Multidisciplinary design optimization: An emerging new engineering discipline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1993-01-01

This paper defines the Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) as a new field of research endeavor and as an aid in the design of engineering systems. It examines the MDO conceptual components in relation to each other and defines their functions.

Multi-disciplinary coupling effects for integrated design of propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, C. C.; Singhal, S. N.

1993-01-01

Effective computational simulation procedures are described for modeling the inherent multi-disciplinary interactions which govern the accurate response of propulsion systems. Results are presented for propulsion system responses including multi-disciplinary coupling effects using coupled multi-discipline thermal, structural, and acoustic tailoring; an integrated system of multi-disciplinary simulators; coupled material behavior/fabrication process tailoring; sensitivities using a probabilistic simulator; and coupled materials, structures, fracture, and probabilistic behavior simulator. The results demonstrate that superior designs can be achieved if the analysis/tailoring methods account for the multi-disciplinary coupling effects. The coupling across disciplines can be used to develop an integrated coupled multi-discipline numerical propulsion system simulator.

Surrogate assisted multidisciplinary design optimization for an all-electric GEO satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Renhe; Liu, Li; Long, Teng; Liu, Jian; Yuan, Bin

2017-09-01

State-of-the-art all-electric geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites use electric thrusters to execute all propulsive duties, which significantly differ from the traditional all-chemical ones in orbit-raising, station-keeping, radiation damage protection, and power budget, etc. Design optimization task of an all-electric GEO satellite is therefore a complex multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) problem involving unique design considerations. However, solving the all-electric GEO satellite MDO problem faces big challenges in disciplinary modeling techniques and efficient optimization strategy. To address these challenges, we presents a surrogate assisted MDO framework consisting of several modules, i.e., MDO problem definition, multidisciplinary modeling, multidisciplinary analysis (MDA), and surrogate assisted optimizer. Based on the proposed framework, the all-electric GEO satellite MDO problem is formulated to minimize the total mass of the satellite system under a number of practical constraints. Then considerable efforts are spent on multidisciplinary modeling involving geosynchronous transfer, GEO station-keeping, power, thermal control, attitude control, and structure disciplines. Since orbit dynamics models and finite element structural model are computationally expensive, an adaptive response surface surrogate based optimizer is incorporated in the proposed framework to solve the satellite MDO problem with moderate computational cost, where a response surface surrogate is gradually refined to represent the computationally expensive MDA process. After optimization, the total mass of the studied GEO satellite is decreased by 185.3 kg (i.e., 7.3% of the total mass). Finally, the optimal design is further discussed to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed framework to cope with the all-electric GEO satellite system design optimization problems. This proposed surrogate assisted MDO framework can also provide valuable references for other all

Multidisciplinary design optimization using multiobjective formulation techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Pagaldipti, Narayanan S.

1995-01-01

This report addresses the development of a multidisciplinary optimization procedure using an efficient semi-analytical sensitivity analysis technique and multilevel decomposition for the design of aerospace vehicles. A semi-analytical sensitivity analysis procedure is developed for calculating computational grid sensitivities and aerodynamic design sensitivities. Accuracy and efficiency of the sensitivity analysis procedure is established through comparison of the results with those obtained using a finite difference technique. The developed sensitivity analysis technique are then used within a multidisciplinary optimization procedure for designing aerospace vehicles. The optimization problem, with the integration of aerodynamics and structures, is decomposed into two levels. Optimization is performed for improved aerodynamic performance at the first level and improved structural performance at the second level. Aerodynamic analysis is performed by solving the three-dimensional parabolized Navier Stokes equations. A nonlinear programming technique and an approximate analysis procedure are used for optimization. The proceduredeveloped is applied to design the wing of a high speed aircraft. Results obtained show significant improvements in the aircraft aerodynamic and structural performance when compared to a reference or baseline configuration. The use of the semi-analytical sensitivity technique provides significant computational savings.

Multidisciplinary optimization in aircraft design using analytic technology models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, Brett; Mason, W. H.

1991-01-01

An approach to multidisciplinary optimization is presented which combines the Global Sensitivity Equation method, parametric optimization, and analytic technology models. The result is a powerful yet simple procedure for identifying key design issues. It can be used both to investigate technology integration issues very early in the design cycle, and to establish the information flow framework between disciplines for use in multidisciplinary optimization projects using much more computational intense representations of each technology. To illustrate the approach, an examination of the optimization of a short takeoff heavy transport aircraft is presented for numerous combinations of performance and technology constraints.

Multi-disciplinary coupling for integrated design of propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, C. C.; Singhal, S. N.

1993-01-01

Effective computational simulation procedures are described for modeling the inherent multi-disciplinary interactions for determining the true response of propulsion systems. Results are presented for propulsion system responses including multi-discipline coupling effects via (1) coupled multi-discipline tailoring, (2) an integrated system of multidisciplinary simulators, (3) coupled material-behavior/fabrication-process tailoring, (4) sensitivities using a probabilistic simulator, and (5) coupled materials/structures/fracture/probabilistic behavior simulator. The results show that the best designs can be determined if the analysis/tailoring methods account for the multi-disciplinary coupling effects. The coupling across disciplines can be used to develop an integrated interactive multi-discipline numerical propulsion system simulator.

Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Tool Development using a Genetic Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pak, Chan-gi; Li, Wesley

2008-01-01

Multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization using a genetic algorithm is being developed at the National Aeronautics and Space A dministration Dryden Flight Research Center to automate analysis and design process by leveraging existing tools such as NASTRAN, ZAERO a nd CFD codes to enable true multidisciplinary optimization in the pr eliminary design stage of subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypers onic aircraft. This is a promising technology, but faces many challe nges in large-scale, real-world application. This paper describes cur rent approaches, recent results, and challenges for MDAO as demonstr ated by our experience with the Ikhana fire pod design.

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Techniques: Implications and Opportunities for Fluid Dynamics Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zang, Thomas A.; Green, Lawrence L.

1999-01-01

A challenge for the fluid dynamics community is to adapt to and exploit the trend towards greater multidisciplinary focus in research and technology. The past decade has witnessed substantial growth in the research field of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO). MDO is a methodology for the design of complex engineering systems and subsystems that coherently exploits the synergism of mutually interacting phenomena. As evidenced by the papers, which appear in the biannual AIAA/USAF/NASA/ISSMO Symposia on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, the MDO technical community focuses on vehicle and system design issues. This paper provides an overview of the MDO technology field from a fluid dynamics perspective, giving emphasis to suggestions of specific applications of recent MDO technologies that can enhance fluid dynamics research itself across the spectrum, from basic flow physics to full configuration aerodynamics.

MDO can help resolve the designer's dilemma. [multidisciplinary design optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw; Tulinius, Jan R.

1991-01-01

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is presented as a rapidly growing body of methods, algorithms, and techniques that will provide a quantum jump in the effectiveness and efficiency of the quantitative side of design, and will turn that side into an environment in which the qualitative side can thrive. MDO borrows from CAD/CAM for graphic visualization of geometrical and numerical data, data base technology, and in computer software and hardware. Expected benefits from this methodology are a rational, mathematically consistent approach to hypersonic aircraft designs, designs pushed closer to the optimum, and a design process either shortened or leaving time available for different concepts to be explored.

New Approaches to HSCT Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrage, D. P.; Craig, J. I.; Fulton, R. E.; Mistree, F.

1996-01-01

The successful development of a capable and economically viable high speed civil transport (HSCT) is perhaps one of the most challenging tasks in aeronautics for the next two decades. At its heart it is fundamentally the design of a complex engineered system that has significant societal, environmental and political impacts. As such it presents a formidable challenge to all areas of aeronautics, and it is therefore a particularly appropriate subject for research in multidisciplinary design and optimization (MDO). In fact, it is starkly clear that without the availability of powerful and versatile multidisciplinary design, analysis and optimization methods, the design, construction and operation of im HSCT simply cannot be achieved. The present research project is focused on the development and evaluation of MDO methods that, while broader and more general in scope, are particularly appropriate to the HSCT design problem. The research aims to not only develop the basic methods but also to apply them to relevant examples from the NASA HSCT R&D effort. The research involves a three year effort aimed first at the HSCT MDO problem description, next the development of the problem, and finally a solution to a significant portion of the problem.

Integrating principles and multidisciplinary projects in design education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nevill, Gale E., Jr.

1992-01-01

The critical need to improve engineering design education in the U.S. is presented and a number of actions to achieve that end are discussed. The importance of teaching undergraduates the latest methods and principles through the means of team design in multidisciplinary projects leading to a testable product is emphasized. Desirable training for design instructors is described and techniques for selecting and managing projects that teach effectively are discussed.

Multidisciplinary design optimization using genetic algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unal, Resit

1994-01-01

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is an important step in the conceptual design and evaluation of launch vehicles since it can have a significant impact on performance and life cycle cost. The objective is to search the system design space to determine values of design variables that optimize the performance characteristic subject to system constraints. Gradient-based optimization routines have been used extensively for aerospace design optimization. However, one limitation of gradient based optimizers is their need for gradient information. Therefore, design problems which include discrete variables can not be studied. Such problems are common in launch vehicle design. For example, the number of engines and material choices must be integer values or assume only a few discrete values. In this study, genetic algorithms are investigated as an approach to MDO problems involving discrete variables and discontinuous domains. Optimization by genetic algorithms (GA) uses a search procedure which is fundamentally different from those gradient based methods. Genetic algorithms seek to find good solutions in an efficient and timely manner rather than finding the best solution. GA are designed to mimic evolutionary selection. A population of candidate designs is evaluated at each iteration, and each individual's probability of reproduction (existence in the next generation) depends on its fitness value (related to the value of the objective function). Progress toward the optimum is achieved by the crossover and mutation operations. GA is attractive since it uses only objective function values in the search process, so gradient calculations are avoided. Hence, GA are able to deal with discrete variables. Studies report success in the use of GA for aircraft design optimization studies, trajectory analysis, space structure design and control systems design. In these studies reliable convergence was achieved, but the number of function evaluations was large compared

Toward a More Flexible Web-Based Framework for Multidisciplinary Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, J. L.; Salas, A. O.

1999-01-01

In today's competitive environment, both industry and government agencies are under pressure to reduce the time and cost of multidisciplinary design projects. New tools have been introduced to assist in this process by facilitating the integration of and communication among diverse disciplinary codes. One such tool, a framework for multidisciplinary design, is defined as a hardware-software architecture that enables integration, execution, and communication among diverse disciplinary processes. An examination of current frameworks reveals weaknesses in various areas, such as sequencing, monitoring, controlling, and displaying the design process. The objective of this research is to explore how Web technology can improve these areas of weakness and lead toward a more flexible framework. This article describes a Web-based system that optimizes and controls the execution sequence of design processes in addition to monitoring the project status and displaying the design results.

New Approaches to HSCT Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrage, Daniel P.; Craig, James I.; Fulton, Robert E.; Mistree, Farrokh

1999-01-01

New approaches to MDO have been developed and demonstrated during this project on a particularly challenging aeronautics problem- HSCT Aeroelastic Wing Design. To tackle this problem required the integration of resources and collaboration from three Georgia Tech laboratories: ASDL, SDL, and PPRL, along with close coordination and participation from industry. Its success can also be contributed to the close interaction and involvement of fellows from the NASA Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MAO) program, which was going on in parallel, and provided additional resources to work the very complex, multidisciplinary problem, along with the methods being developed. The development of the Integrated Design Engineering Simulator (IDES) and its initial demonstration is a necessary first step in transitioning the methods and tools developed to larger industrial sized problems of interest. It also provides a framework for the implementation and demonstration of the methodology. Attachment: Appendix A - List of publications. Appendix B - Year 1 report. Appendix C - Year 2 report. Appendix D - Year 3 report. Appendix E - accompanying CDROM.

A Web-Based Monitoring System for Multidisciplinary Design Projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.; Salas, Andrea O.; Weston, Robert P.

1998-01-01

In today's competitive environment, both industry and government agencies are under pressure to reduce the time and cost of multidisciplinary design projects. New tools have been introduced to assist in this process by facilitating the integration of and communication among diverse disciplinary codes. One such tool, a framework for multidisciplinary computational environments, is defined as a hardware and software architecture that enables integration, execution, and communication among diverse disciplinary processes. An examination of current frameworks reveals weaknesses in various areas, such as sequencing, displaying, monitoring, and controlling the design process. The objective of this research is to explore how Web technology, integrated with an existing framework, can improve these areas of weakness. This paper describes a Web-based system that optimizes and controls the execution sequence of design processes; and monitors the project status and results. The three-stage evolution of the system with increasingly complex problems demonstrates the feasibility of this approach.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Mixer-Ejector Analysis and Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, Eric, S.; Seidel, Jonathan, A.

2012-01-01

The design of an engine for a civil supersonic aircraft presents a difficult multidisciplinary problem to propulsion system engineers. There are numerous competing requirements for the engine, such as to be efficient during cruise while yet quiet enough at takeoff to meet airport noise regulations. The use of mixer-ejector nozzles presents one possible solution to this challenge. However, designing a mixer-ejector which will successfully address both of these concerns is a difficult proposition. Presented in this paper is an integrated multidisciplinary approach to the analysis and design of these systems. A process that uses several low-fidelity tools to evaluate both the performance and acoustics of mixer-ejectors nozzles is described. This process is further expanded to include system-level modeling of engines and aircraft to determine the effects on mission performance and noise near airports. The overall process is developed in the OpenMDAO framework currently being developed by NASA. From the developed process, sample results are given for a notional mixer-ejector design, thereby demonstrating the capabilities of the method.

Complex multidisciplinary systems decomposition for aerospace vehicle conceptual design and technology acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omoragbon, Amen

Although, the Aerospace and Defense (A&D) industry is a significant contributor to the United States' economy, national prestige and national security, it experiences significant cost and schedule overruns. This problem is related to the differences between technology acquisition assessments and aerospace vehicle conceptual design. Acquisition assessments evaluate broad sets of alternatives with mostly qualitative techniques, while conceptual design tools evaluate narrow set of alternatives with multidisciplinary tools. In order for these two fields to communicate effectively, a common platform for both concerns is desired. This research is an original contribution to a three-part solution to this problem. It discusses the decomposition step of an innovation technology and sizing tool generation framework. It identifies complex multidisciplinary system definitions as a bridge between acquisition and conceptual design. It establishes complex multidisciplinary building blocks that can be used to build synthesis systems as well as technology portfolios. It also describes a Graphical User Interface Designed to aid in decomposition process. Finally, it demonstrates an application of the methodology to a relevant acquisition and conceptual design problem posed by the US Air Force.

Multidisciplinary design optimization of aircraft wing structures with aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Sang-Young

Design procedures for aircraft wing structures with control surfaces are presented using multidisciplinary design optimization. Several disciplines such as stress analysis, structural vibration, aerodynamics, and controls are considered simultaneously and combined for design optimization. Vibration data and aerodynamic data including those in the transonic regime are calculated by existing codes. Flutter analyses are performed using those data. A flutter suppression method is studied using control laws in the closed-loop flutter equation. For the design optimization, optimization techniques such as approximation, design variable linking, temporary constraint deletion, and optimality criteria are used. Sensitivity derivatives of stresses and displacements for static loads, natural frequency, flutter characteristics, and control characteristics with respect to design variables are calculated for an approximate optimization. The objective function is the structural weight. The design variables are the section properties of the structural elements and the control gain factors. Existing multidisciplinary optimization codes (ASTROS* and MSC/NASTRAN) are used to perform single and multiple constraint optimizations of fully built up finite element wing structures. Three benchmark wing models are developed and/or modified for this purpose. The models are tested extensively.

The potential application of the blackboard model of problem solving to multidisciplinary design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.

1989-01-01

The potential application of the blackboard model of problem solving to multidisciplinary design is discussed. Multidisciplinary design problems are complex, poorly structured, and lack a predetermined decision path from the initial starting point to the final solution. The final solution is achieved using data from different engineering disciplines. Ideally, for the final solution to be the optimum solution, there must be a significant amount of communication among the different disciplines plus intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary optimization. In reality, this is not what happens in today's sequential approach to multidisciplinary design. Therefore it is highly unlikely that the final solution is the true optimum solution from an interdisciplinary optimization standpoint. A multilevel decomposition approach is suggested as a technique to overcome the problems associated with the sequential approach, but no tool currently exists with which to fully implement this technique. A system based on the blackboard model of problem solving appears to be an ideal tool for implementing this technique because it offers an incremental problem solving approach that requires no a priori determined reasoning path. Thus it has the potential of finding a more optimum solution for the multidisciplinary design problems found in today's aerospace industries.

Application of advanced multidisciplinary analysis and optimization methods to vehicle design synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Consoli, Robert David; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1990-01-01

Advanced multidisciplinary analysis and optimization methods, namely system sensitivity analysis and non-hierarchical system decomposition, are applied to reduce the cost and improve the visibility of an automated vehicle design synthesis process. This process is inherently complex due to the large number of functional disciplines and associated interdisciplinary couplings. Recent developments in system sensitivity analysis as applied to complex non-hierarchic multidisciplinary design optimization problems enable the decomposition of these complex interactions into sub-processes that can be evaluated in parallel. The application of these techniques results in significant cost, accuracy, and visibility benefits for the entire design synthesis process.

Multidisciplinary Multiobjective Optimal Design for Turbomachinery Using Evolutionary Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

This report summarizes Dr. Lian s efforts toward developing a robust and efficient tool for multidisciplinary and multi-objective optimal design for turbomachinery using evolutionary algorithms. This work consisted of two stages. The first stage (from July 2003 to June 2004) Dr. Lian focused on building essential capabilities required for the project. More specifically, Dr. Lian worked on two subjects: an enhanced genetic algorithm (GA) and an integrated optimization system with a GA and a surrogate model. The second stage (from July 2004 to February 2005) Dr. Lian formulated aerodynamic optimization and structural optimization into a multi-objective optimization problem and performed multidisciplinary and multi-objective optimizations on a transonic compressor blade based on the proposed model. Dr. Lian s numerical results showed that the proposed approach can effectively reduce the blade weight and increase the stage pressure ratio in an efficient manner. In addition, the new design was structurally safer than the original design. Five conference papers and three journal papers were published on this topic by Dr. Lian.

NASA Aeronautics Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Fellowship Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossman, B.; Gurdal, Z.; Kapania, R. K.; Mason, W. H.; Schetz, J. A.

1999-01-01

This program began as a grant from NASA Headquarters, NGT-10025, which was in effect from 10/l/93 until 10/31/96. The remaining funding for this effort was transferred from NASA Headquarters to NASA Langley and a new grant NGT-1-52155 was issued covering the period II/l/96 to 5/15/99. This report serves as the final report of NGT-1-52155. For a number of years, Virginia Tech had been on the forefront of research in the area of multidisciplinary analysis and design. In June of 1994, faculty members from aerospace and ocean engineering, engineering science and mechanics, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, mathematics and computer sciences, at Virginia Tech joined together to form the Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design (MAD) Center for Advanced Vehicles. The center was established with the single goal: to perform research that is relevant to the needs of the US industry and to foster collaboration between the university, government and industry. In October of 1994, the center was chosen by NASA headquarters as one of the five university centers to establish a fellowship program to develop a graduate program in multidisciplinary analysis and design. The fellowship program provides full stipend and tuition support for seven U. S. students per year during their graduate studies. The grant is currently being administered by the NMO Branch of NASA Langley. To advise us regarding the problems faced by the industry, an industrial advisory board has been formed consisting of representatives from industry as well as government laboratories. The present membership includes major aerospace companies: Aurora Flight Sciences, Boeing: Philadelphia, Boeing: Long Beach, Boeing: Seattle, Boeing: St. Louis, Cessna, Ford, General Electric, Hughes, Lockheed-Martin: Palo Alto, Northrop-Grumman, Sikorsky, smaller, aerospace software companies: Aerosoft, Phoenix Integration and Proteus Engineering, along with representatives from government agencies, including: NASA Ames

A Matrix-Free Algorithm for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambe, Andrew Borean

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is an approach to engineering design that exploits the coupling between components or knowledge disciplines in a complex system to improve the final product. In aircraft design, MDO methods can be used to simultaneously design the outer shape of the aircraft and the internal structure, taking into account the complex interaction between the aerodynamic forces and the structural flexibility. Efficient strategies are needed to solve such design optimization problems and guarantee convergence to an optimal design. This work begins with a comprehensive review of MDO problem formulations and solution algorithms. First, a fundamental MDO problem formulation is defined from which other formulations may be obtained through simple transformations. Using these fundamental problem formulations, decomposition methods from the literature are reviewed and classified. All MDO methods are presented in a unified mathematical notation to facilitate greater understanding. In addition, a novel set of diagrams, called extended design structure matrices, are used to simultaneously visualize both data communication and process flow between the many software components of each method. For aerostructural design optimization, modern decomposition-based MDO methods cannot efficiently handle the tight coupling between the aerodynamic and structural states. This fact motivates the exploration of methods that can reduce the computational cost. A particular structure in the direct and adjoint methods for gradient computation motivates the idea of a matrix-free optimization method. A simple matrix-free optimizer is developed based on the augmented Lagrangian algorithm. This new matrix-free optimizer is tested on two structural optimization problems and one aerostructural optimization problem. The results indicate that the matrix-free optimizer is able to efficiently solve structural and multidisciplinary design problems with thousands of variables and

A Matrix-Free Algorithm for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambe, Andrew Borean

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is an approach to engineering design that exploits the coupling between components or knowledge disciplines in a complex system to improve the final product. In aircraft design, MDO methods can be used to simultaneously design the outer shape of the aircraft and the internal structure, taking into account the complex interaction between the aerodynamic forces and the structural flexibility. Efficient strategies are needed to solve such design optimization problems and guarantee convergence to an optimal design. This work begins with a comprehensive review of MDO problem formulations and solution algorithms. First, a fundamental MDO problem formulation is defined from which other formulations may be obtained through simple transformations. Using these fundamental problem formulations, decomposition methods from the literature are reviewed and classified. All MDO methods are presented in a unified mathematical notation to facilitate greater understanding. In addition, a novel set of diagrams, called extended design structure matrices, are used to simultaneously visualize both data communication and process flow between the many software components of each method. For aerostructural design optimization, modern decomposition-based MDO methods cannot efficiently handle the tight coupling between the aerodynamic and structural states. This fact motivates the exploration of methods that can reduce the computational cost. A particular structure in the direct and adjoint methods for gradient computation. motivates the idea of a matrix-free optimization method. A simple matrix-free optimizer is developed based on the augmented Lagrangian algorithm. This new matrix-free optimizer is tested on two structural optimization problems and one aerostructural optimization problem. The results indicate that the matrix-free optimizer is able to efficiently solve structural and multidisciplinary design problems with thousands of variables and

Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimal Design: As Easy as it Sounds?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Greg; Chainyk, Mike; Schiermeier, John

2004-01-01

The viewgraph presentation examines optimal design for precision, large aperture structures. Discussion focuses on aspects of design optimization, code architecture and current capabilities, and planned activities and collaborative area suggestions. The discussion of design optimization examines design sensitivity analysis; practical considerations; and new analytical environments including finite element-based capability for high-fidelity multidisciplinary analysis, design sensitivity, and optimization. The discussion of code architecture and current capabilities includes basic thermal and structural elements, nonlinear heat transfer solutions and process, and optical modes generation.

Multidisciplinary Design Techniques Applied to Conceptual Aerospace Vehicle Design. Ph.D. Thesis Final Technical Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olds, John Robert; Walberg, Gerald D.

1993-01-01

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is an emerging discipline within aerospace engineering. Its goal is to bring structure and efficiency to the complex design process associated with advanced aerospace launch vehicles. Aerospace vehicles generally require input from a variety of traditional aerospace disciplines - aerodynamics, structures, performance, etc. As such, traditional optimization methods cannot always be applied. Several multidisciplinary techniques and methods were proposed as potentially applicable to this class of design problem. Among the candidate options are calculus-based (or gradient-based) optimization schemes and parametric schemes based on design of experiments theory. A brief overview of several applicable multidisciplinary design optimization methods is included. Methods from the calculus-based class and the parametric class are reviewed, but the research application reported focuses on methods from the parametric class. A vehicle of current interest was chosen as a test application for this research. The rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) launch vehicle combines elements of rocket and airbreathing propulsion in an attempt to produce an attractive option for launching medium sized payloads into low earth orbit. The RBCC SSTO presents a particularly difficult problem for traditional one-variable-at-a-time optimization methods because of the lack of an adequate experience base and the highly coupled nature of the design variables. MDO, however, with it's structured approach to design, is well suited to this problem. The result of the application of Taguchi methods, central composite designs, and response surface methods to the design optimization of the RBCC SSTO are presented. Attention is given to the aspect of Taguchi methods that attempts to locate a 'robust' design - that is, a design that is least sensitive to uncontrollable influences on the design. Near-optimum minimum dry weight solutions are

Development and Application of the Collaborative Optimization Architecture in a Multidisciplinary Design Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, R. D.; Kroo, I. M.

1995-01-01

Collaborative optimization is a design architecture applicable in any multidisciplinary analysis environment but specifically intended for large-scale distributed analysis applications. In this approach, a complex problem is hierarchically de- composed along disciplinary boundaries into a number of subproblems which are brought into multidisciplinary agreement by a system-level coordination process. When applied to problems in a multidisciplinary design environment, this scheme has several advantages over traditional solution strategies. These advantageous features include reducing the amount of information transferred between disciplines, the removal of large iteration-loops, allowing the use of different subspace optimizers among the various analysis groups, an analysis framework which is easily parallelized and can operate on heterogenous equipment, and a structural framework that is well-suited for conventional disciplinary organizations. In this article, the collaborative architecture is developed and its mathematical foundation is presented. An example application is also presented which highlights the potential of this method for use in large-scale design applications.

Rotorcraft Optimization Tools: Incorporating Rotorcraft Design Codes into Multi-Disciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyn, Larry A.

2018-01-01

One of the goals of NASA's Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology Project (RVLT) is to provide validated tools for multidisciplinary design, analysis and optimization (MDAO) of vertical lift vehicles. As part of this effort, the software package, RotorCraft Optimization Tools (RCOTOOLS), is being developed to facilitate incorporating key rotorcraft conceptual design codes into optimizations using the OpenMDAO multi-disciplinary optimization framework written in Python. RCOTOOLS, also written in Python, currently supports the incorporation of the NASA Design and Analysis of RotorCraft (NDARC) vehicle sizing tool and the Comprehensive Analytical Model of Rotorcraft Aerodynamics and Dynamics II (CAMRAD II) analysis tool into OpenMDAO-driven optimizations. Both of these tools use detailed, file-based inputs and outputs, so RCOTOOLS provides software wrappers to update input files with new design variable values, execute these codes and then extract specific response variable values from the file outputs. These wrappers are designed to be flexible and easy to use. RCOTOOLS also provides several utilities to aid in optimization model development, including Graphical User Interface (GUI) tools for browsing input and output files in order to identify text strings that are used to identify specific variables as optimization input and response variables. This paper provides an overview of RCOTOOLS and its use

Development and Testing of Assessment Instruments for Multidisciplinary Engineering Capstone Design Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerlick, Robert Edward

2010-01-01

The research presented in this manuscript was focused on the development of assessments for engineering design outcomes. The primary goal was to support efforts by the Transferrable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE) consortium in developing assessment instruments for multidisciplinary engineering capstone courses. Research conducted…

Comparison of Two Multidisciplinary Optimization Strategies for Launch-Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, R. D.; Powell, R. W.; Lepsch, R. A.; Stanley, D. O.; Kroo, I. M.

1995-01-01

The investigation focuses on development of a rapid multidisciplinary analysis and optimization capability for launch-vehicle design. Two multidisciplinary optimization strategies in which the analyses are integrated in different manners are implemented and evaluated for solution of a single-stage-to-orbit launch-vehicle design problem. Weights and sizing, propulsion, and trajectory issues are directly addressed in each optimization process. Additionally, the need to maintain a consistent vehicle model across the disciplines is discussed. Both solution strategies were shown to obtain similar solutions from two different starting points. These solutions suggests that a dual-fuel, single-stage-to-orbit vehicle with a dry weight of approximately 1.927 x 10(exp 5)lb, gross liftoff weight of 2.165 x 10(exp 6)lb, and length of 181 ft is attainable. A comparison of the two approaches demonstrates that treatment or disciplinary coupling has a direct effect on optimization convergence and the required computational effort. In comparison with the first solution strategy, which is of the general form typically used within the launch vehicle design community at present, the second optimization approach is shown to he 3-4 times more computationally efficient.

A General-Purpose Optimization Engine for Multi-Disciplinary Design Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patnaik, Surya N.; Hopkins, Dale A.; Berke, Laszlo

1996-01-01

A general purpose optimization tool for multidisciplinary applications, which in the literature is known as COMETBOARDS, is being developed at NASA Lewis Research Center. The modular organization of COMETBOARDS includes several analyzers and state-of-the-art optimization algorithms along with their cascading strategy. The code structure allows quick integration of new analyzers and optimizers. The COMETBOARDS code reads input information from a number of data files, formulates a design as a set of multidisciplinary nonlinear programming problems, and then solves the resulting problems. COMETBOARDS can be used to solve a large problem which can be defined through multiple disciplines, each of which can be further broken down into several subproblems. Alternatively, a small portion of a large problem can be optimized in an effort to improve an existing system. Some of the other unique features of COMETBOARDS include design variable formulation, constraint formulation, subproblem coupling strategy, global scaling technique, analysis approximation, use of either sequential or parallel computational modes, and so forth. The special features and unique strengths of COMETBOARDS assist convergence and reduce the amount of CPU time used to solve the difficult optimization problems of aerospace industries. COMETBOARDS has been successfully used to solve a number of problems, including structural design of space station components, design of nozzle components of an air-breathing engine, configuration design of subsonic and supersonic aircraft, mixed flow turbofan engines, wave rotor topped engines, and so forth. This paper introduces the COMETBOARDS design tool and its versatility, which is illustrated by citing examples from structures, aircraft design, and air-breathing propulsion engine design.

NASA Multidisciplinary Design and Analysis Fellowship Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrage, D. P.; Craig, J. I.; Mavris, D. N.; Hale, M. A.; DeLaurentis, D.

1999-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a multi-year training grant for the development and implementation of a Multidisciplinary Design and Analysis (MDA) Fellowship Program at Georgia Tech. The Program funded the creation of graduate MS and PhD degree programs in aerospace systems design, analysis and integration. It also provided prestigious Fellowships with associated Industry Internships for outstanding engineering students. The graduate program has become the foundation for a vigorous and productive research effort and has produced: 20 MS degrees, 7 Ph.D. degrees, and has contributed to 9 ongoing Ph.D. students. The results of the research are documented in 32 publications (23 of which are included on a companion CDROM) and 4 annual student design reports (included on a companion CDROM). The legacy of this critical funding is the Center for Aerospace Systems Analysis at Georgia Tech which is continuing the graduate program, the research, and the industry internships established by this grant.

Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization Using WAVE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irwin, Keith

2000-01-01

The current preliminary design tools lack the product performance, quality and cost prediction fidelity required to design Six Sigma products. They are also frequently incompatible with the tools used in detailed design, leading to a great deal of rework and lost or discarded data in the transition from preliminary to detailed design. Thus, enhanced preliminary design tools are needed in order to produce adequate financial returns to the business. To achieve this goal, GEAE has focused on building the preliminary design system around the same geometric 3D solid model that will be used in detailed design. With this approach, the preliminary designer will no longer convert a flowpath sketch into an engine cross section but rather, automatically create 3D solid geometry for structural integrity, life, weight, cost, complexity, producibility, and maintainability assessments. Likewise, both the preliminary design and the detailed design can benefit from the use of the same preliminary part sizing routines. The design analysis tools will also be integrated with the 3D solid model to eliminate manual transfer of data between programs. GEAE has aggressively pursued the computerized control of engineering knowledge for many years. Through its study and validation of 3D CAD programs and processes, GEAE concluded that total system control was not feasible at that time. Prior CAD tools focused exclusively on detail part geometry and Knowledge Based Engineering systems concentrated on rules input and data output. A system was needed to bridge the gap between the two to capture the total system. With the introduction of WAVE Engineering from UGS, the possibilities of an engineering system control device began to formulate. GEAE decided to investigate the new WAVE functionality to accomplish this task. NASA joined GEAE in funding this validation project through Task Order No. 1. With the validation project complete, the second phase under Task Order No. 2 was established to

Multidisciplinary design of a rocket-based combined cycle SSTO launch vehicle using Taguchi methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olds, John R.; Walberg, Gerald D.

1993-01-01

Results are presented from the optimization process of a winged-cone configuration SSTO launch vehicle that employs a rocket-based ejector/ramjet/scramjet/rocket operational mode variable-cycle engine. The Taguchi multidisciplinary parametric-design method was used to evaluate the effects of simultaneously changing a total of eight design variables, rather than changing them one at a time as in conventional tradeoff studies. A combination of design variables was in this way identified which yields very attractive vehicle dry and gross weights.

A grid generation system for multi-disciplinary design optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, William T.; Samareh-Abolhassani, Jamshid

1995-01-01

A general multi-block three-dimensional volume grid generator is presented which is suitable for Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization. The code is timely, robust, highly automated, and written in ANSI 'C' for platform independence. Algebraic techniques are used to generate and/or modify block face and volume grids to reflect geometric changes resulting from design optimization. Volume grids are generated/modified in a batch environment and controlled via an ASCII user input deck. This allows the code to be incorporated directly into the design loop. Generated volume grids are presented for a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) Wing/Body geometry as well a complex HSCT configuration including horizontal and vertical tails, engine nacelles and pylons, and canard surfaces.

National Combustion Code: A Multidisciplinary Combustor Design System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stubbs, Robert M.; Liu, Nan-Suey

1997-01-01

The Internal Fluid Mechanics Division conducts both basic research and technology, and system technology research for aerospace propulsion systems components. The research within the division, which is both computational and experimental, is aimed at improving fundamental understanding of flow physics in inlets, ducts, nozzles, turbomachinery, and combustors. This article and the following three articles highlight some of the work accomplished in 1996. A multidisciplinary combustor design system is critical for optimizing the combustor design process. Such a system should include sophisticated computer-aided design (CAD) tools for geometry creation, advanced mesh generators for creating solid model representations, a common framework for fluid flow and structural analyses, modern postprocessing tools, and parallel processing. The goal of the present effort is to develop some of the enabling technologies and to demonstrate their overall performance in an integrated system called the National Combustion Code.

Design Environment for Multifidelity and Multidisciplinary Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platt, Michael

2014-01-01

One of the greatest challenges when developing propulsion systems is predicting the interacting effects between the fluid loads, thermal loads, and structural deflection. The interactions between technical disciplines often are not fully analyzed, and the analysis in one discipline often uses a simplified representation of other disciplines as an input or boundary condition. For example, the fluid forces in an engine generate static and dynamic rotor deflection, but the forces themselves are dependent on the rotor position and its orbit. It is important to consider the interaction between the physical phenomena where the outcome of each analysis is heavily dependent on the inputs (e.g., changes in flow due to deflection, changes in deflection due to fluid forces). A rigid design process also lacks the flexibility to employ multiple levels of fidelity in the analysis of each of the components. This project developed and validated an innovative design environment that has the flexibility to simultaneously analyze multiple disciplines and multiple components with multiple levels of model fidelity. Using NASA's open-source multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization (OpenMDAO) framework, this multifaceted system will provide substantially superior capabilities to current design tools.

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of a Full Vehicle with High Performance Computing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, R. J.; Gu, L.; Tho, C. H.; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

2001-01-01

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) of a full vehicle under the constraints of crashworthiness, NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness), durability, and other performance attributes is one of the imperative goals for automotive industry. However, it is often infeasible due to the lack of computational resources, robust simulation capabilities, and efficient optimization methodologies. This paper intends to move closer towards that goal by using parallel computers for the intensive computation and combining different approximations for dissimilar analyses in the MDO process. The MDO process presented in this paper is an extension of the previous work reported by Sobieski et al. In addition to the roof crush, two full vehicle crash modes are added: full frontal impact and 50% frontal offset crash. Instead of using an adaptive polynomial response surface method, this paper employs a DOE/RSM method for exploring the design space and constructing highly nonlinear crash functions. Two NMO strategies are used and results are compared. This paper demonstrates that with high performance computing, a conventionally intractable real world full vehicle multidisciplinary optimization problem considering all performance attributes with large number of design variables become feasible.

A Web Centric Architecture for Deploying Multi-Disciplinary Engineering Design Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woyak, Scott; Kim, Hongman; Mullins, James; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

2004-01-01

There are continuous needs for engineering organizations to improve their design process. Current state of the art techniques use computational simulations to predict design performance, and optimize it through advanced design methods. These tools have been used mostly by individual engineers. This paper presents an architecture for achieving results at an organization level beyond individual level. The next set of gains in process improvement will come from improving the effective use of computers and software within a whole organization, not just for an individual. The architecture takes advantage of state of the art capabilities to produce a Web based system to carry engineering design into the future. To illustrate deployment of the architecture, a case study for implementing advanced multidisciplinary design optimization processes such as Bi-Level Integrated System Synthesis is discussed. Another example for rolling-out a design process for Design for Six Sigma is also described. Each example explains how an organization can effectively infuse engineering practice with new design methods and retain the knowledge over time.

Improving spacecraft design using a multidisciplinary design optimization methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosher, Todd Jon

2000-10-01

Spacecraft design has gone from maximizing performance under technology constraints to minimizing cost under performance constraints. This is characteristic of the "faster, better, cheaper" movement that has emerged within NASA. Currently spacecraft are "optimized" manually through a tool-assisted evaluation of a limited set of design alternatives. With this approach there is no guarantee that a systems-level focus will be taken and "feasibility" rather than "optimality" is commonly all that is achieved. To improve spacecraft design in the "faster, better, cheaper" era, a new approach using multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is proposed. Using MDO methods brings structure to conceptual spacecraft design by casting a spacecraft design problem into an optimization framework. Then, through the construction of a model that captures design and cost, this approach facilitates a quicker and more straightforward option synthesis. The final step is to automatically search the design space. As computer processor speed continues to increase, enumeration of all combinations, while not elegant, is one method that is straightforward to perform. As an alternative to enumeration, genetic algorithms are used and find solutions by reviewing fewer possible solutions with some limitations. Both methods increase the likelihood of finding an optimal design, or at least the most promising area of the design space. This spacecraft design methodology using MDO is demonstrated on three examples. A retrospective test for validation is performed using the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft design. For the second example, the premise that aerobraking was needed to minimize mission cost and was mission enabling for the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission is challenged. While one might expect no feasible design space for an MGS without aerobraking mission, a counterintuitive result is discovered. Several design options that don't use aerobraking are feasible and cost

Development and Evaluation of an Undergraduate Multidisciplinary Project Activity in Engineering and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, David R.; Cole, Joanne

2012-01-01

The School of Engineering and Design Multidisciplinary Project (MDP) at Brunel University is a one week long project based activity involving first year undergraduate students from across the School subject areas of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Design. This paper describes the main aims of the…

On Developing a Taxonomy for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization: A Decision-Based Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Kemper; Mistree, Farrokh

1995-01-01

In this paper, we approach MDO from a Decision-Based Design (DBD) perspective and explore classification schemes for designing complex systems and processes. Specifically, we focus on decisions, which are only a small portion of the Decision Support Problem (DSP) Technique, our implementation of DBD. We map coupled nonhierarchical and hierarchical representations from the DSP Technique into the Balling-Sobieski (B-S) framework (Balling and Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, 1994), and integrate domain-independent linguistic terms to complete our taxonomy. Application of DSPs to the design of complex, multidisciplinary systems include passenger aircraft, ships, damage tolerant structural and mechanical systems, and thermal energy systems. In this paper we show that Balling-Sobieski framework is consistent with that of the Decision Support Problem Technique through the use of linguistic entities to describe the same type of formulations. We show that the underlying linguistics of the solution approaches are the same and can be coalesced into a homogeneous framework with which to base the research, application, and technology MDO upon. We introduce, in the Balling-Sobieski framework, examples of multidisciplinary design, namely, aircraft, damage tolerant structural and mechanical systems, and thermal energy systems.

Execution of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Approaches on Common Test Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balling, R. J.; Wilkinson, C. A.

1997-01-01

A class of synthetic problems for testing multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) approaches is presented. These test problems are easy to reproduce because all functions are given as closed-form mathematical expressions. They are constructed in such a way that the optimal value of all variables and the objective is unity. The test problems involve three disciplines and allow the user to specify the number of design variables, state variables, coupling functions, design constraints, controlling design constraints, and the strength of coupling. Several MDO approaches were executed on two sample synthetic test problems. These approaches included single-level optimization approaches, collaborative optimization approaches, and concurrent subspace optimization approaches. Execution results are presented, and the robustness and efficiency of these approaches an evaluated for these sample problems.

Multidisciplinary design optimisation of a recurve bow based on applications of the autogenetic design theory and distributed computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fritzsche, Matthias; Kittel, Konstantin; Blankenburg, Alexander; Vajna, Sándor

2012-08-01

The focus of this paper is to present a method of multidisciplinary design optimisation based on the autogenetic design theory (ADT) that provides methods, which are partially implemented in the optimisation software described here. The main thesis of the ADT is that biological evolution and the process of developing products are mainly similar, i.e. procedures from biological evolution can be transferred into product development. In order to fulfil requirements and boundary conditions of any kind (that may change at any time), both biological evolution and product development look for appropriate solution possibilities in a certain area, and try to optimise those that are actually promising by varying parameters and combinations of these solutions. As the time necessary for multidisciplinary design optimisations is a critical aspect in product development, ways to distribute the optimisation process with the effective use of unused calculating capacity, can reduce the optimisation time drastically. Finally, a practical example shows how ADT methods and distributed optimising are applied to improve a product.

NASA Multidisciplinary Design and Analysis Fellowship Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

This report is a Year 1 interim report of the progress on the NASA multidisciplinary Design and Analysis Fellowship Program covering the period, January 1, 1995 through September 30, 1995. It summarizes progress in establishing the MDA Fellowship Program at Georgia Tech during the initial year. Progress in the advertisement of the program, recruiting results for the 1995-96 academic year, placement of the Fellows in industry during Summer 1995, program development at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels, and collaboration and dissemination of results are summarized in this report. Further details of the first year's progress will be included in the report from the Year 1 Workshop to be held at NASA Langley on December 7-8, 1995.

Integrated, multidisciplinary care for hand eczema: design of a randomized controlled trial and cost-effectiveness study

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background The individual and societal burden of hand eczema is high. Literature indicates that moderate to severe hand eczema is a disease with a poor prognosis. Many patients are hampered in their daily activities, including work. High costs are related to high medical consumption, productivity loss and sick leave. Usual care is suboptimal, due to a lack of optimal instruction and coordination of care, and communication with the general practitioner/occupational physician and people involved at the workplace. Therefore, an integrated, multidisciplinary intervention involving a dermatologist, a care manager, a specialized nurse and a clinical occupational physician was developed. This paper describes the design of a study to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrated care for hand eczema by a multidisciplinary team, coordinated by a care manager, consisting of instruction on avoiding relevant contact factors, both in the occupational and in the private environment, optimal skin care and treatment, compared to usual, dermatologist-led care. Methods The study is a multicentre, randomized, controlled trial with an economic evaluation alongside. The study population consists of patients with chronic, moderate to severe hand eczema, who visit an outpatient clinic of one of the participating 5 (three university and two general) hospitals. Integrated, multidisciplinary care, coordinated by a care manager, including allergo-dermatological evaluation by a dermatologist, occupational intervention by a clinical occupational physician, and counselling by a specialized nurse on optimizing topical treatment and skin care will be compared with usual care by a dermatologist. The primary outcome measure is the cumulative difference in reduction of the clinical severity score HECSI between the groups. Secondary outcome measures are the patient's global assessment, specific quality of life with regard to the hands, generic quality of life, sick leave and

Baseball Stadium Design: Teaching Engineering Economics and Technical Communication in a Multi-Disciplinary Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahm, Kevin; Newell, James

2001-01-01

Reports on a course at Rowan University, based on the economic design of a baseball stadium, that offers an introduction to multidisciplinary engineering design linked with formal training in technical communication. Addresses four pedagogical goals: (1) developing public speaking skills in a realistic, business setting; (2) giving students…

Knowledge Discovery for Transonic Regional-Jet Wing through Multidisciplinary Design Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiba, Kazuhisa; Obayashi, Shigeru; Morino, Hiroyuki

Data mining is an important facet of solving multi-objective optimization problem. Because it is one of the effective manner to discover the design knowledge in the multi-objective optimization problem which obtains large data. In the present study, data mining has been performed for a large-scale and real-world multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) to provide knowledge regarding the design space. The MDO among aerodynamics, structures, and aeroelasticity of the regional-jet wing was carried out using high-fidelity evaluation models on the adaptive range multi-objective genetic algorithm. As a result, nine non-dominated solutions were generated and used for tradeoff analysis among three objectives. All solutions evaluated during the evolution were analyzed for the tradeoffs and influence of design variables using a self-organizing map to extract key features of the design space. Although the MDO results showed the inverted gull-wings as non-dominated solutions, one of the key features found by data mining was the non-gull wing geometry. When this knowledge was applied to one optimum solution, the resulting design was found to have better performance compared with the original geometry designed in the conventional manner.

Needs and Opportunities for Uncertainty-Based Multidisciplinary Design Methods for Aerospace Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zang, Thomas A.; Hemsch, Michael J.; Hilburger, Mark W.; Kenny, Sean P; Luckring, James M.; Maghami, Peiman; Padula, Sharon L.; Stroud, W. Jefferson

2002-01-01

This report consists of a survey of the state of the art in uncertainty-based design together with recommendations for a Base research activity in this area for the NASA Langley Research Center. This report identifies the needs and opportunities for computational and experimental methods that provide accurate, efficient solutions to nondeterministic multidisciplinary aerospace vehicle design problems. Barriers to the adoption of uncertainty-based design methods are identified. and the benefits of the use of such methods are explained. Particular research needs are listed.

Experiences of Multidisciplinary Development Team Members During User-Centered Design of Telecare Products and Services: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background User-centered design (UCD) methodologies can help take the needs and requirements of potential end-users into account during the development of innovative telecare products and services. Understanding how members of multidisciplinary development teams experience the UCD process might help to gain insight into factors that members with different backgrounds consider critical during the development of telecare products and services. Objective The primary objective of this study was to explore how members of multidisciplinary development teams experienced the UCD process of telecare products and services. The secondary objective was to identify differences and similarities in the barriers and facilitators they experienced. Methods Twenty-five members of multidisciplinary development teams of four Research and Development (R&D) projects participated in this study. The R&D projects aimed to develop telecare products and services that can support self-management in elderly people or patients with chronic conditions. Seven participants were representatives of end-users (elderly persons or patients with chronic conditions), three were professional end-users (geriatrician and nurses), five were engineers, four were managers (of R&D companies or engineering teams), and six were researchers. All participants were interviewed by a researcher who was not part of their own development team. The following topics were discussed during the interviews: (1) aim of the project, (2) role of the participant, (3) experiences during the development process, (4) points of improvement, and (5) what the project meant to the participant. Results Experiences of participants related to the following themes: (1) creating a development team, (2) expectations regarding responsibilities and roles, (3) translating user requirements into technical requirements, (4) technical challenges, (5) evaluation of developed products and services, and (6) valorization. Multidisciplinary team members

Experiences of multidisciplinary development team members during user-centered design of telecare products and services: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Vermeulen, Joan; Verwey, Renée; Hochstenbach, Laura M J; van der Weegen, Sanne; Man, Yan Ping; de Witte, Luc P

2014-05-19

User-centered design (UCD) methodologies can help take the needs and requirements of potential end-users into account during the development of innovative telecare products and services. Understanding how members of multidisciplinary development teams experience the UCD process might help to gain insight into factors that members with different backgrounds consider critical during the development of telecare products and services. The primary objective of this study was to explore how members of multidisciplinary development teams experienced the UCD process of telecare products and services. The secondary objective was to identify differences and similarities in the barriers and facilitators they experienced. Twenty-five members of multidisciplinary development teams of four Research and Development (R&D) projects participated in this study. The R&D projects aimed to develop telecare products and services that can support self-management in elderly people or patients with chronic conditions. Seven participants were representatives of end-users (elderly persons or patients with chronic conditions), three were professional end-users (geriatrician and nurses), five were engineers, four were managers (of R&D companies or engineering teams), and six were researchers. All participants were interviewed by a researcher who was not part of their own development team. The following topics were discussed during the interviews: (1) aim of the project, (2) role of the participant, (3) experiences during the development process, (4) points of improvement, and (5) what the project meant to the participant. Experiences of participants related to the following themes: (1) creating a development team, (2) expectations regarding responsibilities and roles, (3) translating user requirements into technical requirements, (4) technical challenges, (5) evaluation of developed products and services, and (6) valorization. Multidisciplinary team members from different backgrounds often

Reduced Design Load Basis for Ultimate Blade Loads Estimation in Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavese, Christian; Tibaldi, Carlo; Larsen, Torben J.; Kim, Taeseong; Thomsen, Kenneth

2016-09-01

The aim is to provide a fast and reliable approach to estimate ultimate blade loads for a multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) framework. For blade design purposes, the standards require a large amount of computationally expensive simulations, which cannot be efficiently run each cost function evaluation of an MDO process. This work describes a method that allows integrating the calculation of the blade load envelopes inside an MDO loop. Ultimate blade load envelopes are calculated for a baseline design and a design obtained after an iteration of an MDO. These envelopes are computed for a full standard design load basis (DLB) and a deterministic reduced DLB. Ultimate loads extracted from the two DLBs with the two blade designs each are compared and analyzed. Although the reduced DLB supplies ultimate loads of different magnitude, the shape of the estimated envelopes are similar to the one computed using the full DLB. This observation is used to propose a scheme that is computationally cheap, and that can be integrated inside an MDO framework, providing a sufficiently reliable estimation of the blade ultimate loading. The latter aspect is of key importance when design variables implementing passive control methodologies are included in the formulation of the optimization problem. An MDO of a 10 MW wind turbine blade is presented as an applied case study to show the efficacy of the reduced DLB concept.

The Other Side of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization: Accommodating a Multiobjective, Uncertain and Non-Deterministic World

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Kemper; Mistree, Farrokh

1998-01-01

The evolution of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) over the past several years has been one of rapid expansion and development. In this paper, the evolution of MDO as a field is investigated as well as the evolution of its individual linguistic components: multidisciplinary, design, and optimization. The theory and application of each component have indeed evolved on their own, but the true net gain for MDO is how these piecewise evolutions coalesce to form the basis for MDO, present and future. Originating in structural applications, MDO technology has also branched out into diverse fields and application arenas. The evolution and diversification of MDO as a discipline is explored but details are left to the references cited.

IDEAS: A multidisciplinary computer-aided conceptual design system for spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferebee, M. J., Jr.

1984-01-01

During the conceptual development of advanced aerospace vehicles, many compromises must be considered to balance economy and performance of the total system. Subsystem tradeoffs may need to be made in order to satisfy system-sensitive attributes. Due to the increasingly complex nature of aerospace systems, these trade studies have become more difficult and time-consuming to complete and involve interactions of ever-larger numbers of subsystems, components, and performance parameters. The current advances of computer-aided synthesis, modeling and analysis techniques have greatly helped in the evaluation of competing design concepts. Langley Research Center's Space Systems Division is currently engaged in trade studies for a variety of systems which include advanced ground-launched space transportation systems, space-based orbital transfer vehicles, large space antenna concepts and space stations. The need for engineering analysis tools to aid in the rapid synthesis and evaluation of spacecraft has led to the development of the Interactive Design and Evaluation of Advanced Spacecraft (IDEAS) computer-aided design system. The ADEAS system has been used to perform trade studies of competing technologies and requirements in order to pinpoint possible beneficial areas for research and development. IDEAS is presented as a multidisciplinary tool for the analysis of advanced space systems. Capabilities range from model generation and structural and thermal analysis to subsystem synthesis and performance analysis.

Lessons Learned During Solutions of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patnaik, Suna N.; Coroneos, Rula M.; Hopkins, Dale A.; Lavelle, Thomas M.

2000-01-01

Optimization research at NASA Glenn Research Center has addressed the design of structures, aircraft and airbreathing propulsion engines. During solution of the multidisciplinary problems several issues were encountered. This paper lists four issues and discusses the strategies adapted for their resolution: (1) The optimization process can lead to an inefficient local solution. This deficiency was encountered during design of an engine component. The limitation was overcome through an augmentation of animation into optimization. (2) Optimum solutions obtained were infeasible for aircraft and air-breathing propulsion engine problems. Alleviation of this deficiency required a cascading of multiple algorithms. (3) Profile optimization of a beam produced an irregular shape. Engineering intuition restored the regular shape for the beam. (4) The solution obtained for a cylindrical shell by a subproblem strategy converged to a design that can be difficult to manufacture. Resolution of this issue remains a challenge. The issues and resolutions are illustrated through six problems: (1) design of an engine component, (2) synthesis of a subsonic aircraft, (3) operation optimization of a supersonic engine, (4) design of a wave-rotor-topping device, (5) profile optimization of a cantilever beam, and (6) design of a cvlindrical shell. The combined effort of designers and researchers can bring the optimization method from academia to industry.

The potential application of the blackboard model of problem solving to multidisciplinary design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, J. L.

1989-01-01

Problems associated with the sequential approach to multidisciplinary design are discussed. A blackboard model is suggested as a potential tool for implementing the multilevel decomposition approach to overcome these problems. The blackboard model serves as a global database for the solution with each discipline acting as a knowledge source for updating the solution. With this approach, it is possible for engineers to improve the coordination, communication, and cooperation in the conceptual design process, allowing them to achieve a more optimal design from an interdisciplinary standpoint.

Selection of a turbine cooling system applying multi-disciplinary design considerations.

PubMed

Glezer, B

2001-05-01

The presented paper describes a multi-disciplinary cooling selection approach applied to major gas turbine engine hot section components, including turbine nozzles, blades, discs, combustors and support structures, which maintain blade tip clearances. The paper demonstrates benefits of close interaction between participating disciplines starting from early phases of the hot section development. The approach targets advancements in engine performance and cost by optimizing the design process, often requiring compromises within individual disciplines.

Impact of structural optimization with aeroelastic/multidisciplinary constraints on helicopter rotor design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedmann, Peretz P.

1992-01-01

This paper presents a review of the state-of-the-art in the field of structural optimization when applied to vibration reduction of helicopters in forward flight with aeroelastic and multidisciplinary constraints. It emphasizes the application of the modern approach where the optimization is formulated as a mathematical programming problem and the objective function consists of the vibration levels at the hub and behavior constraints are imposed on the blade frequencies, aeroelastic stability margins as well as on a number of additional ingredients which can have a significant effect on the overall performance and flight mechanics of the helicopter. It is shown that the integrated multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft offers the potential for substantial improvements which can be achieved by careful preliminary design and analysis without requiring additional hardware such as rotor vibration absorbers or isolation systems.

Multidisciplinary optimization of a controlled space structure using 150 design variables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Benjamin B.

1993-01-01

A controls-structures interaction design method is presented. The method coordinates standard finite-element structural analysis, multivariable controls, and nonlinear programming codes and allows simultaneous optimization of the structure and control system of a spacecraft. Global sensitivity equations are used to account for coupling between the disciplines. Use of global sensitivity equations helps solve optimization problems that have a large number of design variables and a high degree of coupling between disciplines. The preliminary design of a generic geostationary platform is used to demonstrate the multidisciplinary optimization method. Design problems using 15, 63, and 150 design variables to optimize truss member sizes and feedback gain values are solved and the results are presented. The goal is to reduce the total mass of the structure and the vibration control system while satisfying constraints on vibration decay rate. Incorporation of the nonnegligible mass of actuators causes an essential coupling between structural design variables and control design variables.

OpenMDAO: Framework for Flexible Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis and Optimization Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heath, Christopher M.; Gray, Justin S.

2012-01-01

The OpenMDAO project is underway at NASA to develop a framework which simplifies the implementation of state-of-the-art tools and methods for multidisciplinary design, analysis and optimization. Foremost, OpenMDAO has been designed to handle variable problem formulations, encourage reconfigurability, and promote model reuse. This work demonstrates the concept of iteration hierarchies in OpenMDAO to achieve a flexible environment for supporting advanced optimization methods which include adaptive sampling and surrogate modeling techniques. In this effort, two efficient global optimization methods were applied to solve a constrained, single-objective and constrained, multiobjective version of a joint aircraft/engine sizing problem. The aircraft model, NASA's nextgeneration advanced single-aisle civil transport, is being studied as part of the Subsonic Fixed Wing project to help meet simultaneous program goals for reduced fuel burn, emissions, and noise. This analysis serves as a realistic test problem to demonstrate the flexibility and reconfigurability offered by OpenMDAO.

Multifidelity, Multidisciplinary Design Under Uncertainty with Non-Intrusive Polynomial Chaos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, Thomas K., IV; Gumbert, Clyde

2017-01-01

The primary objective of this work is to develop an approach for multifidelity uncertainty quantification and to lay the framework for future design under uncertainty efforts. In this study, multifidelity is used to describe both the fidelity of the modeling of the physical systems, as well as the difference in the uncertainty in each of the models. For computational efficiency, a multifidelity surrogate modeling approach based on non-intrusive polynomial chaos using the point-collocation technique is developed for the treatment of both multifidelity modeling and multifidelity uncertainty modeling. Two stochastic model problems are used to demonstrate the developed methodologies: a transonic airfoil model and multidisciplinary aircraft analysis model. The results of both showed the multifidelity modeling approach was able to predict the output uncertainty predicted by the high-fidelity model as a significant reduction in computational cost.

National Combustion Code, a Multidisciplinary Combustor Design System, Will Be Transferred to the Commercial Sector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steele, Gynelle C.

1999-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center and Flow Parametrics will enter into an agreement to commercialize the National Combustion Code (NCC). This multidisciplinary combustor design system utilizes computer-aided design (CAD) tools for geometry creation, advanced mesh generators for creating solid model representations, a common framework for fluid flow and structural analyses, modern postprocessing tools, and parallel processing. This integrated system can facilitate and enhance various phases of the design and analysis process.

Grid Generation for Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization of an Aerospace Vehicle: Issues and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samareh, Jamshid A.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss grid generation issues and to challenge the grid generation community to develop tools suitable for automated multidisciplinary analysis and design optimization of aerospace vehicles. Special attention is given to the grid generation issues of computational fluid dynamics and computational structural mechanics disciplines.

Multidisciplinary design and optimization (MDO) methodology for the aircraft conceptual design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iqbal, Liaquat Ullah

achieving better designs with reduced risk in lesser time and cost. The approach is shown to eliminate the traditional boundary between the conceptual and the preliminary design stages, combining the two into one consolidated preliminary design phase. Several examples for the validation and utilization of the Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization (MDO) Tool are presented using missions for the Medium and High Altitude Long Range/Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Object-Oriented Multi-Disciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pak, Chan-gi

2011-01-01

An Object-Oriented Optimization (O3) tool was developed that leverages existing tools and practices, and allows the easy integration and adoption of new state-of-the-art software. At the heart of the O3 tool is the Central Executive Module (CEM), which can integrate disparate software packages in a cross platform network environment so as to quickly perform optimization and design tasks in a cohesive, streamlined manner. This object-oriented framework can integrate the analysis codes for multiple disciplines instead of relying on one code to perform the analysis for all disciplines. The CEM was written in FORTRAN and the script commands for each performance index were submitted through the use of the FORTRAN Call System command. In this CEM, the user chooses an optimization methodology, defines objective and constraint functions from performance indices, and provides starting and side constraints for continuous as well as discrete design variables. The structural analysis modules such as computations of the structural weight, stress, deflection, buckling, and flutter and divergence speeds have been developed and incorporated into the O3 tool to build an object-oriented Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization (MDAO) tool.

Infusing Technology Driven Design Thinking in Industrial Design Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mubin, Omar; Novoa, Mauricio; Al Mahmud, Abdullah

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper narrates a case study on design thinking-based education work in an industrial design honours program. Student projects were developed in a multi-disciplinary setting across a Computing and Engineering faculty that allowed promoting technologically and user-driven innovation strategies. Design/methodology/approach: A renewed…

Roadmap to the multidisciplinary design analysis and optimisation of wind energy systems

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

Perez-Moreno, S. Sanchez; Zaaijer, M. B.; Bottasso, C. L.

Here, a research agenda is described to further encourage the application of Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimisation (MDAO) methodologies to wind energy systems. As a group of researchers closely collaborating within the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Task 37 for Wind Energy Systems Engineering: Integrated Research, Design and Development, we have identified challenges that will be encountered by users building an MDAO framework. This roadmap comprises 17 research questions and activities recognised to belong to three research directions: model fidelity, system scope and workflow architecture. It is foreseen that sensible answers to all these questions will enable to more easilymore » apply MDAO in the wind energy domain. Beyond the agenda, this work also promotes the use of systems engineering to design, analyse and optimise wind turbines and wind farms, to complement existing compartmentalised research and design paradigms.« less

Roadmap to the multidisciplinary design analysis and optimisation of wind energy systems

DOE PAGES

Perez-Moreno, S. Sanchez; Zaaijer, M. B.; Bottasso, C. L.; ...

2016-10-03

Here, a research agenda is described to further encourage the application of Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimisation (MDAO) methodologies to wind energy systems. As a group of researchers closely collaborating within the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Task 37 for Wind Energy Systems Engineering: Integrated Research, Design and Development, we have identified challenges that will be encountered by users building an MDAO framework. This roadmap comprises 17 research questions and activities recognised to belong to three research directions: model fidelity, system scope and workflow architecture. It is foreseen that sensible answers to all these questions will enable to more easilymore » apply MDAO in the wind energy domain. Beyond the agenda, this work also promotes the use of systems engineering to design, analyse and optimise wind turbines and wind farms, to complement existing compartmentalised research and design paradigms.« less

A Web-Based System for Monitoring and Controlling Multidisciplinary Design Projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salas, Andrea O.; Rogers, James L.

1997-01-01

In today's competitive environment, both industry and government agencies are under enormous pressure to reduce the time and cost of multidisciplinary design projects. A number of frameworks have been introduced to assist in this process by facilitating the integration of and communication among diverse disciplinary codes. An examination of current frameworks reveals weaknesses in various areas such as sequencing, displaying, monitoring, and controlling the design process. The objective of this research is to explore how Web technology, in conjunction with an existing framework, can improve these areas of weakness. This paper describes a system that executes a sequence of programs, monitors and controls the design process through a Web-based interface, and visualizes intermediate and final results through the use of Java(Tm) applets. A small sample problem, which includes nine processes with two analysis programs that are coupled to an optimizer, is used to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach.

NCC: A Multidisciplinary Design/Analysis Tool for Combustion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Nan-Suey; Quealy, Angela

1999-01-01

A multi-disciplinary design/analysis tool for combustion systems is critical for optimizing the low-emission, high-performance combustor design process. Based on discussions between NASA Lewis Research Center and the jet engine companies, an industry-government team was formed in early 1995 to develop the National Combustion Code (NCC), which is an integrated system of computer codes for the design and analysis of combustion systems. NCC has advanced features that address the need to meet designer's requirements such as "assured accuracy", "fast turnaround", and "acceptable cost". The NCC development team is comprised of Allison Engine Company (Allison), CFD Research Corporation (CFDRC), GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE), NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC), and Pratt & Whitney (P&W). This development team operates under the guidance of the NCC steering committee. The "unstructured mesh" capability and "parallel computing" are fundamental features of NCC from its inception. The NCC system is composed of a set of "elements" which includes grid generator, main flow solver, turbulence module, turbulence and chemistry interaction module, chemistry module, spray module, radiation heat transfer module, data visualization module, and a post-processor for evaluating engine performance parameters. Each element may have contributions from several team members. Such a multi-source multi-element system needs to be integrated in a way that facilitates inter-module data communication, flexibility in module selection, and ease of integration.

Comparison of Response Surface and Kriging Models for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, Timothy W.; Korte, John J.; Mauery, Timothy M.; Mistree, Farrokh

1998-01-01

In this paper, we compare and contrast the use of second-order response surface models and kriging models for approximating non-random, deterministic computer analyses. After reviewing the response surface method for constructing polynomial approximations, kriging is presented as an alternative approximation method for the design and analysis of computer experiments. Both methods are applied to the multidisciplinary design of an aerospike nozzle which consists of a computational fluid dynamics model and a finite-element model. Error analysis of the response surface and kriging models is performed along with a graphical comparison of the approximations, and four optimization problems m formulated and solved using both sets of approximation models. The second-order response surface models and kriging models-using a constant underlying global model and a Gaussian correlation function-yield comparable results.

Multidisciplinary aerospace design optimization: Survey of recent developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw; Haftka, Raphael T.

1995-01-01

The increasing complexity of engineering systems has sparked increasing interest in multidisciplinary optimization (MDO). This paper presents a survey of recent publications in the field of aerospace where interest in MDO has been particularly intense. The two main challenges of MDO are computational expense and organizational complexity. Accordingly the survey is focussed on various ways different researchers use to deal with these challenges. The survey is organized by a breakdown of MDO into its conceptual components. Accordingly, the survey includes sections on Mathematical Modeling, Design-oriented Analysis, Approximation Concepts, Optimization Procedures, System Sensitivity, and Human Interface. With the authors' main expertise being in the structures area, the bulk of the references focus on the interaction of the structures discipline with other disciplines. In particular, two sections at the end focus on two such interactions that have recently been pursued with a particular vigor: Simultaneous Optimization of Structures and Aerodynamics, and Simultaneous Optimization of Structures Combined With Active Control.

Designing eHealth that Matters via a Multidisciplinary Requirements Development Approach

PubMed Central

Wentzel, Jobke; Van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia EWC

2013-01-01

Background Requirements development is a crucial part of eHealth design. It entails all the activities devoted to requirements identification, the communication of requirements to other developers, and their evaluation. Currently, a requirements development approach geared towards the specifics of the eHealth domain is lacking. This is likely to result in a mismatch between the developed technology and end user characteristics, physical surroundings, and the organizational context of use. It also makes it hard to judge the quality of eHealth design, since it makes it difficult to gear evaluations of eHealth to the main goals it is supposed to serve. Objective In order to facilitate the creation of eHealth that matters, we present a practical, multidisciplinary requirements development approach which is embedded in a holistic design approach for eHealth (the Center for eHealth Research roadmap) that incorporates both human-centered design and business modeling. Methods Our requirements development approach consists of five phases. In the first, preparatory, phase the project team is composed and the overall goal(s) of the eHealth intervention are decided upon. Second, primary end users and other stakeholders are identified by means of audience segmentation techniques and our stakeholder identification method. Third, the designated context of use is mapped and end users are profiled by means of requirements elicitation methods (eg, interviews, focus groups, or observations). Fourth, stakeholder values and eHealth intervention requirements are distilled from data transcripts, which leads to phase five, in which requirements are communicated to other developers using a requirements notation template we developed specifically for the context of eHealth technologies. Results The end result of our requirements development approach for eHealth interventions is a design document which includes functional and non-functional requirements, a list of stakeholder values, and end

Designing eHealth that Matters via a Multidisciplinary Requirements Development Approach.

PubMed

Van Velsen, Lex; Wentzel, Jobke; Van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia Ewc

2013-06-24

Requirements development is a crucial part of eHealth design. It entails all the activities devoted to requirements identification, the communication of requirements to other developers, and their evaluation. Currently, a requirements development approach geared towards the specifics of the eHealth domain is lacking. This is likely to result in a mismatch between the developed technology and end user characteristics, physical surroundings, and the organizational context of use. It also makes it hard to judge the quality of eHealth design, since it makes it difficult to gear evaluations of eHealth to the main goals it is supposed to serve. In order to facilitate the creation of eHealth that matters, we present a practical, multidisciplinary requirements development approach which is embedded in a holistic design approach for eHealth (the Center for eHealth Research roadmap) that incorporates both human-centered design and business modeling. Our requirements development approach consists of five phases. In the first, preparatory, phase the project team is composed and the overall goal(s) of the eHealth intervention are decided upon. Second, primary end users and other stakeholders are identified by means of audience segmentation techniques and our stakeholder identification method. Third, the designated context of use is mapped and end users are profiled by means of requirements elicitation methods (eg, interviews, focus groups, or observations). Fourth, stakeholder values and eHealth intervention requirements are distilled from data transcripts, which leads to phase five, in which requirements are communicated to other developers using a requirements notation template we developed specifically for the context of eHealth technologies. The end result of our requirements development approach for eHealth interventions is a design document which includes functional and non-functional requirements, a list of stakeholder values, and end user profiles in the form of

The Numerical Propulsion System Simulation: A Multidisciplinary Design System for Aerospace Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lytle, John K.

1999-01-01

Advances in computational technology and in physics-based modeling are making large scale, detailed simulations of complex systems possible within the design environment. For example, the integration of computing, communications, and aerodynamics has reduced the time required to analyze ma or propulsion system components from days and weeks to minutes and hours. This breakthrough has enabled the detailed simulation of major propulsion system components to become a routine part of design process and to provide the designer with critical information about the components early in the design process. This paper describes the development of the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS), a multidisciplinary system of analysis tools that is focussed on extending the simulation capability from components to the full system. This will provide the product developer with a "virtual wind tunnel" that will reduce the number of hardware builds and tests required during the development of advanced aerospace propulsion systems.

Multidisciplinary Design Technology Development: A Comparative Investigation of Integrated Aerospace Vehicle Design Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Renaud, John E.; Batill, Stephen M.; Brockman, Jay B.

1999-01-01

This research effort is a joint program between the Departments of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Notre Dame. The purpose of the project was to develop a framework and systematic methodology to facilitate the application of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) to a diverse class of system design problems. For all practical aerospace systems, the design of a systems is a complex sequence of events which integrates the activities of a variety of discipline "experts" and their associated "tools". The development, archiving and exchange of information between these individual experts is central to the design task and it is this information which provides the basis for these experts to make coordinated design decisions (i.e., compromises and trade-offs) - resulting in the final product design. Grant efforts focused on developing and evaluating frameworks for effective design coordination within a MDO environment. Central to these research efforts was the concept that the individual discipline "expert", using the most appropriate "tools" available and the most complete description of the system should be empowered to have the greatest impact on the design decisions and final design. This means that the overall process must be highly interactive and efficiently conducted if the resulting design is to be developed in a manner consistent with cost and time requirements. The methods developed as part of this research effort include; extensions to a sensitivity based Concurrent Subspace Optimization (CSSO) NMO algorithm; the development of a neural network response surface based CSSO-MDO algorithm; and the integration of distributed computing and process scheduling into the MDO environment. This report overviews research efforts in each of these focus. A complete bibliography of research produced with support of this grant is attached.

Compressor and Turbine Multidisciplinary Design for Highly Efficient Micro-gas Turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barsi, Dario; Perrone, Andrea; Qu, Yonglei; Ratto, Luca; Ricci, Gianluca; Sergeev, Vitaliy; Zunino, Pietro

2018-06-01

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is widely employed to enhance turbomachinery components efficiency. The aim of this work is to describe a complete tool for the aero-mechanical design of a radial inflow turbine and a centrifugal compressor. The high rotational speed of such machines and the high exhaust gas temperature (only for the turbine) expose blades to really high stresses and therefore the aerodynamics design has to be coupled with the mechanical one through an integrated procedure. The described approach employs a fully 3D Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver for the aerodynamics and an open source Finite Element Analysis (FEA) solver for the mechanical integrity assessment. Due to the high computational cost of both these two solvers, a meta model, such as an artificial neural network (ANN), is used to speed up the optimization design process. The interaction between two codes, the mesh generation and the post processing of the results are achieved via in-house developed scripting modules. The obtained results are widely presented and discussed.

Multi-disciplinary decision making in general practice.

PubMed

Kirby, Ann; Murphy, Aileen; Bradley, Colin

2018-04-09

Purpose Internationally, healthcare systems are moving towards delivering care in an integrated manner which advocates a multi-disciplinary approach to decision making. Such an approach is formally encouraged in the management of Atrial Fibrillation patients through the European Society of Cardiology guidelines. Since the emergence of new oral anticoagulants switching between oral anticoagulants (OACs) has become prevalent. This case study considers the role of multi-disciplinary decision making, given the complex nature of the agents. The purpose of this paper is to explore Irish General Practitioners' (GPs) experience of switching between all OACs for Arial Fibrillation (AF) patients; prevalence of multi-disciplinary decision making in OAC switching decisions and seeks to determine the GP characteristics that appear to influence the likelihood of multi-disciplinary decision making. Design/methodology/approach A probit model is used to determine the factors influencing multi-disciplinary decision making and a multinomial logit is used to examine the factors influencing who is involved in the multi-disciplinary decisions. Findings Results reveal that while some multi-disciplinary decision-making is occurring (64 per cent), it is not standard practice despite international guidelines on integrated care. Moreover, there is a lack of patient participation in the decision-making process. Female GPs and GPs who have initiated prescriptions for OACs are more likely to engage in multi-disciplinary decision-making surrounding switching OACs amongst AF patients. GPs with training practices were less likely to engage with cardiac consultants and those in urban areas were more likely to engage with other (non-cardiac) consultants. Originality/value For optimal decision making under uncertainty multi-disciplinary decision-making is needed to make a more informed judgement and to improve treatment decisions and reduce the opportunity cost of making the wrong decision.

Integrating Multibody Simulation and CFD: toward Complex Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pieri, Stefano; Poloni, Carlo; Mühlmeier, Martin

This paper describes the use of integrated multidisciplinary analysis and optimization of a race car model on a predefined circuit. The objective is the definition of the most efficient geometric configuration that can guarantee the lowest lap time. In order to carry out this study it has been necessary to interface the design optimization software modeFRONTIER with the following softwares: CATIA v5, a three dimensional CAD software, used for the definition of the parametric geometry; A.D.A.M.S./Motorsport, a multi-body dynamic simulation software; IcemCFD, a mesh generator, for the automatic generation of the CFD grid; CFX, a Navier-Stokes code, for the fluid-dynamic forces prediction. The process integration gives the possibility to compute, for each geometrical configuration, a set of aerodynamic coefficients that are then used in the multiboby simulation for the computation of the lap time. Finally an automatic optimization procedure is started and the lap-time minimized. The whole process is executed on a Linux cluster running CFD simulations in parallel.

Multidisciplinary design optimization of the belt drive system considering both structure and vibration characteristics based on improved genetic algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Yongliang; Song, Xueguan; Sun, Wei; Wang, Xiaobang

2018-05-01

The dynamic performance of a belt drive system is composed of many factors, such as the efficiency, the vibration, and the optimal parameters. The conventional design only considers the basic performance of the belt drive system, while ignoring its overall performance. To address all these challenges, the study on vibration characteristics and optimization strategies could be a feasible way. This paper proposes a new optimization strategy and takes a belt drive design optimization as a case study based on the multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). The MDO of the belt drive system is established and the corresponding sub-systems are analyzed. The multidisciplinary optimization is performed by using an improved genetic algorithm. Based on the optimal results obtained from the MDO, the three-dimension (3D) model of the belt drive system is established for dynamics simulation by virtual prototyping. From the comparison of the results with respect to different velocities and loads, the MDO method can effectively reduce the transverse vibration amplitude. The law of the vibration displacement, the vibration frequency, and the influence of velocities on the transverse vibrations has been obtained. Results show that the MDO method is of great help to obtain the optimal structural parameters. Furthermore, the kinematics principle of the belt drive has been obtained. The belt drive design case indicates that the proposed method in this paper can also be used to solve other engineering optimization problems efficiently.

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) Methods: Their Synergy with Computer Technology in Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1998-01-01

The paper identifies speed, agility, human interface, generation of sensitivity information, task decomposition, and data transmission (including storage) as important attributes for a computer environment to have in order to support engineering design effectively. It is argued that when examined in terms of these attributes the presently available environment can be shown to be inadequate a radical improvement is needed, and it may be achieved by combining new methods that have recently emerged from multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) with massively parallel processing computer technology. The caveat is that, for successful use of that technology in engineering computing, new paradigms for computing will have to be developed - specifically, innovative algorithms that are intrinsically parallel so that their performance scales up linearly with the number of processors. It may be speculated that the idea of simulating a complex behavior by interaction of a large number of very simple models may be an inspiration for the above algorithms, the cellular automata are an example. Because of the long lead time needed to develop and mature new paradigms, development should be now, even though the widespread availability of massively parallel processing is still a few years away.

Distributed Parallel Processing and Dynamic Load Balancing Techniques for Multidisciplinary High Speed Aircraft Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krasteva, Denitza T.

1998-01-01

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) for large-scale engineering problems poses many challenges (e.g., the design of an efficient concurrent paradigm for global optimization based on disciplinary analyses, expensive computations over vast data sets, etc.) This work focuses on the application of distributed schemes for massively parallel architectures to MDO problems, as a tool for reducing computation time and solving larger problems. The specific problem considered here is configuration optimization of a high speed civil transport (HSCT), and the efficient parallelization of the embedded paradigm for reasonable design space identification. Two distributed dynamic load balancing techniques (random polling and global round robin with message combining) and two necessary termination detection schemes (global task count and token passing) were implemented and evaluated in terms of effectiveness and scalability to large problem sizes and a thousand processors. The effect of certain parameters on execution time was also inspected. Empirical results demonstrated stable performance and effectiveness for all schemes, and the parametric study showed that the selected algorithmic parameters have a negligible effect on performance.

A methodology towards virtualisation-based high performance simulation platform supporting multidisciplinary design of complex products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Lei; Zhang, Lin; Tao, Fei; (Luke) Zhang, Xiaolong; Luo, Yongliang; Zhang, Yabin

2012-08-01

Multidisciplinary design of complex products leads to an increasing demand for high performance simulation (HPS) platforms. One great challenge is how to achieve high efficient utilisation of large-scale simulation resources in distributed and heterogeneous environments. This article reports a virtualisation-based methodology to realise a HPS platform. This research is driven by the issues concerning large-scale simulation resources deployment and complex simulation environment construction, efficient and transparent utilisation of fine-grained simulation resources and high reliable simulation with fault tolerance. A framework of virtualisation-based simulation platform (VSIM) is first proposed. Then the article investigates and discusses key approaches in VSIM, including simulation resources modelling, a method to automatically deploying simulation resources for dynamic construction of system environment, and a live migration mechanism in case of faults in run-time simulation. Furthermore, the proposed methodology is applied to a multidisciplinary design system for aircraft virtual prototyping and some experiments are conducted. The experimental results show that the proposed methodology can (1) significantly improve the utilisation of fine-grained simulation resources, (2) result in a great reduction in deployment time and an increased flexibility for simulation environment construction and (3)achieve fault tolerant simulation.

Recent experience with multidisciplinary analysis and optimization in advanced aircraft design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dollyhigh, Samuel M.; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1990-01-01

The task of modern aircraft design has always been complicated due to the number of intertwined technical factors from the various engineering disciplines. Furthermore, this complexity has been rapidly increasing by the development of such technologies as aeroelasticity tailored materials and structures, active control systems, integrated propulsion/airframe controls, thrust vectoring, and so on. Successful designs that achieve maximum advantage from these new technologies require a thorough understanding of the physical phenomena and the interactions among these phenomena. A study commissioned by the Aeronautical Sciences and Evaluation Board of the National Research Council has gone so far as to identify technology integration as a new discipline from which many future aeronautical advancements will arise. Regardless of whether one considers integration as a new discipline or not, it is clear to all engineers involved in aircraft design and analysis that better methods are required. In the past, designers conducted parametric studies in which a relatively small number of principal characteristics were varied to determine the effect on design requirements which were themselves often diverse and contradictory. Once a design was chosen, it then passed through the various engineers' disciplines whose principal task was to make the chosen design workable. Working in a limited design space, the discipline expert sometimes improved the concept, but more often than not, the result was in the form of a penalty to make the original concept workable. If an insurmountable problem was encountered, the process began over. Most design systems that attempt to account for disciplinary interactions have large empirical elements and reliance on past experience is a poor guide in obtaining maximum utilizations of new technologies. Further compounding the difficulty of design is that as the aeronautical sciences have matured, the discipline specialist's area of research has generally

Multidisciplinary Optimization Approach for Design and Operation of Constrained and Complex-shaped Space Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dae Young

The design of a small satellite is challenging since they are constrained by mass, volume, and power. To mitigate these constraint effects, designers adopt deployable configurations on the spacecraft that result in an interesting and difficult optimization problem. The resulting optimization problem is challenging due to the computational complexity caused by the large number of design variables and the model complexity created by the deployables. Adding to these complexities, there is a lack of integration of the design optimization systems into operational optimization, and the utility maximization of spacecraft in orbit. The developed methodology enables satellite Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) that is extendable to on-orbit operation. Optimization of on-orbit operations is possible with MDO since the model predictive controller developed in this dissertation guarantees the achievement of the on-ground design behavior in orbit. To enable the design optimization of highly constrained and complex-shaped space systems, the spherical coordinate analysis technique, called the "Attitude Sphere", is extended and merged with an additional engineering tools like OpenGL. OpenGL's graphic acceleration facilitates the accurate estimation of the shadow-degraded photovoltaic cell area. This technique is applied to the design optimization of the satellite Electric Power System (EPS) and the design result shows that the amount of photovoltaic power generation can be increased more than 9%. Based on this initial methodology, the goal of this effort is extended from Single Discipline Optimization to Multidisciplinary Optimization, which includes the design and also operation of the EPS, Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS), and communication system. The geometry optimization satisfies the conditions of the ground development phase; however, the operation optimization may not be as successful as expected in orbit due to disturbances. To address this issue

Design of a Model for a Professional Development Programme for a Multidisciplinary Science Subject in the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser, Talitha C.; Coenders, Fer G. M.; Terlouw, Cees; Pieters, Jules M.

2012-01-01

Schools are increasingly integrating multidisciplinary education into their programmes. The Minister of Education, Culture and Science has introduced a new, integrated science subject in secondary education in the Netherlands, called Nature, Life and Technology (NLT). This research note describes the design of a generic model for a professional…

Integrating Multidisciplinary Engineering Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolff, Karin; Luckett, Kathy

2013-01-01

In order to design two distinct engineering qualification levels for an existing University of Technology programme, empirical evidence based on the current diploma is necessary to illuminate the nature of and the relationship between the "contextual" and "conceptual" elements underpinning a multidisciplinary engineering…

Multi-level of Fidelity Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization of Small, Solid-Propellant Launch Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roshanian, Jafar; Jodei, Jahangir; Mirshams, Mehran; Ebrahimi, Reza; Mirzaee, Masood

A new automated multi-level of fidelity Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) methodology has been developed at the MDO Laboratory of K.N. Toosi University of Technology. This paper explains a new design approach by formulation of developed disciplinary modules. A conceptual design for a small, solid-propellant launch vehicle was considered at two levels of fidelity structure. Low and medium level of fidelity disciplinary codes were developed and linked. Appropriate design and analysis codes were defined according to their effect on the conceptual design process. Simultaneous optimization of the launch vehicle was performed at the discipline level and system level. Propulsion, aerodynamics, structure and trajectory disciplinary codes were used. To reach the minimum launch weight, the Low LoF code first searches the whole design space to achieve the mission requirements. Then the medium LoF code receives the output of the low LoF and gives a value near the optimum launch weight with more details and higher fidelity.

Multidisciplinary Rural Studies in the Land Grant University Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David L; Ranney, Christine

1991-01-01

Proposes a multidisciplinary graduate program in rural studies within the land grant university context. Requires a universitywide Rural Studies Center to coordinate efforts across the various colleges. Students could earn dual-title master's and Ph.D. degrees in rural studies and applied economics, sociology, geography, public administration,…

Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation (MDO) Methods: Their Synergy with Computer Technology in the Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1999-01-01

The paper identifies speed, agility, human interface, generation of sensitivity information, task decomposition, and data transmission (including storage) as important attributes for a computer environment to have in order to support engineering design effectively. It is argued that when examined in terms of these attributes the presently available environment can be shown to be inadequate. A radical improvement is needed, and it may be achieved by combining new methods that have recently emerged from multidisciplinary design optimisation (MDO) with massively parallel processing computer technology. The caveat is that, for successful use of that technology in engineering computing, new paradigms for computing will have to be developed - specifically, innovative algorithms that are intrinsically parallel so that their performance scales up linearly with the number of processors. It may be speculated that the idea of simulating a complex behaviour by interaction of a large number of very simple models may be an inspiration for the above algorithms; the cellular automata are an example. Because of the long lead time needed to develop and mature new paradigms, development should begin now, even though the widespread availability of massively parallel processing is still a few years away.

Multidisciplinary design optimization of vehicle instrument panel based on multi-objective genetic algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ping; Wu, Guangqiang

2013-03-01

Typical multidisciplinary design optimization(MDO) has gradually been proposed to balance performances of lightweight, noise, vibration and harshness(NVH) and safety for instrument panel(IP) structure in the automotive development. Nevertheless, plastic constitutive relation of Polypropylene(PP) under different strain rates, has not been taken into consideration in current reliability-based and collaborative IP MDO design. In this paper, based on tensile test under different strain rates, the constitutive relation of Polypropylene material is studied. Impact simulation tests for head and knee bolster are carried out to meet the regulation of FMVSS 201 and FMVSS 208, respectively. NVH analysis is performed to obtain mainly the natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes, while the crashworthiness analysis is employed to examine the crash behavior of IP structure. With the consideration of lightweight, NVH, head and knee bolster impact performance, design of experiment(DOE), response surface model(RSM), and collaborative optimization(CO) are applied to realize the determined and reliability-based optimizations, respectively. Furthermore, based on multi-objective genetic algorithm(MOGA), the optimal Pareto sets are completed to solve the multi-objective optimization(MOO) problem. The proposed research ensures the smoothness of Pareto set, enhances the ability of engineers to make a comprehensive decision about multi-objectives and choose the optimal design, and improves the quality and efficiency of MDO.

Multidisciplinary Design Technology Development: A Comparative Investigation of Integrated Aerospace Vehicle Design Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Renaud, John E.; Batill, Stephen M.; Brockman, Jay B.

1998-01-01

This research effort is a joint program between the Departments of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Notre Dame. Three Principal Investigators; Drs. Renaud, Brockman and Batill directed this effort. During the four and a half year grant period, six Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. students and one Masters student received full or partial support, while four Computer Science and Engineering Ph.D. students and one Masters student were supported. During each of the summers up to four undergraduate students were involved in related research activities. The purpose of the project was to develop a framework and systematic methodology to facilitate the application of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (N4DO) to a diverse class of system design problems. For all practical aerospace systems, the design of a systems is a complex sequence of events which integrates the activities of a variety of discipline "experts" and their associated "tools". The development, archiving and exchange of information between these individual experts is central to the design task and it is this information which provides the basis for these experts to make coordinated design decisions (i.e., compromises and trade-offs) - resulting in the final product design. Grant efforts focused on developing and evaluating frameworks for effective design coordination within a MDO environment. Central to these research efforts was the concept that the individual discipline "expert", using the most appropriate "tools" available and the most complete description of the system should be empowered to have the greatest impact on the design decisions and final design. This means that the overall process must be highly interactive and efficiently conducted if the resulting design is to be developed in a manner consistent with cost and time requirements. The methods developed as part of this research effort include; extensions to

The multi-disciplinary design study: A life cycle cost algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harding, R. R.; Pichi, F. J.

1988-01-01

The approach and results of a Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis of the Space Station Solar Dynamic Power Subsystem (SDPS) including gimbal pointing and power output performance are documented. The Multi-Discipline Design Tool (MDDT) computer program developed during the 1986 study has been modified to include the design, performance, and cost algorithms for the SDPS as described. As with the Space Station structural and control subsystems, the LCC of the SDPS can be computed within the MDDT program as a function of the engineering design variables. Two simple examples of MDDT's capability to evaluate cost sensitivity and design based on LCC are included. MDDT was designed to accept NASA's IMAT computer program data as input so that IMAT's detailed structural and controls design capability can be assessed with expected system LCC as computed by MDDT. No changes to IMAT were required. Detailed knowledge of IMAT is not required to perform the LCC analyses as the interface with IMAT is noninteractive.

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of A Highly Flexible Aeroservoelastic Wing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghighat, Sohrab

A multidisciplinary design optimization framework is developed that integrates control system design with aerostructural design for a highly-deformable wing. The objective of this framework is to surpass the existing aircraft endurance limits through the use of an active load alleviation system designed concurrently with the rest of the aircraft. The novelty of this work is two fold. First, a unified dynamics framework is developed to represent the full six-degree-of-freedom rigid-body along with the structural dynamics. It allows for an integrated control design to account for both manoeuvrability (flying quality) and aeroelasticity criteria simultaneously. Secondly, by synthesizing the aircraft control system along with the structural sizing and aerodynamic shape design, the final design has the potential to exploit synergies among the three disciplines and yield higher performing aircraft. A co-rotational structural framework featuring Euler--Bernoulli beam elements is developed to capture the wing's nonlinear deformations under the effect of aerodynamic and inertial loadings. In this work, a three-dimensional aerodynamic panel code, capable of calculating both steady and unsteady loadings is used. Two different control methods, a model predictive controller (MPC) and a 2-DOF mixed-norm robust controller, are considered in this work to control a highly flexible aircraft. Both control techniques offer unique advantages that make them promising for controlling a highly flexible aircraft. The control system works towards executing time-dependent manoeuvres along with performing gust/manoeuvre load alleviation. The developed framework is investigated for demonstration in two design cases: one in which the control system simply worked towards achieving or maintaining a target altitude, and another where the control system is also performing load alleviation. The use of the active load alleviation system results in a significant improvement in the aircraft performance

Structural Model Tuning Capability in an Object-Oriented Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lung, Shun-fat; Pak, Chan-gi

2008-01-01

Updating the finite element model using measured data is a challenging problem in the area of structural dynamics. The model updating process requires not only satisfactory correlations between analytical and experimental results, but also the retention of dynamic properties of structures. Accurate rigid body dynamics are important for flight control system design and aeroelastic trim analysis. Minimizing the difference between analytical and experimental results is a type of optimization problem. In this research, a multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) tool is introduced to optimize the objective function and constraints such that the mass properties, the natural frequencies, and the mode shapes are matched to the target data as well as the mass matrix being orthogonalized.

Structural Model Tuning Capability in an Object-Oriented Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lung, Shun-fat; Pak, Chan-gi

2008-01-01

Updating the finite element model using measured data is a challenging problem in the area of structural dynamics. The model updating process requires not only satisfactory correlations between analytical and experimental results, but also the retention of dynamic properties of structures. Accurate rigid body dynamics are important for flight control system design and aeroelastic trim analysis. Minimizing the difference between analytical and experimental results is a type of optimization problem. In this research, a multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization [MDAO] tool is introduced to optimize the objective function and constraints such that the mass properties, the natural frequencies, and the mode shapes are matched to the target data as well as the mass matrix being orthogonalized.

Evaluation of Methods for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO). Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kodiyalam, Srinivas; Yuan, Charles; Sobieski, Jaroslaw (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A new MDO method, BLISS, and two different variants of the method, BLISS/RS and BLISS/S, have been implemented using iSIGHT's scripting language and evaluated in this report on multidisciplinary problems. All of these methods are based on decomposing a modular system optimization system into several subtasks optimization, that may be executed concurrently, and the system optimization that coordinates the subtasks optimization. The BLISS method and its variants are well suited for exploiting the concurrent processing capabilities in a multiprocessor machine. Several steps, including the local sensitivity analysis, local optimization, response surfaces construction and updates are all ideally suited for concurrent processing. Needless to mention, such algorithms that can effectively exploit the concurrent processing capabilities of the compute servers will be a key requirement for solving large-scale industrial design problems, such as the automotive vehicle problem detailed in Section 3.4.

[Application of digital design of orthodontic-prosthodontic multidisciplinary treatment plan in esthetic rehabilitation of anterior teeth].

PubMed

Liu, Y S; Li, Z; Zhao, Y J; Ye, H Q; Zhou, Y Q; Hu, W J; Liu, Y S; Xun, C L; Zhou, Y S

2018-02-18

To develop a digital workflow of orthodontic-prosthodontic multidisciplinary treatment plan which can be applied in complicated anterior teeth esthetic rehabilitation, in order to enhance the efficiency of communication between dentists and patients, and improve the predictability of treatment outcome. Twenty patients with the potential needs of orthodontic-prosthodontic multidisciplinary treatment to solve their complicated esthetic problems in anterior teeth were recruited in this study. Digital models of patients' both dental arches and soft tissues were captured using intra oral scanner. Direct prosthodontic (DP) treatment plan and orthodontic-prosthodontic (OP) treatment plan were carried out for each patient. For DP treatment plans, digital wax-up models were directly designed on original digital models using prosthodontic design system. For OP treatment plans, virtual-setups were performed using orthodontic analyze system according to orthodontic and esthetic criteria and imported to prosthodontic design system to finalize the digital wax-up models. These two treatment plans were shown to the patients and demonstrated elaborately. Each patient rated two treatment plans using visual analogue scales and the medians of scores of two treatment plans were analyzed using signed Wilcoxon test. Having taken into consideration various related factors, including time, costs of treatment, each patient chose a specific treatment plan. For the patients chose DP treatment plans, digital wax-up models were exported and printed into resin diagnostic models which would be utilized in the prosthodontic treatment process. For the patients chose OP treatment plans, virtual-setups were used to fabricate aligners or indirect bonding templates and digital wax-up models were also exported and printed into resin diagnostic models for prosthodontic treatment after orthodontic treatment completed. The medians of scores of DP treatment plan and OP treatment plan were calculated and

[Beneficial effect of a cognitive behavioral and multidisciplinary program in Alzheimer Disease on spouse caregiver anxiety: French study ELMMA].

PubMed

Negovanska, V; Hergueta, T; Guichart-Gomez, E; Dubois, B; Sarazin, M; Bungener, C

2011-02-01

Over the last decade, several programs have been developed for caregivers of Alzheimer disease patients. In France however, studies exploring their effects are still scarce. We conducted a study to compare two different interventions: a structured multidisciplinary program versus a classical intervention designed for Alzheimer disease patients and their spouses. Sixteen couples (Alzheimer's disease patient and spouse) residing in our administrative district participated in this monocentric study. For at least two years, these couples participated in a multidisciplinary program (n=8 couples) or received usual care (n=8 couples). The multidisciplinary program involved biannual consultations with a neurologist, a neuropsychologist and a psychologist, in addition to an annual meeting, stratified on the patient's MMSE score, for spouses). Usual care involved biannual consultations with the neurologist. The multidisciplinary program included a psychological intervention based on cognitive behavioral theories and centered on psycho-education, problem solving, adaptation strategies and on prevention of depression and anxiety. The spouses and the patients evaluated the 2-year follow-up during clinical interviews, completed by questionnaires. Sociodemographic data were noted for the patients and their spouses. Levels of depression and anxiety (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Montgomery and Asberg Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and care burden (Zarit Burden Inventory) were evaluated in spouses. Levels of cognitive impairment (Mini Mental State Examination), autonomy (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), psychological state (Montgomery and Asberg Depression Scale, Covi Anxiety Scale), and behavioral symptoms frequency (Neuropsychiatric Inventory) were assessed in patients. The main significant result showed that the spouses' state of anxiety was lower among participants in the multidisciplinary

A Systematic Approach for Quantitative Analysis of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sangho; Park, Jungkeun; Lee, Jeong-Oog; Lee, Jae-Woo

An efficient Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization (MDO) framework for an aerospace engineering system should use and integrate distributed resources such as various analysis codes, optimization codes, Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools, Data Base Management Systems (DBMS), etc. in a heterogeneous environment, and need to provide user-friendly graphical user interfaces. In this paper, we propose a systematic approach for determining a reference MDO framework and for evaluating MDO frameworks. The proposed approach incorporates two well-known methods, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Quality Function Deployment (QFD), in order to provide a quantitative analysis of the qualitative criteria of MDO frameworks. Identification and hierarchy of the framework requirements and the corresponding solutions for the reference MDO frameworks, the general one and the aircraft oriented one were carefully investigated. The reference frameworks were also quantitatively identified using AHP and QFD. An assessment of three in-house frameworks was then performed. The results produced clear and useful guidelines for improvement of the in-house MDO frameworks and showed the feasibility of the proposed approach for evaluating an MDO framework without a human interference.

Multidisciplinary Analysis of a Hypersonic Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suresh, Ambady; Stewart, Mark

2003-01-01

The objective is to develop high fidelity tools that can influence ISTAR design In particular, tools for coupling Fluid-Thermal-Structural simulations RBCC/TBCC designers carefully balance aerodynamic, thermal, weight, & structural considerations; consistent multidisciplinary solutions reveal details (at modest cost) At Scram mode design point, simulations give details of inlet & combustor performance, thermal loads, structural deflections.

Multidisciplinary Optimization of a Transport Aircraft Wing using Particle Swarm Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw; Venter, Gerhard

2002-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the application of particle swarm optimization to a realistic multidisciplinary optimization test problem. The paper's new contributions to multidisciplinary optimization is the application of a new algorithm for dealing with the unique challenges associated with multidisciplinary optimization problems, and recommendations as to the utility of the algorithm in future multidisciplinary optimization applications. The selected example is a bi-level optimization problem that demonstrates severe numerical noise and has a combination of continuous and truly discrete design variables. The use of traditional gradient-based optimization algorithms is thus not practical. The numerical results presented indicate that the particle swarm optimization algorithm is able to reliably find the optimum design for the problem presented here. The algorithm is capable of dealing with the unique challenges posed by multidisciplinary optimization as well as the numerical noise and truly discrete variables present in the current example problem.

Development of multidisciplinary design optimization procedures for smart composite wings and turbomachinery blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Ratneshwar

Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) procedures have been developed for smart composite wings and turbomachinery blades. The analysis and optimization methods used are computationally efficient and sufficiently rigorous. Therefore, the developed MDO procedures are well suited for actual design applications. The optimization procedure for the conceptual design of composite aircraft wings with surface bonded piezoelectric actuators involves the coupling of structural mechanics, aeroelasticity, aerodynamics and controls. The load carrying member of the wing is represented as a single-celled composite box beam. Each wall of the box beam is analyzed as a composite laminate using a refined higher-order displacement field to account for the variations in transverse shear stresses through the thickness. Therefore, the model is applicable for the analysis of composite wings of arbitrary thickness. Detailed structural modeling issues associated with piezoelectric actuation of composite structures are considered. The governing equations of motion are solved using the finite element method to analyze practical wing geometries. Three-dimensional aerodynamic computations are performed using a panel code based on the constant-pressure lifting surface method to obtain steady and unsteady forces. The Laplace domain method of aeroelastic analysis produces root-loci of the system which gives an insight into the physical phenomena leading to flutter/divergence and can be efficiently integrated within an optimization procedure. The significance of the refined higher-order displacement field on the aeroelastic stability of composite wings has been established. The effect of composite ply orientations on flutter and divergence speeds has been studied. The Kreisselmeier-Steinhauser (K-S) function approach is used to efficiently integrate the objective functions and constraints into a single envelope function. The resulting unconstrained optimization problem is solved using the

Assessing Students' Understanding of Human Behavior: A Multidisciplinary Outcomes Based Approach for the Design and Assessment of an Academic Program Goal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keith, Bruce; Meese, Michael J.; Efflandt, Scott; Malinowski, Jon C.; LeBoeuf, Joseph; Gallagher, Martha; Hurley, John; Green, Charles

2002-01-01

Presents a strategy for the curricular design and assessment of one multidisciplinary program goal: understanding human behavior. Discusses how to assess a desired outcome based on four specific areas: (1) organizational context; (2) articulation of a learning model; (3) program design and implementation; and (4) outcomes assessment. (Author/KDR)

A Framework for Multi-Scale, Multi-Disciplinary Arctic Terrestrial Field Research Design, Nomenclature and Data Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charsley-Groffman, L.; Killeffer, T.; Wullschleger, S. D.; Wilson, C. J.

2016-12-01

The Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment, NGEE Arctic, project aims to improve the representation of arctic terrestrial processes and properties in Earth System Models, ESMs, through coordinated multi-disciplinary field-based observations and experiments. NGEE involves nearly one hundred research staff, post docs and students from multiple DOE laboratories and universities who deploy a wide range of in-situ and remote field observation techniques to quantify and understand interactions between the climate system and surface and subsurface coupled thermal-hydrologic, biogeochemical and vegetation processes. Careful attention was given to the design and management of co-located long-term and one off data collection efforts, as well as their data streams. Field research sites at the Barrow Environmental Observatory near Barrow AK and on the Seward Peninsula were designed around the concept of "ecotypes" which co-evolved with readily identified and classified hydro-geomorphic features characteristic of arctic landscapes. NGEE sub-teams focused on 5 unique science questions collaborated to design field sites and develop naming conventions for locations and data types to develop coherent data sets to parameterize, initialize and test a range of site-specific process resolving models to ESMs. Multi-layer mapping products were a critical means of developing a coordinated and coherent observation design, and a centralized data portal and data reporting framework was critical to ensuring meaningful data products for NGEE modelers and Arctic scientific community at large. We present examples of what works and lessons learned for a large multi-disciplinary terrestrial observational research project in the Arctic.

Multidisciplinary Optimization Branch Experience Using iSIGHT Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, S. L.; Korte, J. J.; Dunn, H. J.; Salas, A. O.

1999-01-01

The Multidisciplinary Optimization (MDO) Branch at NASA Langley Research Center is investigating frameworks for supporting multidisciplinary analysis and optimization research. An optimization framework call improve the design process while reducing time and costs. A framework provides software and system services to integrate computational tasks and allows the researcher to concentrate more on the application and less on the programming details. A framework also provides a common working environment and a full range of optimization tools, and so increases the productivity of multidisciplinary research teams. Finally, a framework enables staff members to develop applications for use by disciplinary experts in other organizations. Since the release of version 4.0, the MDO Branch has gained experience with the iSIGHT framework developed by Engineous Software, Inc. This paper describes experiences with four aerospace applications: (1) reusable launch vehicle sizing, (2) aerospike nozzle design, (3) low-noise rotorcraft trajectories, and (4) acoustic liner design. All applications have been successfully tested using the iSIGHT framework, except for the aerospike nozzle problem, which is in progress. Brief overviews of each problem are provided. The problem descriptions include the number and type of disciplinary codes, as well as all estimate of the multidisciplinary analysis execution time. In addition, the optimization methods, objective functions, design variables, and design constraints are described for each problem. Discussions on the experience gained and lessons learned are provided for each problem. These discussions include the advantages and disadvantages of using the iSIGHT framework for each case as well as the ease of use of various advanced features. Potential areas of improvement are identified.

New Approach to Concept Feasibility and Design Studies for Astrophysics Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deutsch, M. J.; McLaughlin, W.; Nichols, J.

1998-01-01

JPL has assembled a team of multidisciplinary experts with corporate knowledge of space mission and instrument development. The advanced Concept Design Team, known as Team X, provides interactive design trades including cost as a design parameter, and advanced visualization for pre-Phase A Studies.

Prevention of fall incidents in patients with a high risk of falling: design of a randomised controlled trial with an economic evaluation of the effect of multidisciplinary transmural care

PubMed Central

Peeters, Geeske MEE; de Vries, Oscar J; Elders, Petra JM; Pluijm, Saskia MF; Bouter, Lex M; Lips, Paul

2007-01-01

Background Annually, about 30% of the persons of 65 years and older falls at least once and 15% falls at least twice. Falls often result in serious injuries, such as fractures. Therefore, the prevention of accidental falls is necessary. The aim is to describe the design of a study that evaluates the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of multiple fall risk factors in independently living older persons with a high risk of falling. Methods/Design The study is designed as a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with an economic evaluation. Independently living persons of 65 years and older who recently experienced a fall are interviewed in their homes and screened for risk of recurrent falling using a validated fall risk profile. Persons at low risk of recurrent falling are excluded from the RCT. Persons who have a high risk of recurrent falling are blindly randomised into an intervention (n = 100) or usual care (n = 100) group. The intervention consists of a multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of multifactorial fall risk factors. The transmural multidisciplinary appraoch entails close cooperation between geriatrician, primary care physician, physical therapist and occupational therapist and can be extended with other specialists if relevant. A fall calendar is used to record falls during one year of follow-up. Primary outcomes are time to first and second falls. Three, six and twelve months after the home visit, questionnaires for economic evaluation are completed. After one year, during a second home visit, the secondary outcome measures are reassessed and the adherence to the interventions is evaluated. Data will be analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle and also an on-treatment analysis will be performed. Discussion Strengths of this study are the selection of persons at high risk of recurrent falling followed by a multidisciplinary intervention, its transmural character and the evaluation of adherence

Unstructured Finite Volume Computational Thermo-Fluid Dynamic Method for Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Design Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Majumdar, Alok; Schallhorn, Paul

1998-01-01

This paper describes a finite volume computational thermo-fluid dynamics method to solve for Navier-Stokes equations in conjunction with energy equation and thermodynamic equation of state in an unstructured coordinate system. The system of equations have been solved by a simultaneous Newton-Raphson method and compared with several benchmark solutions. Excellent agreements have been obtained in each case and the method has been found to be significantly faster than conventional Computational Fluid Dynamic(CFD) methods and therefore has the potential for implementation in Multi-Disciplinary analysis and design optimization in fluid and thermal systems. The paper also describes an algorithm of design optimization based on Newton-Raphson method which has been recently tested in a turbomachinery application.

Dynamically Reconfigurable Approach to Multidisciplinary Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexandrov, Natalie M.; Lewis, Robert Michael

2003-01-01

The complexity and autonomy of the constituent disciplines and the diversity of the disciplinary data formats make the task of integrating simulations into a multidisciplinary design optimization problem extremely time-consuming and difficult. We propose a dynamically reconfigurable approach to MDO problem formulation wherein an appropriate implementation of the disciplinary information results in basic computational components that can be combined into different MDO problem formulations and solution algorithms, including hybrid strategies, with relative ease. The ability to re-use the computational components is due to the special structure of the MDO problem. We believe that this structure can and should be used to formulate and solve optimization problems in the multidisciplinary context. The present work identifies the basic computational components in several MDO problem formulations and examines the dynamically reconfigurable approach in the context of a popular class of optimization methods. We show that if the disciplinary sensitivity information is implemented in a modular fashion, the transfer of sensitivity information among the formulations under study is straightforward. This enables not only experimentation with a variety of problem formations in a research environment, but also the flexible use of formulations in a production design environment.

Predictors of multidisciplinary treatment outcome in fibromyalgia:a systematic review.

PubMed

de Rooij, Aleid; Roorda, Leo D; Otten, René H J; van der Leeden, Marike; Dekker, Joost; Steultjens, Martijn P M

2013-03-01

To identify outcome predictors for multidisciplinary treatment in patients with chronic widespread pain (CWP) or fibromyalgia (FM). A systematic literature search in PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Pedro. Selection criteria included: age over 18; diagnosis CWP or FM; multidisciplinary treatment; longitudinal study design; original research report. Outcome domains: pain, physical functioning, emotional functioning, global treatment effect and 'others'. Methodological quality of the selected articles was assessed and a qualitative data synthesis was performed to identify the level of evidence. Fourteen studies (all with FM patients) fulfilled the selection criteria. Six were of high quality. Poorer outcome (pain, moderate evidence; physical functioning and quality of life, weak evidence) was predicted by depression. Similarly, poorer outcome was predicted by the disturbance and pain profile of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), strong beliefs in fate and high disability (weak evidence). A better outcome was predicted by a worse baseline status, the dysfunctional and the adaptive copers profile of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), and high levels of pain (weak evidence). Some predictors were related to specific multidisciplinary treatment (weak evidence). Inconclusive evidence was found for other demographic and clinical factors, cognitive and emotional factors, symptoms and physical functioning as predictors of outcome. It was found that a higher level of depression was a predictor of poor outcome in FM (moderate evidence). In addition, it was found that the baseline status, specific patient profiles, belief in fate, disability, and pain were predictors of the outcome of multidisciplinary treatment. Our results highlight the lack of high quality studies for evaluating predictors of the outcome of multidisciplinary treatment in FM. Further research on predictors of multidisciplinary treatment outcome is needed.

Multidisciplinary Modeling Software for Analysis, Design, and Optimization of HRRLS Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spradley, Lawrence W.; Lohner, Rainald; Hunt, James L.

2011-01-01

The concept for Highly Reliable Reusable Launch Systems (HRRLS) under the NASA Hypersonics project is a two-stage-to-orbit, horizontal-take-off / horizontal-landing, (HTHL) architecture with an air-breathing first stage. The first stage vehicle is a slender body with an air-breathing propulsion system that is highly integrated with the airframe. The light weight slender body will deflect significantly during flight. This global deflection affects the flow over the vehicle and into the engine and thus the loads and moments on the vehicle. High-fidelity multi-disciplinary analyses that accounts for these fluid-structures-thermal interactions are required to accurately predict the vehicle loads and resultant response. These predictions of vehicle response to multi physics loads, calculated with fluid-structural-thermal interaction, are required in order to optimize the vehicle design over its full operating range. This contract with ResearchSouth addresses one of the primary objectives of the Vehicle Technology Integration (VTI) discipline: the development of high-fidelity multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization methods and tools for HRRLS vehicles. The primary goal of this effort is the development of an integrated software system that can be used for full-vehicle optimization. This goal was accomplished by: 1) integrating the master code, FEMAP, into the multidiscipline software network to direct the coupling to assure accurate fluid-structure-thermal interaction solutions; 2) loosely-coupling the Euler flow solver FEFLO to the available and proven aeroelasticity and large deformation (FEAP) code; 3) providing a coupled Euler-boundary layer capability for rapid viscous flow simulation; 4) developing and implementing improved Euler/RANS algorithms into the FEFLO CFD code to provide accurate shock capturing, skin friction, and heat-transfer predictions for HRRLS vehicles in hypersonic flow, 5) performing a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes computation on an HRRLS

How Effective Is the Multidisciplinary Approach? A Follow-Up Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochstadt, Neil J.; Harwicke, Neil J.

1985-01-01

The effectiveness of the multidisciplinary approach was assessed by examining the number of recommended services obtained by 180 children one year after multidisciplinary evaluation. Results indicated that a large percentage of services recommended were obtained, compared with the low probability reported in samples of abused and neglected…

The Component Packaging Problem: A Vehicle for the Development of Multidisciplinary Design and Analysis Methodologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fadel, Georges; Bridgewood, Michael; Figliola, Richard; Greenstein, Joel; Kostreva, Michael; Nowaczyk, Ronald; Stevenson, Steve

1999-01-01

This report summarizes academic research which has resulted in an increased appreciation for multidisciplinary efforts among our students, colleagues and administrators. It has also generated a number of research ideas that emerged from the interaction between disciplines. Overall, 17 undergraduate students and 16 graduate students benefited directly from the NASA grant: an additional 11 graduate students were impacted and participated without financial support from NASA. The work resulted in 16 theses (with 7 to be completed in the near future), 67 papers or reports mostly published in 8 journals and/or presented at various conferences (a total of 83 papers, presentations and reports published based on NASA inspired or supported work). In addition, the faculty and students presented related work at many meetings, and continuing work has been proposed to NSF, the Army, Industry and other state and federal institutions to continue efforts in the direction of multidisciplinary and recently multi-objective design and analysis. The specific problem addressed is component packing which was solved as a multi-objective problem using iterative genetic algorithms and decomposition. Further testing and refinement of the methodology developed is presently under investigation. Teaming issues research and classes resulted in the publication of a web site, (http://design.eng.clemson.edu/psych4991) which provides pointers and techniques to interested parties. Specific advantages of using iterative genetic algorithms, hurdles faced and resolved, and institutional difficulties associated with multi-discipline teaming are described in some detail.

The multidisciplinary design optimization of a distributed propulsion blended-wing-body aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Yan-Yee Andy

The purpose of this study is to examine the multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) of a distributed propulsion blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft. The BWB is a hybrid shape resembling a flying wing, placing the payload in the inboard sections of the wing. The distributed propulsion concept involves replacing a small number of large engines with many smaller engines. The distributed propulsion concept considered here ducts part of the engine exhaust to exit out along the trailing edge of the wing. The distributed propulsion concept affects almost every aspect of the BWB design. Methods to model these effects and integrate them into an MDO framework were developed. The most important effect modeled is the impact on the propulsive efficiency. There has been conjecture that there will be an increase in propulsive efficiency when there is blowing out of the trailing edge of a wing. A mathematical formulation was derived to explain this. The formulation showed that the jet 'fills in' the wake behind the body, improving the overall aerodynamic/propulsion system, resulting in an increased propulsive efficiency. The distributed propulsion concept also replaces the conventional elevons with a vectored thrust system for longitudinal control. An extension of Spence's Jet Flap theory was developed to estimate the effects of this vectored thrust system on the aircraft longitudinal control. It was found to provide a reasonable estimate of the control capability of the aircraft. An MDO framework was developed, integrating all the distributed propulsion effects modeled. Using a gradient based optimization algorithm, the distributed propulsion BWB aircraft was optimized and compared with a similarly optimized conventional BWB design. Both designs are for an 800 passenger, 0.85 cruise Mach number and 7000 nmi mission. The MDO results found that the distributed propulsion BWB aircraft has a 4% takeoff gross weight and a 2% fuel weight. Both designs have similar planform shapes

Multidisciplinary Optimization Branch Experience Using iSIGHT Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, S. L.; Korte, J. J.; Dunn, H. J.; Salas, A. O.

1999-01-01

The Multidisciplinary Optimization (MDO) Branch at NASA Langley is investigating frameworks for supporting multidisciplinary analysis and optimization research. A framework provides software and system services to integrate computational tasks and allows the researcher to concentrate more on the application and less on the programming details. A framework also provides a common working environment and a full range of optimization tools, and so increases the productivity of multidisciplinary research teams. Finally, a framework enables staff members to develop applications for use by disciplinary experts in other organizations. This year, the MDO Branch has gained experience with the iSIGHT framework. This paper describes experiences with four aerospace applications, including: (1) reusable launch vehicle sizing, (2) aerospike nozzle design, (3) low-noise rotorcraft trajectories, and (4) acoustic liner design. Brief overviews of each problem are provided, including the number and type of disciplinary codes and computation time estimates. In addition, the optimization methods, objective functions, design variables, and constraints are described for each problem. For each case, discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of using the iSIGHT framework are provided as well as notes on the ease of use of various advanced features and suggestions for areas of improvement.

A Review of Multidisciplinary Interventions in Atopic Dermatitis

PubMed Central

Spielman, Sara C.; LeBovidge, Jennifer S.; Timmons, Karol G.; Schneider, Lynda C.

2015-01-01

Multidisciplinary interventions have been developed for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and their families, with the aim of improving outcomes such as disease control, adherence, and quality of life. We reviewed the content of different multidisciplinary approaches to intervention for AD and evidence for their impact on key outcome measures. We also provided data from our multidisciplinary outpatient program for pediatric AD. Studies included in the review suggest benefits of multidisciplinary interventions as models of treatment or adjuncts to standard medical care, with a positive impact on outcomes including disease severity and itching/scratching. There were limitations to existing studies, including heterogeneous methods used to assess quality of life outcomes across studies and lack of controlled studies assessing the outcome of clinical care programs. Further research will be useful in assessing the impact of multidisciplinary interventions on important outcomes such as treatment adherence and sleep, identifying the elements of multidisciplinary interventions that are most critical for improved outcomes, and identifying the best candidates for multidisciplinary intervention approaches. PMID:26239470

Multidisciplinary Care.

PubMed

Daly, Megan E; Riess, Jonathan W

Optimal multidisciplinary care of the lung cancer patient at all stages should encompass integration of the key relevant medical specialties, including not only medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, but also pulmonology, interventional and diagnostic radiology, pathology, palliative care, and supportive services such as physical therapy, case management, smoking cessation, and nutrition. Multidisciplinary management starts at staging and tissue diagnosis with pathologic and molecular phenotyping, extends through selection of a treatment modality or modalities, management of treatment and cancer-related symptoms, and to survivorship and end-of-life care. Well-integrated multidisciplinary care may reduce treatment delays, improve cancer-specific outcomes, and enhance quality of life. We address key topics and areas of ongoing investigation in multidisciplinary decision making at each stage of the lung cancer treatment course for early-stage, locally advanced, and metastatic lung cancer patients.

Mapping School Design: A Qualitative Study of the Relations among Facilities Design, Curriculum Delivery, and School Climate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gislason, Neil

2009-01-01

The author conducted a 3-week qualitative case study at the School of Environmental Studies (SES), a senior public school with an environmental studies focus. He argues that SES's physical design facilitates collaborative, multidisciplinary teaching practices especially suited to the school's environmental studies curriculum. He also shows that…

Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary care program on recovery and return to work of patients after gynaecological surgery; design of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Return to work after gynaecological surgery takes much longer than expected, irrespective of the level of invasiveness. In order to empower patients in recovery and return to work, a multidisciplinary care program consisting of an e-health intervention and integrated care management including participatory workplace intervention was developed. Methods/Design We designed a randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of the multidisciplinary care program on full sustainable return to work in patients after gynaecological surgery, compared to usual clinical care. Two hundred twelve women (18-65 years old) undergoing hysterectomy and/or laparoscopic adnexal surgery on benign indication in one of the 7 participating (university) hospitals in the Netherlands are expected to take part in this study at baseline. The primary outcome measure is sick leave duration until full sustainable return to work and is measured by a monthly calendar of sickness absence during 26 weeks after surgery. Secondary outcome measures are the effect of the care program on general recovery, quality of life, pain intensity and complications, and are assessed using questionnaires at baseline, 2, 6, 12 and 26 weeks after surgery. Discussion The discrepancy between expected physical recovery and actual return to work after gynaecological surgery contributes to the relevance of this study. There is strong evidence that long periods of sick leave can result in work disability, poorer general health and increased risk of mental health problems. We expect that this multidisciplinary care program will improve peri-operative care, contribute to a faster return to work of patients after gynaecological surgery and, as a consequence, will reduce societal costs considerably. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR2087 PMID:22296950

Optimal Design of Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) Systems for improving safety in NASA's Exploration Vehicles: A Two-Level Multidisciplinary Design Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehr, Ali Farhang; Tumer, Irem; Barszcz, Eric

2005-01-01

Integrated Vehicle Health Management (ISHM) systems are used to detect, assess, and isolate functional failures in order to improve safety of space systems such as Orbital Space Planes (OSPs). An ISHM system, as a whole, consists of several subsystems that monitor different components of an OSP including: Spacecraft, Launch Vehicle, Ground Control, and the International Space Station. In this research, therefore, we propose a new methodology to design and optimize ISHM as a distributed system with multiple disciplines (that correspond to different subsystems of OSP safety). A paramount amount of interest has been given in the literature to the multidisciplinary design optimization of problems with such architecture (as will be reviewed in the full paper).

Validation of the procedures. [integrated multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mantay, Wayne R.

1989-01-01

Validation strategies are described for procedures aimed at improving the rotor blade design process through a multidisciplinary optimization approach. Validation of the basic rotor environment prediction tools and the overall rotor design are discussed.

Early Experience with a Brief, Multimodal, Multidisciplinary Treatment Program for Fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

Vincent, Ann; Whipple, Mary O.; Oh, Terry H.; Guderian, Janet A.; Barton, Debra L.; Luedtke, Connie A.

2014-01-01

Fibromyalgia is a complex, heterogeneous disorder for which a multidisciplinary individualized approach is currently advocated. We executed a 1 week multidisciplinary fibromyalgia clinical program with 7 patients, based on our previous experience with our existing 1.5 day multidisciplinary fibromyalgia program that has demonstrated both short- and long-term benefits. The current expanded program was not designed as a clinical study, but rather as a clinical feasibility assessment and was multidisciplinary in nature, with cognitive behavioral therapy, activity pacing and graded exercise therapy as major components. We assessed changes in individual patients at 1 week and 3 months following the program utilizing validated self-report measures of pain, fatigue, and self-efficacy. All patients indicated at least small improvements in pain and physical symptoms both at 1 week and 3 months and all but one patient showed improvement in self-efficacy at 1 week and 3 months. Similar trends were observed for fatigue. Based on our early clinical experience, we conclude that the 1 week multidisciplinary fibromyalgia program is logistically feasible and has potential for clinical efficacy. Further research is needed and is planned to test the clinical efficacy of this program and compare it with other interventions. PMID:24315246

From user needs to system specifications: multi-disciplinary thematic seminars as a collaborative design method for development of health information systems.

PubMed

Scandurra, I; Hägglund, M; Koch, S

2008-08-01

This paper presents a new multi-disciplinary method for user needs analysis and requirements specification in the context of health information systems based on established theories from the fields of participatory design and computer supported cooperative work (CSCW). Whereas conventional methods imply a separate, sequential needs analysis for each profession, the "multi-disciplinary thematic seminar" (MdTS) method uses a collaborative design process. Application of the method in elderly homecare resulted in prototypes that were well adapted to the intended user groups. Vital information in the points of intersection between different care professions was elicited and a holistic view of the entire care process was obtained. Health informatics-usability specialists and clinical domain experts are necessary to apply the method. Although user needs acquisition can be time-consuming, MdTS was perceived to efficiently identify in-context user needs, and transformed these directly into requirements specifications. Consequently the method was perceived to expedite the entire ICT implementation process.

Optimal Design of Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) Systems for improving safety in NASA's Exploration Vehicles: A Two-Level Multidisciplinary Design Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tumer, Irem; Mehr, Ali Farhang

2005-01-01

In this paper, a two-level multidisciplinary design approach is described to optimize the effectiveness of ISHM s. At the top level, the overall safety of the mission consists of system-level variables, parameters, objectives, and constraints that are shared throughout the system and by all subsystems. Each subsystem level will then comprise of these shared values in addition to subsystem-specific variables, parameters, objectives and constraints. A hierarchical structure will be established to pass up or down shared values between the two levels with system-level and subsystem-level optimization routines.

Improving post-stroke dysphagia outcomes through a standardized and multidisciplinary protocol: an exploratory cohort study.

PubMed

Gandolfi, Marialuisa; Smania, Nicola; Bisoffi, Giulia; Squaquara, Teresa; Zuccher, Paola; Mazzucco, Sara

2014-12-01

Stroke is a major cause of dysphagia. Few studies to date have reported on standardized multidisciplinary protocolized approaches to the management of post-stroke dysphagia. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the impact of a standardized multidisciplinary protocol on clinical outcomes in patients with post-stroke dysphagia. We performed retrospective chart reviews of patients with post-stroke dysphagia admitted to the neurological ward of Verona University Hospital from 2004 to 2008. Outcomes after usual treatment for dysphagia (T- group) were compared versus outcomes after treatment under a standardized diagnostic and rehabilitative multidisciplinary protocol (T+ group). Outcome measures were death, pneumonia on X-ray, need for respiratory support, and proportion of patients on tube feeding at discharge. Of the 378 patients admitted with stroke, 84 had dysphagia and were enrolled in the study. A significantly lower risk of in-hospital death (odds ratio [OR] 0.20 [0.53-0.78]), pneumonia (OR 0.33 [0.10-1.03]), need for respiratory support (OR 0.48 [0.14-1.66]), and tube feeding at discharge (OR 0.30 [0.09-0.91]) was recorded for the T+ group (N = 39) as compared to the T- group (N = 45). The adjusted OR showed no difference between the two groups for in-hospital death and tube feeding at discharge. Use of a standardized multidisciplinary protocolized approach to the management of post-stroke dysphagia may significantly reduce rates of aspiration pneumonia, in-hospital mortality, and tube feeding in dysphagic stroke survivors. Consistent with the study's exploratory purposes, our findings suggest that the multidisciplinary protocol applied in this study offers an effective model of management of post-stroke dysphagia.

Multidisciplinary tailoring of hot composite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singhal, Surendra N.; Chamis, Christos C.

1993-01-01

A computational simulation procedure is described for multidisciplinary analysis and tailoring of layered multi-material hot composite engine structural components subjected to simultaneous multiple discipline-specific thermal, structural, vibration, and acoustic loads. The effect of aggressive environments is also simulated. The simulation is based on a three-dimensional finite element analysis technique in conjunction with structural mechanics codes, thermal/acoustic analysis methods, and tailoring procedures. The integrated multidisciplinary simulation procedure is general-purpose including the coupled effects of nonlinearities in structure geometry, material, loading, and environmental complexities. The composite material behavior is assessed at all composite scales, i.e., laminate/ply/constituents (fiber/matrix), via a nonlinear material characterization hygro-thermo-mechanical model. Sample tailoring cases exhibiting nonlinear material/loading/environmental behavior of aircraft engine fan blades, are presented. The various multidisciplinary loads lead to different tailored designs, even those competing with each other, as in the case of minimum material cost versus minimum structure weight and in the case of minimum vibration frequency versus minimum acoustic noise.

Multidisciplinary Graduate Training in Social Research Methodology and Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis: A Hands-On/Hands-Off Course Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourque, Claude Julie; Bourdon, Sylvain

2017-01-01

Drawing on the experience of training graduate students and researchers in qualitative and mixed-methods analysis since the mid-1990s, the authors reflect on the evolution of a multidisciplinary graduate course developed in a Canadian university since 2007. The hands-on/hands-off course design based on the use of NVivo was developed in parallel…

A Simple Tool for the Design and Analysis of Multiple-Reflector Antennas in a Multi-Disciplinary Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Daniel S.; Cwik, Tom; Fu, Chuigang; Imbriale, William A.; Jamnejad, Vahraz; Springer, Paul L.; Borgioli, Andrea

2000-01-01

The process of designing and analyzing a multiple-reflector system has traditionally been time-intensive, requiring large amounts of both computational and human time. At many frequencies, a discrete approximation of the radiation integral may be used to model the system. The code which implements this physical optics (PO) algorithm was developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It analyzes systems of antennas in pairs, and for each pair, the analysis can be computationally time-consuming. Additionally, the antennas must be described using a local coordinate system for each antenna, which makes it difficult to integrate the design into a multi-disciplinary framework in which there is traditionally one global coordinate system, even before considering deforming the antenna as prescribed by external structural and/or thermal factors. Finally, setting up the code to correctly analyze all the antenna pairs in the system can take a fair amount of time, and introduces possible human error. The use of parallel computing to reduce the computational time required for the analysis of a given pair of antennas has been previously discussed. This paper focuses on the other problems mentioned above. It will present a methodology and examples of use of an automated tool that performs the analysis of a complete multiple-reflector system in an integrated multi-disciplinary environment (including CAD modeling, and structural and thermal analysis) at the click of a button. This tool, named MOD Tool (Millimeter-wave Optics Design Tool), has been designed and implemented as a distributed tool, with a client that runs almost identically on Unix, Mac, and Windows platforms, and a server that runs primarily on a Unix workstation and can interact with parallel supercomputers with simple instruction from the user interacting with the client.

Effects and feasibility of a multi-disciplinary orientation program for newly registered cancer patients: design of a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Chan, Raymond; Webster, Joan; Bennett, Linda

2009-11-11

Diagnosis and treatment of cancer can contribute to psychological distress and anxiety amongst patients. Evidence indicates that information giving can be beneficial in reducing patient anxiety, so oncology specific information may have a major impact on this patient group. This study investigates the effects of an orientation program on levels of anxiety and self-efficacy amongst newly registered cancer patients who are about to undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in the cancer care centre of a large tertiary Australian hospital. The concept of interventions for orienting new cancer patients needs revisiting due to the dynamic health care system. Historically, most orientation programs at this cancer centre were conducted by one nurse. A randomised controlled trial has been designed to test the effectiveness of an orientation program with bundled interventions; a face-to-face program which includes introduction to the hospital facilities, introduction to the multi-disciplinary team and an overview of treatment side effects and self care strategies. The aim is to orientate patients to the cancer centre and to meet the health care team. We hypothesize that patients who receive this orientation will experience lower levels of anxiety and distress, and a higher level of self-efficacy. An orientation program is a common health care service provided by cancer care centres for new cancer patients. Such programs aim to give information to patients at the beginning of their encounter at a cancer care centre. It is clear in the literature that interventions that aim to improve self-efficacy in patients may demonstrate potential improvement in health outcomes. Yet, evidence on the effects of orientation programs for cancer patients on self-efficacy remains scarce, particularly with respect to the use of multidisciplinary team members. This paper presents the design of a randomised controlled trial that will evaluate the effects and feasibility of a

The Third Air Force/NASA Symposium on Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The third Air Force/NASA Symposium on Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization was held on 24-26 Sept. 1990. Sessions were on the following topics: dynamics and controls; multilevel optimization; sensitivity analysis; aerodynamic design software systems; optimization theory; analysis and design; shape optimization; vehicle components; structural optimization; aeroelasticity; artificial intelligence; multidisciplinary optimization; and composites.

Multidisciplinary outpatient care program for patients with chronic low back pain: design of a randomized controlled trial and cost-effectiveness study [ISRCTN28478651].

PubMed

Lambeek, Ludeke C; Anema, Johannes R; van Royen, Barend J; Buijs, Peter C; Wuisman, Paul I; van Tulder, Maurits W; van Mechelen, Willem

2007-09-20

Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a major public and occupational health problem, which is associated with very high costs. Although medical costs for chronic LBP are high, most costs are related to productivity losses due to sick leave. In general, the prognosis for return to work (RTW) is good but a minority of patients will be absent long-term from work. Research shows that work related problems are associated with an increase in seeking medical care and sick leave. Usual medical care of patients is however, not specifically aimed at RTW. The objective is to present the design of a randomized controlled trial, i.e. the BRIDGE-study, evaluating the effectiveness in improving RTW and cost-effectiveness of a multidisciplinary outpatient care program situated in both primary and outpatient care setting compared with usual clinical medical care for patients with chronic LBP. The design is a randomized controlled trial with an economic evaluation alongside. The study population consists of patients with chronic LBP who are completely or partially sick listed and visit an outpatient clinic of one of the participating hospitals in Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Two interventions will be compared. 1. a multidisciplinary outpatient care program consisting of a workplace intervention based on participatory ergonomics, and a graded activity program using cognitive behavioural principles. 2. usual care provided by the medical specialist, the occupational physician, the patient's general practitioner and allied health professionals. The primary outcome measure is sick leave duration until full RTW. Sick leave duration is measured monthly by self-report during one year. Data on sick leave during one-year follow-up are also requested form the employers. Secondary outcome measures are pain intensity, functional status, pain coping, patient satisfaction and quality of life. Outcome measures are assessed before randomization and 3, 6, and 12 months later. All statistical analysis will

Smoking behavior and motivation to quit among chronic pain patients initiating multidisciplinary pain treatment: a prospective study.

PubMed

Unrod, Marina; Gironda, Ronald J; Clark, Michael E; White, Kristi E; Simmons, Vani N; Sutton, Steven K; Brandon, Thomas H

2014-08-01

The primary aim of this study was to assess smoking characteristics and cessation motivation prior to and after initiation of multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment. A secondary aim was to identify predictors of cessation motivation among smokers initiating treatment for chronic pain. We used a prospective, nonrandomized, repeated measures design. The study was conducted in a multidisciplinary specialty pain treatment program at a veterans hospital. Smokers (N = 90) referred to a multidisciplinary pain program for the treatment of chronic pain. Patients completed questionnaires assessing pain-related and smoking-related factors prior to (baseline) and 8 weeks post (follow-up) specialty pain treatment initiation. Primary outcome measures were the Contemplation Ladder and the Stages of Change (SOC) algorithm. At baseline, patients reported moderate levels of cessation motivation, and 69% were in the contemplation stage or higher on the SOC. Motivation to quit smoking was higher at follow-up compared with baseline on both continuous, t(89) = 2.11, P < 0.05, and stage-based, z = 3.69, P < 0.01, measures. At follow-up, participants reported greater interest in receiving cessation interventions, and 7.8% of patients had quit smoking. Pain-related predictors of motivation (e.g., pain intensity) were subsumed by more general predictors (e.g., nicotine dependence). Patients in this sample were more motivated to quit smoking a few weeks after, as compared with before initiating specialty pain treatment. Future research into pain-specific predictors of cessation motivation is warranted to inform the development of interventions that address pain patients' unique needs. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Multi-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Educational Research. Final Report, Part IV; The Utilization of Sociological Ideas in Organizational Planning: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarsfeld, Paul F., Ed.

This document, the fourth in the final report on the Multi-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Educational Research, is a qualitative case study designed to show the form of sociological contributions to and the role of sociologists in policy formulation at an American Educational Research Association (AERA) colloquium. Discussions at the conference…

Multidisciplinary conceptual design optimization of aircraft using a sound-matching-based objective function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diez, Matteo; Iemma, Umberto

2012-05-01

The article presents a novel approach to include community noise considerations based on sound quality in the Multidisciplinary Conceptual Design Optimization (MCDO) of civil transportation aircraft. The novelty stems from the use of an unconventional objective function, defined as a measure of the difference between the noise emission of the aircraft under analysis and a reference 'weakly annoying' noise, the target sound. The minimization of such a merit factor yields an aircraft concept with a noise signature as close as possible to the given target. The reference sound is one of the outcomes of the European Research Project SEFA (Sound Engineering For Aircraft, VI Framework Programme, 2004-2007), and used here as an external input. The aim of the present work is to address the definition and the inclusion of the sound-matching-based objective function in the MCDO of aircraft.

Comparison of Response Surface and Kriging Models in the Multidisciplinary Design of an Aerospike Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, Timothy W.

1998-01-01

The use of response surface models and kriging models are compared for approximating non-random, deterministic computer analyses. After discussing the traditional response surface approach for constructing polynomial models for approximation, kriging is presented as an alternative statistical-based approximation method for the design and analysis of computer experiments. Both approximation methods are applied to the multidisciplinary design and analysis of an aerospike nozzle which consists of a computational fluid dynamics model and a finite element analysis model. Error analysis of the response surface and kriging models is performed along with a graphical comparison of the approximations. Four optimization problems are formulated and solved using both approximation models. While neither approximation technique consistently outperforms the other in this example, the kriging models using only a constant for the underlying global model and a Gaussian correlation function perform as well as the second order polynomial response surface models.

Comparison of box-wing and conventional aircraft mission performance using multidisciplinary analysis and optimization

DOE PAGES

Andrews, Stephen A.; Perez, Ruben E.

2018-06-04

Box-wing aircraft designs have the potential to achieve significant reductions in fuel consumption. Closed non-planar wing designs have been shown to reduce induced drag and the statically indeterminate wing structure can lead to reduced wing weight. In addition, the streamwise separation of the two main wings can provide the moments necessary for static stability and control, eliminating the weight and aerodynamic drag of a horizontal tail. Proper assessment of the disciplinary interactions in box-wing designs is essential to determine any realistic performance benefits arising from the use of such a configuration. This study analyzes both box-wing and conventional aircraft designedmore » for representative regional-jet missions. A preliminary parametric investigation shows a lift-to-drag ratio advantage for box-wing designs, while a more detailed multidisciplinary study indicates that the requirement to carry the mission fuel in the wings leads to an increase of between 5% and 1% in total fuel burn compared to conventional designs. Furthermore, the multidisciplinary study identified operating conditions where the box-wing can have superior performance to conventional aircraft despite the fuel volume constraint.« less

Comparison of box-wing and conventional aircraft mission performance using multidisciplinary analysis and optimization

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

Andrews, Stephen A.; Perez, Ruben E.

Box-wing aircraft designs have the potential to achieve significant reductions in fuel consumption. Closed non-planar wing designs have been shown to reduce induced drag and the statically indeterminate wing structure can lead to reduced wing weight. In addition, the streamwise separation of the two main wings can provide the moments necessary for static stability and control, eliminating the weight and aerodynamic drag of a horizontal tail. Proper assessment of the disciplinary interactions in box-wing designs is essential to determine any realistic performance benefits arising from the use of such a configuration. This study analyzes both box-wing and conventional aircraft designedmore » for representative regional-jet missions. A preliminary parametric investigation shows a lift-to-drag ratio advantage for box-wing designs, while a more detailed multidisciplinary study indicates that the requirement to carry the mission fuel in the wings leads to an increase of between 5% and 1% in total fuel burn compared to conventional designs. Furthermore, the multidisciplinary study identified operating conditions where the box-wing can have superior performance to conventional aircraft despite the fuel volume constraint.« less

Pan-Britain, mixed-methods study of multidisciplinary teams teaching parents to manage children's long-term kidney conditions at home: Study protocol

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Care of children and young people (children) with long-term kidney conditions is usually managed by multidisciplinary teams. Published guidance recommends that whenever possible children with long-term conditions remain at home, meaning parents may be responsible for performing the majority of clinical care-giving. Multidisciplinary team members, therefore, spend considerable time promoting parents' learning about care-delivery and monitoring care-giving. However, this parent-educative aspect of clinicians' role is rarely articulated in the literature so little evidence exists to inform professionals' parent-teaching interventions. Methods/Design This ongoing study addresses this issue using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods involving the twelve children's kidney units in England, Scotland and Wales. Phase I involves a survey of multidisciplinary team members' parent-teaching interventions using: i) A telephone-administered questionnaire to determine: the numbers of professionals from different disciplines in each team, the information/skills individual professionals relay to parents and the teaching strategies/interventions they use. Data will be managed using SPSS to produce descriptive statistics ii) Digitally-recorded, qualitative group or individual interviews with multidisciplinary team members to explore their accounts of the parent-teaching component of their role. Interviews will be transcribed anonymously and analysed using Framework Technique. Sampling criteria will be derived from analysis to identify one/two unit(s) for subsequent in-depth study Phase II involves six prospective, ethnographic case-studies of professional-parent interactions during parent-teaching encounters. Parents of six children with a long-term kidney condition will be purposively sampled according to their child's age, diagnosis, ethnicity and the clinical care-giving required; snowball sampling will identify the professionals involved in each case-study

High-Fidelity Multidisciplinary Design Using an Integrated Design Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-14

Leovirivakit and A. .Jamneson, -- Case Studies ini Aero-St ruc(t ural NWing Planiforiii aiid Section Op- tifiization". 22`1~ AIAA Applied Aerodynamaiics...design of complete aircraft configurations. The work was focused on four main areas: (1) Flow solution algorithms for unstructured meshes, (2) Aero...Multi-Fidelity Design Optimization Studies for Supersonic lIets" . 13"’" AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting kc E’xhibit, AIAA Paper 2005- (0531, Reno. NV

Multidisciplinary management of chronic heart failure: principles and future trends.

PubMed

Davidson, Patricia M; Newton, Phillip J; Tankumpuan, Thitipong; Paull, G; Dennison-Himmelfarb, Cheryl

2015-10-01

Globally, the management of chronic heart failure (CHF) challenges health systems. The high burden of disease and the costs associated with hospitalization adversely affect individuals, families, and society. Improved quality, access, efficiency, and equity of CHF care can be achieved by using multidisciplinary care approaches if there is adherence and fidelity to the program's elements. The goal of this article was to summarize evidence and make recommendations for advancing practice, education, research, and policy in the multidisciplinary management of patients with CHF. Essential elements of multidisciplinary management of CHF were identified from meta-analyses and clinical practice guidelines. The study factors were discussed from the perspective of the health care system, providers, patients, and their caregivers. Identified gaps in evidence were used to identify areas for future focus in CHF multidisciplinary management. Although there is high-level evidence (including several meta-analyses) for the efficacy of management programs for CHF, less evidence exists to determine the benefit attributable to individual program components or to identify the specific content of effective components and the manner of their delivery. Health care system, provider, and patient factors influence health care models and the effective management of CHF and require focus and attention. Extrapolating trial findings to clinical practice settings is limited by the heterogeneity of study populations and the implementation of models of intervention beyond academic health centers, where practice environments differ considerably. Ensuring that individual programs are both developed and assessed that consider these factors is integral to ensuring adherence and fidelity with the core dimensions of disease management necessary to optimize patient and organizational outcomes. Recognizing the complexity of the multidisciplinary CHF interventions will be important in advancing the design

Engineering Overview of a Multidisciplinary HSCT Design Framework Using Medium-Fidelity Analysis Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weston, R. P.; Green, L. L.; Salas, A. O.; Samareh, J. A.; Townsend, J. C.; Walsh, J. L.

1999-01-01

An objective of the HPCC Program at NASA Langley has been to promote the use of advanced computing techniques to more rapidly solve the problem of multidisciplinary optimization of a supersonic transport configuration. As a result, a software system has been designed and is being implemented to integrate a set of existing discipline analysis codes, some of them CPU-intensive, into a distributed computational framework for the design of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) configuration. The proposed paper will describe the engineering aspects of integrating these analysis codes and additional interface codes into an automated design system. The objective of the design problem is to optimize the aircraft weight for given mission conditions, range, and payload requirements, subject to aerodynamic, structural, and performance constraints. The design variables include both thicknesses of structural elements and geometric parameters that define the external aircraft shape. An optimization model has been adopted that uses the multidisciplinary analysis results and the derivatives of the solution with respect to the design variables to formulate a linearized model that provides input to the CONMIN optimization code, which outputs new values for the design variables. The analysis process begins by deriving the updated geometries and grids from the baseline geometries and grids using the new values for the design variables. This free-form deformation approach provides internal FEM (finite element method) grids that are consistent with aerodynamic surface grids. The next step involves using the derived FEM and section properties in a weights process to calculate detailed weights and the center of gravity location for specified flight conditions. The weights process computes the as-built weight, weight distribution, and weight sensitivities for given aircraft configurations at various mass cases. Currently, two mass cases are considered: cruise and gross take-off weight (GTOW

Scripting for Construction of a Transactive Memory System in Multidisciplinary CSCL Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noroozi, Omid; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Weinberger, Armin; Mulder, Martin; Chizari, Mohammad

2013-01-01

Establishing a Transactive Memory System (TMS) is essential for groups of learners, when they are multidisciplinary and collaborate online. Environments for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) could be designed to facilitate the TMS. This study investigates how various aspects of a TMS (i.e., specialization, coordination, and trust)…

Directions in Environmental Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendig, Hal

2003-01-01

This article considers developments and directions for environmental gerontology drawing on the three papers in this Forum. The multidisciplinary field came of age during the 1960s with Powell Lawton's powerful environmental press paradigm and its applications to empirical research and building design. Recent theoretical developments in Europe and…

Development of Response Surface Models for Rapid Analysis & Multidisciplinary Optimization of Launch Vehicle Design Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unal, Resit

1999-01-01

Multdisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is an important step in the design and evaluation of launch vehicles, since it has a significant impact on performance and lifecycle cost. The objective in MDO is to search the design space to determine the values of design parameters that optimize the performance characteristics subject to system constraints. Vehicle Analysis Branch (VAB) at NASA Langley Research Center has computerized analysis tools in many of the disciplines required for the design and analysis of launch vehicles. Vehicle performance characteristics can be determined by the use of these computerized analysis tools. The next step is to optimize the system performance characteristics subject to multidisciplinary constraints. However, most of the complex sizing and performance evaluation codes used for launch vehicle design are stand-alone tools, operated by disciplinary experts. They are, in general, difficult to integrate and use directly for MDO. An alternative has been to utilize response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain polynomial models that approximate the functional relationships between performance characteristics and design variables. These approximation models, called response surface models, are then used to integrate the disciplines using mathematical programming methods for efficient system level design analysis, MDO and fast sensitivity simulations. A second-order response surface model of the form given has been commonly used in RSM since in many cases it can provide an adequate approximation especially if the region of interest is sufficiently limited.

Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Generation 1 and Next Steps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naiman, Cynthia Gutierrez

2008-01-01

The Multidisciplinary Analysis & Optimization Working Group (MDAO WG) of the Systems Analysis Design & Optimization (SAD&O) discipline in the Fundamental Aeronautics Program s Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) project completed three major milestones during Fiscal Year (FY)08: "Requirements Definition" Milestone (1/31/08); "GEN 1 Integrated Multi-disciplinary Toolset" (Annual Performance Goal) (6/30/08); and "Define Architecture & Interfaces for Next Generation Open Source MDAO Framework" Milestone (9/30/08). Details of all three milestones are explained including documentation available, potential partner collaborations, and next steps in FY09.

Computational study of engine external aerodynamics as a part of multidisciplinary optimization procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savelyev, Andrey; Anisimov, Kirill; Kazhan, Egor; Kursakov, Innocentiy; Lysenkov, Alexandr

2016-10-01

The paper is devoted to the development of methodology to optimize external aerodynamics of the engine. Optimization procedure is based on numerical solution of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. As a method of optimization the surrogate based method is used. As a test problem optimal shape design of turbofan nacelle is considered. The results of the first stage, which investigates classic airplane configuration with engine located under the wing, are presented. Described optimization procedure is considered in the context of multidisciplinary optimization of the 3rd generation, developed in the project AGILE.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0654 TITLE: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS...valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE Oct 2017 2. REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED 30...Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0654 TITLE: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS...Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT...Major Tasks and subtasks: Aim#1: To compare the gut microbiome of subjects with RMS and PPMS. Major Task 1: To seek and obtain HRPO approval Major

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0652 TITLE: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS...0652 A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d...SOW, each Aim was subdivided into Major Tasks and subtasks: Aim#1: To compare the gut microbiome of subjects with RMS and PPMS. Major Task 1

Developing dimensions for a multicomponent multidisciplinary approach to obesity management: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Cochrane, Anita J; Dick, Bob; King, Neil A; Hills, Andrew P; Kavanagh, David J

2017-10-16

There have been consistent recommendations for multicomponent and multidisciplinary approaches for obesity management. However, there is no clear agreement on the components, disciplines or processes to be considered within such an approach. In this study, we explored multicomponent and multidisciplinary approaches through an examination of knowledge, skills, beliefs, and recommendations of stakeholders involved in obesity management. These stakeholders included researchers, practitioners, educators, and patients. We used qualitative action research methods, including convergent interviewing and observation, to assist the process of inquiry. The consensus was that a multicomponent and multidisciplinary approach should be based on four central meta-components (patient, practitioner, process, and environmental factors), and specific components of these factors were identified. Psychologists, dieticians, exercise physiologists and general practitioners were nominated as key practitioners to be included. A complex condition like obesity requires that multiple components be addressed, and that both patients and multiple disciplines are involved in developing solutions. Implementing cycles of continuous improvement to deal with complexity, instead of trying to control for it, offers an effective way to deal with complex, changing multisystem problems like obesity.

34 CFR 303.17 - Multidisciplinary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Multidisciplinary. 303.17 Section 303.17 Education... DISABILITIES General Purpose, Eligibility, and Other General Provisions § 303.17 Multidisciplinary. As used in this part, multidisciplinary means the involvement of two or more disciplines or professions in the...

Observations on computational methodologies for use in large-scale, gradient-based, multidisciplinary design incorporating advanced CFD codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, P. A.; Hou, G. J.-W.; Jones, H. E.; Taylor, A. C., III; Korivi, V. M.

1992-01-01

How a combination of various computational methodologies could reduce the enormous computational costs envisioned in using advanced CFD codes in gradient based optimized multidisciplinary design (MdD) procedures is briefly outlined. Implications of these MdD requirements upon advanced CFD codes are somewhat different than those imposed by a single discipline design. A means for satisfying these MdD requirements for gradient information is presented which appear to permit: (1) some leeway in the CFD solution algorithms which can be used; (2) an extension to 3-D problems; and (3) straightforward use of other computational methodologies. Many of these observations have previously been discussed as possibilities for doing parts of the problem more efficiently; the contribution here is observing how they fit together in a mutually beneficial way.

What influences patient decision-making in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis multidisciplinary care? A study of patient perspectives.

PubMed

Hogden, Anne; Greenfield, David; Nugus, Peter; Kiernan, Matthew C

2012-01-01

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are required to make decisions concerning quality of life and symptom management over the course of their disease. Clinicians perceive that patients' ability to engage in timely decision-making is extremely challenging. However, we lack patient perspectives on this issue. This study aimed to explore patient experiences of ALS, and to identify factors influencing their decision-making in the specialized multidisciplinary care of ALS. An exploratory study was conducted. Fourteen patients from two specialized ALS multidisciplinary clinics participated in semistructured interviews that were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed for emergent themes. Decision-making was influenced by three levels of factors, ie, structural, interactional, and personal. The structural factor was the decision-making environment of specialized multidisciplinary ALS clinics, which supported decision-making by providing patients with disease-specific information and specialized care planning. Interactional factors were the patient experiences of ALS, including patients' reaction to the diagnosis, response to deterioration, and engagement with the multidisciplinary ALS team. Personal factors were patients' personal philosophies, including their outlook on life, perceptions of control, and planning for the future. Patient approaches to decision-making reflected a focus on the present, rather than anticipating future progression of the disease and potential care needs. Decision-making for symptom management and quality of life in ALS care is enhanced when the patient's personal philosophy is supported by collaborative relationships between the patient and the multidisciplinary ALS team. Patients valued the support provided by the multidisciplinary team; however, their focus on living in the present diverged from the efforts of health professionals to prepare patients and their carers for the future. The challenge facing health

Reducing Design Risk Using Robust Design Methods: A Dual Response Surface Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unal, Resit; Yeniay, Ozgur; Lepsch, Roger A. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

Space transportation system conceptual design is a multidisciplinary process containing considerable element of risk. Risk here is defined as the variability in the estimated (output) performance characteristic of interest resulting from the uncertainties in the values of several disciplinary design and/or operational parameters. Uncertainties from one discipline (and/or subsystem) may propagate to another, through linking parameters and the final system output may have a significant accumulation of risk. This variability can result in significant deviations from the expected performance. Therefore, an estimate of variability (which is called design risk in this study) together with the expected performance characteristic value (e.g. mean empty weight) is necessary for multidisciplinary optimization for a robust design. Robust design in this study is defined as a solution that minimizes variability subject to a constraint on mean performance characteristics. Even though multidisciplinary design optimization has gained wide attention and applications, the treatment of uncertainties to quantify and analyze design risk has received little attention. This research effort explores the dual response surface approach to quantify variability (risk) in critical performance characteristics (such as weight) during conceptual design.

A Day at the Beach: A Multidisciplinary Business Law Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rymsza, Leonard; Saunders, Kurt; Baum, Paul; Tontz, Richard

2010-01-01

This case study, written for use in a multidisciplinary course, exposes students to concepts in business law, economics, and statistics. The case is based upon a hypothetical scenario involving a young woman who, having spent a relaxing day at the beach, heads for home. On the drive home, a flip-flop she is wearing becomes lodged under the gas…

Training Multidisciplinary Biomedical Informatics Students: Three Years of Experience

PubMed Central

van Mulligen, Erik M.; Cases, Montserrat; Hettne, Kristina; Molero, Eva; Weeber, Marc; Robertson, Kevin A.; Oliva, Baldomero; de la Calle, Guillermo; Maojo, Victor

2008-01-01

Objective The European INFOBIOMED Network of Excellence 1 recognized that a successful education program in biomedical informatics should include not only traditional teaching activities in the basic sciences but also the development of skills for working in multidisciplinary teams. Design A carefully developed 3-year training program for biomedical informatics students addressed these educational aspects through the following four activities: (1) an internet course database containing an overview of all Medical Informatics and BioInformatics courses, (2) a BioMedical Informatics Summer School, (3) a mobility program based on a ‘brokerage service’ which published demands and offers, including funding for research exchange projects, and (4) training challenges aimed at the development of multi-disciplinary skills. Measurements This paper focuses on experiences gained in the development of novel educational activities addressing work in multidisciplinary teams. The training challenges described here were evaluated by asking participants to fill out forms with Likert scale based questions. For the mobility program a needs assessment was carried out. Results The mobility program supported 20 exchanges which fostered new BMI research, resulted in a number of peer-reviewed publications and demonstrated the feasibility of this multidisciplinary BMI approach within the European Union. Students unanimously indicated that the training challenge experience had contributed to their understanding and appreciation of multidisciplinary teamwork. Conclusion The training activities undertaken in INFOBIOMED have contributed to a multi-disciplinary BMI approach. It is our hope that this work might provide an impetus for training efforts in Europe, and yield a new generation of biomedical informaticians. PMID:18096914

A Case Study of a Co-Instructed Multidisciplinary Senior Capstone Project in Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhee, Jinny; Oyamot, Clifton; Parent, David; Speer, Leslie; Basu, Anuradha; Gerston, Larry

2014-01-01

As societal challenges involving sustainable development increase, the need to effectively integrate this inherently multidisciplinary topic into existing curricula becomes more pressing. Multidisciplinary, team-taught, project-based instruction has shown effectiveness in teaching teamwork, communication, and life-long learning skills, and…

Assessing and Evaluating Multidisciplinary Translational Teams: A Mixed Methods Approach

PubMed Central

Wooten, Kevin C.; Rose, Robert M.; Ostir, Glenn V.; Calhoun, William J.; Ameredes, Bill T.; Brasier, Allan R.

2014-01-01

A case report illustrates how multidisciplinary translational teams can be assessed using outcome, process, and developmental types of evaluation using a mixed methods approach. Types of evaluation appropriate for teams are considered in relation to relevant research questions and assessment methods. Logic models are applied to scientific projects and team development to inform choices between methods within a mixed methods design. Use of an expert panel is reviewed, culminating in consensus ratings of 11 multidisciplinary teams and a final evaluation within a team type taxonomy. Based on team maturation and scientific progress, teams were designated as: a) early in development, b) traditional, c) process focused, or d) exemplary. Lessons learned from data reduction, use of mixed methods, and use of expert panels are explored. PMID:24064432

Assessing and evaluating multidisciplinary translational teams: a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Wooten, Kevin C; Rose, Robert M; Ostir, Glenn V; Calhoun, William J; Ameredes, Bill T; Brasier, Allan R

2014-03-01

A case report illustrates how multidisciplinary translational teams can be assessed using outcome, process, and developmental types of evaluation using a mixed-methods approach. Types of evaluation appropriate for teams are considered in relation to relevant research questions and assessment methods. Logic models are applied to scientific projects and team development to inform choices between methods within a mixed-methods design. Use of an expert panel is reviewed, culminating in consensus ratings of 11 multidisciplinary teams and a final evaluation within a team-type taxonomy. Based on team maturation and scientific progress, teams were designated as (a) early in development, (b) traditional, (c) process focused, or (d) exemplary. Lessons learned from data reduction, use of mixed methods, and use of expert panels are explored.

Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary care program on recovery and return to work of patients after gynaecological surgery; design of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Vonk Noordegraaf, Antonie; Huirne, Judith A F; Brölmann, Hans A M; Emanuel, Mark H; van Kesteren, Paul J M; Kleiverda, Gunilla; Lips, Jos P; Mozes, Alexander; Thurkow, Andreas L; van Mechelen, Willem; Anema, Johannes R

2012-02-01

Return to work after gynaecological surgery takes much longer than expected, irrespective of the level of invasiveness. In order to empower patients in recovery and return to work, a multidisciplinary care program consisting of an e-health intervention and integrated care management including participatory workplace intervention was developed. We designed a randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of the multidisciplinary care program on full sustainable return to work in patients after gynaecological surgery, compared to usual clinical care. Two hundred twelve women (18-65 years old) undergoing hysterectomy and/or laparoscopic adnexal surgery on benign indication in one of the 7 participating (university) hospitals in the Netherlands are expected to take part in this study at baseline. The primary outcome measure is sick leave duration until full sustainable return to work and is measured by a monthly calendar of sickness absence during 26 weeks after surgery. Secondary outcome measures are the effect of the care program on general recovery, quality of life, pain intensity and complications, and are assessed using questionnaires at baseline, 2, 6, 12 and 26 weeks after surgery. The discrepancy between expected physical recovery and actual return to work after gynaecological surgery contributes to the relevance of this study. There is strong evidence that long periods of sick leave can result in work disability, poorer general health and increased risk of mental health problems. We expect that this multidisciplinary care program will improve peri-operative care, contribute to a faster return to work of patients after gynaecological surgery and, as a consequence, will reduce societal costs considerably. Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR2087.

Multidisciplinary team functioning.

PubMed

Kovitz, K E; Dougan, P; Riese, R; Brummitt, J R

1984-01-01

This paper advocates the need to move beyond interdisciplinary team composition as a minimum criterion for multidisciplinary functioning in child abuse treatment. Recent developments within the field reflect the practice of shared professional responsibility for detection, case management and treatment. Adherence to this particular model for intervention requires cooperative service planning and implementation as task related functions. Implicitly, this model also carries the potential to incorporate the supportive functioning essential to effective group process. However, explicit attention to the dynamics and process of small groups has been neglected in prescriptive accounts of multidisciplinary child abuse team organization. The present paper therefore focuses upon the maintenance and enhancement aspects of multidisciplinary group functioning. First, the development and philosophy of service for the Alberta Children's Hospital Child Abuse Program are reviewed. Second, composition of the team, it's mandate for service, and the population it serves are briefly described. Third, the conceptual framework within which the program functions is outlined. Strategies for effective group functioning are presented and the difficulties encountered with this model are highlighted. Finally, recommendations are offered for planning and implementing a multidisciplinary child abuse team and for maintaining its effective group functioning.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Sustainable Management of Watershed Resources

EPA Science Inventory

The lack of integration in the study and management of water resource problems suggests the need for a multidisciplinary approach. As practiced in the Shepherd Creek stormwater management study (Cincinnati OH), we envision a multidisciplinary approach involving economic incentive...

Challenges of Trainees in a Multidisciplinary Research Program: Nano-Biotechnology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kriegel, Christina; Koehne, Jessica; Tinkle, Sally; Maynard, Andrew D.; Hill, Rodney A.

2011-01-01

The breadth of knowledge required for the multidisciplinary field of nanotechnology challenges and extends traditional concepts of multidisciplinary graduate education. There is a paucity of information, both general reporting and peer-reviewed studies, on the challenges for graduate students working in this multidisciplinary paradigm, from the…

Efficient Multidisciplinary Analysis Approach for Conceptual Design of Aircraft with Large Shape Change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chwalowski, Pawel; Samareh, Jamshid A.; Horta, Lucas G.; Piatak, David J.; McGowan, Anna-Maria R.

2009-01-01

The conceptual and preliminary design processes for aircraft with large shape changes are generally difficult and time-consuming, and the processes are often customized for a specific shape change concept to streamline the vehicle design effort. Accordingly, several existing reports show excellent results of assessing a particular shape change concept or perturbations of a concept. The goal of the current effort was to develop a multidisciplinary analysis tool and process that would enable an aircraft designer to assess several very different morphing concepts early in the design phase and yet obtain second-order performance results so that design decisions can be made with better confidence. The approach uses an efficient parametric model formulation that allows automatic model generation for systems undergoing radical shape changes as a function of aerodynamic parameters, geometry parameters, and shape change parameters. In contrast to other more self-contained approaches, the approach utilizes off-the-shelf analysis modules to reduce development time and to make it accessible to many users. Because the analysis is loosely coupled, discipline modules like a multibody code can be easily swapped for other modules with similar capabilities. One of the advantages of this loosely coupled system is the ability to use the medium- to high-fidelity tools early in the design stages when the information can significantly influence and improve overall vehicle design. Data transfer among the analysis modules are based on an accurate and automated general purpose data transfer tool. In general, setup time for the integrated system presented in this paper is 2-4 days for simple shape change concepts and 1-2 weeks for more mechanically complicated concepts. Some of the key elements briefly described in the paper include parametric model development, aerodynamic database generation, multibody analysis, and the required software modules as well as examples for a telescoping wing

Input of Psychosocial Information During Multidisciplinary Team Meetings at Medical Oncology Departments: Protocol for an Observational Study.

PubMed

Horlait, Melissa; Van Belle, Simon; Leys, Mark

2018-02-26

supplemented with semi-structured individual interviews with members of the MOC-meetings. The protocol is part of a larger research project on communication and multidisciplinary collaboration in oncology departments. Results of this study will particularly focus on the input of psychosocial information during MDTMs. The concept of an MDTM should not merely be a group of care professionals who mostly work independently and occasionally liaise with one another. Interventions aiming to enhance the input of psychosocial information are crucial to ensure that MDTMs can benefit from their diverse membership to achieve their full potential. The findings from this study can be used to design nonclinical and organizational interventions that enhance multidisciplinary decision-making in oncology. ©Melissa Horlait, Simon Van Belle, Mark Leys. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 26.02.2018.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Pediatric Difficult Airway Simulation Course.

PubMed

Lind, Meredith Merz; Corridore, Marco; Sheehan, Cameron; Moore-Clingenpeel, Melissa; Maa, Tensing

2018-02-01

Objective To design and assess an advanced pediatric airway management course, through simulation-based team training and with multiple disciplines, to emphasize communication and cooperation across subspecialties and to provide a common skill set and knowledge base. Methods Trainees from anesthesiology, emergency medicine, critical care, pediatric surgery, and otolaryngology at a tertiary children's hospital participated in a 1-day workshop emphasizing airway skills and complex airway simulations. Small groups were multidisciplinary to promote teamwork. Participants completed pre- and postworkshop questionnaires. Results Thirty-nine trainees participated over the 3-year study period. Compared with their precourse responses, participants' postcourse responses indicated either agreement or strong agreement that the multidisciplinary format (1) helped in the development of team communication skills and (2) was preferred over single-discipline training. Improvement in confidence in managing critical airway situations and in advanced airway management skills was significant ( P < .05). Eighty-one percent of participants had improved confidence in following the hospital's critical airway protocol, and 64% were better able to locate advanced airway management equipment. Discussion Multiple subspecialists manage pediatric respiratory failure, where successful care requires complex handoffs and teamwork. Multidisciplinary education to teach advanced airway management, teamwork, and communication skills is practical and preferred by learners and is possible to achieve despite differences in experience. Future study is required to better understand the impact of this course on patient care outcomes. Implications for Practice Implementation of a pediatric difficult airway course through simulation-based team training is feasible and preferred by learners among multiple disciplines. A multidisciplinary approach exposes previously unrecognized knowledge gaps and allows for

A comparative study: do "clickers" increase student engagement in multidisciplinary clinical microbiology teaching?

PubMed

Stevens, Niall T; McDermott, Hélène; Boland, Fiona; Pawlikowska, Teresa; Humphreys, Hilary

2017-04-08

Audience response devices, or "clickers", have been used in the education of future healthcare professionals for several years with varying success. They have been reported to improve the learning experience by promoting engagement and knowledge retention. In 2014, our department evaluated the use of "clickers" in a newly introduced multidisciplinary approach to teaching large groups of third year medical students clinical cases developed around a microbiology theme. Six multidisciplinary teaching sessions covering community-acquired pneumonia, tuberculosis, infective endocarditis, peritonitis, bloodstream infection with pyelonephritis and bacterial meningitis were included in the study. Three involved the use of the "clickers" and three did not. Consenting undergraduate students attended the designated classes and afterwards answered a short online quiz relating to the session. Students also answered a short questionnaire about the "clickers" to gauge their attitudes on the use of these devices. Of 310 students, 294 (94.8%) agreed to participate in the study. Interestingly, the grades of online quizzes after a session where a "clicker" was used were slightly lower. Looking only at the grades of students who engaged completely with the process (n = 19), there was no statistical difference to suggest that the devices had a positive or negative impact on knowledge retention. However, student attitudes to using the devices were positive overall. Fifty-five percent strongly agreed and 27% agreed that teaching sessions where the "clickers" were used were more engaging. Thirty-four percent strongly agreed and 36% agreed that the "clickers" made important concepts more memorable and 54% felt the device enhanced their understanding of the topic being covered. Overall, it appears that "clickers" help in improving student engagement in large classroom environments, enhance the learning experience, and are received positively by medical students but their impact on

Multidisciplinary Techniques and Novel Aircraft Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, Sharon L.; Rogers, James L.; Raney, David L.

2000-01-01

The Aircraft Morphing Program at NASA Langley Research Center explores opportunities to improve airframe designs with smart technologies. Two elements of this basic research program are multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) and advanced flow control. This paper describes examples where MDO techniques such as sensitivity analysis, automatic differentiation, and genetic algorithms contribute to the design of novel control systems. In the test case, the design and use of distributed shape-change devices to provide low-rate maneuvering capability for a tailless aircraft is considered. The ability of MDO to add value to control system development is illustrated using results from several years of research funded by the Aircraft Morphing Program.

Multidisciplinary Techniques and Novel Aircraft Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, Sharon L.; Rogers, James L.; Raney, David L.

2000-01-01

The Aircraft Morphing Program at NASA Langley Research Center explores opportunities to improve airframe designs with smart technologies. Two elements of this basic research program are multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) and advanced flow control. This paper describes examples where MDO techniques such as sensitivity analysis, automatic differentiation, and genetic algorithms contribute to the design of novel control systems. In the test case, the design and use of distributed shapechange devices to provide low-rate maneuvering capability for a tailless aircraft is considered. The ability of MDO to add value to control system development is illustrated using results from several years of research funded by the Aircraft Morphing Program.

Health care multidisciplinary teams: The sociotechnical approach for an integrated system-wide perspective.

PubMed

Marsilio, Marta; Torbica, Aleksandra; Villa, Stefano

The current literature on the enabling conditions of multidisciplinary teams focuses on the singular dimensions of the organizations (i.e., human resources, clinical pathways, objects) without shedding light on to the way in which these organizational factors interact and mutually influence one another. Drawing on a system perspective of organizations, the authors analyze the organizational patterns that promote and support multidisciplinary teams and how they interrelate and interact to enforce the organization work system. The authors develop a modified sociotechnical system (STS) model to understand how the two dimensions of technical (devices/tools, layout/organization of space, core process standardization) and social (organizational structure, management of human resources and operations) can facilitate the implementation of multidisciplinary teams in health care. The study conducts an empirical analysis based on a sample of hospital adopters of transcatheter aortic valve implantation using the revised STS model. The modified STS model applied to the case studies improves our understanding of the critical implementation factors of a multidisciplinary approach and the importance of coordinating radical changes in the technical and the social subsystems of health care organizations. The analysis informs that the multidisciplinary effort is not a sequential process and that the interplay between the two subsystems needs to be managed efficaciously as an integrated organizational whole to deliver the goals set. Hospital managers must place equal focus on the closely interrelated technical and social dimensions by investing in (a) shared layouts and spaces that cross the boundaries of the specialized health care units, (b) standardization of the core processes through the implementation of local clinical pathways, (c) structured knowledge management mechanisms, (d) the creation of clinical directorates, and (e) the design of a planning and budgeting system that

The role of the general practitioner in multidisciplinary teams: a qualitative study in elderly care.

PubMed

Grol, Sietske M; Molleman, Gerard R M; Kuijpers, Anne; van der Sande, Rob; Fransen, Gerdine A J; Assendelft, Willem J J; Schers, Henk J

2018-03-10

In the western world, a growing number of the older people live at home. In the Netherlands, GPs are expected to play a pivotal role in the organization of integrated care for this patient group. However, little is known about how GPs can play this role best. Our aim for this study was to unravel how GPs can play a successful role in elderly care, in particular in multidisciplinary teams, and to define key concepts for success. A mixed qualitative research model in four multidisciplinary teams for elderly care in the Netherlands was used. With these four teams, consisting of 46 health care and social service professionals, we carried out two rounds of focus-group interviews. Moreover, we performed semi-structured interviews with four GPs. We analysed data using a hybrid inductive/deductive thematic analysis. According to the health care and social service professionals in our study, the role of GPs in multidisciplinary teams for elderly care was characterized by the ability to 'see the bigger picture'. We identified five key activities that constitute a successful GP role: networking, facilitating, team building, integrating care elements, and showing leadership. Practice setting and phase of multidisciplinary team development influenced the way in which GPs fulfilled their roles. According to team members, GPs were the central professionals in care services for older people. The opinions of GPs about their own roles were diverse. GPs took an important role in successful care settings for older people. Five key concepts seemed to be important for best practices in care for frail older people: networking (community), facilitating (organization), team building (professional), integrating care elements (patient), and leadership (personal). Team members from primary care and social services indicated that GPs had an indispensable role in such teams. It would be advantageous for GPs to be aware of this attributed role. Attention to leadership competencies and to the

Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, part 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barthelemy, Jean-Francois M. (Editor)

1989-01-01

This three-part document contains a collection of technical papers presented at the Second NASA/Air Force Symposium on Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, held September 28-30, 1988 in Hampton, Virginia. The topics covered include: aircraft design, aeroelastic tailoring, control of aeroelastic structures, dynamics and control of flexible structures, structural design, design of large engineering systems, application of artificial intelligence, shape optimization, software development and implementation, and sensitivity analysis.

Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barthelemy, Jean-Francois M. (Editor)

1989-01-01

This three-part document contains a collection of technical papers presented at the Second NASA/Air Force Symposium on Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, held September 28-30, 1988 in Hampton, Virginia. The topics covered include: helicopter design, aeroelastic tailoring, control of aeroelastic structures, dynamics and control of flexible structures, structural design, design of large engineering systems, application of artificial intelligence, shape optimization, software development and implementation, and sensitivity analysis.

Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barthelemy, Jean-Francois M. (Editor)

1989-01-01

This three-part document contains a collection of technical papers presented at the Second NASA/Air Force Symposium on Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, held September 28-30, 1988 in Hampton, Virginia. The topics covered include: helicopter design, aeroelastic tailoring, control of aeroelastic structures, dynamics and control of flexible structures, structural design, design of large engineering systems, application of artificial intelligence, shape optimization, software development and implementation, and sensitivity analysis.

Development of a Multi-Disciplinary Aerothermostructural Model Applicable to Hypersonic Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kostyk, Chris; Risch, Tim

2013-01-01

The harsh and complex hypersonic flight environment has driven design and analysis improvements for many years. One of the defining characteristics of hypersonic flight is the coupled, multi-disciplinary nature of the dominant physics. In an effect to examine some of the multi-disciplinary problems associated with hypersonic flight engineers at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center developed a non-linear 6 degrees-of-freedom, full vehicle simulation that includes the necessary model capabilities: aerothermal heating, ablation, and thermal stress solutions. Development of the tool and results for some investigations will be presented. Requirements and improvements for future work will also be reviewed. The results of the work emphasize the need for a coupled, multi-disciplinary analysis to provide accurate

The reablement team's voice: a qualitative study of how an integrated multidisciplinary team experiences participation in reablement.

PubMed

Hjelle, Kari Margrete; Skutle, Olbjørg; Førland, Oddvar; Alvsvåg, Herdis

2016-01-01

Reablement is an early and time-limited home-based rehabilitation intervention that emphasizes intensive, goal-oriented, and multidisciplinary assistance for people experiencing functional decline. Few empirical studies to date have examined the experiences of the integrated multidisciplinary teams involved in reablement. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore and describe how an integrated multidisciplinary team in Norway experienced participation in reablement. An integrated multidisciplinary team consisting of health care professionals with a bachelor's degree (including a physiotherapist, a social educator, occupational therapists, and nurses) and home-based care personnel without a bachelor's degree (auxiliary nurses and nursing assistants) participated in focus group discussions. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the resulting data. Three main themes emerged from the participants' experiences with participating in reablement, including "the older adult's goals are crucial", "a different way of thinking and acting - a shift in work culture", and "a better framework for cooperation and application of professional expertise and judgment". The integrated multidisciplinary team and the older adults collaborated and worked in the same direction to achieve the person's valued goals. The team supported the older adults in performing activities themselves rather than completing tasks for them. To facilitate cooperation and application of professional expertise and judgment, common meeting times and meeting places for communication and supervision were necessary. Structural factors that promote integrated multidisciplinary professional decisions include providing common meeting times and meeting places as well as sufficient time to apply professional knowledge when supervising and supporting older persons in everyday activities. These findings have implications for practice and suggest future directions for improving health care services. The

A Conceptual Framework for Interdisciplinary Curriculum Design: A Case Study in Neuroscience

PubMed Central

Modo, Michel; Kinchin, Ian

2011-01-01

Teaching of interdisciplinary fields of study poses a challenge to course organizers. Often interdisciplinary courses are taught by different departments, and hence, at best provide a multidisciplinary overview. Scientific progress in neuroscience, for instance, is thought to depend heavily on interdisciplinary investigations. If students are only taught to think in particular disciplines without integrating these into a coherent framework to study the nervous system, it is unlikely that they will truly develop interdisciplinary thinking. Yet, it is this interdisciplinary thinking that is at the heart of a holistic understanding of the brain. It is, therefore, important to develop a conceptual framework in which students can be taught interdisciplinary, rather than multidisciplinary, thinking. It is also important to recognize that not all teaching needs to be interdisciplinary, but that the type of curriculum design is dependent on the aims of the course, as well as on the background of the students. A rational curriculum design that aligns learning and teaching objectives is, therefore, advocated. PMID:23626496

Multidisciplinary studies of wildlife trade in primates: Challenges and priorities.

PubMed

Blair, Mary E; Le, Minh D; Sterling, Eleanor J

2017-11-01

Wildlife trade is increasingly recognized as an unsustainable threat to primate populations and informing its management is a growing focus and application of primatological research. However, management policies based on ecological research alone cannot address complex socioeconomic or cultural contexts as drivers of wildlife trade. Multidisciplinary research is required to understand trade complexity and identify sustainable management strategies. Here, we define multidisciplinary research as research that combines more than one academic discipline, and highlight how the articles in this issue combine methods and approaches to fill key gaps and offer a more comprehensive understanding of underlying drivers of wildlife trade including consumer demand, enforcement patterns, source population status, and accessibility of targeted species. These articles also focus on how these drivers interact at different scales, how trade patterns relate to ethics, and the potential effectiveness of different policy interventions in reducing wildlife trade. We propose priorities for future research on primate trade including expanding from multidisciplinary to interdisciplinary research questions and approaches co-created by research teams that integrate across different disciplines such as cultural anthropology, ecology, economics, and public policy. We also discuss challenges that limit the integration of information across disciplines to meet these priorities. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

GRC RBCC Concept Multidisciplinary Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suresh, Ambady

2001-01-01

This report outlines the GRC RBCC Concept for Multidisciplinary Analysis. The multidisciplinary coupling procedure is presented, along with technique validations and axisymmetric multidisciplinary inlet and structural results. The NPSS (Numerical Propulsion System Simulation) test bed developments and code parallelization are also presented. These include milestones and accomplishments, a discussion of running R4 fan application on the PII cluster as compared to other platforms, and the National Combustor Code speedup.

Implementing effective and sustainable multidisciplinary clinical thoracic oncology programs

PubMed Central

Freeman, Richard K.; Krasna, Mark J.

2015-01-01

Three models of care are described, including two models of multidisciplinary care for thoracic malignancies. The pros and cons of each model are discussed, the evidence supporting each is reviewed, and the need for more (and better) research into care delivery models is highlighted. Key stakeholders in thoracic oncology care delivery outcomes are identified, and the need to consider stakeholder perspectives in designing, validating and implementing multidisciplinary programs as a vehicle for quality improvement in thoracic oncology is emphasized. The importance of reconciling stakeholder perspectives, and identify meaningful stakeholder-relevant benchmarks is also emphasized. Metrics for measuring program implementation and overall success are proposed. PMID:26380186

Implementing effective and sustainable multidisciplinary clinical thoracic oncology programs.

PubMed

Osarogiagbon, Raymond U; Freeman, Richard K; Krasna, Mark J

2015-08-01

Three models of care are described, including two models of multidisciplinary care for thoracic malignancies. The pros and cons of each model are discussed, the evidence supporting each is reviewed, and the need for more (and better) research into care delivery models is highlighted. Key stakeholders in thoracic oncology care delivery outcomes are identified, and the need to consider stakeholder perspectives in designing, validating and implementing multidisciplinary programs as a vehicle for quality improvement in thoracic oncology is emphasized. The importance of reconciling stakeholder perspectives, and identify meaningful stakeholder-relevant benchmarks is also emphasized. Metrics for measuring program implementation and overall success are proposed.

Multidisciplinary High-Fidelity Analysis and Optimization of Aerospace Vehicles. Part 2; Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walsh, J. L.; Weston, R. P.; Samareh, J. A.; Mason, B. H.; Green, L. L.; Biedron, R. T.

2000-01-01

An objective of the High Performance Computing and Communication Program at the NASA Langley Research Center is to demonstrate multidisciplinary shape and sizing optimization of a complete aerospace vehicle configuration by using high-fidelity finite-element structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics aerodynamic analysis in a distributed, heterogeneous computing environment that includes high performance parallel computing. A software system has been designed and implemented to integrate a set of existing discipline analysis codes, some of them computationally intensive, into a distributed computational environment for the design of a high-speed civil transport configuration. The paper describes both the preliminary results from implementing and validating the multidisciplinary analysis and the results from an aerodynamic optimization. The discipline codes are integrated by using the Java programming language and a Common Object Request Broker Architecture compliant software product. A companion paper describes the formulation of the multidisciplinary analysis and optimization system.

The impact of a multidisciplinary self-care management program on quality of life, self-care, adherence to anti-hypertensive therapy, glycemic control, and renal function in diabetic kidney disease: A Cross-over Study Protocol.

PubMed

Helou, Nancy; Talhouedec, Dominique; Shaha, Maya; Zanchi, Anne

2016-07-19

Diabetic kidney disease, a global health issue, remains associated with high morbidity and mortality. Previous research has shown that multidisciplinary management of chronic disease can improve patient outcomes. The effect of multidisciplinary self-care management on quality of life and renal function of patients with diabetic kidney disease has not yet been well established. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary self-care management program on quality of life, self-care behavior, adherence to anti-hypertensive treatment, glycemic control, and renal function of adults with diabetic kidney disease. A uniform balanced cross-over design is used, with the objective to recruit 40 adult participants with diabetic kidney disease, from public and private out-patient settings in French speaking Switzerland. Participants are randomized in equal number into four study arms. Each participant receives usual care alternating with the multidisciplinary self- care management program. Each treatment period lasts three months and is repeated twice at different time intervals over 12 months depending on the cross-over arm. The multidisciplinary self-care management program is led by an advanced practice nurse and adds nursing and dietary consultations and follow-ups, to the habitual management provided by the general practitioner, the nephrologist and the diabetologist. Data is collected every three months for 12 months. Quality of life is measured using the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life scale, patient self-care behavior is assessed using the Revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, and adherence to anti-hypertensive therapy is evaluated using the Medication Events Monitoring System. Blood glucose control is measured by the glycated hemoglobin levels and renal function by serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio. Data will be analyzed using STATA version 14. The cross

The Aged Residential Care Healthcare Utilization Study (ARCHUS): a multidisciplinary, cluster randomized controlled trial designed to reduce acute avoidable hospitalizations from long-term care facilities.

PubMed

Connolly, Martin J; Boyd, Michal; Broad, Joanna B; Kerse, Ngaire; Lumley, Thomas; Whitehead, Noeline; Foster, Susan

2015-01-01

To assess effect of a complex, multidisciplinary intervention aimed at reducing avoidable acute hospitalization of residents of residential aged care (RAC) facilities. Cluster randomized controlled trial. RAC facilities with higher than expected hospitalizations in Auckland, New Zealand, were recruited and randomized to intervention or control. A total of 1998 residents of 18 intervention facilities and 18 control facilities. A facility-based complex intervention of 9 months' duration. The intervention comprised gerontology nurse specialist (GNS)-led staff education, facility bench-marking, GNS resident review, and multidisciplinary (geriatrician, primary-care physician, pharmacist, GNS, and facility nurse) discussion of residents selected using standard criteria. Primary end point was avoidable hospitalizations. Secondary end points were all acute admissions, mortality, and acute bed-days. Follow-up was for a total of 14 months. The intervention did not affect main study end points: number of acute avoidable hospital admissions (RR 1.07; 95% CI 0.85-1.36; P = .59) or mortality (RR 1.11; 95% CI 0.76-1.61; P = .62). This multidisciplinary intervention, packaging selected case review, and staff education had no overall impact on acute hospital admissions or mortality. This may have considerable implications for resourcing in the acute and RAC sectors in the face of population aging. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12611000187943). Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The School-Based Multidisciplinary Team and Nondiscriminatory Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfeiffer, Steven I.

The potential of multidisciplinary teams to control for possible errors in diagnosis, classification, and placement and to provide a vehicle for ensuring effective outcomes of diagnostic practices is illustrated. The present functions of the school-based multidisciplinary team (also called, for example, assessment team, child study team, placement…

Multidisciplinary Environments: A History of Engineering Framework Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, Sharon L.; Gillian, Ronnie E.

2006-01-01

This paper traces the history of engineering frameworks and their use by Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) practitioners. The approach is to reference papers that have been presented at one of the ten previous Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MA&O) conferences. By limiting the search to MA&O papers, the authors can (1) identify the key ideas that led to general purpose MDO frameworks and (2) uncover roadblocks that delayed the development of these ideas. The authors make no attempt to assign credit for revolutionary ideas or to assign blame for missed opportunities. Rather, the goal is to trace the various threads of computer architecture and software framework research and to observe how these threads contributed to the commercial framework products available today.

A prospective, multi-method, multi-disciplinary, multi-level, collaborative, social-organisational design for researching health sector accreditation [LP0560737

PubMed Central

Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Westbrook, Johanna; Pawsey, Marjorie; Greenfield, David; Naylor, Justine; Iedema, Rick; Runciman, Bill; Redman, Sally; Jorm, Christine; Robinson, Maureen; Nathan, Sally; Gibberd, Robert

2006-01-01

Background Accreditation has become ubiquitous across the international health care landscape. Award of full accreditation status in health care is viewed, as it is in other sectors, as a valid indicator of high quality organisational performance. However, few studies have empirically demonstrated this assertion. The value of accreditation, therefore, remains uncertain, and this persists as a central legitimacy problem for accreditation providers, policymakers and researchers. The question arises as to how best to research the validity, impact and value of accreditation processes in health care. Most health care organisations participate in some sort of accreditation process and thus it is not possible to study its merits using a randomised controlled strategy. Further, tools and processes for accreditation and organisational performance are multifaceted. Methods/design To understand the relationship between them a multi-method research approach is required which incorporates both quantitative and qualitative data. The generic nature of accreditation standard development and inspection within different sectors enhances the extent to which the findings of in-depth study of accreditation process in one industry can be generalised to other industries. This paper presents a research design which comprises a prospective, multi-method, multi-level, multi-disciplinary approach to assess the validity, impact and value of accreditation. Discussion The accreditation program which assesses over 1,000 health services in Australia is used as an exemplar for testing this design. The paper proposes this design as a framework suitable for application to future international research into accreditation. Our aim is to stimulate debate on the role of accreditation and how to research it. PMID:16968552

The Loci Multidisciplinary Simulation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luke, Ed

2002-01-01

Contents include the following: 1. An overview of the Loci Multidisciplinary Simulation System. 2. Topologically adaptive mesh generation. 3. Multidisciplinary simulations using Loci with the CHEM chemically reacting flow solver.

Use of High Fidelity Methods in Multidisciplinary Optimization-A Preliminary Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guruswamy, Guru P.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Multidisciplinary optimization is a key element of design process. To date multidiscipline optimization methods that use low fidelity methods are well advanced. Optimization methods based on simple linear aerodynamic equations and plate structural equations have been applied to complex aerospace configurations. However, use of high fidelity methods such as the Euler/ Navier-Stokes for fluids and 3-D (three dimensional) finite elements for structures has begun recently. As an activity of Multidiscipline Design Optimization Technical Committee (MDO TC) of AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics), an effort was initiated to assess the status of the use of high fidelity methods in multidisciplinary optimization. Contributions were solicited through the members MDO TC committee. This paper provides a summary of that survey.

A multidisciplinary approach to solving computer related vision problems.

PubMed

Long, Jennifer; Helland, Magne

2012-09-01

This paper proposes a multidisciplinary approach to solving computer related vision issues by including optometry as a part of the problem-solving team. Computer workstation design is increasing in complexity. There are at least ten different professions who contribute to workstation design or who provide advice to improve worker comfort, safety and efficiency. Optometrists have a role identifying and solving computer-related vision issues and in prescribing appropriate optical devices. However, it is possible that advice given by optometrists to improve visual comfort may conflict with other requirements and demands within the workplace. A multidisciplinary approach has been advocated for solving computer related vision issues. There are opportunities for optometrists to collaborate with ergonomists, who coordinate information from physical, cognitive and organisational disciplines to enact holistic solutions to problems. This paper proposes a model of collaboration and examples of successful partnerships at a number of professional levels including individual relationships between optometrists and ergonomists when they have mutual clients/patients, in undergraduate and postgraduate education and in research. There is also scope for dialogue between optometry and ergonomics professional associations. A multidisciplinary approach offers the opportunity to solve vision related computer issues in a cohesive, rather than fragmented way. Further exploration is required to understand the barriers to these professional relationships. © 2012 The College of Optometrists.

Materials for Digital Optical Design:. a Survey Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Ayman Abdel Khader; Ismail, Imane Aly Saroit; Ahmed, S. H.

2010-04-01

In the last few years digital optical design had major attention in research fields. Many researches were published in the fields of optical materials, instruments, circuit design and devices. This is considered to be the most multidisciplinary field and requires for its success collaborative efforts of many disciplines, ranging from device and optical engineers to computer architects, chemists, material scientists, and optical physicists. In this study we will introduce a survey of the latest papers in the field of optical materials and its properties for light; this paper is organized in three major sections, optical glasses, compound materials and nonlinear absorption (multi photon absorption) and up-conversion.

Application of the multi-disciplinary thematic seminar method in two homecare cases - a comparative study.

PubMed

Scandurra, Isabella; Hägglund, Maria; Koch, Sabine

2008-01-01

A significant problem with current health information technologies is that they poorly support collaborative work of healthcare professionals, sometimes leading to a fragmentation of workflow and disruption of healthcare processes. This paper presents two homecare cases, both applying multi-disciplinary thematic seminars (MdTS) as a collaborative method for user needs elicitation and requirements specification. This study describes the MdTS application to elicit user needs from different perspectives to coincide with collaborative professions' work practices in two cases. Despite different objectives, the two cases validated that MdTS emphasized the "points of intersection" in cooperative work. Different user groups with similar, yet distinct needs reached a common understanding of the entire work process, agreed upon requirements and participated in the design of prototypes supporting cooperative work. MdTS was applicable in both exploratory and normative studies aiming to elicit the specific requirements in a cooperative environment.

Using Student Technical Conferences to Build Multidisciplinary Teamwork Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverstein, David L.

2007-01-01

An open-ended student conference project involving sophomore, junior, and senior chemical engineering students is described. The project is designed to address outcomes in each of the courses in which those students are enrolled, as well as broader "soft skills" including multidisciplinary teamwork, communications, lifelong learning, and…

Creation of a Rapid High-Fidelity Aerodynamics Module for a Multidisciplinary Design Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, Muktha; Whittecar, William; Edwards, Stephen; Mavris, Dimitri N.

2012-01-01

surrogate model, which captures the relationships between input variables and responses into regression equations. Depending on the dimensionality of the problem and the fidelity of the code for which a surrogate model is being created, the initial DOE can itself be computationally prohibitive to run. Cokriging, a modeling approach from the field of geostatistics, provides a desirable compromise between computational expense and fidelity. To do this, cokriging leverages a large body of data generated by a low fidelity analysis, combines it with a smaller set of data from a higher fidelity analysis, and creates a kriging surrogate model with prediction fidelity approaching that of the higher fidelity analysis. When integrated into a multidisciplinary environment, a disciplinary analysis module employing cokriging can raise the analysis fidelity without drastically impacting the expense of design iterations. This is demonstrated through the creation of an aerodynamics analysis module in NASA s OpenMDAO framework. Aerodynamic analyses including Missile DATCOM, APAS, and USM3D are leveraged to create high fidelity aerodynamics decks for parametric vehicle geometries, which are created in NASA s Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP). Several trade studies are performed to examine the achieved level of model fidelity, and the overall impact to vehicle design is quantified.

Multidisciplinary cancer care: does it improve outcomes?

PubMed

Brar, Savtaj S; Hong, Nicole Look; Wright, Frances C

2014-10-01

Multidisciplinary care has been advocated as a solution for increasingly complex treatment decisions in cancer patients. The impact of multidisciplinary care on patient survival has been studied, but evidence is limited by poor methodological quality. Lack of conclusive evidence for increased survival is balanced against improvements in quality of care, guideline adherence, reduction in wait times, and greater satisfaction for patients and care providers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mapping remote and multidisciplinary learning barriers: lessons from challenge-based innovation at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, Matilde Bisballe; Utriainen, Tuuli Maria; Steinert, Martin

2018-01-01

This paper presents the experienced difficulties of students participating in the multidisciplinary, remote collaborating engineering design course challenge-based innovation at CERN. This is with the aim to identify learning barriers and improve future learning experiences. We statistically analyse the rated differences between distinct design activities, educational background and remote vs. co-located collaboration. The analysis is based on a quantitative and qualitative questionnaire (N = 37). Our analysis found significant ranking differences between remote and co-located activities. This questions whether the remote factor might be a barrier for the originally intended learning goals. Further a correlation between analytical and converging design phases was identified. Hence, future facilitators are suggested to help students in the transition from one design phase to the next rather than only teaching methods in the individual design phases. Finally, we discuss how educators address the identified learning barriers when designing future courses including multidisciplinary or remote collaboration.

Challenges and successes of a multidisciplinary pediatric obesity treatment program.

PubMed

Walsh, Stephanie M; Palmer, Wendy; Welsh, Jean A; Vos, Miriam B

2014-12-01

Despite the well-documented need for multidisciplinary pediatric obesity treatment programs, few programs exist and best practices are not clearly defined. We describe the design and initial quality-related outcomes of the Strong4Life multidisciplinary pediatric obesity treatment program along with some challenges and solutions implemented over the first 2 years. The purpose of this report is to inform others interested in designing similar programs. The Strong4Life Clinic obesity program was designed to provide children with the medical care, as well as the behavior change guidance and support needed to reverse their obesity and/or minimize the related health risks. This low-intensity program is designed to provide approximately 6 hours of care over 12 months from a medical provider, psychologist, registered dietitian nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and nurse. Between August 2011 and February 2014, the Strong4Life clinic served 781 high-risk (mean sex- and age-adjusted body mass index [BMI] percentile 98.8) and racially/ethnically diverse (45% non-Hispanic black and 24% Hispanic) patients. Of the 781 patients seen, 66% returned for at least 1 visit. Nearly all returning Strong4Life patients stabilized or improved their BMI (90% of those who participated <6 months, 97% of those who participated 6 to <12 months, and 92% of those who participated ≥12 months). This report describes a low-intensity multidisciplinary weight management program that is feasible. Initial assessment of the program suggests benefit in most patients who participate >6 months, but longer follow-up and assessment of comorbidities are needed. © 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Multidisciplinary systems optimization by linear decomposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieski, J.

1984-01-01

In a typical design process major decisions are made sequentially. An illustrated example is given for an aircraft design in which the aerodynamic shape is usually decided first, then the airframe is sized for strength and so forth. An analogous sequence could be laid out for any other major industrial product, for instance, a ship. The loops in the discipline boxes symbolize iterative design improvements carried out within the confines of a single engineering discipline, or subsystem. The loops spanning several boxes depict multidisciplinary design improvement iterations. Omitted for graphical simplicity is parallelism of the disciplinary subtasks. The parallelism is important in order to develop a broad workfront necessary to shorten the design time. If all the intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary iterations were carried out to convergence, the process could yield a numerically optimal design. However, it usually stops short of that because of time and money limitations. This is especially true for the interdisciplinary iterations.

Effectiveness of an intensive multidisciplinary headache treatment program.

PubMed

Gunreben-Stempfle, Birgit; Griessinger, Norbert; Lang, Eberhard; Muehlhans, Barbara; Sittl, Reinhard; Ulrich, Kathrin

2009-07-01

To investigate if the effectiveness of a 96-hour multidisciplinary headache treatment program exceeds the effectiveness of a 20-hour program and primary care. When dealing with chronic back pain, low-intensity multidisciplinary treatment yields no significantly better results than standard care and monodisciplinary therapy; however, high-intensity treatment does. For multidisciplinary headache treatment, such comparisons are not yet available. In a previous study undertaken by our Pain Center, the outcome of a minimal multidisciplinary intervention model (20-hour) did not exceed primary care. Forty-two patients suffering from frequent headaches (20 +/- 9 headache days/month; range: 8-30) were treated and evaluated in a 96-hour group program. The results were compared with the outcomes of the previous study. Subjects who had undergone either the 20-hour multidisciplinary program or the primary care were used as historical control groups. A significant reduction in migraine days (P < .001), tension-type headache days (P < .001), frequency of migraine attacks (P = .004), and depression score (P < .001) was seen at the follow-up after 22 (+/-2) weeks. Comparing the intensive multidisciplinary program with primary care, repeated measures ANOVAs revealed significant time x group interactions for migraine days (P = .020), tension-type headache days (P = .016), and frequency of migraine attacks (P = .016). In comparison with the 20-hour multidisciplinary program, the 96-hour program showed significantly better effects only in the reduction of migraine days (P = .037) and depression score (P = .003). The responder-rates (> or =50% improvement) in the 96-hour program were significantly higher than in the 20-hour program (migraine days, P = .008; tension-type headache days, P = .044) and primary care (migraine days, P = .007; tension-type headache days, P = .003; tension-type headache intensity, P = .037). The effect sizes were small to medium in the 96-hour program

Return to work of cancer patients after a multidisciplinary intervention including occupational counselling and physical exercise in cancer patients: a prospective study in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Leensen, Monique C J; Groeneveld, Iris F; van der Heide, Iris; Rejda, Tomas; van Veldhoven, Peter L J; van Berkel, Sietske; Snoek, Aernout; van Harten, Wim; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; de Boer, Angela G E M

2017-01-01

Objectives To support return to work (RTW) among cancer patients, a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme was developed which combined occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme during chemotherapy. The aim was to investigate RTW rates of cancer patients and to evaluate changes in work-related quality of life and physical outcomes. Design Longitudinal prospective intervention study using a one-group design. Setting Two hospitals in the Netherlands. Participants Of the eligible patients, 56% participated; 93 patients with a primary diagnosis of cancer receiving chemotherapy and on sick leave were included. Patients completed questionnaires on RTW, the importance of work, work ability (WAI), RTW self-efficacy, fatigue (MFI), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ C-30) at baseline and 6, 12 and 18 months follow-up. Before and after the exercise programme 1-repetition maximum (1RM) muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 peak) were assessed. Results Six months after the start of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme that combined occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme, 59% of the cancer patients returned to work, 86% at 12 months and 83% at 18 months. In addition, significant improvements (p<0.05) in the importance of work, work ability, RTW self-efficacy, and quality of life were observed, whereas fatigue levels were significantly reduced. After completing the exercise programme, 1RM muscle strength was significantly increased but there was no improvement in VO2 peak level. Conclusions RTW rates of cancer patients were high after completion of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. A multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme which combines occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme is likely to result in RTW, reduced fatigue and increased importance of work, work ability, and quality of life. PMID:28619770

Complex multidisciplinary system composition for aerospace vehicle conceptual design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Lex

Although, there exists a vast amount of work concerning the analysis, design, integration of aerospace vehicle systems, there is no standard for how this data and knowledge should be combined in order to create a synthesis system. Each institution creating a synthesis system has in house vehicle and hardware components they are attempting to model and proprietary methods with which to model them. This leads to the fact that synthesis systems begin as one-off creations meant to answer a specific problem. As the scope of the synthesis system grows to encompass more and more problems, so does its size and complexity; in order for a single synthesis system to answer multiple questions the number of methods and method interface must increase. As a means to curtail the requirement that the increase of an aircraft synthesis systems capability leads to an increase in its size and complexity, this research effort focuses on the idea that each problem in aerospace requires its own analysis framework. By focusing on the creation of a methodology which centers on the matching of an analysis framework towards the problem being solved, the complexity of the analysis framework is decoupled from the complexity of the system that creates it. The derived methodology allows for the composition of complex multi-disciplinary systems (CMDS) through the automatic creation and implementation of system and disciplinary method interfaces. The CMDS Composition process follows a four step methodology meant to take a problem definition and progress towards the creation of an analysis framework meant to answer said problem. The unique implementation of the CMDS Composition process take user selected disciplinary analysis methods and automatically integrates them, together in order to create a syntactically composable analysis framework. As a means of assessing the validity of the CMDS Composition process a prototype system (AVDDBMS) has been developed. AVD DBMS has been used to model the

Multidisciplinary ALS Telemedicine Care: The Store and Forward Method.

PubMed

Pulley, Michael T; Brittain, Rebecca; Hodges, Wayne; Frazier, Christine; Miller, Leslie; Matyjasik-Liggett, Maria; Maurer, Susan; Peters, Melissa; Solomon, Kimberly; Berger, Alan R

2018-05-26

ALS patients benefit from multidisciplinary care in an ALS clinic. We studied whether multidisciplinary care of ALS patients using the store and forward method of telemedicine was feasible and acceptable to patients and providers. ALS patients seen in the UF Jacksonville ALS clinic were eligible. A trained telemedicine nurse performed and recorded a multidisciplinary assessment of the patient in their home. Clinic team members reviewed the assessments, provided recommendations and the clinic director discussed the plan with the patient via videoconference. Patient and provider satisfaction was evaluated using surveys. 18 patients completed a total of 27 telemedicine visits. Patient satisfaction was excellent and provider satisfaction was very good. The store and forward method of telemedicine is an acceptable alternative to live telemedicine for the multidisciplinary care of ALS patients. This method of care may improve access to multidisciplinary care for this patient population. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Applied Information Management Program: Multidisciplinary Continuing Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ettinger, Linda F.

1991-01-01

Presents a description of the Applied Information Management Master of Science degree program at the University of Oregon, which was designed to serve in-career professionals working in high technology corporate settings. The need for a multidisciplinary approach is discussed, the curriculum is described, and the role of visual communication is…

Integral multidisciplinary approach in a patient with chronic complete spinal cord injury and hip disarticulation

PubMed Central

Quinzaños-Fresnedo, J; Rodríguez-Reyes, G; Mendoza-Cosío, C; Pérez-Zavala, R; Márquez-Guitérrez, E A; Hernández-Sandoval, S

2015-01-01

Study design: Case report. Objectives: To highlight the importance of the integral multidisciplinary management of a patient with complete chronic spinal cord injury and hip disarticulation secondary to pressure ulcers (PU). Setting: Mexico City. Methods: The case of a 40-year-old male violinist with a spinal cord injury, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A and neurological level T4, is reported. The patient initiated with bilateral ischiatic, left trochanteric and sacral PU. The ulcers were complicated with infection with sluggish evolution. Thus, it was decided a multidisciplinary management by means of left hip disarticulation and elaboration of a cosmetic prosthesis and the manufacture of a viscous elastic foam cushion for the prevention of new PU. The patient was quickly included in his professional and social activities. Conclusion: This study proves that multidisciplinary management of patients with spinal cord injury with complications such as the presence of PU that are resistant to noninvasive treatment can be the solution for the patient’s reintegration into their normal life with adequate quality of life. PMID:28053719

Recommending Research Profiles for Multidisciplinary Academic Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunawardena, Sidath Deepal

2013-01-01

This research investigates how data on multidisciplinary collaborative experiences can be used to solve a novel problem: recommending research profiles of potential collaborators to academic researchers seeking to engage in multidisciplinary research collaboration. As the current domain theories of multidisciplinary collaboration are insufficient…

Information Management for a Large Multidisciplinary Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Kennie H.; Randall, Donald P.; Cronin, Catherine K.

1992-01-01

In 1989, NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC) initiated the High-Speed Airframe Integration Research (HiSAIR) Program to develop and demonstrate an integrated environment for high-speed aircraft design using advanced multidisciplinary analysis and optimization procedures. The major goals of this program were to evolve the interactions among disciplines and promote sharing of information, to provide a timely exchange of information among aeronautical disciplines, and to increase the awareness of the effects each discipline has upon other disciplines. LaRC historically has emphasized the advancement of analysis techniques. HiSAIR was founded to synthesize these advanced methods into a multidisciplinary design process emphasizing information feedback among disciplines and optimization. Crucial to the development of such an environment are the definition of the required data exchanges and the methodology for both recording the information and providing the exchanges in a timely manner. These requirements demand extensive use of data management techniques, graphic visualization, and interactive computing. HiSAIR represents the first attempt at LaRC to promote interdisciplinary information exchange on a large scale using advanced data management methodologies combined with state-of-the-art, scientific visualization techniques on graphics workstations in a distributed computing environment. The subject of this paper is the development of the data management system for HiSAIR.

Exploring team working and shared leadership in multi-disciplinary cancer care.

PubMed

Willcocks, Stephen George

2018-02-05

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relevance of shared leadership to multi-disciplinary cancer care. It examines the policy background and applies concepts from shared leadership to this context. It includes discussion of the implications and recommendations. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper examining policy documents and secondary literature on the topic. While it focuses on the UK National Health Services, it is also relevant to other countries given they follow a broadly similar path with regard to multi-disciplinary working. Findings The paper suggests that shared leadership is a possible way forward for multi-disciplinary cancer care, particularly as policy developments are supportive of this. It shows that a shared perspective is likely to be beneficial to the further development of multi-disciplinary working. Research limitations/implications Adopting shared leadership needs to be explored further using appropriate empirical research. Practical implications The paper offers comments on the implications of introducing shared leadership and makes recommendations including being aware of the barriers to its implementation. Originality/value The paper offers an alternative view on leadership in the health-care context.

The effect of extremity strength training on fibromyalgia symptoms and disease impact in an existing multidisciplinary treatment program.

PubMed

Kas, Tamara; Colby, Megan; Case, Maureen; Vaughn, Dan

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of upper and lower body extremity strengthening exercise in patients with Fibromyalgia (FM) within an existing multidisciplinary treatment program. Patients between the ages of 18-65 with the medical diagnosis of FM. Comparative study design. The control and experimental group received the same multidisciplinary treatment except that the experimental group performed upper and lower extremity strengthening exercises. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) was administered at evaluation and discharge from the program in order to measure change in quality of life (QOL). Statistically significant changes in FIQ scores were found for both groups. The addition of extremity strengthening in the experimental group produced an average 4 points greater reduction in FIQ score, however, these results are not considered statistically significant. This study appears to validate the success of a multidisciplinary approach in treating patients with FM, with the possibility for further benefit with the addition of extremity strengthening. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chiari malformation type 1-related headache: the importance of a multidisciplinary study.

PubMed

Curone, Marcella; Valentini, L G; Vetrano, I; Beretta, E; Furlanetto, M-; Chiapparini, L; Erbetta, A; Bussone, G

2017-05-01

Chiari type 1 Malformation (CM 1) is a structural defect consisting of a displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum causing obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) outflow. CM 1 has a variety of presentation with headache being the most common symptom. The evaluation and treatment of headache related to CM 1 are often difficult, because the pain in the occipital-suboccipital region or headache that is of cough-type suggests symptomatic CM 1, but patients suffering from CM 1 can also report migraine or tension-type headache. In 2015 we started a collaborative project in which our group of neurologists, neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists contribute to create a Chiari Special Outpatient Service; this was set up to provide a multidisciplinary evaluation, treatment and follow-up of patient suffering from CM 1. 201 patients (58 males, 143 females) suffering from CM 1 were multidisciplinary evaluated. Headache characteristics, clinical features, and treatment of patients are discussed. Further progress in multidisciplinary care of headache and CM 1 should be performed to define guidelines.

Opus: A Coordination Language for Multidisciplinary Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, Barbara; Haines, Matthew; Mehrotra, Piyush; Zima, Hans; vanRosendale, John

1997-01-01

Data parallel languages, such as High Performance fortran, can be successfully applied to a wide range of numerical applications. However, many advanced scientific and engineering applications are multidisciplinary and heterogeneous in nature, and thus do not fit well into the data parallel paradigm. In this paper we present Opus, a language designed to fill this gap. The central concept of Opus is a mechanism called ShareD Abstractions (SDA). An SDA can be used as a computation server, i.e., a locus of computational activity, or as a data repository for sharing data between asynchronous tasks. SDAs can be internally data parallel, providing support for the integration of data and task parallelism as well as nested task parallelism. They can thus be used to express multidisciplinary applications in a natural and efficient way. In this paper we describe the features of the language through a series of examples and give an overview of the runtime support required to implement these concepts in parallel and distributed environments.

System Risk Assessment and Allocation in Conceptual Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahadevan, Sankaran; Smith, Natasha L.; Zang, Thomas A. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

As aerospace systems continue to evolve in addressing newer challenges in air and space transportation, there exists a heightened priority for significant improvement in system performance, cost effectiveness, reliability, and safety. Tools, which synthesize multidisciplinary integration, probabilistic analysis, and optimization, are needed to facilitate design decisions allowing trade-offs between cost and reliability. This study investigates tools for probabilistic analysis and probabilistic optimization in the multidisciplinary design of aerospace systems. A probabilistic optimization methodology is demonstrated for the low-fidelity design of a reusable launch vehicle at two levels, a global geometry design and a local tank design. Probabilistic analysis is performed on a high fidelity analysis of a Navy missile system. Furthermore, decoupling strategies are introduced to reduce the computational effort required for multidisciplinary systems with feedback coupling.

Multidisciplinary Care Models for Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis.

PubMed

Queiro, Rubén; Coto, Pablo; Rodríguez, Jesús; Notario, Jaume; Navío Marco, Teresa; de la Cueva, Pablo; Pujol Busquets, Manel; García Font, Mercè; Joven, Beatriz; Rivera, Raquel; Alvarez Vega, Jose Luis; Chaves Álvarez, Antonio Javier; Sánchez Parera, Ricardo; Ruiz Carrascosa, Jose Carlos; Rodríguez Martínez, Fernando José; Pardo Sánchez, José; Feced Olmos, Carlos; Pujol, Conrad; Galindez, Eva; Pérez Barrio, Silvia; Urruticoechea Arana, Ana; Hergueta, Mercedes; Luelmo, Jesús; Gratacós, Jordi

To describe (structure, processes) of the multidisciplinary care models in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Spain, as well as barriers and facilitators of their implementation. A qualitative study was performed following structured interviews with 24 professionals (12 rheumatologists, 12 dermatologists who provide multidisciplinary care for patients with PsA). We collected data related to the hospital, department, population and multidisciplinary care model (type, physical and human resources, professional requirements, objectives, referral criteria, agendas, protocols, responsibilities, decision- making, research and education, clinical sessions, development and planning of the model, advantages and disadvantages of the model, barriers and facilitators in the implementation of the model. The models characteristics are described. We analyzed 12 multidisciplinary care models in PsA, with at least 1-2 years of experience, and 3 subtypes of models, face-to-face, parallel, and preferential circuit. All are adapted to the hospital and professionals characteristics. A proper implementation planning is essential. The involvement and empathy between professionals and an access and well-defined referral criteria are important facilitators in the implementation of a model. The management of agendas and data collection to measure the multidisciplinary care models health outcomes are the main barriers. There are different multidisciplinary care models in PsA that can improve patient outcomes, system efficiency and collaboration between specialists. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Head and neck multidisciplinary team meetings: Effect on patient management.

PubMed

Brunner, Markus; Gore, Sinclair M; Read, Rebecca L; Alexander, Ashlin; Mehta, Ankur; Elliot, Michael; Milross, Chris; Boyer, Michael; Clark, Jonathan R

2015-07-01

The purpose of this study was for us to present our findings on the prospectively audited impact of head and neck multidisciplinary team meetings on patient management. We collected clinical data, the pre-multidisciplinary team meeting treatment plan, the post-multidisciplinary team meeting treatment plans, and follow-up data from all patients discussed at a weekly multidisciplinary team meeting and we recorded the changes in management. One hundred seventy-two patients were discussed in 39 meetings. In 52 patients (30%), changes in management were documented of which 20 (67%) were major. Changes were statistically more likely when the referring physician was a medical or radiation oncologist, when the initial treatment plan did not include surgery, and when the histology was neither mucosal squamous cell cancer nor a skin malignancy. Compliance to the multidisciplinary team meeting treatment recommendation was 84% for all patients and 70% for patients with changes in their treatment recommendation. Head and neck multidisciplinary team meetings changed management in almost a third of the cases. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An innovative, multidisciplinary strategy to improve retention of nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

PubMed

Igbo, Immaculata N; Straker, Kathleen C; Landson, Margie J; Symes, Lene; Bernard, Lillian F; Hughes, Lisa A; Carroll, Theresa L

2011-01-01

Nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds must overcome many barriers in order to succeed. This article will focus on how a multidisciplinary team helped 76 percent of these high-risk students persist in their nursing programs by addressing some of these barriers. Three baccalaureate nursing schools in the Texas Medical Center embarked on a three-year retention program designed to enhance the success of students identified by federal criteria as being at risk. Multidisciplinary teams led various activities, including a study skills component, which included preparing for lectures, taking notes, critical thinking, and test-taking strategies. Also addressed were written and oral communication skills, medical terminology, critical thinking, career coaching, and socialization activities. Collaboration among faculty and students at the three schools was key to the success of the program.

Multidisciplinary care of craniosynostosis

PubMed Central

Buchanan, Edward P; Xue, Yunfeng; Xue, Amy S; Olshinka, Asaf; Lam, Sandi

2017-01-01

The management of craniosynostosis, especially in the setting of craniofacial syndromes, is ideally done in a multidisciplinary clinic with a team focused toward comprehensive care. Craniosynostosis is a congenital disorder of the cranium, caused by the premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures. This fusion results in abnormal cranial growth due to the inability of the involved sutures to accommodate the growing brain. Skull growth occurs only at the patent sutures, resulting in an abnormal head shape. If cranial growth is severely restricted, as seen in multisuture craniosynostosis, elevation in intracranial pressure can occur. Whereas most patients treated in a multidisciplinary craniofacial clinic have non-syndromic or isolated craniosynostosis, the most challenging patients are those with syndromic craniosynostosis. The purpose of this article was to discuss the multidisciplinary team care required to treat both syndromic and non-syndromic craniosynostosis. PMID:28740400

Multi-disciplinary team meetings in stroke rehabilitation: an observation study and conceptual framework.

PubMed

Tyson, S F; Burton, L; McGovern, A

2014-12-01

To explore how multi-disciplinary team meetings operate in stroke rehabilitation. Non-participant observation of multi-disciplinary team meetings and semi-structured interviews with attending staff. Twelve meetings were observed (at least one at each site) and 18 staff (one psychologist, one social worker; four nurses; four physiotherapists four occupational therapists, two speech and language therapists, one stroke co-ordinator and one stroke ward manager) were interviewed in eight in-patient stroke rehabilitation units. Multi-disciplinary team meetings in stroke rehabilitation were complex, demanding and highly varied. A model emerged which identified the main inputs to influence conduct of the meetings were personal contributions of the members and structure and format of the meetings. These were mediated by the team climate and leadership skills of the chair. The desired outputs; clinical decisions and the attributes of apparently effective meetings were identified by the staff. A notable difference between the meetings that staff considered effective and those that were not, was their structure and format. Successful meetings tended to feature a set agenda, structured documentation; formal use of measurement tools; pre-meeting preparation and skilled chairing. These features were often absent in meetings perceived to be ineffective. The main features of operation of multi-disciplinary team meetings have been identified which will enable assessment tools and interventions to improve effectiveness to be developed. © The Author(s) 2014.

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization for Glass-Fiber Epoxy-Matrix Composite 5 MW Horizontal-Axis Wind-Turbine Blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grujicic, M.; Arakere, G.; Pandurangan, B.; Sellappan, V.; Vallejo, A.; Ozen, M.

2010-11-01

A multi-disciplinary design-optimization procedure has been introduced and used for the development of cost-effective glass-fiber reinforced epoxy-matrix composite 5 MW horizontal-axis wind-turbine (HAWT) blades. The turbine-blade cost-effectiveness has been defined using the cost of energy (CoE), i.e., a ratio of the three-blade HAWT rotor development/fabrication cost and the associated annual energy production. To assess the annual energy production as a function of the blade design and operating conditions, an aerodynamics-based computational analysis had to be employed. As far as the turbine blade cost is concerned, it is assessed for a given aerodynamic design by separately computing the blade mass and the associated blade-mass/size-dependent production cost. For each aerodynamic design analyzed, a structural finite element-based and a post-processing life-cycle assessment analyses were employed in order to determine a minimal blade mass which ensures that the functional requirements pertaining to the quasi-static strength of the blade, fatigue-controlled blade durability and blade stiffness are satisfied. To determine the turbine-blade production cost (for the currently prevailing fabrication process, the wet lay-up) available data regarding the industry manufacturing experience were combined with the attendant blade mass, surface area, and the duration of the assumed production run. The work clearly revealed the challenges associated with simultaneously satisfying the strength, durability and stiffness requirements while maintaining a high level of wind-energy capture efficiency and a lower production cost.

Proposal of a model for multidisciplinary treatment program of chronic migraine with medication overuse: preliminary study.

PubMed

Grazzi, L; Prunesti, A; Bussone, G

2015-05-01

The treatment of patients with chronic migraine associated with medication overuse is challenging in clinical practice; different strategies of treatment have been recently developed, multidisciplinary treatment approaches have been developed in academic headache centers. Education and support of patients are necessary to improve patients' adherence to pharmacological treatments as well as to non-pharmacological therapies. This study reports a clinical experience conducted at our Headache center with a group of female patients, suffering from chronic migraine complicated by medication overuse, treated by a multidisciplinary approach and followed for a period of 1 year after withdrawal. Results confirm the efficacy of a multifaceted treatment to manage this problematic category of patients.

Multidisciplinary Management of Spondyloarthritis-Related Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Disease.

PubMed

Rizzello, Fernando; Olivieri, Ignazio; Armuzzi, Alessandro; Ayala, Fabio; Bettoli, Vincenzo; Bianchi, Luca; Cimino, Luca; Costanzo, Antonio; Cristaudo, Antonio; D'Angelo, Salvatore; Daperno, Marco; Fostini, Anna Chiara; Galeazzi, Mauro; Gilio, Michele; Gionchetti, Paolo; Gisondi, Paolo; Lubrano, Ennio; Marchesoni, Antonio; Offidani, Annamaria; Orlando, Ambrogio; Pugliese, Daniela; Salvarani, Carlo; Scarpa, Raffaele; Vecchi, Maurizio; Girolomoni, Giampiero

2018-04-01

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are chronic autoimmune conditions that share common pathophysiologic mechanisms. The optimal management of patients with IMIDs remains challenging because the coexistence of different conditions requires the intervention of several specialists. The aim of this study was to develop a series of statements defining overarching principles that guide the implementation of a multidisciplinary approach for the management of spondyloarthritis (SpA)-related IMIDs including SpA, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and uveitis. A Delphi consensus-based approach was used to identify a core set of statements. The process included development of initial questions by a steering committee, an exhaustive search of the literature using complementary approaches to identify potential statements and two Delphi voting rounds for finalization of the statements. Consensus was achieved on the related nature of IMIDs, the existence of a high prevalence of multiple IMIDs in a single patient and the fact that a multidisciplinary approach can result in a more extensive evaluation and comprehensive approach to treatment. The goals of a multidisciplinary team should be to increase diagnosis of concomitant IMIDs, improve the decision-making process, and increase patient satisfaction and adherence. Early referral and diagnosis, early recognition of concomitant IMIDs and optimizing treatment to improve patient quality of life are some of the advantages of using multidisciplinary teams. To be effective, a multidisciplinary team should be equipped with the appropriate tools for diagnosis and follow-up, and at a minimum the multidisciplinary team should include a dermatologist, gastroenterologist and rheumatologist; providing psychologic support via a psychologist and involving an ophthalmologist, general practitioners and nurses in multidisciplinary care is also important. The present Delphi consensus identified a set of

Fibromyalgia with severe forms of progression in a multidisciplinary therapy setting with emphasis on hyperthermia therapy--a prospective controlled study.

PubMed

Romeyke, Tobias; Scheuer, Hans Christoph; Stummer, Harald

2015-01-01

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a multi-factorial disease involving physiological as well as psychological factors. The aim of the study was to investigate a multidisciplinary inpatient treatment with emphasis on hyperthermia therapy by patients with widespread pain. The study involved 104 patients suffering from severely progressive FMS. A convenience sample and a prospective cohort design were used. The patients were treated in an acute hospital focusing on rheumatologic pain therapy and multidisciplinary complementary medicine. One patient group was treated with inclusion of hyperthermia therapy and the other group without. The therapy density (number of performed therapies per patient) was determined for every patient. Functional capacity measured by the Hannover functional status questionnaire (Funktionsfragebogen Hannover) and symptoms (von Zerssen complaint list) were analyzed for both groups on admission and on discharge. On admission, no significant difference could be established between control group (CG; multimodal without hyperthermia) and hyperthermia group (HG; multimodal with hyperthermia) (functional capacity, P=0.936). Functional capacity improved for the CG and the HG. On discharge, there was a significant difference between the two groups (functional capacity, P=0.039). There were no significant differences in fibromyalgia symptoms between CG (mean 41.8) and HG (mean 41.8) on their admission to hospital (P=0.988). On discharge, there was a significant difference (P=0.024) between the two groups (HG, mean 30.6; CG, mean 36.6). The inpatient therapy of patients with severely progressive fibromyalgia is characterized by a high frequency of therapy input. FMS, especially with severe progression and a high degree of chronification, demands a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to the use of complementary medical procedures, integration of hyperthermia in the treatment process is a useful option.

Reducing patients’ suicide ideation through training mental health teams in the application of the Dutch multidisciplinary practice guideline on assessment and treatment of suicidal behavior: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To strengthen suicide prevention skills in mental health care in The Netherlands, multidisciplinary teams throughout the country are trained in the application of the new Dutch guideline on the assessment and treatment of suicidal behavior. Previous studies have shown beneficial effects of additional efforts for guideline implementation on professionals’ attitude, knowledge, and skills. However, the effects on patients are equally important, but are rarely measured. The main objective of this study is to examine whether patients of multidisciplinary teams who are trained in guideline application show greater recovery from suicide ideation than patients of untrained teams. Methods/Design This is a multicentre cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), in which multidisciplinary teams from mental health care institutions are matched in pairs, and randomly allocated to either the experimental or control condition. In the experimental condition, next to the usual dissemination of the guideline (internet, newsletter, books, publications, and congresses), teams will be trained in the application of the guideline via a 1-day small interactive group training program supported by e-learning modules. In the control condition, no additional actions next to usual dissemination of the guideline will be undertaken. Assessments at patient level will start when the experimental teams are trained. Assessments will take place upon admission and after 3 months, or earlier if the patient is discharged. The primary outcome is suicide ideation. Secondary outcomes are non-fatal suicide attempts, level of treatment satisfaction, and societal costs. Both a cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis will be performed. The effects of the intervention will be examined in multilevel models. Discussion The strengths of this study are the size of the study, RCT design, training of complete multidisciplinary teams, and the willingness of both management and staff to participate

Heart transplant centers with multidisciplinary team show a higher level of chronic illness management - Findings from the International BRIGHT Study.

PubMed

Cajita, Maan Isabella; Baumgartner, Eva; Berben, Lut; Denhaerynck, Kris; Helmy, Remon; Schönfeld, Sandra; Berger, Gabriele; Vetter, Christine; Dobbels, Fabienne; Russell, Cynthia L; De Geest, Sabina

The objectives of this study were to: (1) explore the proportion of HTx centers that have a multidisciplinary team and (2) assess the relationship between multidisciplinarity and the level of chronic illness management (CIM). The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) recommends a multidisciplinary approach in heart transplant (HTx) follow-up care but little is known regarding the proportion of HTx centers that meet this recommendation and the impact on patient care. HTx centers with a multidisciplinary team may offer higher levels of CIM, a care model that has the potential to improve outcomes after HTx. We conducted a secondary analysis of the BRIGHT study, a cross-sectional study in 11 countries. Multidisciplinarity in the 36 HTx centers was assessed through HTx director reports and was defined as having a team that was composed of physician(s), nurse(s), and another healthcare professional (either a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, pharmacist, dietician, physical therapist, or occupational therapist). CIM was assessed with the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC). Multiple linear regression assessed the relationship between multidisciplinarity and the level of CIM. Twenty-nine (80.6%) of the HTx centers had a multidisciplinary team. Furthermore, multidisciplinarity was significantly associated with higher levels of CIM (β = 5.2, P = 0.042). Majority of the HTx centers follows the ISHLT recommendation for a multidisciplinary approach. Multidisciplinarity was associated with CIM and point toward a structural factor that needs to be in place for moving toward CIM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multidisciplinary Case Study on Higher Education: An Innovative Experience in the Business Management Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez-Cañas, Ricardo; del Pozo-Rubio, Raúl; Mondéjar-Jiménez, José; Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo

2012-01-01

Higher education is constantly changing and looking for innovative educational solutions in order to increase the level of the student's knowledge and skills. As an important part of this set of educational policies, a new process is emerging for the ideation, planning and implementation of multidisciplinary case studies for students with the aim…

Formal and heuristic system decomposition methods in multidisciplinary synthesis. Ph.D. Thesis, 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloebaum, Christina L.

1991-01-01

The multidisciplinary interactions which exist in large scale engineering design problems provide a unique set of difficulties. These difficulties are associated primarily with unwieldy numbers of design variables and constraints, and with the interdependencies of the discipline analysis modules. Such obstacles require design techniques which account for the inherent disciplinary couplings in the analyses and optimizations. The objective of this work was to develop an efficient holistic design synthesis methodology that takes advantage of the synergistic nature of integrated design. A general decomposition approach for optimization of large engineering systems is presented. The method is particularly applicable for multidisciplinary design problems which are characterized by closely coupled interactions among discipline analyses. The advantage of subsystem modularity allows for implementation of specialized methods for analysis and optimization, computational efficiency, and the ability to incorporate human intervention and decision making in the form of an expert systems capability. The resulting approach is not a method applicable to only a specific situation, but rather, a methodology which can be used for a large class of engineering design problems in which the system is non-hierarchic in nature.

Integrated multidisciplinary design optimization using discrete sensitivity analysis for geometrically complex aeroelastic configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, James Charles, III

1997-10-01

The first two steps in the development of an integrated multidisciplinary design optimization procedure capable of analyzing the nonlinear fluid flow about geometrically complex aeroelastic configurations have been accomplished in the present work. For the first step, a three-dimensional unstructured grid approach to aerodynamic shape sensitivity analysis and design optimization has been developed. The advantage of unstructured grids, when compared with a structured-grid approach, is their inherent ability to discretize irregularly shaped domains with greater efficiency and less effort. Hence, this approach is ideally suited for geometrically complex configurations of practical interest. In this work the time-dependent, nonlinear Euler equations are solved using an upwind, cell-centered, finite-volume scheme. The discrete, linearized systems which result from this scheme are solved iteratively by a preconditioned conjugate-gradient-like algorithm known as GMRES for the two-dimensional cases and a Gauss-Seidel algorithm for the three-dimensional; at steady-state, similar procedures are used to solve the accompanying linear aerodynamic sensitivity equations in incremental iterative form. As shown, this particular form of the sensitivity equation makes large-scale gradient-based aerodynamic optimization possible by taking advantage of memory efficient methods to construct exact Jacobian matrix-vector products. Various surface parameterization techniques have been employed in the current study to control the shape of the design surface. Once this surface has been deformed, the interior volume of the unstructured grid is adapted by considering the mesh as a system of interconnected tension springs. Grid sensitivities are obtained by differentiating the surface parameterization and the grid adaptation algorithms with ADIFOR, an advanced automatic-differentiation software tool. To demonstrate the ability of this procedure to analyze and design complex configurations of

Getting a Cohesive Answer from a Common Start: Scalable Multidisciplinary Analysis through Transformation of a System Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Bjorn; Chung, Seung H.

2012-01-01

One of the challenges of systems engineering is in working multidisciplinary problems in a cohesive manner. When planning analysis of these problems, system engineers must tradeoff time and cost for analysis quality and quantity. The quality is associated with the fidelity of the multidisciplinary models and the quantity is associated with the design space that can be analyzed. The tradeoff is due to the resource intensive process of creating a cohesive multidisciplinary system model and analysis. Furthermore, reuse or extension of the models used in one stage of a product life cycle for another is a major challenge. Recent developments have enabled a much less resource-intensive and more rigorous approach than handwritten translation scripts or codes of multidisciplinary models and their analyses. The key is to work from a core system model defined in a MOF-based language such as SysML and in leveraging the emerging tool ecosystem, such as Query-View- Transform (QVT), from the OMG community. SysML was designed to model multidisciplinary systems and analyses. The QVT standard was designed to transform SysML models. The Europa Hability Mission (EHM) team has begun to exploit these capabilities. In one case, a Matlab/Simulink model is generated on the fly from a system description for power analysis written in SysML. In a more general case, a symbolic mathematical framework (supported by Wolfram Mathematica) is coordinated by data objects transformed from the system model, enabling extremely flexible and powerful tradespace exploration and analytical investigations of expected system performance.

Getting a Cohesive Answer from a Common Start: Scalable Multidisciplinary Analysis through Transformation of a Systems Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Bjorn; Chung, Seung

2012-01-01

One of the challenges of systems engineering is in working multidisciplinary problems in a cohesive manner. When planning analysis of these problems, system engineers must trade between time and cost for analysis quality and quantity. The quality often correlates with greater run time in multidisciplinary models and the quantity is associated with the number of alternatives that can be analyzed. The trade-off is due to the resource intensive process of creating a cohesive multidisciplinary systems model and analysis. Furthermore, reuse or extension of the models used in one stage of a product life cycle for another is a major challenge. Recent developments have enabled a much less resource-intensive and more rigorous approach than hand-written translation scripts between multi-disciplinary models and their analyses. The key is to work from a core systems model defined in a MOF-based language such as SysML and in leveraging the emerging tool ecosystem, such as Query/View/Transformation (QVT), from the OMG community. SysML was designed to model multidisciplinary systems. The QVT standard was designed to transform SysML models into other models, including those leveraged by engineering analyses. The Europa Habitability Mission (EHM) team has begun to exploit these capabilities. In one case, a Matlab/Simulink model is generated on the fly from a system description for power analysis written in SysML. In a more general case, symbolic analysis (supported by Wolfram Mathematica) is coordinated by data objects transformed from the systems model, enabling extremely flexible and powerful design exploration and analytical investigations of expected system performance.

A Multidisciplinary Clerkship in Emergency Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

And Others; Marshall, Carter L.

1979-01-01

At the New Jersey Medical School, an obligatory, multidisciplinary, fourth-year emergency medicine clerkship requires ambulance duty, emergency room rotation, medical specialty lectures, and a cardiac life support providers course. Particular problems associated with multidisciplinary courses are discussed. (Author/JMD)

The impact of multidisciplinary team meetings on patient assessment, management and outcomes in oncology settings: A systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Pillay, Brindha; Wootten, Addie C; Crowe, Helen; Corcoran, Niall; Tran, Ben; Bowden, Patrick; Crowe, Jane; Costello, Anthony J

2016-01-01

Conducting regular multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings requires significant investment of time and finances. It is thus important to assess the empirical benefits of such practice. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the literature regarding the impact of MDT meetings on patient assessment, management and outcomes in oncology settings. Relevant studies were identified by searching OVID MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases from 1995 to April 2015, using the keywords: multidisciplinary team meeting* OR multidisciplinary discussion* OR multidisciplinary conference* OR case review meeting* OR multidisciplinary care forum* OR multidisciplinary tumour board* OR case conference* OR case discussion* AND oncology OR cancer. Studies were included if they assessed measurable outcomes, and used a comparison group and/or a pre- and post-test design. Twenty-seven articles met inclusion criteria. There was limited evidence for improved survival outcomes of patients discussed at MDT meetings. Between 4% and 45% of patients discussed at MDT meetings experienced changes in diagnostic reports following the meeting. Patients discussed at MDT meetings were more likely to receive more accurate and complete pre-operative staging, and neo-adjuvant/adjuvant treatment. Quality of studies was affected by selection bias and the use of historical cohorts impacted study quality. MDT meetings impact upon patient assessment and management practices. However, there was little evidence indicating that MDT meetings resulted in improvements in clinical outcomes. Future research should assess the impact of MDT meetings on patient satisfaction and quality of life, as well as, rates of cross-referral between disciplines. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multidisciplinary Management of Pediatric Sports-Related Concussion.

PubMed

Ellis, Michael J; Ritchie, Lesley J; McDonald, Patrick J; Cordingley, Dean; Reimer, Karen; Nijjar, Satnam; Koltek, Mark; Hosain, Shahid; Johnston, Janine; Mansouri, Behzad; Sawyer, Scott; Silver, Norm; Girardin, Richard; Larkins, Shannon; Vis, Sara; Selci, Erin; Davidson, Michael; Gregoire, Scott; Sam, Angela; Black, Brian; Bunge, Martin; Essig, Marco; MacDonald, Peter; Leiter, Jeff; Russell, Kelly

2017-01-01

To summarize the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric sports-related concussion (SRC) patients who were evaluated and managed at a multidisciplinary pediatric concussion program and examine the healthcare resources and personnel required to meet the needs of this patient population. We conducted a retrospective review of all pediatric SRC patients referred to the Pan Am Concussion Program from September 1st, 2013 to May 25th, 2015. Initial assessments and diagnoses were carried out by a single neurosurgeon. Return-to-Play decision-making was carried out by the multidisciplinary team. 604 patients, including 423 pediatric SRC patients were evaluated at the Pan Am Concussion Program during the study period. The mean age of study patients was 14.30 years (SD: 2.32, range 7-19 years); 252 (59.57%) were males. Hockey (182; 43.03%) and soccer (60; 14.18%) were the most commonly played sports at the time of injury. Overall, 294 (69.50%) of SRC patients met the clinical criteria for concussion recovery, while 75 (17.73%) were lost to follow-up, and 53 (12.53%) remained in active treatment at the end of the study period. The median duration of symptoms among the 261 acute SRC patients with complete follow-up was 23 days (IQR: 15, 36). Overall, 25.30% of pediatric SRC patients underwent at least one diagnostic imaging test and 32.62% received referral to another member of our multidisciplinary clinical team. Comprehensive care of pediatric SRC patients requires access to appropriate diagnostic resources and the multidisciplinary collaboration of experts with national and provincially-recognized training in TBI.

Towards the Successful Integration of Design Thinking in Industrial Design Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mubin, Omar; Novoa, Mauricio; Al Mahmud, Abdullah

2016-01-01

This paper narrates a case study on design thinking based education work in an industrial design honours program. Student projects were developed in a multi-disciplinary setting across a Computing and Engineering faculty that allowed promoting technologically and user driven innovation strategies. A renewed culture and environment for Industrial…

Cost-effectiveness of a multifaceted implementation strategy for the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline for nonspecific low back pain: design of a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Suman, Arnela; Schaafsma, Frederieke G; Elders, Petra J M; van Tulder, Maurits W; Anema, Johannes R

2015-05-31

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent and expensive health care problems in industrialised countries. LBP leads to high health care utility and productivity losses; leaving the individual, the employer, and society with substantial costs. To improve the care for LBP patients and reduce the high societal and financial burden of LBP, in 2010 the 'Multidisciplinary care guideline for nonspecific low back pain' was developed in the Netherlands. The current paper describes the design of a study aiming to evaluate the (cost-) effectiveness of a multifaceted strategy to implement this guideline. In a cluster-randomised controlled trial, the (cost-) effectiveness of a multifaceted implementation strategy will be compared to passive guideline dissemination. Using a stepped-wedge approach, participating general practitioners, physiotherapists, and occupational physicians are allocated into clusters and will attend a multidisciplinary continuing medical education training session. The timing these clusters receive the training is the unit of randomisation. LBP patients visiting the participating health care providers are invited to participate in the trial and will receive access to a multimedia intervention aimed at improving beliefs, cognitions, and self-management. The primary outcome measure of this study is patient back beliefs. Secondary outcome measures on patient level include pain, functional status, quality of life, health care utility, and productivity losses. Outcome measures on professional level include knowledge and attitude towards the guideline, and guideline adherence. A process evaluation for the implementation strategy will be performed among the health care providers and the patients. Furthermore, a qualitative subgroup analysis among patients with various ethnic backgrounds will be performed. This study will give insight into the (cost-) effectiveness of a multifaceted implementation strategy for the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline for non

Multidisciplinary Aerodynamic-Structural Shape Optimization Using Deformation (MASSOUD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samareh, Jamshid A.

2000-01-01

This paper presents a multidisciplinary shape parameterization approach. The approach consists of two basic concepts: (1) parameterizing the shape perturbations rather than the geometry itself and (2) performing the shape deformation by means of the soft object animation algorithms used in computer graphics. Because the formulation presented in this paper is independent of grid topology, we can treat computational fluid dynamics and finite element grids in a similar manner. The proposed approach is simple, compact, and efficient. Also, the analytical sensitivity derivatives are easily computed for use in a gradient-based optimization. This algorithm is suitable for low-fidelity (e.g., linear aerodynamics and equivalent laminated plate structures) and high-fidelity (e.g., nonlinear computational fluid dynamics and detailed finite element modeling analysis tools. This paper contains the implementation details of parameterizing for planform, twist, dihedral, thickness, camber, and free-form surface. Results are presented for a multidisciplinary design optimization application consisting of nonlinear computational fluid dynamics, detailed computational structural mechanics, and a simple performance module.

A randomised controlled trial of a lengthened and multi-disciplinary consultation model in a socially deprived community: a study protocol.

PubMed

Whitford, David L; Chan, Wai-Sun

2007-06-28

There has been little development of the general practice consultation over the years, and many aspects of the present consultation do not serve communities with multiple health and social problems well. Many of the problems presenting to general practitioners in socio-economically disadvantaged areas are not amenable to a purely medical solution, and would particularly benefit from a multidisciplinary approach. Socio-economic deprivation is also associated with those very factors (more psychosocial problems, greater need for health promotion, more chronic diseases, more need for patient enablement) that longer consultations have been shown to address. This paper describes our study protocol, which aims to evaluate whether a lengthened multidisciplinary primary care team consultation with families in a socially deprived area can improve the psychological health of mothers in the families. In a randomised controlled trial, families with a history of social problems, substance misuse or depression are randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. The study is based in three general practices in a highly deprived area of North Dublin. Primary health care teams will be trained in conducting a multidisciplinary lengthened consultation. Families in the intervention group will participate in the new style multidisciplinary consultation. Outcomes of families receiving the intervention will be compared to the control group who will receive only usual general practitioner care. The primary outcome is the psychological health of mothers of the families and secondary outcomes include general health status, quality of life measures and health service usage. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a lengthened multidisciplinary team consultation in primary care. The embedded nature of this study in general practices in a highly deprived area ensures generalisability to other deprived communities, but more particularly it promises relevance to

Developing Multidisciplinary Teams to Assess Family Needs and Envision Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arms, Karen G.

This paper describes a graduate seminar designed to provide a multidisciplinary student group with the experience of using a team approach for assessing group family needs, conceptualizing a services and self-support model for meeting those needs, and articulating the model in a grant proposal. A summary of course goals and student requirements is…

A before-after study of multidisciplinary Out-of-Hours handover: combining management and frontline efforts to create sustainable improvement.

PubMed

Pennell, Christopher; Flynn, Lorna; Boulton, Belinda; Hughes, Tracey; Walker, Graham; McCulloch, Peter

2017-04-01

The importance of implementation strategy in systems improvement is increasingly recognized and both 'bottom-up' and 'top-down' approaches have significant barriers. A trial of a combined approach involving frontline and managerial staff therefore seems merited. We attempted to improve handover using a Human Factors-based approach integrated with a combined 'top and bottom' implementation strategy. A before-after study was conducted across 9 months. The study was set in a 236 bed district general hospital. Participants included any member of staff involved in Out of Hours handover. Existing processes were analysed using Human Factors methods. Changes made were based on this analysis and developed via facilitation between management and frontline staff. These included creating a single multidisciplinary handover, changing the venue, standardizing the meeting structure, developing an standard operating procedure for identifying unwell patients for handover and creating a clinical coordinator role. Meeting attendance, duration, start time efficiency, the type of patients handed over and the transfer of important information were measured pre- and post-intervention. We found improvement in handover start time (P = 0.002, r = 0) and multidisciplinary participation (P = 0.002, r = -0.534). Handover of unwell patients improved, but not significantly. Communication of plan (P < 0.001, r = 0.14) and pending tasks (P < 0.001, r = 0.30) improved, but diagnosis (P = 0.233, r = -0.05), history (P = 0.482, r = -0.03) and comorbidities (P = 0.19, r = -0.05) did not. The changes produced greater multidisciplinary participation, a broader focus and improved communication of plans and tasks outstanding. The 'top and bottom' implementation approach appeared valuable. Management involvement was essential for significant changes, while frontline staff involvement facilitated the design of context-specific practical solutions with staff buy-in. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford

Multidisciplinary Shape Optimization of a Composite Blended Wing Body Aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boozer, Charles Maxwell

A multidisciplinary shape optimization tool coupling aerodynamics, structure, and performance was developed for battery powered aircraft. Utilizing high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics analysis tools and a structural wing weight tool, coupled based on the multidisciplinary feasible optimization architecture; aircraft geometry is modified in the optimization of the aircraft's range or endurance. The developed tool is applied to three geometries: a hybrid blended wing body, delta wing UAS, the ONERA M6 wing, and a modified ONERA M6 wing. First, the optimization problem is presented with the objective function, constraints, and design vector. Next, the tool's architecture and the analysis tools that are utilized are described. Finally, various optimizations are described and their results analyzed for all test subjects. Results show that less computationally expensive inviscid optimizations yield positive performance improvements using planform, airfoil, and three-dimensional degrees of freedom. From the results obtained through a series of optimizations, it is concluded that the newly developed tool is both effective at improving performance and serves as a platform ready to receive additional performance modules, further improving its computational design support potential.

E-Learning and Development: Lessons from Multi-Disciplinary Capacity Strengthening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babu, Suresh Chandra

2014-01-01

This paper documents the experience and lessons from implementing an e-learning program aimed at creating multidisciplinary research capacity. It presents a case study of bringing together a multidisciplinary group of professionals on-line to learn the skills needed to be a successful researcher in the context of HIV/AIDS and food security…

Fibromyalgia with severe forms of progression in a multidisciplinary therapy setting with emphasis on hyperthermia therapy – a prospective controlled study

PubMed Central

Romeyke, Tobias; Scheuer, Hans Christoph; Stummer, Harald

2015-01-01

Introduction Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a multi-factorial disease involving physiological as well as psychological factors. The aim of the study was to investigate a multidisciplinary inpatient treatment with emphasis on hyperthermia therapy by patients with widespread pain. Materials and methods The study involved 104 patients suffering from severely progressive FMS. A convenience sample and a prospective cohort design were used. The patients were treated in an acute hospital focusing on rheumatologic pain therapy and multidisciplinary complementary medicine. One patient group was treated with inclusion of hyperthermia therapy and the other group without. The therapy density (number of performed therapies per patient) was determined for every patient. Functional capacity measured by the Hannover functional status questionnaire (Funktionsfragebogen Hannover) and symptoms (von Zerssen complaint list) were analyzed for both groups on admission and on discharge. Results On admission, no significant difference could be established between control group (CG; multimodal without hyperthermia) and hyperthermia group (HG; multimodal with hyperthermia) (functional capacity, P=0.936). Functional capacity improved for the CG and the HG. On discharge, there was a significant difference between the two groups (functional capacity, P=0.039). There were no significant differences in fibromyalgia symptoms between CG (mean 41.8) and HG (mean 41.8) on their admission to hospital (P=0.988). On discharge, there was a significant difference (P=0.024) between the two groups (HG, mean 30.6; CG, mean 36.6). The inpatient therapy of patients with severely progressive fibromyalgia is characterized by a high frequency of therapy input. Conclusion FMS, especially with severe progression and a high degree of chronification, demands a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to the use of complementary medical procedures, integration of hyperthermia in the treatment process is a useful option

Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization Frameworks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naiman, Cynthia Gutierrez

2009-01-01

Since July 2008, the Multidisciplinary Analysis & Optimization Working Group (MDAO WG) of the Systems Analysis Design & Optimization (SAD&O) discipline in the Fundamental Aeronautics Program s Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) project completed one major milestone, Define Architecture & Interfaces for Next Generation Open Source MDAO Framework Milestone (9/30/08), and is completing the Generation 1 Framework validation milestone, which is due December 2008. Included in the presentation are: details of progress on developing the Open MDAO framework, modeling and testing the Generation 1 Framework, progress toward establishing partnerships with external parties, and discussion of additional potential collaborations

The impact on sleep of a multidisciplinary cognitive behavioural pain management programme: a pilot study.

PubMed

Cunningham, Jennifer M; Blake, Catherine; Power, Camillus K; O'Keeffe, Declan; Kelly, Valerie; Horan, Sheila; Spencer, Orla; Fullen, Brona M

2011-01-10

Reduced sleep quality is a common complaint among patients with chronic pain, with 50-80% of patients reporting sleep disturbance. Improvements in pain and quality of life measures have been achieved using a multidisciplinary cognitive behavioural therapy pain management programme (CBT-PMP) that aims to recondition attitudes to pain, and improve patients' self-management of their condition. Despite its high prevalence in patients with chronic pain, there is very limited objective evidence for the effect of this intervention on sleep quality. The primary research objective is to investigate the short-term effect of a multidisciplinary CBT-PMP on subjective (measured by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index) and objective sleep quality (measured by Actigraphy) in patients with chronic pain by comparison with a control group. The secondary objectives will investigate changes in function and mood, and then explore the relationship between objective and subjective sleep quality and physical and psychological outcome measures. Patients who fulfil the inclusion criteria for attendance on the multidisciplinary CBT-PMP in the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin and are currently listed on the PMP waiting list will be invited to participate in this pilot study. Potential patients will be screened for sleep disturbance [determined by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)]. Those patients with a sleep disturbance (PSQI >5) will be assigned to either the intervention group (immediate treatment), or control group (deferred treatment, i.e. the PMP they are listed for is more than six months away) based on where they appear on the waiting list. Baseline measures of sleep, function, and mood will be obtained using a combination of self-report questionnaires (the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Short Form 36 health survey, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia), and functional outcome measures. Sleep will be measured for seven days

A multidisciplinary, integrated approach for the elimination of schistosomiasis: a longitudinal study in a historically hyper-endemic region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China from 2005 to 2014.

PubMed

Sun, Le-Ping; Wang, Wei; Zuo, Yin-Ping; Hong, Qing-Biao; Du, Guang-Lin; Ma, Yu-Cai; Wang, Jian; Yang, Guo-Jing; Zhu, Dao-Jian; Liang, You-Sheng

2017-03-14

Although great success has been achieved, schistosomiasis remains a major public health concern in China, and the remaining core endemic regions are concentrated along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In this longitudinal study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary, integrated approach for schistosomiasis elimination in a historically hyper-endemic region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China over the 10-year period from 2005 through 2014. A three-step roadmap for schistosomiasis elimination was designed in the study site, and multidisciplinary, integrated interventions were implemented by the health, agriculture, water resources development, land and resources, and forestry sectors from 2005 to 2014, including chemotherapy for infected individuals, health education, management of the source of Schistosoma japonicum infection, and intermediate host snail control. The annual number of schistosomiasis patients, S. japonicum infection in humans, bovines and Oncomelania hupensis snails, and water infectivity were observed to assess the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary, integrated approach for the elimination of schistosomiasis. There was a tendency towards a gradual decline in both the number of schistosomiasis cases and the prevalence of S. japonicum human infection across the study period from 2005 through 2014. No S. japonicum human infection was detected since 2012, and no acute infection was seen since 2006. During the study period, no infection was found in bovines, and a 0.03% overall infection rate was observed in O. hupensis snails. Since 2009, no infected snails were identified, and the area of both snail habitats and infected snail habitats appeared a reduction over the study period. Following the 3-year multidisciplinary, integrated control, infection control was achieved, and transmission control was achieved after 6-year implementation, with all infected snails and water infectivity eliminated; in

Multi-disciplinary optimization of railway wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, J. C. O.; Fredö, C. R.

2006-06-01

A numerical procedure for multi-disciplinary optimization of railway wheels, based on Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology and automated design, is presented. The target is a wheel design that meets the requirements for fatigue strength, while minimizing the unsprung mass and rolling noise. A 3-level full factorial (3LFF) DOE is used to collect data points required to set up Response Surface Models (RSM) relating design and response variables in the design space. Computationally efficient simulations are thereafter performed using the RSM to identify the solution that best fits the design target. A demonstration example, including four geometric design variables in a parametric finite element (FE) model, is presented. The design variables are wheel radius, web thickness, lateral offset between rim and hub, and radii at the transitions rim/web and hub/web, but more variables (including material properties) can be added if needed. To improve further the performance of the wheel design, a constrained layer damping (CLD) treatment is applied on the web. For a given load case, compared to a reference wheel design without CLD, a combination of wheel shape and damping optimization leads to the conclusion that a reduction in the wheel component of A-weighted rolling noise of 11 dB can be achieved if a simultaneous increase in wheel mass of 14 kg is accepted.

Community integration following multidisciplinary rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Goranson, Tamara E; Graves, Roger E; Allison, Deborah; La Freniere, Ron

2003-09-01

To determine the extent to which participation in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme and patient characteristics predict improvement in community integration following mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). A non-randomized case-control study was conducted employing a pre-test-post-test multiple regression design. Archival data for 42 patients with mild-to-moderate TBI who completed the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) at intake and again 6-18 months later were analysed. Half the sample participated in an intensive outpatient rehabilitation programme that provided multi-modal interventions, while the other half received no rehabilitation. The two groups were matched on age, education and time since injury. On the CIQ Home Integration scale, participation in rehabilitation and female gender predicted better outcome. On the Productivity scale, patients with a lower age at injury had better outcome. Outcome on both of these scales, as well as on the Social Integration scale, was predicted by the baseline pre-test score (initial severity). Overall, multidisciplinary rehabilitation appeared to increase personal independence. It is also concluded that: (1) multivariate analysis can reveal the relative importance of multiple predictors of outcome; (2) different predictors may predict different aspects of outcome; and (3) more sensitive and specific outcome measures are needed.

Multidisciplinary care planning in the primary care management of completed stroke: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Geoffrey K; Brown, Robyn M; Erikssen, Lars; Tieman, Jennifer J

2008-01-01

Background Chronic disease management requires input from multiple health professionals, both specialist and primary care providers. This study sought to assess the impact of co-ordinated multidisciplinary care in primary care, represented by the delivery of formal care planning by primary care teams or shared across primary-secondary teams, on outcomes in stroke, relative to usual care. Methods A Systematic review of Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL (all 1990–2006), Cochrane Library (Issue 1 2006), and grey literature from web based searching of web sites listed in the CCOHA Health Technology Assessment List Analysis used narrative analysis of findings of randomised and non-randomised trials, and observational and qualitative studies of patients with completed stroke in the primary care setting where care planning was undertaken by 1) a multi-disciplinary primary care team or 2) through shared care by primary and secondary providers. Results One thousand and forty-five citations were retrieved. Eighteen papers were included for analysis. Most care planning took part in the context of multidisciplinary team care based in hospitals with outreach to community patients. Mortality rates are not impacted by multidisciplinary care planning. Functional outcomes of the studies were inconsistent. It is uncertain whether the active engagement of GPs and other primary care professionals in the multidisciplinary care planning contributed to the outcomes in the studies showing a positive effect. There may be process benefits from multidisciplinary care planning that includes primary care professionals and GPs. Few studies actually described the tasks and roles GPs fulfilled and whether this matched what was presumed to be provided. Conclusion While multidisciplinary care planning may not unequivocally improve the care of patients with completed stroke, there may be process benefits such as improved task allocation between providers. Further study on the impact of active GP involvement

Identifying Deteriorating Patients Through Multidisciplinary Team Training.

PubMed

Merriel, Abi; van der Nelson, Helen; Merriel, Sam; Bennett, Joanne; Donald, Fiona; Draycott, Timothy; Siassakos, Dimitrios

2016-11-01

Multidisciplinary training has improved maternity outcomes when the training has been well attended, regular, in house, used high-fidelity simulators, and integrated teamwork training. If these principles were used in other settings, better clinical care may result. This before-after study sought to establish whether a short multidisciplinary training intervention can improve recognition of the deteriorating patient using an aggregated physiological parameter scoring system (Early Warning Score [EWS]). Nursing, medical, and allied nursing staff participated in an hour-long training session, using real-life scenarios with simple tools and structured debriefing. After training, staff were more likely to calculate EWS scores correctly (68.02% vs 55.12%; risk ratio [RR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07-1.44), and observations were more likely to be performed at the correct frequency (78.57% vs 68.09%; RR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.09-1.32). Multidisciplinary training, according to core principles, can lead to more accurate identification of deteriorating patients, with implications for subsequent care and outcome. © The Author(s) 2015.

Lowering Entry Barriers for Multidisciplinary Cyber(e)-Infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nativi, S.

2012-04-01

Multidisciplinarity is more and more important to study the Earth System and address Global Changes. To achieve that, multidisciplinary cyber(e)-infrastructures are an important instrument. In the last years, several European, US and international initiatives have been started to carry out multidisciplinary infrastructures, including: the Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE), the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), the Data Observation Network for Earth (DataOne), and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The majority of these initiatives are developing service-based digital infrastructures asking scientific Communities (i.e. disciplinary Users and data Producers) to implement a set of standards for information interoperability. For scientific Communities, this has represented an entry barrier which has proved to be high, in several cases. In fact, both data Producers and Users do not seem to be willing to invest precious resources to become expert on interoperability solutions -on the contrary, they are focused on developing disciplinary and thematic capacities. Therefore, an important research topic is lowering entry barriers for joining multidisciplinary cyber(e)-Infrastructures. This presentation will introduce a new approach to achieve multidisciplinary interoperability underpinning multidisciplinary infrastructures and lowering the present entry barriers for both Users and data Producers. This is called the Brokering approach: it extends the service-based paradigm by introducing a new a Brokering layer or cloud which is in charge of managing all the interoperability complexity (e.g. data discovery, access, and use) thus easing Users' and Producers' burden. This approach was successfully experimented in the framework of several European FP7 Projects and in GEOSS.

Serious gaming during multidisciplinary rehabilitation for patients with complex chronic pain or fatigue complaints: study protocol for a controlled trial and process evaluation

PubMed Central

Joosen, Margot C W; Mert, Agali; Zedlitz, Aglaia; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2017-01-01

Introduction Many individuals suffer from chronic pain or functional somatic syndromes and face boundaries for diminishing functional limitations by means of biopsychosocial interventions. Serious gaming could complement multidisciplinary interventions through enjoyment and independent accessibility. A study protocol is presented for studying whether, how, for which patients and under what circumstances, serious gaming improves patient health outcomes during regular multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Methods and analysis A mixed-methods design is described that prioritises a two-armed naturalistic quasi-experiment. An experimental group is composed of patients who follow serious gaming during an outpatient multidisciplinary programme at two sites of a Dutch rehabilitation centre. Control group patients follow the same programme without serious gaming in two similar sites. Multivariate mixed-modelling analysis is planned for assessing how much variance in 250 patient records of routinely monitored pain intensity, pain coping and cognition, fatigue and psychopathology outcomes is attributable to serious gaming. Embedded qualitative methods include unobtrusive collection and analyses of stakeholder focus group interviews, participant feedback and semistructured patient interviews. Process analyses are carried out by a systematic approach of mixing qualitative and quantitative methods at various stages of the research. Ethics and dissemination The Ethics Committee of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences approved the research after reviewing the protocol for the protection of patients’ interests in conformity to the letter and rationale of the applicable laws and research practice (EC 2016.25t). Findings will be presented in research articles and international scientific conferences. Trial registration number A prospective research protocol for the naturalistic quasi-experimental outcome evaluation was entered in the Dutch trial register (registration

Computerized Design Synthesis (CDS), A database-driven multidisciplinary design tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, D. M.; Bolukbasi, A. O.

1989-01-01

The Computerized Design Synthesis (CDS) system under development at McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company (MDHC) is targeted to make revolutionary improvements in both response time and resource efficiency in the conceptual and preliminary design of rotorcraft systems. It makes the accumulated design database and supporting technology analysis results readily available to designers and analysts of technology, systems, and production, and makes powerful design synthesis software available in a user friendly format.

[Optimal use of peritoneal dialysis with multi-disciplinary management].

PubMed

Elios Russo, Gaspare; Martinez, A; Mazzaferro, S; Nunzi, A; Testorio, M; Rocca, A R; Lai, S; Morgia, A; Borzacca, B; Gnerre Musto, T

2013-01-01

Considering the increasing incidence of chronic kidney disease and the increased use of peritoneal dialysis, we wanted to assess whether the multidisciplinary management of patients in peritoneal dialysis might produce improvement in the quality of patients' lives when compared to management by a routine team of operators. Our study observed 40 patients on peritoneal dialysis in our Department between 2010 and 2012. They were randomly assigned to either group A, the routine team which consisted of a nephrologist and a nurse, or group B, a multidisciplinary team comprising several medical specialists, a nurse, a psychologist and a social worker. Two tests, KDQOL-SF and MMPI-2, were administered to both groups. In group B, the number of days of hospitalization and day hospital were more than 88% lower when compared to group A. The multidisciplinary team achieved better results with the KDQOL-SF test with regards to both emotional and objective dimensions. The Pearson coefficient between the results of the two questionnaires shows how multidisciplinary management can positively influence the perceived well-being of the patient and his or her adherence to treatment. In a multidisciplinary team, each operator, in addition to his or her specific role, also contributes to the achievement of the overall objective, namely of ensuring an optimal quality of life to the patient on peritoneal dialysis thereby allowing these patients to continue their professional and social lives.

A new design approach to innovative spectrometers. Case study: TROPOLITE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volatier, Jean-Baptiste; Baümer, Stefan; Kruizinga, Bob; Vink, Rob

2014-05-01

Designing a novel optical system is a nested iterative process. The optimization loop, from a starting point to final system is already mostly automated. However this loop is part of a wider loop which is not. This wider loop starts with an optical specification and ends with a manufacturability assessment. When designing a new spectrometer with emphasis on weight and cost, numerous iterations between the optical- and mechanical designer are inevitable. The optical designer must then be able to reliably produce optical designs based on new input gained from multidisciplinary studies. This paper presents a procedure that can automatically generate new starting points based on any kind of input or new constraint that might arise. These starting points can then be handed over to a generic optimization routine to make the design tasks extremely efficient. The optical designer job is then not to design optical systems, but to meta-design a procedure that produces optical systems paving the way for system level optimization. We present here this procedure and its application to the design of TROPOLITE a lightweight push broom imaging spectrometer.

Multidisciplinary Approaches to Educational Research: Case Studies from Europe and the Developing World. Routledge Research in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizvi, Sadaf, Ed.

2011-01-01

This book provides an original perspective on a range of controversial issues in educational and social research through case studies of multi-disciplinary and mixed-method research involving children, teachers, schools and communities in Europe and the developing world. These case studies from researchers "across continents" and…

Applications of Parallel Process HiMAP for Large Scale Multidisciplinary Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guruswamy, Guru P.; Potsdam, Mark; Rodriguez, David; Kwak, Dochay (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

HiMAP is a three level parallel middleware that can be interfaced to a large scale global design environment for code independent, multidisciplinary analysis using high fidelity equations. Aerospace technology needs are rapidly changing. Computational tools compatible with the requirements of national programs such as space transportation are needed. Conventional computation tools are inadequate for modern aerospace design needs. Advanced, modular computational tools are needed, such as those that incorporate the technology of massively parallel processors (MPP).

Effect of Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference on Treatment Plan for Patients With Primary Rectal Cancer.

PubMed

Snelgrove, Ryan C; Subendran, Jhananiee; Jhaveri, Kartik; Thipphavong, Seng; Cummings, Bernard; Brierley, James; Kirsch, Richard; Kennedy, Erin D

2015-07-01

Although multidisciplinary cancer conferences have been reported to lead to improved patient outcomes, few studies have reported results of these for rectal cancer. The purpose of this work was to assess the quality of multidisciplinary cancer conferences, the effect of the conference on the initial treatment plan, compliance with the conference treatment recommendations, and clinical outcomes for rectal cancer. This was a prospective, longitudinal study. The study was conducted at a tertiary care academic hospital. Patients with primary rectal cancer were included in this study. The intervention was a rectal cancer-specific multidisciplinary cancer conference. The quality of the multidisciplinary cancer conference was assessed using the Cancer Care Ontario Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference standards score. A change in treatment plan was defined as a change from the initial treatment plan selected by the treating physician to an alternate treatment plan recommended at the conference. Twenty-five multidisciplinary cancer conferences were conducted over a 10-month study period. The Cancer Care Ontario Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference standards score was 7 (from a maximum score of 9). Forty-two patients with primary rectal cancer were presented, and there was a 29% (12/42) change in the initial treatment plan. A total of 42% (5/12) of these changes were attributed to reinterpretation of the MRI findings. There was 100% compliance with the conference treatment recommendations. The circumferential resection margin was positive in 5.5% (2/36). Selection bias may have led to an overestimate of effect, and there is no control group for comparison of clinical outcomes. A high-quality rectal cancer-specific multidisciplinary cancer conference led to a 29% change in the treatment plan for patients with primary rectal cancer, with almost half of these changes attributed to reinterpretation of the magnetic resonance images.

Stronger Disciplinary Identities in Multidisciplinary Research Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geschwind, Lars; Melin, Göran

2016-01-01

In this study, two multidisciplinary Social Sciences and Humanities research schools in Sweden have been investigated regarding disciplinary identity-making. This study investigates the meetings between different disciplines around a common thematic area of study for Ph.D. students. The Ph.D. students navigate through a complex social and…

How Multidisciplinary Are the Multidisciplinary Journals Science and Nature?

PubMed

Solomon, Gregg E A; Carley, Stephen; Porter, Alan L

2016-01-01

Interest in cross-disciplinary research knowledge interchange runs high. Review processes at funding agencies, such as the U.S. National Science Foundation, consider plans to disseminate research across disciplinary bounds. Publication in the leading multidisciplinary journals, Nature and Science, may signify the epitome of successful interdisciplinary integration of research knowledge and cross-disciplinary dissemination of findings. But how interdisciplinary are they? The journals are multidisciplinary, but do the individual articles themselves draw upon multiple fields of knowledge and does their influence span disciplines? This research compares articles in three fields (Cell Biology, Physical Chemistry, and Cognitive Science) published in a leading disciplinary journal in each field to those published in Nature and Science. We find comparable degrees of interdisciplinary integration and only modest differences in cross-disciplinary diffusion. That said, though the rate of out-of-field diffusion might be comparable, the sheer reach of Nature and Science, indicated by their potent Journal Impact Factors, means that the diffusion of knowledge therein can far exceed that of leading disciplinary journals in some fields (such as Physical Chemistry and Cognitive Science in our samples).

Multidisciplinary Cooperation by Students in a European University of Applied Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamphorst, Jan Cornelis

2018-01-01

Today, multidisciplinary cooperation is an important objective of higher vocational education in Europe as well as other countries. The aim of this study was to explore how, and to what extent, fourth year bachelor students from different domains cooperate in multidisciplinary teams at two research centers. Data for 71 students were collected with…

A Study of the Association Between Multidisciplinary Home Care and Home Death Among Thai Palliative Care Patients.

PubMed

Nagaviroj, Kittiphon; Anothaisintawee, Thunyarat

2017-06-01

Many terminally ill patients would prefer to stay and die in their own homes, but unfortunately, some may not be able to do so. Although there are many factors associated with successful home deaths, receiving palliative home visits from the multidisciplinary care teams is one of the key factors that enable patients to die at home. Our study was aimed to find whether there was any association between our palliative home care program and home death. A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Family Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital between January 2012 and May 2014. All of the patients who were referred to multidisciplinary palliative care teams were included. The data set comprised of patient's profile, disease status, functional status, patient's symptoms, preferred place of death, frequency of home visits, types of team interventions, and patient's actual place of death. Multiple logistic regression was applied in order to determine the association between the variables and the probability of dying at home. A total of 142 patients were included into the study. At the end of the study, 50 (35.2%) patients died at home and 92 (64.8%) patients died in the hospital. The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a strong association between multidisciplinary home care and home death (odds ratio 6.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.48-17.38). Palliative home care was a significant factor enabling patients who want to die at home. We encourage health policy makers to promote the development of community-based palliative care programs in Thailand.

Multidisciplinary Analysis of the NEXUS Precursor Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Weck, Olivier L.; Miller, David W.; Mosier, Gary E.

2002-12-01

A multidisciplinary analysis is demonstrated for the NEXUS space telescope precursor mission. This mission was originally designed as an in-space technology testbed for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST). One of the main challenges is to achieve a very tight pointing accuracy with a sub-pixel line-of-sight (LOS) jitter budget and a root-mean-square (RMS) wavefront error smaller than λ/50 despite the presence of electronic and mechanical disturbances sources. The analysis starts with the assessment of the performance for an initial design, which turns out not to meet the requirements. Twentyfive design parameters from structures, optics, dynamics and controls are then computed in a sensitivity and isoperformance analysis, in search of better designs. Isoperformance allows finding an acceptable design that is well "balanced" and does not place undue burden on a single subsystem. An error budget analysis shows the contributions of individual disturbance sources. This paper might be helpful in analyzing similar, innovative space telescope systems in the future.

Improving lives using multidisciplinary education: partnering to benefit community, innovation, health, and technology.

PubMed

McClelland, Molly; Kleinke, Darrell

2013-07-01

University students are trained in specific disciplines, which can benefit disabled individuals in a variety of ways, including education, health promotion, assistive technologies, logistics, or design improvement. However, collaboration with other disciplines can have a greater impact on improving the health of disabled individuals than can training in one discipline alone. The University of Detroit Mercy Colleges of Engineering and Nursing have partnered to develop and provide assistive devices to disabled individuals while teaching innovation, technology, and collaboration to students. After 4 years of developing and implementing our multidisciplinary program, numerous unique and helpful assistive devices have been designed, created, and delivered to individuals in our community. More nursing schools should initiate multidisciplinary programs to train and prepare students for workplaces where such innovative, collaborative skills are increasingly sought. Nurses need to be at the forefront of such collaborative work. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Multidisciplinary, multi-modal nutritional care in acute hip fracture inpatients - results of a pragmatic intervention.

PubMed

Bell, Jack J; Bauer, Judith D; Capra, Sandra; Pulle, Ranjeev Chrys

2014-12-01

Malnutrition is highly prevalent and resistant to intervention following hip fracture. This study investigated the impact of individualised versus multidisciplinary nutritional care on nutrition intake and outcomes in patients admitted to a metropolitan hospital acute hip fracture unit. A prospective, controlled before and after comparative interventional study aligning to the CONSORT guidelines for pragmatic clinical trials. Randomly selected patients receiving individualised nutritional care (baseline) were compared with post-interventional patients receiving a new model of nutritional care promoting nutrition as a medicine, multidisciplinary nutritional care, foodservice enhancements, and improved nutrition knowledge and awareness. Malnutrition was diagnosed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics criteria. Fifty-eight weighed food records were available for each group across a total of 82 patients (n = 44, n = 38). Group demographics were not significantly different with predominantly community dwelling (72%), elderly (82.2 years), female (70%), malnourished (51.0%) patients prone to co-morbidities (median 5) receiving early surgical intervention (median D1). Multidisciplinary nutritional care reduced intake barriers and increased total 24-h energy (6224 vs. 2957 kJ; p < 0.001) and protein (69.0 vs. 33.8 g; p < 0.001) intakes, reduced nutritional deterioration over admission (5.4 vs. 20.5%; p = 0.049), and increased discharge directly back to the community setting (48.0 vs. 17.6%; p = 0.012). Trends suggested a reduction in median length of stay (D13 vs. D14). Inpatient mortality remained low across groups (5.2%, 2.3%). Multidisciplinary nutritional care improves nutrition intake and outcomes in acute hip fracture inpatients. Similar pragmatic study designs should be considered in other elderly inpatient populations perceived resistant to nutritional intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and

Multidisciplinary coordinated care for Type 2 diabetes: A qualitative analysis of patient perspectives.

PubMed

Berkowitz, Seth A; Eisenstat, Stephanie A; Barnard, Lily S; Wexler, Deborah J

2018-06-01

To explore the patient perspective on coordinated multidisciplinary diabetes team care among a socioeconomically diverse group of adults with type 2 diabetes. Qualitative research design using 8 focus groups (n=53). We randomly sampled primary care patients with type 2 diabetes and conducted focus groups at their primary care clinic. Discussion prompts queried current perceptions of team care. Each focus group was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and independently coded by three reviewers. Coding used an iterative process. Thematic saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Most participants believed that coordinated multidisciplinary diabetes team care was a good approach, feeling that diabetes was too complicated for any one care team member to manage. Primary care physicians were seen as too busy to manage diabetes alone, and participants were content to be treated by other care team members, especially if there was a single point of contact and the care was coordinated. Participants suggested that an ideal multidisciplinary approach would additionally include support for exercise and managing socioeconomic challenges, components perceived to be missing from the existing approach to diabetes care. Coordinated, multidisciplinary diabetes team care is understood by and acceptable to patients with type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2018 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A prospective cohort study of treatment decision-making for prostate cancer following participation in a multidisciplinary clinic.

PubMed

Hurwitz, Lauren M; Cullen, Jennifer; Elsamanoudi, Sally; Kim, Daniel J; Hudak, Jane; Colston, Maryellen; Travis, Judith; Kuo, Huai-Ching; Porter, Christopher R; Rosner, Inger L

2016-05-01

Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) are presented with several treatment options of similar efficacy but varying side effects. Understanding how and why patients make their treatment decisions, as well as the effect of treatment choice on long-term outcomes, is critical to ensuring effective, patient-centered care. This study examined treatment decision-making in a racially diverse, equal-access, contemporary cohort of patients with PCa counseled on treatment options at a multidisciplinary clinic. A prospective cohort study was initiated at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (formerly Walter Reed Army Medical Center) in 2006. Newly diagnosed patients with PCa were enrolled before attending a multidisciplinary clinic. Patients completed surveys preclinic and postclinic to assess treatment preferences, reasons for treatment choice, and decisional regret. As of January 2014, 925 patients with PCa enrolled in this study. Surgery (54%), external radiation (20%), and active surveillance (12%) were the most common primary treatments for patients with low- and intermediate-risk PCa, whereas patients with high-risk PCa chose surgery (34%) or external radiation with neoadjuvant hormones (57%). Treatment choice differed by age at diagnosis, race, comorbidity status, and calendar year in both univariable and multivariable analyses. Patients preferred to play an active role in the decision-making process and cited doctors at the clinic as the most helpful source of treatment-related information. Almost all patients reported satisfaction with their decision. This is one of the first prospective cohort studies to examine treatment decision-making in an equal-access, multidisciplinary clinic setting. Studies of this cohort would aid in understanding and improving the PCa decision-making process. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Multidisciplinary workshops: learning to work together.

PubMed

Fatchett, Anita; Taylor, Dawn

2013-03-01

Health and social care professional practice needs to move with the times and to respond to the ever-changing combination of health needs, economic realities and health-policy imperatives. A clear understanding of the variety of forces at play and the ability to marshal these to good effect by working in partnership with multidisciplinary colleagues and children/families is a must, not least in this time of economic austerity and ever-rising health inequalities, when vulnerable children's lives and complex family relationships and behaviours so easily become increasingly strained and challenged. This sad reality calls out for relevant joined-up solutions by all participants--an agenda so often called into question by court judgement after court judgement. The multidisciplinary workshops to be discussed have developed and changed over the past decade and provide a safe but realistic learning environment for students from health and social care backgrounds to experience the difficulties and barriers to good multidisciplinary working, to better understand others' perspectives and activities and consider and develop new and better practical strategies for working with multidisciplinary professional colleagues, children and families. All of the workshops are underpinned by specific discipline-focused theoretical work.

Be an NIH Reviewer: Contribute to Multidisciplinary Research.

PubMed

Jenkins, Melinda L

2018-03-01

One of the best ways to contribute to multidisciplinary research and to improve your own knowledge of the review process at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to serve as a peer reviewer for research, traineeship, and small business innovation research proposals. Proactive targeted outreach to Scientific Review Officers (SROs) at NIH will increase your chances to become a reviewer. Reviewers with nursing expertise are especially welcome as multidisciplinary research is becoming more prevalent. Steps to identify a likely study section, contact the correct SRO, and review responsibly are described in this article, written by an experienced NIH review officer.

Pan-Britain, mixed-methods study of multidisciplinary teams teaching parents to manage children's long-term kidney conditions at home: study protocol.

PubMed

Swallow, Veronica M; Allen, Davina; Williams, Julian; Smith, Trish; Crosier, Jean; Lambert, Heather; Qizalbash, Leila; Wirz, Lucy; Webb, Nicholas J A

2012-02-14

Care of children and young people (children) with long-term kidney conditions is usually managed by multidisciplinary teams. Published guidance recommends that whenever possible children with long-term conditions remain at home, meaning parents may be responsible for performing the majority of clinical care-giving. Multidisciplinary team members, therefore, spend considerable time promoting parents' learning about care-delivery and monitoring care-giving. However, this parent-educative aspect of clinicians' role is rarely articulated in the literature so little evidence exists to inform professionals' parent-teaching interventions. This ongoing study addresses this issue using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods involving the twelve children's kidney units in England, Scotland and Wales. Phase I involves a survey of multidisciplinary team members' parent-teaching interventions using:i) A telephone-administered questionnaire to determine: the numbers of professionals from different disciplines in each team, the information/skills individual professionals relay to parents and the teaching strategies/interventions they use. Data will be managed using SPSS to produce descriptive statisticsii) Digitally-recorded, qualitative group or individual interviews with multidisciplinary team members to explore their accounts of the parent-teaching component of their role. Interviews will be transcribed anonymously and analysed using Framework Technique. Sampling criteria will be derived from analysis to identify one/two unit(s) for subsequent in-depth studyPhase II involves six prospective, ethnographic case-studies of professional-parent interactions during parent-teaching encounters. Parents of six children with a long-term kidney condition will be purposively sampled according to their child's age, diagnosis, ethnicity and the clinical care-giving required; snowball sampling will identify the professionals involved in each case-study. Participants will

Multidisciplinary treatment for traumatized refugees in a naturalistic setting: symptom courses and predictors

PubMed Central

Stammel, Nadine; Knaevelsrud, Christine; Schock, Katrin; Walther, Lena C. S.; Wenk-Ansohn, Mechthild; Böttche, Maria

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Multidisciplinary treatment approaches are commonly used in specialized psychosocial centres for the treatment of traumatized refugees, but empirical evidence for their efficacy is inconsistent. Objective: In order to obtain more evidence on the development of mental health and well-being of traumatized refugees who receive multidisciplinary treatment, symptom courses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and somatoform symptoms as well as in the subjective quality of life were investigated in the course of a multidisciplinary treatment. In addition, it was analysed if sociodemographic variables were predictors for possible changes in symptomatology and quality of life. Method: N = 76 patients of the outpatient clinic of a psychosocial centre for traumatized refugees receiving regular multidisciplinary treatment were surveyed using standardized questionnaires at three measurement points (at the beginning of treatment, and after an average of 7 and 14 months of treatment) in a single-group design. Results: Multilevel analysis showed significant improvements of symptoms of PTSD (p < .001), depression (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), and somatoform symptoms (p = .002) as well as of the subjective quality of life (p < .001) over time. Among the tested predictors (gender, age, country of origin), age was a significant predictor for the course of somatoform symptoms (p < .05). Younger patients showed greater improvements in symptomatology over time than older ones. Conclusions: The results suggest that the received multidisciplinary treatment had a positive effect on trauma-related symptoms as well as on quality of life of traumatized refugees. There was no indication that sociodemographic characteristics predicted the symptom courses of the patients, except for somatoform symptoms. Younger patients benefitted more from multidisciplinary treatment than older ones. PMID:29163866

Return to work of cancer patients after a multidisciplinary intervention including occupational counselling and physical exercise in cancer patients: a prospective study in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Leensen, Monique C J; Groeneveld, Iris F; Heide, Iris van der; Rejda, Tomas; van Veldhoven, Peter L J; Berkel, Sietske van; Snoek, Aernout; Harten, Wim van; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; de Boer, Angela G E M

2017-06-15

To support return to work (RTW) among cancer patients, a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme was developed which combined occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme during chemotherapy. The aim was to investigate RTW rates of cancer patients and to evaluate changes in work-related quality of life and physical outcomes. Longitudinal prospective intervention study using a one-group design. Two hospitals in the Netherlands. Of the eligible patients, 56% participated; 93 patients with a primary diagnosis of cancer receiving chemotherapy and on sick leave were included. Patients completed questionnaires on RTW, the importance of work, work ability (WAI), RTW self-efficacy, fatigue (MFI), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ C-30) at baseline and 6, 12 and 18 months follow-up. Before and after the exercise programme 1-repetition maximum (1RM) muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO 2 peak) were assessed. Six months after the start of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme that combined occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme, 59% of the cancer patients returned to work, 86% at 12 months and 83% at 18 months. In addition, significant improvements (p<0.05) in the importance of work, work ability, RTW self-efficacy, and quality of life were observed, whereas fatigue levels were significantly reduced. After completing the exercise programme, 1RM muscle strength was significantly increased but there was no improvement in VO 2 peak level. RTW rates of cancer patients were high after completion of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. A multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme which combines occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme is likely to result in RTW, reduced fatigue and increased importance of work, work ability, and quality of life. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights

Pilot study of a multidisciplinary gout patient education and monitoring program.

PubMed

Fields, Theodore R; Rifaat, Adam; Yee, Arthur M F; Ashany, Dalit; Kim, Katherine; Tobin, Matthew; Oliva, Nicole; Fields, Kara; Richey, Monica; Kasturi, Shanthini; Batterman, Adena

2017-04-01

Gout patient self-management knowledge and adherence to treatment regimens are poor. Our objective was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a multidisciplinary team-based pilot program for the education and monitoring of gout patients. Subjects completed a gout self-management knowledge exam, along with gout flare history and compliance questionnaires, at enrollment and at 6 and 12 months. Each exam was followed by a nursing educational intervention via a structured gout curriculum. Structured monthly follow-up calls from pharmacists emphasized adherence to management programs. Primary outcomes were subject and provider program evaluation questionnaires at 6 and 12 months, program retention rate and success in reaching patients via monthly calls. Overall, 40/45 subjects remained in the study at 12 months. At 12 months, on a scale of 1 (most) to 5 (least), ratings of 3 or better were given by 84.6% of subjects evaluating the usefulness of the overall program in understanding and managing their gout, 81.0% of subjects evaluating the helpfulness of the nursing education program, and 50.0% of subjects evaluating the helpfulness of the calls from the pharmacists. Knowledge exam questions that were most frequently answered incorrectly on repeat testing concerned bridge therapy, the possibility of being flare-free, and the genetic component of gout. Our multidisciplinary program of gout patient education and monitoring demonstrates feasibility and acceptability. We identified variability in patient preference for components of the program and persistent patient knowledge gaps. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping Remote and Multidisciplinary Learning Barriers: Lessons from "Challenge-Based Innovation" at CERN

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Matilde Bisballe; Utriainen, Tuuli Maria; Steinert, Martin

2018-01-01

This paper presents the experienced difficulties of students participating in the multidisciplinary, remote collaborating engineering design course challenge-based innovation at CERN. This is with the aim to identify learning barriers and improve future learning experiences. We statistically analyse the rated differences between distinct design…

Watershed Stewardship Education Program--A Multidisciplinary Extension Education Program for Oregon's Watershed Councils.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Flaxen D. L.; Godwin, Derek; Cloughesy, Mike; Nierenberg, Tara

2003-01-01

The Watershed Stewardship Education Program (WSEP) is a multidisciplinary Oregon Extension designed to help watershed councils, landowners, and others work effectively together on water management. Components include practical, easy-to-use educational materials, training in effective collaboration, a Master Watershed Stewards program, and advanced…

Can we make sense of multidisciplinary co-operation in primary care by considering routines and rules?

PubMed

Elissen, Arianne M J; van Raak, Arno J A; Paulus, Aggie T G

2011-01-01

Although it is widely acknowledged that the complex health problems of chronically ill and elderly persons require care provision across organisational and professional boundaries, achieving widespread multidisciplinary co-operation in primary care has proven problematic. We developed an explanation for this on the basis of the concepts of routines (patterns of behaviour) and rules, which form a relatively new yet promising perspective for studying co-operation in health-care. We used data about primary care providers situated in the Dutch region of Limburg, a region that, despite high numbers of chronically and elderly persons, has traditionally few healthcare centres and where multidisciplinary co-operation is limited. A qualitative study design was used, in which interviews and documents were the main data sources. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with providers from six primary care professions in the Dutch region of Limburg; relevant documents included co-operation agreements, annual reports and internal memos. To analyse the evidence, several data matrices were developed and all data were structured according to the main concepts under study, i.e. routines and rules. Although more research is needed, our study suggests that the emergence of more extensive multidisciplinary co-operation in primary care is hampered by the organisational rules and regulations prevailing in the sector. By emphasising individual care delivery rather than co-operation, these rules stimulate the perseverance of diversity between the routines by which providers perform their solo care delivery activities, rather than the creation of the amount of compatibility between those routines that is necessary for the current, rather limited shape of multidisciplinary co-operation to expand. Further research should attempt to validate this explanation by utilising a larger research population and systematically operationalising the rules existing in the legal and--more importantly

Serious gaming during multidisciplinary rehabilitation for patients with complex chronic pain or fatigue complaints: study protocol for a controlled trial and process evaluation.

PubMed

Vugts, Miel A P; Joosen, Margot C W; Mert, Agali; Zedlitz, Aglaia; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2017-06-08

Many individuals suffer from chronic pain or functional somatic syndromes and face boundaries for diminishing functional limitations by means of biopsychosocial interventions. Serious gaming could complement multidisciplinary interventions through enjoyment and independent accessibility. A study protocol is presented for studying whether, how, for which patients and under what circumstances, serious gaming improves patient health outcomes during regular multidisciplinary rehabilitation. A mixed-methods design is described that prioritises a two-armed naturalistic quasi-experiment. An experimental group is composed of patients who follow serious gaming during an outpatient multidisciplinary programme at two sites of a Dutch rehabilitation centre. Control group patients follow the same programme without serious gaming in two similar sites. Multivariate mixed-modelling analysis is planned for assessing how much variance in 250 patient records of routinely monitored pain intensity, pain coping and cognition, fatigue and psychopathology outcomes is attributable to serious gaming. Embedded qualitative methods include unobtrusive collection and analyses of stakeholder focus group interviews, participant feedback and semistructured patient interviews. Process analyses are carried out by a systematic approach of mixing qualitative and quantitative methods at various stages of the research. The Ethics Committee of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences approved the research after reviewing the protocol for the protection of patients' interests in conformity to the letter and rationale of the applicable laws and research practice (EC 2016.25t). Findings will be presented in research articles and international scientific conferences. A prospective research protocol for the naturalistic quasi-experimental outcome evaluation was entered in the Dutch trial register (registration number: NTR6020; Pre-results). © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless

Multidisciplinary chronic pain management in a rural Canadian setting.

PubMed

Burnham, Robert; Day, Jeremiah; Dudley, Wallace

2010-01-01

Chronic pain is prevalent, complex and most effectively treated by a multidisciplinary team, particularly if psychosocial issues are dominant. The limited access to and high costs of such services are often prohibitive for the rural patient. We describe the development and 18-month outcomes of a small multidisciplinary chronic pain management program run out of a physician's office in rural Alberta. The multidisciplinary team consisted of a family physician, physiatrist, psychologist, physical therapist, kinesiologist, nurse and dietician. The allied health professionals were involved on a part-time basis. The team triaged referral information and patients underwent either a spine or medical care assessment. Based on the findings of the assessment, the team managed the care of patients using 1 of 4 methods: consultation only, interventional spine care, supervised medication management or full multidisciplinary management. We prospectively and serially recorded self-reported measures of pain and disability for the supervised medication management and full multidisciplinary components of the program. Patients achieved clinically and statistically significant improvements in pain and disability. Successful multidisciplinary chronic pain management services can be provided in a rural setting.

Multidisciplinary collaboration in primary care: through the eyes of patients.

PubMed

Cheong, Lynn H; Armour, Carol L; Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia Z

2013-01-01

Managing chronic illness is highly complex and the pathways to access health care for the patient are unpredictable and often unknown. While multidisciplinary care (MDC) arrangements are promoted in the Australian primary health care system, there is a paucity of research on multidisciplinary collaboration from patients' perspectives. This exploratory study is the first to gain an understanding of the experiences, perceptions, attitudes and potential role of people with chronic illness (asthma) on the delivery of MDC in the Australian primary health care setting. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with asthma patients from Sydney, Australia. Qualitative analysis of data indicates that patients are significant players in MDC and their perceptions of their chronic condition, perceived roles of health care professionals, and expectations of health care delivery, influence their participation and attitudes towards multidisciplinary services. Our research shows the challenges presented by patients in the delivery and establishment of multidisciplinary health care teams, and highlights the need to consider patients' perspectives in the development of MDC models in primary care.

Integration of Multidisciplinary Sensory Data:

PubMed Central

Miller, Perry L.; Nadkarni, Prakash; Singer, Michael; Marenco, Luis; Hines, Michael; Shepherd, Gordon

2001-01-01

The paper provides an overview of neuroinformatics research at Yale University being performed as part of the national Human Brain Project. This research is exploring the integration of multidisciplinary sensory data, using the olfactory system as a model domain. The neuroinformatics activities fall into three main areas: 1) building databases and related tools that support experimental olfactory research at Yale and can also serve as resources for the field as a whole, 2) using computer models (molecular models and neuronal models) to help understand data being collected experimentally and to help guide further laboratory experiments, 3) performing basic neuroinformatics research to develop new informatics technologies, including a flexible data model (EAV/CR, entity-attribute-value with classes and relationships) designed to facilitate the integration of diverse heterogeneous data within a single unifying framework. PMID:11141511

Hypersonic drone design: A multidisciplinary experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Efforts were focused on design problems of an unmanned hypersonic vehicle. It is felt that a scaled hypersonic drone is necessary to bridge the gap between present theory on hypersonics and the future reality of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) for two reasons: to fulfill a need for experimental data in the hypersonic regime, and to provide a testbed for the scramjet engine which is to be the primary mode of propulsion for the NASP. Three areas of great concern to NASP design were examined: propulsion, thermal management, and flight systems. Problem solving in these areas was directed towards design of the drone with the idea that the same design techniques could be applied to the NASP. A seventy degree swept double delta wing configuration, developed in the 70's at NASA Langley, was chosen as the aerodynamic and geometric model for the drone. This vehicle would be air-launched from a B-1 at Mach 0.8 and 48,000 feet, rocket boosted by two internal engines to Mach 10 and 100,000 feet, and allowed to cruise under power of the scramjet engine until burnout. It would then return to base for an unpowered landing. Preliminary energy calculations based upon the flight requirements give the drone a gross launch weight of 134,000 lb. and an overall length of 85 feet.

Study protocol: cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in older adults in nursing home and home-care: cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Beck, Anne Marie; Gøgsig Christensen, Annette; Stenbæk Hansen, Birthe; Damsbo-Svendsen, Signe; Kreinfeldt Skovgaard Møller, Tina; Boll Hansen, Eigil; Keiding, Hans

2014-08-28

Older adults in nursing home and home-care are a particularly high-risk population for weight loss or poor nutrition. One negative consequence of undernutrition is increased health care costs. Several potentially modifiable nutritional risk factors increase the likelihood of weight loss or poor nutrition. Hence a structured and multidisciplinary approach, focusing on the nutritional risk factors and involving e.g. dieticians, occupational therapists, and physiotherapist, may be necessary to achieve benefits. Up till now a few studies have been done evaluating the cost-effectiveness of nutritional support among undernourished older adults and none of these have used such a multidisciplinary approach. An 11 week cluster randomized trial to assess the cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in older adults in nursing home and home-care, identified by screening with the Eating validation Scheme. Before start of the study there will be performed a train-the-trainer intervention involving educated nutrition coordinators.In addition to the nutrition coordinator, the participants assigned to the intervention group strategy will receive multidisciplinary nutrition support. Focus will be on treatment of the potentially modifiable nutritional risk factors identified by screening, by involving physiotherapist, registered dietician, and occupational therapist, as relevant and independent of the municipality's ordinary assessment and referral system.The primary outcome parameter will be change in quality of life (by means of Euroquol-5D-3L). Secondary outcomes will be: physical performance (chair stand), nutritional status (weight, Body Mass Index and hand-grip strength), oral care, fall incidents, hospital admissions, rehabilitation stay, moving to nursing homes (for participants from home-care), use of social services and mortality.An economic evaluation will be conducted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the multidisciplinary

Teaching Computing in a Multidisciplinary Way in Social Studies Classes in School--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Wangenheim, Christiane Gresse; Alves, Nathalia Cruz; Rodrigues, Pedro Eurico; Hauck, Jean Carlo

2017-01-01

In order to be well-educated citizens in the 21st century, children need to learn computing in school. However, implementing computing education in schools faces several practical problems, such as lack of computing teachers and time in an already overloaded curriculum. A solution can be a multidisciplinary approach, integrating computing…

How Multidisciplinary Are the Multidisciplinary Journals Science and Nature?

PubMed Central

Solomon, Gregg E. A.; Carley, Stephen; Porter, Alan L.

2016-01-01

Interest in cross-disciplinary research knowledge interchange runs high. Review processes at funding agencies, such as the U.S. National Science Foundation, consider plans to disseminate research across disciplinary bounds. Publication in the leading multidisciplinary journals, Nature and Science, may signify the epitome of successful interdisciplinary integration of research knowledge and cross-disciplinary dissemination of findings. But how interdisciplinary are they? The journals are multidisciplinary, but do the individual articles themselves draw upon multiple fields of knowledge and does their influence span disciplines? This research compares articles in three fields (Cell Biology, Physical Chemistry, and Cognitive Science) published in a leading disciplinary journal in each field to those published in Nature and Science. We find comparable degrees of interdisciplinary integration and only modest differences in cross-disciplinary diffusion. That said, though the rate of out-of-field diffusion might be comparable, the sheer reach of Nature and Science, indicated by their potent Journal Impact Factors, means that the diffusion of knowledge therein can far exceed that of leading disciplinary journals in some fields (such as Physical Chemistry and Cognitive Science in our samples). PMID:27043924

Prospective study of cost of care at multidisciplinary ALS centers adhering to American Academy of Neurology (AAN) ALS practice parameters.

PubMed

Boylan, Kevin; Levine, Todd; Lomen-Hoerth, Catherine; Lyon, Mary; Maginnis, Kimberly; Callas, Peter; Gaspari, Celeste; Tandan, Rup

2015-01-01

Multidisciplinary care in ALS is associated with longer survival, improved quality of life, and reduced hospital admissions, but there are no published data on institutional costs associated with multidisciplinary ALS care at U.S. centers. We prospectively examined institutional costs, adherence to AAN Practice Parameters and patient satisfaction in multidisciplinary ALS clinics at 18 U.S. ALS centers. Centers reported patient volumes; direct costs for staff salary/benefits, supplies and equipment; and institutional non-salary and overhead costs over a three-month period. In 1117 patients seen during this period, mean age was 61.5 years (range 25-91 years), 56% were male, and mean ALSFRS-R score was 29. Mean total salary/benefit cost per clinic day for all providers was $2964 (range $1692-$5236 across centers). Mean salary/benefit cost per patient per clinic was $507 (range $258-$806 across centers). Differences among centers in reporting non-salary costs prevented meaningful analysis. Practice parameter adherence and patient satisfaction were high. This prospective collaborative study demonstrates the direct financial burden of evidence-based multidisciplinary ALS care in the U.S.; more refined non-salary and overhead cost data are needed to evaluate the full cost impact of care. These data may be useful in supporting evidence-based models of patient centered care for ALS.

Participatory Concepts of Multidisciplinary/Professional Working on an Early Childhood Studies Degree Course in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bath, Caroline

2011-01-01

This paper aims to explore democratic values in higher education pedagogies, as related to an Early Childhood Studies (ECS) degree course in an English university. It seeks to find out what constitutes a multi-disciplinary course from both student and tutor perspectives. It is contextualised by the concepts of participation embedded in the idea of…

Multidisciplinary approaches to climate change questions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Middleton, Beth A.; LePage, Ben A.

2011-01-01

Multidisciplinary approaches are required to address the complex environmental problems of our time. Solutions to climate change problems are good examples of situations requiring complex syntheses of ideas from a vast set of disciplines including science, engineering, social science, and the humanities. Unfortunately, most ecologists have narrow training, and are not equipped to bring their environmental skills to the table with interdisciplinary teams to help solve multidisciplinary problems. To address this problem, new graduate training programs and workshops sponsored by various organizations are providing opportunities for scientists and others to learn to work together in multidisciplinary teams. Two examples of training in multidisciplinary thinking include those organized by the Santa Fe Institute and Dahlem Workshops. In addition, many interdisciplinary programs have had successes in providing insight into climate change problems including the International Panel on Climate Change, the Joint North American Carbon Program, the National Academy of Science Research Grand Challenges Initiatives, and the National Academy of Science. These programs and initiatives have had some notable success in outlining some of the problems and solutions to climate change. Scientists who can offer their specialized expertise to interdisciplinary teams will be more successful in helping to solve the complex problems related to climate change.

NASA multidisciplinary research grant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Research is discussed in the multidisciplinary areas of space and planetary science; materials and radiation; systems, instrumentation, and structures; and technology and man. Highlights are identified as an alpha-recoil track method of archeological dating; infrared astronomical telescope; reaction rates data, semiconductor radiation detectors, and analysis of time-dependent systems; Gunn effect devices for microwave generation and detection, mode-locked lasers, and radiation theory; and the application of a satellite communication system to educational development. Detectors to be flown on Apollo 16 to measure heavy particle flux in the solar wind and to be part of the HEAO-A experiment on extremely heavy nuclei in cosmic rays were developed. The impact of the multidisciplinary research on university activities is described, and individual departmental reports are included.

Biopsychosocial Management of Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Pilot Study of Patient Perceptions From 2 Multi-Disciplinary Clinics.

PubMed

Rullo, Jordan; Faubion, Stephanie S; Hartzell, Rose; Goldstein, Sue; Cohen, Deborah; Frohmader, Karla; Winter, Ashley G; Mara, Kristin; Schroeder, Darrell; Goldstein, Irwin

2018-05-19

patient-perceived benefit, satisfaction, and value. Rullo J, Faubion S, Hartzell R, et al. Biopsychosocial Management of Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Pilot Study of Patient Perceptions From 2 Multi-Disciplinary Clinics. Sex Med 2018;XX:XXX-XXX. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A paradigm for multidisciplinary disaster research: the Oklahoma City experience.

PubMed

Quick, G

1998-01-01

The objective of this article is to describe the creation and operation of a multidisciplinary group to examine the Oklahoma City (OKC) bombing. The OKC bombing presented an opportunity to study a major disaster within 2 days of the incident. The Disaster Health Studies Group (DHSG) was created to facilitate this effort. The creation, organization, and operation of the DHSG is outlined. In addition the mission statement, participants, communications, political empowerment, data preservation and collection, data ownership, patient rights, threats to the DHSG, media interactions, funding, the institutional review board process, and results reporting will be detailed. The 22 projects of the DHSG are listed. In conclusion, four main findings are examined: 1) A multidisciplinary disaster study group is feasible and can be rapidly organized; 2) certain organizations and institutions form a core group for facilitation of the research effort; 3) specific issues must be addressed in order for the group to succeed; and 4) the group leader should have disaster expertise and be committed to the multidisciplinary process.

The Campus Lake Learning Community: Promoting a Multidisciplinary Approach to Environmental Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Maud; Jenkins, Dorothy; Powell, Katrina; Rusch, Kelly

2005-01-01

A multidisciplinary learning community provided environmental management students the opportunity to work with students in different classes and majors to create designs for improving the appearance and environmental quality of a lake on a university campus. The experience increased student appreciation for the contribution of other disciplines in…

Clinical outcomes of multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation among african american compared with caucasian patients with chronic pain.

PubMed

Hooten, W Michael; Knight-Brown, Miranda; Townsend, Cynthia O; Laures, Heidi J

2012-11-01

The primary aim of this study was to determine if the immediate outcomes of multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation were different for African Americans compared with Caucasians. A retrospective repeated measures design was used, and all analyses were adjusted for marital and employment status, years of education, and pain duration. Multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation center. Each African American (N = 40) consecutively admitted to a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program was matched with three Caucasians (N = 120) on age, sex, and treatment dates. A 3-week outpatient multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory, Short Form-36 Health Status Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale were administered at admission and dismissal.  At baseline, African Americans had greater pain severity (P < 0.001) and poorer physical function compared with Caucasians (P < 0.001). At program completion, African Americans had greater pain severity (P < 0.001) and poorer measures of life interference (P = 0.004), perceived control (P = 0.013), affective distress (P < 0.001), role physical (P = 0.001) and role emotional function (P = 0.001), physical (P < 0.001) and social function (P = 0.002), general health (P = 0.005), depression (P < 0.001), and pain catastrophizing (P < 0.001). A repeated measures analysis demonstrated a time by race interaction effect for pain interference (P = 0.038), affective distress (P = 0.019), role physical function (P = 0.007), social function (P = 0.029), and depression (P = 0.004), indicating African Americans experienced less improvement compared with Caucasians. The results of this study highlight an under-recognized health disparity which provides the basis for developing targeted interventions aimed at improving the clinical outcomes of African Americans with chronic pain

Establishing a multidisciplinary PBL curriculum in the School of Stomatology at Wuhan University.

PubMed

Wang, Ge; Tai, Baojun; Huang, Cui; Bian, Zhuan; Shang, Zhenjun; Wang, Qian; Song, Guangtai

2008-05-01

This article describes how a multidisciplinary problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum was established at the School of Stomatology at Wuhan University (WHUSS) in China for preclinical education in a seven-year dental school program. Based on positive feedback from a modified PBL program implemented in one discipline, a multidisciplinary PBL curriculum was established. PBL training for facilitators and students, development of resource materials, curriculum design, and case writing were done in a manner that is consistent with the characteristics and learning style preferences of Chinese dental students. About 80 percent of the lectures were kept in the new PBL program. The multidisciplinary PBL curriculum has been successful in helping dental students mentally construct an understanding of the interrelationship between dental knowledge and basic science concepts. The experience at WHUSS indicates that there are clear benefits for students in the PBL format. A benefit to faculty is that PBL tutorial facilitators were partly liberated from their traditional roles and developed additional skills for facilitating. However, conflict arises when PBL-trained students encounter the traditional exam-centered education system.

[Evaluation of multidisciplinary team meeting; the example of gynecological mammary cancers in a tertiary referral center in Morocco].

PubMed

Chaouki, Wahid; Mimouni, Mohsine; Boutayeb, Saber; Hachi, Hafid; Errihani, Hassan; Benjaafar, Noureddine

The multidisciplinary team meeting has become a standard medical practice in oncology. However, no evaluation of this activity was carried out in Morocco. The aim of this study was to evaluate the multidisciplinary team meeting of gynecological mammary cancers in a National Tertiary Referral Center. The study was carried out by retrospective analysis of 207 cases of patients randomly selected among the 1190 cases recruited during the year 2015. Completeness and quality criteria were evaluated. The global completeness rate of passage in multidisciplinary team meeting is 38%. According to the therapeutic specialities, the completeness of passage in multidisciplinary team meeting is 68% of surgery, 35% of medical oncology and 19% of radiotherapy. As far as localizations are concerned, the completeness of passage in multidisciplinary team meeting is 43% for the breast and only 19% for the cervix. A quorum was met 100% of the cases. In 96% of cases the treatment performed is in accordance with the decision of the multidisciplinary team meeting. Eighty-four percent of cases performed multidisciplinary team meeting within less than one month. This analysis shows that the completeness of the transition to multidisciplinary team meeting has not reached the 100% planned by our institution. However, the requirements for conducting the multidisciplinary team meeting were generally met. This study shows an organizational evolution of our structure based on collective and multidisciplinary medical decision. The national obligation measure of multidisciplinary team meeting is necessary. Copyright © 2017 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Multidisciplinary Conceptual Design for Reduced-Emission Rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Christopher; Johnson, Wayne; Solis, Eduardo

2018-01-01

Python-based wrappers for OpenMDAO are used to integrate disparate software for practical conceptual design of rotorcraft. The suite of tools which are connected thus far include aircraft sizing, comprehensive analysis, and parametric geometry. The tools are exercised to design aircraft with aggressive goals for emission reductions relative to fielded state-of-the-art rotorcraft. Several advanced reduced-emission rotorcraft are designed and analyzed, demonstrating the flexibility of the tools to consider a wide variety of potentially transformative vertical flight vehicles. To explore scale effects, aircraft have been sized for 5, 24, or 76 passengers in their design missions. Aircraft types evaluated include tiltrotor, single-main-rotor, coaxial, and side-by-side helicopters. Energy and drive systems modeled include Lithium-ion battery, hydrogen fuel cell, turboelectric hybrid, and turboshaft drive systems. Observations include the complex nature of the trade space for this simple problem, with many potential aircraft design and operational solutions for achieving significant emission reductions. Also interesting is that achieving greatly reduced emissions may not require exotic component technologies, but may be achieved with a dedicated design objective of reducing emissions.

Integrated multidisciplinary design optimization of rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Howard M.; Mantay, Wayne R.

1989-01-01

The NASA/Army research plan for developing the logic elements for helicopter rotor design optimization by integrating appropriate disciplines and accounting for important interactions among the disciplines is discussed. The paper describes the optimization formulation in terms of the objective function, design variables, and constraints. The analysis aspects are discussed, and an initial effort at defining the interdisciplinary coupling is summarized. Results are presented on the achievements made in the rotor aerodynamic performance optimization for minimum hover horsepower, rotor dynamic optimization for vibration reduction, rotor structural optimization for minimum weight, and integrated aerodynamic load/dynamics optimization for minimum vibration and weight.

Improving outcomes in veterans with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma through implementation of a multidisciplinary clinic.

PubMed

Light, Tyler; Rassi, Edward El; Maggiore, Ronald J; Holland, John; Reed, Julie; Suriano, Kathleen; Stooksbury, Marcelle; Tobin, Nora; Gross, Neil; Clayburgh, Daniel

2017-06-01

Treatment of head and neck cancer is complex, and a multidisciplinary clinic may improve the coordination of care. The value of a head and neck multidisciplinary clinic has not yet been established in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A retrospective review was conducted of Veterans Affairs patients with oropharyngeal SCC undergoing concurrent chemoradiation before and after implementation of the head and neck multidisciplinary clinic. Fifty-two patients before and 54 patients after multidisciplinary clinic were included in this study. Age, tobacco use, and p16+ status were similar between groups. With multidisciplinary clinic, time to treatment decreased, and utilization of supportive services, including speech pathology, dentistry, and nutrition increased. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate increased from 63% to 81% (p = .043) after implementation of the multidisciplinary clinic. Multivariate analysis showed that disease stage (p = .016), p16 status (p = .006), and multidisciplinary clinic participation (p = .042) were predictors of disease-specific survival. Implementation of a multidisciplinary clinic improved care coordination and disease-specific survival in patients with oropharyngeal SCC. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1106-1112, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The MUSES Satellite Team and Multidisciplinary System Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, John C.; Paiz, Alfred R.; Young, Donald L.

1997-01-01

In a unique partnership between three minority-serving institutions and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a new course sequence, including a multidisciplinary capstone design experience, is to be developed and implemented at each of the schools with the ambitious goal of designing, constructing and launching a low-orbit Earth-resources satellite. The three universities involved are North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T), University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP), and California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). The schools form a consortium collectively known as MUSES - Minority Universities System Engineering and Satellite. Four aspects of this project make it unique: (1) Including all engineering disciplines in the capstone design course, (2) designing, building and launching an Earth-resources satellite, (3) sustaining the partnership between the three schools to achieve this goal, and (4) implementing systems engineering pedagogy at each of the three schools. This paper will describe the partnership and its goals, the first design of the satellite, the courses developed at NCA&T, and the implementation plan for the course sequence.

Designing under Constraints: Cell Phone Case Design Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton, Kevin; Grubbs, Michael E.; Ernst, Jeremy

2014-01-01

Engineering design has been suggested as a viable instructional approach for Technology Education (TE) to intentionally provide students the opportunity to apply multidisciplinary concepts to solve ill-defined design challenges (Wells & Ernst, 2012; Sanders & Wells, 2010; Wicklein, 2006). Currently, the context for design challenges in TE…

Clients with chronic conditions: community nurse role in a multidisciplinary team.

PubMed

Wilkes, Lesley; Cioffi, Jane; Cummings, Joanne; Warne, Bronwyn; Harrison, Kathleen

2014-03-01

To define and validate the role of the community nurse in a multidisciplinary team caring for clients with chronic and complex needs. A key factor in optimising care for clients with chronic and complex conditions in the community is the use of multidisciplinary teams. A team approach is more effective as it enables better integration of services. The role of the community nurse in the multidisciplinary team has as yet not been delineated. A modified Delphi technique was used in this study. A group of 17 volunteer registered nurses who were experienced in the care of clients with chronic conditions and complex care needs in the community formed a panel of experts. Experts were emailed a series of three questionnaires. Main findings show that the role of the community nurse in a multidisciplinary team for clients with chronic conditions has six main domains - advocate, supporter, coordinator, educator, team member and assessor. A consensus on the role of the community nurse in the multidisciplinary team is described. The six key role domains reaffirm the generic role of the nurse and the validation of the role clarifies and reinforces the centrality of the community nurse in the team. Further refinement of the community nurse role is indicated to increase comprehensiveness of role descriptors particularly for the role domain, advocate. Community nurses working in multidisciplinary teams caring for clients with chronic conditions can define their role as a team member. The working relationship of the community nurse with other health professionals in the multidisciplinary team as a key approach to more integrated care for clients and carers enables the use of this approach to be better understood by all team members. With this increased understanding, community nurses are in a position to build stronger and more effective care teams. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Selective Mutism in Elementary School: Multidisciplinary Interventions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giddan, Jane J.; And Others

1997-01-01

Presents the symptoms of selective mutism and historical background for treatment. It provides a case study which illustrates successful multidisciplinary treatment outcomes for a child who was selectively mute. Issues relevant to speech-language pathologists working with elementary school children are discussed and treatment guidelines provided.…

Multidisciplinary perspective intervention with community involvement to decrease antibiotic sales in village groceries in Thailand.

PubMed

Arparsrithongsagul, Somsak; Kulsomboon, Vithaya; Zuckerman, Ilene H

2015-03-01

In Thailand, antibiotics are rampantly available in village groceries, despite the fact that it is illegal to sell antibiotics without a pharmacy license. This study implemented a multidisciplinary perspectives intervention with community involvement (MPI&CI), which was developed based on information obtained from focus groups that included multidisciplinary stakeholders. Community leaders in the intervention group were trained to implement MPI&CI in their villages. A quasi-experiment with a pretest-posttest design was conducted. Data were collected from 20 villages in Mahasarakham Province (intervention group) along with another 20 villages (comparison group). Using a generalized linear mixed model Poisson regression with repeated measures, groceries in the intervention group had 87% fewer antibiotics available at postintervention compared with preintervention (relative rate = 0.13; 95% confidence interval = 0.07-0.23), whereas the control group had only an 8% reduction in antibiotic availability (relative rate = 0.92; 95% confidence interval = 0.88-0.97) between the 2 time periods. Further study should be made to assess the sustainability and long-term effectiveness of MPI&CI. © 2013 APJPH.

Multidisciplinary group behavioral and pharmacologic intervention for cardiac risk reduction in diabetes: a pilot study.

PubMed

Martin, Oanh J; Wu, Wen-Chih; Taveira, Tracey H; Eaton, Charles B; Sharma, Satish C

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary team providing both education and medication management in a group setting for cardiac risk reduction in patients with diabetes mellitus. The electronic medical records of patients with diabetes who participated in group behavioral and pharmacologic interventions for cardiac risk reduction during May to October 2002 at the Providence VA Medical Center were reviewed. Forty-one veterans with diabetes mellitus attended the weekly sessions of a diabetes education and intervention program directed by pharmacists for 1 month. Two groups of 15 to 20 patients received four 1.5-hour diabetes self-management education classes provided by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a pharmacist (leader), nurse educator, dietician, physical therapist, and social worker and four 1-hour group medication adjustment sessions provided by the pharmacist. Pharmacists followed medication adjustment algorithms for blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol management previously developed in collaboration with physician specialists in the field. Baseline and 3-month after-intervention data were collected for glycosylated hemoglobin A1C (A1C), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and body mass index. Thirty-six patients attended 4 sessions, and 5 patients attended 3 sessions. All parameters improved after the intervention, with significant reductions in A1C (-1.5% +/- 1.0%) and DBP (-5 mm Hg). Reductions were further accentuated when baseline values were abnormal, with significant improvement in A1C (-2.0% +/- 0.5%), SBP (-14 +/- 3 mm Hg), and DBP (-13 +/- 3 mm Hg). Short-term multidisciplinary group behavioral and pharmacologic intervention programs may be effective in improving cardiac risk factors in patients with diabetes.

Use of Multi-Disciplinary Projects To Develop Competence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trotman-Dickenson, Danusia

1992-01-01

Undergraduate technology and business students at the Polytechnic of Wales (United Kingdom) participated in multi-disciplinary team projects to experience real life business challenges and develop competences that employers expect in professionals. Lists characteristics of successful multi-disciplinary projects, discusses cost and industry…

Multidisciplinary optimization of controlled space structures with global sensitivity equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, Sharon L.; James, Benjamin B.; Graves, Philip C.; Woodard, Stanley E.

1991-01-01

A new method for the preliminary design of controlled space structures is presented. The method coordinates standard finite element structural analysis, multivariable controls, and nonlinear programming codes and allows simultaneous optimization of the structures and control systems of a spacecraft. Global sensitivity equations are a key feature of this method. The preliminary design of a generic geostationary platform is used to demonstrate the multidisciplinary optimization method. Fifteen design variables are used to optimize truss member sizes and feedback gain values. The goal is to reduce the total mass of the structure and the vibration control system while satisfying constraints on vibration decay rate. Incorporating the nonnegligible mass of actuators causes an essential coupling between structural design variables and control design variables. The solution of the demonstration problem is an important step toward a comprehensive preliminary design capability for structures and control systems. Use of global sensitivity equations helps solve optimization problems that have a large number of design variables and a high degree of coupling between disciplines.

Professional development for design-based learning in engineering education: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez Puente, Sonia M.; van Eijck, Michiel; Jochems, Wim

2015-01-01

Design-based learning (DBL) is an educational approach in which students gather and apply theoretical knowledge to solve design problems. In this study, we examined how critical DBL dimensions (project characteristics, design elements, the teacher's role, assessment, and social context) are applied by teachers in the redesign of DBL projects. We conducted an intervention for the professional development of the DBL teachers in the Mechanical Engineering and the Electrical Engineering departments. We used the Experiential Learning Cycle as an educational model for the professionalisation programme. The findings show that the programme encouraged teachers to apply the DBL theoretical framework. However, there are some limitations with regard to specific project characteristics. Further research into supporting teachers to develop open-ended and multidisciplinary activities in the projects that support learning is recommended.

A Model for Teaching Information Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pettersson, Rune

2011-01-01

The author presents his views on the teaching of information design. The starting point includes some general aspects of teaching and learning. The multidisciplinary structure and content of information design as well as the combined practical and theoretical components influence studies of the discipline. Experiences from working with a model for…

A Unified Approach to Modeling Multidisciplinary Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samareh, Jamshid A.; Bhatia, Kumar G.

2000-01-01

There are a number of existing methods to transfer information among various disciplines. For a multidisciplinary application with n disciplines, the traditional methods may be required to model (n(exp 2) - n) interactions. This paper presents a unified three-dimensional approach that reduces the number of interactions from (n(exp 2) - n) to 2n by using a computer-aided design model. The proposed modeling approach unifies the interactions among various disciplines. The approach is independent of specific discipline implementation, and a number of existing methods can be reformulated in the context of the proposed unified approach. This paper provides an overview of the proposed unified approach and reformulations for two existing methods. The unified approach is specially tailored for application environments where the geometry is created and managed through a computer-aided design system. Results are presented for a blended-wing body and a high-speed civil transport.

A Qualitative Study of Multidisciplinary Providers' Experiences With the Transfer Process for Injured Children and Ideas for Improvement.

PubMed

Gawel, Marcie; Emerson, Beth; Giuliano, John S; Rosenberg, Alana; Minges, Karl E; Feder, Shelli; Violano, Pina; Morrell, Patricia; Petersen, Judy; Christison-Lagay, Emily; Auerbach, Marc

2018-02-01

Most injured children initially present to a community hospital, and many will require transfer to a regional pediatric trauma center. The purpose of this study was 1) to explore multidisciplinary providers' experiences with the process of transferring injured children and 2) to describe proposed ideas for process improvement. This qualitative study involved 26 semistructured interviews. Subjects were recruited from 6 community hospital emergency departments and the trauma and transport teams of a level I pediatric trauma center in New Haven, Conn. Participants (n = 34) included interprofessional providers from sending facilities, transport teams, and receiving facilities. Using the constant comparative method, a multidisciplinary team coded transcripts and collectively refined codes to generate recurrent themes across interviews until theoretical saturation was achieved. Participants reported that the transfer process for injured children is complex, stressful, and necessitates collaboration. The transfer process was perceived to involve numerous interrelated components, including professions, disciplines, and institutions. The 5 themes identified as areas to improve this transfer process included 1) Creation of a unified standard operating procedure that crosses institutions/teams, 2) Enhancing 'shared sense making' of all providers, 3) Improving provider confidence, expertise, and skills in caring for pediatric trauma transfer cases, 4) Addressing organization and environmental factors that may impede/delay transfer, and 5) Fostering institutional and personal relationships. Efforts to improve the transfer process for injured children should be guided by the experiences of and input from multidisciplinary frontline emergency providers.

Human pathogens on plants: designing a multidisciplinary strategy for research.

PubMed

Fletcher, Jacqueline; Leach, Jan E; Eversole, Kellye; Tauxe, Robert

2013-04-01

Recent efforts to address concerns about microbial contamination of food plants and resulting foodborne illness have prompted new collaboration and interactions between the scientific communities of plant pathology and food safety. This article provides perspectives from scientists of both disciplines and presents selected research results and concepts that highlight existing and possible future synergisms for audiences of both disciplines. Plant pathology is a complex discipline that encompasses studies of the dissemination, colonization, and infection of plants by microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and oomycetes. Plant pathologists study plant diseases as well as host plant defense responses and disease management strategies with the goal of minimizing disease occurrences and impacts. Repeated outbreaks of human illness attributed to the contamination of fresh produce, nuts and seeds, and other plant-derived foods by human enteric pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. have led some plant pathologists to broaden the application of their science in the past two decades, to address problems of human pathogens on plants (HPOPs). Food microbiology, which began with the study of microbes that spoil foods and those that are critical to produce food, now also focuses study on how foods become contaminated with pathogens and how this can be controlled or prevented. Thus, at the same time, public health researchers and food microbiologists have become more concerned about plant-microbe interactions before and after harvest. New collaborations are forming between members of the plant pathology and food safety communities, leading to enhanced research capacity and greater understanding of the issues for which research is needed. The two communities use somewhat different vocabularies and conceptual models. For example, traditional plant pathology concepts such as the disease triangle and the disease cycle can help to define

Human Pathogens on Plants: Designing a Multidisciplinary Strategy for Research.

PubMed

Fletcher, Jacqueline; Leach, Jan E; Eversole, Kellye; Tauxe, Robert

2014-10-15

Recent efforts to address concerns about microbial contamination of food plants and resulting foodborne illness have prompted new collaboration and interactions between the scientific communities of plant pathology and food safety. This article provides perspectives from scientists of both disciplines and presents selected research results and concepts that highlight existing and possible future synergisms for audiences of both disciplines. Plant pathology is a complex discipline that encompasses studies of the dissemination, colonization, and infection of plants by microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and oomycetes. Plant pathologists study plant diseases as well as host plant defense responses and disease management strategies with the goal of minimizing disease occurrences and impacts. Repeated outbreaks of human illness attributed to the contamination of fresh produce, nuts and seeds, and other plant-derived foods by human enteric pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. have led some plant pathologists to broaden the application of their science in the past two decades, to address problems of human pathogens on plants (HPOPs). Food microbiology, which began with the study of microbes that spoil foods and those that are critical to produce food, now also focuses study on how foods become contaminated with pathogens and how this can be controlled or prevented. Thus, at the same time, public health researchers and food microbiologists have become more concerned about plant-microbe interactions before and after harvest. New collaborations are forming between members of the plant pathology and food safety communities, leading to enhanced research capacity and greater understanding of the issues for which research is needed. The two communities use somewhat different vocabularies and conceptual models. For example, traditional plant pathology concepts such as the disease triangle and the disease cycle can help to define

An initiative in multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Howard M.; Mantay, Wayne R.

1989-01-01

Described is a joint NASA/Army initiative at the Langley Research Center to develop optimization procedures aimed at improving the rotor blade design process by integrating appropriate disciplines and accounting for important interactions among the disciplines. The activity is being guided by a Steering Committee made up of key NASA and Army researchers and managers. The committee, which has been named IRASC (Integrated Rotorcraft Analysis Steering Committee), has defined two principal foci for the activity: a white paper which sets forth the goals and plans of the effort; and a rotor design project which will validate the basic constituents, as well as the overall design methodology for multidisciplinary optimization. The optimization formulation is described in terms of the objective function, design variables, and constraints. Additionally, some of the analysis aspects are discussed and an initial attempt at defining the interdisciplinary couplings is summarized. At this writing, some significant progress has been made, principally in the areas of single discipline optimization. Results are given which represent accomplishments in rotor aerodynamic performance optimization for minimum hover horsepower, rotor dynamic optimization for vibration reduction, and rotor structural optimization for minimum weight.

An initiative in multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Howard M.; Mantay, Wayne R.

1988-01-01

Described is a joint NASA/Army initiative at the Langley Research Center to develop optimization procedures aimed at improving the rotor blade design process by integrating appropriate disciplines and accounting for important interactions among the disciplines. The activity is being guided by a Steering Committee made up of key NASA and Army researchers and managers. The committee, which has been named IRASC (Integrated Rotorcraft Analysis Steering Committee), has defined two principal foci for the activity: a white paper which sets forth the goals and plans of the effort; and a rotor design project which will validate the basic constituents, as well as the overall design methodology for multidisciplinary optimization. The paper describes the optimization formulation in terms of the objective function, design variables, and constraints. Additionally, some of the analysis aspects are discussed and an initial attempt at defining the interdisciplinary couplings is summarized. At this writing, some significant progress has been made, principally in the areas of single discipline optimization. Results are given which represent accomplishments in rotor aerodynamic performance optimization for minimum hover horsepower, rotor dynamic optimization for vibration reduction, and rotor structural optimization for minimum weight.

Recent advances in multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Howard M.; Walsh, Joanne L.; Pritchard, Jocelyn I.

1992-01-01

A joint activity involving NASA and Army researchers at NASA LaRC to develop optimization procedures to improve the rotor blade design process by integrating appropriate disciplines and accounting for all of the important interactions among the disciplines is described. The disciplines involved include rotor aerodynamics, rotor dynamics, rotor structures, airframe dynamics, and acoustics. The work is focused on combining these five key disciplines in an optimization procedure capable of designing a rotor system to satisfy multidisciplinary design requirements. Fundamental to the plan is a three-phased approach. In phase 1, the disciplines of blade dynamics, blade aerodynamics, and blade structure are closely coupled while acoustics and airframe dynamics are decoupled and are accounted for as effective constraints on the design for the first three disciplines. In phase 2, acoustics is integrated with the first three disciplines. Finally, in phase 3, airframe dynamics is integrated with the other four disciplines. Representative results from work performed to date are described. These include optimal placement of tuning masses for reduction of blade vibratory shear forces, integrated aerodynamic/dynamic optimization, and integrated aerodynamic/dynamic/structural optimization. Examples of validating procedures are described.

Multidisciplinary Optimization for Aerospace Using Genetic Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pak, Chan-gi; Hahn, Edward E.; Herrera, Claudia Y.

2007-01-01

In support of the ARMD guidelines NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center is developing a multidisciplinary design and optimization tool This tool will leverage existing tools and practices, and allow the easy integration and adoption of new state-of-the-art software. Optimization has made its way into many mainstream applications. For example NASTRAN(TradeMark) has its solution sequence 200 for Design Optimization, and MATLAB(TradeMark) has an Optimization Tool box. Other packages, such as ZAERO(TradeMark) aeroelastic panel code and the CFL3D(TradeMark) Navier-Stokes solver have no built in optimizer. The goal of the tool development is to generate a central executive capable of using disparate software packages ina cross platform network environment so as to quickly perform optimization and design tasks in a cohesive streamlined manner. A provided figure (Figure 1) shows a typical set of tools and their relation to the central executive. Optimization can take place within each individual too, or in a loop between the executive and the tool, or both.

A Multidisciplinary Workplace Intervention for Chronic Low Back Pain among Nursing Assistants in Iran

PubMed Central

Shojaei, Sarallah; Jamshidi, Ahmad Reza; Wagner, Joan

2017-01-01

Study Design Interventional research with a 6-month follow-up period. Purpose We aimed to establish the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary workplace intervention on reduction of work-related low back pain (WRLBP), using ergonomic posture training coupled with an educational program based on social cognitive theory. Overview of Literature WRLBP is a major occupational problem among healthcare workers, who are often required to lift heavy loads. Patient handling is a particular requirement of nurse aides, and has been reported as the main cause of chronic WRLBP. Methods We included 125 nursing assistants from two hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences from May to December 2015. There was an intervention hospital with a number of 63 nursing assistants who received four multidisciplinary educational sessions for 2 hours each plus ergonomic posture training over two days and a control hospital with a number of 62 nursing assistants who didn't receive educational intervention about low back pain. The outcomes of interest were reductions in WRLBP intensity and disability from baseline to the follow up at 6 months, which were measured using a visual analog scale and the Quebec Disability Scale. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze the data. Results The comparison tests showed significant change from baseline in reduction of WRLBP intensity following the multidisciplinary program, with scores of 5.01±1.97 to 3.42±2.53 after 6 months on the visual analog scale in the intervention group (p<0.001) and no significant change in control groups. There was no significant difference in the disability scores between the two groups (p=0.07). Conclusions We showed that our multidisciplinary intervention could reduce the intensity of WRLBP among nurse aides, making them suitable for implementation in programs to improve WRLBP among nursing assistants working in hospitals. PMID:28670410

MPIRUN: A Portable Loader for Multidisciplinary and Multi-Zonal Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fineberg, Samuel A.; Woodrow, Thomas S. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Multidisciplinary and multi-zonal applications are an important class of applications in the area of Computational Aerosciences. In these codes, two or more distinct parallel programs or copies of a single program are utilized to model a single problem. To support such applications, it is common to use a programming model where a program is divided into several single program multiple data stream (SPMD) applications, each of which solves the equations for a single physical discipline or grid zone. These SPMD applications are then bound together to form a single multidisciplinary or multi-zonal program in which the constituent parts communicate via point-to-point message passing routines. One method for implementing the message passing portion of these codes is with the new Message Passing Interface (MPI) standard. Unfortunately, this standard only specifies the message passing portion of an application, but does not specify any portable mechanisms for loading an application. MPIRUN was developed to provide a portable means for loading MPI programs, and was specifically targeted at multidisciplinary and multi-zonal applications. Programs using MPIRUN for loading and MPI for message passing are then portable between all machines supported by MPIRUN. MPIRUN is currently implemented for the Intel iPSC/860, TMC CM5, IBM SP-1 and SP-2, Intel Paragon, and workstation clusters. Further, MPIRUN is designed to be simple enough to port easily to any system supporting MPI.

Model-guided fieldwork: practical guidelines for multidisciplinary research on wildlife ecological and epidemiological dynamics

PubMed Central

Restif, Olivier; Hayman, David T S; Pulliam, Juliet R C; Plowright, Raina K; George, Dylan B; Luis, Angela D; Cunningham, Andrew A; Bowen, Richard A; Fooks, Anthony R; O'Shea, Thomas J; Wood, James L N; Webb, Colleen T

2012-01-01

Infectious disease ecology has recently raised its public profile beyond the scientific community due to the major threats that wildlife infections pose to biological conservation, animal welfare, human health and food security. As we start unravelling the full extent of emerging infectious diseases, there is an urgent need to facilitate multidisciplinary research in this area. Even though research in ecology has always had a strong theoretical component, cultural and technical hurdles often hamper direct collaboration between theoreticians and empiricists. Building upon our collective experience of multidisciplinary research and teaching in this area, we propose practical guidelines to help with effective integration among mathematical modelling, fieldwork and laboratory work. Modelling tools can be used at all steps of a field-based research programme, from the formulation of working hypotheses to field study design and data analysis. We illustrate our model-guided fieldwork framework with two case studies we have been conducting on wildlife infectious diseases: plague transmission in prairie dogs and lyssavirus dynamics in American and African bats. These demonstrate that mechanistic models, if properly integrated in research programmes, can provide a framework for holistic approaches to complex biological systems. PMID:22809422

Shared decision-making at the end of life: A focus group study exploring the perceptions and experiences of multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals working in the home setting.

PubMed

Brogan, Paula; Hasson, Felicity; McIlfatrick, Sonja

2018-01-01

Globally recommended in healthcare policy, Shared Decision-Making is also central to international policy promoting community palliative care. Yet realities of implementation by multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals who provide end-of-life care in the home are unclear. To explore multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals' perceptions and experiences of Shared Decision-Making at end of life in the home. Qualitative design using focus groups, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. A total of 43 participants, from multi-disciplinary community-based services in one region of the United Kingdom, were recruited. While the rhetoric of Shared Decision-Making was recognised, its implementation was impacted by several interconnecting factors, including (1) conceptual confusion regarding Shared Decision-Making, (2) uncertainty in the process and (3) organisational factors which impeded Shared Decision-Making. Multiple interacting factors influence implementation of Shared Decision-Making by professionals working in complex community settings at the end of life. Moving from rhetoric to reality requires future work exploring the realities of Shared Decision-Making practice at individual, process and systems levels.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0653 TITLE: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS...Approach to Study the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Relapsing and Progressive MS 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e...compare the gut microbiome of subjects with RMS and PPMS. Major Task 1: To seek and obtain HRPO approval Major Task 2: Identification and

Concurrent Design used in the Design of Space Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oxnevad, Knut I.

1998-01-01

At the Project Design Center at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a concurrent design environment is under development for supporting development and analyses of space instruments in the early, conceptual design phases. This environment is being utilized by a Team I, a multidisciplinary group of experts. Team I is providing study and proposal support. To provide the required support, the Team I concurrent design environment features effectively interconnected high-end optics, CAD, and thermal design and analysis tools. Innovative approaches for linking tools, and for transferring files between applications have been implemented. These approaches together with effective sharing of geometry between the optics, CAD, and thermal tools are already showing significant timesavings.

Engagement and learning: an exploratory study of situated practice in multi-disciplinary stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Horton, Simon; Howell, Alison; Humby, Kate; Ross, Alexandra

2011-01-01

Active participation is considered to be a key factor in stroke rehabilitation. Patient engagement in learning is an important part of this process. This study sets out to explore how active participation and engagement are 'produced' in the course of day-to-day multi-disciplinary stroke rehabilitation. Ethnographic observation, analytic concepts drawn from discourse analysis (DA) and the perspective and methods of conversation analysis (CA) were applied to videotaped data from three sessions of rehabilitation therapy each for two patients with communication impairments (dysarthria, aphasia). Engagement was facilitated (and hindered) through the interactional work of patients and healthcare professionals. An institutional ethos of 'right practice' was evidenced in the working practices of therapists and aligned with or resisted by patients; therapeutic activity type (impairment, activity or functional focus) impacted on the ways in which patient engagement was developed and sustained. This exploration of multi-disciplinary rehabilitation practice adds a new dimension to our understanding of the barriers and facilitators to patient engagement in the learning process and provides scope for further research. Harmonising the rehabilitation process across disciplines through more focused attention to ways in which patient participation is enhanced may help improve the consistency and quality of patient engagement.

Multidisciplinary Special Education Efforts: A Transactional-Ecological Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buktenica, Norman A.

The rationale and philosophy for multidisciplinary activities by school psychologists and educators are presented with an emphasis on the acquisition of information on the social context of children's behavior and needs. Multidisciplinary training teams (MDTT) established over an eight-year period in elementary schools in Nashville, Kentucky, are…

Bearberry identification by a multidisciplinary study on commercial raw materials.

PubMed

Gallo, Francesca Romana; Multari, Giuseppina; Pagliuca, Giordana; Panusa, Alessia; Palazzino, Giovanna; Giambenedetti, Massimo; Petitto, Valentina; Nicoletti, Marcello

2013-04-01

Herbal species different from the official bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, are sold through conventional markets and also through non-controlled Internet websites, putting consumer safety at risk owing to the lack of quality control. Recently, Arctostaphylos pungens has become one of the most used species as a raw material for herbal medicines and dietary supplements in the place of official bearberry, a plant used for the treatment of various urinary disorders. A fingerprint identification based on an integrated application of different analytical techniques (HPTLC, NMR, HPLC-DAD and LC-ESI-MS) is here described to distinguish A. uva-ursi from A. pungens. The HPTLC and HPLC-DAD fingerprints resulted the simplest methods to differentiate the two species, whereas LC-ESI-MS was more useful to quantify arbutin, the main component of bearberry, and to evaluate its different content in the two species. This multidisciplinary study showed for the first time a specific phytochemical fingerprint of the new species A. pungens.

Helicopter vibration reduction using structural optimization with aeroelastic/multidisciplinary constraints - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedmann, Peretz P.

1991-01-01

This paper presents a survey of the state-of-the-art in the field of structural optimization when applied to vibration reduction of helicopters in forward flight with aeroelastic and multidisciplinary constraints. It emphasizes the application of the modern approach where the optimization is formulated as a mathematical programming problem, the objective function consists of the vibration levels at the hub, and behavior constraints are imposed on the blade frequencies and aeroelastic stability margins, as well as on a number of additional ingredients that can have a significant effect on the overall performance and flight mechanics of the helicopter. It is shown that the integrated multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft offers the potential for substantial improvements, which can be achieved by careful preliminary design and analysis without requiring additional hardware such as rotor vibration absorbers of isolation systems.

Transitions of Care Between Acute and Chronic Heart Failure: Critical Steps in the Design of a Multidisciplinary Care Model for the Prevention of Rehospitalization.

PubMed

Comín-Colet, Josep; Enjuanes, Cristina; Lupón, Josep; Cainzos-Achirica, Miguel; Badosa, Neus; Verdú, José María

2016-10-01

Despite advances in the treatment of heart failure, mortality, the number of readmissions, and their associated health care costs are very high. Heart failure care models inspired by the chronic care model, also known as heart failure programs or heart failure units, have shown clinical benefits in high-risk patients. However, while traditional heart failure units have focused on patients detected in the outpatient phase, the increasing pressure from hospital admissions is shifting the focus of interest toward multidisciplinary programs that concentrate on transitions of care, particularly between the acute phase and the postdischarge phase. These new integrated care models for heart failure revolve around interventions at the time of transitions of care. They are multidisciplinary and patient-centered, designed to ensure continuity of care, and have been demonstrated to reduce potentially avoidable hospital admissions. Key components of these models are early intervention during the inpatient phase, discharge planning, early postdischarge review and structured follow-up, advanced transition planning, and the involvement of physicians and nurses specialized in heart failure. It is hoped that such models will be progressively implemented across the country. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Improving Student Achievement in a Multidisciplinary Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Amanda; Bloxham, Sue

2004-01-01

This article analyses interim findings of an ongoing action research project into the use of assessment criteria and grade descriptors in the assessment process. The project is multidisciplinary and covers areas as diverse as Sports Sociology, Economics, Youth and Community Studies, and Education. The idea is to equip first-year students with the…

Integrated multidisciplinary CAD/CAE environment for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Przekwas, Andrzej J.

1999-03-01

Computational design of MEMS involves several strongly coupled physical disciplines, including fluid mechanics, heat transfer, stress/deformation dynamics, electronics, electro/magneto statics, calorics, biochemistry and others. CFDRC is developing a new generation multi-disciplinary CAD systems for MEMS using high-fidelity field solvers on unstructured, solution-adaptive grids for a full range of disciplines. The software system, ACE + MEMS, includes all essential CAD tools; geometry/grid generation for multi- discipline, multi-equation solvers, GUI, tightly coupled configurable 3D field solvers for FVM, FEM and BEM and a 3D visualization/animation tool. The flow/heat transfer/calorics/chemistry equations are solved with unstructured adaptive FVM solver, stress/deformation are computed with a FEM STRESS solver and a FAST BEM solver is used to solve linear heat transfer, electro/magnetostatics and elastostatics equations on adaptive polygonal surface grids. Tight multidisciplinary coupling and automatic interoperability between the tools was achieved by designing a comprehensive database structure and APIs for complete model definition. The virtual model definition is implemented in data transfer facility, a publicly available tool described in this paper. The paper presents overall description of the software architecture and MEMS design flow in ACE + MEMS. It describes current status, ongoing effort and future plans for the software. The paper also discusses new concepts of mixed-level and mixed- dimensionality capability in which 1D microfluidic networks are simulated concurrently with 3D high-fidelity models of discrete components.

Multidisciplinary analysis and design of printed wiring boards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulton, Robert E.; Hughes, Joseph L.; Scott, Waymond R., Jr.; Umeagukwu, Charles; Yeh, Chao-Pin

1991-04-01

Modern printed wiring board design depends on electronic prototyping using computer-based simulation and design tools. Existing electrical computer-aided design (ECAD) tools emphasize circuit connectivity with only rudimentary analysis capabilities. This paper describes a prototype integrated PWB design environment denoted Thermal Structural Electromagnetic Testability (TSET) being developed at Georgia Tech in collaboration with companies in the electronics industry. TSET provides design guidance based on enhanced electrical and mechanical CAD capabilities including electromagnetic modeling testability analysis thermal management and solid mechanics analysis. TSET development is based on a strong analytical and theoretical science base and incorporates an integrated information framework and a common database design based on a systematic structured methodology.

Pressure ulcer prevention: the role of the multidisciplinary team.

PubMed

Samuriwo, Ray

Pressure ulcer prevention has long been a priority for health professionals; however, poor pressure-ulcer-related practices like poor documentation continue to be identified. Research has shown that the attitude and behaviour of some nurses towards pressure ulcer prevention are not conducive to the best possible patient outcomes.This article reviews the findings of a Straussian grounded theory study, which sought to ascertain the value that is placed on pressure ulcer prevention by nurses, but also revealed the role that other health professionals in the multidisciplinary team play in the maintenance of skin integrity. The findings of this study which are presented in this paper highlight a number of important issues. Firstly, nurses are expected to know how to prevent and manage pressure ulcers, but in reality they are very reliant on the advice and support of other health professionals to maintain their patients' skin integrity. In addition,the level of support that nurses get from other health professionals in the multidisciplinary varies tremendously. Therefore, nurses in clinical practice need to be proactive in seeking input from other health professionals, as there are many members of the multidisciplinary team who are able to give them the advice and support that they need in prevention and management.

Multidisciplinary team simulation for the operating theatre: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Tan, Shaw Boon; Pena, Guilherme; Altree, Meryl; Maddern, Guy J

2014-01-01

Analyses of adverse events inside the operating theatre has demonstrated that many errors are caused by failure in non-technical skills and teamwork. While simulation has been used successfully for teaching and improving technical skills, more recently, multidisciplinary simulation has been used for training team skills. We hypothesized that this type of training is feasible and improves team skills in the operating theatre. A systematic search of the literature for studies describing true multidisciplinary operating theatre team simulation was conducted in November and December 2012. We looked at the characteristics and outcomes of the team simulation programmes. 1636 articles were initially retrieved. Utilizing a stepwise evaluation process, 26 articles were included in the review. The studies reveal that multidisciplinary operating theatre simulation has been used to provide training in technical and non-technical skills, to help implement new techniques and technologies, and to identify latent weaknesses within a health system. Most of the studies included are descriptions of training programmes with a low level of evidence. No randomized control trial was identified. Participants' reactions to the training programme were positive in all studies; however, none of them could objectively demonstrate that skills acquired from simulation are transferred to the operating theatre or show a demonstrable benefit in patient outcomes. Multidisciplinary operating room team simulation is feasible and widely accepted by participants. More studies are required to assess the impact of this type of training on operative performance and patient safety. © 2013 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

How interdisciplinary teams can create multi-disciplinary education: the interplay between team processes and educational quality.

PubMed

Stalmeijer, Renee E; Gijselaers, Wim H; Wolfhagen, Ineke H A P; Harendza, Sigrid; Scherpbier, Albert J J A

2007-11-01

Many undergraduate medical education programmes offer integrated multi-disciplinary courses, which are generally developed by a team of teachers from different disciplines. Research has shown that multi-disciplinary teams may encounter problems, which can be detrimental to productive co-operation, which in turn may diminish educational quality. Because we expected that charting these problems might yield suggestions for addressing them, we examined the relationships between team diversity, team processes and course quality. We administered a questionnaire to participants from 21 interdisciplinary teams from 1 Dutch and 1 German medical school, both of which were reforming their curriculum. An adapted questionnaire on team learning behaviours, which had been validated in business contexts, was used to collect data on team processes, team learning behaviours and diversity within teams. We examined the relationship between the team factors and educational quality measures of the courses designed by the teams. A total of 84 teachers (60%) completed the questionnaire. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that several aspects of diversity, conflict, working climate and learning behaviour were correlated with course quality. The negative effects of the diversity measures, notably, value diversity, on other team processes and course quality and the positive association between psychological safety and team learning suggest that educational quality might be improved by enhancing the functioning of multi-disciplinary teams responsible for course development. The relationship between team processes and educational quality should be studied among larger study populations. Student ratings should also be considered in measuring educational quality.

Hypersonic drone vehicle design: A multidisciplinary experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

UCLA's Advanced Aeronautic Design group focussed their efforts on design problems of an unmanned hypersonic vehicle. It is felt that a scaled hypersonic drone is necesary to bridge the gap between present theory on hypersonics and the future reality of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) for two reasons: (1) to fulfill a need for experimental data in the hypersonic regime, and (2) to provide a testbed for the scramjet engine which is to be the primary mode of propulsion for the NASP. The group concentrated on three areas of great concern to NASP design: propulsion, thermal management, and flight systems. Problem solving in these areas was directed toward design of the drone with the idea that the same design techniques could be applied to the NASP. A 70 deg swept double-delta wing configuration, developed in the 70's at the NASA Langley, was chosen as the aerodynamic and geometric model for the drone. This vehicle would be air launched from a B-1 at Mach 0.8 and 48,000 feet, rocket boosted by two internal engines to Mach 10 and 100,000 feet, and allowed to cruise under power of the scramjet engine until burnout. It would then return to base for an unpowered landing. Preliminary energy calculations based on flight requirements give the drone a gross launch weight of 134,000 pounds and an overall length of 85 feet.

Rapid Geometry Creation for Computer-Aided Engineering Parametric Analyses: A Case Study Using ComGeom2 for Launch Abort System Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawke, Veronica; Gage, Peter; Manning, Ted

2007-01-01

ComGeom2, a tool developed to generate Common Geometry representation for multidisciplinary analysis, has been used to create a large set of geometries for use in a design study requiring analysis by two computational codes. This paper describes the process used to generate the large number of configurations and suggests ways to further automate the process and make it more efficient for future studies. The design geometry for this study is the launch abort system of the NASA Crew Launch Vehicle.

The impact of the multidisciplinary team in the management of individuals with diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic review.

PubMed

Buggy, A; Moore, Z

2017-06-02

To assess the impact of the multidisciplinary team in the management of the diabetic foot compared with those who did not receive multidisciplinary care. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the following databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library. The following search terms were used: diabetic foot, multidisciplinary team, patient care team, multidisciplinary care team. Data were extracted using a bespoke data extraction tool and quality appraisal of the studies was undertaken using the EBL Critical Appraisal checklist. Data analysis was undertaken using RevMan with results presented as odds ratio for dichotomous data, or mean difference for continuous data, all with the associated 95% confidence intervals. The search identified 19 eligible studies. Severity of amputation, death rates and length of hospital stay of clients receiving multidisciplinary team care were improved when compared with those who did not receive multidisciplinary team care. Ulcer healing and quality of life showed an improvement but not all studies explored these outcomes. Only 7 of the 19 articles appraised were found to be of acceptable quality, questioning the generalisability of the results. From the currently available evidence a positive impact of the multidisciplinary team on diabetic foot outcomes can be seen, but due to the lack of high-quality evidence and substantial heterogeneity in the studies, these results should be interpreted with caution.

Practice and Impact of Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards on Patient Management: A Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Charara, Raghid N.; Kreidieh, Firas Y.; Farhat, Rania A.; Al-Feghali, Karine A.; Khoury, Katia E.; Haydar, Ali; Nassar, Lara; Berjawi, Ghina; Shamseddine, Ali

2017-01-01

Purpose Multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs) have become commonplace. The use, attendance, and function of MTBs need continued assessment and improvement. Methods We prospectively recorded and assessed all cases presented at MTBs between October 2013 and December 2014. Data were collected before and during each MTB. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 23 (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Results Five hundred three cases were presented: 234 cases (46%) at GI cancer MTBs, 149 cases (29.6%) at breast cancer MTBs, 69 cases (13.7%) at thoracic/head and neck cancer MTBs, and 51 cases (10.7%) at neuro-oncology MTBs. A total of 86.7% of MTB cases were presented to make plans for management. Plans for upfront management were made in 67% of the breast cancer cases, 63% of GI cases, 59% of thoracic/head and neck cases, and 49% of neuro-oncology cases. Three hundred ninety-four cases (78.3%) were presented by medical oncologists, whereas only 74 cases (14.7%) were presented by surgeons, and 10 cases (2%) were presented by radiation oncologists. The majority of MTBs, with the exception of the neurosurgery MTBs, were led by medical oncologists. Surgeons presented the least number of cases but attended the most, and their contributions to discussions and decision making were essential. Conclusion MTBs enhance the multidisciplinary management of patients with cancer. Upfront multidisciplinary decision making should be considered as an indicator of benefit from MTBs, in addition to changes in management plans made at MTBs. Increasing the contributions of surgeons to MTBs should include bringing more of their own cases for discussion. PMID:28717766

Using an Undergraduate Materials Research Project to Foster Multidisciplinary Teaming Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newell, James A.; Cleary, Doug D.

2004-01-01

This paper describes the use of undergraduate materials multidisciplinary research projects as a means of addressing the growing industrial demand for graduates experienced in working in multidisciplinary teams. It includes a detailed description of a project in which a multidisciplinary team of chemical engineering and civil engineering students…

The art of spacecraft design: A multidisciplinary challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdi, F.; Ide, H.; Levine, M.; Austel, L.

1989-01-01

Actual design turn-around time has become shorter due to the use of optimization techniques which have been introduced into the design process. It seems that what, how and when to use these optimization techniques may be the key factor for future aircraft engineering operations. Another important aspect of this technique is that complex physical phenomena can be modeled by a simple mathematical equation. The new powerful multilevel methodology reduces time-consuming analysis significantly while maintaining the coupling effects. This simultaneous analysis method stems from the implicit function theorem and system sensitivity derivatives of input variables. Use of the Taylor's series expansion and finite differencing technique for sensitivity derivatives in each discipline makes this approach unique for screening dominant variables from nondominant variables. In this study, the current Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) aerodynamic and sensitivity derivative/optimization techniques are applied for a simple cone-type forebody of a high-speed vehicle configuration to understand basic aerodynamic/structure interaction in a hypersonic flight condition.

A Multidisciplinary Research Team Approach to Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) System Selection. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franken, Ken; And Others

A multidisciplinary research team was assembled to review existing computer-aided drafting (CAD) systems for the purpose of enabling staff in the Design Drafting Department at Linn Technical College (Missouri) to select the best system out of the many CAD systems in existence. During the initial stage of the evaluation project, researchers…

The 6-year attendance of a multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinic in Italy: incidence of management changes.

PubMed

Magnani, Tiziana; Valdagni, Riccardo; Salvioni, Roberto; Villa, Sergio; Bellardita, Lara; Donegani, Simona; Nicolai, Nicola; Procopio, Giuseppe; Bedini, Nice; Rancati, Tiziana; Zaffaroni, Nadia

2012-10-01

Study Type - Therapy (decision analysis) Level of Evidence 2b. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The benefits of the multidisciplinary approach in oncology are widely recognised. In particular, managing patients with prostate cancer within a multidisciplinarity and multiprofessional context is of paramount importance, to address the complexity of a disease where patients may be offered multiple therapeutic and observational options handled by different specialists and having severe therapy-induced side-effects. The present study describes the establishing of a multidisciplinary clinic at the Prostate Cancer Programme of Milan Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, its effects on the quality of care provided, and strategies implemented to meet upcoming needs and improve quality standards. Having analysed the data of the 2260 multidisciplinary clinics held from March 2005 to March 2011, our dynamic and modifiable organisational model was evaluated for ways to optimise the human resources, offer high-quality standards, meet new needs and ultimately reduce costs. The study is focused on the organisational aspects and adds a perspective from one of the major oncological centres of reference in Italy and in Europe. To describe the establishing of a multidisciplinary clinic for men with prostate cancer at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan. • To evaluate the quality of care provided and to describe the management changes implemented to improve standards and meet new needs. In March 2005, we established a multidisciplinary clinic comprising weekly clinics and case-discussion sessions. • We have altered the organisational model periodically to meet new needs and improve quality. We held 2260 multidisciplinary clinics up to March 2011. • For stage distribution, patients with low-risk prostate cancer increased to a peak of 61% in 2009, probably because of the anticipation of diagnosis and the active surveillance expertise of the Prostate Cancer

Systematic Review of Multidisciplinary Chronic Pain Treatment Facilities

PubMed Central

Fashler, Samantha R.; Cooper, Lynn K.; Oosenbrug, Eric D.; Burns, Lindsay C.; Razavi, Shima; Goldberg, Lauren; Katz, Joel

2016-01-01

This study reviewed the published literature evaluating multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment facilities to provide an overview of their availability, caseload, wait times, and facility characteristics. A systematic literature review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines following a search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. Inclusion criteria stipulated that studies be original research, survey more than one pain treatment facility directly, and describe a range of available treatments. Fourteen articles satisfied inclusion criteria. Results showed little consistency in the research design used to describe pain treatment facilities. Availability of pain treatment facilities was scarce and the reported caseloads and wait times were generally high. A wide range of medical, physical, and psychological pain treatments were available. Most studies reported findings on the percentage of practitioners in different health care professions employed. Future studies should consider using more comprehensive search strategies to survey facilities, improving clarity on what is considered to be a pain treatment facility, and reporting on a consistent set of variables to provide a clear summary of the status of pain treatment facilities. This review highlights important information for policymakers on the scope, demand, and accessibility of pain treatment facilities. PMID:27445618

Multidisciplinary Obstetric Simulated Emergency Scenarios (MOSES): Promoting Patient Safety in Obstetrics with Teamwork-Focused Interprofessional Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeth, Della; Ayida, Gubby; Berridge, Emma Jane; Mackintosh, Nicola; Norris, Beverley; Sadler, Chris; Strachan, Alasdair

2009-01-01

Introduction: We describe an example of simulation-based interprofessional continuing education, the multidisciplinary obstetric simulated emergency scenarios (MOSES) course, which was designed to enhance nontechnical skills among obstetric teams and, hence, improve patient safety. Participants' perceptions of MOSES courses, their learning, and…

Multidisciplinary accident investigation : volume 1

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-09-01

The final report of the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team of the Maryland Medical-Legal Foundation, Inc. is presented. The report describes the methodology, results, discussions, conclusions and recommendations pertaining to the investiga...

Implementing web-based ping-pong-type e-communication to enhance staff satisfaction, multidisciplinary cooperation, and clinical effectiveness

PubMed Central

Yeh, Pei-Han; Hung, Shih-Kai; Lee, Moon-Sing; Chiou, Wen-Yen; Lai, Chun-Liang; Tsai, Wei-Ta; Hsieh, Hui-Ling; Shih, Yi-Ting; Chen, Liang-Cheng; Huang, Li-Wen; Lin, Yi-An; Lin, Po-Hao; Lin, Yung-Hsiang; Liu, Dai-Wei; Hsu, Feng-Chun; Tsai, Shiang-Jiun; Liu, Jia-Chi; Chung, En-Seu; Lin, Hon-Yi

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Frequent multidisciplinary communication is essential in conducting daily radiotherapy (RT) practice. However, traditional oral or paper-based communication has limitations. E-communication has been suggested, but its effects are still not well demarcated in the field of radiation oncology. Objects: In our web-based integrated information platform, we constructed a ping-pong-type e-communication function to transfer specific notations among multidisciplinary RT staffs. The purpose was to test whether applying this e-communication can increase effectiveness of multidisciplinary cooperation when compared with oral or paper-based practice. Staff satisfaction and clinical benefits were also demonstrated. Design and setting: A real-world quality-improving study was conducted in a large center of radiation oncology. Participants and dataset used: Before and after applying multidisciplinary e-communication (from 2014 to 2015), clinical RT staffs were surveyed for their user experience and satisfaction (n = 23). For measuring clinical effectiveness, a secondary database of irradiated head and neck cancer patients was re-analyzed for comparing RT toxicities (n = 402). Interventions: Applying ping-pong-type multidisciplinary reflective e-communication was the main intervention. Outcome measures: For measuring staff satisfaction, eight domains were surveyed, such as timeliness, convenience, and completeness. For measuring clinical effectiveness of multidisciplinary cooperation, event rates of severe (i.e., grade 3–4) RT mucositis and dermatitis were recorded. Results: Overall, when compared with oral communication only, e-communication demonstrated multiple benefits, particularly on notation-review convenience (2.00 ± 1.76 vs 9.19 ± 0.81; P < 0.0001). When compared with paper-based practice, e-communication showed statistically significant benefits on all eight domains, especially on notation-review convenience (5.05 ± 2.11 vs

Implementing web-based ping-pong-type e-communication to enhance staff satisfaction, multidisciplinary cooperation, and clinical effectiveness: A SQUIRE-compliant quality-improving study.

PubMed

Yeh, Pei-Han; Hung, Shih-Kai; Lee, Moon-Sing; Chiou, Wen-Yen; Lai, Chun-Liang; Tsai, Wei-Ta; Hsieh, Hui-Ling; Shih, Yi-Ting; Chen, Liang-Cheng; Huang, Li-Wen; Lin, Yi-An; Lin, Po-Hao; Lin, Yung-Hsiang; Liu, Dai-Wei; Hsu, Feng-Chun; Tsai, Shiang-Jiun; Liu, Jia-Chi; Chung, En-Seu; Lin, Hon-Yi

2016-11-01

Frequent multidisciplinary communication is essential in conducting daily radiotherapy (RT) practice. However, traditional oral or paper-based communication has limitations. E-communication has been suggested, but its effects are still not well demarcated in the field of radiation oncology. In our web-based integrated information platform, we constructed a ping-pong-type e-communication function to transfer specific notations among multidisciplinary RT staffs. The purpose was to test whether applying this e-communication can increase effectiveness of multidisciplinary cooperation when compared with oral or paper-based practice. Staff satisfaction and clinical benefits were also demonstrated. A real-world quality-improving study was conducted in a large center of radiation oncology. Before and after applying multidisciplinary e-communication (from 2014 to 2015), clinical RT staffs were surveyed for their user experience and satisfaction (n = 23). For measuring clinical effectiveness, a secondary database of irradiated head and neck cancer patients was re-analyzed for comparing RT toxicities (n = 402). Applying ping-pong-type multidisciplinary reflective e-communication was the main intervention. For measuring staff satisfaction, eight domains were surveyed, such as timeliness, convenience, and completeness. For measuring clinical effectiveness of multidisciplinary cooperation, event rates of severe (i.e., grade 3-4) RT mucositis and dermatitis were recorded. Overall, when compared with oral communication only, e-communication demonstrated multiple benefits, particularly on notation-review convenience (2.00 ± 1.76 vs 9.19 ± 0.81; P < 0.0001).When compared with paper-based practice, e-communication showed statistically significant benefits on all eight domains, especially on notation-review convenience (5.05 ± 2.11 vs 9.19 ± 0.81; P < 0.0001) and convenience of feedback notation (4.81 ± 1.72 vs 8.76 ± 1.09; P < 0

Brain mapping in cognitive disorders: a multidisciplinary approach to learning the tools and applications of functional neuroimaging

PubMed Central

Kelley, Daniel J; Johnson, Sterling C

2007-01-01

Background With rapid advances in functional imaging methods, human studies that feature functional neuroimaging techniques are increasing exponentially and have opened a vast arena of new possibilities for understanding brain function and improving the care of patients with cognitive disorders in the clinical setting. There is a growing need for medical centers to offer clinically relevant functional neuroimaging courses that emphasize the multifaceted and multidisciplinary nature of this field. In this paper, we describe the implementation of a functional neuroimaging course focusing on cognitive disorders that might serve as a model for other medical centers. We identify key components of an active learning course design that impact student learning gains in methods and issues pertaining to functional neuroimaging that deserve consideration when optimizing the medical neuroimaging curriculum. Methods Learning gains associated with the course were assessed using polychoric correlation analysis of responses to the SALG (Student Assessment of Learning Gains) instrument. Results Student gains in the functional neuroimaging of cognition as assessed by the SALG instrument were strongly associated with several aspects of the course design. Conclusion Our implementation of a multidisciplinary and active learning functional neuroimaging course produced positive learning outcomes. Inquiry-based learning activities and an online learning environment contributed positively to reported gains. This functional neuroimaging course design may serve as a useful model for other medical centers. PMID:17953758

Recent Experiences in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieski, J. (Compiler)

1984-01-01

Papers presented at the NASA Symposium on Recent Experiences in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization held at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia April 24 to 26, 1984 are given. The purposes of the symposium were to exchange information about the status of the application of optimization and associated analyses in industry or research laboratories to real life problems and to examine the directions of future developments. Information exchange has encompassed the following: (1) examples of successful applications; (2) attempt and failure examples; (3) identification of potential applications and benefits; (4) synergistic effects of optimized interaction and trade-offs occurring among two or more engineering disciplines and/or subsystems in a system; and (5) traditional organization of a design process as a vehicle for or an impediment to the progress in the design methodology.

NASA Subsonic Rotary Wing Project-Multidisciplinary Analysis and Technology Development: Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamauchi, Gloria K.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the objectives of the Multidisciplinary Analysis and Technology Development (MDATD) in the Subsonic Rotary Wing project. The objectives are to integrate technologies and analyses to enable advanced rotorcraft and provide a roadmap to guide Level 1 and 2 research. The MDATD objectives will be met by conducting assessments of advanced technology benefits, developing new or enhanced design tools, and integrating Level 2 discipline technologies to develop and enable system-level analyses and demonstrations.

Game playbooks: tools to guide multidisciplinary teams in developing videogame-based behavior change interventions.

PubMed

Duncan, Lindsay R; Hieftje, Kimberly D; Culyba, Sabrina; Fiellin, Lynn E

2014-03-01

As mobile technologies and videogaming platforms are becoming increasingly prevalent in the realm of health and healthcare, so are the opportunities to use these resources to conduct behavioral interventions. The creation and empirical testing of game style interventions, however, is challenged by the requisite collaboration of multidisciplinary teams, including researchers and game developers who have different cultures, terminologies, and standards of evidence. Thus, traditional intervention development tools such as logic models and intervention manuals may need to be augmented by creating what we have termed "Game Playbooks" which are intervention guidebooks that are created by, understood by, and acceptable to all members of the multidisciplinary game development team. The purpose of this paper is to describe the importance and content of a Game Playbook created to aide in the development of a videogame intervention designed specifically for health behavior change in young teens as well as the process for creating such a tool. We draw on the experience of our research and game design team to describe the critical components of the Game Playbook and the necessity of creating such a tool.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Research in Small-Scale Societies: Studying Emotions and Facial Expressions in the Field

PubMed Central

Crivelli, Carlos; Jarillo, Sergio; Fridlund, Alan J.

2016-01-01

Although cognitive science was multidisciplinary from the start, an under-emphasis on anthropology has left the field with limited research in small scale, indigenous societies. Neglecting the anthropological perspective is risky, given that once-canonical cognitive science findings have often been shown to be artifacts of enculturation rather than cognitive universals. This imbalance has become more problematic as the increased use of Western theory-driven approaches, many of which assume human uniformity (“universality”), confronts the absence of a robust descriptive base that might provide clarifying or even contrary evidence. We highlight the need for remedies to such shortcomings by suggesting a two-fold methodological shift. First, studies conducted in indigenous societies can benefit by relying on multidisciplinary research groups to diminish ethnocentrism and enhance the quality of the data. Second, studies devised for Western societies can readily be adapted to the changing settings encountered in the field. Here, we provide examples, drawn from the areas of emotion and facial expressions, to illustrate potential solutions to recurrent problems in enhancing the quality of data collection, hypothesis testing, and the interpretation of results. PMID:27486420

Review at a multidisciplinary tumor board impacts critical management decisions of pediatric patients with cancer.

PubMed

Thenappan, Arun; Halaweish, Ihab; Mody, Rajen J; Smith, Ethan A; Geiger, James D; Ehrlich, Peter F; Jasty Rao, Rama; Hutchinson, Raymond; Yanik, Gregory; Rabah, Raja M; Heider, Amer; Stoll, Tammy; Newman, Erika A

2017-02-01

Optimal cancer care requires a multidisciplinary approach. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary tumor board on the treatment plans of children with solid tumors. The records of 158 consecutive patients discussed at a formal multidisciplinary pediatric tumor board between July 2012 and April 2014 were reviewed. Treatment plans were based on clinical practice guidelines and on current Children's Oncology Group protocols. Alterations in radiologic, pathologic, surgical, and medical interpretations were analyzed to determine the impact on changes in recommendations for clinical management. Overall, 55 of 158 children (35%) had alterations in radiologic, pathologic, medical, or surgical interpretation of clinical data following multidisciplinary discussion. Of these, 64% had changes to the initial recommendation for clinical management. Review of imaging studies resulted in interpretation changes in 30 of 158 patients studied (19%), with 12 clinical management changes. Six of 158 patients (3.9%) had changes in pathologic interpretation, with four patients (2.5%) requiring treatment changes. In eight patients (5%), a change in medical management was recommended, while in 11 patients (7%) there were changes in surgical management that were based solely on discussion and not on interpretation of imaging or pathology. Formal multidisciplinary review led to alterations in interpretation of clinical data in 35% of patients, and the majority led to changes in recommendations for treatment. Comprehensive multidisciplinary tumor board incorporated into the care of children with cancer provides additional perspectives for families and care providers when delineating optimal treatment plans. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Outcome of physiotherapy as part of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation in an unselected polio population with one-year follow-up: an uncontrolled study.

PubMed

Bertelsen, Merete; Broberg, Susse; Madsen, Ellen

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of physiotherapy as part of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Prospective uncontrolled intervention study. Fifty patients with late effects of polio, first time referred to physiotherapy at the Danish Society of Polio and Accident Victims (PTU) Rehabilitation Centre. The intervention was physiotherapy as an essential part of an individually planned multidisciplinary rehabilitation. The outcome measures Six-Minute Walk Test and Timed-Stands Test were used to assess the functional capacity. Quality of life was evaluated by Medical Outcome Survey Short Form (SF-36) and fatigue by Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20). Patients were tested at baseline; 3 months after the start of rehabilitation and at one-year follow-up. The patients showed significantly better functional capacity on all measurements 3 months after start of intervention and at one-year follow-up. The patients showed significant improvement in 3 of the SF-36 dimensions regarding quality of life, but only the improvement in "general health" remained after one year. This study shows that patients with late effects of polio, who experience new problems related to polio, can benefit from an individually planned multidisciplinary intervention with emphasis on physiotherapy, and the improvement in physical capacity and general health can remain at one-year follow-up.

Multidisciplinary and biodanza intervention for the management of fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Carbonell-Baeza, Ana; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Aparicio, Virginia A; Martins-Pereira, Clelia M; Gatto-Cardia, M Claudia; Martinez, Jose M; Ortega, Francisco B; Delgado-Fernandez, Manuel

2012-01-01

To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of a 16-week multidisciplinary (exercise plus psychological therapy) and biodanza intervention in women with fibromyalgia. Thirty-eight women with fibromyalgia were distributed to a 16-week multidisciplinary (3-times/week) intervention (n=21) or Biodanza (1-time/week) intervention (n=17). We assessed tender point, body composition, physical fitness and psychological outcomes (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the Short-Form Health Survey 36 questionnaire (SF-36), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Vanderbilt Pain Management Inventory (VPMI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and General Self-Efficacy Scale). We observed a significant group*time interaction effect for the scales of SF-36 physical role (P=0.038) and social functioning (P=0.030) and for the passive coping scale in VPMI (P=0.043). Post hoc analysis revealed a significant improvement on social functioning (P=0.030) in the multidisciplinary group whereas it did not change in the Biodanza group. Post hoc analysis revealed a reduction in the use of passive coping (positive) (P less than 0.001) in the multidisciplinary group. There was no significant interaction or time effect in body composition and physical fitness. 16 weeks of multidisciplinary intervention induced greater benefits than a Biodanza intervention for social functioning and the use of passive coping strategies in women with fibromyalgia.

A multidisciplinary team care approach improves outcomes in high-risk pediatric neuroblastoma patients.

PubMed

Chang, Hsiu-Hao; Liu, Yen-Lin; Lu, Meng-Yao; Jou, Shiann-Tarng; Yang, Yung-Li; Lin, Dong-Tsamn; Lin, Kai-Hsin; Tzen, Kai-Yuan; Yen, Ruoh-Fang; Lu, Ching-Chu; Liu, Chia-Ju; Peng, Steven Shinn-Forng; Jeng, Yung-Ming; Huang, Shiu-Feng; Lee, Hsinyu; Juan, Hsueh-Fen; Huang, Min-Chuan; Liao, Yung-Feng; Lee, Ya-Ling; Hsu, Wen-Ming

2017-01-17

We assessed the impact of a multidisciplinary team care program on treatment outcomes in neuroblastoma patients. Newly diagnosed neuroblastoma patients received treatment under the Taiwan Pediatric Oncology Group (TPOG) N2002 protocol at the National Taiwan University Hospital beginning in 2002. A multidisciplinary team care approach that included nurse-led case management for patients treated under this protocol began in January 2010. Fifty-eight neuroblastoma patients, including 29 treated between 2002 and 2009 (Group 1) and 29 treated between 2010 and 2014 (Group 2), were enrolled in the study. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates for all 58 patients were 59% and 54.7%, respectively. Group 2 patients, who were treated after implementation of the multidisciplinary team care program, had better 3-year EFS (P = 0.046), but not OS (P = 0.16), rates than Group 1 patients. In a multivariate analysis, implementation of the multidisciplinary team approach was the only significant independent prognostic factor for neuroblastoma patients. In further subgroup analyses, the multidisciplinary team approach improved EFS, but not OS, in patients with stage 4 disease, those in the high-risk group, and those with non-MYCN amplified tumors. These data indicate a multidisciplinary team care approach improved survival outcomes in high-risk neuroblastoma patients. However, further investigation will be required to evaluate the long-term effects of this approach over longer follow-up periods.

Multidisciplinary pain facility treatment outcome for pain-associated fatigue.

PubMed

Fishbain, David A; Lewis, John; Cole, Brandly; Cutler, Brian; Smets, Eve; Rosomoff, Hubert; Rosomoff, Rennee Steele

2005-01-01

Fatigue is frequently found in chronic pain patients (CPPs) and may be etiologically related to the presence of pain. Fishbain et al. have recently demonstrated that chronic low back pain (LBP) and chronic neck pain patients are more fatigued than controls. The purpose of this study was to determine whether chronic LBP- and chronic neck pain-associated fatigue responded to multidisciplinary multimodal treatment not specifically targeted to the treatment of fatigue. A total of 85 chronic LBP and 33 chronic neck pain patients completed the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS), and Beck Depression Inventory on admission. In addition, an information tool was completed on each CPP by the senior author. This tool listed demographic information, primary and secondary pain diagnoses, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) psychiatric diagnoses assigned, pain location, pain precipitating event, type of injury, years in pain, number of surgeries, type of surgery, type of pain pattern, opioids consumed per day in morphine equivalents, worker compensation status, and whether, according to the clinical examination, the CPP had a neuropathic pain component. At completion of the multidisciplinary multimodal treatment, each CPP again completed the MFI. Student's t-test was utilized to test for statistical changes on the MFI five scales from pre- to post-treatment. Pearson and point-biserial correlations were utilized to determine which variables significantly correlated with MFI change scores. Variables found significant at less than or equal to 0.01 were utilized in a stepwise aggression analysis to find variables predictive of change in MFI scores. Multidisciplinary pain facility. Chronic LBP and chronic neck pain patients. Multidisciplinary multimodal treatment significantly improved CPP fatigue as measured by the MFI. The available variables utilized to predict fatigue best explained only a small percentage

Total-System Approach To Design And Analysis Of Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verderaime, V.

1995-01-01

Paper presents overview and study of, and comprehensive approach to, multidisciplinary engineering design and analysis of structures. Emphasizes issues related to design of semistatic structures in environments in which spacecraft launched, underlying concepts applicable to other structures within unique terrestrial, marine, or flight environments. Purpose of study to understand interactions among traditionally separate engineering design disciplines with view toward optimizing not only structure but also overall design process.

Recent advances in integrated multidisciplinary optimization of rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Howard M.; Walsh, Joanne L.; Pritchard, Jocelyn I.

1992-01-01

A joint activity involving NASA and Army researchers at NASA LaRC to develop optimization procedures to improve the rotor blade design process by integrating appropriate disciplines and accounting for all of the important interactions among the disciplines is described. The disciplines involved include rotor aerodynamics, rotor dynamics, rotor structures, airframe dynamics, and acoustics. The work is focused on combining these five key disciplines in an optimization procedure capable of designing a rotor system to satisfy multidisciplinary design requirements. Fundamental to the plan is a three-phased approach. In phase 1, the disciplines of blade dynamics, blade aerodynamics, and blade structure are closely coupled while acoustics and airframe dynamics are decoupled and are accounted for as effective constraints on the design for the first three disciplines. In phase 2, acoustics is integrated with the first three disciplines. Finally, in phase 3, airframe dynamics is integrated with the other four disciplines. Representative results from work performed to date are described. These include optimal placement of tuning masses for reduction of blade vibratory shear forces, integrated aerodynamic/dynamic optimization, and integrated aerodynamic/dynamic/structural optimization. Examples of validating procedures are described.

Multidisciplinary accident investigation : volume 2

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-05-01

The Task II final report for 1974 of the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation : Team of the Maryland Medical-Legal Foundation, Inc. is presented. This report describes some preliminary findings emanating from a series of comprehensive, multivaria...

Multidisciplinary ALS care improves quality of life in patients with ALS.

PubMed

Van den Berg, J P; Kalmijn, S; Lindeman, E; Veldink, J H; de Visser, M; Van der Graaff, M M; Wokke, J H J; Van den Berg, L H

2005-10-25

To examine the effect of multidisciplinary ALS care on the quality-of-life (QoL) in patients with ALS and their caregivers. In a cross-sectional study, 208 patients with ALS and their caregivers were interviewed. QoL was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and two visual analogue scales (VAS). Criteria for multidisciplinary ALS care were: an ALS team headed by a consultant in rehabilitation medicine and consisting of at least a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist, dietician and a social worker; use of the Dutch ALS consensus guidelines for ALS care; and at least six incident ALS patients per year. Clinical characteristics and functional loss of the 133 patients receiving multidisciplinary ALS care and the 75 patients receiving general ALS care were similar. The percentage of patients with adequate aids and appliances was higher in those with multidisciplinary ALS care (93.1 vs 81.3%, p = 0.008), whereas the number of visits to professional caregivers was similar in both groups. Patients in the multidisciplinary ALS care group had a better mental QoL on the SF-36 Mental Summary Score than those in the general care group (p = 0.01). The difference in QoL was most pronounced in the domains of Social Functioning and Mental Health, and was independent of the presence of aids and appliances. No significant differences were found in the SF-36 Physical Summary Score, VAS, or in QoL of caregivers of patients with ALS. High standard of care improves mental quality-of-life in patients with ALS.

Implementation of a lung cancer multidisciplinary team standardised template for reporting to general practitioners: a mixed-method study

PubMed Central

Collett, Gemma K; Brown, Clare M; Shaw, Tim J; White, Kahren M; Beale, Philip J; Anderiesz, Cleola; Barnes, David J

2017-01-01

Objectives Few interventions have been designed that provide standardised information to primary care clinicians about the diagnostic and treatment recommendations resulting from cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) (tumour board) meetings. This study aimed to develop, implement and evaluate a standardised template for lung cancer MDTs to provide clinical information and treatment recommendations to general practitioners (GPs). Specific objectives were to (1) evaluate template feasibility (acceptability, appropriateness and timeliness) with GPs and (2) document processes of preimplementation, implementation and evaluation within the MDT setting. Design A mixed-method study design using structured interviews with GPs and qualitative documentation of project logs about implementation processes. Setting Two hospitals in Central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Participants: 61 GPs evaluated the template. Two lung cancer MDTs, consisting of 33 clinicians, and eight researchers participated in template development and implementation strategy. Results The MDT-reporting template appears to be a feasible way of providing clinical information to GPs following patient presentation at a lung cancer MDT meeting. Ninety-five per cent of GPs strongly agreed or agreed that the standardised template provided useful and relevant information, that it was received in a timely manner (90%) and that the information was easy to interpret and communicate to the patient (84%). Implementation process data show that the investment made in the preimplementation stage to integrate the template into standard work practices was a critical factor in successful implementation. Conclusions This study demonstrates that it is feasible to provide lung cancer MDT treatment recommendations to GPs through implementation of a standardised template. A simple intervention, such as a standardised template, can help to address quality gaps and ensure that timely information is communicated between tertiary

The CTSA as an Exemplar Framework for Developing Multidisciplinary Translational Teams

PubMed Central

Calhoun, William J.; Wooten, Kevin; Bhavnani, Suresh; Anderson, Karl E.; Freeman, Jean

2012-01-01

Abstract Translational science requires that scientists from multiple disciplines work together to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human disease. Although a literature exists on the design and management of multidisciplinary teams, little has been written on multidisciplinary translational teams (MTTs). MTTs are distinct hybrid entities, with goals taken from both industry and academic models. We identified 30 design factors in 10 domains from a literature survey relevant to our MTT model: specific goals, structures, and processes. These dimensions were adapted to our own institutional environment in the selection and management of 11 MTTs that exploited resources of University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Clinical and Translational Sciences Awards (CTSA). Case illustrations of two specific MTTs illustrate some of the challenges encountered and opportunities realized in terms of education and scientific advances. Network depiction of disciplinarity indicated that CTSA KRs and CTSA leadership contributed to discipline diversity especially in small (or nascent) MTTs. A separate depiction of MTT‐KR utilization indicated that data analysis, translational technologies, and novel methods were heavily utilized by MTTs, whereas other KRs contributed significant effort to infrastructure development. We conclude that the CTSA can provide a rich 
infrastructural framework and scientific environment for the development of successful MTTs. Clin Trans Sci 2013; Volume 6: 60–71 PMID:23399092

The Johns Hopkins Venous Thromboembolism Collaborative: Multidisciplinary team approach to achieve perfect prophylaxis.

PubMed

Streiff, Michael B; Lau, Brandyn D; Hobson, Deborah B; Kraus, Peggy S; Shermock, Kenneth M; Shaffer, Dauryne L; Popoola, Victor O; Aboagye, Jonathan K; Farrow, Norma A; Horn, Paula J; Shihab, Hasan M; Pronovost, Peter J; Haut, Elliott R

2016-12-01

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an important cause of preventable harm in hospitalized patients. The critical steps in delivery of optimal VTE prevention care include (1) assessment of VTE and bleeding risk for each patient, (2) prescription of risk-appropriate VTE prophylaxis, (3) administration of risk-appropriate VTE prophylaxis in a patient-centered manner, and (4) continuously monitoring outcomes to identify new opportunities for learning and performance improvement. To ensure that every hospitalized patient receives VTE prophylaxis consistent with their individual risk level and personal care preferences, we organized a multidisciplinary task force, the Johns Hopkins VTE Collaborative. To achieve the goal of perfect prophylaxis for every patient, we developed evidence-based, specialty-specific computerized clinical decision support VTE prophylaxis order sets that assist providers in ordering risk-appropriate VTE prevention. We developed novel strategies to improve provider VTE prevention ordering practices including face-to-face performance reviews, pay for performance, and provider VTE scorecards. When we discovered that prescription of risk-appropriate VTE prophylaxis does not ensure its administration, our multidisciplinary research team conducted in-depth surveys of patients, nurses, and physicians to design a multidisciplinary patient-centered educational intervention to eliminate missed doses of pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis that has been funded by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute. We expect that the studies currently underway will bring us closer to the goal of perfect VTE prevention care for every patient. Our learning journey to eliminate harm from VTE can be applied to other types of harm. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:S8-S14. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine.

[Effects of multidisciplinary blood management strategy on transfusion and outcomes in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery].

PubMed

Ji, Hongwen; Li, Zhiyuan; Sun, Hansong; Li, Lihuan; Long, Cun; Ma, Li; Chen, Lei; Wang, Wei; Hu, Shengshou

2014-02-25

To evaluate the effect of multidisciplinary blood management strategy in adults patients undergoing valvular heart surgery. A multidisciplinary patient blood management (PBM) strategy was instituted in Fuwai Hospital since January 2009. It includes Establishment of a multidisciplinary blood transfusion management team and designation of a coordinator; Enactment perioperative transfusion triggers (Hb < 80 g/L) for adults patients undergoing cardiac surgery; recommendation of antifibrinolytics, cell salvage, reduced cardiopulmonary bypass circuit; setting up Blood Consumption Announcement and Scoring System, which regularly publishes notifications of blood volume consumed per case, per single procedure and per surgeon. Clinical date before and after multidisciplinary patient blood management strategy will be presented. A total of 3 951 consecutive patients underwent Valvular Heart Surgery were analyzed. 1 713 cases were in pre-PBM group, and 2 238 cases were in post-PBM group. Both incidence and average units of allogeneic red blood cell transfusion perioperatively in post-PBM group were decreased (28.5% vs 75.3%, P = 0.000, and 1.2 U vs 4.0 U, P = 0.000). The postoperative length of stay in hospital and incidence of pneumonia were reduced in post-PBM group (8.2 d vs 10.5 d, P = 0.02, and 2.7% vs 3.5%, P = 0.04). The post-PBM group had lower in-hospital mortality (0.6% vs 1.2%, P = 0.000). Multidisciplinary patient blood management strategy significantly reduced blood transfusion, morbidity and mortality in patients underwent valvular heart surgery. It save plenty of blood resources.

Multifidelity, multidisciplinary optimization of turbomachines with shock interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joly, Michael Marie

Research on high-speed air-breathing propulsion aims at developing aircraft with antipodal range and space access. Before reaching high speed at high altitude, the flight vehicle needs to accelerate from takeoff to scramjet takeover. Air turbo rocket engines combine turbojet and rocket engine cycles to provide the necessary thrust in the so-called low-speed regime. Challenges related to turbomachinery components are multidisciplinary, since both the high compression ratio compressor and the powering high-pressure turbine operate in the transonic regime in compact environments with strong shock interactions. Besides, lightweight is vital to avoid hindering the scramjet operation. Recent progress in evolutionary computing provides aerospace engineers with robust and efficient optimization algorithms to address concurrent objectives. The present work investigates Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) of innovative transonic turbomachinery components. Inter-stage aerodynamic shock interaction in turbomachines are known to generate high-cycle fatigue on the rotor blades compromising their structural integrity. A soft-computing strategy is proposed to mitigate the vane downstream distortion, and shown to successfully attenuate the unsteady forcing on the rotor of a high-pressure turbine. Counter-rotation offers promising prospects to reduce the weight of the machine, with fewer stages and increased load per row. An integrated approach based on increasing level of fidelity and aero-structural coupling is then presented and allows achieving a highly loaded compact counter-rotating compressor.

Multi-Disciplinary Learning through a Database Development Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Vincent; Lau, Chloe; Shum, Pearl

2012-01-01

Recently, there are many good examples of how multi-disciplinary learning can support students to learn collaboratively and not solely focus on a single professional sector. During the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semesters, we have attempted to gather students studying different professional domains together. Students from the Department of…

Effects of a multidisciplinary group rehabilitation programme on participation of the visually impaired elderly: a pilot study.

PubMed

Alma, Manna A; Groothoff, Johan W; Melis-Dankers, Bart J M; Post, Marcel W M; Suurmeijer, Theo P B M; van der Mei, Sijrike F

2012-01-01

To pilot test the newly developed multidisciplinary group rehabilitation programme Visually Impaired elderly Persons Participating (VIPP). A single group pretest-posttest design pilot study included 29 visually impaired persons (≥ 55 years). The intervention (20 weekly meetings) consisted of four components (practical training; education, social interaction, counselling and training of problem-solving skills; individual and group goal setting; home-based exercise programme). Participation was assessed with the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation (USER-P) and the Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA) questionnaire at baseline, immediately and 6 months after the intervention. At scale level, no statistical significant changes over time were found whereas the effect size indicated small effects for restrictions and satisfaction with participation, and a medium effect for autonomy outdoors. At item level, improvements tended to occur in frequency of housekeeping, in restrictions in housekeeping and outdoor activities and in satisfaction with the partner relationship. Satisfaction with leisure indoors and autonomy regarding using leisure time tended to increase as well. The tentative conclusion of this small-scale pilot study is that the VIPP programme modestly benefits perceived restrictions in participation, satisfaction with participation and autonomy outdoors of the visually impaired elderly. These preliminary findings warrant further investigation.

Development and Validation of a Multidisciplinary Mobile Care System for Patients With Advanced Gastrointestinal Cancer: Interventional Observation Study.

PubMed

Soh, Ji Yeong; Cha, Won Chul; Chang, Dong Kyung; Hwang, Ji Hye; Kim, Kihyung; Rha, Miyong; Kwon, Hee

2018-05-07

Mobile health apps have emerged as supportive tools in the management of advanced cancers. However, only a few apps have self-monitoring features, and they are not standardized and validated. This study aimed to develop and validate a multidisciplinary mobile care system with self-monitoring features that can be useful for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. The development of the multidisciplinary mobile health management system was divided into 3 steps. First, the service scope was set up, and the measurement tools were standardized. Second, the service flow of the mobile care system was organized. Third, the mobile app (Life Manager) was developed. The app was developed to achieve 3 major clinical goals: support for quality of life, nutrition, and rehabilitation. Three main functional themes were developed to achieve clinical goals: a to-do list, health education, and in-app chat. Thirteen clinically oriented measures were included: the modified Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events questionnaire, Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), distress, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, Low anterior resection syndrome score, satisfaction rate, etc. To validate the system, a prospective observational study was conducted. Patients with gastric cancer or colon cancer undergoing chemotherapy were recruited. We followed the subjects for 12 weeks, and selected clinical measures were taken online and offline. After the development process, a multidisciplinary app, the Life Manager, was launched. For evaluation, 203 patients were recruited for the study, of whom 101 (49.8%) had gastric cancer, and 102 (50.2%) were receiving palliative care. Most patients were in their fifties (35.5%), and 128 (63.1%) were male. Overall, 176 subjects (86.7%) completed the study. Among subjects who

A Multidisciplinary Engineering Summer School in an Industrial Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsen, Peter Gorm; Fernandes, Joao M.; Habel, Jacek; Lehrskov, Hanne; Vos, Richard J. C.; Wallington, Oliver; Zidek, Jan

2009-01-01

Most university-level engineering studies produce technically skilled engineers. However, typically students face several difficulties when working in multidisciplinary teams when they initiate their industrial careers. In a globalised world, it becomes increasingly important that engineers are capable of collaborating across disciplinary…

a Multidisciplinary Analytical Framework for Studying Active Mobility Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orellana, D.; Hermida, C.; Osorio, P.

2016-06-01

Intermediate cities are urged to change and adapt their mobility systems from a high energy-demanding motorized model to a sustainable low-motorized model. In order to accomplish such a model, city administrations need to better understand active mobility patterns and their links to socio-demographic and cultural aspects of the population. During the last decade, researchers have demonstrated the potential of geo-location technologies and mobile devices to gather massive amounts of data for mobility studies. However, the analysis and interpretation of this data has been carried out by specialized research groups with relatively narrow approaches from different disciplines. Consequently, broader questions remain less explored, mainly those relating to spatial behaviour of individuals and populations with their geographic environment and the motivations and perceptions shaping such behaviour. Understanding sustainable mobility and exploring new research paths require an interdisciplinary approach given the complex nature of mobility systems and their social, economic and environmental impacts. Here, we introduce the elements for a multidisciplinary analytical framework for studying active mobility patterns comprised of three components: a) Methodological, b) Behavioural, and c) Perceptual. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework by analysing mobility patterns of cyclists and pedestrians in an intermediate city integrating a range of techniques, including: GPS tracking, spatial analysis, auto-ethnography, and perceptual mapping. The results demonstrated the existence of non-evident spatial behaviours and how perceptual features affect mobility. This knowledge is useful for developing policies and practices for sustainable mobility planning.

A Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Brain Metastases Clinic: The University of North Carolina Experience.

PubMed

McKee, Megan J; Keith, Kevin; Deal, Allison M; Garrett, Amy L; Wheless, Amy A; Green, Rebecca L; Benbow, Julie M; Dees, E Claire; Carey, Lisa A; Ewend, Matthew G; Anders, Carey K; Zagar, Timothy M

2016-01-01

Breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) confers a poor prognosis and is unusual in requiring multidisciplinary care in the metastatic setting. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) has created a BCBM clinic to provide medical and radiation oncology, neurosurgical, and supportive services to this complex patient population. We describe organization and design of the clinic as well as characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of the patients seen in its first 3 years. Clinical and demographic data were collected from patients in a prospectively maintained database. Descriptive statistics are reported as percentages and means. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate time-to-event outcomes. Sixty-five patients were seen between January 2012 and January 2015. At the time of presentation to the BCBM clinic, most patients (74%) had multiple (≥2) brain metastases and had received prior systemic (77%) and whole-brain radiation therapy and/or central nervous system stereotactic radiosurgery (65%) in the metastatic setting. Seventy-eight percent returned for a follow-up visit; 32% were enrolled in a clinical trial. Median time from diagnosis of brain metastasis to death was 2.11 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-2.47) for all patients, 1.15 years (95% CI 0.4-2.43) for triple-negative breast cancer, 1.31 years (95% CI 0.51-2.52) for hormone receptor-positive/HER2- breast cancer, and 3.03 years (95% CI lower limit 1.94, upper limit not estimable) for HER2+ breast cancer (p = .0037). Patients with BCBM have unique and complex needs that require input from several oncologic disciplines. The development of the UNC-CH multidisciplinary BCBM clinic is a model that can be adapted at other centers to provide coordinated care for patients with a challenging and complex disease. Patients with breast cancer brain metastases often require unique multidisciplinary care to meet the numerous and uncommon challenges associated with their conditions. Here, the

Multidisciplinary Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer

PubMed Central

Varkey, Prashanth; Liu, Yi-Tien; Tan, Ngian Chye

2010-01-01

Head and neck cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity worldwide. Multimodality treatment is often the only way to achieve improved function, quality of life, and survival, calling for a multidisciplinary team approach, particularly in view of the rapid advances being made in various fields. The roles of the head and neck surgeon and reconstructive surgeon are discussed, together with the input afforded by specialists in areas such as diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, medical oncology, and gene therapy. Telemedicine is of importance in centers where multidisciplinary expertise is not available. PMID:22550455

Multidisciplinary Teamwork in Autism: Can One Size Fit All?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillenburger, Karola; Röttgers, Hanns-Rüdiger; Dounavi, Katerina; Sparkman, Coleen; Keenan, Mickey; Thyer, Bruce; Nikopoulos, Christos

2014-01-01

Multidisciplinary practice has become an accepted approach in many education and social and health care fields. In fact, the right to a multidisciplinary assessment is enshrined in the United Nations Convention of the Rights for Persons with Disabilities (United Nations, 2007). In order to avert a "one size fits all" response to…

Charting Multidisciplinary Team External Dynamics Using a Systems Thinking Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barthelemy, Jean-Francois; Waszak, Martin R.; Jones, Kenneth M.; Silcox, Richard J.; Silva, Walter A.; Nowaczyk, Ronald H.

1998-01-01

Using the formalism provided by the Systems Thinking approach, the dynamics present when operating multidisciplinary teams are examined in the context of the NASA Langley Research and Technology Group, an R&D organization organized along functional lines. The paper focuses on external dynamics and examines how an organization creates and nurtures the teams and how it disseminates and retains the lessons and expertise created by the multidisciplinary activities. Key variables are selected and the causal relationships between the variables are identified. Five "stories" are told, each of which touches on a different aspect of the dynamics. The Systems Thinking Approach provides recommendations as to interventions that will facilitate the introduction of multidisciplinary teams and that therefore will increase the likelihood of performing successful multidisciplinary developments. These interventions can be carried out either by individual researchers, line management or program management.

Does gender influence outcomes from a multidisciplinary intervention for quality of life designed for patients with advanced cancer?

PubMed

Lapid, Maria I; Atherton, Pamela J; Kung, Simon; Cheville, Andrea L; McNiven, Molly; Sloan, Jeff A; Clark, Matthew M; Rummans, Teresa A

2013-09-01

Cancer treatment can profoundly impact the patient's quality of life (QOL). It has been well documented that there are gender differences in the symptoms associated with cancer treatment. This study explores the impact of gender on QOL for patients with newly diagnosed advanced cancer. A randomized, controlled clinical trial in patients receiving radiotherapy for advanced cancer demonstrated maintenance of QOL with a six session multidisciplinary structured intervention compared to controls. This current study reports the gender differences in that trial. Outcome measures included the functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G), linear analog self-assessment (LASA), and profile of mood states (POMS) at baseline and weeks 4, 27, and 52. Kruskal-Wallis was used to compare QOL scores. One hundred thirty-one patients (45 women and 86 men, mean age 58.7) participated in the clinical trial. At week 4 postintervention, women in the intervention group had statistically significant improvement in their FACT-G score, FACT-G physical well-being subscale, LASA fatigue, POMS total score, POMS fatigue-inertia subscale, and POMS confusion-bewilderment subscale (p < 0.05). Men receiving the intervention had a smaller decrease in FACT-G score compared to controls (p = 0.048) and also worsened on the LASA financial (p = 0.02). At week 27, the only gender difference was that intervention group men had more POMS anger-hostility (p = 0.009). By week 52, there were no statistically significant gender differences in any of the QOL measures. Gender-based differences appear to play a role in the early, but not late, response to a multidisciplinary intervention to improve QOL for patients with advanced cancer, suggesting that early interventions can be tailored for each gender.

Probabilistic Multi-Scale, Multi-Level, Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization of Engine Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, Christos C.; Abumeri, Galib H.

2000-01-01

Aircraft engines are assemblies of dynamically interacting components. Engine updates to keep present aircraft flying safely and engines for new aircraft are progressively required to operate in more demanding technological and environmental requirements. Designs to effectively meet those requirements are necessarily collections of multi-scale, multi-level, multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization methods and probabilistic methods are necessary to quantify respective uncertainties. These types of methods are the only ones that can formally evaluate advanced composite designs which satisfy those progressively demanding requirements while assuring minimum cost, maximum reliability and maximum durability. Recent research activities at NASA Glenn Research Center have focused on developing multi-scale, multi-level, multidisciplinary analysis and optimization methods. Multi-scale refers to formal methods which describe complex material behavior metal or composite; multi-level refers to integration of participating disciplines to describe a structural response at the scale of interest; multidisciplinary refers to open-ended for various existing and yet to be developed discipline constructs required to formally predict/describe a structural response in engine operating environments. For example, these include but are not limited to: multi-factor models for material behavior, multi-scale composite mechanics, general purpose structural analysis, progressive structural fracture for evaluating durability and integrity, noise and acoustic fatigue, emission requirements, hot fluid mechanics, heat-transfer and probabilistic simulations. Many of these, as well as others, are encompassed in an integrated computer code identified as Engine Structures Technology Benefits Estimator (EST/BEST) or Multi-faceted/Engine Structures Optimization (MP/ESTOP). The discipline modules integrated in MP/ESTOP include: engine cycle (thermodynamics), engine weights, internal fluid mechanics

[Problematizing the multidisciplinary residency in oncology: a practical teaching protocol from the perspective of nurse residents].

PubMed

Melo, Myllena Cândida de; Queluci, Gisella de Carvalho; Gouvêa, Mônica Villela

2014-08-01

To investigate practical teaching of nurse residents in a multidisciplinary residency in oncology. A qualitative descriptive study grounded in the problematization methodology and its steps, represented by the Maguerez Arch. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Potentiating and limiting elements of the residency guided the design of a practical teaching protocol from the perspective of residents, structured in three stages: Welcoming and ambience; Nursing care for problem situations; and, Evaluation process. Systematization of practical teaching promoted the autonomy of individuals and the approximation of teaching to reality, making residency less strenuous, stressful and distressing.

Update on Integrated Optical Design Analyzer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, James D., Jr.; Troy, Ed

2003-01-01

Updated information on the Integrated Optical Design Analyzer (IODA) computer program has become available. IODA was described in Software for Multidisciplinary Concurrent Optical Design (MFS-31452), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 10 (October 2001), page 8a. To recapitulate: IODA facilitates multidisciplinary concurrent engineering of highly precise optical instruments. The architecture of IODA was developed by reviewing design processes and software in an effort to automate design procedures. IODA significantly reduces design iteration cycle time and eliminates many potential sources of error. IODA integrates the modeling efforts of a team of experts in different disciplines (e.g., optics, structural analysis, and heat transfer) working at different locations and provides seamless fusion of data among thermal, structural, and optical models used to design an instrument. IODA is compatible with data files generated by the NASTRAN structural-analysis program and the Code V (Registered Trademark) optical-analysis program, and can be used to couple analyses performed by these two programs. IODA supports multiple-load-case analysis for quickly accomplishing trade studies. IODA can also model the transient response of an instrument under the influence of dynamic loads and disturbances.

MOSAiC - Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shupe, M.; Persson, O. P.; Tjernstrom, M. K.; Dethloff, K.

2012-12-01

The climate in the Arctic is changing faster than in other regions of the Earth, with near surface temperatures rising more than twice as fast as the global average and the perennial sea-ice cover shrinking fast, especially in summer. The Arctic is transitioning towards a new climate regime dominated by first year sea-ice. At the same time, the scientific understanding of processes and feedbacks causing this rapid change is poor and climate modeling in the Arctic remains problematic. Furthermore, the key physical processes and process-interactions in this new emerging Arctic system are likely different from those in the old system that was dominated by multi-year ice. Our understanding of this complex climate system, and ability to improve climate and weather models, is limited by the lack of observations in the extreme and remote central Arctic. Multi-year, detailed and comprehensive measurements, extending from the atmosphere through the sea-ice and into the ocean in the central Arctic Basin are needed to provide process-level understanding of the central Arctic climate system. To address this need, a manned, international drifting station will be installed in the young sea-ice of the western Arctic and follow the evolution of the ice pack as it proceeds through the transpolar drift towards the Fram Strait over the course of 1-2 years. The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC), proposed to start in autumn 2017, will be guided by the broad theme: What are the causes and consequences of diminished Arctic sea-ice coverage? To address this theme requires a number of interdisciplinary investigations that target more specific science questions. *How do ongoing changes in the Arctic ice-ocean-atmosphere system drive heat and mass transfers of importance to climate and ecosystems? *What are the processes and feedbacks affecting sea ice cover, atmosphere-ocean stratification and energy budget in the Arctic? *Will an ice reduced

Multidisciplinary, Nurse-Led Psychiatric Consultation in Nursing Homes: A Pilot Study in Clinical Practice.

PubMed

Koekkoek, Bauke; van Baarsen, Carlijn; Steenbeek, Mirella

2016-07-01

To determine the effects of multidisciplinary, nurse-led psychiatric consultation on behavioral problems of nursing home residents. Residents often suffer from psychiatric symptoms, while staff psychiatric expertise varies. A pre-post study was conducted in seven homes using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home version (NPI-NH). In 71 consultations during 18 months, 56-75% of residents suffered from agitation/aggression, depression, anxiety, and disinhibition. Post-intervention (n = 54), frequency, and severity of psychiatric symptoms were significantly and clinically meaningfully reduced. Also, staff suffered from less work stress. Nurse-led psychiatric consultation is valuable to both nursing home residents and staff. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Randomized controlled trial of multidisciplinary team stress and performance in immersive simulation for management of infant in shock: study protocol.

PubMed

Ghazali, Daniel Aiham; Ragot, Stéphanie; Breque, Cyril; Guechi, Youcef; Boureau-Voultoury, Amélie; Petitpas, Franck; Oriot, Denis

2016-03-25

Human error and system failures continue to play a substantial role in adverse outcomes in healthcare. Simulation improves management of patients in critical condition, especially if it is undertaken by a multidisciplinary team. It covers technical skills (technical and therapeutic procedures) and non-technical skills, known as Crisis Resource Management. The relationship between stress and performance is theoretically described by the Yerkes-Dodson law as an inverted U-shaped curve. Performance is very low for a low level of stress and increases with an increased level of stress, up to a point, after which performance decreases and becomes severely impaired. The objectives of this randomized trial are to study the effect of stress on performance and the effect of repeated simulation sessions on performance and stress. This study is a single-center, investigator-initiated randomized controlled trial including 48 participants distributed in 12 multidisciplinary teams. Each team is made up of 4 persons: an emergency physician, a resident, a nurse, and an ambulance driver who usually constitute a French Emergency Medical Service team. Six multidisciplinary teams are planning to undergo 9 simulation sessions over 1 year (experimental group), and 6 multidisciplinary teams are planning to undergo 3 simulation sessions over 1 year (control group). Evidence of the existence of stress will be assessed according to 3 criteria: biological, electrophysiological, and psychological stress. The impact of stress on overall team performance, technical procedure and teamwork will be evaluated. Participant self-assessment of the perceived impact of simulations on clinical practice will be collected. Detection of post-traumatic stress disorder will be performed by self-assessment questionnaire on the 7(th) day and after 1 month. We will concomitantly evaluate technical and non-technical performance, and the impact of stress on both. This is the first randomized trial studying

Work stress and well-being in oncology settings: a multidisciplinary study of health care professionals.

PubMed

Jones, Martyn C; Wells, Mary; Gao, Chuan; Cassidy, Bernadette; Davie, Jackie

2013-01-01

Staff working in oncology report high levels of work-related stress. This arises partly from the nature of clinical work, including practitioner perceptions of high demand and low control or high effort and low reward. This comparative study investigated the correlates of work stress in a multidisciplinary group of staff and the associations between staff perceptions of the work environment, emotional distress, job satisfaction and work-based social support. This questionnaire study combined quantitative and qualitative assessment in a cohort sample of multidisciplinary staff (N = 85) working in a cancer centre in North East Scotland. Ethical approval was granted by the local Research Ethics Committee. This paper reports on the quantitative element of the study, Response rate was 50.6% (N = 85). Older, female and nursing and support staff were more likely to participate. Support staff reported the lowest perceptions of control, job satisfaction and managerial support. Radiographers reported the highest levels of job satisfaction, co-worker and managerial support. Nurses perceived lower decision control and job satisfaction than allied health professionals or doctors. In general, perceptions of decisional control and reward were protective of job satisfaction, particularly when work demands were high. Co-worker support was associated with perceptions of reduced effort, greater reward and increased satisfaction. Managerial support was also associated with greater control beliefs. Overall, sickness absence exceeded the 5% rates seen in other National Health Service surveys, whereas turnover intention rates were similar. The development and introduction of multilevel strategies to reduce demand, improve control and support perceptions are warranted, particularly for support staff. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exploration of the Mechanisms of Change in Constructs From Self-Determination Theory and Quality of Life During a Multidisciplinary Family-Based Intervention for Overweight Adolescents.

PubMed

Fenner, Ashley A; Howie, Erin K; Straker, Leon M; Hagger, Martin S

2016-02-01

The current study explored whether a multidisciplinary family-based intervention underpinned by self-determination theory could enhance perceptions of parent need support, autonomous motivation, and quality of life in overweight and obese adolescents. Using a staggered-entry waitlist-period control design, adolescents (n = 56) were assessed at baseline and preintervention (within-participant control), immediately following intervention, and at 3, 6, and 12 month follow-ups. Parents were trained in need-supportive behaviors within the broader context of an 8-week multidisciplinary intervention attended jointly with adolescents. Following intervention, significant improvements were demonstrated in adolescent perceptions of parent need support, autonomous motivation, and quality of life, and changes were maintained at the 1-year follow-up. Mediation analyses revealed changes in perceptions of parent need support predicted changes in quality of life indirectly via changes in autonomous motivation. Findings suggest overweight and obese adolescents are likely to benefit from multidisciplinary family-based interventions that aim to train parents in need-supportive behaviors.

XML-Based Visual Specification of Multidisciplinary Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Al-Theneyan, Ahmed; Jakatdar, Amol; Mehrotra, Piyush; Zubair, Mohammad

2001-01-01

The advancements in the Internet and Web technologies have fueled a growing interest in developing a web-based distributed computing environment. We have designed and developed Arcade, a web-based environment for designing, executing, monitoring, and controlling distributed heterogeneous applications, which is easy to use and access, portable, and provides support through all phases of the application development and execution. A major focus of the environment is the specification of heterogeneous, multidisciplinary applications. In this paper we focus on the visual and script-based specification interface of Arcade. The web/browser-based visual interface is designed to be intuitive to use and can also be used for visual monitoring during execution. The script specification is based on XML to: (1) make it portable across different frameworks, and (2) make the development of our tools easier by using the existing freely available XML parsers and editors. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the visual and script-based interfaces allowing users to go back and forth between the two. To support this we have developed translators that translate a script-based specification to a visual-based specification, and vice-versa. These translators are integrated with our tools and are transparent to users.

Variable-Complexity Multidisciplinary Optimization on Parallel Computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossman, Bernard; Mason, William H.; Watson, Layne T.; Haftka, Raphael T.

1998-01-01

This report covers work conducted under grant NAG1-1562 for the NASA High Performance Computing and Communications Program (HPCCP) from December 7, 1993, to December 31, 1997. The objective of the research was to develop new multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) techniques which exploit parallel computing to reduce the computational burden of aircraft MDO. The design of the High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) air-craft was selected as a test case to demonstrate the utility of our MDO methods. The three major tasks of this research grant included: development of parallel multipoint approximation methods for the aerodynamic design of the HSCT, use of parallel multipoint approximation methods for structural optimization of the HSCT, mathematical and algorithmic development including support in the integration of parallel computation for items (1) and (2). These tasks have been accomplished with the development of a response surface methodology that incorporates multi-fidelity models. For the aerodynamic design we were able to optimize with up to 20 design variables using hundreds of expensive Euler analyses together with thousands of inexpensive linear theory simulations. We have thereby demonstrated the application of CFD to a large aerodynamic design problem. For the predicting structural weight we were able to combine hundreds of structural optimizations of refined finite element models with thousands of optimizations based on coarse models. Computations have been carried out on the Intel Paragon with up to 128 nodes. The parallel computation allowed us to perform combined aerodynamic-structural optimization using state of the art models of a complex aircraft configurations.

Multidisciplinary management of diabetic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Helou, Nancy; Dwyer, Andrew; Shaha, Maya; Zanchi, Anne

2016-07-01

The increasing prevalence of diabetes poses significant challenges to healthcare systems around the world. Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is becoming a global health concern because it is a progressive disease associated with major health complications and increased health costs. The treatment goals for DKD are to slow the progression of the renal disease and prevent cardiovascular events. Accordingly, patients are expected to adhere to prescribed treatments and manage a wide range of daily self-care activities. Multidisciplinary management of chronic diseases, like diabetes and kidney disease, has been suggested as a means to improve patients' adherence to treatment and enhance health-related outcomes. This systematic review of multidisciplinary management of DKD is an important step in evaluating if such a management approach is effective in delaying disease progression. The goal of this systematic review was to identify the best available evidence regarding multidisciplinary management of DKD and to determine if a multidisciplinary management of DKD can improve patient outcomes. Specifically the review question was: What is the impact of multidisciplinary management of DKD on patient outcomes? The current review considered adults aged 18 years and older who had been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The current review examined studies that compared multidisciplinary interventions with usual standard care in ambulatory settings for patients with DKD. The current review considered studies with the following primary outcomes: kidney function, incidence of kidney failure, generic or specific health-related quality of life, patient self-care abilities, adherence to treatment recommendations or goals; and the following secondary clinical outcomes: mortality rates secondary to DKD, glycemic control, blood pressure (BP) control, lipid profile, incidence of cardiovascular disease

Multidisciplinary approach for developing a new robotic system for domiciliary assistance to elderly people.

PubMed

Cavallo, F; Aquilano, M; Bonaccorsi, M; Mannari, I; Carrozza, M C; Dario, P

2011-01-01

This paper aims to show the effectiveness of a (inter / multi)disciplinary team, based on the technology developers, elderly care organizations, and designers, in developing the ASTRO robotic system for domiciliary assistance to elderly people. The main issues presented in this work concern the improvement of robot's behavior by means of a smart sensor network able to share information with the robot for localization and navigation, and the design of the robot's appearance and functionalities by means of a substantial analysis of users' requirements and attitude to robotic technology to improve acceptability and usability.

Multidisciplinary collaboration as a sustainable research model for device development.

PubMed

Chandra, Ankur

2013-02-01

The concurrent problems of research sustainability and decreased clinician involvement with medical device development can be jointly addressed through a novel, multidisciplinary solution. The University of Rochester Cardiovascular Device Design Program is a sustainable program in medical device design supported through a collaboration between the Schools of Medicine and Engineering. This article provides a detailed description of the motivation for starting the program, the current structure of the program, the methods of financial sustainability, and the direct impact it intends to have on the national vascular surgery community. The further expansion of this program and encouragement for development of similar programs throughout the country aims to address many of our current challenges in both research funding and device development education. Copyright © 2013 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Multidisciplinary Critical Care and Intensivist Staffing: Results of a Statewide Survey and Association With Mortality.

PubMed

Yoo, Erika J; Edwards, Jeffrey D; Dean, Mitzi L; Dudley, R Adams

2016-06-01

The role of multidisciplinary teams in improving the care of intensive care unit (ICU) patients is not well defined, and it is unknown whether the use of such teams helps to explain prior research suggesting improved mortality with intensivist staffing. We sought to investigate the association between multidisciplinary team care and survival of medical and surgical patients in nonspecialty ICUs. We conducted a community-based, retrospective cohort study of data from 60 330 patients in 181 hospitals participating in a statewide public reporting initiative, the California Hospital Assessment and Reporting Taskforce (CHART). Patient-level data were linked with ICU organizational data collected from a survey of CHART hospital ICUs between December 2010 and June 2011. Clustered logistic regression was used to evaluate the independent effect of multidisciplinary care on the in-hospital mortality of medical and surgical ICU patients. Interactions between multidisciplinary care and intensity of physician staffing were examined to explore whether team care accounted for differences in patient outcomes. After adjustment for patient characteristics and interactions, there was no association between team care and mortality for medical patients. Among surgical patients, multidisciplinary care was associated with a survival benefit (odds ratio 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.62-1.00; P = .05). When stratifying by intensity of physician staffing, although the lowest odds of death were observed for surgical patients cared for in ICUs with multidisciplinary teams and high-intensity staffing (odds ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.55-1.09; P = .15), followed by ICUs with multidisciplinary teams and low-intensity staffing (odds ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.65-1.09, p = 0.19), these differences were not statistically significant. Our results suggest that multidisciplinary team care may improve outcomes for critically ill surgical patients. However, no relationship was observed between intensity of

Whey protein stories - An experiment in writing a multidisciplinary biography.

PubMed

Jensen, Tenna; Bechshoeft, Rasmus L; Giacalone, Davide; Otto, Marie Haulund; Castro-Mejía, Josue; Bin Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan; Reitelseder, Søren; Jespersen, Astrid Pernille

2016-12-01

This is an experimental, dual-purpose article about whey protein and how to conduct interdisciplinary analyses and writings. On the one hand, this article is a multidisciplinary commodity biography, which consists of five descriptions of whey protein written by the five different research groups involved in the interdisciplinary research project CALM(Counteracting Age-related loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass). On the other hand, it is a meta-analysis, which aims to uncover and highlight examples of how the five descriptions contribute to each other with insights into the contextualisation of knowledge, contrasts between the descriptions and the new dimensions they bring to established fields of interest. The meta-analysis also contains a discussion of interdisciplinary study objects and the usefulness of the multidisciplinary commodity biography as a format for interdisciplinary publications. The article contributes to the field of food studies with a multidisciplinary biography of whey protein - including its sensory qualities and challenges, insights into its cultural history, its nutritional value and effects on the human body and an analysis of how it is perceived by people who consume it. The biography thereby expands upon existing understandings of whey protein while discussing the usefulness of employing the commodity biography format in interdisciplinary writing. Moreover, the article contributes to the field of interdisciplinary research by providing a practical example of a joint publication and reflections upon the existence, interaction and possibilities of monodisciplinary knowledge structures within interdisciplinary studies and publications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The anatomy of clinical decision-making in multidisciplinary cancer meetings

PubMed Central

Soukup, Tayana; Petrides, Konstantinos V.; Lamb, Benjamin W.; Sarkar, Somita; Arora, Sonal; Shah, Sujay; Darzi, Ara; Green, James S. A.; Sevdalis, Nick

2016-01-01

Abstract In the UK, treatment recommendations for patients with cancer are routinely made by multidisciplinary teams in weekly meetings. However, their performance is variable. The aim of this study was to explore the underlying structure of multidisciplinary decision-making process, and examine how it relates to team ability to reach a decision. This is a cross-sectional observational study consisting of 1045 patient reviews across 4 multidisciplinary cancer teams from teaching and community hospitals in London, UK, from 2010 to 2014. Meetings were chaired by surgeons. We used a validated observational instrument (Metric for the Observation of Decision-making in Cancer Multidisciplinary Meetings) consisting of 13 items to assess the decision-making process of each patient discussion. Rated on a 5-point scale, the items measured quality of presented patient information, and contributions to review by individual disciplines. A dichotomous outcome (yes/no) measured team ability to reach a decision. Ratings were submitted to Exploratory Factor Analysis and regression analysis. The exploratory factor analysis produced 4 factors, labeled “Holistic and Clinical inputs” (patient views, psychosocial aspects, patient history, comorbidities, oncologists’, nurses’, and surgeons’ inputs), “Radiology” (radiology results, radiologists’ inputs), “Pathology” (pathology results, pathologists’ inputs), and “Meeting Management” (meeting chairs’ and coordinators’ inputs). A negative cross-loading was observed from surgeons’ input on the fourth factor with a follow-up analysis showing negative correlation (r = −0.19, P < 0.001). In logistic regression, all 4 factors predicted team ability to reach a decision (P < 0.001). Hawthorne effect is the main limitation of the study. The decision-making process in cancer meetings is driven by 4 underlying factors representing the complete patient profile and contributions to case review by all core

Interactive 3D geodesign tool for multidisciplinary wind turbine planning.

PubMed

Rafiee, Azarakhsh; Van der Male, Pim; Dias, Eduardo; Scholten, Henk

2018-01-01

Wind turbine site planning is a multidisciplinary task comprising of several stakeholder groups from different domains and with different priorities. An information system capable of integrating the knowledge on the multiple aspects of a wind turbine plays a crucial role on providing a common picture to the involved groups. In this study, we have developed an interactive and intuitive 3D system (Falcon) for planning wind turbine locations. This system supports iterative design loops (wind turbine configurations), based on the emerging field of geodesign. The integration of GIS, game engine and the analytical models has resulted in an interactive platform with real-time feedback on the multiple wind turbine aspects which performs efficiently for different use cases and different environmental settings. The implementation of tiling techniques and open standard web services support flexible and on-the-fly loading and querying of different (massive) geospatial elements from different resources. This boosts data accessibility and interoperability that are of high importance in a multidisciplinary process. The incorporation of the analytical models in Falcon makes this system independent from external tools for different environmental impacts estimations and results in a unified platform for performing different environmental analysis in every stage of the scenario design. Game engine techniques, such as collision detection, are applied in Falcon for the real-time implementation of different environmental models (e.g. noise and visibility). The interactivity and real-time performance of Falcon in any location in the whole country assist the stakeholders in the seamless exploration of various scenarios and their resulting environmental effects and provides a scope for an interwoven discussion process. The flexible architecture of the system enables the effortless application of Falcon in other countries, conditional to input data availability. The embedded open web

The Emergence of Dominant Design(s) in Large Scale Cyber-Infrastructure Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamanti, Eirini Ilana

2012-01-01

Cyber-infrastructure systems are integrated large-scale IT systems designed with the goal of transforming scientific practice by enabling multi-disciplinary, cross-institutional collaboration. Their large scale and socio-technical complexity make design decisions for their underlying architecture practically irreversible. Drawing on three…

Developing a multidisciplinary robotic surgery quality assessment program.

PubMed

Gonsenhauser, Iahn; Abaza, Ronney; Mekhjian, Hagop; Moffatt-Bruce, Susan D

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of a novel quality-improvement (QI) program designed to incorporate multiple robotic surgical sub-specialties in one health care system. A robotic surgery quality assessment program was developed by The Ohio State University College of Medicine (OSUMC) in conjunction with The Ohio State University Medical Center Quality Improvement and Operations Department. A retrospective review of cases was performed using data interrogated from the OSUMC Information Warehouse from January 2007 through August 2009. Robotic surgery cases (n=2200) were assessed for operative times, length of stay (LOS), conversions, returns to surgery, readmissions and cancellations as potential quality indicators. An actionable and reproducible framework for the quality measurement and assessment of a multidisciplinary and interdepartmental robotic surgery program was successfully completed demonstrating areas for improvement opportunities. This report supports that standard quality indicators can be applied to multiple specialties within a health care system to develop a useful quality tracking and assessment tool in the highly specialized area of robotic surgery. © 2012 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Implementing Multidisciplinary and Multi-Zonal Applications Using MPI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fineberg, Samuel A.

1995-01-01

Multidisciplinary and multi-zonal applications are an important class of applications in the area of Computational Aerosciences. In these codes, two or more distinct parallel programs or copies of a single program are utilized to model a single problem. To support such applications, it is common to use a programming model where a program is divided into several single program multiple data stream (SPMD) applications, each of which solves the equations for a single physical discipline or grid zone. These SPMD applications are then bound together to form a single multidisciplinary or multi-zonal program in which the constituent parts communicate via point-to-point message passing routines. Unfortunately, simple message passing models, like Intel's NX library, only allow point-to-point and global communication within a single system-defined partition. This makes implementation of these applications quite difficult, if not impossible. In this report it is shown that the new Message Passing Interface (MPI) standard is a viable portable library for implementing the message passing portion of multidisciplinary applications. Further, with the extension of a portable loader, fully portable multidisciplinary application programs can be developed. Finally, the performance of MPI is compared to that of some native message passing libraries. This comparison shows that MPI can be implemented to deliver performance commensurate with native message libraries.

Multidisciplinary optimization of an HSCT wing using a response surface methodology

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

Giunta, A.A.; Grossman, B.; Mason, W.H.

1994-12-31

Aerospace vehicle design is traditionally divided into three phases: conceptual, preliminary, and detailed. Each of these design phases entails a particular level of accuracy and computational expense. While there are several computer programs which perform inexpensive conceptual-level aircraft multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO), aircraft MDO remains prohibitively expensive using preliminary- and detailed-level analysis tools. This occurs due to the expense of computational analyses and because gradient-based optimization requires the analysis of hundreds or thousands of aircraft configurations to estimate design sensitivity information. A further hindrance to aircraft MDO is the problem of numerical noise which occurs frequently in engineering computations. Computermore » models produce numerical noise as a result of the incomplete convergence of iterative processes, round-off errors, and modeling errors. Such numerical noise is typically manifested as a high frequency, low amplitude variation in the results obtained from the computer models. Optimization attempted using noisy computer models may result in the erroneous calculation of design sensitivities and may slow or prevent convergence to an optimal design.« less

Effect of a multidisciplinary supportive program for family caregivers of patients with heart failure on caregiver burden, quality of life, and depression: A randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Hu, Xiaolin; Dolansky, Mary A; Su, Yonglin; Hu, Xiuying; Qu, Moying; Zhou, Lingjuan

2016-10-01

Caregivers of patients with heart failure experience burden and negative health outcomes. Adequate support for family caregivers improves their well-being and the quality of care provided to the patients. However, little is known about the benefits of interventions for caregivers of patients with heart failure in China. To test the effects of a multidisciplinary supportive program for family caregivers on caregiver burden, quality of life, and depression. A randomized controlled design with repeated measures was used in this study. A total of 118 participants were randomized into experimental (n=59) and control groups (n=59) from May to December 2014 in one hospital in Chengdu, People's Republic of China. Participants in the experimental group received a 3-month multidisciplinary supportive program, consisting of three 60-min sessions of group classes, three 30-min peer support groups, and regular telephone follow-ups and consultations, while participants in the control group received usual care only. Outcomes were caregiver burden, quality of life, and depression. Data were collected at baseline, post-test (3 months after discharge), and 3 months after post-test (6 months after discharge). The repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effects of groups, changes over time, and time-group interaction on outcome variables. There were significant improvements in caregiver burden, mental health, and depression after post-test and 3 months after post-test in the experimental group. However, there was no significant improvement in caregivers' physical health at either 3 or 6 months following discharge. A multidisciplinary supportive program for caregivers of heart failure patients had positive effects and provides a unique perspective of an intervention considering Chinese culture and customs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Sustainability Themes and Multidisciplinary Approaches to Enhance STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Michael; Pfaff, Thomas; Hamilton, Jason; Erkan, Ali

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on the Multidisciplinary Sustainability Education Project (MSEP) as a framework using sustainability-themed education modules to introduce students to the need for multidisciplinary approaches to solving twenty-first-century problems while retaining traditional course strengths and content.…

Piloting a multidisciplinary clinic for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: initial 5-year experience

PubMed Central

Cobbold, Jeremy F L; Raveendran, Sarrah; Peake, Christopher M; Anstee, Quentin M; Yee, Michael S; Thursz, Mark R

2013-01-01

Objective A multidisciplinary approach is advocated for the management of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), but few clinical data exist to support this. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary NAFLD clinic using surrogate markers of liver injury and cardiovascular risk. Design Retrospective survey of clinical practice. Setting The multidisciplinary NAFLD clinic in a secondary/tertiary care setting with hepatology, diabetology, dietetic and exercise therapy input: initial 5-years’ experience (2007–2012). Patients 180 patients with NAFLD but without hepatic comorbidities were followed up for a median of 19.5 (range 3–57) months. 52% had type 2 diabetes mellitus, 48% were Europoid Caucasian, 17% were South Asian. Interventions Multiple clinical interventions were employed including lifestyle (diet and exercise) advice, pharmacological intervention for cardiovascular risk factors, weight loss and exercise therapy. Main outcome measures Change in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), weight, HbA1c, lipid profile and blood pressure. Results Median ALT fell from 61 (12–270) U/l to 50 (11–221) U/l, −18%, p<0.001, and weight fell from 90.5 (42.7–175.0) kg to 87.3 (45.9–175.3) kg, −3.5%, p<0.001. There were significant improvements in total cholesterol overall, triglycerides (among dyslipidaemic patients), HbA1c (among diabetic patients) and systolic blood pressure (among hypertensive patients). 24% of patients achieved ≥7% weight loss during follow-up and 17% maintained this weight loss throughout. Conclusions Improvement in liver biochemistry and cardiovascular risk factors was seen in patients attending the multidisciplinary NAFLD clinic. Refinement of this approach is warranted in light of these data, novel therapies and a growing evidence base. PMID:28839736

Designing a New Urban Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Lauren

2002-01-01

Discusses Web site design and information architecture in light of principles of New Urbanism that are being applied in urban planning situations. Topics include networked electronic environment design; user-centered network design; multidisciplinary approaches; knowledge access and collaboration; and the Global Information Infrastructure…

Multidisciplinary teamwork and communication training.

PubMed

Deering, Shad; Johnston, Lindsay C; Colacchio, Kathryn

2011-04-01

Every delivery is a multidisciplinary event, involving nursing, obstetricians, anesthesiologists, and pediatricians. Patients are often in labor across multiple provider shifts, necessitating numerous handoffs between teams. Each handoff provides an opportunity for errors. Although a traditional approach to improving patient outcomes has been to address individual knowledge and skills, it is now recognized that a significant number of complications result from team, rather than individual, failures. In 2004, a Sentinel Alert issued by the Joint Commission revealed that most cases of perinatal death and injury are caused by problems with an organization's culture and communication failures. It was recommended that hospitals implement teamwork training programs in an effort to improve outcomes. Instituting a multidisciplinary teamwork training program that uses simulation offers a risk-free environment to practice skills, including communication, role clarification, and mutual support. This experience should improve patient safety and outcomes, as well as enhance employee morale. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Targeting community-dwelling urinary incontinence sufferers: a multi-disciplinary community based model for conservative continence services.

PubMed

St John, Winsome; Wallis, Marianne; James, Heather; McKenzie, Shona; Guyatt, Sheridan

2004-10-01

This paper presents an argument that there is a need to provide services that target community-dwelling incontinence sufferers, and presents a demonstration case study of a multi-disciplinary, community-based conservative model of service delivery: The Waterworx Model. Rationale for approaches taken, implementation of the model, evaluation and lessons learned are discussed. In this paper community-dwelling sufferers of urinary incontinence are identified as an underserved group, and useful information is provided for those wishing to establish services for them. The Waterworx Model of continence service delivery incorporates three interrelated approaches. Firstly, client access is achieved by using community-based services via clinic and home visits, creating referral pathways and active promotion of services. Secondly, multi-disciplinary client care is provided by targeting a specific client group, multi-disciplinary assessment, promoting client self-management and developing client knowledge and health literacy. Finally, interdisciplinary collaboration and linkages is facilitated by developing multidisciplinary assessment tools, using interdisciplinary referrals, staff development, multi-disciplinary management and providing professional education. Implementation of the model achieved greater client access, improvement in urinary incontinence and client satisfaction. Our experiences suggest that those suffering urinary incontinence and living in the community are an underserved group and that continence services should be community focussed, multi-disciplinary, generalist in nature.

Process Cost Modeling for Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bao, Han P.; Freeman, William (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

For early design concepts, the conventional approach to cost is normally some kind of parametric weight-based cost model. There is now ample evidence that this approach can be misleading and inaccurate. By the nature of its development, a parametric cost model requires historical data and is valid only if the new design is analogous to those for which the model was derived. Advanced aerospace vehicles have no historical production data and are nowhere near the vehicles of the past. Using an existing weight-based cost model would only lead to errors and distortions of the true production cost. This report outlines the development of a process-based cost model in which the physical elements of the vehicle are costed according to a first-order dynamics model. This theoretical cost model, first advocated by early work at MIT, has been expanded to cover the basic structures of an advanced aerospace vehicle. Elemental costs based on the geometry of the design can be summed up to provide an overall estimation of the total production cost for a design configuration. This capability to directly link any design configuration to realistic cost estimation is a key requirement for high payoff MDO problems. Another important consideration in this report is the handling of part or product complexity. Here the concept of cost modulus is introduced to take into account variability due to different materials, sizes, shapes, precision of fabrication, and equipment requirements. The most important implication of the development of the proposed process-based cost model is that different design configurations can now be quickly related to their cost estimates in a seamless calculation process easily implemented on any spreadsheet tool. In successive sections, the report addresses the issues of cost modeling as follows. First, an introduction is presented to provide the background for the research work. Next, a quick review of cost estimation techniques is made with the intention to

The Interplay of Conflict and Analogy in Multidisciplinary Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paletz, Susannah B. F.; Schunn, Christian D.; Kim, Kevin H.

2013-01-01

Creative teamwork in multidisciplinary teams is a topic of interest to cognitive psychologists on the one hand, and to both social and organizational psychologists on the other. However, the interconnections between cognitive and social layers have been rarely explored. Drawing on mental models and dissonance theories, the current study takes a…

Multidisciplinary Approach to Esophageal Achalasia: A Single Center Experience.

PubMed

Schlottmann, Francisco; Andolfi, Ciro; Kavitt, Robert T; Konda, Vani J A; Patti, Marco G

2017-04-01

The treatment of achalasia is palliative. Pneumatic dilatation (PD) or laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) just eliminates the outflow obstruction allowing easier emptying of the esophagus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of a multidisciplinary approach to esophageal achalasia. A consecutive series of patients with achalasia treated by a multidisciplinary esophageal team consisting of radiologists, gastroenterologists, and surgeons in a quaternary care center between May 2008 and April 2015 were analyzed. A total of 147 patients with achalasia underwent LHM and partial fundoplication. Sixty-two patients (42%) had been treated preoperatively with PD and/or botulinum toxin (BT). The preoperative Eckardt score (ES) was 6.4 ± 2. At a median follow-up of 22 months, 128 patients (87%) did well and required no further treatment (ES 0.1). The remaining 19 patients (13%) had recurrence of symptoms and required further treatment: 12 were treated with PD and improved (ES 0.7); 4 were treated with PD and BT and improved (ES 1.3); 3 failed PD. These 3 patients had been treated with multiple sessions of PD and BT before the myotomy. Overall, 144 patients (98%) did well with laparoscopic (87%) or laparoscopic and endoscopic treatment (11%). The results of this study show that (a) LHM is an effective treatment modality, (b) PD improved symptoms in the majority of patients with recurrent dysphagia after myotomy and (c) multiple preoperative endoscopic treatments seem to affect outcomes of LHM. Patients with achalasia should be treated in a quaternary care center by a multidisciplinary team.

Evaluation and Management of Neonatal Dysphagia: Impact of Pharyngoesophageal Motility Studies and Multidisciplinary Feeding Strategy

PubMed Central

Jadcherla, Sudarshan R.; Stoner, Erin; Gupta, Alankar; Bates, D. Gregory; Fernandez, Soledad; Di Lorenzo, Carlo; Linscheid, Thomas

2013-01-01

Background and objectives Abnormal swallowing (dysphagia) among neonates is commonly evaluated using the videofluoroscopic swallow study (VSS). Radiological findings considered high risk for administration of oral feeding include nasopharyngeal reflux, laryngeal penetration, aspiration, or pooling. Our aims were to determine pharyngoesophageal motility correlates in neonates with dysphagia and the impact of multidisciplinary feeding strategy. Methods Twenty dysphagic neonates (mean gestation ± standard deviation [SD] = 30.9 ± 4.9 weeks; median 31.1 weeks; range = 23.7–38.6 weeks) with abnormal VSS results were evaluated at 49.9 ± 16.5 weeks (median 41.36 weeks) postmenstrual age. The subjects underwent a swallow-integrated pharyngoesophageal motility assessment of basal and adaptive swallowing reflexes using a micromanometry catheter and pneumohydraulic water perfusion system. Based on observations during the motility study, multidisciplinary feeding strategies were applied and included postural adaptation, sensory modification, hunger manipulation, and operant conditioning methods. To discriminate pharyngoesophageal manometry correlates between oral feeders and tube feeders, data were stratified based on the primary feeding method at discharge, oral feeding versus tube feeding. Results At discharge, 15 of 20 dysphagic neonates achieved oral feeding success, and the rest required chronic tube feeding. Pharyngoesophageal manometry correlates were significantly different (P <0.05) between the primary oral feeders versus the chronic tube feeders for swallow frequency, swallow propagation, presence of adaptive peristaltic reflexes, oral feeding challenge test results, and upper esophageal sphincter tone. VSS results or disease characteristics had little effect on the feeding outcomes (P = NS). Conclusions Swallow-integrated esophageal motility studies permit prolonged evaluation of swallowing reflexes and responses to stimuli under controlled conditions at

Multidisciplinary Training on Spiritual Care for Patients in Palliative Care Trajectories Improves the Attitudes and Competencies of Hospital Medical Staff: Results of a Quasi-Experimental Study.

PubMed

van de Geer, Joep; Veeger, Nic; Groot, Marieke; Zock, Hetty; Leget, Carlo; Prins, Jelle; Vissers, Kris

2018-02-01

Patients value health-care professionals' attention to their spiritual needs. However, this is undervalued in health-care professionals' education. Additional training is essential for implementation of a national multidisciplinary guideline on spiritual care (SC) in palliative care (PC). Aim of this study is to measure effects of a training program on SC in PC based on the guideline. A pragmatic multicenter trial using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design as part of an action research study. Eight multidisciplinary teams in regular wards and 1 team of PC consultants, in 8 Dutch teaching hospitals, received questionnaires before training about perceived barriers for SC, spiritual attitudes and involvement, and SC competencies. The effect on the barriers on SC and SC competencies were measured both 1 and 6 months after the training. For nurses (n = 214), 7 of 8 barriers to SC were decreased after 1 month, but only 2 were still after 6 months. For physicians (n = 41), the training had no effect on the barriers to SC. Nurses improved in 4 of 6 competencies after both 1 and 6 months. Physicians improved in 3 of 6 competencies after 1 month but in only 1 competency after 6 months. Concise SC training programs for clinical teams can effect quality of care, by improving hospital staff competencies and decreasing the barriers they perceive. Differences in the effects of the SC training on nurses and physicians show the need for further research on physicians' educational needs on SC.

A multidisciplinary three-phase approach to improve the clinical utility of patient safety indicators.

PubMed

Najjar, Peter; Kachalia, Allen; Sutherland, Tori; Beloff, Jennifer; David-Kasdan, Jo Ann; Bates, David W; Urman, Richard D

2015-01-01

The AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) are used for calculation of risk-adjusted postoperative rates for adverse events. The payers and quality consortiums are increasingly requiring public reporting of hospital performance on these metrics. We discuss processes designed to improve the accuracy and clinical utility of PSI reporting in practice. The study was conducted at a 793-bed tertiary care academic medical center where PSI processes have been aggressively implemented to track patient safety events at discharge. A three-phased approach to improving administrative data quality was implemented. The initiative consisted of clinical review of all PSIs, documentation improvement, and provider outreach including active querying for patient safety events. This multidisciplinary effort to develop a streamlined process for PSI calculation reduced the reporting of miscoded PSIs and increased the clinical utility of PSI monitoring. Over 4 quarters, 4 of 41 (10%) PSI-11 and 9 of 138 (7%) PSI-15 errors were identified on review of clinical documentation and appropriate adjustments were made. A multidisciplinary, phased approach leveraging existing billing infrastructure for robust metric coding, ongoing clinical review, and frontline provider outreach is a novel and effective way to reduce the reporting of false-positive outcomes and improve the clinical utility of PSIs.

Benefits, barriers and opinions on multidisciplinary team meetings: a survey in Swedish cancer care.

PubMed

Rosell, Linn; Alexandersson, Nathalie; Hagberg, Oskar; Nilbert, Mef

2018-04-05

Case review and discussion at multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) have evolved into standard practice in cancer care with the aim to provide evidence-based treatment recommendations. As a basis for work to optimize the MDTMs, we investigated participants' views on the meeting function, including perceived benefits and barriers. In a cross-sectional study design, 244 health professionals from south Sweden rated MDTM meeting structure and function, benefits from these meetings and barriers to reach a treatment recommendation. The top-ranked advantages from MDTMs were support for patient management and competence development. Low ratings applied to monitoring patients for clinical trial inclusion and structured work to improve the MDTM. Nurses and cancer care coordinators did less often than physicians report involvement in the case discussions. Major benefits from MDTM were reported to be more accurate treatment recommendations, multidisciplinary evaluation and adherence to clinical guidelines. Major barriers to a joint treatment recommendation were reported to be need for supplementary investigations and insufficient pathology reports. Health professionals' report multiple benefits from MDTMs, but also define areas for improvement, e.g. access to complete information and clarified roles for the different health professions. The emerging picture suggests that structures for regular MDTM evaluations and increased focus on patient-related perspectives should be developed and implemented.

Survival and prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma: an Egyptian multidisciplinary clinic experience.

PubMed

Abdelaziz, Ashraf Omar; Elbaz, Tamer Mahmoud; Shousha, Hend Ibrahim; Ibrahim, Mostafa Mohamed; Rahman El-Shazli, Mostafa Abdel; Abdelmaksoud, Ahmed Hosni; Aziz, Omar Abdel; Zaki, Hisham Atef; Elattar, Inas Anwar; Nabeel, Mohamed Mahmoud

2014-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a dismal tumor with a high incidence, prevalence and poor prognosis and survival. Management of HCC necessitates multidisciplinary clinics due to the wide heterogeneity in its presentation, different therapeutic options, variable biologic behavior and background presence of chronic liver disease. We studied the different prognostic factors that affected survival of our patients to improve future HCC management and patient survival. This study is performed in a specialized multidisciplinary clinic for HCC in Kasr El Eini Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt. We retrospectively analyzed the different patient and tumor characteristics and the primary mode of management applied to our patients. Further analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate statistics. During the period February 2009 till February 2013, 290 HCC patients presented to our multidisciplinary clinic. They were predominantly males and the mean age was 56.5 ± 7.7 years. All cases developed HCC on top of cirrhosis that was mainly due to HCV (71%). Most of our patients were Child-Pugh A (50%) or B (36.9%) and commonly presented with small single lesions. Transarterial chemoembolization was the most common line of treatment used (32.4%). The overall survival was 79.9% at 6 months, 54.5% at 1 year and 22.4% at 2 years. Serum bilirubin, site of the tumor and type of treatment were the significant independent prognostic factors for survival. Our main prognostic variables are the bilirubin level, the bilobar hepatic affection and the application of specific treatment (either curative or palliative). Multidisciplinary clinics enhance better HCC management.

Study protocol of effectiveness of a biopsychosocial multidisciplinary intervention in the evolution of non-speficic sub-acute low back pain in the working population: cluster randomised trial

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Non-specific low back pain is a common cause for consultation with the general practitioner, generating increased health and social costs. This study will analyse the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary intervention to reduce disability, severity of pain, anxiety and depression, to improve quality of life and to reduce the incidence of chronic low back pain in the working population with non-specific low back pain, compared to usual clinical care. Methods/Design A Cluster randomised clinical trial will be conducted in 38 Primary Health Care Centres located in Barcelona, Spain and its surrounding areas. The centres are randomly allocated to the multidisciplinary intervention or to usual clinical care. Patients between 18 and 65 years old (n = 932; 466 per arm) and with a diagnostic of a non-specific sub-acute low back pain are included. Patients in the intervention group are receiving the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines, in addition to a biopsychosocial multidisciplinary intervention consisting of group educational sessions lasting a total of 10 hours. The main outcome is change in the score in the Roland Morris disability questionnaire at three months after onset of pain. Other outcomes are severity of pain, quality of life, duration of current non-specific low back pain episode, work sick leave and duration, Fear Avoidance Beliefs and Goldberg Questionnaires. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Analysis will be by intention to treat. The intervention effect will be assessed through the standard error of measurement and the effect-size. Responsiveness of each scale will be evaluated by standardised response mean and receiver-operating characteristic method. Recovery according to the patient will be used as an external criterion. A multilevel regression will be performed on repeated measures. The time until the current episode of low back pain takes to subside will be analysed by Cox regression. Discussion We hope

United States History: A Multi-Ethnic, Non-Sexist, Multi-Disciplinary Resource Guide for High School Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohenfeldt, Harold H., Ed.

The first part of this resource guide is designed to help secondary teachers provide a multi-ethnic/non-sexist thrust to United States history. The second part will help them develop a multi-disciplinary approach to U.S. history. Part one is organized by the following ethnic groups: Blacks, Asians, Europeans, Hispanics, Jews, American Indians, and…

Multidisciplinary studies of the social, economic and political impact resulting from recent advances in satellite meteorology, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The multidisciplinary studies explore and evaluate the impact of the meteorological satellite and the concomitant impact of the data derived from it on various user groups. As expected, the primary impact related to those who would use satellite data for weather prediction and related purposes. A secondary impact was in the area of international concerns where GARP and other international meteorological activities were affected and international law was developed. A tertiary impact was exemplified by satellite photographs utilized in advertisements and related materials. The case studies, supporting studies, and independent studies all emphasize the potential of the meteorological satellite.

Exercise capacity before and after an 8-week multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program in lung cancer patients: a pilot study.

PubMed

Spruit, Martijn A; Janssen, Paul P; Willemsen, Sonja C P; Hochstenbag, Monique M H; Wouters, Emiel F M

2006-05-01

Although lung cancer is a highly prevalent type of cancer, the effects of an inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation program on pulmonary function and exercise capacity have never been studied in these patients. Pulmonary function, 6-min walking distance and peak exercise capacity of 10 patients with a severely impaired pulmonary function following treatment of lung cancer were assessed in this pilot study before and after an 8-week inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. At baseline, patients had a restrictive pulmonary function and an apparent exercise intolerance (median 6-min walking distance: 63.6% predicted; median peak cycling load: 58.5% predicted). Despite the lack of change in median pulmonary function [FEV1: -0.01L, p = 0.5469], functional exercise capacity [145 m; 43.2% of the initial values, p=0.0020] and peak exercise capacity [26 W; 34.4% of the initial values, p = 0.0078] improved significantly compared to baseline. Future trials have to corroborate the present findings. Nevertheless, patients with lung cancer have a clear indication to start a comprehensive rehabilitation program following intensive treatment of their disease. In fact, based on the results of the present pilot study it appears that these patients are good candidates for pulmonary rehabilitation programs.

Coupled Multi-Disciplinary Optimization for Structural Reliability and Affordability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abumeri, Galib H.; Chamis, Christos C.

2003-01-01

A computational simulation method is presented for Non-Deterministic Multidisciplinary Optimization of engine composite materials and structures. A hypothetical engine duct made with ceramic matrix composites (CMC) is evaluated probabilistically in the presence of combined thermo-mechanical loading. The structure is tailored by quantifying the uncertainties in all relevant design variables such as fabrication, material, and loading parameters. The probabilistic sensitivities are used to select critical design variables for optimization. In this paper, two approaches for non-deterministic optimization are presented. The non-deterministic minimization of combined failure stress criterion is carried out by: (1) performing probabilistic evaluation first and then optimization and (2) performing optimization first and then probabilistic evaluation. The first approach shows that the optimization feasible region can be bounded by a set of prescribed probability limits and that the optimization follows the cumulative distribution function between those limits. The second approach shows that the optimization feasible region is bounded by 0.50 and 0.999 probabilities.

Using multi-disciplinary strategic master facilities planning for organizations experiencing programmatic re-direction

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

Heubach, J.G.; Weimer, W.C.; Bruce, W.A.

Facility master planning is critical to the future productivity of a laboratory and the quality of worklife for the laboratory staff. For organizations undergoing programmatic re-direction, a master facility planning approach linked to the organization`s strategic planning process is even more important. Major changes in an organization such as programmatic re-direction can significantly impact a broad range of variables which exceed the expertise of traditional planning teams, e.g., capacity variability, work team organization, organizational culture, and work process simplification. By expanding the diversity of the participants of the planning team, there is a greater likelihood that a research organization`s scientific,more » organizational, economic, and employees` needs can be meshed in the strategic plan and facility plan. Recent recommendations from facility planners suggest drawing from diverse fields in building multi-disciplinary planning teams: Architecture, engineering, natural science, social psychology, and strategic planning (Gibson,1993). For organizations undergoing significant operational or culture change, the master facility planning team should also include members with expertise in organizational effectiveness, industrial engineering, human resources, and environmental psychology. A recent planning and design project provides an example which illustrates the use of an expanded multi-disciplinary team engaged in planning laboratory renovations for a research organization undergoing programmatic re-direction. The purpose of the proposed poster session is to present a multi-disciplinary master facility planning process linked to an organization`s strategic planning process or organizational strategies.« less

Multidisciplinary disease management in rheumatology.

PubMed

Oliver, Susan

2003-11-01

With an increasingly ageing population, the number of patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is expected to rise. High-quality patient education and self-management are essential in these chronic debilitating conditions. A multidisciplinary team has produced a template to guide the assessment, treatment and holistic care of patients in primary care.

Sensitivity Analysis of Multidisciplinary Rotorcraft Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Li; Diskin, Boris; Biedron, Robert T.; Nielsen, Eric J.; Bauchau, Olivier A.

2017-01-01

A multidisciplinary sensitivity analysis of rotorcraft simulations involving tightly coupled high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics and comprehensive analysis solvers is presented and evaluated. An unstructured sensitivity-enabled Navier-Stokes solver, FUN3D, and a nonlinear flexible multibody dynamics solver, DYMORE, are coupled to predict the aerodynamic loads and structural responses of helicopter rotor blades. A discretely-consistent adjoint-based sensitivity analysis available in FUN3D provides sensitivities arising from unsteady turbulent flows and unstructured dynamic overset meshes, while a complex-variable approach is used to compute DYMORE structural sensitivities with respect to aerodynamic loads. The multidisciplinary sensitivity analysis is conducted through integrating the sensitivity components from each discipline of the coupled system. Numerical results verify accuracy of the FUN3D/DYMORE system by conducting simulations for a benchmark rotorcraft test model and comparing solutions with established analyses and experimental data. Complex-variable implementation of sensitivity analysis of DYMORE and the coupled FUN3D/DYMORE system is verified by comparing with real-valued analysis and sensitivities. Correctness of adjoint formulations for FUN3D/DYMORE interfaces is verified by comparing adjoint-based and complex-variable sensitivities. Finally, sensitivities of the lift and drag functions obtained by complex-variable FUN3D/DYMORE simulations are compared with sensitivities computed by the multidisciplinary sensitivity analysis, which couples adjoint-based flow and grid sensitivities of FUN3D and FUN3D/DYMORE interfaces with complex-variable sensitivities of DYMORE structural responses.

Comparing multidisciplinary and brief intervention in employees with different job relations on sick leave due to low back pain: protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Pedersen, Pernille; Nielsen, Claus Vinther; Andersen, Morten Hovgaard; Langagergaard, Vivian; Boes, Anders; Jensen, Ole Kudsk; Jensen, Chris; Labriola, Merete

2017-12-16

Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem that affects the lives of many individuals and is a frequent cause of sickness absence. To help this group of individuals resume work, several interventions have been studied. However, not all individuals may profit from the same intervention and the effect of a given intervention on return to work (RTW) may depend on their work situation. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether employees on sick leave due to LBP and with poor job relations will benefit more from a multidisciplinary intervention, while patients with strong job relations will benefit more from a brief intervention. The study is designed as a randomised controlled trial with up to five years of follow-up comparing brief intervention with brief intervention plus multidisciplinary intervention. Employees, aged 18-60 years, are included in the study from March 2011 to August 2016 if they have been on sick leave for 4-12 weeks due to LBP with or without radiculopathy. They are divided into two groups, a group with poor job relations and a group with strong job relations based on their answers in the baseline questionnaire. Each group is randomised 1:1 to receive the brief intervention or brief intervention plus multidisciplinary intervention. The brief intervention comprises a clinical examination and advice offered by a rheumatologist and a physiotherapist, whereas the supplementary multidisciplinary intervention comprises the assignment of a case manager who draws up a rehabilitation plan in collaboration with the participant and the multidisciplinary team. The primary outcome is duration of sickness absence measured by register data. Secondary outcomes include sustainable RTW and questionnaire-based measures of functional capacity. Outcomes will be assessed at one, two and five years of follow-up. This trial will evaluate the effect of brief and multidisciplinary intervention on RTW and functional capacity among employees on sick leave due to LBP with

Multidisciplinary analysis of actively controlled large flexible spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Paul A.; Young, John W.; Sutter, Thomas R.

1986-01-01

The control of Flexible Structures (COFS) program has supported the development of an analysis capability at the Langley Research Center called the Integrated Multidisciplinary Analysis Tool (IMAT) which provides an efficient data storage and transfer capability among commercial computer codes to aid in the dynamic analysis of actively controlled structures. IMAT is a system of computer programs which transfers Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) configurations, structural finite element models, material property and stress information, structural and rigid-body dynamic model information, and linear system matrices for control law formulation among various commercial applications programs through a common database. Although general in its formulation, IMAT was developed specifically to aid in the evaluation of the structures. A description of the IMAT system and results of an application of the system are given.

A qualitative analysis of communication between members of a hospital-based multidisciplinary lung cancer team.

PubMed

Rowlands, S; Callen, J

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore how patient information is communicated between health professionals within a multidisciplinary hospital-based lung cancer team and to identify mechanisms to improve these communications. A qualitative method was employed using semi-structured in-depth interviews with a representative sample (n = 22) of members of a multidisciplinary hospital-based lung cancer team including medical, nursing and allied health professionals. Analysis was undertaken using a thematic grounded theory approach to derive key themes to describe communication patterns within the team and how communication could be improved. Two themes with sub-themes were identified: (1) characteristics of communication between team members including the impact of role on direction of communications, and doctors' dominance in communications; and (2) channels of communication including, preference for face-to-face and the suboptimal roles of the Multidisciplinary Team Meeting and the hospital medical record as mediums for communication. Traditional influences of role delineation and the dominance of doctors were found to impact on communication within the multidisciplinary hospital-based lung cancer team. Existing guidelines on implementation of multidisciplinary cancer care fail to address barriers to effective team communication. The paper-based medical record does not support team communications and alternative electronic solutions need to be used. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effects of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Improve Volume of Diagnostic Material in CT-Guided Lung Biopsies

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Philip E.; Sales, Catherine M.; Hodges, Dalton C.; Sales, Elizabeth W.

2015-01-01

Background Recent publications have emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary strategy for maximum conservation and utilization of lung biopsy material for advanced testing, which may determine therapy. This paper quantifies the effect of a multidisciplinary strategy implemented to optimize and increase tissue volume in CT-guided transthoracic needle core lung biopsies. The strategy was three-pronged: (1) once there was confidence diagnostic tissue had been obtained and if safe for the patient, additional biopsy passes were performed to further increase volume of biopsy material, (2) biopsy material was placed in multiple cassettes for processing, and (3) all tissue ribbons were conserved when cutting blocks in the histology laboratory. This study quantifies the effects of strategies #1 and #2. Design This retrospective analysis comparing CT-guided lung biopsies from 2007 and 2012 (before and after multidisciplinary approach implementation) was performed at a single institution. Patient medical records were reviewed and main variables analyzed include biopsy sample size, radiologist, number of blocks submitted, diagnosis, and complications. The biopsy sample size measured was considered to be directly proportional to tissue volume in the block. Results Biopsy sample size increased 2.5 fold with the average total biopsy sample size increasing from 1.0 cm (0.9–1.1 cm) in 2007 to 2.5 cm (2.3–2.8 cm) in 2012 (P<0.0001). The improvement was statistically significant for each individual radiologist. During the same time, the rate of pneumothorax requiring chest tube placement decreased from 15% to 7% (P = 0.065). No other major complications were identified. The proportion of tumor within the biopsy material was similar at 28% (23%–33%) and 35% (30%–40%) for 2007 and 2012, respectively. The number of cases with at least two blocks available for testing increased from 10.7% to 96.4% (P<0.0001). Conclusions The effect of this multidisciplinary strategy to CT

Ventricular Arrhythmias in the North American Multidisciplinary Study of ARVC

PubMed Central

Link, Mark S.; Laidlaw, Douglas; Polonsky, Bronislava; Zareba, Wojciech; McNitt, Scott; Gear, Kathleen; Marcus, Frank; Mark Estes, NA

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is associated with sudden cardiac death. However, the selection of patients for implanted cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), as well as programming of the ICD, is unclear. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to identify predictors, characteristics, and treatment of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ARVC. METHODS The Multidisciplinary Study of Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy established the North American ARVC Registry and enrolled patients with a diagnosis of ARVC. Patients were followed prospectively. RESULTS Of 137 patients enrolled, 108 received ICDs. Forty-eight patients had 502 sustained episodes of ventricular arrhythmias, including 489 that were monomorphic and 13 that were polymorphic. In the patients with ICDs, independent predictors of ventricular arrhythmias in follow-up included spontaneous sustained ventricular arrhythmias before ICD implantation and T-wave inversions inferiorly. The only independent predictor for life-threatening arrhythmias, defined as sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) ≥240 beats/min or ventricular fibrillation, was a younger age at enrollment. Anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP), independent of the cycle length of the VT, was successful in terminating 92% of VT episodes. CONCLUSIONS In the North American ARVC Registry, the majority of ventricular arrhythmias in follow-up are monomorphic. Risk factors for ventricular arrhythmias were spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias before enrollment and a younger age at ICD implantation. ATP is highly successful in terminating VT, and all ICDs should be programmed for ATP, even for rapid VT. PMID:25011714

Impact of a multidisciplinary vulvodynia program on sexual functioning and dyspareunia.

PubMed

Brotto, Lori A; Yong, Paul; Smith, Kelly B; Sadownik, Leslie A

2015-01-01

For many years, multidisciplinary approaches, which integrate psychological, physical, and medical treatments, have been shown to be effective for the treatment of chronic pain. To date, there has been anecdotal support, but little empirical data, to justify the application of this multidisciplinary approach toward the treatment of chronic sexual pain secondary to provoked vestibulodynia (PVD). This study aimed to evaluate a 10-week hospital-based treatment (multidisciplinary vulvodynia program [MVP]) integrating psychological skills training, pelvic floor physiotherapy, and medical management on the primary outcomes of dyspareunia and sexual functioning, including distress. A total of 132 women with a diagnosis of PVD provided baseline data and agreed to participate in the MVP. Of this group, n = 116 (mean age 28.4 years, standard deviation 7.1) provided complete data at the post-MVP assessment, and 84 women had complete data through to the 3- to 4-month follow-up period. There were high levels of avoidance of intimacy (38.1%) and activities that elicited sexual arousal (40.7%), with many women (50.4%) choosing to focus on their partner's sexual arousal and satisfaction at baseline. With treatment, over half the sample (53.8%) reported significant improvements in dyspareunia. Following the MVP, there were strong significant effects for the reduction in dyspareunia (P = 0.001) and sex-related distress (P < 0.001), and improvements in sexual arousal (P < 0.001) and overall sexual functioning (P = 0.001). More modest but still statistically significant were improvements in sexual desire, lubrication, orgasmic function, and sexual satisfaction. All improvements were retained at 2- to 3-month follow-up. This study provides strong support for the efficacy of a multidisciplinary approach (psychological, pelvic floor physiotherapy, and medical management) for improving dyspareunia and all domains of sexual functioning among women with PVD. The study

A Discussion of Knowledge Based Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Richard M.; Bauer, Steven X. S.

1999-01-01

A discussion of knowledge and Knowledge- Based design as related to the design of aircraft is presented. The paper discusses the perceived problem with existing design studies and introduces the concepts of design and knowledge for a Knowledge- Based design system. A review of several Knowledge-Based design activities is provided. A Virtual Reality, Knowledge-Based system is proposed and reviewed. The feasibility of Virtual Reality to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of aerodynamic and multidisciplinary design, evaluation, and analysis of aircraft through the coupling of virtual reality technology and a Knowledge-Based design system is also reviewed. The final section of the paper discusses future directions for design and the role of Knowledge-Based design.

International Multidisciplinary Artificial Gravity (IMAG) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laurini, Kathy

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the efforts of the International Multidisciplinary Artificial Gravity Project. Specifically it reviews the NASA Exploration Planning Status, NASA Exploration Roadmap, Status of Planning for the Moon, Mars Planning, Reference health maintenance scenario, and The Human Research Program.

Feasibility and potential effectiveness of a non-pharmacological multidisciplinary care programme for persons with generalised osteoarthritis: a randomised, multiple-baseline single-case study

PubMed Central

Kwakkenbos, Linda; Rietveld, Leonie; den Broeder, Alfons A; de Bie, Rob A; van den Ende, Cornelia H M

2012-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a 12-week, non-pharmacological multidisciplinary intervention in patients with generalised osteoarthritis (GOA). Design A randomised, concurrent, multiple-baseline single-case design. During the baseline period, the intervention period and the postintervention period, all participants completed several health outcomes twice a week on Visual Analogue Scales. Setting Rheumatology outpatient department of a specialised hospital in the Netherlands. Participants 1 man and four women (aged 51–76 years) diagnosed with GOA. Primary outcome measures To assess feasibility, the authors assessed the number of dropouts and adverse events, adherence rates and patients' satisfaction. Secondary outcome measures To assess the potential effectiveness, the authors assessed pain and self-efficacy using visual data inspection and randomisation tests. Results The intervention was feasible in terms of adverse events (none) and adherence rate but not in terms of participants' satisfaction with the intervention. Visual inspection of the data and randomisation testing demonstrated no effects on pain (p=0.93) or self-efficacy (p=0.85). Conclusions The results of the present study indicate that the proposed intervention for patients with GOA was insufficiently feasible and effective. The data obtained through this multiple-baseline study have highlighted several areas in which the therapy programme can be optimised. PMID:22815466

Strengthening Multidisciplinary Research on Climate and Environmental Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)