical significance. The three specific variables in this study were nursing GPA, SAT combined math and verbal scores, and critical thinking measured on a standardized assessment examination. An ex post facto study design was used to examine data from the records of associate degree nursing graduates during a three-year period. The most significant predictors of NCLEX-RN success were the students' nursing GPA and the overall standardized assessment examination score. The findings of this study could potentially influence the identification of students at risk for NCLEX-RN failure.

  17. The effects of local anesthetics on postoperative pain.

    PubMed

    Roberge, C W; McEwen, M

    1998-12-01

    This study was performed to determine if intraoperative local anesthesia improved control of postoperative pain after inguinal herniorrhaphy and to compare the effects of two commonly used local anesthetics on pain management. The Gate Control Theory of Pain formed the theoretical basis for this study. A retrospective nonexperimental study in an ex post facto design was used. Data were collected from 1990 through 1997 on 120 patient charts. The use of local anesthetic intraoperatively significantly decreased patients' lengths of stay postoperatively (P = 0.00) and need for postoperative narcotics (P = 0.00). Bupivacaine was found to be superior to lidocaine in decreasing the need for postoperative narcotic analgesia. Researchers concluded that many patients would benefit from intraoperative injection of local anesthesia. This information can affect patient care outcomes through decreasing recovery time, reducing postoperative pain, and reducing health care costs.

  18. Ecological correlates of neglect in infants and toddlers.

    PubMed

    Connell-Carrick, Kelli; Scannapieco, Maria

    2006-03-01

    Infants and toddlers are more likely to be victims of neglect than any other form of maltreatment. Infants and toddlers are at highest risk of fatality because of maltreatment and experience behavioral, social, academic, medical, and cognitive consequences of neglect during their most formative years. Within an ecological framework, this study examines the correlates of the substantiation of neglect in children 0 to 36 months of age. Using an ex post facto design and a random sample of 148 child protective services cases, bivariate analysis revealed significant differences in families who were substantiated for neglect in the areas of child characteristics, home environment, social environment, caregiver, and maltreatment situations. Multivariate analysis found children who were substantiated for neglect were exposed to greater environmental dangers and had caregivers who had poor parenting skills. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

  19. Biobanks in Oral Health: Promises and Implications of Post-Neoliberal Science and Innovation

    PubMed Central

    Dove, Edward S.; Chiappetta, Margaret; Gürsoy, Ulvi K.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract While biobanks are established explicitly as scientific infrastructures, they are de facto political-economic ones too. Many biobanks, particularly population-based biobanks, are framed under the rubric of the bio-economy as national political-economic assets that benefit domestic business, while national populations are framed as a natural resource whose genomics, proteomics, and related biological material and national health data can be exploited. We outline how many biobanks epitomize this ‘neoliberal’ form of science and innovation in which research is driven by market priorities (e.g., profit, shareholder value) underpinned by state or government policies. As both scientific and political-economic infrastructures, biobanks end up entangled in an array of problems associated with market-driven science and innovation. These include: profit trumping other considerations; rentiership trumping entrepreneurship; and applied research trumping basic research. As a result, there has been a push behind new forms of ‘post-neoliberal’ science and innovation strategies based on principles of openness and collaboration, especially in relation to biobanks. The proliferation of biobanks and the putative transition in both scientific practice and political economy from neoliberalism to post-neoliberalism demands fresh social scientific analyses, particularly as biobanks become further established in fields such as oral health and personalized dentistry. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analysis of biobanks with a view to what we can anticipate from biobanks and distributed post-genomics global science in the current era of oral health biomarkers. PMID:26584410

  20. Biobanks in Oral Health: Promises and Implications of Post-Neoliberal Science and Innovation.

    PubMed

    Birch, Kean; Dove, Edward S; Chiappetta, Margaret; Gürsoy, Ulvi K

    2016-01-01

    While biobanks are established explicitly as scientific infrastructures, they are de facto political-economic ones too. Many biobanks, particularly population-based biobanks, are framed under the rubric of the bio-economy as national political-economic assets that benefit domestic business, while national populations are framed as a natural resource whose genomics, proteomics, and related biological material and national health data can be exploited. We outline how many biobanks epitomize this 'neoliberal' form of science and innovation in which research is driven by market priorities (e.g., profit, shareholder value) underpinned by state or government policies. As both scientific and political-economic infrastructures, biobanks end up entangled in an array of problems associated with market-driven science and innovation. These include: profit trumping other considerations; rentiership trumping entrepreneurship; and applied research trumping basic research. As a result, there has been a push behind new forms of 'post-neoliberal' science and innovation strategies based on principles of openness and collaboration, especially in relation to biobanks. The proliferation of biobanks and the putative transition in both scientific practice and political economy from neoliberalism to post-neoliberalism demands fresh social scientific analyses, particularly as biobanks become further established in fields such as oral health and personalized dentistry. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analysis of biobanks with a view to what we can anticipate from biobanks and distributed post-genomics global science in the current era of oral health biomarkers.

  1. PTSD symptoms and marital adjustment among ex-POWs' wives.

    PubMed

    Levin, Yafit; Greene, Talya; Solomon, Zahava

    2016-02-01

    This study prospectively assessed the implications of war captivity and former prisoners of war's (ex-POWs) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and PTSD trajectory on their wives' marital adjustment, adjusting for their secondary traumatization (ST). Results show that marital adjustment of the wives of ex-POWs with PTSD (N = 66) was lower compared to wives of ex-POWs (N = 37) and combat veterans (N = 55) without PTSD symptoms. Investigating the possible mechanism underlying the lower marital adjustment, via a mediating model, indicated that husbands' PTSD symptoms mediated the association between captivity and the wives' marital adjustment. Moreover, husbands' PTSD trajectories assessed over 17 years were implicated in their wives' marital adjustment; wives of ex-POWs with chronic PTSD reported lower marital adjustment compared to wives of resilient ex-POWs. The substantial novelty was revealed in prospective deterioration found in dyadic adjustment among wives of ex-POWs with delayed PTSD, but not for wives of chronic or resilient ex-POWs. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. International Translation of Project EX: A Teen Tobacco Use Cessation Program

    PubMed Central

    Sussman, Steve

    2013-01-01

    Aims There are relatively few documented teen tobacco use cessation efforts outside the United States (U.S.). Project EX is an evidence-based program that consists of eight sessions, as a school-based clinic tobacco cessation-only version and a classroom-based prevention and cessation version. This paper provides a ‘snapshot’ of progress on international translation of ProjectEXpilot study work in eight countries that have been approached thus far. The program was implemented in Wuhan, China; Israel and partners; Bashkortostan, Russia; and Elche, Spain. Implementation is planned for Vienna, Austria; Mumbai, India; and Bangkok, Thailand. This work will lead eventually to a greater understanding regarding preference for type of programming (e.g., clinic versus classroom modality), challenges in recruitment and retention, program receptivity, and short-term (approximately 3-month post-program) quit rates. Protocol and Interim Results of International Translation of Project EX Convenience samples are being recruited based on previous contacts with each location. A protocol was sent to each location, proposing a controlled design, in which subjects enter cessation groups or become a wait-list control, with an immediate pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. Language translation of program materials was completed in seven of the eight locations. Several variations in design and implementation were demanded though. For example, youth fear of reporting tobacco publicly mandated to researchers that the prevention/cessation classroom version be implemented in some locations (Israel and partners, and India). Program effects are suggested across countries. Conclusions Ongoing partnerships with parties actively involved in tobacco control facilitate pilot testing of teen tobacco use cessation programming. The Project EX curriculum appears quite translatable, though having flexibility in implementation modality eased being able to pilot test the program. Research on this

  3. Pharmacological preconditioning for short-term ex vivo expansion of human umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cells by filgrastim

    PubMed Central

    Grigoriadis, Nikolaos G; Grigoriadis, Ioannis G; Markoula, Sofia; Paschopoulos, Minas; Zikopoulos, Konstantinos; Apostolakopoulos, Panagiotis Gr; Vizirianakis, Ioannis S; Georgiou, Ioannis

    2016-01-01

    Although umbilical cord blood (UCB) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (UCBT) has emerged as a promising haematological reconstitution therapy for leukemias and other related disorders, the insufficient UCB stem cell dosage still hinders better clinical outcomes. Previous research efforts, by focusing on ex vivo UCB expansion capabilities have sought to benefit from well-known mechanisms of self-renewal characteristics of UCB stem cells. However, the long-term (> 21 days) in vitro culture period and the low neutrophil recovery significantly reduce the transplantability of such ex vivo expanded UCB stem cells. To overcome the latter hurdles in this study, a post-thaw, short-term ex vivo expansion methodology of UCB mononuclear (UCB-MN) and CD34+ cells has been established. Notably, such effort was achieved through pharmacological preconditioned of UCB cultures by filgrastim agent already used in the clinical setting. In crucial cell populations implicated in the promotion of functional engraftment, the progression of free survival rates (PFS), a marked increase of 6.65 to 9.34 fold for UCB-MN and 35 to 49 fold for CD34+ cells has been noticed. Overall, these results indicate that transplantation of pharmacologically-preconditioned ex vivo expansion of UCB stem and progenitor cells keep high promise upon transplantation to enhance therapeutic potential in everyday clinical practice. PMID:27335700

  4. Ex Vivo Adenoviral Vector Gene Delivery Results in Decreased Vector-associated Inflammation Pre- and Post–lung Transplantation in the Pig

    PubMed Central

    Yeung, Jonathan C; Wagnetz, Dirk; Cypel, Marcelo; Rubacha, Matthew; Koike, Terumoto; Chun, Yi-Min; Hu, Jim; Waddell, Thomas K; Hwang, David M; Liu, Mingyao; Keshavjee, Shaf

    2012-01-01

    Acellular normothermic ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a novel method of donor lung preservation for transplantation. As cellular metabolism is preserved during perfusion, it represents a potential platform for effective gene transduction in donor lungs. We hypothesized that vector-associated inflammation would be reduced during ex vivo delivery due to isolation from the host immune system response. We compared ex vivo with in vivo intratracheal delivery of an E1-, E3-deleted adenoviral vector encoding either green fluorescent protein (GFP) or interleukin-10 (IL-10) to porcine lungs. Twelve hours after delivery, the lung was transplanted and the post-transplant function assessed. We identified significant transgene expression by 12 hours in both in vivo and ex vivo delivered groups. Lung function remained excellent in all ex vivo groups after viral vector delivery; however, as expected, lung function decreased in the in vivo delivered adenovirus vector encoding GFP (AdGFP) group with corresponding increases in IL-1β levels. Transplanted lung function was excellent in the ex vivo transduced lungs and inferior lung function was seen in the in vivo group after transplantation. In summary, ex vivo delivery of adenoviral gene therapy to the donor lung is superior to in vivo delivery in that it leads to less vector-associated inflammation and provides superior post-transplant lung function. PMID:22453765

  5. High-cadence Imaging and Imaging Spectroscopy at the GREGOR Solar Telescope—A Collaborative Research Environment for High-resolution Solar Physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denker, Carsten; Kuckein, Christoph; Verma, Meetu; González Manrique, Sergio J.; Diercke, Andrea; Enke, Harry; Klar, Jochen; Balthasar, Horst; Louis, Rohan E.; Dineva, Ekaterina

    2018-05-01

    In high-resolution solar physics, the volume and complexity of photometric, spectroscopic, and polarimetric ground-based data significantly increased in the last decade, reaching data acquisition rates of terabytes per hour. This is driven by the desire to capture fast processes on the Sun and the necessity for short exposure times “freezing” the atmospheric seeing, thus enabling ex post facto image restoration. Consequently, large-format and high-cadence detectors are nowadays used in solar observations to facilitate image restoration. Based on our experience during the “early science” phase with the 1.5 m GREGOR solar telescope (2014–2015) and the subsequent transition to routine observations in 2016, we describe data collection and data management tailored toward image restoration and imaging spectroscopy. We outline our approaches regarding data processing, analysis, and archiving for two of GREGOR’s post-focus instruments (see http://gregor.aip.de), i.e., the GREGOR Fabry–Pérot Interferometer (GFPI) and the newly installed High-Resolution Fast Imager (HiFI). The heterogeneous and complex nature of multidimensional data arising from high-resolution solar observations provides an intriguing but also a challenging example for “big data” in astronomy. The big data challenge has two aspects: (1) establishing a workflow for publishing the data for the whole community and beyond and (2) creating a collaborative research environment (CRE), where computationally intense data and postprocessing tools are colocated and collaborative work is enabled for scientists of multiple institutes. This requires either collaboration with a data center or frameworks and databases capable of dealing with huge data sets based on virtual observatory (VO) and other community standards and procedures.

  6. Exploration of the Moon and Asteroids by Secondary Students (ExMASS): An Authentic, Open-Inquiry Research Experience for High School Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaner, A. J.; Allen, J. S.; Shipp, S. S.; Kramer, G. Y.; Nahm, A.; Balazs, L.; Fuller, J.; Newland, J.; Snyder, R. D.; Kring, D. A.

    2014-12-01

    The National Research Council (2012) has expressed a need for participatory science experiences for students. Opportunities are needed for students which 1) allow them to understand how scientific knowledge develops and 2) can heighten their curiosity, capture their interest, and motivate their continued study of science. Studies (e.g., Aydeniz et al., 2011) have also recommend educators provide students with opportunities to do science through extracurricular work with scientists. In addition to being given the opportunity to fully participate in the scientific enterprise, students must also be explicitly guided in their attempts to develop a more appropriate understanding of the nature of the scientific enterprise (McDonald, 2010; Rudge & Howe, 2010; Yacoubian & BouJaoude, 2010). Exploration of the Moon and Asteroids by Secondary Students, or ExMASS, provides such an opportunity for students. The ExMASS program is an education effort managed by the LPI/NASA JSC-led Center for Lunar Science and Exploration (CLSE), one of nine teams comprising NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). Over the course of one academic year, teams of high school students conduct their own scientific investigations of either Earth's Moon or asteroids, with guidance from a scientist mentor. The program includes two elements: 1) a guided inquiry introductory research activity that builds student knowledge of current lunar/asteroid science and lunar/asteroid data, and 2) an open inquiry research project in which the students apply their knowledge to a self-defined project. Evaluation data collected during the predecessor program to ExMASS revealed many successes, but also room for improvement. In response, an Advisory Group consisting of past teachers and mentors was formed to address the gaps revealed in the evaluation data. The ExMASS program will continue to collect similar evaluation data including assessment of changes in students' lunar/asteroid content

  7. Comparison of in vivo and ex vivo viscoelastic behavior of the spinal cord.

    PubMed

    Ramo, Nicole L; Shetye, Snehal S; Streijger, Femke; Lee, Jae H T; Troyer, Kevin L; Kwon, Brian K; Cripton, Peter; Puttlitz, Christian M

    2018-03-01

    Despite efforts to simulate the in vivo environment, post-mortem degradation and lack of blood perfusion complicate the use of ex vivo derived material models in computational studies of spinal cord injury. In order to quantify the mechanical changes that manifest ex vivo, the viscoelastic behavior of in vivo and ex vivo porcine spinal cord samples were compared. Stress-relaxation data from each condition were fit to a non-linear viscoelastic model using a novel characterization technique called the direct fit method. To validate the presented material models, the parameters obtained for each condition were used to predict the respective dynamic cyclic response. Both ex vivo and in vivo samples displayed non-linear viscoelastic behavior with a significant increase in relaxation with applied strain. However, at all three strain magnitudes compared, ex vivo samples experienced a higher stress and greater relaxation than in vivo samples. Significant differences between model parameters also showed distinct relaxation behaviors, especially in non-linear relaxation modulus components associated with the short-term response (0.1-1 s). The results of this study underscore the necessity of utilizing material models developed from in vivo experimental data for studies of spinal cord injury, where the time-dependent properties are critical. The ability of each material model to accurately predict the dynamic cyclic response validates the presented methodology and supports the use of the in vivo model in future high-resolution finite element modeling efforts. Neural tissues (such as the brain and spinal cord) display time-dependent, or viscoelastic, mechanical behavior making it difficult to model how they respond to various loading conditions, including injury. Methods that aim to characterize the behavior of the spinal cord almost exclusively use ex vivo cadaveric or animal samples, despite evidence that time after death affects the behavior compared to that in a living

  8. De facto molecular weight distributions of glucans by size-exclusion chromatography combined with mass/molar-detection of fluorescence labeled terminal hemiacetals.

    PubMed

    Praznik, Werner; Huber, Anton

    2005-09-25

    A major capability of polysaccharides in aqueous media is their tendency for aggregation and dynamic formation of supermolecular structures. Even extended dissolution processes will not eliminate these structures which dominate many analytical approaches, in particular absolute molecular weight determinations referring to light scattering data. An alternative approach for determination of de facto molecular weight for glucans with free terminal hemiacetal functionality (reducing end group) has been adjusted from carbohydrates for midrange and high-dp glucans: quantitative and stabilized labeling as aminopyridyl-derivatives (AP-glucans) and subsequent analysis of SEC-separated elution profiles based on simultaneously monitored mass and molar fractions by refractive index and fluorescence detection. SEC-DRI/FL of AP-glucans proved as an appropriate approach for determination of de facto molecular weight of constituting glucan molecules even in the presence of supermolecular structures for non-branched (pullulan), branched (dextran), narrow distributed and broad distributed and for mixes of compact and loose packed polymer coils (starch glucan hydrolizate).

  9. The Mental Health Sequelae of Traumatic Head Injury in South Vietnamese Ex-Political Detainees Who Survived Torture

    PubMed Central

    Mollica, Richard F.; Chernoff, Miriam C.; Berthold, S. Megan; Lavelle, James; Lyoo, In Kyoon; Renshaw, Perry

    2014-01-01

    Little is known about the relationship between traumatic head injury (THI) and psychiatric morbidity in torture survivors. We examine the relationship between THI and depression, PTSD, post-concussive syndrome (PCS), disability and poor health status in Vietnamese ex-political detainees who survived incarceration in Vietnamese re-education camps. A community sample of ex-political detainees (n=337) and a non-THI, non-ex-detainee comparison group (n=82) were surveyed. 78% of the ex-political detainees had experienced THI. 90.6% of the ex-political detainees and 3.6% of the comparison group had experienced 7 or more trauma events. Depression and PTSD were greater in ex-detainees than the comparison group (40.9% vs 23.2% and 13.4% vs 0%). Dose-effect relationships for THI and trauma/torture in the ex-political detainee group were significant. Logistic regression in the pooled sample of ex-detainees and the comparison group confirmed the independent impact of THI from trauma/torture on psychiatric morbidity (OR for PTSD=22.4; 95% CI: 3.0-165.8). These results demonstrate important effects of THI on depression and PTSD in Vietnamese ex-detainees who have survived torture. PMID:24962448

  10. Monitoring Dopamine ex Vivo during Electrical Stimulation Using Liquid-Microjunction Surface Sampling.

    PubMed

    Gill, Emily L; Marks, Megan; Yost, Richard A; Vedam-Mai, Vinata; Garrett, Timothy J

    2017-12-19

    Liquid-microjunction surface sampling (LMJ-SS) is an ambient ionization technique based on the continuous flow of solvent using an in situ microextraction device in which solvent moves through the probe, drawing in the analytes in preparation for ionization using an electrospray ionization source. However, unlike traditional mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, it operates under ambient pressure and requires no sample preparation, thereby making it ideal for rapid sampling of thicker tissue sections for electrophysiological and other neuroscientific research studies. Studies interrogating neural synapses, or a specific neural circuit, typically employ thick, ex vivo tissue sections maintained under near-physiological conditions to preserve tissue viability and maintain the neural networks. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure used to treat the neurological symptoms that are associated with certain neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder which is commonly treated with DBS therapy. PD is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta portion of the brain. Here, we demonstrate that the LMJ-SS methodology can provide a platform for ex vivo analysis of the brain during electrical stimulation, such as DBS. We employ LMJ-SS in the ex vivo analysis of mouse brain tissue for monitoring dopamine during electrical stimulation of the striatum region. The mouse brain tissue was sectioned fresh post sacrifice and maintained in artificial cerebrospinal fluid to create near-physiological conditions before direct sampling using LMJ-SS. A selection of metabolites, including time-sensitive metabolites involved in energy regulation in the brain, were identified using standards, and the mass spectral database mzCloud was used to assess the feasibility of the methodology. Thereafter, the intensity of m/z 154 corresponding to protonated dopamine was monitored before

  11. THE ABSENCE OF EX-COMPANIONS IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA REMNANTS

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

    Di Stefano, R.; Kilic, Mukremin, E-mail: rd@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: kilic@ou.edu

    Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play important roles in our study of the expansion and acceleration of the universe, but because we do not know the exact nature or natures of the progenitors, there is a systematic uncertainty that must be resolved if SNe Ia are to become more precise cosmic probes. No progenitor system has ever been identified either in the pre- or post-explosion images of a Ia event. There have been recent claims for and against the detection of ex-companion stars in several SNe Ia remnants. These studies, however, usually ignore the angular momentum gain of the progenitormore » white dwarf (WD), which leads to a spin-up phase and a subsequent spin-down phase before explosion. For spin-down timescales greater than 10{sup 5} years, the donor star could be too dim to detect by the time of explosion. Here we revisit the current limits on ex-companion stars to SNR 0509-67.5, a 400-year-old remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. If the effects of possible angular momentum gain on the WD are included, a wide range of single-degenerate progenitor models are allowed for this remnant. We demonstrate that the current absence of evidence for ex-companion stars in this remnant, as well as other SNe Ia remnants, does not necessarily provide the evidence of absence for ex-companions. We discuss potential ways to identify such ex-companion stars through deep imaging observations.« less

  12. Ex post damage assessment: an Italian experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Molinari, D.; Menoni, S.; Aronica, G. T.; Ballio, F.; Berni, N.; Pandolfo, C.; Stelluti, M.; Minucci, G.

    2014-04-01

    In recent years, awareness of a need for more effective disaster data collection, storage, and sharing of analyses has developed in many parts of the world. In line with this advance, Italian local authorities have expressed the need for enhanced methods and procedures for post-event damage assessment in order to obtain data that can serve numerous purposes: to create a reliable and consistent database on the basis of which damage models can be defined or validated; and to supply a comprehensive scenario of flooding impacts according to which priorities can be identified during the emergency and recovery phase, and the compensation due to citizens from insurers or local authorities can be established. This paper studies this context, and describes ongoing activities in the Umbria and Sicily regions of Italy intended to identifying new tools and procedures for flood damage data surveys and storage in the aftermath of floods. In the first part of the paper, the current procedures for data gathering in Italy are analysed. The analysis shows that the available knowledge does not enable the definition or validation of damage curves, as information is poor, fragmented, and inconsistent. A new procedure for data collection and storage is therefore proposed. The entire analysis was carried out at a local level for the residential and commercial sectors only. The objective of the next steps for the research in the short term will be (i) to extend the procedure to other types of damage, and (ii) to make the procedure operational with the Italian Civil Protection system. The long-term aim is to develop specific depth-damage curves for Italian contexts.

  13. An Herbal Derivative as the Basis for a New Approach to Treating Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-09-01

    OA 3) A new ex vivo assay using intact joint cartilage to test ex vivo efficacy of EPRS inhibitors as therapeutics for OA. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Post ...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0396 TITLE: An Herbal Derivative as the Basis for a New Approach to Treating Post - Traumatic Osteoarthritis...TITLE AND SUBTITLE An Herbal Derivative as the Basis for a New Approach to Treating Post - Traumatic Osteoarthritis 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER

  14. Comparison of trabeculectomy versus Ex-PRESS: 3-year follow-up.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Johanna M; Trope, Graham E; Drori-Wagschal, Lilach; Jinapriya, Delan; Buys, Yvonne M

    2016-09-01

    To compare the outcomes of Ex-PRESS versus trabeculectomy at 3 years. Consenting patients aged 18-85 years with medically uncontrolled open-angle glaucoma scheduled for trabeculectomy were included in this study. 63 subjects were randomised to undergo Ex-PRESS (32) or trabeculectomy (31). Follow-up data included intraocular pressure (IOP), glaucoma medications, visual acuity (VA), complications and additional interventions. Complete success was defined as IOP between 5 and 18 mm Hg and 20% reduction from baseline without glaucoma medications, while qualified success was with or without glaucoma medications. Complete success at 2 and 3 years was 43% vs 42% (p=0.78) and 35% vs 38% (p=0.92) in Ex-PRESS versus trabeculectomy, respectively. Qualified success at 2 and 3 years was 59% vs 76% (p=0.20) and 52% vs 61% (p=0.43) in Ex-PRESS versus trabeculectomy, respectively. Mean IOP at 2 and 3 years was 12.5±5.1 mm Hg vs 10.3±3.7 mm Hg (p=0.07) and 13.3±4.5 mm Hg vs 11.1±4.4 mm Hg (p=0.10) for Ex-PRESS versus trabeculectomy, respectively. At 3 years, 47.6% of Ex-PRESS and 50% of trabeculectomy patients were on glaucoma medications (p=1.00). No difference in VA was found after 3 years (logarithm of minimum angle of resolution 0.43±0.4 vs 0.72±0.8 for Ex-PRESS vs trabeculectomy, p=0.11). When excluding patients who underwent reoperation VA was better in the Ex-PRESS group at 1, 2 and 3 years. There were no complications after the first year in either group. We found no difference in success rates, mean IOP or other secondary outcomes between Ex-PRESS and trabeculectomy after 3 years of follow-up. NCT01263561; post results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  15. Ex-vivo machine perfusion for kidney preservation.

    PubMed

    Hamar, Matyas; Selzner, Markus

    2018-06-01

    Machine perfusion is a novel strategy to decrease preservation injury, improve graft assessment, and increase organ acceptance for transplantation. This review summarizes the current advances in ex-vivo machine-based kidney preservation technologies over the last year. Ex-vivo perfusion technologies, such as hypothermic and normothermic machine perfusion and controlled oxygenated rewarming, have gained high interest in the field of organ preservation. Keeping kidney grafts functionally and metabolically active during the preservation period offers a unique chance for viability assessment, reconditioning, and organ repair. Normothermic ex-vivo kidney perfusion has been recently translated into clinical practice. Preclinical results suggest that prolonged warm perfusion appears superior than a brief end-ischemic reconditioning in terms of renal function and injury. An established standardized protocol for continuous warm perfusion is still not available for human grafts. Ex-vivo machine perfusion represents a superior organ preservation method over static cold storage. There is still an urgent need for the optimization of the perfusion fluid and machine technology and to identify the optimal indication in kidney transplantation. Recent research is focusing on graft assessment and therapeutic strategies.

  16. Post Colonial Perspectives on Education Policy Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Westhuizen, Gert J.

    2013-01-01

    The focus of this article is on the role and contribution of policy research in contexts of social transformation. With reference to education transformation policies in post-apartheid South Africa, the argument is developed that research studies vary in their contribution to change, as a function of the paradigmatic assumptions and methodological…

  17. The mental health sequelae of traumatic head injury in South Vietnamese ex-political detainees who survived torture.

    PubMed

    Mollica, Richard F; Chernoff, Miriam C; Megan Berthold, S; Lavelle, James; Lyoo, In Kyoon; Renshaw, Perry

    2014-10-01

    Little is known about the relationship between traumatic head injury (THI) and psychiatric morbidity in torture survivors. We examine the relationship between THI and depression, PTSD, post-concussive syndrome (PCS), disability and poor health status in Vietnamese ex-political detainees who survived incarceration in Vietnamese re-education camps. A community sample of ex-political detainees (n=337) and a non-THI, non-ex-detainee comparison group (n=82) were surveyed. Seventy-eight percent of the ex-political detainees had experienced THI; 90.6% of the ex-political detainees and 3.6% of the comparison group had experienced 7 or more trauma events. Depression and PTSD were greater in ex-detainees than in the comparison group (40.9% vs 23.2% and 13.4% vs 0%). Dose-effect relationships for THI and trauma/torture in the ex-political detainee group were significant. Logistic regression in the pooled sample of ex-detainees and the comparison group confirmed the independent impact of THI from trauma/torture on psychiatric morbidity (OR for PTSD=22.4; 95% CI: 3.0-165.8). These results demonstrate important effects of THI on depression and PTSD in Vietnamese ex-detainees who have survived torture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Evaluation of solar Type II radio burst estimates of initial solar wind shock speed using a kinematic model of the solar wind on the April 2001 solar event swarm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, W.; Dryer, M.; Fry, C. D.; Deehr, C. S.; Smith, Z.; Akasofu, S.-I.; Kartalev, M. D.; Grigorov, K. G.

    2002-04-01

    We compare simulation results of real time shock arrival time prediction with observations by the ACE satellite for a series of solar flares/coronal mass ejections which took place between 28 March and 18 April, 2001 on the basis of the Hakamada-Akasofu-Fry, version 2 (HAFv.2) model. It is found, via an ex post facto calculation, that the initial speed of shock waves as an input parameter of the modeling is crucial for the agreement between the observation and the simulation. The initial speed determined by metric Type II radio burst observations must be substantially reduced (30 percent in average) for most high-speed shock waves.

  19. Capital projects: Economic and financial analyses of nine capital projects in Egypt. Technical report

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

    Hanrahan, M.; Walker, J.

    1994-03-01

    Over the period 1977-92, the US Agency for International Development (A.I.D.) funded nine capital projects in Egypt, which collectively increased electric power generation, introduced a modern telephone system in Cairo and Alexandria, and rehabilitated a water and sewer system that served 23 million people. This study presents detailed ex post facto analyses of the projects` economic and financial internal rates of return. The methodology, assumptions, and data are examined and described. Results indicate a mixed performance, with generally low to medium financial and economic rates of return. In large measure, the poor performance was due to the Egyptian Government`s poormore » economic policies.« less

  20. Evolving Self View and Body Image Concerns in Female Post-Operative Bariatric Surgery Patients.

    PubMed

    Perdue, Tamara O; Schreier, Ann; Swanson, Melvin; Neil, Janice; Carels, Robert

    2018-05-18

    This research study explores the experience of post-operative bariatric surgery patients as they adjust to diminished weight and differentiates that adjustment from the more general concept of body image. Bariatric surgery is an effective way to reduce weight and co-morbidities associated with obesity. Complete success requires that patients must adjust psychologically as they lose weight. If this does not occur, bariatric patients may experience a 'mind-body lag' in which the patient's internal body image lags behind the external changes. Hermans' Dialogical Self Theory of 'I-positions' is a foundation with which to understand this problem. Descriptive correlational study of post-operative bariatric patients explored the concept of 'I-obese' and 'I-ex-obese' in an effort to quantify previous qualitative findings and develop a survey questionnaire. Bariatric patients (N=55) between 18-30 month post-operative completed one hour interviews. Cluster analysis and Chi-square analysis compared mean scores and explored the prevalence of 'I-positions' and body image concerns in the participants. Cluster analysis of the survey data identified participants as falling into either 'I-obese', 'I-ex-obese' or 'mixed I-obese' categories. There were significantly higher body image concerns in the 'I-obese' participants than those identified as 'I-ex-obese'. The majority of female participants reported high body image concerns. There was no significant association with weight loss percentage. This research establishes a connection in this study sample of women who experience body image concerns and prolonged 'I-obese' identification 18 to 30 months after their bariatric surgery. To date, the primary measure of bariatric surgery success has focused almost exclusively on the amount of weight lost. Implementing psychological as well as physiological care however, may be the key to full recovery and long-term success. Practitioners can use this new information to plan effective pre

  1. Trafficking and contract migrant workers in the Middle East.

    PubMed

    Jureidini, Ray

    2010-01-01

    The paper addresses a number of issues regarding the extent to which trafficking may be applied to migrant domestic workers who enter under the kafala system of sponsorship in the Middle East. Migrant domestic workers are the most numerous of those mentioned in reports on trafficking for labour exploitation in the region. The discussion seeks to determine whether "trafficking" can be ex post facto, rather than ex ante? In other words, can the label of trafficking be attributed only after the worker has arrived in the receiving country and is victimized according to the principles of trafficking protocols? In addition, must there be a proven intent to traffic by agents, or can employers who harm and/or exploit them be considered as traffickers alone? Should the harm done to workers on arrival at their place of work be classified (and assisted) as victims of trafficking, or as exploited workers?

  2. Comparison of depression level and identity styles between students in Allameh University and Islamic Seminary.

    PubMed

    Mahdavi, A; Aghaei, M; Besharat, M A; Khaki Seddigh, F; Akbari, S H; Hamidifar, Z

    2015-01-01

    This research was conducted to compare the depression level and the identity styles between students in Allameh University and Islamic Seminary in Tehran city. The research method was the ex post facto or causal-comparative kind. In this research, all the students of Allameh University and Islamic Seminary were chosen as the research population. Among the statistical population, by using the convenience sampling method, a sample consisting of 100 male students was chosen (50-50 from both universities). Afterwards, the Identity Styles Inventory (ISI-6G) and the Beck Depression Inventory (21 questions) were employed in order to collect the data. By using ANOVA and systematic regression, the collected data were analyzed. The findings of the research indicated that the average values of the normative component (p-value = 0.03) and the depression level (p-value = 0.000) of seminary's students were higher compared to the ones specific for the Allameh's students. Among the various identity styles, commitment style could totally predict 16% of depression variable changes of Allameh's students. Moreover, information and normative styles could totally predict 19% of the depression variable changes of the seminary's students.

  3. Comparison of depression level and identity styles between students in Allameh University and Islamic Seminary

    PubMed Central

    Mahdavi, A; Aghaei, M; Besharat, MA; Khaki Seddigh, F; Akbari, SH; Hamidifar, Z

    2015-01-01

    This research was conducted to compare the depression level and the identity styles between students in Allameh University and Islamic Seminary in Tehran city. The research method was the ex post facto or causal-comparative kind. In this research, all the students of Allameh University and Islamic Seminary were chosen as the research population. Among the statistical population, by using the convenience sampling method, a sample consisting of 100 male students was chosen (50-50 from both universities). Afterwards, the Identity Styles Inventory (ISI-6G) and the Beck Depression Inventory (21 questions) were employed in order to collect the data. By using ANOVA and systematic regression, the collected data were analyzed. The findings of the research indicated that the average values of the normative component (p-value = 0.03) and the depression level (p-value = 0.000) of seminary’s students were higher compared to the ones specific for the Allameh’s students. Among the various identity styles, commitment style could totally predict 16% of depression variable changes of Allameh’s students. Moreover, information and normative styles could totally predict 19% of the depression variable changes of the seminary’s students. PMID:28316715

  4. Soluble TNF receptor 1-secreting ex vivo-derived dendritic cells reduce injury after stroke.

    PubMed

    Works, Melissa G; Koenig, Jenny B; Sapolsky, Robert M

    2013-09-01

    Inflammation is a major factor in the progression of damage after stroke and in the clinic, current therapies treat the clot, not the resulting damage. We have developed a novel method of protein delivery that exploits the migration ability of leukocytes after ischemic stroke (transient middle cerebral artery occlusion; tMCAO). In our studies, ex vivo-derived dendritic cells (exDCs) migrate to the inflamed rat brain soon after tMCAO onset and the number of cells that remain in the brain after injection is significantly correlated with the amount of local inflammation at the injury site. In addition, exDCs transduced to overexpress soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor1 (sTNFR1) produce functional cargo that is secreted and that blocks TNF-α bioavailability in vitro. When delivered at 6 hours post-tMCAO reperfusion, sTNFR1-exDC-treated rats show significantly smaller infarct size and decreased inflammation compared with animals treated with exDCs transduced with GFP lentivirus. These studies indicate that cell-mediated delivery of proteins may be a promising new approach to reduce brain damage after acute neurologic insult.

  5. Ex vivo kinematic studies of a canine unlinked semi-constrained hybrid total elbow arthroplasty system.

    PubMed

    Lorenz, N D; Channon, S; Pettitt, R; Smirthwaite, P; Innes, J F

    2015-01-01

    Introduction of the Sirius® canine total elbow arthroplasty system, and presentation of the results of a passive range-of-motion analysis based on ex vivo kinematic studies pre-and post-implantation. Thoracic limbs (n = 4) of medium sized dogs were harvested by forequarter amputation. Plain orthogonal radiographs of each limb were obtained pre- and post-implantation. Limbs were prepared by placement of external fixator pins and Kirschner wires into the humerus and radius. Each limb was secured into a custom-made box frame and retro-reflective markers were placed on the exposed ends of the pins and wires. Each elbow was manually moved through five ranges-of-motion manoeuvres. Data collected included six trials of i) full extension to full flexion and ii) pronation and supination in 90° flexion; a three-dimensional motion capture system was used to collect and analyse the data. The Sirius elbow prosthesis was subsequently implanted and the same measurements were repeated. Data sets were tested for normality. Paired t-tests were used for comparison of pre- and post-implantation motion parameters. Kinematic analysis showed that the range-of-motion (mean and SD) for flexion and extension pre-implantation was 115° ± 6 (range: 25° to 140°). The range-of-motion in the sagittal plane post-implantation was 90° ± 4 (range: 36° to 130°) and this reduction was significant (p = 0.0001). The ranges-of-motion (mean and SD) for supination and pronation at 90° were 50° ± 5, whereas the corresponding mean ranges-of-motion post-implantation were 38° ± 6 (p = 0.0188). Compared to a normal elbow, the range-of-motion was reduced. Post-implantation, supination and pronation range-of-motion was significantly reduced at 90° over pre-implantation values. These results provide valuable information regarding the effect of the Sirius system on ex vivo kinematics of the normal canine elbow joint. Further, this particular ex vivo model allowed for satisfactory and repeatable

  6. Ex-Offenders Reentering the Workforce

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shivy, Victoria A.; Wu, J. Juana; Moon, Anya E.; Mann, Shay C.; Holland, Jo G.; Eacho, Christine

    2007-01-01

    Approximately 650,000 individuals will be released from incarceration in state and federal prisons this year. However, little is known about the challenges ex-offenders face when they endeavor to reenter the workforce. The authors used consensual qualitative research methods to analyze data from 2 focus groups: one for male (n=6) and another for…

  7. Research Ethics Education in Post-Graduate Medical Curricula in I.R. Iran.

    PubMed

    Nikravanfard, Nazila; Khorasanizadeh, Faezeh; Zendehdel, Kazem

    2017-08-01

    Research ethics training during post-graduate education is necessary to improve ethical standards in the design and conduct of biomedical research. We studied quality and quantity of research ethics training in the curricula of post-graduate programs in the medical science in I.R. Iran. We evaluated curricula of 125 post-graduate programs in medical sciences in I.R. Iran. We qualitatively studied the curricula by education level, including the Master and PhD degrees and analyzed the contents and the amount of teaching allocated for ethics training in each curriculum. We found no research ethics training in 72 (58%) of the programs. Among the 53 (42%) programs that considered research ethics training, only 17 programs had specific courses for research ethics and eight of them had detailed topics on their courses. The research ethics training was optional in 25% and mandatory in 76% of the programs. Post-graduate studies that were approved in the more recent years had more attention to the research ethics training. Research ethics training was neglected in most of the medical post-graduate programs. We suggest including sufficient amount of mandatory research ethics training in Master and PhD programs in I.R. Iran. Further research about quality of research ethics training and implementation of curricula in the biomedical institutions is warranted. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Human-pet interaction and loneliness: a test of concepts from Roy's adaptation model.

    PubMed

    Calvert, M M

    1989-01-01

    This research used two key concepts from Roy's adaptation model of nursing to examine the relationship between human-pet interaction and loneliness in nursing home residents. These concepts included (a) environmental stimuli as factors influencing adaptation and (b) interdependence as a mode of response to the environment. The hypothesis of this study asserted that the residents of a nursing home who had greater levels of interaction with a pet program would experience less loneliness than those who had lower levels of interaction with a pet. The study used an ex post facto nonexperimental design with 65 subjects. The simplified version of the revised UCLA loneliness scale was used to measure loneliness. Reported level of human-pet interaction was measured according to a four-point scale (1 = no interaction, 4 = quite a lot of interaction). The hypothesis was supported at the p less than 0.03 level of significance. Implications for practice through organizing pet programs in situations where loneliness exists are discussed. Recommendations for future research include replicating the study using a larger sample and developing a comprehensive human-pet interaction tool.

  9. Post-War Research on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Part II - 1989 onwards.

    PubMed

    Rutkowski, Krzysztof; Dembińska, Edyta

    2016-10-31

    The paper illustrates the research on post-traumatic disorders conducted in Kraków at the Department of Psychotherapy and the Department of Psychiatry of the Jagiellonian University Medical College after 1989. The political changes that occurred in Poland after 1989 allowed the research to be extended with new groups of survivors. Having conducted the research of the former concentration camp prisoners, the study started to be carried out in the two research teams: 1) the former prisoners of the Stalinist period, Siberian deportees, war veterans and others were examined at the former Social Pathology Institute of the Department of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College and the work is continued at the Department of Psychotherapy, Jagiellonian University Medical College; 2) at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic the research of the Holocaust survivors and their families has been carried on by the same team up to the present day. The paper outlines the historical background of persecution, its course and a typical impact it had on health of each of the group of survivors. All individuals suffer from widely understood post-traumatic disorders (F43.1 and F62.0). However, differences in the profile of symptoms can be noted. The manner in which the research was organised and its modifications are also presented. The aim of this paper is to familiarise the Reader with the presented concepts and contextualise them in a political and historical dimensions, and in the continuity of the previous research on KZ-Syndrome and war neuroses.

  10. A call for change: clinical evaluation of student registered nurse anesthetists.

    PubMed

    Collins, Shawn; Callahan, Margaret Faut

    2014-02-01

    The ability to integrate theory with practice is integral to a student's success. A common reason for attrition from a nurse anesthesia program is clinical issues. To document clinical competence, students are evaluated using various tools. For use of a clinical evaluation tool as possible evidence for a student's dismissal, an important psychometric property to ensure is instrument validity. Clinical evaluation instruments of nurse anesthesia programs are not standardized among programs, which suggests a lack of instrument validity. The lack of established validity of the instruments used to evaluate students' clinical progress brings into question their ability to detect a student who is truly in jeopardy of attrition. Given this possibility, clinical instrument validity warrants research to be fair to students and improve attrition rates based on valid data. This ex post facto study evaluated a 17-item clinical instrument tool to demonstrate the need for validity of clinical evaluation tools. It also compared clinical scores with scores on the National Certification Examination.

  11. Abnormal Papanicolaou smears, genital tract infections, and contraception.

    PubMed

    Hawkins, J W; Matteson, P S; Mersha, G

    1999-01-01

    Cervical cancer ranks second among all cancers in women world-wide, and the rate of invasive cervical cancer among women under 50 is rising in the United States. Risk factors for abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and invasive cervical cancer include genital tract infections. This study was designed to compare the rates of genital tract infections and the contraceptive choices of a random sample of 800 women, using an ex post facto design. The Pap positive women had a significantly higher rate of genital tract infections than did the Pap negative women but did not differ significantly in use of contraceptive methods. Findings support those of other researchers suggesting genital tract infections as risk factors for abnormal Pap smears and are consistent with the literature in suggesting a role for oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) in acquisition of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Caregivers can help empower women to reduce their risks through informed choices about protection and sexual behaviors.

  12. Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion: Establishment and Operationalization in Iran.

    PubMed

    Shafaghi, Shadi; Abbasi Dezfuli, Azizollah; Ansari Aval, Zahra; Sheikhy, Kambiz; Farzanegan, Behrooz; Mortaz, Esmaeil; Emami, Habib; Aigner, Clemens; Hosseini-Baharanchi, Fatemeh Sadat; Najafizadeh, Katayoun

    2017-02-01

    Although the number of lung transplants is limited because of general shortage of organ donors, ex vivo lung perfusion is a novel method with 2 main benefits, including better evaluation of lung potential and recovery of injured lungs. The main aim of this study was to establish and operationalize ex vivo lung perfusion as the first experience in Iran. This was a prospective operational research study on 5 cases, including 1 pig from Vienna Medical University and 4 patients from Masih Daneshvari Hospital. All organ donations from brain dead donors were evaluated according to lung transplant or ex vivo lung perfusion criteria from May 2013 to July 2015 in Tehran, Iran. If a donor did not have any sign of severe chest trauma or pneumonia but had poor oxygenation due to possible atelectasis or neurogenic pulmonary edema, their lungs were included for ex vivo lung perfusion. A successful trend in the difference between the pulmonary arterial Po2 and the left atrial Po2 was observed, as well as an increasing pattern in other functional parameters, including dynamic lung compliance and a decreasing trend in pulmonary vascular resistance. These initial trials indicate that ex vivo lung perfusion can lead to remarkable progress in lung transplant in Iran. They also provide several important pieces of guidance for successful ex vivo lung perfusion, including the necessity of following standard lung retrieval procedures and monitoring temperature and pressure precisely. The development of novel methods can provide opportunities for further research studies on lungs of deceased donors and lead to undiscovered findings. By keeping this science up to date in Iran and developing such new and creative methods, we can reveal effective strategies to promote the quality of donor lungs to support patients on transplant wait lists.

  13. Psychological distress and the role of significant others in a population of gay/bisexual men in the era of HIV.

    PubMed

    Britton, P J; Zarski, J J; Hobfoll, S E

    1993-01-01

    This study, based on The Conservation of Resources Theory (COR), explores the relationship between social resources and psychological distress, as reported by gay/bisexual men who are at varying degrees of risk for HIV. This study involves theory-based stress research, and adds to the body of literature that addresses social support and gay men. Specific emphasis was placed on the process of social support by significant others in relationship to the devastating impact HIV has on the gay/bisexual community. The investigators employed an ex-post facto design that was guided by past and present theoretical and empirical data, and by specific research hypotheses. The findings suggest that facets of social support appear to be interactively related to the perceived threat of HIV in predicting distress. In general, this study supports COR theory in that resources were related to the experience of psychological distress, yet it emphasizes that the relationship between support and gay men is complex, and thus generalizations from findings based on research with the majority culture may not apply to a population of gay/bisexual men. Implications for future research are also provided.

  14. Evaluation of ex-vivo 9.4T MRI in post-surgical specimens from temporal lobe epilepsy patients.

    PubMed

    Kwan, Benjamin Y M; Salehi, Fateme; Kope, Ryan; Lee, Donald H; Sharma, Manas; Hammond, Robert; Burneo, Jorge G; Steven, David; Peters, Terry; Khan, Ali R

    2017-10-01

    This study evaluates hippocampal pathology through usage of ultra-high field 9.4T ex-vivo imaging of resected surgical specimens in patients who have undergone temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. This is a retrospective interpretation of prospectively acquired data. MRI scanning of resected surgical specimens from patients who have undergone temporal lobe epilepsy surgery was performed on a 9.4T small bore Varian MR magnet. Structural images employed a balanced steady-state free precession sequence (TrueFISP). Six patients (3 females; 3 males) were included in this study with an average age at surgery of 40.7 years (range 20Y_"60) (one was used as a control reference). Two neuroradiologists qualitatively reviewed the ex-vivo MRIs of resected specimens while blinded to the histopathology reports for the ability to identify abnormal features in hippocampal subfield structures. The hippocampal subfields were reliably identified on the 9.4T ex-vivo scans in the hippocampal head region and hippocampal body region by both neuroradiologists in all 6 patients. There was high concordance to pathology for abnormalities detected in the CA1, CA2, CA3 and CA4 subfields. Detection of abnormalities in the dentate gyrus was also high with detection in 4 of 5 cases. The Cohen's kappa between the two neuroradiologists was calculated at 0.734 SE=0.102. Ex-vivo 9.4T specimen imaging can detect abnormalities in CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4 and DG in both the hippocampal head and body. There was good concordance between qualitative findings and histopathological abnormalities for CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4 and DG. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. A randomized controlled study examining the effect of exercise on inflammatory cytokine levels in post-menopausal women.

    PubMed

    Tartibian, Bakhtyar; FitzGerald, Leah Z; Azadpour, Noushin; Maleki, Behzad Hajizadeh

    2015-03-01

    Elevated plasma levels of inflammatory cytokine are associated with body mass index, percent body fat and increased morbidity. Evidence suggests that higher levels of physical activity result in beneficial anti-inflammatory effects compared to a more sedentary lifestyle. Further, reproductive hormones are associated with inflammaotry cytokines. This study examined the effect of a 16-week low-moderate intensity exercise (EX) programme on reproductive hormones and inflammatory cytokines. Twenty-eight healthy, sedentary post-menopausal women were randomly assigned to EX (n = 14) or control (Con, n = 14) groups. The EX group completed low-moderate intensity treadmill training 25-30 min/day, up to 55% of HRmax, 3-4 days/week, for 16-weeks. Con maintained current physical activity level. Baseline and week-16 serum samples evaluated interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein, estradiol, luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone. Post-intervention, the EX group showed a significant decrease in interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, estradiol, follicular stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels compared to baseline values. No significant changes were observed in Con. Significant correlations were observed between IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and reproductive hormones, both before and after the exercise intervention. Findings suggest that a low-moderate intensity EX programme decreases cytokines in relation to reproductive hormones in post-menopausal women. These findings support the role of EX in reducing inflammatory markers and improved reproductive hormones in post-menopausal women. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  16. The prevalence of mental health disorders in (ex-)military personnel with a physical impairment: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Stevelink, S A M; Malcolm, E M; Mason, C; Jenkins, S; Sundin, J; Fear, N T

    2015-01-01

    Background Having a visual, hearing or physical impairment (defined as problems in body function or structure) may adversely influence the mental well-being of military personnel. This paper reviews the existing literature regarding the prevalence of mental health problems among (ex-)military personnel who have a permanent, predominantly, physical impairment. Method Multiple electronic literature databases were searched for relevant studies (EMBASE (1980–January 2014), MEDLINE (1946–January 2014), PsycINFO (2002–January 2014), Web of Science (1975–January 2014)). Results 25 papers were included in the review, representing 17 studies. Studies conducted among US military personnel (n=8) were most represented. A range of mental health disorders were investigated; predominately post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also depression, anxiety disorder (excluding PTSD), psychological distress and alcohol misuse. The findings indicate that mental health disorders including PTSD (range 2–59%), anxiety (range 16.1–35.5%), depression (range 9.7–46.4%) and psychological distress (range 13.4–36%) are frequently found whereby alcohol misuse was least common (range 2.2–26.2%). Conclusions Common mental health disorders were frequently identified among (ex-)military personnel with a physical impairment. Adequate care and support is necessary during the impairment adaptation process to facilitate the psychosocial challenges (ex-)military personnel with an impairment face. Future research should be directed into factors impacting on the mental well-being of (ex-)military personnel with an impairment, how prevalence rates vary across impairment types and to identify and act on specific needs for care and support. PMID:25227569

  17. Identification of ex-sand mining area using optical and SAR imagery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Indriasari, Novie; Kusratmoko, Eko; Indra, Tito Latif; Julzarika, Atriyon

    2018-05-01

    Open mining activities in Sumedang Regency has been operated since 1984 impacted to degradation of environment due to large area of ex-mining. Therefore, identification of ex-mining area which generally been used for sand mining is crucial and important to detect and monitor recent environmental degradation impacted from the ex-mining activities. In this research, identification ex-sand mining area using optical and SAR data in Sumedang Regency will be discussed. We use Landsat 5 TM acquisition date August 01, 2009 and Landsat 8 OLI acquired on June 24, 2016 to identify location of sand mining area, processed using Tasselled Cap Trasformation (TCT), while the landform deformation approached using ALOS PALSAR in 2009 and ALOS PALSAR 2 in 2016 processed using SAR interferometry (InSAR) method. The results show that TCT and InSAR method can can be used to identify the areas of ex-sand mining clearly. In 2016 the total area of ex-mining were 352.92 Ha. The land deformation show that during 7 years period since 2009 has impacted to the deformation at 7 meters.

  18. The nursing department's view towards moroccan patients.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Ojeda, María Angustias; Alemany Arrebola, Inmaculada; Gallardo Vigil, Miguel Ángel

    2017-05-25

    To determine the Melilla Hospital Nursing Department's attitude towards Moroccan patients. Descriptive ex post facto study. A questionnaire has been handed over to staff, on the Immigration Attitude Scale for Nursing. In general, nurses exhibit negative attitudes towards Moroccan patients, such as: the increase in crime is caused by the arrival of immigrants, those who commit offenses must be expelled from Spain, they take advantage of the Spanish health system and too many resources are devoted to immigration. The worst-rated immigrants are the Moroccans, considering that they do not pay much attention to their personal hygiene and do not adapt to their host countries. It is necessary to work with the nursing staff to change these attitudes. Future degree students must be trained in cultural skills and the care of immigrants will improve with a greater commitment towards cultural differences. Conocer la actitud de enfermería del Hospital de Melilla hacia los pacientes marroquíes. Estudio ex post facto descriptivo. Se ha pasado un cuestionario de Escala de Actitud ante la Inmigración para Enfermería. En general las enfermeras presentan actitudes negativas ante los pacientes marroquíes, como: el aumento de la delincuencia es provocado por la llegada de inmigrantes, los que delinquen deben ser expulsados de España, se aprovechan del sistema sanitario y se dedican demasiados recursos para la inmigración. Los inmigrantes peores valorados son los marroquíes, considerando que son pocos cuidadosos con su higiene personal y no se adaptan a los países de acogida. Es necesario trabajar con el personal de enfermería para que cambien estas actitudes. Las futuras promociones de Grado deben estar formadas en competencias culturales y mejorarán los cuidados a los inmigrantes como un mayor compromiso con la diferencia cultural.

  19. Ex vivo expanded cord blood cells provide rapid engraftment in fetal sheep but lack long-term engrafting potential.

    PubMed

    McNiece, Ian K; Almeida-Porada, Graça; Shpall, Elizabeth J; Zanjani, Esmail

    2002-06-01

    Cord blood (CB) products are becoming routinely used in unrelated allogeneic transplantation for smaller pediatric patients. Because of the low numbers of cells in CB compared to bone marrow or peripheral blood progenitor cells, their use is more limited in larger adults. Therefore, we developed ex vivo expansion conditions for CB and currently are transplanting ex vivo expanded CB products to patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy. As there is concern that ex vivo expansion may exhaust long-term engrafting cells, the current clinical protocols consist of both an expanded fraction and an unexpanded fraction. To determine the effect of expansion culture on long-term engrafting cells, we evaluated the short- and long-term engrafting potential of ex vivo expanded CB using a fetal sheep xenogeneic transplant model. CD 34(+) cells were selected from CB products and cultured in a two-step procedure in the presence of stem cell factor, megakaryocyte growth and differentiation factor, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for 14 days. Starting cells (CD34(+) cells), and cultured cells (day 7 and day 14 cells) were transplanted in 60-day-old fetal sheep and evaluated at various time points post transplant for the presence of human cells. Long-term engrafting cells were assessed by serial passage into secondary and tertiary recipients. Day 14 expanded CB cells provided more rapid engraftment than either the day 7 expanded cells or the day 0 cells; however, this engraftment was transient, and no human cells were detectable at 16 months post transplant in the animals that received the day 14 expanded cells. Day 0 cells had engrafted animals at 2 months post transplant and both the day 0 and day 7 cells persisted to 16 months or longer. In the secondary animals, the day 0 and day 7 cells engrafted equivalently at 3 months post transplant; however, no secondary engraftment resulted from the day 14 cells. The levels of engraftment in secondary animals receiving day 7 cells

  20. Steps for the autologous ex vivo perfused porcine liver-kidney experiment.

    PubMed

    Chung, Wen Yuan; Eltweri, Amar M; Isherwood, John; Haqq, Jonathan; Ong, Seok Ling; Gravante, Gianpiero; Lloyd, David M; Metcalfe, Matthew S; Dennison, Ashley R

    2013-12-18

    The use of ex vivo perfused models can mimic the physiological conditions of the liver for short periods, but to maintain normal homeostasis for an extended perfusion period is challenging. We have added the kidney to our previous ex vivo perfused liver experiment model to reproduce a more accurate physiological state for prolonged experiments without using live animals. Five intact livers and kidneys were retrieved post-mortem from sacrificed pigs on different days and perfused for a minimum of 6 hr. Hourly arterial blood gases were obtained to analyze pH, lactate, glucose and renal parameters. The primary endpoint was to investigate the effect of adding one kidney to the model on the acid base balance, glucose, and electrolyte levels. The result of this liver-kidney experiment was compared to the results of five previous liver only perfusion models. In summary, with the addition of one kidney to the ex vivo liver circuit, hyperglycemia and metabolic acidosis were improved. In addition this model reproduces the physiological and metabolic responses of the liver sufficiently accurately to obviate the need for the use of live animals. The ex vivo liver-kidney perfusion model can be used as an alternative method in organ specific studies. It provides a disconnection from numerous systemic influences and allows specific and accurate adjustments of arterial and venous pressures and flow.

  1. Predicting What Will Happen When You Intervene.

    PubMed

    Cartwright, Nancy; Hardie, Jeremy

    2017-01-01

    This paper offers some rules of thumb that practicing social workers can use for case studies that aim to construct, albeit not fully and never entirely reliably, models designed to help predict what will happen if they intervene in specific ways to help this particular client, here and now. We call these 'ex ante case-specific causal models'. 'Ex ante' because they are for before-the-fact prediction of what the likely effects of proposed actions are. 'Case-specific' because we are not concerned with studies that provide evidence for some general conclusion but rather with using what general and local knowledge one can get to predict what will happen to a specific client in the real settings in which they live. 'Causal' because this kind of case study aims to trace out as best possible the web of causal processes that will be responsible for what happens. In this sense our case studies resemble post facto realist evaluations.

  2. At a crossroads: reentry challenges and healthcare needs among homeless female ex-offenders.

    PubMed

    Salem, Benissa E; Nyamathi, Adeline; Idemundia, Faith; Slaughter, Regina; Ames, Masha

    2013-01-01

    The exponential increase in the number of women parolees and probationers in the last decade has made women the most rapidly growing group of offenders in the United States. The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study is to understand the unique gendered experiences of homeless female ex-offenders, in the context of healthcare needs, types of health services sought, and gaps in order to help them achieve a smooth transition post prison release. Focus group qualitative methodology was utilized to engage 14 female ex-offenders enrolled in a residential drug treatment program in Southern California. The findings suggested that for homeless female ex-offenders, there are a myriad of healthcare challenges, knowledge deficits, and barriers to moving forward in life, which necessitates strategies to prevent relapse. These findings support the development of gender-sensitive programs for preventing or reducing drug and alcohol use, recidivism, and sexually transmitted infections among this hard-to-reach population.

  3. Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium, Post Traumatic Hypopituitarism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-08-01

    10 Aug 2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Mission Connect MTBI Translational Research Consortium 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Post traumatic hypopituitarism 5b...distribution unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The purpose of this project is to identify the incidence of post traumatic hypopituitarism ...June 21, 2010; however, none have reached the six month milestone for blood testing 15. SUBJECT TERMS post traumatic hypopituitarism 16. SECURITY

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

    Treesearch

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

    2013-01-01

    Research into post-wildfire effects began in the United Statesmore 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...

  5. Sex Effects on Smoking Cue Perception in Non-Smokers, Smokers, and Ex-Smokers: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Zanchi, Davide; Brody, Arthur; Borgwardt, Stefan; Haller, Sven

    2016-01-01

    Recent neuroimaging research suggests sex-related brain differences in smoking addiction. In the present pilot study, we assessed gender-related differences in brain activation in response to cigarette-related video cues, investigating non-smokers, smokers, and ex-smokers. First, we compared 29 females (28.6 ± 5.3) vs. 23 males (31.5 ± 6.4), regardless of current smoking status to assess global gender-related effects. Second, we performed a post hoc analysis of non-smokers (9 females and 8 males), smokers (10 females and 8 males), and ex-smokers (10 females and 7 males). Participants performed a block-design functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm contrasting smoking with control cue video exposures. Data analyses included task-related general linear model, voxel-based morphometry of gray matter (GM), and tract-based spatial statistics of white matter (WM). First, the global effect regardless of current smoking status revealed higher activation in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for females compared to males. Second, the analysis according to current smoking status demonstrated higher activation in female vs. male smokers vs. non-smokers in the superior frontal gyrus, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, and precuneus, and higher activation in female vs. male ex-smokers vs. non-smokers in the right precentral gyrus, in the right insula and ACC. No structural differences were found in GM or WM. The current study identifies gender-related brain functional differences in smokers and ex-smokers compared to non-smokers. The current work can be considered as a starting point for future investigations into gender differences in brain responses to cigarette-related cues.

  6. How does Socio-Economic Factors Influence Interest to Go to Vocational High Schools?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Utomo, N. F.; Wonggo, D.

    2018-02-01

    This study is aimed to reveal the interest of the students of junior high schools in Sangihe Islands, Indonesia, to go to vocational high schools and the affecting factors. This study used the quantitative method with the ex-post facto approach. The population consisted of 332 students, and the sample of 178 students was established using the proportional random sampling technique applying Isaac table’s 5% error standard. The results show that family’s socio-economic condition positively contributes 26% to interest to go to vocational high schools thus proving that family’s socio-economic condition is influential and contribute to junior high school students’ interest to go to vocational high schools.

  7. Ergotism in Norway. Part 1: The symptoms and their interpretation from the late Iron Age to the seventeenth century.

    PubMed

    Alm, Torbjørn; Elvevåg, Brita

    2013-03-01

    Ergotism is a horrendous disease with grotesque symptoms caused by ingesting specific ergot alkaloids. Mass poisoning episodes are attributable to consumption of grain - usually rye - infected with the fungus Claviceps purpurea. By focusing on possible cases of ergotism, we re-examine Norwegian history from the sagas through to the end of the seventeenth century. Our review - not intended to be exhaustive, or ex post facto to assign medical or psychiatric labels - draws attention to the very real possibility that many remarkable medical cases may have been the result of the ingestion of highly poisonous and psychoactive food substances. Where possible we highlight explanations given at the time - often rooted in religion or demonology - to explain the disease.

  8. What predicts retention on an in-prison drug treatment program?

    PubMed

    Casares-López, María José; González-Menéndez, Ana; Fernández, Paula; Secades-Villa, Roberto; Fernández-Hermida, José Ramón

    2012-11-01

    The effectiveness of treatments for substance use disorders is strongly related to retention, since early dropout from treatment is associated with greater likelihood of relapse. The purpose of this prospective, ex post facto study is to analyze the effect of individual variables on retention in a treatment program carried out in a prison drug-free unit. The Addiction Severity Index, motivation and personality profile of fifty inmates were assessed on entry to the prison. Inmates were monitored for a year to identify length of stay. Motivation variables at intake play a vital role in the prediction of retention in a prison drug-free unit; scores on the Aggressive-Sadistic and Narcissistic scales are also strong predictors of treatment retention.

  9. An Interactive Multi-Model for Consensus on Climate Change

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

    Kocarev, Ljupco

    This project purports to develop a new scheme for forming consensus among alternative climate models, that give widely divergent projections as to the details of climate change, that is more intelligent than simply averaging the model outputs, or averaging with ex post facto weighting factors. The method under development effectively allows models to assimilate data from one another in run time with weights that are chosen in an adaptive training phase using 20th century data, so that the models synchronize with one another as well as with reality. An alternate approach that is being explored in parallel is the automatedmore » combination of equations from different models in an expert-system-like framework.« less

  10. Ethnic/racial misidentification in death: a problem which may distort suicide statistics.

    PubMed

    Andres, V R

    1977-01-01

    Since the majority of suicide studies are ex post facto studies of demographic data collected by pathologists anc coroner's investigators, the role of the forensic scientist in determining the accuracy of statistical analyses of death is extremely important. This paper discusses how two salient features of a decedent, surname and residence location, can be misleading in determining the ethnic/racial classification of the decreased. Because many Southern California Indians have Spanish Surnames and most do not reside on an Indian reservation it is shown that the suicide statistics may represent an over-estimation of actual Mexican-American suicidal deaths while simultaneously representing an under-estimation of the suicides among American Indians of the region.

  11. Gender, Internet use, and sexual behavior orientation among young Nigerians.

    PubMed

    Adebayo, D O; Udegbe, I B; Sunmola, A M

    2006-12-01

    This study examined the influence of gender and Internet use on the sexual behavior orientation of young adults in Nigeria. Using an ex-post-facto design, data were collected from a total of 231 participants. Results of the hierarchical regression model provided support for the influence of gender and Internet use on sexual behavior orientation among young Nigerians. Further, results also revealed an interaction effect; as the use of the Internet increased, male participants reported a greater extent of risky sexual behavior orientation than their female counterparts. The findings were explained in the context of the theoretical foundations of the study, while practical implications for combating youths' risky sexual behavior orientation were highlighted.

  12. Self-care resources and activity as predictors of quality of life in persons after myocardial infarction.

    PubMed

    Baas, Linda S

    2004-01-01

    An ex post facto correlational study was conducted to examine predictors of quality of life in persons 3 to 6 months after a myocardial infarction. Self-care resources, self-care knowledge (needs), activity level, and selected demographic variables were examined as predictor variables. A convenience sample of 86 subjects with a mean age of 61 years, was recruited for participation in this study. The study that explained 35% of the variance in quality of life included self-care resources available, activity level, and self-care needs. Modeling and Role Modeling Paradigm provided a useful explanation of how self-care resources and self-care knowledge can be applied to persons recovering from myocardial infarction.

  13. Advancement of Women in Post-Conflict Nepal

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-01

    DANIEL K. INOUYE ASIA PACIFIC CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES OCCASIONAL PAPER, APRIL 2017 The Advancement of Women in Post -Conflict Nepal Lily Thapa1...in the lack of access to appropriate services and compensation, and in the way that female ex -combatants are treated and reintegrated...5,912 2,985 The Advancement of Women in Post -Conflict Nepal 2 reparation of victims of armed conflict and the provision of mechanisms for

  14. Design and analysis of post-marketing research.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xiao-Hua Andrew; Yang, Wei

    2013-07-01

    A post-marketing study is an integral part of research that helps to ensure a favorable risk-benefit profile for approved drugs used in the market. Because most of post-marketing studies use observational designs, which are liable to confounding, estimation of the causal effect of a drug versus a comparative one is very challenging. This article focuses on methodological issues of importance in designing and analyzing studies to evaluate the safety of marketed drugs, especially marketed traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products. Advantages and limitations of the current designs and analytic methods for postmarketing studies are discussed, and recommendations are given for improving the validity of postmarketing studies in TCM products.

  15. Positivists, Post-Positivists, Post-Structuralists, and Post-Modernists: Why Can't We All Get Along? Towards a Framework for Unifying Research Paradigms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.

    Since the latter part of the 19th century, a fervent debate has ensued about quantitative and qualitative research paradigms. From these disputes, purists have emerged on both sides. Quantitative purists express assumptions that are consistent with a positivist philosophy, whereas qualitative purists (i.e., post-positivists, post-structuralists,…

  16. A study of deterioration of pulmonary function parameters among smokers and recovery among ex-smokers in bus depot workers.

    PubMed

    Sreenivas, B Sudha; Sunitha, M S; Nataraj, S M; Dhar, Murali

    2012-01-01

    Smoking has deleterious effects on Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) parameters; however, evidences about recovery in ex-smokers are ambiguous. Therefore present study was conducted to quantify relative deterioration of PFT parameters and to assess reversibility of the same. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 84 bus-depot workers consisting of equal number of smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. PFT observations were obtained using Medspiror following standard methods and precautions. Comparisons among three groups were performed employing one-way ANOVA and post-hoc tests. There were substantial effects of smoking on PFT parameters (deterioration was up-to half). Partial recovery was found in all the parameters of ex-smokers. Frequency and duration of smoking were negatively correlated with some of the parameters. In conclusion, present study has demonstrated considerable deterioration of PFT parameters in smokers and indications of recovery in ex-smokers. Further detailed study with larger sample size and stricter definition of ex-smokers is recommended.

  17. GenAlEx 6.5: genetic analysis in Excel. Population genetic software for teaching and research--an update.

    PubMed

    Peakall, Rod; Smouse, Peter E

    2012-10-01

    GenAlEx: Genetic Analysis in Excel is a cross-platform package for population genetic analyses that runs within Microsoft Excel. GenAlEx offers analysis of diploid codominant, haploid and binary genetic loci and DNA sequences. Both frequency-based (F-statistics, heterozygosity, HWE, population assignment, relatedness) and distance-based (AMOVA, PCoA, Mantel tests, multivariate spatial autocorrelation) analyses are provided. New features include calculation of new estimators of population structure: G'(ST), G''(ST), Jost's D(est) and F'(ST) through AMOVA, Shannon Information analysis, linkage disequilibrium analysis for biallelic data and novel heterogeneity tests for spatial autocorrelation analysis. Export to more than 30 other data formats is provided. Teaching tutorials and expanded step-by-step output options are included. The comprehensive guide has been fully revised. GenAlEx is written in VBA and provided as a Microsoft Excel Add-in (compatible with Excel 2003, 2007, 2010 on PC; Excel 2004, 2011 on Macintosh). GenAlEx, and supporting documentation and tutorials are freely available at: http://biology.anu.edu.au/GenAlEx. rod.peakall@anu.edu.au.

  18. The Infrared Sensor Suite for SnowEx 2017

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hall, D. K.; Chickadel, C. C.; Crawford, C. J.; DeMarco, E. L.; Jennings, D. E.; Jhabvala, M. D.; Kim, E. J.; Lundquist, J. D.; Lunsford, A. W.

    2017-01-01

    SnowEx is a winter airborne and field campaign designed to measure snow-water equivalent in forested landscapes. A major focus of Year 1 (2016-17) of NASA's SnowEx campaign will be an extensive field program involving dozens of participants from U.S. government agencies and from many universities and institutions, both domestic and foreign. Along with other instruments, two infrared (IR) sensors will be flown on a Naval Research Laboratory P-3 aircraft. Surface temperature is a critical input to hydrologic models and will be measured during the SnowEx mission. A Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) IR imaging camera system will be flown along with a KT-15 remote thermometer to aid in the calibration of the IR image data. Together, these instruments will measure surface temperature of snow and ice targets to an expected accuracy of less than 1C.

  19. [Species diversity of ex-situ cultivated Chinese medicinal plants].

    PubMed

    Que, Ling; Chi, Xiu-Lian; Zang, Chun-Xin; Zhang, Yu; Chen, Min; Yang, Guang; Jin, An-Qi

    2018-03-01

    Ex-situ conservation is an important means to protect biological genetic resources. Resource protection has received more and more attention with the continuous improvement of the comprehensive utilization of traditional Chinese medicine resources. In this paper, the research and compilation of the species list of ex-situ cultivated medicinal plants in 12 Chinese Academy of Sciences botanic gardens and 19 specialized medicinal botanic gardens in China were carried out. Based on the Species 2000(2017) and other classification databases, species diversity of medicinal plants ex-situ cultivated in these botanical gardens were analyzed. The study found that there were 16 351 higher plant species in our country, belonging to 276 families and 1 936 genera. Of these, 6 949 specieswere medicinal plants, accounting for 50.4% of the total medicinal plants. There were 1 280 medicinal plants were in threatened status, accounting for 19.6% of all threatened species in the Chinese Biodiversity Red List, with ex-situ cultivated proportion of 59.5%. And 3 988 medicinal plants were Chinese endemic species, accounting for 22.5% of all Chinese endemic species, with ex-situ cultivated proportion of 53.3%. This article has reference significance for the management and protection of medicinal plant resources. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  20. PubMed-EX: a web browser extension to enhance PubMed search with text mining features.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Richard Tzong-Han; Dai, Hong-Jie; Lai, Po-Ting; Huang, Chi-Hsin

    2009-11-15

    PubMed-EX is a browser extension that marks up PubMed search results with additional text-mining information. PubMed-EX's page mark-up, which includes section categorization and gene/disease and relation mark-up, can help researchers to quickly focus on key terms and provide additional information on them. All text processing is performed server-side, freeing up user resources. PubMed-EX is freely available at http://bws.iis.sinica.edu.tw/PubMed-EX and http://iisr.cse.yzu.edu.tw:8000/PubMed-EX/.

  1. 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.

  2. Ex Vivo Machine Perfusion in VCA with a Novel Oxygen Carrier System to Enhance Graft Preservation and Immunologic Outcomes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-01

    studies 2. Ex Vivo Study Group (n=4) Machine Perfusion 4 VRAM grafts preserved for 14 hours with MP at 21°C Study group – developments for machine...period. The VRAM grafts were inspected daily and punch biopsies were performed on days 2, 4 and 7. The end- study necropsy was conducted on post ...TNF- α in the MP group, showing the beneficial impact of effective ex -vivo oxygenation in this group (Figure 6). Previous clinical studies in

  3. Efficacy of Indexing and Abstracting Services for the Dissemination of Agricultural Information Resources in the Institure for Agricultural Research Library, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gabriel, KASA, M.

    2012-10-01

    The efficacy of Indexing and Abstracting service for effective organization, storage and retrieval of information resources for agricultural research in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria necessitated examining the situation in Agricultural Library, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru. The study examines the processes, awareness and problems militating against the effective exploitation of the indexing and abstracting services in the Agricultural library established in 1975. The study was conducted ex post facto, data collected span from 2006 ñ 2010. Total sample sizes of 752 patrons and 20,236 intellectually indexed and abstracted resources were involved in the study. Data collected were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The result revealed that a total of 644 articles were indexed and abstracted, 35% of these was done in 2010. Results for awareness show 452 (60.11%) to be aware in 2008. A total 584 articles were indexed and abstracted from which 167 (28.59%) was retrieved in 2006. Patrons, 270 (35.90%) attributed the poor use of the service to assumption it is a referral unit. The hypothesis testing revealed that there is significant association between articles indexed and abstracted with information consulted by patrons (?2cal,100.31>?2tab,9.488) at 5% level of probability and df, 4. In conclusion, enormous documents on Nigerian agriculture are indexed and abstracted in the unit, implying that the service is desirous and consistent. The study recommends that the unit should explore the use of modern technology, employ a permanent subject specialist, train and retrain the unit staff as well as intensify it general orientation campaigns to focus on awareness and use of the indexing and abstracting services.

  4. The prevalence of mental health disorders in (ex-)military personnel with a physical impairment: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Stevelink, S A M; Malcolm, E M; Mason, C; Jenkins, S; Sundin, J; Fear, N T

    2015-04-01

    Having a visual, hearing or physical impairment (defined as problems in body function or structure) may adversely influence the mental well-being of military personnel. This paper reviews the existing literature regarding the prevalence of mental health problems among (ex-)military personnel who have a permanent, predominantly, physical impairment. Multiple electronic literature databases were searched for relevant studies (EMBASE (1980-January 2014), MEDLINE (1946-January 2014), PsycINFO (2002-January 2014), Web of Science (1975-January 2014)). 25 papers were included in the review, representing 17 studies. Studies conducted among US military personnel (n=8) were most represented. A range of mental health disorders were investigated; predominately post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also depression, anxiety disorder (excluding PTSD), psychological distress and alcohol misuse. The findings indicate that mental health disorders including PTSD (range 2-59%), anxiety (range 16.1-35.5%), depression (range 9.7-46.4%) and psychological distress (range 13.4-36%) are frequently found whereby alcohol misuse was least common (range 2.2-26.2%). Common mental health disorders were frequently identified among (ex-)military personnel with a physical impairment. Adequate care and support is necessary during the impairment adaptation process to facilitate the psychosocial challenges (ex-)military personnel with an impairment face. Future research should be directed into factors impacting on the mental well-being of (ex-)military personnel with an impairment, how prevalence rates vary across impairment types and to identify and act on specific needs for care and support. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  5. In vitro and ex vivo strategies for intracellular delivery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stewart, Martin P.; Sharei, Armon; Ding, Xiaoyun; Sahay, Gaurav; Langer, Robert; Jensen, Klavs F.

    2016-10-01

    Intracellular delivery of materials has become a critical component of genome-editing approaches, ex vivo cell-based therapies, and a diversity of fundamental research applications. Limitations of current technologies motivate development of next-generation systems that can deliver a broad variety of cargo to diverse cell types. Here we review in vitro and ex vivo intracellular delivery approaches with a focus on mechanisms, challenges and opportunities. In particular, we emphasize membrane-disruption-based delivery methods and the transformative role of nanotechnology, microfluidics and laboratory-on-chip technology in advancing the field.

  6. Ex vivo fracture resistance of endodontically treated maxillary central incisors restored with fiber-reinforced composite posts and experimental dentin posts

    PubMed Central

    Kathuria, Ambica; Kavitha, M; Khetarpal, Suchit

    2011-01-01

    Aim: To compare the fracture resistance of teeth restored with fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) posts and experimental dentin posts milled from human root dentin. Materials and Methods: Thirty maxillary central incisors were divided into three groups of ten each. Twenty teeth were restored with FRC posts and solid dentin posts and numbered as Groups 2 and 3 respectively while Group 1 acted as the control, without any post. The teeth were loaded at 135° angle to their long axes after core build-up and the failure loads were recorded. Results: One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni multiple comparisons revealed a significant difference among test groups with the control group showing the highest fracture resistance, followed by the dentin post group and lastly the FRC post group. Conclusions: Teeth restored with dentin posts exhibited better fracture resistance than those restored with FRC posts. PMID:22144812

  7. The EX-SHADWELL-Full Scale Fire Research and Test Ship

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-01-20

    If shipboard testing is necessary after the large scale land tests at China Lake, the EX-SHADWELL has a helo pad and well deck available which makes...8217 *,~. *c ’q.. ~ I b. Data acquistion system started. c. Fire started d. Data is recorded until all fire activity has ceased. 3.0 THE TEST AREA 3.1 Test...timing clocks will be started at the instant the fuel is lighted. That instant will be time zero . The time the cables become involved will be recorded

  8. Radiation testing of composite materials, in situ versus ex situ effects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kurland, R. M.; Thomasson, J. F.; Beggs, W. C.

    1981-01-01

    The effect of post irradiation test environments on tensile properties of representative advanced composite materials (T300/5208, T300/934, C6000/P1700) was investigated. Four ply (+ or - 45 deg/+ or - 45 deg) laminate tensile specimens were exposed in vacuum up to a bulk dose of 1 x 10 to the 10th power rads using a mono-energetic fluence of 700 keV electrons from a Van de Graaff accelerator. Post irradiation testing was performed while specimens were being irradiated (in situ data), in vacuum after cessation of irradiation (in vacuo data), and after exposure to air (ex situ data). Room temperature and elevated temperature effects were evaluated. The radiation induced changes to the tensile properties were small. Since the absolute changes in tensile properties were small, the existance of a post irradiation test environment effect was indeterminate.

  9. Application of a liquid chromatography detector to time-resolved RYDMR spectroscopy: a comparison of in situ and ex post facto measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakaguchi, Yoshio

    2001-09-01

    A photodiode-array (PDA) UV-VIS detector for liquid chromatography is applied to time-resolved reaction yield detected magnetic resonance (RYDMR) measurements. The results derived from the yields of cage and escape products in the photoreaction of 2-methyl-1, 4-naphtnoquinone in a sodium dodecylsulfate micelle are found to be identical with those derived from the yield of escaping semiquinone radical detected by transient optical absorption. This implies practical linearity between the yields of escaping radicals and escape products. High sensitivity of the PDA detector enables application of escape product yields for kinetic analysis by reducing microwave-induced perturbation.

  10. A Descriptive, Ex Post Facto Study of the Leadership Behaviors of Three Southern California Elementary School Principals in High-Performing Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nagy, Amy L.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose was to identify whether the principals in three Southern California schools that have sustained API scores of at least 900 and state and similar schools ranking of a 10 for three or more consecutive years, demonstrate the eleven behaviors outlined by Marzano, Waters, and McNulty, in successfully achieving second-order change.…

  11. Can we use an ex vivo continuous hemofiltration model to describe the adsorption and elimination of meropenem and piperacillin?

    PubMed

    Jamal, Janattul-Ain; Udy, Andrew A; Wallis, Steven C; Ranganathan, Dwarakanathan; McWhinney, Brett C; Ungerer, Jacobus P J; Lipman, Jeffrey; Roberts, Jason A

    2015-08-01

    To determine the adsorption and elimination characteristics of meropenem and piperacillin during simulated continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), and to compare the observed data from this ex vivo study with previous data from clinical studies. This was an experimental study utilizing a modified CRRT circuit and polysulfone membrane (1.2 m2), circulated with a blood-crystalloid mixture. Adsorption onto the CRRT circuit was tested over a 4-h period, and clearance was assessed separately using variable continuous hemofiltration settings. A rapid 9% reduction in circulating meropenem and piperacillin concentrations was observed at approximately 0.5 and 1.0 h for each antibiotic, respectively. The post-dilution setting was associated with a significantly higher sieving coefficient (Sc) and filter clearance (CLfilter) (mean ± SD) (Sc 1.14 ± 0.10 versus 1.06 ± 0.04; CLfilter 19.05 ± 1.63 versus 17.59 ± 0.62 ml/min, P values < 0.05) for meropenem. No significant differences were observed for piperacillin pharmacokinetics. Clinically comparable Sc data were observed between data obtained from the ex vivo study and data from previous clinical studies, for both antibiotics. Meropenem and piperacillin appear to be rapidly adsorbed into the CRRT circuit, and the delivery site of fluid replacement significantly influences meropenem pharmacokinetics. However, these findings are likely to be clinically insignificant and not affect dosing requirements. This ex vivo method could be a surrogate for future clinical pharmacokinetic studies of CRRT. Further research is required to explore the applicability of the ex vivo method to further characterize antibiotic pharmacokinetics during CRRT.

  12. Development of an In Vitro Assay to Quantitate Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells (HSPCs) in Developing Zebrafish Embryos.

    PubMed

    Berrun, A C; Stachura, D L

    2017-11-30

    Hematopoiesis is an essential cellular process in which hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) differentiate into the multitude of different cell lineages that comprise mature blood. Isolation and identification of these HSPCs is difficult because they are defined ex post facto; they can only be defined after their differentiation into specific cell lineages. Over the past few decades, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has become a model organism to study hematopoiesis. Zebrafish embryos develop ex utero, and by 48 h post-fertilization (hpf) have generated definitive HSPCs. Assays to assess HSPC differentiation and proliferation capabilities have been developed, utilizing transplantation and subsequent reconstitution of the hematopoietic system in addition to visualizing specialized transgenic lines with confocal microscopy. However, these assays are cost prohibitive, technically difficult, and time consuming for many laboratories. Development of an in vitro model to assess HSPCs would be cost effective, quicker, and present fewer difficulties compared to previously described methods, allowing laboratories to quickly assess mutagenesis and drug screens that affect HSPC biology. This novel in vitro assay to assess HSPCs is performed by plating dissociated whole zebrafish embryos and adding exogenous factors that promote only HSPC differentiation and proliferation. Embryos are dissociated into single cells and plated with HSPC-supportive colony stimulating factors that cause them to generate colony forming units (CFUs) that arise from a single progenitor cell. These assays should allow more careful examination of the molecular pathways responsible for HSPC proliferation, differentiation, and regulation, which will allow researchers to understand the underpinnings of vertebrate hematopoiesis and its dysregulation during disease.

  13. The Advancement of Women in Post-Conflict Nepal

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-01

    DANIEL K. INOUYE ASIA PACIFIC CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES OCCASIONAL PAPER, APRIL 2017 The Advancement of Women in Post -Conflict Nepal Lily Thapa1...in the lack of access to appropriate services and compensation, and in the way that female ex -combatants are treated and reintegrated...5,912 2,985 The Advancement of Women in Post -Conflict Nepal 2 reparation of victims of armed conflict and the provision of mechanisms for

  14. Interventions for family members caring for an elder with dementia.

    PubMed

    Acton, Gayle J; Winter, Mary A

    2002-01-01

    This chapter reviews 73 published and unpublished research reports of interventions for family members caring for an elder with dementia by nurse researchers and researchers from other disciplines. Reports were identified through searches of MEDLINE, CINAHL, Social Science Index, PsycINFO, ERIC, Social Work Abstracts, American Association of Retired Persons database, CRISP index of the National Institutes of Health, Cochrane Center database, and Dissertation Abstracts using the following search terms: caregiver, caregiving, dementia, Alzheimer's, intervention study, evaluation study, experimental, and quasi-experimental design. Additional keywords were used to narrow or expand the search as necessary. All nursing research was included in the review and nonnursing research was included if published between 1991 and 2001. Studies were included if they used a design that included a treatment and control group or a one-group, pretest-posttest design (ex post facto designs were included if they used a comparison group). Key findings show that approximately 32% of the study outcomes (e.g., burden, depression, knowledge) were changed after intervention in the desired direction. In addition, several problematic issues were identified including small, diverse samples; lack of intervention specificity; diversity in the length, duration, and intensity of the intervention strategies; and problematic outcome measures.

  15. 75 FR 78676 - De Facto Criteria for Establishing a Separate Rate in Antidumping Proceedings Involving Non...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-16

    ...In antidumping proceedings involving non-market economy (``NME'') countries,\\1\\ the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') has a rebuttable presumption that the export activities of all companies within the country are subject to government control and, thus, should be assessed a single antidumping duty rate (i.e., the NME- Entity rate). It is the Department's policy to assign to all exporters of merchandise subject to investigation in an NME country this single rate unless an exporter can demonstrate that it is sufficiently independent so as to be entitled to a ``separate rate'' (i.e., a dumping margin separate from the margin assigned to the NME-Entity). Exporters can demonstrate this independence through the absence of both de jure and de facto governmental control over their export activities. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  16. Small Business Innovation Research, Post-Phase II Opportunity Assessment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

    2015-01-01

    This report outlines current Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Post-Phase II opportunity contract award results for the SBIR technology program from 2007 to 2011 for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Science Mission Directorate (SMD), and Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). The report provides guidelines for incorporating SBIR technology into NASA programs and projects and provides a quantitative overview of the post-Phase II award patterns that correspond with each mission directorate at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). In recent years, one of NASA's goals has been to not only transfer SBIR technologies to commercial industries, but to ensure that NASA mission directorates incorporate SBIR technologies into their program and project activities. Before incorporating technologies into MD programs, it is important to understand each mission directorate structure because each directorate has different objectives and needs. The directorate program structures follow.

  17. [Post-authorization research, registries, and drug development].

    PubMed

    Patarnello, Francesca; Recchia, Giuseppe

    2013-06-01

    In the last decade regulators, payers and health care providers tried to react to three major problems in drug development and drug use in clinical practice: the pharmaceutical R&D productivity crisis, the immaturity of benefit-risk profile for several newly approved drugs and the overall impact on economic sustainability of reimbursing new high cost drugs in their systems. The potentiality of create a continuum between the evidence requirements relevant for registration, for reimbursement and for post authorization research is clear. All different parties involved, like regulators, HTA agencies, scientific communities and manufacturers, are working to improve the knowledge profile of new drugs in order to anticipate the patient access to innovation, limiting or preventing the clinical and economical risks deriving from an incomplete safety and effectiveness profile. The Italian example of "New Drugs AIFA Registries", with or without the application of risk sharing schemes (cost sharing, pay for performance, etc.), introduced a new process and increased the sensitivity on this topic. However this might probably represents only a partial answer to the problem of how to set up the governance of coverage with evidence, drug utilization monitoring, comparative effectiveness research, outcome research programs and may be how to link them to access, pricing and reimbursement. The step change in post authorization research could be to "integrate" different sources and stakeholders in a wider and continuous approach, in a well designed and inclusive "second generation" HTA approach, where all resources (competencies, data, funding) will concur to increase the evidence profile and reduce the risks, and where any "evidence generation approach" is really compliant with the standard and rules of best research practices.

  18. Mechanical properties of porcine brain tissue in vivo and ex vivo estimated by MR elastography.

    PubMed

    Guertler, Charlotte A; Okamoto, Ruth J; Schmidt, John L; Badachhape, Andrew A; Johnson, Curtis L; Bayly, Philip V

    2018-03-01

    The mechanical properties of brain tissue in vivo determine the response of the brain to rapid skull acceleration. These properties are thus of great interest to the developers of mathematical models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) or neurosurgical simulations. Animal models provide valuable insight that can improve TBI modeling. In this study we compare estimates of mechanical properties of the Yucatan mini-pig brain in vivo and ex vivo using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) at multiple frequencies. MRE allows estimations of properties in soft tissue, either in vivo or ex vivo, by imaging harmonic shear wave propagation. Most direct measurements of brain mechanical properties have been performed using samples of brain tissue ex vivo. It has been observed that direct estimates of brain mechanical properties depend on the frequency and amplitude of loading, as well as the time post-mortem and condition of the sample. Using MRE in the same animals at overlapping frequencies, we observe that porcine brain tissue in vivo appears stiffer than porcine brain tissue samples ex vivo at frequencies of 100 Hz and 125 Hz, but measurements show closer agreement at lower frequencies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mennesson, B.

    2017-12-01

    The Habitable-Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx) is a candidate flagship mission being studied by NASA and the astrophysics community in preparation for the 2020 Decadal Survey. The HabEx mission concept is a large ( 4 to 6.5m) diffraction-limited optical space telescope, providing unprecedented resolution and contrast in the optical, with likely extensions into the near UV and near infrared domains. One of the primary goals of HabEx is to answer fundamental questions in exoplanet science, searching for and characterizing potentially habitable worlds, providing the first complete "family portraits" of planets around our nearest Sun-like neighbors and placing the solar system in the context of a diverse set of exoplanets. We report here on our team's early efforts in defining a scientifically compelling HabEx mission that is technologically executable, and timely for the next decade. In particular, we present preliminary architectures trade study results, quantifying technical requirements and predicting scientific outcome for a small number of design reference missions. We describe here our currently favorite "hybrid" architecture and its expected capabilities in terms of low resolution (R= 70 to 140) reflected light spectroscopic measurements and orbit determination. Results are shown for different types of exoplanets, including potentially habitable exoplanets located within the snow line of nearby main sequence stars. This research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

  20. International Translation of Project EX: A Teen Tobacco Use Cessation Program.

    PubMed

    Sussman, Steve

    2012-10-01

    There are relatively few documented teen tobacco use cessation efforts outside the United States (U.S.). Project EX is an evidence-based program that consists of eight sessions, as a school-based clinic tobacco cessation-only version and a classroom-based prevention and cessation version. This paper provides a 'snapshot' of progress on international translation of ProjectEXpilot study work in eight countries that have been approached thus far. The program was implemented in Wuhan, China; Israel and partners; Bashkortostan, Russia; and Elche, Spain. Implementation is planned for Vienna, Austria; Mumbai, India; and Bangkok, Thailand. This work will lead eventually to a greater understanding regarding preference for type of programming (e.g., clinic versus classroom modality), challenges in recruitment and retention, program receptivity, and short-term (approximately 3-month post-program) quit rates. Convenience samples are being recruited based on previous contacts with each location. A protocol was sent to each location, proposing a controlled design, in which subjects enter cessation groups or become a wait-list control, with an immediate pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. Language translation of program materials was completed in seven of the eight locations. Several variations in design and implementation were demanded though. For example, youth fear of reporting tobacco publicly mandated to researchers that the prevention/cessation classroom version be implemented in some locations (Israel and partners, and India). Program effects are suggested across countries. Ongoing partnerships with parties actively involved in tobacco control facilitate pilot testing of teen tobacco use cessation programming. The Project EX curriculum appears quite translatable, though having flexibility in implementation modality eased being able to pilot test the program. Research on this cognitive-behavioral, motivation enhancement approach continues.

  1. Post-market clinical research conducted by medical device manufacturers: a cross-sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Ross, Joseph S; Blount, Katrina L; Ritchie, Jessica D; Hodshon, Beth; Krumholz, Harlan M

    2015-01-01

    In the US, once a medical device is made available for use, several requirements have been established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure ongoing post-market surveillance of device safety and effectiveness. Our objective was to determine how commonly medical device manufacturers initiate post-market clinical studies or augment FDA post-market surveillance requirements for higher-risk devices that are most often approved via the FDA's pre-market approval (PMA) pathway. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 47 manufacturers with operations in California, Minnesota, and Massachusetts who market devices approved via the PMA pathway. Among 22 respondents (response rate =47%), nearly all self-reported conducting post-market clinical research studies, commonly between 1 and 5; only 1 respondent reported never conducting post-market clinical research studies. While manufacturers most often engaged in these studies to satisfy FDA requirements, other reasons were reported, including performance monitoring and surveillance and market acceptance initiatives. Risks of conducting and not conducting post-market clinical research studies were described through open-ended response to questions. Medical device manufacturers commonly initiate post-market clinical studies at the request of the FDA. Clinical data from these studies should be integrated into national post-market surveillance initiatives.

  2. Post-market clinical research conducted by medical device manufacturers: a cross-sectional survey

    PubMed Central

    Ross, Joseph S; Blount, Katrina L; Ritchie, Jessica D; Hodshon, Beth; Krumholz, Harlan M

    2015-01-01

    Background In the US, once a medical device is made available for use, several requirements have been established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure ongoing post-market surveillance of device safety and effectiveness. Our objective was to determine how commonly medical device manufacturers initiate post-market clinical studies or augment FDA post-market surveillance requirements for higher-risk devices that are most often approved via the FDA’s pre-market approval (PMA) pathway. Methods and results We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 47 manufacturers with operations in California, Minnesota, and Massachusetts who market devices approved via the PMA pathway. Among 22 respondents (response rate =47%), nearly all self-reported conducting post-market clinical research studies, commonly between 1 and 5; only 1 respondent reported never conducting post-market clinical research studies. While manufacturers most often engaged in these studies to satisfy FDA requirements, other reasons were reported, including performance monitoring and surveillance and market acceptance initiatives. Risks of conducting and not conducting post-market clinical research studies were described through open-ended response to questions. Conclusion Medical device manufacturers commonly initiate post-market clinical studies at the request of the FDA. Clinical data from these studies should be integrated into national post-market surveillance initiatives. PMID:26060416

  3. Evaluation of peripheral perfusion in term newborns before and after Yintang (EX-HN 3) massage.

    PubMed

    Tugcu, Ali Ulas; Cabioglu, Tugrul; Abbasoglu, Aslihan; Ecevit, Ayse; Ince, Deniz Anuk; Tarcan, Aylin

    2015-12-01

    To identify how acupressure on the acupoint Yintang (EX-HN 3) impacts oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and peripheral perfusion in term-born infants without underlying disease. Infants born between weeks 37 and 42 of gestation were included in this study. The polyclinic's neonatology room was noise-controlled and made half-dark to prevent the perfusion index from being confounded. A pulse oximeter was linked to the baby's left lower extremity. Acupressure was applied on Yintang (EX-HN 3) for 30 s clockwise, held for 30 s, and then acupressure was applied for another 30 s counterclockwise. The baby's SaO2, pulse rate, and perfusion index were recorded for each minute before and after acupressure. When pre- and post-acupressure pulse rate values were compared, a significant decrease in pulse rate values after acupressure application was observed. When pre- and post-acupressure oxygen saturation values were compared, a significant increase in post-acupressure oxygen saturation was observed. In addition, peripheral perfusion increased significantly after acupressure. Acupressure application has been used in traditional medicine for many years. However, it is not yet widely used in modern medicine. This study shows the impact of acupressure on neonatal skin perfusion, oxygen saturation, and pulse rate.

  4. [Psycho-social context of health self-esteem in elderly ex-smokers].

    PubMed

    Kwapisz, Urszula; Baczyk, Grazyna

    2012-01-01

    Tobacco smoking remains still as dominating and essential risk factor of morbidity and mortality of cancer, especially in elderly people. Advanced age presents difficulties, because of changes in social status level of physical fitness, and decreased problem-solving abilities. The aim of the study was to self-evaluation of health in elderly ex-smokers post hospitalization. The study was conducted on 48 elderly ex-smokers (37 women, 11 men), using a general version of FACT-G questionnaire from USA. The analysis of the results was accomplished through Mann-Whitney and Spearman tests. Statistical differences were observed in tested subjects, with relativity level of 0,05, which related to states of physical fitness and social functions. Decreased physical and psychological abilities associated with process of aging, create a need for monitoring the finding of the study to life style, in order to achieve independence and effective smoking cessation among elderly patients.

  5. Trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implant versus Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation-a comparative study

    PubMed Central

    Waisbourd, Michael; Fischer, Naomi; Shalev, Hadas; Spierer, Oriel; Ben Artsi, Elad; Rachmiel, Rony; Shemesh, Gabi; Kurtz, Shimon

    2016-01-01

    AIM To compare the surgical outcomes of trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implant and Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation. METHODS Patients who underwent trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implants or AGV implantation separately were included in this retrospective chart review. Main outcome measures were surgical failure and complications. Failure was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) >21 mm Hg or <5 mm Hg on two consecutive visits after 3mo, reoperation for glaucoma, or loss of light perception. Eyes that had not failed were considered as complete success if they did not required supplemental medical therapy. RESULTS A total of 64 eyes from 57 patients were included: 31 eyes in the Ex-PRESS group and 33 eyes in the AGV group. The mean follow-up time was 2.6±1.1y and 3.3±1.6y, respectively. Patients in the AGV group had significantly higher baseline mean IOP (P=0.005), lower baseline mean visual acuity (VA) (P=0.02), and higher proportion of patients with history of previous trabeculectomy (P<0.0001). Crude failure rates were 16.1%, n=5/31 in the Ex-PRESS group and 24.2%, n=8/33 in the AGV group. The cumulative proportion of failure was similar between the groups, P=0.696. The proportion of eyes that experienced postoperative complications was 32.3% in the Ex-PRESS group and 60.1% in the AGV group (P=0.0229). CONCLUSION Trabeculectomy with Ex-PRESS implant and AGV implantation had comparable failure rates. The AGV group had more post-operative complications, but also included more complex cases with higher baseline mean IOP, worse baseline mean VA, and more previous glaucoma surgeries. Therefore, the results are limited to the cohort included in this study. PMID:27803857

  6. Reasons for not using ecstasy: a qualitative study of non-users, ex-light users and ex-moderate users

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Although ecstasy is often consumed in the electronic music scene, not everyone with the opportunity to use it chooses to do so. The objective of this study was to understand the reasons for non-use or the cessation of use, which could provide information for public health interventions. Methods A qualitative reference method was used. Our “snowball” sample group consisted of 53 people who were split into three subgroups: non-users (NU, n = 23), ex-light users (EX-L, n = 12) and ex-moderate users (EX-M, n = 18). Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and subjected to content analysis with the aid of NVivo8. Results Adverse health effects and personal values were given as reasons for non-use in the three groups. Non-users (NU) and ex-light users (EX-L) provided reasons that included fear of possible effects as well as moral, family and religious objections. Ex-moderate users (EX-M) cited reasons related to health complications and concomitant withdrawal from the electronic music scene. However, most of the ex-moderate users did not rule out the possibility of future use. Conclusions Potential effects and undesirable consequences appear to guide the decisions within the different groups. Prevention might target these motivations. Individuals who have used ecstasy indicate that social and environmental factors are the most important factors. PMID:22583984

  7. PLA Reforms and Chinas Nuclear Forces

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-01

    mission set. In some respects, the formal eleva- tion of the Rocket Force to the level of a service merely codifies its de facto status. The Second...Zhiyuan, then-commander of the Second Artillery, and his navy and air force counterparts became ex officio members of the CMC. Rocket Force...class SSBN, which never conducted a single operational patrol.44 To the extent that greater operational ex - perience with nuclear weapons increases

  8. Reply to “Earthquake prediction evaluation standards applied to the VAN Method,” by D. D. Jackson

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varotsos, P.; Lazaridou, M.; Hadjicontis, V.

    Our earlier publications show that VAN method does not fail requirements (1) and (2) suggested by Jackson [1996]. No subjective ex-post facto decission was necessary for the evaluation of the success because, for the large majority of VAN predictions, the values of ΔM, Δr and Δt were published before the period 1987-1989 under discussion; in a few cases only (three out of 29), related with the observation of the new phenomenon of the SES electrical activity, the value of Δt was determined in 1988. Furthermore, a careful inspection-from physical point of view-shows that the three plausibility criteria, suggested by Jackson (to be obeyed by a candidate prediction technique), are actually met by VAN-method.

  9. [Menstrual cycle perception and psychological distress in a sample of Mexican women].

    PubMed

    Morales-Carmona, Francisco; Pimentel-Nieto, Diana; Bustos-López, Hugo

    2008-01-01

    To evaluate the association between psychological distress and menstrual bleeding perception, in order to design a psychological intervention for women in reproductive age. Ex post facto and retrospective study in a random sample of women living in Mexico City with ages between 15 to 35 years. The following instruments were administered after reading the informed consent form: demographic and social questionnaire, gyneco-obstetric clinical history, menstrual bleeding diagnostic scale, menstrual bleeding analogical scale and the Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire. 909 women were interviewed and 776 completed the study. A significant statistic association existed between the presence of menorrhagia and the symptoms of psychological distress. Our results suggest a temporary interaction between physiological and psychological symptoms that produce an intense sense of distress in the women.

  10. An evaluation of the problem-solving ability of diplomates from a comprehensive nursing programme.

    PubMed

    Makhathini, J T; Uys, L R

    1996-10-01

    The aim of this South African study was to obtain a measurement of the problem-solving ability of diplomates from a basic nursing programme with this skill included in its programme objectives. The problem-solving skills of diplomates from this programme were compared with those of first years to determine if there is an improvement in the problem-solving skills. A comparison was also made with a different basic programmes not claiming to teach problem-solving. The research design selected for this study was the ex post facto design. Data were collected using the Triple Jump Method which is an interview technique. The findings suggested that the level of the problem-solving skills of the comprehensive nursing programme diplomate is not satisfactory. There was, however, some improvement in the problem-solving ability from the first to the fourth year. The level of performance of the fourth years was slightly higher than that of the third years of the three-year nursing programme, who were used as the control group. Recommendations on selection teaching and evaluation of students, as well as further research, were made.

  11. Researchers' experience with project management in health and medical research: Results from a post-project review

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Project management is widely used to deliver projects on time, within budget and of defined quality. However, there is little published information describing its use in managing health and medical research projects. We used project management in the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project (2006-2008) http://www.ichr.uwa.edu.au/alcoholandpregnancy and in this paper report researchers' opinions on project management and whether it made a difference to the project. Methods A national interdisciplinary group of 20 researchers, one of whom was the project manager, formed the Steering Committee for the project. We used project management to ensure project outputs and outcomes were achieved and all aspects of the project were planned, implemented, monitored and controlled. Sixteen of the researchers were asked to complete a self administered questionnaire for a post-project review. Results The project was delivered according to the project protocol within the allocated budget and time frame. Fifteen researchers (93.8%) completed a questionnaire. They reported that project management increased the effectiveness of the project, communication, teamwork, and application of the interdisciplinary group of researchers' expertise. They would recommend this type of project management for future projects. Conclusions Our post-project review showed that researchers comprehensively endorsed project management in the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project and agreed that project management had contributed substantially to the research. In future, we will project manage new projects and conduct post-project reviews. The results will be used to encourage continuous learning and continuous improvement of project management, and provide greater transparency and accountability of health and medical research. The use of project management can benefit both management and scientific outcomes of health and medical research projects. PMID:21635721

  12. Work with Us | Research Site Name | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Hero Image - Width of 1746px - Height can vary ex ea commodo consequat. Learn about our technology partnership agreements. Use our cutting-edge commercialization programs. Join Our Team Find an opportunity: Job | Internship | Post Doc | Director's Postdoctoral

  13. Science Laboratory Environment and Academic Performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aladejana, Francisca; Aderibigbe, Oluyemisi

    2007-12-01

    The study determined how students assess the various components of their science laboratory environment. It also identified how the laboratory environment affects students' learning outcomes. The modified ex-post facto design was used. A sample of 328 randomly selected students was taken from a population of all Senior Secondary School chemistry students in a state in Nigeria. The research instrument, Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) designed and validated by Fraser et al. (Sci Educ 77:1-24, 1993) was administered on the selected students. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and Product Moment Correlation. Findings revealed that students could assess the five components (Student cohesiveness, Open-endedness, Integration, Rule clarity, and Material Environment) of the laboratory environment. Student cohesiveness has the highest assessment while material environment has the least. The results also showed that the five components of the science laboratory environment are positively correlated with students' academic performance. The findings are discussed with a view to improving the quality of the laboratory environment, subsequent academic performance in science and ultimately the enrolment and retaining of learners in science.

  14. Dieting in Spanish adolescent girls.

    PubMed

    López-Guimerà, Gemma; Fauquet, Jordi; Portell, Mariona; Sánchez-Carracedo, David; Raich, Rosa M

    2008-05-01

    This article examines the relation between dieting and non-dieting adolescent girls and body mass index (BMI), eating attitudes and the influence of the aesthetic body shape model. Three hundred forty-nine Spanish adolescent girls in their second year of secondary education were selected. The research design was a cross-sectional ex post facto study and validated measures were used to assess the main variables. Fourteen per cent of the sample was on a diet. Of this group, 69% were overweight, 70% had disordered eating attitudes and 70% were influenced by the current aesthetic body shape model. In all situations, the scores for dieters were significantly higher than those for non-dieters. Although there is not yet any clear consensus with regards to how adolescents interpret the term 'diet', the results indicate major differences between dieters and non-dieters and that those who self-report that they are on a diet present elements of the risk of developing eating and weight disorders. (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association

  15. Job sharing: a retention strategy for nurses.

    PubMed

    Kane, D

    1999-01-01

    Job sharing is a part-time employment alternative which offers advantages for employers interested in retaining experienced staff and nurses who are seeking a more equitable balance between work life and home life responsibilities. This quasi experimental, ex post facto research study was designed to determine if there are differences in job satisfaction, burnout, and desire to leave their position, in nurses who are employed in full-time, part-time, or job sharing positions. The sample (N = 269) was drawn from a large Canadian teaching and referral hospital. Three sample groups were developed, consisting of job sharing, full-time, and part-time nurses, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to identify characteristics of the selected population. Analysis of variance was used to examine differences between the three employment groups on the outcome measures of job satisfaction, burnout, and desire to leave their position. The results of this study significantly support the belief that job sharing has a positive impact on job satisfaction and job retention. Implications for nursing administrators as well as individual nurses will be discussed.

  16. Protective effects of ethanol extracts of Artemisia asiatica Nakai ex Pamp. on ageing-induced deterioration in mouse oocyte quality.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Hyuk-Joon; You, Seung Yeop; Kim, Dong Hyun; Jeon, Hong Bae; Oh, Jeong Su

    2017-08-01

    Following ovulation, oocytes undergo a time-dependent deterioration in quality referred to as post-ovulatory ageing. Although various factors influence the post-ovulatory ageing of oocytes, oxidative stress is a key factor involved in deterioration of oocyte quality. Artemisia asiatica Nakai ex Pamp. has been widely used in East Asia as a food ingredient and traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation, cancer, and microbial infections. Recent studies have shown that A. asiatica exhibits antioxidative effects. In this study, we investigated whether A. asiatica has the potential to attenuate deterioration in oocyte quality during post-ovulatory ageing. Freshly ovulated mouse oocytes were cultured with 0, 50, 100 or 200 μg/ml ethanol extracts of A. asiatica Nakai ex Pamp. After culture for up to 24 h, various ageing-induced oocyte abnormalities, including morphological changes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, apoptosis, chromosome and spindle defects, and mitochondrial aggregation were determined. Treatment of oocytes with A. asiatica extracts reduced ageing-induced morphological changes. Moreover, A. asiatica extracts decreased ROS generation and the onset of apoptosis by preventing elevation of the Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio during post-ovulatory ageing. Furthermore, A. asiatica extracts attenuated the ageing-induced abnormalities including spindle defects, chromosome misalignment and mitochondrial aggregation. Our results demonstrate that A. asiatica can relieve deterioration in oocyte quality and delay the onset of apoptosis during post-ovulatory ageing.

  17. Redesigning Qatar's Post-Secondary Scholarship System. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Augustine, Catherine H.; Krop, Cathy

    2008-01-01

    At the request of Qatar's Supreme Education Council (SEC), RAND researchers devised a new set of scholarship programs for college-bound Qatari students and proposed the formation of an institute to manage the programs and oversee other post-secondary functions. The suggested system balanced support for local institutions of higher learning with…

  18. The Use of the Ex Vivo Chandler Loop Apparatus to Assess the Biocompatibility of Modified Polymeric Blood Conduits

    PubMed Central

    Slee, Joshua B.; Alferiev, Ivan S.; Levy, Robert J.; Stachelek, Stanley J.

    2014-01-01

    The foreign body reaction occurs when a synthetic surface is introduced to the body. It is characterized by adsorption of blood proteins and the subsequent attachment and activation of platelets, monocyte/macrophage adhesion, and inflammatory cell signaling events, leading to post-procedural complications. The Chandler Loop Apparatus is an experimental system that allows researchers to study the molecular and cellular interactions that occur when large volumes of blood are perfused over polymeric conduits. To that end, this apparatus has been used as an ex vivo model allowing the assessment of the anti-inflammatory properties of various polymer surface modifications. Our laboratory has shown that blood conduits, covalently modified via photoactivation chemistry with recombinant CD47, can confer biocompatibility to polymeric surfaces. Appending CD47 to polymeric surfaces could be an effective means to promote the efficacy of polymeric blood conduits. Herein is the methodology detailing the photoactivation chemistry used to append recombinant CD47 to clinically relevant polymeric blood conduits and the use of the Chandler Loop as an ex vivo experimental model to examine blood interactions with the CD47 modified and control conduits. PMID:25178087

  19. Expedite the Processing of Unpressurized Payloads to the International Space Station Using the ExPRESS Pallet

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bacskay, Allen S.; Gilbert, Paul A. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The Expedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (ExPRESS) Pallet will be used as an experiment platform for external/unpressurized payloads to be flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The purpose of the ExPRESS Pallet is to provide an easy access to the ISS for Scientific Investigators that require an external platform for their experiment hardware. As the name of the ExPRESS Pallet implies, the objective of the ExPRESS program is to provide a simplified integration process in a short time period (24 months) for payloads to be flown on the ISS. The ExPRESS Pallet provides unique opportunities for research across many science disciplines, including earth observation, communications, solar and deep space viewing, and long-term exposure. The ExPRESS Pallet provides access to Ram, Wake, Nadir, Zenith and Earth Limb for viewing and exposure to the space environment. The ExPRESS Pallet will provide standard physical payload interfaces, and a standard integration template. The ExPS consists of the Pallet structure, payload Adapters, a subsystem assembly that includes data controller, power distribution and conversion, and Extra Vehicular Robotics compatibility. The ExPRESS Pallet provides the capability to changeout payloads on-orbit via the ExPRESS Pallet Adapter (ExPA). The following paragraphs will describe the Services and Accommodations available to the Payload developers by the ExPRESS Pallet and a brief description of the Integration process. More detailed information on the ExPRESS Pallet can be found in the ExPRESS Pallet Payload Accommodations Handbook, SSP 52000-PAH-EPP.

  20. Bridging the Gap: Prospects for Reform and Reconciliation in Post-Conflict Sri Lanka

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-01

    Province governor’s post , held by an ex -military officer, with a civilian administrator. The international community, along with the Tamil political...GAP: PROSPECTS FOR REFORM AND RECONCILIATION IN POST -CONFLICT SRI LANKA by Chaminda Arjuna Bandara Tennakoon December 2016 Thesis Advisor...RECONCILIATION IN POST -CONFLICT SRI LANKA 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Chaminda Arjuna Bandara Tennakoon 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS

  1. Relationship between Students' Scores on Research Methods and Statistics, and Undergraduate Project Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ossai, Peter Agbadobi Uloku

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between students' scores on Research Methods and statistics, and undergraduate project at the final year. The purpose was to find out whether students matched knowledge of research with project-writing skill. The study adopted an expost facto correlational design. Scores on Research Methods and Statistics for…

  2. Military Contingencies in Megacities and Sub megacities

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-01

    character- ized by violence and disorder. In between these ex - tremes are fragile cities that can tip in either direction. This has led to some...some point become a difference in kind. A megacity, for ex - ample, could swallow up a military division in a way that a city of a million people could...seek to reclaim land that, in their view, has been illegally occupied, or, those who have occupied land demand that their de facto own- ership

  3. Ex vivo MR volumetry of human brain hemispheres.

    PubMed

    Kotrotsou, Aikaterini; Bennett, David A; Schneider, Julie A; Dawe, Robert J; Golak, Tom; Leurgans, Sue E; Yu, Lei; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

    2014-01-01

    The aims of this work were to (a) develop an approach for ex vivo MR volumetry of human brain hemispheres that does not contaminate the results of histopathological examination, (b) longitudinally assess regional brain volumes postmortem, and (c) investigate the relationship between MR volumetric measurements performed in vivo and ex vivo. An approach for ex vivo MR volumetry of human brain hemispheres was developed. Five hemispheres from elderly subjects were imaged ex vivo longitudinally. All datasets were segmented. The longitudinal behavior of volumes measured ex vivo was assessed. The relationship between in vivo and ex vivo volumetric measurements was investigated in seven elderly subjects imaged both antemortem and postmortem. This approach for ex vivo MR volumetry did not contaminate the results of histopathological examination. For a period of 6 months postmortem, within-subject volume variation across time points was substantially smaller than intersubject volume variation. A close linear correspondence was detected between in vivo and ex vivo volumetric measurements. Regional brain volumes measured with this approach for ex vivo MR volumetry remain relatively unchanged for a period of 6 months postmortem. Furthermore, the linear relationship between in vivo and ex vivo MR volumetric measurements suggests that this approach captures information linked to antemortem macrostructural brain characteristics. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Screening for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Somali ex-combatants: A validation study

    PubMed Central

    Odenwald, Michael; Lingenfelder, Birke; Schauer, Maggie; Neuner, Frank; Rockstroh, Brigitte; Hinkel, Harald; Elbert, Thomas

    2007-01-01

    Background In Somalia, a large number of active and former combatants are affected by psychological problems such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This disorder impairs their ability to re-integrate into civilian life. However, many screening instruments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder used in post-conflict settings have limited validity. Here we report on development and validation of a screening tool for PTSD in Somali language with a sample of ex-combatants. Methods We adapted the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) to reflect linguistic and cultural differences within the Somali community so that local interviewers could be trained to administer the scale. For validation purposes, a randomly selected group of 135 Somali ex-combatants was screened by trained local interviewers; 64 of them were then re-assessed by trained clinical psychologists using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Results The screening instrument showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .86), convergent validity with the CIDI (sensitivity = .90; specificity = .90) as well as concurrent validity: positive cases showed higher SRQ-20 scores, higher prevalence of psychotic symptoms, and higher levels of intake of the local stimulant drug khat. Compared to a single cut-off score, the multi-criteria scoring, in keeping with the DSM-IV, produced more diagnostic specificity. Conclusion The results provide evidence that our screening instrument is a reliable and valid method to detect PTSD among Somali ex-combatants. A future Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Program in Somalia is recommended to screen for PTSD in order to identify ex-combatants with special psycho-social needs. PMID:17822562

  5. Somatic Cells Become Cancer’s “Starter Dough” | Center for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) is a term that sparks animated differences of opinions among researchers in the oncology community.  Much of the disagreement comes from the difficulty involved in isolating these cells and manipulating them ex vivo. When putative CSCs are isolated from clinical samples, researchers are unable to retrospectively identify the cell type that suffered the first oncogenic hit that led to tumorigenesis. Without this ability to make a clear pre- and post-cancer comparison, researchers are unable to characterize with confidence the origin and cellular properties of human CSCs.

  6. United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research on alternatives to methyl bromide: pre-plant and post-harvest.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Sally M; Rosskopf, Erin N; Leesch, James G; Chellemi, Daniel O; Bull, Carolee T; Mazzola, Mark

    2003-01-01

    Methyl bromide is a widely used fumigant for both pre-plant and post-harvest pest and pathogen control. The Montreal Protocol and the US Clean Air Act mandate a phase-out of the import and manufacture of methyl bromide, beginning in 2001 and culminating with a complete ban, except for quarantine and certain pre-shipment uses and exempted critical uses, in January 2005. In 1995, ARS built on its existing programs in soil-borne plant pathology and post-harvest entomology and plant pathology to initiate a national research program to develop alternatives to methyl bromide. The focus has been on strawberry, pepper, tomato, perennial and nursery cropping systems for pre-plant methyl bromide use and fresh and durable commodities for post-harvest use. Recently the program has been expanded to include research on alternatives for the ornamental and cut flower cropping systems. An overview of the national research program is presented. Results from four specific research trials are presented, ranging from organic to conventional systems. Good progress on short-term alternatives is being made. These will be used as the foundation of integrated management systems which begin with pre-plant management decisions and continue through post-harvest processing.

  7. The use of astronomy questions as an instrument to detect student's misconceptions regarding physics concepts at high school level by using CRI (Certainty of Response Index) as identification methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Utami, D. N.; Wulandari, H. R. T.

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this research is to detect misconceptions in the concept of physics at high school level by using astronomy questions as a testing instrument. Misconception is defined as a thought or an idea that is different from what has been agreed by experts who are reliable in the field, and it is believed to interfere with the acquisition of new understanding and integration of new knowledge or skills. While lack of concept or knowledge can be corrected with the next instruction and learning, students who have misconceptions have to “unlearn” their misconception before learning a correct one. Therefore, the ability to differentiate between these two things becomes crucial. CRI is one of the methods that can identify efficiently, between misconceptions and lack of knowledge that occur in the students. This research used quantitative- descriptive method with ex-post-facto research approach. An instrument used for the test is astronomy questions that require an understanding of physics concepts to solve the problem. By using astronomy questions, it is expected to raise a better understanding such that a concept can be viewed from various fields of science. Based on test results, misconceptions are found on several topics of physics. This test also revealed that student's ability to analyse a problem is still quite low.

  8. Ex vivo lung perfusion.

    PubMed

    Reeb, Jeremie; Cypel, Marcelo

    2016-03-01

    Lung transplantation is an established life-saving therapy for patients with end-stage lung disease. Unfortunately, greater success in lung transplantation is hindered by a shortage of lung donors and the relatively poor early-, mid-, and long-term outcomes associated with severe primary graft dysfunction. Ex vivo lung perfusion has emerged as a modern preservation technique that allows for a more accurate lung assessment and improvement in lung quality. This review outlines the: (i) rationale behind the method; (ii) techniques and protocols; (iii) Toronto ex vivo lung perfusion method; (iv) devices available; and (v) clinical experience worldwide. We also highlight the potential of ex vivo lung perfusion in leading a new era of lung preservation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Ex-vivo MR Volumetry of Human Brain Hemispheres

    PubMed Central

    Kotrotsou, Aikaterini; Bennett, David A.; Schneider, Julie A.; Dawe, Robert J.; Golak, Tom; Leurgans, Sue E.; Yu, Lei; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

    2013-01-01

    Purpose The aims of this work were to: a) develop an approach for ex-vivo MR volumetry of human brain hemispheres that does not contaminate the results of histopathological examination, b) longitudinally assess regional brain volumes postmortem, and c) investigate the relationship between MR volumetric measurements performed in-vivo and ex-vivo. Methods An approach for ex-vivo MR volumetry of human brain hemispheres was developed. Five hemispheres from elderly subjects were imaged ex-vivo longitudinally. All datasets were segmented. The longitudinal behavior of volumes measured ex-vivo was assessed. The relationship between in-vivo and ex-vivo volumetric measurements was investigated in seven elderly subjects imaged both ante-mortem and postmortem. Results The presented approach for ex-vivo MR volumetry did not contaminate the results of histopathological examination. For a period of 6 months postmortem, within-subject volume variation across time points was substantially smaller than inter-subject volume variation. A close linear correspondence was detected between in-vivo and ex-vivo volumetric measurements. Conclusion Regional brain volumes measured with the presented approach for ex-vivo MR volumetry remain relatively unchanged for a period of 6 months postmortem. Furthermore, the linear relationship between in-vivo and ex-vivo MR volumetric measurements suggests that the presented approach captures information linked to ante-mortem macrostructural brain characteristics. PMID:23440751

  10. Vocational outcome following spinal cord injury.

    PubMed

    Conroy, L; McKenna, K

    1999-09-01

    Non-experimental (ex post facto) survey research design involving the use of a fixed alternative format questionnaire. To investigate variables influencing vocational outcome, to identify barriers to gaining and sustaining employment and to identify the effects of variables on the type of work engaged in following spinal cord injury. The two sets of independent variables considered were, individual and injury-related factors (age at onset of injury, time since injury, extent/level of injury, highest educational qualification achieved pre-injury, and pre-injury occupation) and circumstantial factors (means of transport, access difficulties, perceived workplace discrimination, financial disincentives to work and perceived level of skill). The Princess Alexandra Hospital Spinal Injuries Unit, Queensland, Australia. Data on the variables and the vocational outcomes of having ever worked or studied post-injury, current employment status and post-injury occupation were obtained from survey responses. Demographical and medical data were gathered from medical records. Forward stepwise logistic regression revealed that having ever worked or studied post-injury was associated with all individual and injury-related factors except pre-injury occupation, and two circumstantial factors, namely means of transport and access difficulties. Current employment was associated with all circumstantial factors as well as age at injury and pre-injury occupation. Standard multiple regression analyses revealed that post-injury occupation was correlated with all individual and injury-related factors as well as means of transport and perceived workplace discrimination. Tailored rehabilitation programs for individuals with characteristics associated with less successful vocational outcomes may facilitate their employment status after injury.

  11. 24 CFR 26.3 - Ex parte communications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ex parte communications. 26.3... Development HEARING PROCEDURES Hearings Before Hearing Officers Hearing Officer § 26.3 Ex parte communications. (a) Definition. An ex parte communication is any communication with a hearing officer, direct or...

  12. A Method for Whole Brain Ex Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Minimal Susceptibility Artifacts

    PubMed Central

    Shatil, Anwar S.; Matsuda, Kant M.; Figley, Chase R.

    2016-01-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-destructive technique that is capable of localizing pathologies and assessing other anatomical features (e.g., tissue volume, microstructure, and white matter connectivity) in postmortem, ex vivo human brains. However, when brains are removed from the skull and cerebrospinal fluid (i.e., their normal in vivo magnetic environment), air bubbles and air–tissue interfaces typically cause magnetic susceptibility artifacts that severely degrade the quality of ex vivo MRI data. In this report, we describe a relatively simple and cost-effective experimental setup for acquiring artifact-free ex vivo brain images using a clinical MRI system with standard hardware. In particular, we outline the necessary steps, from collecting an ex vivo human brain to the MRI scanner setup, and have also described changing the formalin (as might be necessary in longitudinal postmortem studies). Finally, we share some representative ex vivo MRI images that have been acquired using the proposed setup in order to demonstrate the efficacy of this approach. We hope that this protocol will provide both clinicians and researchers with a straight-forward and cost-effective solution for acquiring ex vivo MRI data from whole postmortem human brains. PMID:27965620

  13. The protective effect of dexmedetomidine in a rat ex vivo lung model of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yan; Zhou, Xinqiao; Zhou, Wenjuan; Pang, Qingfeng; Wang, Zhiping

    2018-01-01

    To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine (Dex) in a rat ex vivo lung model of ischemia-reperfusion injury. An IL-2 ex vivo lung perfusion system was used to establish a rat ex vivo lung model of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Drugs were added to the perfusion solution for reperfusion. Lung injury was assessed by histopathological changes, airway pressure (Res), lung compliance (Compl), perfusion flow (Flow), pulmonary venous oxygen partial pressure (PaO2), and lung wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) were measured, respectively. The introduction of Dex attenuated the post-ischemia-reperfusion lung damage and MDA level, improved lung histology, W/D ratio, lung injury scores and SOD activity. Decreased mRNA and protein levels of GRP78 and CHOP compared with the IR group were observed after Dex treatment. The effect of Dex was dosage-dependence and a high dose of Dex (10 nM) was shown to confer the strongest protective effect against lung damage (P<0.05). Yohimbine, an α2 receptor antagonist, significantly reversed the protective effect of Dex in lung tissues (P<0.05). Dex reduced ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat ex vivo lungs.

  14. MedEx: a medication information extraction system for clinical narratives

    PubMed Central

    Stenner, Shane P; Doan, Son; Johnson, Kevin B; Waitman, Lemuel R; Denny, Joshua C

    2010-01-01

    Medication information is one of the most important types of clinical data in electronic medical records. It is critical for healthcare safety and quality, as well as for clinical research that uses electronic medical record data. However, medication data are often recorded in clinical notes as free-text. As such, they are not accessible to other computerized applications that rely on coded data. We describe a new natural language processing system (MedEx), which extracts medication information from clinical notes. MedEx was initially developed using discharge summaries. An evaluation using a data set of 50 discharge summaries showed it performed well on identifying not only drug names (F-measure 93.2%), but also signature information, such as strength, route, and frequency, with F-measures of 94.5%, 93.9%, and 96.0% respectively. We then applied MedEx unchanged to outpatient clinic visit notes. It performed similarly with F-measures over 90% on a set of 25 clinic visit notes. PMID:20064797

  15. Development of a data dictionary for the Strategies for Post Arrest Resuscitation Care (SPARC) network for post cardiac arrest research.

    PubMed

    Lin, Steve; Morrison, Laurie J; Brooks, Steven C

    2011-04-01

    The widely accepted Utstein style has standardized data collection and analysis in resuscitation and post resuscitation research. However, collection of many of these variables poses significant practical challenges. In addition, several important variables in post resuscitation research are missing. Our aim was to develop a comprehensive data dictionary and web-based data collection tool as part of the Strategies for Post Arrest Resuscitation Care (SPARC) Network project, which implemented a knowledge translation program for post cardiac arrest therapeutic hypothermia in 37 Ontario hospitals. A list of data variables was generated based on the current Utstein style, previous studies and expert opinion within our group of investigators. We developed a data dictionary by creating clear definitions and establishing abstraction instructions for each variable. The data dictionary was integrated into a web-based collection form allowing for interactive data entry. Two blinded investigators piloted the data collection tool, by performing a retrospective chart review. A total of 454 variables were included of which 400 were Utstein, 2 were adapted from existing studies and 52 were added to address missing elements. Kappa statistics for two outcome variables, survival to discharge and induction of therapeutic hypothermia were 0.86 and 0.64, respectively. This is the first attempt in the literature to develop a data dictionary as part of a standardized, pragmatic data collection tool for post cardiac arrest research patients. In addition, our dataset defined important variables that were previously missing. This data collection tool can serve as a reference for future trials in post cardiac arrest care. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Process Design and Economics for the Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels: Thermochemical Research Pathways with In Situ and Ex Situ Upgrading of Fast Pyrolysis Vapors

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

    Dutta, Abhijit; Sahir, A. H.; Tan, Eric

    This report was developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office’s efforts to enable the development of technologies for the production of infrastructure-compatible, cost-competitive liquid hydrocarbon fuels from biomass. Specifically, this report details two conceptual designs based on projected product yields and quality improvements via catalyst development and process integration. It is expected that these research improvements will be made within the 2022 timeframe. The two conversion pathways detailed are (1) in situ and (2) ex situ upgrading of vapors produced from the fast pyrolysis of biomass. While the base case conceptual designs and underlying assumptionsmore » outline performance metrics for feasibility, it should be noted that these are only two of many other possibilities in this area of research. Other promising process design options emerging from the research will be considered for future techno-economic analysis. Both the in situ and ex situ conceptual designs, using the underlying assumptions, project MFSPs of approximately $3.5/gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE). The performance assumptions for the ex situ process were more aggressive with higher distillate (diesel-range) products. This was based on an assumption that more favorable reaction chemistry (such as coupling) can be made possible in a separate reactor where, unlike in an in situ upgrading reactor, one does not have to deal with catalyst mixing with biomass char and ash, which pose challenges to catalyst performance and maintenance. Natural gas was used for hydrogen production, but only when off gases from the process was not sufficient to meet the needs; natural gas consumption is insignificant in both the in situ and ex situ base cases. Heat produced from the burning of char, coke, and off-gases allows for the production of surplus electricity which is sold to the grid allowing a reduction of approximately 5¢/GGE in the MFSP.« less

  17. 48 CFR 6301.4 - Ex parte communications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... CONTRACT APPEALS BOARD OF CONTRACT APPEALS 6301.4 Ex parte communications. Ex parte communications, that is, written or oral communications with the Board by or for one party only without notice to the other, are... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ex parte communications...

  18. Real-time analysis of Drosophila post-embryonic haemocyte behaviour.

    PubMed

    Sampson, Christopher J; Williams, Michael J

    2012-01-01

    The larval stage of the model organism Drosophila is frequently used to study host-pathogen interactions. During embryogenesis the cellular arm of the immune response, consisting of macrophage-like cells known as plasmatocytes, is extremely motile and functions to phagocytise pathogens and apoptotic bodies, as well as produce extracellular matrix. The cellular branch of the larval (post-embryonic) innate immune system consists of three cell types--plasmatocytes, crystal cells and lamellocytes--which are involved in the phagocytosis, encapsulation and melanisation of invading pathogens. Post-embryonic haemocyte motility is poorly understood thus further characterisation is required, for the purpose of standardisation. In order to examine post-embryonic haemocyte cytoskeletal dynamics or migration, the most commonly used system is in vitro cell lines. The current study employs an ex vivo system (an adaptation of in vitro cell incubation using primary cells), in which primary larval or pre-pupal haemocytes are isolated for short term analysis, in order to discover various aspects of their behaviour during events requiring cytoskeleton dynamics. The ex vivo method allows for real-time analysis and manipulation of primary post-embryonic haemocytes. This technique was used to characterise, and potentially standardised, larval and pre-pupal haemocyte cytoskeleton dynamics, assayed on different extracellular matrices. Using this method it was determined that, while larval haemocytes are unable to migrate, haemocytes recovered from pre-pupae are capable of migration.

  19. 29 CFR 2700.82 - Ex parte communications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Miscellaneous § 2700.82 Ex parte communications. (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) Ex parte communication means an oral or written communication not on the public record... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Ex parte communications. 2700.82 Section 2700.82 Labor...

  20. Application of the enterprise management tools Lean Six Sigma and PMBOK in developing a program of research management.

    PubMed

    Hors, Cora; Goldberg, Anna Carla; Almeida, Ederson Haroldo Pereira de; Babio Júnior, Fernando Galan; Rizzo, Luiz Vicente

    2012-01-01

    Introduce a program for the management of scientific research in a General Hospital employing the business management tools Lean Six Sigma and PMBOK for project management in this area. The Lean Six Sigma methodology was used to improve the management of the institution's scientific research through a specific tool (DMAIC) for identification, implementation and posterior analysis based on PMBOK practices of the solutions found. We present our solutions for the management of institutional research projects at the Sociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Albert Einstein. The solutions were classified into four headings: people, processes, systems and organizational culture. A preliminary analysis of these solutions showed them to be completely or partially compliant to the processes described in the PMBOK Guide. In this post facto study, we verified that the solutions drawn from a project using Lean Six Sigma methodology and based on PMBOK enabled the improvement of our processes dealing with the management of scientific research carried out in the institution and constitutes a model to contribute to the search of innovative science management solutions by other institutions dealing with scientific research in Brazil.

  1. Constraining Exoplanet Habitability with HabEx

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, Tyler

    2018-01-01

    The Habitable Exoplanet Imaging mission, or HabEx, is one of four flagship mission concepts currently under study for the upcoming 2020 Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The broad goal of HabEx will be to image and study small, rocky planets in the Habitable Zones of nearby stars. Additionally, HabEx will pursue a range of other astrophysical investigations, including the characterization of non-habitable exoplanets and detailed observations of stars and galaxies. Critical to the capability of HabEx to understand Habitable Zone exoplanets will be its ability to search for signs of surface liquid water (i.e., habitability) and an active biosphere. Photometry and moderate resolution spectroscopy, spanning the ultraviolet through near-infrared spectral ranges, will enable constraints on key habitability-related atmospheric species and properties (e.g., surface pressure). In this poster, we will discuss approaches to detecting signs of habitability in reflected-light observations of rocky exoplanets. We will also present initial results for modeling experiments aimed at demonstrating the capabilities of HabEx to study and understand Earth-like worlds around other stars.

  2. Exploring the relationship between time management skills and the academic achievement of African engineering students - a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swart, Arthur James; Lombard, Kobus; de Jager, Henk

    2010-03-01

    Poor academic success by African engineering students is currently experienced in many higher educational institutions, contributing to lower financial subsidies by local governments. One of the contributing factors to this low academic success may be the poor time management skills of these students. This article endeavours to explore this relationship by means of a theoretical literature review and an empirical study. Numerous studies have been conducted in this regard, but with mixed results. The case study of this article involves a design module termed Design Projects III, where the empirical study incorporated an ex post facto study involving a pre-experimental/exploratory design using descriptive statistics. The results of this study were applied to various tests, which indicated no statistically significant relationship between time management skills and the academic achievement of African engineering students.

  3. Adolescent cigarette smoking and health risk behavior.

    PubMed

    Busen, N H; Modeland, V; Kouzekanani, K

    2001-06-01

    During the past 30 years, tobacco use among adolescents has substantially increased, resulting in major health problems associated with tobacco consumption. The purpose of this study was to identify adolescent smoking behaviors and to determine the relationship among smoking, specific demographic variables, and health risk behaviors. The sample consisted of 93 self-selecting adolescents. An ex post facto design was used for this study and data were analyzed by using nonparametric statistics. Findings included a statistically significant relationship between lifetime cigarette use and ethnicity. Statistically significant relationships were also found among current cigarette use and ethnicity, alcohol use, marijuana use, suicidal thoughts, and age at first sexual intercourse. Nurses and other providers must recognize that cigarette smoking may indicate other risk behaviors common among adolescents. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

  4. Sex and mathematical background as predictors of anxiety and self-efficacy in mathematics.

    PubMed

    Lussier, G

    1996-12-01

    Anxiety and self-efficacy in mathematics as a function of sex and mathematical background were investigated. This study employed an ex post facto 2 x 2 factorial design in which sex and mathematical background were classification variables. It was predicted that men would report lower anxiety scores and higher self-efficacy scores than women and that students with a high mathematical background would report lower anxiety scores and higher self-efficacy scores than those with a low background in mathematics. An interaction between sex and mathematical background was also predicted. 51 subjects were given the revised Mathematics Anxiety Scale and the Mathematics Self-efficacy Scale. Results supported the hypotheses with respect to background in mathematics for anxiety in mathematics, and all of the hypotheses were supported for self-efficacy in mathematics.

  5. Improving reconstituted HDL composition for efficient post-ischemic reduction of ischemia reperfusion injury.

    PubMed

    Brulhart-Meynet, Marie-Claude; Braunersreuther, Vincent; Brinck, Jonas; Montecucco, Fabrizio; Prost, Jean-Christophe; Thomas, Aurelien; Galan, Katia; Pelli, Graziano; Pedretti, Sarah; Vuilleumier, Nicolas; Mach, François; Lecour, Sandrine; James, Richard W; Frias, Miguel A

    2015-01-01

    New evidence shows that high density lipoproteins (HDL) have protective effects beyond their role in reverse cholesterol transport. Reconstituted HDL (rHDL) offer an attractive means of clinically exploiting these novel effects including cardioprotection against ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). However, basic rHDL composition is limited to apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) and phospholipids; addition of bioactive compound may enhance its beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of rHDL in post-ischemic model, and to analyze the potential impact of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in rHDL formulations. The impact of HDL on IRI was investigated using complementary in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro IRI models. Acute post-ischemic treatment with native HDL significantly reduced infarct size and cell death in the ex vivo, isolated heart (Langendorff) model and the in vivo model (-48%, p<0.01). Treatment with rHDL of basic formulation (apoAI + phospholipids) had a non-significant impact on cell death in vitro and on the infarct size ex vivo and in vivo. In contrast, rHDL containing S1P had a highly significant, protective influence ex vivo, and in vivo (-50%, p<0.01). This impact was comparable with the effects observed with native HDL. Pro-survival signaling proteins, Akt, STAT3 and ERK1/2 were similarly activated by HDL and rHDL containing S1P both in vitro (isolated cardiomyocytes) and in vivo. HDL afford protection against IRI in a clinically relevant model (post-ischemia). rHDL is significantly protective if supplemented with S1P. The protective impact of HDL appears to target directly the cardiomyocyte.

  6. 19 CFR 207.5 - Ex parte meetings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ex parte meetings. 207.5 Section 207.5 Customs... EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES General Provisions § 207.5 Ex parte meetings. There shall be included in the record of each investigation a record of ex parte meetings as required by section 777(a)(3) of the Act...

  7. An Arab NATO in the Making Middle Eastern Military Cooperation Since 2011

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    with a focus on strategy and security. In addition to monitoring post -conflict devel- opments in Iraq, Lebanon, and Libya, she researches Arab...non-Arab states such as Iran, Turkey, or post -conflict Israel. Announced at the 2010 Sirte Summit, the League’s Arab Neighbor- hood Policy has failed...preceding de- cade. For example, Saudi Arabia had increased its air 14 force to 305 fighter jets—and currently has a de facto monopoly on Airborne

  8. Networking health research in Britain: the post-war childhood leukaemia trials.

    PubMed

    Moscucci, Ornella; Herring, Rachel; Berridge, Virginia

    2009-01-01

    The treatment of childhood leukaemia is seen as a successful historical example of the operation of the randomized controlled trial and continues to inform contemporary policy making on such trials within health research. This article analyses the scientists' 'story of success' through historical research. It tells us about the organizational and professional structures of such research post-war in the United Kingdom, and examines the history of the cancer clinical trial through this particular example. The story reveals a more complex picture than the 'heroic' one, with key developments in the operation of post-war science, both in terms of its infrastructure and of its scientific networks, not least the rise of co-operative working among clinicians and the growing importance of statisticians in medical research and practice. It also underlines differences between the British and US approaches in which the role of one health system, the National Health Service, helped structure different, initially less intensive, patterns of response.

  9. Comparison of Symptom Distress between World War II Ex-POWs and Vietnam Combat Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, David J.; And Others

    It has been documented that exposure to severe and prolonged stress can result in emotional disturbances which may last for decades. Research has focused on the diagnosis of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), symptoms of which include flashbacks, increased startle response, interpersonal withdrawal, suspiciousness, impulsivity, and…

  10. [Thought on several problems of clinical revaluation of post-marketing herb research].

    PubMed

    He, Wei; Xie, Yanming; Wang, Yongyan

    2010-06-01

    The revaluation of post-marketing herb is a complex research work, which concerns widely content and difficult to put it into practice. The starting of our country's revaluation post-marketing herb was comparatively late. It should profect it both in laws and regulations mechanism as well as technological specification. This article is try to focus on some attention problems in revaluation of postmarketing herb process. Such as the laws and regulations demand, the basement and the subject of revaluation of post-marketing herb.

  11. Ex-vivo quantitative susceptibility mapping of human brain hemispheres

    PubMed Central

    Kotrotsou, Aikaterini; Tamhane, Ashish A.; Dawe, Robert J.; Kapasi, Alifiya; Leurgans, Sue E.; Schneider, Julie A.; Bennett, David A.; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

    2017-01-01

    Ex-vivo brain quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) allows investigation of brain characteristics at essentially the same point in time as histopathologic examination, and therefore has the potential to become an important tool for determining the role of QSM as a diagnostic and monitoring tool of age-related neuropathologies. In order to be able to translate the ex-vivo QSM findings to in-vivo, it is crucial to understand the effects of death and chemical fixation on brain magnetic susceptibility measurements collected ex-vivo. Thus, the objective of this work was twofold: a) to assess the behavior of magnetic susceptibility in both gray and white matter of human brain hemispheres as a function of time postmortem, and b) to establish the relationship between in-vivo and ex-vivo gray matter susceptibility measurements on the same hemispheres. Five brain hemispheres from community-dwelling older adults were imaged ex-vivo with QSM on a weekly basis for six weeks postmortem, and the longitudinal behavior of ex-vivo magnetic susceptibility in both gray and white matter was assessed. The relationship between in-vivo and ex-vivo gray matter susceptibility measurements was investigated using QSM data from eleven older adults imaged both antemortem and postmortem. No systematic change in ex-vivo magnetic susceptibility of gray or white matter was observed over time postmortem. Additionally, it was demonstrated that, gray matter magnetic susceptibility measured ex-vivo may be well modeled as a linear function of susceptibility measured in-vivo. In conclusion, magnetic susceptibility in gray and white matter measured ex-vivo with QSM does not systematically change in the first six weeks after death. This information is important for future cross-sectional ex-vivo QSM studies of hemispheres imaged at different postmortem intervals. Furthermore, the linear relationship between in-vivo and ex-vivo gray matter magnetic susceptibility suggests that ex-vivo QSM captures

  12. 77 FR 46615 - Changes To Implement Miscellaneous Post Patent Provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-06

    ...The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) expands the scope of information that any party may cite in a patent file to include written statements of a patent owner filed in a proceeding before a Federal court or the United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) regarding the scope of any claim of the patent, and provides for how such information may be considered in ex parte reexamination, inter partes review, and post grant review. The AIA also provides for an estoppel that may attach with respect to the filing of an ex parte reexamination request subsequent to a final written decision in an inter partes review or post grant review proceeding. The Office is revising the rules of practice to implement these post-patent provisions, as well as other miscellaneous provisions, of the AIA.

  13. Susceptibility weighted imaging of cartilage canals in porcine epiphyseal growth cartilage ex vivo and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Nissi, Mikko J; Toth, Ferenc; Zhang, Jinjin; Schmitter, Sebastian; Benson, Michael; Carlson, Cathy S; Ellermann, Jutta M

    2014-06-01

    High-resolution visualization of cartilage canals has been restricted to histological methods and contrast-enhanced imaging. In this study, the feasibility of non-contrast-enhanced susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) for visualization of the cartilage canals was investigated ex vivo at 9.4 T, further explored at 7 and 3 T and demonstrated in vivo at 7 T, using a porcine animal model. SWI scans of specimens of distal femur and humerus from 1 to 8 week-old piglets were conducted at 9.4 T using 3D-GRE sequence and SWI post-processing. The stifle joints of a 2-week old piglet were scanned ex vivo at 7 and 3 T. Finally, the same sites of a 3-week-old piglet were scanned, in vivo, at 7 T under general anesthesia using the vendor-provided sequences. High-contrast visualization of the cartilage canals was obtained ex vivo, especially at higher field strengths; the results were confirmed histologically. In vivo feasibility was demonstrated at 7 T and comparison of ex vivo scans at 3 and 7 T indicated feasibility of using SWI at 3 T. High-resolution 3D visualization of cartilage canals was demonstrated using SWI. This demonstration of fully noninvasive visualization opens new avenues to explore skeletal maturation and the role of vascular supply for diseases such as osteochondrosis. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Post-harvest entomology research in the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service.

    PubMed

    Throne, James E; Hallman, Guy J; Johnson, Judy A; Follett, Peter A

    2003-01-01

    This is a review of current post-harvest entomology research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service, the research branch of the US Department of Agriculture. The review covers both durable and perishable commodities. Research on biochemistry, genetics, physiology, monitoring and control of insects infesting stored grain, dried fruits and nuts, and processed commodities is reviewed. Research on development of quarantine treatments, particularly for fruit flies, is also reviewed, including research on thermal and irradiation treatments and a discussion of risk management for quarantine pests. Two areas of research are covered more extensively: a project to map the genome of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, and the use of near-infrared spectroscopy for detection of hidden infestations in grain, quantification of insect fragments in food, determination of quality in dried fruits, identification of insect species and age-grading insects. Future research directions are identified.

  15. EX-PRESS Glaucoma Filtration Device: efficacy, safety, and predictability

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Jessica E; Netland, Peter A

    2015-01-01

    Trabeculectomy has been the traditional primary surgical therapy for open-angle glaucoma. While trabeculectomy is effective in lowering intraocular pressure, complications associated with the procedure have motivated the development of alternative techniques and devices, including the EX-PRESS Glaucoma Filtration Device. This review describes the efficacy, safety, complication rates, and potential advantages and disadvantages of the EX-PRESS Glaucoma Filtration Device. EX-PRESS implantation is technically simpler compared with that of trabeculectomy, with fewer surgical steps. Vision recovery has been more rapid after EX-PRESS implantation compared with trabeculectomy. Intraocular pressure variation is lower during the early postoperative period, indicating a more predictable procedure. While efficacy of the EX-PRESS implant has been comparable to trabeculectomy, postoperative complications appear less common after EX-PRESS implantation compared with trabeculectomy. The EX-PRESS Glaucoma Filtration Device appears to be safe and effective in the surgical management of open-angle glaucoma. PMID:26366105

  16. Extracting and standardizing medication information in clinical text - the MedEx-UIMA system.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Min; Wu, Yonghui; Shah, Anushi; Priyanka, Priyanka; Denny, Joshua C; Xu, Hua

    2014-01-01

    Extraction of medication information embedded in clinical text is important for research using electronic health records (EHRs). However, most of current medication information extraction systems identify drug and signature entities without mapping them to standard representation. In this study, we introduced the open source Java implementation of MedEx, an existing high-performance medication information extraction system, based on the Unstructured Information Management Architecture (UIMA) framework. In addition, we developed new encoding modules in the MedEx-UIMA system, which mapped an extracted drug name/dose/form to both generalized and specific RxNorm concepts and translated drug frequency information to ISO standard. We processed 826 documents by both systems and verified that MedEx-UIMA and MedEx (the Python version) performed similarly by comparing both results. Using two manually annotated test sets that contained 300 drug entries from medication list and 300 drug entries from narrative reports, the MedEx-UIMA system achieved F-measures of 98.5% and 97.5% respectively for encoding drug names to corresponding RxNorm generic drug ingredients, and F-measures of 85.4% and 88.1% respectively for mapping drug names/dose/form to the most specific RxNorm concepts. It also achieved an F-measure of 90.4% for normalizing frequency information to ISO standard. The open source MedEx-UIMA system is freely available online at http://code.google.com/p/medex-uima/.

  17. Antimicrobial Blue Light Therapy for Infectious Keratitis: Ex Vivo and In Vivo Studies.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Hong; Kochevar, Irene E; Behlau, Irmgard; Zhao, Jie; Wang, Fenghua; Wang, Yucheng; Sun, Xiaodong; Hamblin, Michael R; Dai, Tianhong

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the effectiveness of antimicrobial blue light (aBL) as an alternative or adjunctive therapeutic for infectious keratitis. We developed an ex vivo rabbit model and an in vivo mouse model of infectious keratitis. A bioluminescent strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was used as the causative pathogen, allowing noninvasive monitoring of the extent of infection in real time via bioluminescence imaging. Quantitation of bacterial luminescence was correlated to colony-forming units (CFU). Using the ex vivo and in vivo models, the effectiveness of aBL (415 nm) for the treatment of keratitis was evaluated as a function of radiant exposure when aBL was delivered at 6 or 24 hours after bacterial inoculation. The aBL exposures calculated to reach the retina were compared to the American National Standards Institute standards to estimate aBL retinal safety. Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis fully developed in both the ex vivo and in vivo models at 24 hours post inoculation. Bacterial luminescence in the infected corneas correlated linearly to CFU (R2 = 0.921). Bacterial burden in the infected corneas was rapidly and significantly reduced (>2-log10) both ex vivo and in vivo after a single exposure of aBL. Recurrence of infection was observed in the aBL-treated mice at 24 hours after aBL exposure. The aBL toxicity to the retina is largely dependent on the aBL transmission of the cornea. Antimicrobial blue light is a potential alternative or adjunctive therapeutic for infectious keratitis. Further studies of corneal and retinal safety using large animal models, in which the ocular anatomies are similar to that of humans, are warranted.

  18. Post-ExSELEX stabilization of an unnatural-base DNA aptamer targeting VEGF165 toward pharmaceutical applications.

    PubMed

    Kimoto, Michiko; Nakamura, Mana; Hirao, Ichiro

    2016-09-06

    A new technology, genetic alphabet expansion using artificial bases (unnatural bases), has created high-affinity DNA ligands (aptamers) that specifically bind to target proteins by ExSELEX (genetic alphabet Expansion for Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment). We recently found that the unnatural-base DNA aptamers can be stabilized against nucleases, by introducing an extraordinarily stable, unique hairpin DNA (mini-hairpin DNA) and by reinforcing the stem region with G-C pairs. Here, to establish this aptamer generation method, we examined the stabilization of a high-affinity anti-VEGF165 unnatural-base DNA aptamer. The stabilized aptamers displayed significantly increased thermal and nuclease stabilities, and furthermore, exhibited higher affinity to the target. As compared to the well-known anti-VEGF165 RNA aptamer, pegaptanib (Macugen), our aptamers did not require calcium ions for binding to VEGF165 Biological experiments using cultured cells revealed that our stabilized aptamers efficiently inhibited the interaction between VEGF165 and its receptor, with the same or slightly higher efficiency than that of the pegaptanib RNA aptamer. The development of cost-effective and calcium ion-independent high-affinity anti-VEGF165 DNA aptamers encourages further progress in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In addition, the stabilization process provided additional information about the key elements required for aptamer binding to VEGF165. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  19. Correlates of low back pain in a general population sample: a multidisciplinary perspective.

    PubMed

    Roncarati, A; McMullen, W

    1988-06-01

    This study identifies correlates of low back pain in a general population sample and defines a profile of subjects with low back pain. A multidisciplinary approach was employed that required surveying and physically assessing 674 subjects on 105 variables in biographical, anatomical, strength and flexibility measurement categories. No attempt was made to select subjects from specific occupational, age, athletic, psychological and anatomical groups or subjects with specific biographical features, which may have resulted in a sample that was atypical of the general population. The results of this study based on a causal comparative ex post facto research design corroborated selected findings of previous research conducted on nongeneral population samples. These findings include relationships between low back pain and age, body type, sex, stress, smoking, selected types of physical activity, occupation and previous injuries to the neck, shoulders, back and upper legs, as well as previous episodes of low back pain. Additional correlates of low back pain that were identified and have little or controversial review in the back literature include: delayed low back pain syndrome caused by abrupt changes in running frequency, Q angle, pes cavus, leg length (right and left), trunk length, genu recurvatum and multiplane strength and flexibility limitations in the hip joints.

  20. The relationship between neurobehavioural problems of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), family functioning and the psychological well-being of the spouse/caregiver: path model analysis.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Malcolm I; Parmenter, Trevor R; Mok, Magdalena

    2002-09-01

    This study used a modern theory of stress as a framework to strengthen the understanding of the relationship between neurobehavioural problems of TBI, family functioning and psychological distress in spouse/caregivers. The research was an ex post facto design utilising a cross-sectional methodology. Path analysis was used to determine the structural effect of neurobehavioural problems on family functioning and psychological distress. Forty-seven female and 17 male spouse/caregivers of partners with severe TBI were recruited. Spouse/caregivers who reported partners with TBI as having high levels of behavioural and cognitive problems experienced high levels of unhealthy family functioning. High levels of unhealthy family functioning were related to high levels of distress in spouse/caregivers, as family functioning had a moderate influence on psychological distress. Furthermore, indirect effects of behavioural and cognitive problems operating through family functioning intensified the level of psychological distress experienced by spouse/caregivers. Additionally, spouse/caregivers who reported high levels of behavioural, communication and social problems in their partners also experienced high levels of psychological distress. This study was significant because the impact of TBI on the spouse/caregiver from a multidimensional perspective is an important and under-researched area in the brain injury and disability field.

  1. Factors associated with ex-nuptial birth.

    PubMed

    Fergusson, D M; Horwood, L J; Shannon, F T

    1979-04-11

    The paper examines the background to 210 live exnuptial births studied in the first phase of the Christ-church Child Development Study. The results show: 1. That nearly half of the children had been conceived within cohabiting situations. 2. That nearly one in five ex-nuptial children was the result of a planned pregnancy. 3. Maternal reactions to the birth and pregnancy varied with the mother's situation: cohabiting mothers reported considerably less adverse reaction to the birth than did non-cohabiting mothers. 4. Overall, mothers of ex-nuptial children had a fairly sophisticated appreciation of contraceptive methods. 5. One quarter of unplanned ex-nuptial pregnancies were the result of contraceptive failure and three-quarters were the result of contraceptive non-usage. 6. In common with previous findings for nuptial pregnancies, about 35 percent of unplanned ex-nuptial pregnancies were ascribed to a breakdown in the mother's pattern of usage of the contraceptive pill.

  2. Ex-vivo expanded umbilical cord blood stem cells retain capacity for myocardial regeneration.

    PubMed

    Schlechta, Bernhard; Wiedemann, Dominik; Kittinger, Clemens; Jandrositz, Anita; Bonaros, Nikolaos E; Huber, Johannes C; Preisegger, Karl-Heinz; Kocher, Alfred A

    2010-01-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a source of human hematopoietic precursor cells (HPCs), a stem cell (SC) type that has been used in several trials for myocardial repair. A certain minimal number of cells is required for measurable regeneration and a major challenge of SC-based regenerative therapy constitutes ex-vivo expansion of the primitive cell compartment. The aim of this study was to investigate the ex-vivo expansion potential of UCB-derived HPCs and the ability of these expanded cells to migrate to the site of damage and improve ventricular function in a rodent model of myocardial infarction (MI). UCB-derived HPCs, defined by coexpression of CD133 and CD34, were expanded using various cytokine combinations. MI was induced by left anterior descending artery ligation in nude rats. Cells were injected intravenously 2 days after infarction. The combination of SC factor, thrombopoietin, flt3-ligand and interleukin-6 was found to be the most effective for inducing proliferation of HPCs. The migratory capacity of expanded HPCs was similar to that of non-expanded HPCs and improvement of ejection fraction was significant in both groups, with a relative increase of >60%. UCB-derived HPCs can be reproducibly expanded ex-vivo and retain their potential to improve cardiac function post-MI. (Circ J 2010; 74: 188 - 194).

  3. 24 CFR 180.215 - Ex parte communications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY CONSOLIDATED HUD HEARING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL RIGHTS MATTERS Administrative Law Judge § 180.215 Ex parte communications. (a) An ex parte communication is any direct or indirect...

  4. Optimized ex-ovo culturing of chick embryos to advanced stages of development.

    PubMed

    Cloney, Kellie; Franz-Odendaal, Tamara Anne

    2015-01-24

    Research in anatomy, embryology, and developmental biology has largely relied on the use of model organisms. In order to study development in live embryos model organisms, such as the chicken, are often used. The chicken is an excellent model organism due to its low cost and minimal maintenance, however they present observational challenges because they are enclosed in an opaque eggshell. In order to properly view the embryo as it develops, the shell must be windowed or removed. Both windowing and ex ovo techniques have been developed to assist researchers in the study of embryonic development. However, each of the methods has limitations and challenges. Here, we present a simple, optimized ex ovo culture technique for chicken embryos that enables the observation of embryonic development from stage HH 19 into late stages of development (HH 40), when many organs have developed. This technique is easy to adopt in both undergraduate classes and more advanced research laboratories where embryo manipulations are conducted.

  5. Chest drainage teaching and training for medical students. Use of a surgical ex vivo pig model.

    PubMed

    Tube, Milton Ignacio Carvalho; Netto, Fernando Antonio Campelo Spencer; Costa, Elaine; Lafayette, Daniell de Siqueira Araújo; Lima, George Augusto da Fonseca Carvalho Antunes; Menezes, Jamile Isabela Santos de; Aires, Vinicius Gueiros Buenos; Ferraz, Álvaro Antônio Bandeira; Campos, Josemberg Marins; Moraes, Fernando Ribeiro de

    2016-05-01

    Implement a constructivist approach in thoracic drainage training in surgical ex vivo pig models, to compare the acquisition of homogeneous surgical skills between medical students. Experimental study, prospective, transversal, analytical, controlled, three steps. Selection, training, evaluation. a) students without training in thoracic drainage; b) without exposure to constructivist methodology. 2) EXCLUSION CRITERIA: a) students developed surgical skills; b) a history of allergy. (N = 312). Two groups participated in the study: A and B. Lecture equal for both groups. Differentiated teaching: group A, descriptive and informative method; group B, learning method based on problems. A surgical ex vivo pig model for training the chest drain was created. Were applied pre and post-test, test goal-discursive and OSATS scale. Theoretical averages: Group A = 9.5 ± 0.5; Group B = 8.8 ± 1.1 (p = 0.006). Medium Practices: Group A = 22.8 ± 1.8; Group B = 23.0 ± 2.8 (p <0.001). Through the constructivist methodology implemented in the thoracic drainage training in surgical ex vivo pig models, has proven the acquisition of surgical skills homogeneous compared among medical students.

  6. The Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaudi, B. Scott; Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission Science and Technology Definition Team

    2018-01-01

    The Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx) is a candidate flagship mission being studied by NASA and the astrophysics community in preparation of the 2020 Decadal Survey. The HabEx mission concept is a large (~4 to 6.5m) diffraction-limited optical space telescope, providing unprecedented resolution and contrast in the optical, with likely extensions into the near UV and near infrared domains. We discuss the primary science goals of HabEx. First, HabEx will survey a large sample of stars to search for planets potentially habitable planets: roughly Earth-sized planets with separations consistent with being in the habitable zones of their parent stars. Promising candidates will be followed up in detail, in order to characterize their orbits and atmospheres, and so confirm that they are indeed terrestrial-sized planets in the habitable zones of their parent stars, and search for signatures of habitability and potentially biosignatures. Second, HabEx will perform a ‘deep dive’ survey of roughly a dozen of the nearest and most promising stellar systems, providing the first complete “family portraits” of planets around our nearest Sun-like neighbors, and placing the solar system in the context of a diverse set of these planetary systems. Additionally, HabEx will enable a wide range of other astrophysical investigations, including detailed characterization of the properties of nearby stars and galaxies.

  7. Identifying Priorities for Post-Secondary Education in Qatar. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stasz, Cathleen; Eide, Eric R.; Martorell, Francisco; Salem, Hanine; Constant, Louay; Goldman, Charles A.; Moini, Joy S.; Nadareishvili, Vazha

    2007-01-01

    Although Qatar has improved its post-secondary educational opportunities, the country's efforts have not undergone a broad strategic review. This study analyzed the extent to which the current offerings can meet the country's future needs and identified priorities for developing further educational options. Researchers found that Qataris' current…

  8. OUTSOURCING ETHICAL DILEMMAS: REGULATING INTERNATIONAL SURROGACY ARRANGEMENTS.

    PubMed

    Fenton-Glynn, Claire

    2016-01-01

    This article argues that the English legislative regime is ineffective in regulating international surrogacy, particularly with regard to commercial payments. It suggests that if English law views surrogacy as exploitative, we have a responsibility to protect women both in England and abroad, and the only way to do so effectively is to create a domestic system of regulation that caters adequately for the demand in this country. This requires a system of authorisation for surrogacy before it is undertaken; ex-post facto examinations of agreements completed in other jurisdictions, after the child is already living with the commissioning parents, cannot be seen as an acceptable compromise, as authorisation will inevitably be granted in the child's best interests. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Bottle-feeding histories of preterm infants.

    PubMed

    Pickler, R H; Mauck, A G; Geldmaker, B

    1997-01-01

    To describe the bottle-feeding histories of preterm infants and determine physical indices related to and predictive of bottle-feeding initiation and progression. Ex post facto. Academic medical center. A convenience sample of 40 preterm infants without concomitant cardiac, gastrointestinal, or cognitive impairment. Postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding, full bottle-feeding, and discharge. The morbidity rating, using the Neonatal Medical Index (NMI), was most strongly correlated with postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding (r = .34, p < .05), full bottle-feeding (r = .65, p < .01), and discharge (r = .55, p < .05). The morbidity rating also accounted for 12%, 42%, and 30% of the variance in postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding, full bottle-feeding, and discharge, respectively. The NMI may be a useful tool for predicting the initiation and progression of bottle-feeding in preterm infants.

  10. Strategies for lowering attrition rates and raising NCLEX-RN pass rates.

    PubMed

    Higgins, Bonnie

    2005-12-01

    This study was designed to determine strategies to raise the NCLEX-RN pass rate and lower the attrition rate in a community college nursing program. Ex-post facto data were collected from 213 former nursing student records. Qualitative data were collected from 10 full-time faculty, 30 new graduates, and 45 directors of associate degree nursing programs in Texas. The findings linked the academic variables of two biology courses and three components of the preadmission test to completion of the nursing program. A relationship was found between one biology course, the science component of the preadmission test, the HESI Exit Examination score, and the nursing skills course to passing the NCLEX-RN. Qualitative data indicated preadmission requirements, campus counselors, remediation, faculty, test-item writing, and teaching method were instrumental in completion of the program and passing the NCLEX-RN.

  11. Characteristics of drug-abusing women with children in residential treatment: a preliminary evaluation of program retention and treatment completion.

    PubMed

    Simons, Lori

    2008-01-01

    An ex post facto study was conducted to investigate treatment outcomes for 80 women and 168 children admitted into a residential substance-abuse treatment program. The results indicated childhood emotional neglect is a barrier for remaining in and completing treatment for African-American women with comorbid psychological disorders but not for those with crack cocaine dependent disorders. African-American women with comorbid psychological disorders were also three times more likely to dropout of treatment. In addition, there were relatively few differences for between drug-exposed and nonexposed children. However, the results indicated that children of substance-abusing women who completed treatment were more likely to have behavioral problems, to receive early intervention services, and to have mothers as legal guardians by the end of treatment. Implications for gender-specific interventions for African-American women and their children in residential treatment are discussed.

  12. 76 FR 39019 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-05

    ... for the more selective, directed fishing categories, and be a de facto reallocation of quota shares... allowing a de facto ``incidental catch'' fishery in the Gulf of Mexico, in violation of the ICCAT... regarding post-release mortality, makes it difficult to quantify now the effect of the weak hook requirement...

  13. The relationship between risk factors and aeronautical decision making in the flight training environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wetmore, Michael J.

    The purpose of this applied dissertation was to investigate the relationship between risk factors and aeronautical decision making in the flight training environment using a quantitative, non-experimental, ex post facto research design. All 75 of the flight training accidents that involved a fatality from the years 2001-2003 were selected for study from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aviation accident database. Objective evidence from the Factual Reports was used to construct accident chains and to code and quantify total risk factors and total poor aeronautical decisions. The data were processed using correlational statistical tests at the 1% significance level. There was a statistically significant relationship between total risk factors per flight and poor decisions per flight. Liveware risks were the most prevalent risk factor category. More poor decisions were made during preflight than any other phase of flight. Pilots who made multiple poor decisions per flight had significantly higher risk factors per flight. A risk factor threat to decision making chart is presented for use by flight instructors and/or flight training organizations. The main threat to validity of this study was the NTSB accident investigation team investigative equality assumption.

  14. The Correlation Between Metacognition Level with Self-Efficacy of Biology Education College Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ridlo, S.; Lutfiya, F.

    2017-04-01

    Self-efficacy is a strong predictor of academic achievement. Self-efficacy refers to the ability of college students to achieve the desired results. The metacognition level can influence college student’s self-efficacy. This study aims to identify college student’s metacognition level and self-efficacy, as well as determine the relationship between self-efficacy and metacognition level for college students of Biology Education 2013, Semarang State University. The ex-post facto quantitative research was conducted on 99 students Academic Year 2015/2016. Saturation sampling technique determined samples. E-D scale collected data for self-efficacy identification. Data for assess the metacognition level collected by Metacognitive Awareness Inventory. Data were analysed quantitatively by Pearson correlation and linear regression. Most college students have the high level of metacognition and average self-efficacy. Pearson correlation coefficient result was 0.367. This result showed that metacognition level and self-efficacy has a weak relationship. Based on linear regression test, self-efficacy influenced by metacognition level up to 13.5%. The results of the study showed that positive and significant relationships exist between metacognition level and self-efficacy. Therefore, if the metacognition level is high, then self-efficacy will also be high (appropriate).

  15. Adaptation problems with nursing home application for elderly persons: an application of the Roy adaptation nursing model.

    PubMed

    Farkas, L

    1981-09-01

    This study sought to identify adaptation problems on the part of elderly persons and significant others that were associated with nursing home applications for elderly persons. Within the framework of the Roy Adaptation Nursing Model, an ex post facto research design was utilized to identify these adaptation problems. The four adaptive modes in this model are: physiological, self-concept, role function, and interdependence. The study group (n = 22) and a control group of elderly persons living in Calgary, as well as their significant others, were administered a structured questionnaire. Five hypotheses relating to overall adaptation problems, powerlessness, role reversal, guilt, and knowledge and utilization of services were formulated and tested. Only the hypothesis indicating role reversal on the part of the significant others was accepted. Adaptation problems encountered by the elderly which were associated with nursing home applications occurred in the self-concept and interdependence adaptive modes. The adaptation problems perceived by the significant others, which were associated with nursing home applications for their elderly, occurred in the self-concept, role function, and interdependence modes. Adaptation problems from the significant others' perception rather than from the elderly persons' perception appear to be more significantly associated with nursing home applications.

  16. The effects of exercise intensity and post-exercise recovery time on cortical activation as revealed by EEG alpha peak frequency.

    PubMed

    Gutmann, B; Zimmer, P; Hülsdünker, T; Lefebvre, J; Binnebößel, S; Oberste, M; Bloch, W; Strüder, H K; Mierau, A

    2018-03-06

    Acute physical exercise (APE) induces an increase in the individual alpha peak frequency (iAPF), a cortical parameter associated with neural information processing speed. The aim of this study was to further scrutinize the influence of different APE intensities on post-exercise iAPF as well as its time course after exercise cessation. 95 healthy young (18-35 years) subjects participated in two randomized controlled experiments (EX1 and EX2). In EX1, all participants completed a graded exercise test (GXT) until exhaustion and were randomly allocated into different delay groups (immediately 0, 30, 60 and 90 min after GXT). The iAPF was determined before, immediately after as well as after the group-specific delay following the GXT. In EX2, participants exercised for 35 min at either 45-50%, 65-70% or 85-90% of their maximum heart rate (HR max ). The iAPF was determined before, immediately after as well as 20 min after exercise cessation. In EX1, the iAPF was significantly increased immediately after the GXT in all groups. This effect was not any more detectable after 30 min following exercise cessation. In EX2, a significant increase of the iAPF was found only after high-intensity (85-90% HR max ) exercise. The results indicate intense or exhaustive physical exercise is required to induce a transient increase in the iAPF that persists about 30 min following exercise cessation. Based on these findings, further research will have to scrutinize the behavioral implications associated with iAPF modulations following exercise. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Spanish and UK Post-PhD Researchers: Writing Perceptions, Well-Being and Productivity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castelló, Montserrat; McAlpine, Lynn; Pyhältö, Kirsi

    2017-01-01

    Post-PhD researchers working at universities are contributors to a country's productivity and competitiveness mostly through writing, which becomes a means to establish their scholarly identity as they contribute to knowledge. However, little is known about researchers' writing perceptions, and their interrelations with engagement in research,…

  18. Forging a Research Pathway: Perspectives of Two Post-Tenure Female Faculty Members

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McIntyre, Laureen J.; Hellsten, Laurie-Ann M.

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents an auto-ethnographic exploration of two post-tenure female faculty member's experiences developing their programs of research. Self-reflection was used to explore the factors that have helped or hindered the development of their research program, and the continued challenges they faced as female faculty. Composite themes were…

  19. Extracting and standardizing medication information in clinical text – the MedEx-UIMA system

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Min; Wu, Yonghui; Shah, Anushi; Priyanka, Priyanka; Denny, Joshua C.; Xu, Hua

    2014-01-01

    Extraction of medication information embedded in clinical text is important for research using electronic health records (EHRs). However, most of current medication information extraction systems identify drug and signature entities without mapping them to standard representation. In this study, we introduced the open source Java implementation of MedEx, an existing high-performance medication information extraction system, based on the Unstructured Information Management Architecture (UIMA) framework. In addition, we developed new encoding modules in the MedEx-UIMA system, which mapped an extracted drug name/dose/form to both generalized and specific RxNorm concepts and translated drug frequency information to ISO standard. We processed 826 documents by both systems and verified that MedEx-UIMA and MedEx (the Python version) performed similarly by comparing both results. Using two manually annotated test sets that contained 300 drug entries from medication list and 300 drug entries from narrative reports, the MedEx-UIMA system achieved F-measures of 98.5% and 97.5% respectively for encoding drug names to corresponding RxNorm generic drug ingredients, and F-measures of 85.4% and 88.1% respectively for mapping drug names/dose/form to the most specific RxNorm concepts. It also achieved an F-measure of 90.4% for normalizing frequency information to ISO standard. The open source MedEx-UIMA system is freely available online at http://code.google.com/p/medex-uima/. PMID:25954575

  20. A Reassessment of the Impact of Astronomy REU Programs on Female Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slater, Stephanie J.; Slater, T. F.

    2008-05-01

    For many years, federal agencies have enthusiastically supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs to engage students in research experiences to encourage them to continue to pursue astronomy career paths. Despite widespread tacit agreement that such experiences are critically important to filling the STEM career pipeline, there has been insufficient evaluation published to substantiate these impacts, with what little is described focusing on building students’ confidence and enculturation into the scientific enterprise. Upon closer inspection the data that exists, it appears that REU's may have little impact on participants’ career decisions, with the small number of those who do alter their intentions in favor of attending being balanced out by those who decide not to attend. This scenario begs the question of do REU programs create students who will go on to STEM careers or, alternatively, do REU programs simply attract students who are already pre-destined for STEM careers? This study chose to approach the problem using a mixed method, ex post facto design. Using six years of data, pre- and post- interview transcripts were compared to career decisions to develop a framework through which to further interview participants with regard to which career pathway decisions they are making. An interview process was then used to develop a new model that explained both these participants’ choices and findings in previous research. Data suggests that the nature and perceived quality of an REU experience is largely irrelevant to STEM career pursuit. For participants who were already committed to graduate studies, the REU was a means to enhance their candidacy for admissions. Those least likely to attend graduate school were those who were not committed prior to the REU. For these participants the REU served as a means to enhance their resumes for post-graduation employment.

  1. Tongue acupuncture in treatment of post-stroke dysphagia

    PubMed Central

    Cai, Haiyan; Ma, Benxu; Gao, Xia; Gao, Huanmin

    2015-01-01

    Tongue acupuncture is a technique that treats illness through acupuncture applied to the tongue. This study was designed to assess its therapeutic effects in the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia. A clinical control study was conducted with randomly selected 180 patients with post-stroke dysphagia. The patients were assigned into 2 groups: 90 in the Tongue acupuncture group received tongue acupuncture on the basis of conventional medication, 90 in the conventional acupuncture group received acupuncture on the neck and wrist. Acupoints in the tongue are Juanquan (EX-HN10) (at the midpoint of dorsal raphe of the tongue) and Haiquan (EX-HN11) (Sublingual frenulum midpoint). Acupoits on the body are Fengchi (GB20) and Neiguan (PC6). The effective rate, the national institutes of health stroke scale (NIHSS), TV X-ray fluoroscopy swallowing function (VFSS), the incidence rate of pneumonia were used to evaluate the efficacy after 4 weeks treatment. The NIHSS and VFSS of tongue acupuncture group were improved significantly than that of the conventional group (P < 0.01, respectively). The incidence rate of pneumonia decreased (P < 0. 01). The effective rate of the tongue acupuncture group was higher than that of conventional group (96.67% vs. 66.67%, P < 0. 01). On the basis of the conventional medication, tongue acupuncture would effectively improve the swallow functions, decrease the neurological deficit and reduce the incidence of pneumonia in patients with post-stroke dysphagia. PMID:26550374

  2. Applying rapid 'de-facto' HTA in resource-limited settings: experience from Romania.

    PubMed

    Lopert, Ruth; Ruiz, Francis; Chalkidou, Kalipso

    2013-10-01

    In attempting to constrain healthcare expenditure growth, health technology assessment (HTA) can enable policy-makers to look beyond budget impact and facilitate more rational decision-making. However lack of technical capacity and poor governance can limit use in some countries. Undertaking de facto HTA by adapting decisions taken in countries with established processes is a method that may be applied while building domestic HTA capacity. We explored the potential for applying this approach in Romania. As part of a review of the basic health benefits available to insured Romanians we examined the listing process and content of the Romanian drug reimbursement formulary. We assessed value for money indirectly by drawing on appraisals by UK's NICE, and for products considered cost effective in the UK, adjusting prices by the ratio of Romanian per capita GDP to UK per capita GDP. We found more than 30 of the top 50 medicines on the Romanian formulary unlikely to be cost-effective, suggesting that existing external reference pricing mechanisms may not be delivering good value for money. While not taking into account local costs or treatment patterns, absent local considerations of value for money, this method offers a guide for both drug selection and pricing. Until robust local HTA processes are established this approach could support further analysis of existing prices and pricing mechanisms. Applied more generally, it is arguably preferable to external reference pricing, product delisting or arbitrary price cuts, and may support the future development of more rigorous, evidence-based decision-making. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [Active participation in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training: perspectives of future general practitioners].

    PubMed

    Haumann, Hannah; Flum, Elisabeth; Joos, Stefanie

    2016-12-01

    Academic institutions of general practice at German medical faculties have grown during the past years. This leads to an increase in the need of qualified young researchers and teachers in general practice (GP). Little is known about the interest in research and teaching skills and their training among general practice trainees and young GPs. This cross-sectional survey among GP trainees and young GPs examined 1. if there is an interest in the training in research and teaching skills during post-graduate GP training, 2. which fostering and hindering factors have an effect on this interest and 3. which roles are attributed to academic institutions of general practice. A web-based cross-sectional study was performed among members of "Verbundweiterbildung plus" , a network of GP trainees, as well as "Junge Allgemeinmedizin Deutschland", the German network of young GPs. Descriptive analysis was conducted. 148 GP trainees and young GPs participated in the study, 76% (n=109) of them were GP trainees. There was interest in a position in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training among 55% (n=78). Factors associated with the interest in a position in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training were (MV 5-point Likert scale ± SD): compatibility of clinical work and research/teaching and of family and career (4.4±0.8; 4.7±0.6 respectively). The roles of academic institutions of general practice were attributed to training of medical students (4.6±0.6), post-graduate GP training (4.5±0.7) and research (4.5±0.7). GP trainees assessed the importance of training in research and teaching skills during post-graduate GP training and of the compatibility of family and career differently from young GPs (3.7±1.0 vs. 4.1±0.8 p=0.027; 4.8±0.5 vs. 4.3±0.9, p=0.016). Those interested in a position in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training showed a stronger interest in specific training in research skills (3.7±1.1 vs. 2.8±1.1, p<0.001), a

  4. Prevalence of NRT use and associated nicotine intake in smokers, recent ex-smokers and longer-term ex-smokers.

    PubMed

    Shahab, Lion; Beard, Emma; Brown, Jamie; West, Robert

    2014-01-01

    Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is used by smokers wanting to reduce their smoking and to quit. However, there are very little data on nicotine intake associated with NRT use in representative population samples. This study aimed to provide estimates for NRT use and associated nicotine exposure among smokers, recent and longer-term ex-smokers in England, a country with a permissive regulatory regime for nicotine substitution. In the Smoking Toolkit Study, a monthly series of representative household surveys of adults aged 16+ in England, current and recent ex-smokers who agreed to be re-contacted were followed up 6 months later and standard socio-demographic and smoking characteristics assessed (N = 5,467, response rate 25.1%). A random sub-sample (N = 1,614; 29.5%) also provided saliva, analysed for cotinine. The sample followed up was broadly representative of the original sample. At follow-up, 11.8% (95%CI 10.9-12.8, N = 565) of current smokers, 34.8% (95%CI 28.9-41.3, N = 77) of recent (≤ 3 months) ex-smokers, and 7.8% (95%CI 5.6-10.6, N = 36) of longer-term (> 3 months) ex-smokers reported using NRT. Smokers who used NRT had similar saliva cotinine concentrations to smokers who did not use NRT (mean ± sd  = 356.0 ± 198.6 ng/ml vs. 313.1 ± 178.4 ng/ml). Recent ex-smokers who used NRT had levels that were somewhat lower, but not significantly so, than current smokers (216.7 ± 179.3 ng/ml). Longer-term ex-smokers using NRT had still lower levels (157.3 ± 227.1 ng/ml), which differed significantly from smokers using NRT (p = 0.024). Concurrent use of nicotine replacement therapy while smoking is relatively uncommon and is not associated with higher levels of nicotine intake. Among ex-smokers, NRT use is common in the short but not longer-term and among longer-term users is associated with lower nicotine intake than in smokers.

  5. Comparison of In Vivo and Ex Vivo MRI for the Detection of Structural Abnormalities in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy.

    PubMed

    Holmes, Holly E; Powell, Nick M; Ma, Da; Ismail, Ozama; Harrison, Ian F; Wells, Jack A; Colgan, Niall; O'Callaghan, James M; Johnson, Ross A; Murray, Tracey K; Ahmed, Zeshan; Heggenes, Morten; Fisher, Alice; Cardoso, M Jorge; Modat, Marc; O'Neill, Michael J; Collins, Emily C; Fisher, Elizabeth M C; Ourselin, Sébastien; Lythgoe, Mark F

    2017-01-01

    With increasingly large numbers of mouse models of human disease dedicated to MRI studies, compromises between in vivo and ex vivo MRI must be fully understood in order to inform the choice of imaging methodology. We investigate the application of high resolution in vivo and ex vivo MRI, in combination with tensor-based morphometry (TBM), to uncover morphological differences in the rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy. The rTg4510 mouse also offers a novel paradigm by which the overexpression of mutant tau can be regulated by the administration of doxycycline, providing us with a platform on which to investigate more subtle alterations in morphology with morphometry. Both in vivo and ex vivo MRI allowed the detection of widespread bilateral patterns of atrophy in the rTg4510 mouse brain relative to wild-type controls. Regions of volume loss aligned with neuronal loss and pathological tau accumulation demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. When we sought to investigate more subtle structural alterations in the rTg4510 mice relative to a subset of doxycycline-treated rTg4510 mice, ex vivo imaging enabled the detection of more regions of morphological brain changes. The disadvantages of ex vivo MRI may however mitigate this increase in sensitivity: we observed a 10% global shrinkage in brain volume of the post-mortem tissues due to formalin fixation, which was most notable in the cerebellum and olfactory bulbs. However, many central brain regions were not adversely affected by the fixation protocol, perhaps due to our "in-skull" preparation. The disparity between our TBM findings from in vivo and ex vivo MRI underlines the importance of appropriate study design, given the trade-off between these two imaging approaches. We support the utility of in vivo MRI for morphological phenotyping of mouse models of disease; however, for subtler phenotypes, ex vivo offers enhanced sensitivity to discrete morphological changes.

  6. Fracture resistance of teeth restored with post-retained restorations: an overview.

    PubMed

    Al-Omiri, Mahmoud Khaled; Mahmoud, Ahmad Abdelaziz; Rayyan, Mohammad Ramadan; Abu-Hammad, Osama

    2010-09-01

    Posts have been used efficiently to retain restorations for badly destructed teeth. This article critically analyzes the concerned topics related to the fracture resistance of teeth restored with dowel-retained restorations. A systematic review of PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases was completed (from 1960 to 2010). Single or combined key words were used to obtain the most possible comprehensive list of articles. Checking the references of the relevant obtained sources completed the review along with a manual search to locate related articles on the topic. In vivo and ex vivo (laboratory, computer-based finite element, and photoelastic stress analysis studies) investigations related to the topic were included. Many factors have been proposed to influence the fracture resistance of post-restored teeth. Recognizing the significance of these factors on the fracture resistance of teeth would aid in choosing the suitable treatment modality for every individual case. Fracture resistance was improved if tooth structure loss was limited, a ferrule was obtained, a post with similar physical properties to natural dentine was used, and adhesive techniques for post luting and coronal restoration were used. Adhesively luted resin/fiber posts with composite cores appear to be the best currently available option in terms of tooth fracture and biomechanical behaviour. Most guidelines were based mainly on ex vivo studies and to a lesser extent on limited in vivo studies. The lack of long-term controlled randomized clinical studies was the main hindrance to reaching a conclusive and undisputable opinion regarding endodontic posts in terms of tooth fracture and biomechanical behaviour. Copyright 2010 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. 39 CFR 3000.735-501 - Ex parte communications prohibited.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Ex parte communications prohibited. 3000.735-501 Section 3000.735-501 Postal Service POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION PERSONNEL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT Ex Parte Communications § 3000.735-501 Ex parte communications prohibited. Decision-making Commission personnel, as...

  8. GoFFish: Graph-Oriented Framework for Foresight and Insight Using Scalable Heuristics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-01

    series of research challenges that arise from the above and related to: scalability, data partitioning, memory representation and storage, exe - cution...job with varied deadlines in Jan, 2013. Further, we also build an SPSP model using Jan, 2013 data post facto as an ideal case. Fig. 7 reports the...Advanced Studies on Collaborative Research . Riverton, NJ, USA: IBM Corp., 2009, pp. 101–111. [42] G. J. Nutt, “The evolution towards flexible workflow

  9. Informing Ex Ante Event Studies with Macro-Econometric Evidence on the Structural and Policy Impacts of Terrorism.

    PubMed

    Nassios, Jason; Giesecke, James A

    2018-04-01

    Economic consequence analysis is one of many inputs to terrorism contingency planning. Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models are being used more frequently in these analyses, in part because of their capacity to accommodate high levels of event-specific detail. In modeling the potential economic effects of a hypothetical terrorist event, two broad sets of shocks are required: (1) physical impacts on observable variables (e.g., asset damage); (2) behavioral impacts on unobservable variables (e.g., investor uncertainty). Assembling shocks describing the physical impacts of a terrorist incident is relatively straightforward, since estimates are either readily available or plausibly inferred. However, assembling shocks describing behavioral impacts is more difficult. Values for behavioral variables (e.g., required rates of return) are typically inferred or estimated by indirect means. Generally, this has been achieved via reference to extraneous literature or ex ante surveys. This article explores a new method. We elucidate the magnitude of CGE-relevant structural shifts implicit in econometric evidence on terrorist incidents, with a view to informing future ex ante event assessments. Ex post econometric studies of terrorism by Blomberg et al. yield macro econometric equations that describe the response of observable economic variables (e.g., GDP growth) to terrorist incidents. We use these equations to determine estimates for relevant (unobservable) structural and policy variables impacted by terrorist incidents, using a CGE model of the United States. This allows us to: (i) compare values for these shifts with input assumptions in earlier ex ante CGE studies; and (ii) discuss how future ex ante studies can be informed by our analysis. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

  10. Rehabilitating Ex-Offenders through Non-Formal Education in Lesotho

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngozwana, Nomazulu

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports on the rehabilitation of ex-offenders through non-formal education. It examines how non-formal education has addressed the ex-offenders' adaptive and transformative needs. Using an interpretive paradigm and qualitative approach, individual interviews were conducted with five ex-offenders who were chosen through purposive and…

  11. Visualizing the Future of Research on Post Secondary Correctional Education: Designs, Data, and Deliverables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wheeldon, J.

    2011-01-01

    Providing post-secondary education in correctional settings has emerged as one of the best ways to reduce recidivism, save taxpayer dollars, and promote post release employment and community reintegration. While a number of studies exist, this paper argues persistent challenges connected to research design, data collection, and the communication…

  12. The Views of Ex-Police Officers on Child Abuse Case Attrition in the United Kingdom.

    PubMed

    Krahenbuhl, Sarah J; Dent, Helen R

    2017-11-01

    Attrition in child abuse cases is of continuing concern. International research has produced evidence to suggest that the form and quality of the evidence available in many child abuse cases is of insufficient quality to allow progression through the judicial system. Recent revelations have led to an increase in public and professional awareness of the prevalence of child sexual abuse, and how this is managed by the legal and social care systems. The aim of this research was to explore the opinions of ex-Police Officers who had direct experience relating to the management of child abuse cases about the factors affecting case progression. Seven ex-Police Officers were interviewed and the transcribed data were thematically analyzed. The five main themes derived from the data were Global Myths, Assumptions, and Misconceptions; Suitability; Resources; Professionals' Attributes; and Working Together. These themes demonstrated that the primary issues indicated by ex-Police Officers were more about relationships between professionals, an understanding of the child's perspective, and their subsequent involvement in the legal processes than simply being related to a lack of resources.

  13. 40 CFR 304.25 - Ex parte communication.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Ex parte communication. 304.25 Section 304.25 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY... CLAIMS Jurisdiction of Arbitrator, Referral of Claims, and Appointment of Arbitrator § 304.25 Ex parte...

  14. Retention of young female post-doc physics researchers in the UK

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whitelegg, Elizabeth

    2004-03-01

    The talk will describe the results of a research project to investigate the problems young women physics researchers encountered during early stages of their careers and their perceptions of the longer-term difficulties they anticipated were they to pursue a career in physics research. The project examined quantitative data from a large sample of female members of the UK Institute of Physics (IOP) and qualitative data from intensive interviews with 27 young female doctoral and post-doctoral researchers at an early stage in their careers. In the survey of women PhD members of the IOP, only 15% of the younger women (aged under 30) said they had encountered gender barriers compared with 45% of older women. However, within a few years of completing their PhDs only 25% of the young women remained in physics research although they had previously aspired to work in this area. The reasons given for leaving physics included a dislike of the male culture or atmosphere in research labs, the fact that few of the young women thought that they would ever attain a senior physics post, concerns about balancing a research career with raising a young family and anticipating a need to relocate to match a partners career moves. These are clearly gender-related barriers and constraints although these young women often did not perceive them in this way. This research examines the notion of direct and indirect gender barriers. It addresses the idea of subtle discrimination by examining both institutional employment practices and the prevalent male culture or atmosphere in physics research, which contribute to the leaky pipeline in womens physics employment in the UK.

  15. Impact of process temperature on GaSb metal-oxide-semiconductor interface properties fabricated by ex-situ process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yokoyama, Masafumi; Asakura, Yuji; Yokoyama, Haruki; Takenaka, Mitsuru; Takagi, Shinichi

    2014-06-01

    We have studied the impact of process temperature on interface properties of GaSb metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures fabricated by an ex-situ atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) process. We have found that the ALD temperature strongly affects the Al2O3/GaSb MOS interface properties. The Al2O3/GaSb MOS interfaces fabricated at the low ALD temperature of 150 °C have the minimum interface-trap density (Dit) of ˜4.5 × 1013 cm-2 eV-1. We have also found that the post-metalization annealing at temperature higher than 200 °C degrades the Al2O3/GaSb MOS interface properties. The low-temperature process is preferable in fabricating GaSb MOS interfaces in the ex-situ ALD process to avoid the high-temperature-induced degradations.

  16. Critical role for GLP-1 in symptomatic post-bariatric hypoglycaemia.

    PubMed

    Craig, Colleen M; Liu, Li-Fen; Deacon, Carolyn F; Holst, Jens J; McLaughlin, Tracey L

    2017-03-01

    Post-bariatric hypoglycaemia (PBH) is a rare, but severe, metabolic disorder arising months to years after bariatric surgery. It is characterised by symptomatic postprandial hypoglycaemia, with inappropriately elevated insulin concentrations. The relative contribution of exaggerated incretin hormone signalling to dysregulated insulin secretion and symptomatic hypoglycaemia is a subject of ongoing inquiry. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that PBH and associated symptoms are primarily mediated by glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). We conducted a double-blinded crossover study wherein eight participants with confirmed PBH were assigned in random order to intravenous infusion of the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1r) antagonist. Exendin (9-39) (Ex-9), or placebo during an OGTT on two separate days at the Stanford University Clinical and Translational Research Unit. Metabolic, symptomatic and pharmacokinetic variables were evaluated. Results were compared with a cohort of BMI- and glucose-matched non-surgical controls (NSCs). Infusion of Ex-9 decreased the time to peak glucose and rate of glucose decline during OGTT, and raised the postprandial nadir by over 70%, normalising it relative to NSCs and preventing hypoglycaemia in all PBH participants. Insulin AUC and secretion rate decreased by 57% and 71% respectively, and peak postprandial insulin was normalised relative to NSCs. Autonomic and neuroglycopenic symptoms were significantly reduced during Ex-9 infusion. GLP-1r blockade prevented hypoglycaemia in 100% of individuals, normalised beta cell function and reversed neuroglycopenic symptoms, supporting the conclusion that GLP-1 plays a primary role in mediating hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in PBH. Competitive antagonism at the GLP-1r merits consideration as a therapeutic strategy. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02550145.

  17. 37 CFR 1.510 - Request for ex parte reexamination.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Request for ex parte reexamination. 1.510 Section 1.510 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE... for Ex Parte Reexamination § 1.510 Request for ex parte reexamination. (a) Any person may, at any time...

  18. 37 CFR 1.510 - Request for ex parte reexamination.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Request for ex parte reexamination. 1.510 Section 1.510 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE... for Ex Parte Reexamination § 1.510 Request for ex parte reexamination. (a) Any person may, at any time...

  19. 37 CFR 1.510 - Request for ex parte reexamination.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Request for ex parte reexamination. 1.510 Section 1.510 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE... for Ex Parte Reexamination § 1.510 Request for ex parte reexamination. (a) Any person may, at any time...

  20. 37 CFR 1.510 - Request for ex parte reexamination.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Request for ex parte reexamination. 1.510 Section 1.510 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE... for Ex Parte Reexamination § 1.510 Request for ex parte reexamination. (a) Any person may, at any time...

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