The Key Roles in the Informal Organization: A Network Analysis Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Toni, Alberto F.; Nonino, Fabio

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the key roles embedded in the informal organizational structure (informal networks) and to outline their contribution in the companies' performance. A major objective of the research is to find and characterize a new key informal role that synthesises problem solving, expertise, and accessibility…

Key components of financial-analysis education for clinical nurses.

PubMed

Lim, Ji Young; Noh, Wonjung

2015-09-01

In this study, we identified key components of financial-analysis education for clinical nurses. We used a literature review, focus group discussions, and a content validity index survey to develop key components of financial-analysis education. First, a wide range of references were reviewed, and 55 financial-analysis education components were gathered. Second, two focus group discussions were performed; the participants were 11 nurses who had worked for more than 3 years in a hospital, and nine components were agreed upon. Third, 12 professionals, including professors, nurse executive, nurse managers, and an accountant, participated in the content validity index. Finally, six key components of financial-analysis education were selected. These key components were as follows: understanding the need for financial analysis, introduction to financial analysis, reading and implementing balance sheets, reading and implementing income statements, understanding the concepts of financial ratios, and interpretation and practice of financial ratio analysis. The results of this study will be used to develop an education program to increase financial-management competency among clinical nurses. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Key principles to guide development of consumer medicine information--content analysis of information design texts.

PubMed

Raynor, David K; Dickinson, David

2009-04-01

Effective written consumer medicines information is essential to support safe and effective medicine taking, but the wording and layout of currently provided materials do not meet patients' needs. To identify principles from the wider discipline of information design for use by health professionals when developing or assessing written drug information for patients. Six experts in information design nominated texts on best practice in information design applicable to consumer medicines information. A content analysis identified key principles that were tabulated to bring out key themes. Six texts that met the inclusion criteria, were identified, and content analysis indentified 4 themes: words, type, lines, and layout. Within these main themes, there were 24 subthemes. Selected principles relating to these subthemes were: use short familiar words, short sentences, and short headings that stand out from the text; use a conversational tone of voice, addressing the reader as "you"; use a large type size while retaining sufficient white space; use bullet points to organize lists; use unjustified text (ragged right) and bold, lower-case text for emphasis. Pictures or graphics do not necessarily improve a document. Applying the good information design principles identified to written consumer medicines information could support health professionals when developing and assessing drug information for patients.

Analysis of MOOCs Practices from the Perspective of Learner Experiences and Quality Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ossiannilsson, Ebba; Altinay, Fahriye; Altinay, Zehra

2015-01-01

This explanatory analysis of the relevant literature seeks to identify factors affecting quality in massive open online courses (MOOCs). The paper highlights sub-dimensions of quality in MOOCs using the ladder of analytical abstraction. Communication, trust, collaboration, inclusiveness, innovation, and commitment are identified as key elements in…

Identification of the key odorants in Tahitian cured vanilla beans (Vanilla tahitensis) by GC-MS and an aroma extract dilution analysis.

PubMed

Takahashi, Makoto; Inai, Yoko; Miyazawa, Norio; Kurobayashi, Yoshiko; Fujita, Akira

2013-01-01

The key odorants of Tahitian vanilla beans (Vanilla tahitensis) were characterized by a sensory evaluation, aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), quantification, and aroma reconstitution. Vanillin and anisaldehyde were identified in the same highest flavor dilution (FD) factor as the most characteristic odor-active compounds in Tahitian vanilla beans, followed by anisyl alcohol and anisyl acetate. Vanillin and anisyl alcohol were by far the most abundant odorants present with the highest concentration in the beans, followed by acetic acid, anisaldehyde, and anisyl acetate. A sensory evaluation of Tahitian vanilla beans and its reconstitute aroma concentrate characterized both samples as similar. These results indicated vanillin, anisaldehyde, anisyl alcohol, and anisyl acetate to be the key odorants in Tahitian vanilla beans. 3-Methylnonane-2,4-dione were identified for the first time in vanilla beans. β-Damascenone and phenylacetic acid were identified for the first time in Tahitian vanilla beans.

Weighted gene co‑expression network analysis in identification of key genes and networks for ischemic‑reperfusion remodeling myocardium.

PubMed

Guo, Nan; Zhang, Nan; Yan, Liqiu; Lian, Zheng; Wang, Jiawang; Lv, Fengfeng; Wang, Yunfei; Cao, Xufen

2018-06-14

Acute myocardial infarction induces ventricular remodeling, which is implicated in dilated heart and heart failure. The pathogenical mechanism of myocardium remodeling remains to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to identify key genes and networks for myocardium remodeling following ischemia‑reperfusion (IR). First, the mRNA expression data from the National Center for Biotechnology Information database were downloaded to identify differences in mRNA expression of the IR heart at days 2 and 7. Then, weighted gene co‑expression network analysis, hierarchical clustering, protein‑protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway were used to identify key genes and networks for the heart remodeling process following IR. A total of 3,321 differentially expressed genes were identified during the heart remodeling process. A total of 6 modules were identified through gene co‑expression network analysis. GO and KEGG analysis results suggested that each module represented a different biological function and was associated with different pathways. Finally, hub genes of each module were identified by PPI network construction. The present study revealed that heart remodeling following IR is a complicated process, involving extracellular matrix organization, neural development, apoptosis and energy metabolism. The dysregulated genes, including SRC proto‑oncogene, non‑receptor tyrosine kinase, discs large MAGUK scaffold protein 1, ATP citrate lyase, RAN, member RAS oncogene family, tumor protein p53, and polo like kinase 2, may be essential for heart remodeling following IR and may be used as potential targets for the inhibition of heart remodeling following acute myocardial infarction.

A systems biology approach to detect key pathways and interaction networks in gastric cancer on the basis of microarray analysis.

PubMed

Guo, Leilei; Song, Chunhua; Wang, Peng; Dai, Liping; Zhang, Jianying; Wang, Kaijuan

2015-11-01

The aim of the present study was to explore key molecular pathways contributing to gastric cancer (GC) and to construct an interaction network between significant pathways and potential biomarkers. Publicly available gene expression profiles of GSE29272 for GC, and data for the corresponding normal tissue, were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. Pre‑processing and differential analysis were performed with R statistical software packages, and a number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained. A functional enrichment analysis was performed for all the DEGs with a BiNGO plug‑in in Cytoscape. Their correlation was analyzed in order to construct a network. The modularity analysis and pathway identification operations were used to identify graph clusters and associated pathways. The underlying molecular mechanisms involving these DEGs were also assessed by data mining. A total of 249 DEGs, which were markedly upregulated and downregulated, were identified. The extracellular region contained the most significantly over‑represented functional terms, with respect to upregulated and downregulated genes, and the closest topological matches were identified for taste transduction and regulation of autophagy. In addition, extracellular matrix‑receptor interactions were identified as the most relevant pathway associated with the progression of GC. The genes for fibronectin 1, secreted phosphoprotein 1, collagen type 4 variant α‑1/2 and thrombospondin 1, which are involved in the pathways, may be considered as potential therapeutic targets for GC. A series of associations between candidate genes and key pathways were also identified for GC, and their correlation may provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of GC.

The Key Pieces of the Career Survival and Success Puzzle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonetti, Jack L.

1999-01-01

Analysis of career-success factors identified by 5,000 managers yielded 10 key pieces: excellent performance record, communication skills, interpersonal skills, personality, skill currency, significant work experiences, power, ability to withstand pressure, ability to make difficult decisions, and having a mentor. (SK)

LABORATORY AND COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY OF KEY OXIDATION PRODUCTS CONTROLLING TROPOSPHERIC OZONE FORMATION

EPA Science Inventory

Major uncertainties remain in our ability to identify the key reactions and primary oxidation products of volatile hydrocarbons that contribute to ozone formation in the troposphere. To reduce these uncertainties, computational chemistry, mechanistic and process analysis techniqu...

Challenges and Opportunities in the Provision of Surgical Care in Vanuatu: A Mixed Methods Analysis.

PubMed

Young, S; Perry, W R G; Leodoro, B; Nosa, V; Bissett, I; Windsor, J A; Dare, A J

2016-08-01

The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu faces a number of challenges in delivering surgical care to its population. We aimed to understand and document the barriers, opportunities and required actions to improve surgical care in the country using a mixed methods analysis which incorporated the perspectives of local health stakeholders. A baseline quantitative assessment of surgical capacity in Vanuatu was carried out using the WHO situational analysis tool. Twenty semi-structured interviews were then conducted on the two main islands (Efate and Espiritu Santo) with surgeons, allied health staff, health managers, policy-makers and other key stakeholders, using a grounded theory qualitative case study methodology. Initial informants were identified by purposive sampling followed by snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. Interviews were open and axially coded with subsequent thematic analysis. Vanuatu faces deficits in surgical infrastructure, equipment and human resources, especially in the rural provinces. Geographic isolation, poverty and culture-including the use of traditional medicine and low health literacy-all act as barriers to patients accessing timely surgical care. Issues with governance, human resourcing and perioperative care were commonly identified by stakeholders as key challenges facing surgical services. Increasing outreach clinics, developing efficient referral systems, building provincial surgical capacity and undertaking locally led research were identified as key actions that can improve surgical care. Documenting locally identified challenges and opportunities for surgical care in Vanuatu is an important first step towards developing formal strategies for improving surgical services at the country level.

[A co-word analysis of current research on neonatal jaundice].

PubMed

Bao, Shan; Yang, Xiao-Yan; Tang, Jun; Wu, Jin-Lin; Mu, De-Zhi

2014-08-01

To investigate the research on neonatal jaundice in recent years by co-word analysis and to summarize the hot spots and trend of research in this field in China. The CNKI was searched with "neonate" and "jaundice" as the key words to identify the papers published from January 2009 to July 2013 that were in accordance with strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. To reveal the relationship between different high-frequency key words, Microsoft Office Excel 2013 was used for statistical analysis of key words, and Ucinet 6.0 and Netdraw were used for co-occurrence analysis. A total of 2 054 papers were included, and 44 high-frequency key words were extracted. The current hotspots of research on neonatal jaundice in China were displayed, and the relationship between different high-frequency key words was presented. There has been in-depth research on clinical manifestations and diagnosis of neonatal jaundice in China, but further research is needed to investigate the etiology, mechanism, and treatment of neonatal jaundice.

Identification of crew-systems interactions and decision related trends

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Vehicle System Safety Technology (VSST) project management uses systems analysis to identify key issues and maintain a portfolio of research leading to potential solutions to its three identified t...

Identifying key genes in glaucoma based on a benchmarked dataset and the gene regulatory network.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Wang, Qiao-Ling; Zhang, Meng-Hui

2017-10-01

The current study aimed to identify key genes in glaucoma based on a benchmarked dataset and gene regulatory network (GRN). Local and global noise was added to the gene expression dataset to produce a benchmarked dataset. Differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) between patients with glaucoma and normal controls were identified utilizing the Linear Models for Microarray Data (Limma) package based on benchmarked dataset. A total of 5 GRN inference methods, including Zscore, GeneNet, context likelihood of relatedness (CLR) algorithm, Partial Correlation coefficient with Information Theory (PCIT) and GEne Network Inference with Ensemble of Trees (Genie3) were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and precision and recall (PR) curves. The interference method with the best performance was selected to construct the GRN. Subsequently, topological centrality (degree, closeness and betweenness) was conducted to identify key genes in the GRN of glaucoma. Finally, the key genes were validated by performing reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). A total of 176 DEGs were detected from the benchmarked dataset. The ROC and PR curves of the 5 methods were analyzed and it was determined that Genie3 had a clear advantage over the other methods; thus, Genie3 was used to construct the GRN. Following topological centrality analysis, 14 key genes for glaucoma were identified, including IL6 , EPHA2 and GSTT1 and 5 of these 14 key genes were validated by RT-qPCR. Therefore, the current study identified 14 key genes in glaucoma, which may be potential biomarkers to use in the diagnosis of glaucoma and aid in identifying the molecular mechanism of this disease.

Using a Mobile Dichotomous Key iPad Application as a Scaffolding Tool in a Museum Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Kathryn; Davies, Randall S.

2016-01-01

This study tested an iPad application using a dichotomous key as a scaffolding tool to help students make more detailed observations as they identified various species of birds on display in a museum of natural science. The Mobile Dichotomous Key (MDK) iPad application was used by groups of fifth- and seventh-grade students. Analysis of the…

Rail industry job analysis : passenger conductor.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

This document describes the results of a job analysis that was conducted for the position of railroad Passenger Conductor. Key aspects of the position were identified, including main tasks and knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (...

Rail industry job analysis : freight conductor.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

This document describes the results from a job analysis that was conducted for the position of Freight Conductor. Key aspects of the position were identified, including main tasks and knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) ne...

A better currency for investing in a sustainable future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbajales-Dale, Michael; Barnhart, Charles J.; Brandt, Adam R.; Benson, Sally M.

2014-07-01

Net energy analysis should be a critical energy policy tool. We identify five critical themes for realizing a low-carbon, sustainable energy future and highlight the key perspective that net energy analysis provides.

Examining ISIS Support and Opposition Networks on Twitter

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

interactive communities of Twitter users , lexical analysis that can identify key themes and content for large data sets, and social network analysis...Twitter data, we lexically analyzed the content and key themes of users who mostly employ Daesh versus those who mostly use Islamic State in their tweets...As predicted, we found that frequent users of Daesh had content that was highly critical of ISIS, with users using such terms as Terrorist Daesh

Selection and ranking of patient video cases in paediatric neurology in relation to learner levels.

PubMed

Balslev, Thomas; Muijtjens, Arno M M; Maarbjerg, Sabine Frølich; de Grave, Willem

2018-05-01

Teaching and learning with patient video cases may add authenticity, enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve chances of early diagnosis. The aim of this study is firstly to identify selection criteria for key Patient video cases (PVCs), secondly to identify trends in relevance of PVCs for learner levels and thirdly, to rank PVCs for learner levels. Based on a literature review, we identified criteria for key PVCs for use in paediatric neurology. We then performed a multi-round Delphi analysis to obtain agreement between 28 expert clinician teachers concerning key PVCs for four learner levels. We identified two major criteria: key PVCs should demonstrate key movements, and these movements should be subtle and/or difficult to note. The expert clinician teachers subsequently assessed a list of 14 topics for key PVCs. We found a clear, increasing trend in relevance scores, from medical students to young residents to experienced residents and specialists. For medical students and residents, epileptic spasms, Down syndrome, developmental delay, cerebral palsy and absence epilepsy were highly ranked. For specialists, conditions like chorea, focal seizures or eye movement disorders topped the ranking list, although ranking was less clear for this group of advanced learners. Key PVCs should demonstrate movements that are difficult to note for learners. Ranked lists of key PVCs for teaching and learning at different learner levels are now available and may help institutions build validated local libraries of PVCs. Copyright © 2017 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of key factors regulating self-renewal and differentiation in EML hematopoietic precursor cells by RNA-sequencing analysis.

PubMed

Zong, Shan; Deng, Shuyun; Chen, Kenian; Wu, Jia Qian

2014-11-11

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are used clinically for transplantation treatment to rebuild a patient's hematopoietic system in many diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma. Elucidating the mechanisms controlling HSCs self-renewal and differentiation is important for application of HSCs for research and clinical uses. However, it is not possible to obtain large quantity of HSCs due to their inability to proliferate in vitro. To overcome this hurdle, we used a mouse bone marrow derived cell line, the EML (Erythroid, Myeloid, and Lymphocytic) cell line, as a model system for this study. RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) has been increasingly used to replace microarray for gene expression studies. We report here a detailed method of using RNA-Seq technology to investigate the potential key factors in regulation of EML cell self-renewal and differentiation. The protocol provided in this paper is divided into three parts. The first part explains how to culture EML cells and separate Lin-CD34+ and Lin-CD34- cells. The second part of the protocol offers detailed procedures for total RNA preparation and the subsequent library construction for high-throughput sequencing. The last part describes the method for RNA-Seq data analysis and explains how to use the data to identify differentially expressed transcription factors between Lin-CD34+ and Lin-CD34- cells. The most significantly differentially expressed transcription factors were identified to be the potential key regulators controlling EML cell self-renewal and differentiation. In the discussion section of this paper, we highlight the key steps for successful performance of this experiment. In summary, this paper offers a method of using RNA-Seq technology to identify potential regulators of self-renewal and differentiation in EML cells. The key factors identified are subjected to downstream functional analysis in vitro and in vivo.

Identification of Key Factors Regulating Self-renewal and Differentiation in EML Hematopoietic Precursor Cells by RNA-sequencing Analysis

PubMed Central

Chen, Kenian; Wu, Jia Qian

2014-01-01

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are used clinically for transplantation treatment to rebuild a patient's hematopoietic system in many diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma. Elucidating the mechanisms controlling HSCs self-renewal and differentiation is important for application of HSCs for research and clinical uses. However, it is not possible to obtain large quantity of HSCs due to their inability to proliferate in vitro. To overcome this hurdle, we used a mouse bone marrow derived cell line, the EML (Erythroid, Myeloid, and Lymphocytic) cell line, as a model system for this study. RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) has been increasingly used to replace microarray for gene expression studies. We report here a detailed method of using RNA-Seq technology to investigate the potential key factors in regulation of EML cell self-renewal and differentiation. The protocol provided in this paper is divided into three parts. The first part explains how to culture EML cells and separate Lin-CD34+ and Lin-CD34- cells. The second part of the protocol offers detailed procedures for total RNA preparation and the subsequent library construction for high-throughput sequencing. The last part describes the method for RNA-Seq data analysis and explains how to use the data to identify differentially expressed transcription factors between Lin-CD34+ and Lin-CD34- cells. The most significantly differentially expressed transcription factors were identified to be the potential key regulators controlling EML cell self-renewal and differentiation. In the discussion section of this paper, we highlight the key steps for successful performance of this experiment. In summary, this paper offers a method of using RNA-Seq technology to identify potential regulators of self-renewal and differentiation in EML cells. The key factors identified are subjected to downstream functional analysis in vitro and in vivo. PMID:25407807

An economic analysis methodology for project evaluation and programming.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

Economic analysis is a critical component of a comprehensive project or program evaluation methodology that considers all key : quantitative and qualitative impacts of highway investments. It allows highway agencies to identify, quantify, and value t...

[A functional analysis of healthcare auditors' skills in Venezuela, 2008].

PubMed

Chirinos-Muñoz, Mónica S

2010-10-01

Using functional analysis for identifying the basic, working, specific and generic skills and values which a health service auditor must have. Implementing the functional analysis technique with 10 experts, identifying specific, basic, generic skills and values by means of deductive logic. A functional map was obtained which started by establishing a key purpose based on improving healthcare and service quality from which three key functions emerged. The main functions and skills' units were then broken down into the competitive elements defining what a health service auditor is able to do. This functional map (following functional analysis methodology) shows in detail the simple and complex tasks which a healthcare auditor should apply in the workplace, adopting a forward management approach for improving healthcare and health service quality. This methodology, expressing logical-deductive awareness raising, provides expert consensual information validating each element regarding overall skills.

Evaluation of unique identifiers used as keys to match identical publications in Pure and SciVal - a case study from health science.

PubMed

Madsen, Heidi Holst; Madsen, Dicte; Gauffriau, Marianne

2016-01-01

Unique identifiers (UID) are seen as an effective key to match identical publications across databases or identify duplicates in a database. The objective of the present study is to investigate how well UIDs work as match keys in the integration between Pure and SciVal, based on a case with publications from the health sciences. We evaluate the matching process based on information about coverage, precision, and characteristics of publications matched versus not matched with UIDs as the match keys. We analyze this information to detect errors, if any, in the matching process. As an example we also briefly discuss how publication sets formed by using UIDs as the match keys may affect the bibliometric indicators number of publications, number of citations, and the average number of citations per publication.  The objective is addressed in a literature review and a case study. The literature review shows that only a few studies evaluate how well UIDs work as a match key. From the literature we identify four error types: Duplicate digital object identifiers (DOI), incorrect DOIs in reference lists and databases, DOIs not registered by the database where a bibliometric analysis is performed, and erroneous optical or special character recognition. The case study explores the use of UIDs in the integration between the databases Pure and SciVal. Specifically journal publications in English are matched between the two databases. We find all error types except erroneous optical or special character recognition in our publication sets. In particular the duplicate DOIs constitute a problem for the calculation of bibliometric indicators as both keeping the duplicates to improve the reliability of citation counts and deleting them to improve the reliability of publication counts will distort the calculation of average number of citations per publication. The use of UIDs as a match key in citation linking is implemented in many settings, and the availability of UIDs may become critical for the inclusion of a publication or a database in a bibliometric analysis.

Evaluation of unique identifiers used as keys to match identical publications in Pure and SciVal – a case study from health science

PubMed Central

Madsen, Heidi Holst; Madsen, Dicte; Gauffriau, Marianne

2016-01-01

Unique identifiers (UID) are seen as an effective key to match identical publications across databases or identify duplicates in a database. The objective of the present study is to investigate how well UIDs work as match keys in the integration between Pure and SciVal, based on a case with publications from the health sciences. We evaluate the matching process based on information about coverage, precision, and characteristics of publications matched versus not matched with UIDs as the match keys. We analyze this information to detect errors, if any, in the matching process. As an example we also briefly discuss how publication sets formed by using UIDs as the match keys may affect the bibliometric indicators number of publications, number of citations, and the average number of citations per publication.  The objective is addressed in a literature review and a case study. The literature review shows that only a few studies evaluate how well UIDs work as a match key. From the literature we identify four error types: Duplicate digital object identifiers (DOI), incorrect DOIs in reference lists and databases, DOIs not registered by the database where a bibliometric analysis is performed, and erroneous optical or special character recognition. The case study explores the use of UIDs in the integration between the databases Pure and SciVal. Specifically journal publications in English are matched between the two databases. We find all error types except erroneous optical or special character recognition in our publication sets. In particular the duplicate DOIs constitute a problem for the calculation of bibliometric indicators as both keeping the duplicates to improve the reliability of citation counts and deleting them to improve the reliability of publication counts will distort the calculation of average number of citations per publication. The use of UIDs as a match key in citation linking is implemented in many settings, and the availability of UIDs may become critical for the inclusion of a publication or a database in a bibliometric analysis. PMID:27635223

Identification of Cost Indicators with Significant Economic Impact on the Total Treatment Costs of Chronic Heart Failure Patients - A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Hameed, Ahmed S; Modre-Osprian, Robert; Schreier, Günter

2017-01-01

Increasing treatment costs of HF patients affect the initiation of appropriate treatment method. Divergent approaches to measure the costs of treatment and the lack of common cost indicators impede the comparison of therapy settings. In the context of the present meta-analysis, key cost indicators from the perspective of healthcare providers are to be identified, described, analyzed and quantified. This review helps narrowing down the cost indicators, which have the most significant economic impact on the total treatment costs of HF patients. Telemedical services are to be compared to standard therapy methods. The identification process was based on several steps. For the quantitative synthesis, we used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. An additional set of criteria was defined for the following qualitative analysis. 5 key cost indicators were identified with significant economic impact on the treatment costs of HF patients. 95% of the reported treatment costs could be captured based on the identified cost indicators.

Identification of key genes associated with the effect of estrogen on ovarian cancer using microarray analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Shi-tao; Zuo, Chao; Li, Wan-nan; Fu, Xue-qi; Xing, Shu; Zhang, Xiao-ping

2016-02-01

To identify key genes related to the effect of estrogen on ovarian cancer. Microarray data (GSE22600) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. Eight estrogen and seven placebo treatment samples were obtained using a 2 × 2 factorial designs, which contained 2 cell lines (PEO4 and 2008) and 2 treatments (estrogen and placebo). Differentially expressed genes were identified by Bayesian methods, and the genes with P < 0.05 and |log2FC (fold change)| ≥0.5 were chosen as cut-off criterion. Differentially co-expressed genes (DCGs) and differentially regulated genes (DRGs) were, respectively, identified by DCe function and DRsort function in DCGL package. Topological structure analysis was performed on the important transcriptional factors (TFs) and genes in transcriptional regulatory network using tYNA. Functional enrichment analysis was, respectively, performed for DEGs and the important genes using Gene Ontology and KEGG databases. In total, 465 DEGs were identified. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs indicated that ACVR2B, LTBP1, BMP7 and MYC involved in TGF-beta signaling pathway. The 2285 DCG pairs and 357 DRGs were identified. Topological structure analysis showed that 52 important TFs and 65 important genes were identified. Functional enrichment analysis of the important genes showed that TP53 and MLH1 participated in DNA damage response and the genes (ACVR2B, LTBP1, BMP7 and MYC) involved in TGF-beta signaling pathway. TP53, MLH1, ACVR2B, LTBP1 and BMP7 might participate in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer.

Physically Active Adults: An Analysis of the Key Variables That Keep Them Moving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downs, Andrew

2016-01-01

Background: A large proportion of adults are insufficiently physically active, and researchers have yet to determine the factors that enable individuals to maintain adequate levels of physical activity throughout adulthood. Purpose: This study sought to identify the key variables linked with consistent physical activity in adulthood as elucidated…

Key Informant Perspectives on Federal Research Agency Policy and Systems and Scientific Workforce Diversity Development: A Companion Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Corey L.; Wang, Ningning; Davis, Dytisha; Aref, Fariborz; Manyibe, Edward O.; Washington, Andre L.; Johnson, Jean; Eugene-Cross, Kenyotta; Muhammad, Atashia; Jennings-Jones, Desiree

2017-01-01

Purpose: In the previous analysis of key informant perspectives on minority research leaders' career development factors, we identified individual and sociocultural, institutional, and federal research agency (i.e., National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research; National Institutes of Health; Agency for…

Identifying and Analyzing Federal Government Market Opportunities for OpalSoft

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS ( SWOT ) ANALYSIS......................................................................................13 1. Strengths...xiii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. SWOT Analysis...of industries to include Fortune 500 companies. Current key clients are Amkor, Symantec, Unisys Corporation, Apple Computers, Palm, Inc., and

ANCA: Anharmonic Conformational Analysis of Biomolecular Simulations.

PubMed

Parvatikar, Akash; Vacaliuc, Gabriel S; Ramanathan, Arvind; Chennubhotla, S Chakra

2018-05-08

Anharmonicity in time-dependent conformational fluctuations is noted to be a key feature of functional dynamics of biomolecules. Although anharmonic events are rare, long-timescale (μs-ms and beyond) simulations facilitate probing of such events. We have previously developed quasi-anharmonic analysis to resolve higher-order spatial correlations and characterize anharmonicity in biomolecular simulations. In this article, we have extended this toolbox to resolve higher-order temporal correlations and built a scalable Python package called anharmonic conformational analysis (ANCA). ANCA has modules to: 1) measure anharmonicity in the form of higher-order statistics and its variation as a function of time, 2) output a storyboard representation of the simulations to identify key anharmonic conformational events, and 3) identify putative anharmonic conformational substates and visualization of transitions between these substates. Copyright © 2018 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative methods of identifying the key nodes in the illegal wildlife trade network

PubMed Central

Patel, Nikkita Gunvant; Rorres, Chris; Joly, Damien O.; Brownstein, John S.; Boston, Ray; Levy, Michael Z.; Smith, Gary

2015-01-01

Innovative approaches are needed to combat the illegal trade in wildlife. Here, we used network analysis and a new database, HealthMap Wildlife Trade, to identify the key nodes (countries) that support the illegal wildlife trade. We identified key exporters and importers from the number of shipments a country sent and received and from the number of connections a country had to other countries over a given time period. We used flow betweenness centrality measurements to identify key intermediary countries. We found the set of nodes whose removal from the network would cause the maximum disruption to the network. Selecting six nodes would fragment 89.5% of the network for elephants, 92.3% for rhinoceros, and 98.1% for tigers. We then found sets of nodes that would best disseminate an educational message via direct connections through the network. We would need to select 18 nodes to reach 100% of the elephant trade network, 16 nodes for rhinoceros, and 10 for tigers. Although the choice of locations for interventions should be customized for the animal and the goal of the intervention, China was the most frequently selected country for network fragmentation and information dissemination. Identification of key countries will help strategize illegal wildlife trade interventions. PMID:26080413

U.S. Clean Energy Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies: A Competitiveness Analysis

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

Fullenkamp, Patrick; Holody, Diane; James, Brian

The objectives of this project are a 1) Global Competitiveness Analysis of hydrogen and fuel cell systems and components manufactured including 700 bar compressed hydrogen storage system in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and other key areas to be identified to determine the global cost leaders, the best current manufacturing processes, the key factors determining competitiveness, and the potential means of cost reductions; and an 2) Analysis to assess the status of global hydrogen and fuel cell markets. The analysis of units, megawatts by country and by application will focus on polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems (automotive and stationary).

The Resource-Based View and Value: The Customer-Based View of the Firm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clulow, Val; Barry, Carol; Gerstman, Julie

2007-01-01

Purpose: The resource-based view (RBV) explores the role of key resources, identified as intangible assets and capabilities, in creating competitive advantage and superior performance. To a great extent the conceptual analysis and empirical research within the RBV has focused on the firm's perspective of key resources and the value to the firm of…

Developing an intelligence analysis process through social network analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waskiewicz, Todd; LaMonica, Peter

2008-04-01

Intelligence analysts are tasked with making sense of enormous amounts of data and gaining an awareness of a situation that can be acted upon. This process can be extremely difficult and time consuming. Trying to differentiate between important pieces of information and extraneous data only complicates the problem. When dealing with data containing entities and relationships, social network analysis (SNA) techniques can be employed to make this job easier. Applying network measures to social network graphs can identify the most significant nodes (entities) and edges (relationships) and help the analyst further focus on key areas of concern. Strange developed a model that identifies high value targets such as centers of gravity and critical vulnerabilities. SNA lends itself to the discovery of these high value targets and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has investigated several network measures such as centrality, betweenness, and grouping to identify centers of gravity and critical vulnerabilities. Using these network measures, a process for the intelligence analyst has been developed to aid analysts in identifying points of tactical emphasis. Organizational Risk Analyzer (ORA) and Terrorist Modus Operandi Discovery System (TMODS) are the two applications used to compute the network measures and identify the points to be acted upon. Therefore, the result of leveraging social network analysis techniques and applications will provide the analyst and the intelligence community with more focused and concentrated analysis results allowing them to more easily exploit key attributes of a network, thus saving time, money, and manpower.

Cerebrospinal fluid metabolomic profiling in tuberculous and viral meningitis: Screening potential markers for differential diagnosis.

PubMed

Li, Zihui; Du, Boping; Li, Jing; Zhang, Jinli; Zheng, Xiaojing; Jia, Hongyan; Xing, Aiying; Sun, Qi; Liu, Fei; Zhang, Zongde

2017-03-01

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe and frequent form of central nervous system tuberculosis. The current lack of efficient diagnostic tests makes it difficult to differentiate TBM from other common types of meningitis, especially viral meningitis (VM). Metabolomics is an important tool to identify disease-specific biomarkers. However, little metabolomic information is available on adult TBM. We used 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics to investigate the metabolic features of the CSF from 18 TBM and 20 VM patients. Principal component analysis and orthogonal signal correction-partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OSC-PLS-DA) were applied to analyze profiling data. Metabolites were identified using the Human Metabolome Database and pathway analysis was performed with MetaboAnalyst 3.0. The OSC-PLS-DA model could distinguish TBM from VM with high reliability. A total of 25 key metabolites that contributed to their discrimination were identified, including some, such as betaine and cyclohexane, rarely reported before in TBM. Pathway analysis indicated that amino acid and energy metabolism was significantly different in the CSF of TBM compared with VM. Twenty-five key metabolites identified in our study may be potential biomarkers for TBM differential diagnosis and are worthy of further investigation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Many Words Does a Picture Really Tell? Cross-sectional Descriptive Study of Pictogram Evaluation by Youth.

PubMed

Korenevsky, Artyom; Vaillancourt, Régis; Pouliot, Annie; Revol, Marine; Steed, Evan; Besançon, Luc; Wahrendorf, Marit-Saskia; Patel, Jaimisha R

2013-07-01

Communicating health-related instructions with pictograms is useful, but such graphics can be interpreted in different ways. It is crucial to understand which pictogram components are best for accurate communication. To catalogue pictograms used to label drugs in clinical practice; to identify the common graphic elements for defined categories of pictograms, by performing a semiotic analysis (studying how signs are perceived and how they should be designed); to identify the key graphic elements common to pictograms preferred by users; and to develop suggestions for future pictogram design on the basis of users' input. Literature and Internet searches were performed to identify pictograms and pictogram categories. A call for pictograms was also circulated through the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Youth at a Canadian pediatric hospital were asked to rate pictograms (including storyboards and prescription labels generated by FIP pictogram software) in terms of how best they represented their intended meanings. Pictograms for which at least 80% of participants "somewhat agreed", "agreed", or "strongly agreed" that the graphic conveyed the intended meaning were designated as "preferred" and were selected for analysis. Elements appearing in at least 50% of these preferred pictograms were highlighted as key graphic elements for design of future pictograms. In total, 21 categories were identified for pictograms used in clinical practice, and a total of 204 pictograms were analyzed. Eighty-six participants took part in the survey. For each pictogram category, certain elements were identified as "preferred" and as "key graphic elements", whereas other elements met neither designation. For all 21 pictogram categories, at least 80% of survey respondents agreed that the FIP storyboard conveyed the intended meaning. Certain key, preferred graphic elements are required for pharmaceutical pictograms to convey their intended meaning. The overlap between preferred and key pictogram elements indicates that both must be considered in development of future pictograms. Redesign of existing pictograms with consideration of the best semiotic elements is in progress.

76 FR 72493 - ITS Joint Program Office Webinar on Alternative Organizational Structures for a Certificate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-23

... over time. (This study is an institutional analysis only, not a technical analysis, and it is not... Adam Hopps at (202) 680-0091. The ITS JPO will present results from an early analysis of organizational models. This analysis will describe the functions that need to be performed by a CME; identify key...

Using wind plant data to increase reliability.

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

Peters, Valerie A.; Ogilvie, Alistair B.; McKenney, Bridget L.

2011-01-01

Operators interested in improving reliability should begin with a focus on the performance of the wind plant as a whole. To then understand the factors which drive individual turbine performance, which together comprise the plant performance, it is necessary to track a number of key indicators. Analysis of these key indicators can reveal the type, frequency, and cause of failures and will also identify their contributions to overall plant performance. The ideal approach to using data to drive good decisions includes first determining which critical decisions can be based on data. When those required decisions are understood, then the analysismore » required to inform those decisions can be identified, and finally the data to be collected in support of those analyses can be determined. Once equipped with high-quality data and analysis capabilities, the key steps to data-based decision making for reliability improvements are to isolate possible improvements, select the improvements with largest return on investment (ROI), implement the selected improvements, and finally to track their impact.« less

Identification of gene expression profiles and key genes in subchondral bone of osteoarthritis using weighted gene coexpression network analysis.

PubMed

Guo, Sheng-Min; Wang, Jian-Xiong; Li, Jin; Xu, Fang-Yuan; Wei, Quan; Wang, Hai-Ming; Huang, Hou-Qiang; Zheng, Si-Lin; Xie, Yu-Jie; Zhang, Chi

2018-06-15

Osteoarthritis (OA) significantly influences the quality life of people around the world. It is urgent to find an effective way to understand the genetic etiology of OA. We used weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to explore the key genes involved in the subchondral bone pathological process of OA. Fifty gene expression profiles of GSE51588 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The OA-associated genes and gene ontologies were acquired from JuniorDoc. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis was used to find disease-related networks based on 21756 gene expression correlation coefficients, hub-genes with the highest connectivity in each module were selected, and the correlation between module eigengene and clinical traits was calculated. The genes in the traits-related gene coexpression modules were subject to functional annotation and pathway enrichment analysis using ClusterProfiler. A total of 73 gene modules were identified, of which, 12 modules were found with high connectivity with clinical traits. Five modules were found with enriched OA-associated genes. Moreover, 310 OA-associated genes were found, and 34 of them were among hub-genes in each module. Consequently, enrichment results indicated some key metabolic pathways, such as extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction (hsa04512), focal adhesion (hsa04510), the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway (PI3K-AKT) (hsa04151), transforming growth factor beta pathway, and Wnt pathway. We intended to identify some core genes, collagen (COL)6A3, COL6A1, ITGA11, BAMBI, and HCK, which could influence downstream signaling pathways once they were activated. In this study, we identified important genes within key coexpression modules, which associate with a pathological process of subchondral bone in OA. Functional analysis results could provide important information to understand the mechanism of OA. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Building capacity in Australian interprofessional health education: perspectives from key health and higher education stakeholders.

PubMed

Matthews, Lynda R; Pockett, Rosalie B; Nisbet, Gillian; Thistlethwaite, Jill E; Dunston, Roger; Lee, Alison; White, Jill F

2011-05-01

A substantial literature engaging with the directions and experiences of stakeholders involved in interprofessional health education exists at the international level, yet almost nothing has been published that documents and analyses the Australian experience. Accordingly, this study aimed to scope the experiences of key stakeholders in health and higher education in relation to the development of interprofessional practice capabilities in health graduates in Australia. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews and two focus groups of key stakeholders involved in the development and delivery of interprofessional health education in Australian higher education were undertaken. Interview data were coded to identify categories that were organised into key themes, according to principles of thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: the need for common ground between health and higher education, constraints and enablers in current practice, and the need for research to establish an evidence base. Five directions for national development were also identified. The study identified a range of interconnected changes that will be required to successfully mainstream interprofessional education within Australia, in particular, the importance of addressing issues of culture change and the need for a nationally coordinated and research informed approach. These findings reiterate those found in the international literature.

Global sensitivity analysis of DRAINMOD-FOREST, an integrated forest ecosystem model

Treesearch

Shiying Tian; Mohamed A. Youssef; Devendra M. Amatya; Eric D. Vance

2014-01-01

Global sensitivity analysis is a useful tool to understand process-based ecosystem models by identifying key parameters and processes controlling model predictions. This study reported a comprehensive global sensitivity analysis for DRAINMOD-FOREST, an integrated model for simulating water, carbon (C), and nitrogen (N) cycles and plant growth in lowland forests. The...

Developments in Cylindrical Shell Stability Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, Norman F., Jr.; Starnes, James H., Jr.

1998-01-01

Today high-performance computing systems and new analytical and numerical techniques enable engineers to explore the use of advanced materials for shell design. This paper reviews some of the historical developments of shell buckling analysis and design. The paper concludes by identifying key research directions for reliable and robust methods development in shell stability analysis and design.

A comparative study of volatile components in Dianhong teas from fresh leaves of four tea cultivars by using chromatography-mass spectrometry, multivariate data analysis, and descriptive sensory analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Zhang, Chenxia; Kong, Yawen; Peng, Xiaopei; Li, Changwen; Liu, Shunhang; Du, Liping; Xiao, Dongguang; Xu, Yongquan

2017-10-01

Dianhong teas produced from fresh leaves of different tea cultivars (YK is Yunkang No. 10, XY is Xueya 100, CY is Changyebaihao, SS is Shishengmiao), were compared in terms of volatile compounds and descriptive sensory analysis. A total of 73 volatile compounds in 16 tea samples were tentatively identified. YK, XY, CY, and SS contained 55, 53, 49, and 51 volatile compounds, respectively. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to classify the samples, and 40 key components were selected based on variable importance in the projection. Moreover, 11 flavor attributes, namely, floral, fruity, grass/green, woody, sweet, roasty, caramel, mellow and thick, bitter, astringent, and sweet aftertaste were identified through descriptive sensory analysis (DSA). In generally, innate differences among the tea varieties significantly affected the intensities of most of the key sensory attributes of Dianhong teas possibly because of the different amounts of aroma-active and taste components in Dianhong teas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Metaphor of the Triangle in Theories of Human Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zittoun, Tania; Gillespie, Alex; Cornish, Flora; Psaltis, Charis

2007-01-01

Developmental psychologists have a long history of using triangle metaphors to conceptualise the social constitution of psychological development. In this paper, we present a genealogy of triadic theories, to clarify their origins, distinctions between them, and to identify key themes for theoretical development. The analysis identifies three core…

Principal Leadership and School Capacity Effects on Teacher Learning in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Lijuan; Hallinger, Philip; Ko, James

2016-01-01

Purpose: Over the past decade, studies of school leadership effects have increasingly aimed at identifying and validating the paths through which principal leadership impacts key teaching and learning processes in schools. A recent meta-analysis by Robinson and colleagues identified principal practices that shape teacher professional development…

Identification of Key Odorants in Withering-Flavored Green Tea by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizukami, Yuzo; Yamaguchi, Yuichi

This research aims to identify key odorants in withering-flavored green tea. Application of the aroma extract dilution analysis using the volatile fraction of green tea and withering-flavored green tea revealed 25 and 35 odor-active peaks with the flavor dilution factors of≥4, respectively. 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, (E)-2-nonenal, linalool, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal and 3-methylnonane-2,4-dione were key odorants in green tea with the flavor dilution factor of≥16. As well as these 5 odorants, 1-octen-3-one, β-damascenone, geraniol, β-ionone, (Z)-methyljasmonate, indole and coumarine contributed to the withering flavor of green tea.

Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Saura, Jose Ramon; Palos-Sanchez, Pedro; Rios Martin, Miguel Angel

2018-03-19

The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets ( n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified.

Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets (n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified. PMID:29562724

Facilitating factors and barriers to malaria research utilization for policy development in Malawi.

PubMed

Mwendera, Chikondi A; de Jager, Christiaan; Longwe, Herbert; Phiri, Kamija; Hongoro, Charles; Mutero, Clifford M

2016-10-19

Research on various determinants of health is key in providing evidence for policy development, thereby leading to successful interventions. Utilization of research is an intricate process requiring an understanding of contextual factors. The study was conducted to assess enhancing factors and barriers of research utilization for malaria policy development in Malawi. Qualitative research approach was used through in-depth interviews with 39 key informants that included malaria researchers, policy makers, programme managers, and key stakeholders. Purposive sampling and snowballing techniques were used in identifying key informants. Interview transcripts were entered in QSR Nvivo 11 software for coding and analysis. Respondents identified global efforts as key in advancing knowledge translation, while local political will has been conducive for research utilization. Other factors were availability of research, availability of diverse local researchers and stakeholders supporting knowledge translation. While barriers included: lack of platforms for researcher-public engagement, politics, researchers' lack of communication skills, lack of research collaborations, funder driven research, unknown World Health Organization policy position, and the lack of a malaria research repository. Overall, the study identified facilitating factors to malaria research utilization for policy development in Malawi. These factors need to be systematically coordinated to address the identified barriers and improve on malaria research utilization in policy development. Malaria research can be key in the implementation of evidence-based interventions to reduce the malaria burden and assist in the paradigm shift from malaria control to elimination in Malawi.

Identifying Key Features of Student Performance in Educational Video Games and Simulations through Cluster Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Deirdre; Chung, Gregory K. W. K.

2012-01-01

The assessment cycle of "evidence-centered design" (ECD) provides a framework for treating an educational video game or simulation as an assessment. One of the main steps in the assessment cycle of ECD is the identification of the key features of student performance. While this process is relatively simple for multiple choice tests, when…

A Stakeholder Analysis of One Institution's Assuring Learning Experience--Is the Promise and the Practice Worth the Price?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Erica; Casali, Gian Luca

2014-01-01

Universities around the world are rushing to implement assurance of learning policies and practices with varying degrees of success. One School investigated its own policy and practice development through the eyes of its key stakeholders to identify whether the practice was worth the price. Findings indicate that although the key stakeholders…

Key concepts relevant to quality of complex and shared decision-making in health care: a literature review.

PubMed

Dy, Sydney M; Purnell, Tanjala S

2012-02-01

High-quality provider-patient decision-making is key to quality care for complex conditions. We performed an analysis of key elements relevant to quality and complex, shared medical decision-making. Based on a search of electronic databases, including Medline and the Cochrane Library, as well as relevant articles' reference lists, reviews of tools, and annotated bibliographies, we developed a list of key concepts and applied them to a decision-making example. Key concepts identified included provider competence, trustworthiness, and cultural competence; communication with patients and families; information quality; patient/surrogate competence; and roles and involvement. We applied this concept list to a case example, shared decision-making for live donor kidney transplantation, and identified the likely most important concepts as provider and cultural competence, information quality, and communication with patients and families. This concept list may be useful for conceptualizing the quality of complex shared decision-making and in guiding research in this area. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Key challenges in the development and implementation of telehealth projects.

PubMed

Joseph, Victor; West, Robert M; Shickle, Darren; Keen, Justin; Clamp, Susan

2011-01-01

A literature review was carried out to identify the key challenges in the implementation of telehealth. This was followed by a survey of organisations in England involved in telehealth projects in order to understand the challenges they faced. Ten of the 13 health or local authority organisations surveyed had telehealth projects and three were at the planning stage. The analysis revealed seven key challenges facing implementers of telehealth in England. Based on the findings from the literature review and the survey, a model was constructed and a checklist drawn up. The model contained the following elements: identifying issues, needs and partners; producing a strategy; securing funding; implementing changes; and monitoring and evaluating a telehealth project. The checklist was validated by using key informants from the organisations originally surveyed. The checklist may be useful to guide telehealth development and implementation in the future.

Network-Based Methods for Identifying Key Active Proteins in the Extracellular Electron Transfer Process in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

PubMed

Ding, Dewu; Sun, Xiao

2018-01-16

Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 can transfer electrons from the intracellular environment to the extracellular space of the cells to reduce the extracellular insoluble electron acceptors (Extracellular Electron Transfer, EET). Benefiting from this EET capability, Shewanella has been widely used in different areas, such as energy production, wastewater treatment, and bioremediation. Genome-wide proteomics data was used to determine the active proteins involved in activating the EET process. We identified 1012 proteins with decreased expression and 811 proteins with increased expression when the EET process changed from inactivation to activation. We then networked these proteins to construct the active protein networks, and identified the top 20 key active proteins by network centralization analysis, including metabolism- and energy-related proteins, signal and transcriptional regulatory proteins, translation-related proteins, and the EET-related proteins. We also constructed the integrated protein interaction and transcriptional regulatory networks for the active proteins, then found three exclusive active network motifs involved in activating the EET process-Bi-feedforward Loop, Regulatory Cascade with a Feedback, and Feedback with a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI)-and identified the active proteins involved in these motifs. Both enrichment analysis and comparative analysis to the whole-genome data implicated the multiheme c -type cytochromes and multiple signal processing proteins involved in the process. Furthermore, the interactions of these motif-guided active proteins and the involved functional modules were discussed. Collectively, by using network-based methods, this work reported a proteome-wide search for the key active proteins that potentially activate the EET process.

Protocol for a thematic synthesis to identify key themes and messages from a palliative care research network.

PubMed

Nicholson, Emma; Murphy, Tara; Larkin, Philip; Normand, Charles; Guerin, Suzanne

2016-10-21

Research networks that facilitate collaborative research are increasing both regionally and globally and such collaborations contribute greatly to knowledge transfer particularly in health research. The Palliative Care Research Network is an Irish-based network that seeks to create opportunities and engender a collaborative environment to encourage innovative research that is relevant for policy and practice. The current review outlines a methodology to identify cross-cutting messages to identify how dissemination outputs can be optimized to ensure that key messages from this research reaches all knowledge users. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocol guidelines will inform the search and analysis plan to ensure that the synthesis of the data is as rigorous as possible. An approach based on critical interpretative synthesis will be adapted to include a thematic synthesis for the identification of higher-order themes and messages from a body of dissemination products generated by the Palliative Care Research Network. The thematic synthesis outlined in the present protocol offers a novel method of synthesising data from a focused research network that employs a variety of dissemination materials as a means of identifying key themes and messages from a specific body of research. The high-level themes and messages will be identified from the thematic synthesis, widely disseminated and targeted towards a range of stakeholders and knowledge users such as carers, health and social care professionals, policy makers and researchers.

Chemical analysis of plants that poison livestock: Successes, challenges, and opportunities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poisonous plants have a devastating impact on the livestock industry, as well as human health. In order to fully understand the effects of poisonous plants, multiple scientific disciplines are required. Chemical analysis of plant secondary compounds is key to identifying the responsible toxins, char...

Model-driven meta-analyses for informing health care: a diabetes meta-analysis as an exemplar.

PubMed

Brown, Sharon A; Becker, Betsy Jane; García, Alexandra A; Brown, Adama; Ramírez, Gilbert

2015-04-01

A relatively novel type of meta-analysis, a model-driven meta-analysis, involves the quantitative synthesis of descriptive, correlational data and is useful for identifying key predictors of health outcomes and informing clinical guidelines. Few such meta-analyses have been conducted and thus, large bodies of research remain unsynthesized and uninterpreted for application in health care. We describe the unique challenges of conducting a model-driven meta-analysis, focusing primarily on issues related to locating a sample of published and unpublished primary studies, extracting and verifying descriptive and correlational data, and conducting analyses. A current meta-analysis of the research on predictors of key health outcomes in diabetes is used to illustrate our main points. © The Author(s) 2014.

MODEL-DRIVEN META-ANALYSES FOR INFORMING HEALTH CARE: A DIABETES META-ANALYSIS AS AN EXEMPLAR

PubMed Central

Brown, Sharon A.; Becker, Betsy Jane; García, Alexandra A.; Brown, Adama; Ramírez, Gilbert

2015-01-01

A relatively novel type of meta-analysis, a model-driven meta-analysis, involves the quantitative synthesis of descriptive, correlational data and is useful for identifying key predictors of health outcomes and informing clinical guidelines. Few such meta-analyses have been conducted and thus, large bodies of research remain unsynthesized and uninterpreted for application in health care. We describe the unique challenges of conducting a model-driven meta-analysis, focusing primarily on issues related to locating a sample of published and unpublished primary studies, extracting and verifying descriptive and correlational data, and conducting analyses. A current meta-analysis of the research on predictors of key health outcomes in diabetes is used to illustrate our main points. PMID:25142707

Parameter as a Switch Between Dynamical States of a Network in Population Decoding.

PubMed

Yu, Jiali; Mao, Hua; Yi, Zhang

2017-04-01

Population coding is a method to represent stimuli using the collective activities of a number of neurons. Nevertheless, it is difficult to extract information from these population codes with the noise inherent in neuronal responses. Moreover, it is a challenge to identify the right parameter of the decoding model, which plays a key role for convergence. To address the problem, a population decoding model is proposed for parameter selection. Our method successfully identified the key conditions for a nonzero continuous attractor. Both the theoretical analysis and the application studies demonstrate the correctness and effectiveness of this strategy.

Student Satisfaction in Higher Education: A Meta-Analytic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santini, Fernando de Oliveira; Ladeira, Wagner Junior; Sampaio, Claudio Hoffmann; da Silva Costa, Gustavo

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the results of a meta-analysis performed to identify key antecedent and consequent constructs of satisfaction in higher education. We offer an integrated model to achieve a better understanding of satisfaction in the context of higher education. To accomplish this objective, we identified 83 studies that were valid and…

Listening to the Reactions of People in the Midst of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friestad-Tate, Jill; McCoy, Craig

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study was to listen to reactions of key stakeholders experiencing profound organizational change. A case study was used to gather data from participants' interview responses. Data analysis identified research-supported reactions; in addition, two unique themes were identified: constructive critique and ill-effects of good…

Key ingredients of anti-stigma programs for health care providers: a data synthesis of evaluative studies.

PubMed

Knaak, Stephanie; Modgill, Geeta; Patten, Scott B

2014-10-01

As part of its ongoing effort to combat stigma against mental illness among health care providers, the Mental Health Commission of Canada partnered with organizations conducting anti-stigma interventions. Our objective was to evaluate program effectiveness and to better understand what makes some programs more effective than others. Our paper reports the elements of these programs found to be most strongly associated with favourable outcomes. Our study employed a multi-phased, mixed-methods design. First, a grounded theory qualitative study was undertaken to identify key program elements. Next, each program (n = 22) was coded according to the presence or absence of the identified key program ingredients. Then, random-effects, meta-regression modelling was used to examine the association between program outcomes and the key ingredients. The qualitative analysis led to a 6-ingredient model of key program elements. Results of the quantitative analysis showed that programs that included all 6 of these ingredients performed significantly better than those that did not. Individual analyses of each of the 6 ingredients showed that including multiple forms of social contact and emphasizing recovery were characteristics of the most effective programs. The results provide a validation of a 6-ingredient model of key program elements for anti-stigma programming for health care providers. Emphasizing recovery and including multiple types of social contact are of particular importance for maximizing the effectiveness of anti-stigma programs for health care providers.

Bioinformatics analysis of differentially expressed gene profiles associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

PubMed Central

Wu, Chengjiang; Zhao, Yangjing; Lin, Yu; Yang, Xinxin; Yan, Meina; Min, Yujiao; Pan, Zihui; Xia, Sheng; Shao, Qixiang

2018-01-01

DNA microarray and high-throughput sequencing have been widely used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the big data from gene microarrays are also challenging to work with in terms of analysis and processing. The presents study combined data from the microarray expression profile (GSE65391) and bioinformatics analysis to identify the key genes and cellular pathways in SLE. Gene ontology (GO) and cellular pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed to investigate significantly enriched pathways. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed to determine the key genes in the occurrence and development of SLE. A total of 310 DEGs were identified in SLE, including 193 upregulated genes and 117 downregulated genes. GO analysis revealed that the most significant biological process of DEGs was immune system process. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome pathway analysis showed that these DEGs were enriched in signaling pathways associated with the immune system, including the RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway, intestinal immune network for IgA production, antigen processing and presentation and the toll-like receptor signaling pathway. The current study screened the top 10 genes with higher degrees as hub genes, which included 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase 1, MX dynamin like GTPase 2, interferon induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1, interferon regulatory factor 7, interferon induced with helicase C domain 1, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, ISG15 ubiquitin-like modifier, DExD/H-box helicase 58, interferon induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 and 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase 2. Module analysis revealed that these hub genes were also involved in the RIG-I-like receptor signaling, cytosolic DNA-sensing, toll-like receptor signaling and ribosome biogenesis pathways. In addition, these hub genes, from different probe sets, exhibited significant co-expressed tendency in multi-experiment microarray datasets (P<0.01). In conclusion, these key genes and cellular pathways may improve the current understanding of the underlying mechanism of development of SLE. These key genes may be potential biomarkers of diagnosis, therapy and prognosis for SLE. PMID:29257335

Analysis of landscape character for visual resource management

Treesearch

Paul F. Anderson

1979-01-01

Description, classification and delineation of visual landscape character are initial steps in developing visual resource management plans. Landscape characteristics identified as key factors in visual landscape analysis include land cover/land use and landform. Landscape types, which are combinations of landform and surface features, were delineated for management...

Genome-wide Association Analysis of Kernel Weight in Hard Winter Wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Wheat kernel weight is an important and heritable component of wheat grain yield and a key predictor of flour extraction. Genome-wide association analysis was conducted to identify genomic regions associated with kernel weight and kernel weight environmental response in 8 trials of 299 hard winter ...

Successful strategies to engage research partners for translating evidence into action in community health: a critical review.

PubMed

Salsberg, Jon; Parry, David; Pluye, Pierre; Macridis, Soultana; Herbert, Carol P; Macaulay, Ann C

2015-01-01

To undertake a critical review describing key strategies supporting development of participatory research (PR) teams to engage partners for creation and translation of action-oriented knowledge. Sources are four leading PR practitioners identified via bibliometric analysis. Authors' publications were identified in January 1995-October 2009 in PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Science and CAB databases, and books. Works were limited to those with a process description describing a research project and practitioners were first, second, third, or last author. Adapting and applying the "Reliability Tested Guidelines for Assessing Participatory Research Projects" to retained records identified five key strategies: developing advisory committees of researchers and intended research users; developing research agreements; using formal and informal group facilitation techniques; hiring co-researchers/partners from community; and ensuring frequent communication. Other less frequently mentioned strategies were also identified. This review is the first time these guidelines were used to identify key strategies supporting PR projects. They proved effective at identifying and evaluating engagement strategies as reported by completed research projects. Adapting these guidelines identified gaps where the tool was unable to assess fundamental PR elements of power dynamics, equity of resources, and member turnover. Our resulting template serves as a new tool to measure partnerships.

Successful Strategies to Engage Research Partners for Translating Evidence into Action in Community Health: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Salsberg, Jon; Parry, David; Pluye, Pierre; Macridis, Soultana; Herbert, Carol P.; Macaulay, Ann C.

2015-01-01

Objectives. To undertake a critical review describing key strategies supporting development of participatory research (PR) teams to engage partners for creation and translation of action-oriented knowledge. Methods. Sources are four leading PR practitioners identified via bibliometric analysis. Authors' publications were identified in January 1995–October 2009 in PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Science and CAB databases, and books. Works were limited to those with a process description describing a research project and practitioners were first, second, third, or last author. Results. Adapting and applying the “Reliability Tested Guidelines for Assessing Participatory Research Projects” to retained records identified five key strategies: developing advisory committees of researchers and intended research users; developing research agreements; using formal and informal group facilitation techniques; hiring co-researchers/partners from community; and ensuring frequent communication. Other less frequently mentioned strategies were also identified. Conclusion. This review is the first time these guidelines were used to identify key strategies supporting PR projects. They proved effective at identifying and evaluating engagement strategies as reported by completed research projects. Adapting these guidelines identified gaps where the tool was unable to assess fundamental PR elements of power dynamics, equity of resources, and member turnover. Our resulting template serves as a new tool to measure partnerships. PMID:25815016

Feasibility of an International Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Data Repository

PubMed Central

Bradford, Elissa Held; Baert, Ilse; Finlayson, Marcia; Feys, Peter

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation evidence is limited due to methodological factors, which may be addressed by a data repository. We describe the perceived challenges of, motivators for, interest in participating in, and key features of an international MS rehabilitation data repository. Methods: A multimethod sequential investigation was performed with the results of two focus groups, using nominal group technique, and study aims informing the development of an online questionnaire. Percentage agreement and key quotations illustrated questionnaire findings. Subgroup comparisons were made between clinicians and researchers and between participants in North America and Europe. Results: Rehabilitation professionals from 25 countries participated (focus groups: n = 21; questionnaire: n = 166). The top ten challenges (C) and motivators (M) identified by the focus groups were database control/management (C); ethical/legal concerns (C); data quality (C); time, effort, and cost (C); best practice (M); uniformity (C); sustainability (C); deeper analysis (M); collaboration (M); and identifying research needs (M). Percentage agreement with questionnaire statements regarding challenges to, motivators for, interest in, and key features of a successful repository was at least 80%, 85%, 72%, and 83%, respectively, across each group of statements. Questionnaire subgroup analysis revealed a few differences (P < .05), including that clinicians more strongly identified with improving best practice as a motivator. Conclusions: Findings support clinician and researcher interest in and potential for success of an international MS rehabilitation data repository if prioritized challenges and motivators are addressed and key features are included. PMID:29507539

Feasibility of an International Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Data Repository: Perceived Challenges and Motivators for Sharing Data.

PubMed

Bradford, Elissa Held; Baert, Ilse; Finlayson, Marcia; Feys, Peter; Wagner, Joanne

2018-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation evidence is limited due to methodological factors, which may be addressed by a data repository. We describe the perceived challenges of, motivators for, interest in participating in, and key features of an international MS rehabilitation data repository. A multimethod sequential investigation was performed with the results of two focus groups, using nominal group technique, and study aims informing the development of an online questionnaire. Percentage agreement and key quotations illustrated questionnaire findings. Subgroup comparisons were made between clinicians and researchers and between participants in North America and Europe. Rehabilitation professionals from 25 countries participated (focus groups: n = 21; questionnaire: n = 166). The top ten challenges (C) and motivators (M) identified by the focus groups were database control/management (C); ethical/legal concerns (C); data quality (C); time, effort, and cost (C); best practice (M); uniformity (C); sustainability (C); deeper analysis (M); collaboration (M); and identifying research needs (M). Percentage agreement with questionnaire statements regarding challenges to, motivators for, interest in, and key features of a successful repository was at least 80%, 85%, 72%, and 83%, respectively, across each group of statements. Questionnaire subgroup analysis revealed a few differences (P < .05), including that clinicians more strongly identified with improving best practice as a motivator. Findings support clinician and researcher interest in and potential for success of an international MS rehabilitation data repository if prioritized challenges and motivators are addressed and key features are included.

Key concepts in consumer and community engagement: a scoping meta-review.

PubMed

Sarrami-Foroushani, Pooria; Travaglia, Joanne; Debono, Deborah; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2014-06-13

Although consumer and community engagement (CCE) in health care is receiving increasing attention, research and practice in this area are hampered by the variability of concepts and terminology commonly employed. This scoping meta-review aims to identify key CCE concepts and examine terminology used to describe them. In a scoping meta-review, an extensive list of 47 phrases and 11 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) was used to undertake a comprehensive and systematic search in PubMed Central, Embase, EBM reviews, CINAHL, APAPsycNET, and Scopus. 59 systematic reviews met the selection criteria and were included in the final analysis. The analysis identified nine different concepts related to CCE: shared decision making, self-management, CCE in health care systems, community-based health promotion, providing access to health care, rehabilitation, participation in research, collaboration in research design and conduct, and peer support. The identified concepts differ from each other in many aspects including the aim of the activity, the role of consumers and the type of professionals' involvement. Each concept was described by a range of terms, with some terms shared by different concepts. In addition, two overlapping concepts of patient-centeredness and patient empowerment were recognised. This study describes CCE-related key concepts and provides new insight into their relationship with different CCE-related terms. Identification of key CCE-related concepts and terms will be useful to focus future studies and initiatives and enhance production of CCE-related evidence.

Key concepts in consumer and community engagement: a scoping meta-review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Although consumer and community engagement (CCE) in health care is receiving increasing attention, research and practice in this area are hampered by the variability of concepts and terminology commonly employed. This scoping meta-review aims to identify key CCE concepts and examine terminology used to describe them. Methods In a scoping meta-review, an extensive list of 47 phrases and 11 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) was used to undertake a comprehensive and systematic search in PubMed Central, Embase, EBM reviews, CINAHL, APAPsycNET, and Scopus. Results 59 systematic reviews met the selection criteria and were included in the final analysis. The analysis identified nine different concepts related to CCE: shared decision making, self-management, CCE in health care systems, community-based health promotion, providing access to health care, rehabilitation, participation in research, collaboration in research design and conduct, and peer support. The identified concepts differ from each other in many aspects including the aim of the activity, the role of consumers and the type of professionals’ involvement. Each concept was described by a range of terms, with some terms shared by different concepts. In addition, two overlapping concepts of patient-centeredness and patient empowerment were recognised. Conclusions This study describes CCE-related key concepts and provides new insight into their relationship with different CCE-related terms. Identification of key CCE-related concepts and terms will be useful to focus future studies and initiatives and enhance production of CCE-related evidence. PMID:24923771

Novel presentational approaches were developed for reporting network meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tan, Sze Huey; Cooper, Nicola J; Bujkiewicz, Sylwia; Welton, Nicky J; Caldwell, Deborah M; Sutton, Alexander J

2014-06-01

To present graphical tools for reporting network meta-analysis (NMA) results aiming to increase the accessibility, transparency, interpretability, and acceptability of NMA analyses. The key components of NMA results were identified based on recommendations by agencies such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (United Kingdom). Three novel graphs were designed to amalgamate the identified components using familiar graphical tools such as the bar, line, or pie charts and adhering to good graphical design principles. Three key components for presentation of NMA results were identified, namely relative effects and their uncertainty, probability of an intervention being best, and between-study heterogeneity. Two of the three graphs developed present results (for each pairwise comparison of interventions in the network) obtained from both NMA and standard pairwise meta-analysis for easy comparison. They also include options to display the probability best, ranking statistics, heterogeneity, and prediction intervals. The third graph presents rankings of interventions in terms of their effectiveness to enable clinicians to easily identify "top-ranking" interventions. The graphical tools presented can display results tailored to the research question of interest, and targeted at a whole spectrum of users from the technical analyst to the nontechnical clinician. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discrete choice experiments of pharmacy services: a systematic review.

PubMed

Vass, Caroline; Gray, Ewan; Payne, Katherine

2016-06-01

Background Two previous systematic reviews have summarised the application of discrete choice experiments to value preferences for pharmacy services. These reviews identified a total of twelve studies and described how discrete choice experiments have been used to value pharmacy services but did not describe or discuss the application of methods used in the design or analysis. Aims (1) To update the most recent systematic review and critically appraise current discrete choice experiments of pharmacy services in line with published reporting criteria and; (2) To provide an overview of key methodological developments in the design and analysis of discrete choice experiments. Methods The review used a comprehensive strategy to identify eligible studies (published between 1990 and 2015) by searching electronic databases for key terms related to discrete choice and best-worst scaling (BWS) experiments. All healthcare choice experiments were then hand-searched for key terms relating to pharmacy. Data were extracted using a published checklist. Results A total of 17 discrete choice experiments eliciting preferences for pharmacy services were identified for inclusion in the review. No BWS studies were identified. The studies elicited preferences from a variety of populations (pharmacists, patients, students) for a range of pharmacy services. Most studies were from a United Kingdom setting, although examples from Europe, Australia and North America were also identified. Discrete choice experiments for pharmacy services tended to include more attributes than non-pharmacy choice experiments. Few studies reported the use of qualitative research methods in the design and interpretation of the experiments (n = 9) or use of new methods of analysis to identify and quantify preference and scale heterogeneity (n = 4). No studies reported the use of Bayesian methods in their experimental design. Conclusion Incorporating more sophisticated methods in the design of pharmacy-related discrete choice experiments could help researchers produce more efficient experiments which are better suited to valuing complex pharmacy services. Pharmacy-related discrete choice experiments could also benefit from more sophisticated analytical techniques such as investigations into scale and preference heterogeneity. Employing these sophisticated methods for both design and analysis could extend the usefulness of discrete choice experiments to inform health and pharmacy policy.

Stakeholder analysis for the development of a community pharmacy service aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Franco-Trigo, L; Hossain, L N; Durks, D; Fam, D; Inglis, S C; Benrimoj, S I; Sabater-Hernández, D

Participatory approaches involving stakeholders across the health care system can help enhance the development, implementation and evaluation of health services. These approaches may be particularly useful in planning community pharmacy services and so overcome challenges in their implementation into practice. Conducting a stakeholder analysis is a key first step since it allows relevant stakeholders to be identified, as well as providing planners a better understanding of the complexity of the health care system. The main aim of this study was to conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify those individuals and organizations that could be part of a leading planning group for the development of a community pharmacy service (CPS) to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia. An experienced facilitator conducted a workshop with 8 key informants of the Australian health care system. Two structured activities were undertaken. The first explored current needs and gaps in cardiovascular care and the role of community pharmacists. The second was a stakeholder analysis, using both ex-ante and ad-hoc approaches. Identified stakeholders were then classified into three groups according to their relative influence on the development of the pharmacy service. The information gathered was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The key informants identified 46 stakeholders, including (1) patient/consumers and their representative organizations, (2) health care providers and their professional organizations and (3) institutions and organizations that do not directly interact with patients but organize and manage the health care system, develop and implement health policies, pay for health care, influence funding for health service research or promote new health initiatives. From the 46 stakeholders, a core group of 12 stakeholders was defined. These were considered crucial to the service's development because they held positions that could drive or inhibit progress. Secondary results of the workshop included: a list of needs and gaps in cardiovascular care (n = 6), a list of roles for community pharmacists in cardiovascular prevention (n = 12) and a list of potential factors (n = 7) that can hinder the integration of community pharmacy services into practice. This stakeholder analysis provided a detailed picture of the wide range of stakeholders across the entire health care system that have a stake in the development of a community pharmacy service aimed at preventing CVD. Of these, a core group of key stakeholders, with complementary roles, can then be approached for further planning of the service. The results of this analysis highlight the relevance of establishing multilevel stakeholder groups for CPS planning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tire Crumb Research Study Literature Review / Gap ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In order to more fully understand data gaps in human exposure and toxicity to tire crumb materials, ATSDR, CPSC and EPA undertook a collaborative effort in the form of a scientific literature review and subsequent gaps analysis. The first objective of the Literature Review and Gap Analysis (LRGA) collaboration was to identify the existing body of literature related specifically to human exposure to tire crumb materials through the use of synthetic turf athletic fields and playgrounds. The second objective was to characterize and summarize the relevant data from the scientific literature. The final objective was to review the summary information and identify data gaps to build on the current understanding of the state-of-the-science and inform the development of specific research efforts that would be most impactful in the near-term. Because of the need for additional information, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) launched a multi-agency action plan to study key environmental human health questions. The Federal Research Action Plan includes numerous activities, including research studies (U.S. EPA, 2016). A key objective of the Action Plan is to identify key knowledge gaps.

Identification of Key Odorants in Used Disposable Absorbent Incontinence Products

PubMed Central

Hall, Gunnar; Forsgren-Brusk, Ulla

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify key odorants in used disposable absorbent incontinence products. DESIGN: Descriptive in vitro study SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Samples of used incontinence products were collected from 8 residents with urinary incontinence living in geriatric nursing homes in the Gothenburg area of Sweden. Products were chosen from a larger set of products that had previously been characterized by descriptive odor analysis. METHODS: Pieces of the used incontinence products were cut from the wet area, placed in glass bottles, and kept frozen until dynamic headspace sampling of volatile compounds was completed. Gas chromatography–olfactometry was used to identify which compounds contributed most to the odors in the samples. Compounds were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Twenty-eight volatiles were found to be key odorants in the used incontinence products. Twenty-six were successfully identified. They belonged to the following classes of chemical compounds: aldehydes (6); amines (1); aromatics (3); isothiocyanates (1); heterocyclics (2); ketones (6); sulfur compounds (6); and terpenes (1). CONCLUSION: Nine of the 28 key odorants were considered to be of particular importance to the odor of the used incontinence products: 3-methylbutanal, trimethylamine, cresol, guaiacol, 4,5-dimethylthiazole-S-oxide, diacetyl, dimethyl trisulfide, 5-methylthio-4-penten-2-ol, and an unidentified compound. PMID:28328644

Experimental design for evaluating WWTP data by linear mass balances.

PubMed

Le, Quan H; Verheijen, Peter J T; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Volcke, Eveline I P

2018-05-15

A stepwise experimental design procedure to obtain reliable data from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was developed. The proposed procedure aims at determining sets of additional measurements (besides available ones) that guarantee the identifiability of key process variables, which means that their value can be calculated from other, measured variables, based on available constraints in the form of linear mass balances. Among all solutions, i.e. all possible sets of additional measurements allowing the identifiability of all key process variables, the optimal solutions were found taking into account two objectives, namely the accuracy of the identified key variables and the cost of additional measurements. The results of this multi-objective optimization problem were represented in a Pareto-optimal front. The presented procedure was applied to a full-scale WWTP. Detailed analysis of the relation between measurements allowed the determination of groups of overlapping mass balances. Adding measured variables could only serve in identifying key variables that appear in the same group of mass balances. Besides, the application of the experimental design procedure to these individual groups significantly reduced the computational effort in evaluating available measurements and planning additional monitoring campaigns. The proposed procedure is straightforward and can be applied to other WWTPs with or without prior data collection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beyond the limitations of best practices: how logic analysis helped reinterpret dual diagnosis guidelines.

PubMed

Brousselle, Astrid; Lamothe, Lise; Mercier, Céline; Perreault, Michel

2007-02-01

The co-occurrence of mental health and substance use disorders is becoming increasingly recognized as a single problem, and professionals recognize that both should be addressed at the same time. Medical best practices recommend integrated treatment. However, criticisms have arisen, particularly concerning the difficulty of implementing integrated teams in specific health-care contexts and the appropriateness of the proposed model for certain populations. Using logic analysis, we identify the key clinical and organizational factors that contribute to successful implementation. Building on both the professional and organizational literatures on integrated services, we propose a conceptual model that makes it possible to analyze integration processes and places integrated treatment within an interpretative framework. Using this model, it becomes possible to identify key factors necessary to support service integration, and suggest new models of practice adapted to particular contexts.

Identifying influential factors of business process performance using dependency analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetzstein, Branimir; Leitner, Philipp; Rosenberg, Florian; Dustdar, Schahram; Leymann, Frank

2011-02-01

We present a comprehensive framework for identifying influential factors of business process performance. In particular, our approach combines monitoring of process events and Quality of Service (QoS) measurements with dependency analysis to effectively identify influential factors. The framework uses data mining techniques to construct tree structures to represent dependencies of a key performance indicator (KPI) on process and QoS metrics. These dependency trees allow business analysts to determine how process KPIs depend on lower-level process metrics and QoS characteristics of the IT infrastructure. The structure of the dependencies enables a drill-down analysis of single factors of influence to gain a deeper knowledge why certain KPI targets are not met.

A tandem regression-outlier analysis of a ligand cellular system for key structural modifications around ligand binding.

PubMed

Lin, Ying-Ting

2013-04-30

A tandem technique of hard equipment is often used for the chemical analysis of a single cell to first isolate and then detect the wanted identities. The first part is the separation of wanted chemicals from the bulk of a cell; the second part is the actual detection of the important identities. To identify the key structural modifications around ligand binding, the present study aims to develop a counterpart of tandem technique for cheminformatics. A statistical regression and its outliers act as a computational technique for separation. A PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) agonist cellular system was subjected to such an investigation. Results show that this tandem regression-outlier analysis, or the prioritization of the context equations tagged with features of the outliers, is an effective regression technique of cheminformatics to detect key structural modifications, as well as their tendency of impact to ligand binding. The key structural modifications around ligand binding are effectively extracted or characterized out of cellular reactions. This is because molecular binding is the paramount factor in such ligand cellular system and key structural modifications around ligand binding are expected to create outliers. Therefore, such outliers can be captured by this tandem regression-outlier analysis.

How Many Words Does a Picture Really Tell? Cross-sectional Descriptive Study of Pictogram Evaluation by Youth

PubMed Central

Korenevsky, Artyom; Vaillancourt, Régis; Pouliot, Annie; Revol, Marine; Steed, Evan; Besançon, Luc; Wahrendorf, Marit-Saskia; Patel, Jaimisha R

2013-01-01

Background Communicating health-related instructions with pictograms is useful, but such graphics can be interpreted in different ways. It is crucial to understand which pictogram components are best for accurate communication. Objectives: To catalogue pictograms used to label drugs in clinical practice; to identify the common graphic elements for defined categories of pictograms, by performing a semiotic analysis (studying how signs are perceived and how they should be designed); to identify the key graphic elements common to pictograms preferred by users; and to develop suggestions for future pictogram design on the basis of users’ input. Methods: Literature and Internet searches were performed to identify pictograms and pictogram categories. A call for pictograms was also circulated through the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Youth at a Canadian pediatric hospital were asked to rate pictograms (including storyboards and prescription labels generated by FIP pictogram software) in terms of how best they represented their intended meanings. Pictograms for which at least 80% of participants “somewhat agreed”, “agreed”, or “strongly agreed” that the graphic conveyed the intended meaning were designated as “preferred” and were selected for analysis. Elements appearing in at least 50% of these preferred pictograms were highlighted as key graphic elements for design of future pictograms. Results: In total, 21 categories were identified for pictograms used in clinical practice, and a total of 204 pictograms were analyzed. Eighty-six participants took part in the survey. For each pictogram category, certain elements were identified as “preferred” and as “key graphic elements”, whereas other elements met neither designation. For all 21 pictogram categories, at least 80% of survey respondents agreed that the FIP storyboard conveyed the intended meaning. Conclusions: Certain key, preferred graphic elements are required for pharmaceutical pictograms to convey their intended meaning. The overlap between preferred and key pictogram elements indicates that both must be considered in development of future pictograms. Redesign of existing pictograms with consideration of the best semiotic elements is in progress. PMID:23950605

Opportunities for High-Value Bioblendstocks to Enable Advanced Light- and Heavy-Duty Engines: Insights from the Co-Optima Project

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

Farrell, John T

Co-Optima research and analysis have identified fuel properties that enable advanced light-duty and heavy-duty engines. There are a large number of blendstocks readily derived from biomass that possess beneficial properties. Key research needs have been identified for performance, technology, economic, and environmental metrics.

Parental Experiences of Caring for a Child with Intellectual Disabilities: A UK Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willingham-Storr, Gemma Louise

2014-01-01

A structured literature search and thematic analysis of six research articles relating to stress and parenting of a child with an intellectual disability in the United Kingdom identified four key themes: impact upon families, service provision and support networks, coping and transition. The findings identified that parenting a child with an…

From LCAs to simplified models: a generic methodology applied to wind power electricity.

PubMed

Padey, Pierryves; Girard, Robin; le Boulch, Denis; Blanc, Isabelle

2013-02-05

This study presents a generic methodology to produce simplified models able to provide a comprehensive life cycle impact assessment of energy pathways. The methodology relies on the application of global sensitivity analysis to identify key parameters explaining the impact variability of systems over their life cycle. Simplified models are built upon the identification of such key parameters. The methodology is applied to one energy pathway: onshore wind turbines of medium size considering a large sample of possible configurations representative of European conditions. Among several technological, geographical, and methodological parameters, we identified the turbine load factor and the wind turbine lifetime as the most influent parameters. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) performances have been plotted as a function of these key parameters identified. Using these curves, GHG performances of a specific wind turbine can be estimated, thus avoiding the undertaking of an extensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This methodology should be useful for decisions makers, providing them a robust but simple support tool for assessing the environmental performance of energy systems.

Key team physical and technical performance indicators indicative of team quality in the soccer Chinese super league.

PubMed

Yang, Gai; Leicht, Anthony S; Lago, Carlos; Gómez, Miguel-Ángel

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the key physical and technical performance variables related to team quality in the Chinese Super League (CSL). Teams' performance variables were collected from 240 matches and analysed via analysis of variance between end-of-season-ranked groups and multinomial logistic regression. Significant physical performance differences between groups were identified for sprinting (top-ranked group vs. upper-middle-ranked group) and total distance covered without possession (upper and upper-middle-ranked groups and lower-ranked group). For technical performance, teams in the top-ranked group exhibited a significantly greater amount of possession in opponent's half, number of entry passes in the final 1/3 of the field and the Penalty Area, and 50-50 challenges than lower-ranked teams. Finally, time of possession increased the probability of a win compared with a draw. The current study identified key performance indicators that differentiated end-season team quality within the CSL.

What does recovery mean in practice? A qualitative analysis of international recovery-oriented practice guidance.

PubMed

Le Boutillier, Clair; Leamy, Mary; Bird, Victoria J; Davidson, Larry; Williams, Julie; Slade, Mike

2011-12-01

Recovery is a multifaceted concept, and the need for operationalization in practice has been identified. Although guidance on recovery-oriented practice exists, it is from disparate sources and is difficult to apply. The aims of the study were to identify the key characteristics of recovery-oriented practice guidance on the basis of current international perspectives and to develop an overarching conceptual framework to aid the translation of recovery guidance into practice. A qualitative analysis of 30 international documents offering recovery-oriented practice guidance was conducted. Inductive, semantic-level, thematic analysis was used to identify dominant themes. Interpretive analysis was then undertaken to group the themes into practice domains. The guidance documents were diverse; from six countries-the United States, England, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Denmark, and New Zealand-and varied in document type, categories of guidance, and level of service user involvement in guidance development. The emerging conceptual framework consists of 16 dominant themes, grouped into four practice domains: promoting citizenship, organizational commitment, supporting personally defined recovery, and working relationship. A key challenge for mental health services is the lack of clarity about what constitutes recovery-oriented practice. The conceptual framework contributes to this knowledge gap and provides a synthesis of recovery-oriented practice guidance.

Integrated Analysis of Mutation Data from Various Sources Identifies Key Genes and Signaling Pathways in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Wei, Lin; Tang, Ruqi; Lian, Baofeng; Zhao, Yingjun; He, Xianghuo; Xie, Lu

2014-01-01

Background Recently, a number of studies have performed genome or exome sequencing of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identified hundreds or even thousands of mutations in protein-coding genes. However, these studies have only focused on a limited number of candidate genes, and many important mutation resources remain to be explored. Principal Findings In this study, we integrated mutation data obtained from various sources and performed pathway and network analysis. We identified 113 pathways that were significantly mutated in HCC samples and found that the mutated genes included in these pathways contained high percentages of known cancer genes, and damaging genes and also demonstrated high conservation scores, indicating their important roles in liver tumorigenesis. Five classes of pathways that were mutated most frequently included (a) proliferation and apoptosis related pathways, (b) tumor microenvironment related pathways, (c) neural signaling related pathways, (d) metabolic related pathways, and (e) circadian related pathways. Network analysis further revealed that the mutated genes with the highest betweenness coefficients, such as the well-known cancer genes TP53, CTNNB1 and recently identified novel mutated genes GNAL and the ADCY family, may play key roles in these significantly mutated pathways. Finally, we highlight several key genes (e.g., RPS6KA3 and PCLO) and pathways (e.g., axon guidance) in which the mutations were associated with clinical features. Conclusions Our workflow illustrates the increased statistical power of integrating multiple studies of the same subject, which can provide biological insights that would otherwise be masked under individual sample sets. This type of bioinformatics approach is consistent with the necessity of making the best use of the ever increasing data provided in valuable databases, such as TCGA, to enhance the speed of deciphering human cancers. PMID:24988079

Integrated analysis of mutation data from various sources identifies key genes and signaling pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuannv; Qiu, Zhaoping; Wei, Lin; Tang, Ruqi; Lian, Baofeng; Zhao, Yingjun; He, Xianghuo; Xie, Lu

2014-01-01

Recently, a number of studies have performed genome or exome sequencing of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identified hundreds or even thousands of mutations in protein-coding genes. However, these studies have only focused on a limited number of candidate genes, and many important mutation resources remain to be explored. In this study, we integrated mutation data obtained from various sources and performed pathway and network analysis. We identified 113 pathways that were significantly mutated in HCC samples and found that the mutated genes included in these pathways contained high percentages of known cancer genes, and damaging genes and also demonstrated high conservation scores, indicating their important roles in liver tumorigenesis. Five classes of pathways that were mutated most frequently included (a) proliferation and apoptosis related pathways, (b) tumor microenvironment related pathways, (c) neural signaling related pathways, (d) metabolic related pathways, and (e) circadian related pathways. Network analysis further revealed that the mutated genes with the highest betweenness coefficients, such as the well-known cancer genes TP53, CTNNB1 and recently identified novel mutated genes GNAL and the ADCY family, may play key roles in these significantly mutated pathways. Finally, we highlight several key genes (e.g., RPS6KA3 and PCLO) and pathways (e.g., axon guidance) in which the mutations were associated with clinical features. Our workflow illustrates the increased statistical power of integrating multiple studies of the same subject, which can provide biological insights that would otherwise be masked under individual sample sets. This type of bioinformatics approach is consistent with the necessity of making the best use of the ever increasing data provided in valuable databases, such as TCGA, to enhance the speed of deciphering human cancers.

A methodology for global-sensitivity analysis of time-dependent outputs in systems biology modelling.

PubMed

Sumner, T; Shephard, E; Bogle, I D L

2012-09-07

One of the main challenges in the development of mathematical and computational models of biological systems is the precise estimation of parameter values. Understanding the effects of uncertainties in parameter values on model behaviour is crucial to the successful use of these models. Global sensitivity analysis (SA) can be used to quantify the variability in model predictions resulting from the uncertainty in multiple parameters and to shed light on the biological mechanisms driving system behaviour. We present a new methodology for global SA in systems biology which is computationally efficient and can be used to identify the key parameters and their interactions which drive the dynamic behaviour of a complex biological model. The approach combines functional principal component analysis with established global SA techniques. The methodology is applied to a model of the insulin signalling pathway, defects of which are a major cause of type 2 diabetes and a number of key features of the system are identified.

Metabolomic analysis of pancreatic β-cell insulin release in response to glucose.

PubMed

Huang, Mei; Joseph, Jamie W

2012-01-01

Defining the key metabolic pathways that are important for fuel-regulated insulin secretion is critical to providing a complete picture of how nutrients regulate insulin secretion. We have performed a detailed metabolomics study of the clonal β-cell line 832/13 using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) to investigate potential coupling factors that link metabolic pathways to insulin secretion. Mid-polar and polar metabolites, extracted from the 832/13 β-cells, were derivatized and then run on a GC/MS to identify and quantify metabolite concentrations. Three hundred fifty-five out of 527 chromatographic peaks could be identified as metabolites by our metabolomic platform. These identified metabolites allowed us to perform a systematic analysis of key pathways involved in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Of these metabolites, 41 were consistently identified as biomarker for GSIS by orthogonal partial least-squares (OPLS). Most of the identified metabolites are from common metabolic pathways including glycolytic, sorbitol-aldose reductase pathway, pentose phosphate pathway, and the TCA cycle suggesting these pathways play an important role in GSIS. Lipids and related products were also shown to contribute to the clustering of high glucose sample groups. Amino acids lysine, tyrosine, alanine and serine were upregulated by glucose whereas aspartic acid was downregulated by glucose suggesting these amino acids might play a key role in GSIS. In summary, a coordinated signaling cascade elicited by glucose metabolism in pancreatic β-cells is revealed by our metabolomics platform providing a new conceptual framework for future research and/or drug discovery.

Key Planning Factors for Recovery from a Biological Terrorism Incident

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-30

Goals, this document identifies key technical planning areas that may be used to inform subsequent FEMA response and recovery guidance documents. The...expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of their respective organizations or the US Government. The modeling and analysis provided by...responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would

Identifying the "Right Stuff": An Exploration-Focused Astronaut Job Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, J. D.; Holland, A. W.; Vessey, W. B.

2015-01-01

Industrial and organizational (I/O) psychologists play a key role in NASA astronaut candidate selection through the identification of the competencies necessary to successfully engage in the astronaut job. A set of psychosocial competencies, developed by I/O psychologists during a prior job analysis conducted in 1996 and updated in 2003, were identified as necessary for individuals working and living in the space shuttle and on the International Space Station (ISS). This set of competencies applied to the space shuttle and applies to current ISS missions, but may not apply to longer-duration or long-distance exploration missions. With the 2015 launch of the first 12- month ISS mission and the shift in the 2020s to missions beyond low earth orbit, the type of missions that astronauts will conduct and the environment in which they do their work will change dramatically, leading to new challenges for these crews. To support future astronaut selection, training, and research, I/O psychologists in NASA's Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) Operations and Research groups engaged in a joint effort to conduct an updated analysis of the astronaut job for current and future operations. This project will result in the identification of behavioral competencies critical to performing the astronaut job, along with relative weights for each of the identified competencies, through the application of job analysis techniques. While this job analysis is being conducted according to job analysis best practices, the project poses a number of novel challenges. These challenges include the need to identify competencies for multiple mission types simultaneously, to evaluate jobs that have no incumbents as they have never before been conducted, and working with a very limited population of subject matter experts. Given these challenges, under the guidance of job analysis experts, we used the following methods to conduct the job analysis and identify the key competencies for current and potential future missions.

Dynamic motif occupancy (DynaMO) analysis identifies transcription factors and their binding sites driving dynamic biological processes

PubMed Central

Kuang, Zheng; Ji, Zhicheng

2018-01-01

Abstract Biological processes are usually associated with genome-wide remodeling of transcription driven by transcription factors (TFs). Identifying key TFs and their spatiotemporal binding patterns are indispensable to understanding how dynamic processes are programmed. However, most methods are designed to predict TF binding sites only. We present a computational method, dynamic motif occupancy analysis (DynaMO), to infer important TFs and their spatiotemporal binding activities in dynamic biological processes using chromatin profiling data from multiple biological conditions such as time-course histone modification ChIP-seq data. In the first step, DynaMO predicts TF binding sites with a random forests approach. Next and uniquely, DynaMO infers dynamic TF binding activities at predicted binding sites using their local chromatin profiles from multiple biological conditions. Another landmark of DynaMO is to identify key TFs in a dynamic process using a clustering and enrichment analysis of dynamic TF binding patterns. Application of DynaMO to the yeast ultradian cycle, mouse circadian clock and human neural differentiation exhibits its accuracy and versatility. We anticipate DynaMO will be generally useful for elucidating transcriptional programs in dynamic processes. PMID:29325176

Public and Private School Costs. A Local Analysis, 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Public Policy Forum, Inc., Milwaukee, WI.

This document presents findings of a study that identified key factors of cost-per-pupil differences between public and private school spending among selected Milwaukee area public and private schools. The analysis was limited to cost factors only, specifically, to per-pupil spending. Methodology included a review of the school budgets of 7 public…

Cognitive Task Analysis of Prioritization in Air Traffic Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redding, Richard E.; And Others

A cognitive task analysis was performed to analyze the key cognitive components of the en route air traffic controllers' jobs. The goals were to ascertain expert mental models and decision-making strategies and to identify important differences in controller knowledge, skills, and mental models as a function of expertise. Four groups of…

Characterization of Relatively Large Track Geometry Variations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-03-01

An analysis of existing track geometry data is described from which the signatures of key track geometry variations related to severe track-train dynamic interaction are identified and quantified. Mathematical representations of these signatures are ...

Identifying key hospital service quality factors in online health communities.

PubMed

Jung, Yuchul; Hur, Cinyoung; Jung, Dain; Kim, Minki

2015-04-07

The volume of health-related user-created content, especially hospital-related questions and answers in online health communities, has rapidly increased. Patients and caregivers participate in online community activities to share their experiences, exchange information, and ask about recommended or discredited hospitals. However, there is little research on how to identify hospital service quality automatically from the online communities. In the past, in-depth analysis of hospitals has used random sampling surveys. However, such surveys are becoming impractical owing to the rapidly increasing volume of online data and the diverse analysis requirements of related stakeholders. As a solution for utilizing large-scale health-related information, we propose a novel approach to identify hospital service quality factors and overtime trends automatically from online health communities, especially hospital-related questions and answers. We defined social media-based key quality factors for hospitals. In addition, we developed text mining techniques to detect such factors that frequently occur in online health communities. After detecting these factors that represent qualitative aspects of hospitals, we applied a sentiment analysis to recognize the types of recommendations in messages posted within online health communities. Korea's two biggest online portals were used to test the effectiveness of detection of social media-based key quality factors for hospitals. To evaluate the proposed text mining techniques, we performed manual evaluations on the extraction and classification results, such as hospital name, service quality factors, and recommendation types using a random sample of messages (ie, 5.44% (9450/173,748) of the total messages). Service quality factor detection and hospital name extraction achieved average F1 scores of 91% and 78%, respectively. In terms of recommendation classification, performance (ie, precision) is 78% on average. Extraction and classification performance still has room for improvement, but the extraction results are applicable to more detailed analysis. Further analysis of the extracted information reveals that there are differences in the details of social media-based key quality factors for hospitals according to the regions in Korea, and the patterns of change seem to accurately reflect social events (eg, influenza epidemics). These findings could be used to provide timely information to caregivers, hospital officials, and medical officials for health care policies.

Identification of key target genes and pathways in laryngeal carcinoma

PubMed Central

Liu, Feng; Du, Jintao; Liu, Jun; Wen, Bei

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to screen the key genes associated with laryngeal carcinoma and to investigate the molecular mechanism of laryngeal carcinoma progression. The gene expression profile of GSE10935 [Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) accession number], including 12 specimens from laryngeal papillomas and 12 specimens from normal laryngeal epithelia controls, was downloaded from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened in laryngeal papillomas compared with normal controls using Limma package in R language, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and pathway enrichment analysis. Furthermore, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was constructed using Cytoscape software and modules were analyzed using MCODE plugin from the PPI network. Furthermore, significant biological pathway regions (sub-pathway) were identified by using iSubpathwayMiner analysis. A total of 67 DEGs were identified, including 27 up-regulated genes and 40 down-regulated genes and they were involved in different GO terms and pathways. PPI network analysis revealed that Ras association (RalGDS/AF-6) domain family member 1 (RASSF1) was a hub protein. The sub-pathway analysis identified 9 significantly enriched sub-pathways, including glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and nitrogen metabolism. Genes such as phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), carbonic anhydrase II (CA2), and carbonic anhydrase XII (CA12) whose node degrees were >10 were identified in the disease risk sub-pathway. Genes in the sub-pathway, such as RASSF1, PGK1, CA2 and CA12 were presumed to serve critical roles in laryngeal carcinoma. The present study identified DEGs and their sub-pathways in the disease, which may serve as potential targets for treatment of laryngeal carcinoma. PMID:27446427

Monitoring the HIV continuum of care in key populations across Europe and Central Asia.

PubMed

Brown, A E; Attawell, K; Hales, D; Rice, B D; Pharris, A; Supervie, V; Van Beckhoven, D; Delpech, V C; An der Heiden, M; Marcus, U; Maly, M; Noori, T

2018-05-08

The aim of the study was to measure and compare national continuum of HIV care estimates in Europe and Central Asia in three key subpopulations: men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID) and migrants. Responses to a 2016 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) survey of 55 European and Central Asian countries were used to describe continuums of HIV care for the subpopulations. Data were analysed using three frameworks: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets; breakpoint analysis identifying reductions between adjacent continuum stages; quadrant analysis categorizing countries using 90% cut-offs for continuum stages. Overall, 29 of 48 countries reported national data for all HIV continuum stages (numbers living with HIV, diagnosed, receiving treatment and virally suppressed). Six countries reported all stages for MSM, seven for PWID and two for migrants. Thirty-one countries did not report data for MSM (34 for PWID and 41 for migrants). In countries that provided key-population data, overall, 63%, 40% and 41% of MSM, PWID and migrants living with HIV were virally suppressed, respectively (compared with 68%, 65% and 68% nationally, for countries reporting key-population data). Variation was observed between countries, with higher outcomes in subpopulations in Western Europe compared with Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Few reporting countries can produce the continuum of HIV care for the three key populations. Where data are available, differences exist in outcomes between the general and key populations. While MSM broadly mirror national outcomes (in the West), PWID and migrants experience poorer treatment and viral suppression. Countries must develop continuum measures for key populations to identify and address inequalities. © 2018 British HIV Association.

Analyzing AQP Data to Improve Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) Operations and Training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seamster, Thomas L.; Kanki, Barbara

2010-01-01

Key points include: Initiate data collection and analysis early in the implementation process. Use data to identify procedural and training refinements. Use a de-identified system to analyze longitudinal data. Use longitudinal I/E data to improve their standardization. Identify above average pilots and crews and use their performance to specify best practices. Analyze below average crew performance data to isolate problems with the training, evaluator standardization and pilot proficiency.

Can Link Analysis Be Applied to Identify Behavioral Patterns in Train Recorder Data?

PubMed

Strathie, Ailsa; Walker, Guy H

2016-03-01

A proof-of-concept analysis was conducted to establish whether link analysis could be applied to data from on-train recorders to detect patterns of behavior that could act as leading indicators of potential safety issues. On-train data recorders capture data about driving behavior on thousands of routine journeys every day and offer a source of untapped data that could be used to offer insights into human behavior. Data from 17 journeys undertaken by six drivers on the same route over a 16-hr period were analyzed using link analysis, and four key metrics were examined: number of links, network density, diameter, and sociometric status. The results established that link analysis can be usefully applied to data captured from on-vehicle recorders. The four metrics revealed key differences in normal driver behavior. These differences have promising construct validity as leading indicators. Link analysis is one method that could be usefully applied to exploit data routinely gathered by on-vehicle data recorders. It facilitates a proactive approach to safety based on leading indicators, offers a clearer understanding of what constitutes normal driving behavior, and identifies trends at the interface of people and systems, which is currently a key area of strategic risk. These research findings have direct applications in the field of transport data monitoring. They offer a means of automatically detecting patterns in driver behavior that could act as leading indicators of problems during operation and that could be used in the proactive monitoring of driver competence, risk management, and even infrastructure design. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Health system decentralisation in Nepal: identifying the issues.

PubMed

Collins, Charles; Omar, Mayeh; Adhikari, Damodar; Dhakal, Ramji; Emmel, Nick; Dhakal, Megha Raj; Chand, Padam; Thapa, Druba; Singh, Arjun B

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss policy analysis in Nepal and review the wide range of choices feasible in decentralisation decision making. In this paper an iterative qualitative method was developed and used in the research, which consisted of focus group interviews, key informant interviews, document analysis, including descriptive statistics, and analysis of the policy context. Participants in the research reflected the urban/rural mix of districts and the geography of Nepal. Analysis combined transcribed interviews with findings from document searches and analysis of the policy context. Coding was pre-determined during the training workshop and further codes were generated during and after the fieldwork. The paper finds that Nepal is in the process of decentralising public services from the central level to the local level, particularly to local bodies: District Development Committees (DDCs), Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Municipalities. Key contextual factors referred to are the overall structure of decentralisation, the social context of poverty and the political instability leading to a fluid political situation characterised by political tension, armed conflict, controversies and agreements while carrying out the research. The key issues identified and discussed in the paper are the policy process leading to decentralisation, the organisational structure and tension in the proposed system, the systems of resource generation, allocation, planning and management and lastly the forms of accountability, participation, public-private relations and collaborative strategies. The paper discusses the challenges faced in conducting such a policy analysis, the broad ranging and unremitting nature of the decentralisation process, and the contextual setting of the process of change.

Metals and Ceramics Information Center.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

Systems RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS a Ordnance Technology a Space Systems and Applications a Biomass Resources 6 Business Planning • Economics ...r 19 KEY WORDS (Cwintince on reverse side 4 neressery and identify by block numnber) Technical Information Center Composites DoD Information Analysis ...The Metals and Ceramics Information Center (MCIC) is one of the technical Information Analysis Centers (IAC’s) chartered and sponsored by the

Key factors influencing allied health research capacity in a large Australian metropolitan health district

PubMed Central

Alison, Jennifer A; Zafiropoulos, Bill; Heard, Robert

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to identify key factors affecting research capacity and engagement of allied health professionals working in a large metropolitan health service. Identifying such factors will assist in determining strategies for building research capacity in allied health. Materials and methods A total of 276 allied health professionals working within the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) completed the Research Capacity in Context Tool (RCCT) that measures research capacity and culture across three domains: organization, team, and individual. An exploratory factor analysis was undertaken to identify common themes within each of these domains. Correlations were performed between demographic variables and the identified factors to determine possible relationships. Results Research capacity and culture success/skill levels were reported to be higher within the organization and team domains compared to the individual domain (median [interquartile range, IQR] 6 [5–8], 6 [5–8], 5 [3–7], respectively; Friedman χ2(2)=42.04, p<0.001). Exploratory factor analyses were performed to identify factors that were perceived by allied health respondents to affect research capacity. Factors identified within the organization domain were infrastructure for research (eg, funds and equipment) and research culture (eg, senior manager’s support for research); within the team domain the factors were research orientation (eg, dissemination of results at research seminars) and research support (eg, providing staff research training). Within the individual domain, only one factor was identified which was the research skill of the individual (eg, literature evaluation, submitting ethics applications and data analysis, and writing for publication). Conclusion The reported skill/success levels in research were lower for the individual domain compared to the organization or team domains. Key factors were identified in each domain that impacted on allied health research capacity. As these factors were different in each domain, various strategies may be required at the level of the organization, team, and individual to support and build allied health research capacity. PMID:28860795

Work zone safety analysis.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

This report presents research performed analyzing crashes in work zones in the state of New Jersey so as to : identify critical areas in work zones susceptible to crashes and key factors that contribute to these crashes. A field : data collection on ...

Systems Analysis of the Hydrogen Transition with HyTrans

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

Leiby, Paul Newsome; Greene, David L; Bowman, David Charles

2007-01-01

The U.S. Federal government is carefully considering the merits and long-term prospects of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. NAS (1) has called for the careful application of systems analysis tools to structure the complex assessment required. Others, raising cautionary notes, question whether a consistent and plausible transition to hydrogen light-duty vehicles can identified (2) and whether that transition would, on balance, be environmentally preferred. Modeling the market transition to hydrogen-powered vehicles is an inherently complex process, encompassing hydrogen production, delivery and retailing, vehicle manufacturing, and vehicle choice and use. We describe the integration of key technological and market factors in a dynamic transitionmore » model, HyTrans. The usefulness of HyTrans and its predictions depends on three key factors: (1) the validity of the economic theories that underpin the model, (2) the authenticity with which the key processes are represented, and (3) the accuracy of specific parameter values used in the process representations. This paper summarizes the theoretical basis of HyTrans, and highlights the implications of key parameter specifications with sensitivity analysis.« less

Beyond the limitations of best practices: How logic analysis helped reinterpret dual diagnosis guidelines

PubMed Central

Brousselle, Astrid; Lamothe, Lise; Mercier, Céline; Perreault, Michel

2012-01-01

The co-occurrence of mental health and substance use disorders is becoming increasingly recognized as a single problem, and professionals recognize that both should be addressed at the same time. Medical best practices recommend integrated treatment. However, criticisms have arisen, particularly concerning the difficulty of implementing integrated teams in specific health-care contexts and the appropriateness of the proposed model for certain populations. Using logic analysis, we identify the key clinical and organizational factors that contribute to successful implementation. Building on both the professional and organizational literatures on integrated services, we propose a conceptual model that makes it possible to analyze integration processes and places integrated treatment within an interpretative framework. Using this model, it becomes possible to identify key factors necessary to support service integration, and suggest new models of practice adapted to particular contexts. PMID:17689316

Print News Coverage of School-Based HPV Vaccine Mandate

PubMed Central

Casciotti, Dana; Smith, Katherine C.; Andon, Lindsay; Vernick, Jon; Tsui, Amy; Klassen, Ann C.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based HPV vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. METHODS We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005-2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. RESULTS Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. CONCLUSIONS If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages, and promote informed decision-making by parents and students. PMID:25099421

The Impact of Letter Grades on Student Effort, Course Selection, and Major Choice: A Regression-Discontinuity Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Main, Joyce B.; Ost, Ben

2014-01-01

The authors apply a regression-discontinuity design to identify the causal impact of letter grades on student effort within a course, subsequent credit hours taken, and the probability of majoring in economics. Their methodology addresses key issues in identifying the causal impact of letter grades: correlation with unobservable factors, such as…

Subpathway-GM: identification of metabolic subpathways via joint power of interesting genes and metabolites and their topologies within pathways.

PubMed

Li, Chunquan; Han, Junwei; Yao, Qianlan; Zou, Chendan; Xu, Yanjun; Zhang, Chunlong; Shang, Desi; Zhou, Lingyun; Zou, Chaoxia; Sun, Zeguo; Li, Jing; Zhang, Yunpeng; Yang, Haixiu; Gao, Xu; Li, Xia

2013-05-01

Various 'omics' technologies, including microarrays and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, can be used to identify hundreds of interesting genes, proteins and metabolites, such as differential genes, proteins and metabolites associated with diseases. Identifying metabolic pathways has become an invaluable aid to understanding the genes and metabolites associated with studying conditions. However, the classical methods used to identify pathways fail to accurately consider joint power of interesting gene/metabolite and the key regions impacted by them within metabolic pathways. In this study, we propose a powerful analytical method referred to as Subpathway-GM for the identification of metabolic subpathways. This provides a more accurate level of pathway analysis by integrating information from genes and metabolites, and their positions and cascade regions within the given pathway. We analyzed two colorectal cancer and one metastatic prostate cancer data sets and demonstrated that Subpathway-GM was able to identify disease-relevant subpathways whose corresponding entire pathways might be ignored using classical entire pathway identification methods. Further analysis indicated that the power of a joint genes/metabolites and subpathway strategy based on their topologies may play a key role in reliably recalling disease-relevant subpathways and finding novel subpathways.

Using cognitive task analysis to identify critical decisions in the laparoscopic environment.

PubMed

Craig, Curtis; Klein, Martina I; Griswold, John; Gaitonde, Krishnanath; McGill, Thomas; Halldorsson, Ari

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to identify the critical decisions surgeons need to make regarding laparoscopic surgery, the information these decisions are based on, the strategies employed by surgeons to reach their objectives, and the difficulties experienced by novices. Laparoscopic training focuses on the development of technical skills. However, successful surgical outcomes are also dependent on appropriate decisions made during surgery, which are influenced by critical cues and the use of appropriate strategies. Novices might not be as adept at cue detection and strategy use. Participants were eight attending surgeons. The authors employed task-analytic techniques to identify critical decisions inherent in laparoscopy and the cues, strategies, and novice traps associated with these decisions. The authors used decision requirements tables to organize the data into the key decisions made during the preoperative, operative, and postoperative phases as well as the cues, strategies, and novice traps associated with these decisions. Key decisions identified for the preoperative phase included but were not limited to the decision of performing a laparoscopic versus open surgery, necessity to review the literature, practicing the procedure, and trocar placement. Some key decisions identified for the operative phase included converting to open surgery, performing angiograms, cutting tissue or organs, and reevaluation of the approach. Only one key decision was identified for the postoperative phrase: whether the surgeon's technique needs to be evaluated and revised. The laparoscopic environment requires complex decision making, and novices are prone to errors in their decisions. The information elicited in this study is applicable to laparoscopic training.

Development of an automated analysis system for data from flow cytometric intracellular cytokine staining assays from clinical vaccine trials

PubMed Central

Shulman, Nick; Bellew, Matthew; Snelling, George; Carter, Donald; Huang, Yunda; Li, Hongli; Self, Steven G.; McElrath, M. Juliana; De Rosa, Stephen C.

2008-01-01

Background Intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) by multiparameter flow cytometry is one of the primary methods for determining T cell immunogenicity in HIV-1 clinical vaccine trials. Data analysis requires considerable expertise and time. The amount of data is quickly increasing as more and larger trials are performed, and thus there is a critical need for high throughput methods of data analysis. Methods A web based flow cytometric analysis system, LabKey Flow, was developed for analyses of data from standardized ICS assays. A gating template was created manually in commercially-available flow cytometric analysis software. Using this template, the system automatically compensated and analyzed all data sets. Quality control queries were designed to identify potentially incorrect sample collections. Results Comparison of the semi-automated analysis performed by LabKey Flow and the manual analysis performed using FlowJo software demonstrated excellent concordance (concordance correlation coefficient >0.990). Manual inspection of the analyses performed by LabKey Flow for 8-color ICS data files from several clinical vaccine trials indicates that template gates can appropriately be used for most data sets. Conclusions The semi-automated LabKey Flow analysis system can analyze accurately large ICS data files. Routine use of the system does not require specialized expertise. This high-throughput analysis will provide great utility for rapid evaluation of complex multiparameter flow cytometric measurements collected from large clinical trials. PMID:18615598

Projections of Demand for Waterborne Transportation, Ohio River Basin, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2020, 2040. Volume 1. Study Summary.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

NOTES 3 19. KEY WORDS (Continue on revere side If n.cessary d Identify by block number) Bulk cargo Market demand analysis Commodity resource inventory...The study included a Commodity Resource Inventory, a Modal Split Analysis and a Market Demand Analysis. The work included investigation and analyses...inventory, a modal split analysis and a market demand analysis. The work included investigation and analyses of the production, transportation, and

Metabolic Characterization of Peripheral Host Responses to Drainage-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Liver Abscesses by Serum 1H-NMR Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Chang, Zhihui; Wang, Hairui; Li, Beibei; Liu, Zhaoyu; Zheng, Jiahe

2018-01-01

Purpose: To explore the metabolic characterization of host responses to drainage-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscesses (DRKPLAs) with serum 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Materials and Methods: The hospital records of all patients with a diagnosis of a liver abscess between June 2015 and December 2016 were retrieved from an electronic hospital database. Eighty-six patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae ( K. pneumoniae ) liver abscesses who underwent percutaneous drainage were identified. Twenty patients with confirmed DRKPLAs were studied. Moreover, we identified 20 consecutive patients with drainage-sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscesses (DSKPLAs) as controls. Serum samples from the two groups were analyzed with 1H NMR spectroscopy. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to perform 1H NMR metabolic profiling. Metabolites were identified using the Human Metabolome Database, and pathway analysis was performed with MetaboAnalyst 3.0. Results: The PLS-DA test was able to discriminate between the two groups. Five key metabolites that contributed to their discrimination were identified. Glucose, lactate, and 3-hydroxybutyrate were found to be upregulated in DRKPLAs, whereas glutamine and alanine were downregulated compared with the DSKPLAs. Pathway analysis indicated that amino acid metabolisms were significantly different between the DRKPLAs and the DSKPLAs. The D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolisms exhibited the greatest influences. Conclusions: The five key metabolites identified in our study may be potential targets for guiding novel therapeutics of DRKPLAs and are worthy of additional investigation.

Computational methods using genome-wide association studies to predict radiotherapy complications and to identify correlative molecular processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jung Hun; Kerns, Sarah; Ostrer, Harry; Powell, Simon N.; Rosenstein, Barry; Deasy, Joseph O.

2017-02-01

The biological cause of clinically observed variability of normal tissue damage following radiotherapy is poorly understood. We hypothesized that machine/statistical learning methods using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) would identify groups of patients of differing complication risk, and furthermore could be used to identify key biological sources of variability. We developed a novel learning algorithm, called pre-conditioned random forest regression (PRFR), to construct polygenic risk models using hundreds of SNPs, thereby capturing genomic features that confer small differential risk. Predictive models were trained and validated on a cohort of 368 prostate cancer patients for two post-radiotherapy clinical endpoints: late rectal bleeding and erectile dysfunction. The proposed method results in better predictive performance compared with existing computational methods. Gene ontology enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis are used to identify key biological processes and proteins that were plausible based on other published studies. In conclusion, we confirm that novel machine learning methods can produce large predictive models (hundreds of SNPs), yielding clinically useful risk stratification models, as well as identifying important underlying biological processes in the radiation damage and tissue repair process. The methods are generally applicable to GWAS data and are not specific to radiotherapy endpoints.

Problems of quality and equity in pain management: exploring the role of biomedical culture.

PubMed

Crowley-Matoka, Megan; Saha, Somnath; Dobscha, Steven K; Burgess, Diana J

2009-10-01

To explore how social scientific analyses of the culture of biomedicine may contribute to advancing our understanding of ongoing issues of quality and equity in pain management. Drawing upon the rich body of social scientific literature on the culture of biomedicine, we identify key features of biomedical culture with particular salience for pain management. We then examine how these cultural features of biomedicine may shape key phases of the pain management process in ways that have implications not just for quality, but for equity in pain management as well. We bring together a range of literatures in developing our analysis, including literatures on the culture of biomedicine, pain management and health care disparities. We surveyed the relevant literatures to identify and inter-relate key features of biomedical culture, key phases of the pain management process, and key dimensions of identified problems with suboptimal and inequitable treatment of pain. We identified three key features of biomedical culture with critical implications for pain management: 1) mind-body dualism; 2) a focus on disease vs illness; and 3) a bias toward cure vs care. Each of these cultural features play a role in the key phases of pain management, specifically pain-related communication, assessment and treatment decision-making, in ways that may hinder successful treatment of pain in general -- and of pain patients from disadvantaged groups in particular. Deepening our understanding of the role of biomedical culture in pain management has implications for education, policy and research as part of ongoing efforts to ameliorate problems in both quality and equity in managing pain. In particular, we suggest that building upon the existing the cultural competence movement in medicine to include fostering a deeper understanding of biomedical culture and its impact on physicians may be useful. From a policy perspective, we identify pain management as an area where the need for a shift to a more biopsychosocial model of health care is particularly pressing, and suggest prioritization of inter-disciplinary, multimodal approaches to pain as one key strategy in realizing this shift. Finally, in terms of research, we identify the need for empirical research to assess aspects of biomedical culture that may influence physician's attitudes and behaviors related to pain management, as well as to explore how these cultural values and their effects may vary across different settings within the practice of medicine.

Application of Data Envelopment Analysis on the Indicators Contributing to Learning and Teaching Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montoneri, Bernard; Lin, Tyrone T.; Lee, Chia-Chi; Huang, Shio-Ling

2012-01-01

This paper applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) to explore the quantitative relative efficiency of 18 classes of freshmen students studying a course of English conversation in a university of Taiwan from the academic year 2004-2006. A diagram of teaching performance improvement mechanism is designed to identify key performance indicators for…

Needs Analysis in ESP Context: Saudi Engineering Students as a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsamadani, Hashem Ahmed

2017-01-01

Needs analysis can be a vital asset for teachers of English for specific purposes (ESP) to identify their learners' key requirements or needs and determine the areas in which they are lacking skills. Against this background, this study was undertaken during the academic year 2015-16 to define the English language needs of engineering students…

The Council of Europe's Citizenship Conception in "Education for Democratic Citizenship": A Critical Discourse Analysis of Two Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ververi, Olga

2017-01-01

This paper presents a neocommunitarian conception of citizenship identified in two textbooks of the programme "Education for Democratic Citizenship," organised by the Council of Europe. Critical discourse analysis is applied to the key themes of the textbooks "T-Kit 7: Under construction: Citizenship Youth and Europe" and…

Food Purchase Decision-Making Typologies of Women with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Carla; Warland, Rex; Achterberg, Cheryl

1997-01-01

Food selection is a key factor in the nutritional management of diabetes. Criteria that influence point-of-purchase decision making in women with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were identified. Four types of shoppers were distinguished from interviews; cluster analysis was used to confirm the analysis. Usefulness in patient education is…

A Task-Content Analysis of an Introductory Entomology Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandenburg, R.

Described is an analysis of the content, tasks, and strategies needed by students to enable them to identify insects to order by sight and to family by use of a standard dichotomous taxonomic key. Tasks and strategies are broken down and arranged progressively in the approximate order in which students should progress. Included are listings of…

A Network Text Analysis of David Ayer's "Fury"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Starling David; Smith, Susan

2015-01-01

Network Text Analysis (NTA) involves the creation of networks of words and/or concepts from linguistic data. Its key insight is that the position of words and concepts in a text network provides vital clues to the central and underlying themes of the text as a whole. Recent research has relied on inductive approaches to identify these themes. In…

Building bridges with clinicians.

PubMed

Brady, Timothy S; Hankins, Robert W

2003-06-01

Clinical and ancillary staff need and welcome the opportunity to be involved in healthcare financial management. To provide them with the financial tools they need, a group of clinical and nonclinical professionals identified the key components of a curriculum that addressed financial, managerial, and cost accounting, along with training objectives that include understanding cost allocation, trend analysis, and variance analysis.

Critical Analysis to Framework Quality to HR Plan in Bankstown Hospital by SWOT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khudeir, Hamzeh; Khudeir, DUA'A

2017-01-01

This article has recognised the need for fundamental improvements in the HRM department of the Bankstown Hospital. Through the critical analysis and evaluation of internal systems and processes we were able to identify a number of issues as areas where improvement must be facilitated, each with varying degrees of seriousness. The key problem areas…

A summary and integration of research concerning single pilot IFR operational problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, G. C.

1983-01-01

A review of seven research studies pertaining to Single Pilot IFR (SPIFR) operations was performed. Two studies were based on questionnaire surveys; two based on National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports; two were based on Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) incident reports, and one report used event analysis and statistics to forecast problems. The results obtained in each study were extracted and integrated. Results were synthesized and key issues pertaining to SPIFR operations problems were identified. The research that was recommended by the studies and that addressed the key issues is catalogued for each key issue.

Turboelectric Aircraft Drive Key Performance Parameters and Functional Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansen, Ralph H.; Brown, Gerald V.; Felder, James L.; Duffy, Kirsten P.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to propose specific power and efficiency as the key performance parameters for a turboelectric aircraft power system and investigate their impact on the overall aircraft. Key functional requirements are identified that impact the power system design. Breguet range equations for a base aircraft and a turboelectric aircraft are found. The benefits and costs that may result from the turboelectric system are enumerated. A break-even analysis is conducted to find the minimum allowable electric drive specific power and efficiency that can preserve the range, initial weight, operating empty weight, and payload weight of the base aircraft.

Turboelectric Aircraft Drive Key Performance Parameters and Functional Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansen, Ralph; Brown, Gerald V.; Felder, James L.; Duffy, Kirsten P.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this presentation is to propose specific power and efficiency as the key performance parameters for a turboelectric aircraft power system and investigate their impact on the overall aircraft. Key functional requirements are identified that impact the power system design. Breguet range equations for a base aircraft and a turboelectric aircraft are found. The benefits and costs that may result from the turboelectric system are enumerated. A break-even analysis is conducted to find the minimum allowable electric drive specific power and efficiency that can preserve the range, initial weight, operating empty weight, and payload weight of the base aircraft.

Turboelectric Aircraft Drive Key Performance Parameters and Functional Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansen, Ralph H.; Brown, Gerald V.; Felder, James L.; Duffy, Kirsten P.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to propose specific power and efficiency as the key performance parameters for a turboelectric aircraft power system and investigate their impact on the overall aircraft. Key functional requirements are identified that impact the power system design. Breguet range equations for a base aircraft and a turboelectric aircraft are found. The benefits and costs that may result from the turboelectric system are enumerated. A break-even analysis is conducted to find the minimum allowable electric drive specific power and efficiency that can preserve the range, initial weight, operating empty weight, and payload weight of the base aircraft.

Construction and analysis of a modular model of caspase activation in apoptosis

PubMed Central

Harrington, Heather A; Ho, Kenneth L; Ghosh, Samik; Tung, KC

2008-01-01

Background A key physiological mechanism employed by multicellular organisms is apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Apoptosis is triggered by the activation of caspases in response to both extracellular (extrinsic) and intracellular (intrinsic) signals. The extrinsic and intrinsic pathways are characterized by the formation of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) and the apoptosome, respectively; both the DISC and the apoptosome are oligomers with complex formation dynamics. Additionally, the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways are coupled through the mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel via the Bcl-2 family of proteins. Results A model of caspase activation is constructed and analyzed. The apoptosis signaling network is simplified through modularization methodologies and equilibrium abstractions for three functional modules. The mathematical model is composed of a system of ordinary differential equations which is numerically solved. Multiple linear regression analysis investigates the role of each module and reduced models are constructed to identify key contributions of the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways in triggering apoptosis for different cell lines. Conclusion Through linear regression techniques, we identified the feedbacks, dissociation of complexes, and negative regulators as the key components in apoptosis. The analysis and reduced models for our model formulation reveal that the chosen cell lines predominately exhibit strong extrinsic caspase, typical of type I cell, behavior. Furthermore, under the simplified model framework, the selected cells lines exhibit different modes by which caspase activation may occur. Finally the proposed modularized model of apoptosis may generalize behavior for additional cells and tissues, specifically identifying and predicting components responsible for the transition from type I to type II cell behavior. PMID:19077196

Shared molecular pathways and gene networks for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in women across diverse ethnicities.

PubMed

Chan, Kei Hang K; Huang, Yen-Tsung; Meng, Qingying; Wu, Chunyuan; Reiner, Alexander; Sobel, Eric M; Tinker, Lesley; Lusis, Aldons J; Yang, Xia; Liu, Simin

2014-12-01

Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) share many common risk factors, potential molecular mechanisms that may also be shared for these 2 disorders remain unknown. Using an integrative pathway and network analysis, we performed genome-wide association studies in 8155 blacks, 3494 Hispanic American, and 3697 Caucasian American women who participated in the national Women's Health Initiative single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Health Association Resource and the Genomics and Randomized Trials Network. Eight top pathways and gene networks related to cardiomyopathy, calcium signaling, axon guidance, cell adhesion, and extracellular matrix seemed to be commonly shared between CVD and T2D across all 3 ethnic groups. We also identified ethnicity-specific pathways, such as cell cycle (specific for Hispanic American and Caucasian American) and tight junction (CVD and combined CVD and T2D in Hispanic American). In network analysis of gene-gene or protein-protein interactions, we identified key drivers that included COL1A1, COL3A1, and ELN in the shared pathways for both CVD and T2D. These key driver genes were cross-validated in multiple mouse models of diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. Our integrative analysis of American women of 3 ethnicities identified multiple shared biological pathways and key regulatory genes for the development of CVD and T2D. These prospective findings also support the notion that ethnicity-specific susceptibility genes and process are involved in the pathogenesis of CVD and T2D. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Models of HIV Preconception Care and Key Elements Influencing These Services: Findings from Healthcare Providers in Seven US Cities.

PubMed

Simone, Joanne; Hoyt, Mary Jo; Storm, Deborah S; Finocchario-Kessler, Sarah

2018-06-05

Preconception care can improve maternal and infant outcomes by identifying and modifying health risks before pregnancy and reducing unplanned pregnancies. However, information about how preconception care is provided to persons living with HIV (PLWH) is lacking. This study uses qualitative interviews with HIV care providers to describe current models of preconception care and explore factors influencing services. Single, anonymous, telephone interviews were conducted with 92 purposively selected HIV healthcare providers in Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco in 2013-2014. Content analysis and a grounded theory approach were used to analyze data. Participants included 57% physicians with a median of 10 [interquartile range (IQR) = 5-17] years HIV care experience; the mean proportion of female patients was 45%. Participants described Individual Provider (48.9%), Team-based (43.2%), and Referral-only (7.6%) models of preconception care, with 63% incorporating referrals outside their clinics. Thematic analysis identified five key elements influencing the provision of preconception care within and across models: consistency of delivery, knowledge and attitudes, clinic characteristics, coordination of care, and referral accessibility. Described models of preconception care reflect the complexity of our healthcare system. Qualitative analysis offers insights about how HIV clinicians provide preconception care and how key elements influence services. However, additional research about the models and outcomes of preconception care services are needed. To improve preconception care for PLWH, research and quality improvement initiatives must utilize available strengths and tackle existing barriers, identified by our study and others, to define and implement effective models of preconception care services.

A risk-based approach to management of leachables utilizing statistical analysis of extractables.

PubMed

Stults, Cheryl L M; Mikl, Jaromir; Whelehan, Oliver; Morrical, Bradley; Duffield, William; Nagao, Lee M

2015-04-01

To incorporate quality by design concepts into the management of leachables, an emphasis is often put on understanding the extractable profile for the materials of construction for manufacturing disposables, container-closure, or delivery systems. Component manufacturing processes may also impact the extractable profile. An approach was developed to (1) identify critical components that may be sources of leachables, (2) enable an understanding of manufacturing process factors that affect extractable profiles, (3) determine if quantitative models can be developed that predict the effect of those key factors, and (4) evaluate the practical impact of the key factors on the product. A risk evaluation for an inhalation product identified injection molding as a key process. Designed experiments were performed to evaluate the impact of molding process parameters on the extractable profile from an ABS inhaler component. Statistical analysis of the resulting GC chromatographic profiles identified processing factors that were correlated with peak levels in the extractable profiles. The combination of statistically significant molding process parameters was different for different types of extractable compounds. ANOVA models were used to obtain optimal process settings and predict extractable levels for a selected number of compounds. The proposed paradigm may be applied to evaluate the impact of material composition and processing parameters on extractable profiles and utilized to manage product leachables early in the development process and throughout the product lifecycle.

Regulation of Oil Biosynthesis in Algae

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-25

for future engineering purposes 3. Biochemical analysis of diacylglycerol acyltransferases ( DGATs ). These are key enzymes of oil biosynthesis...catalyzing the assembly of triacylglycerol in many organisms. 5 Genes predicted to encode DGATs and their role in triacylglycerol biosynthesis were identified

Work zone traffic management synthesis : work zone pedestrian protection

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-08-01

This Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) data analysis was intended to examine, in a practical way, the LTPP database and to identify the site conditions and design features that significantly affect transverse joint faulting. Key products develope...

Strategic information systems planning for health service providers.

PubMed

Moriarty, D D

1992-01-01

There is significant opportunity for health service providers to gain competitive advantage through the innovative use of strategic information systems. This analysis presents some key strategic information systems issues that will enable managers to identify opportunities within their organizations.

ITS Architecture Wants And Needs Analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-05-24

THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT IS TO SERVE AS A GUIDE IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS (ITS) WITHIN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. IT IDENTIFIES KEY ITS OPPORTUNITY AREAS BASED ON THE RESULTS OF STATEWIDE MARKET RESEARCH, ...

A Persian version of the parental bonding instrument: factor structure and psychometric properties.

PubMed

Behzadi, Behnaz; Parker, Gordon

2015-02-28

The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) is a widely used self-report measure for quantifying key parenting styles as perceived by the child during its first 16 years. While its development study identified two key parental dimensions, subsequent studies have variably confirmed those two or argued for one or more additional parental constructs. We developed a Persian translation of the PBI and administered it to a sample of 340 high school students. The construct validity of the Persian PBI was examined by Exploratory Factor Analysis while Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to identify the most adequate model. Analyses of the Persian PBI favored a four-factor model for both parental forms. The Persian PBI has a factorial structure consistent with constructs identified in western cultures, as well as high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Multivariate analyses indicated significant differences between boys and girls across some factors. The PBI appears an acceptable and appropriate measure for quantifying parent-child bonding in Iranian samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying Key Words in 9-1-1 Calls for Stroke: A Mixed Methods Approach.

PubMed

Richards, Christopher T; Wang, Baiyang; Markul, Eddie; Albarran, Frank; Rottman, Doreen; Aggarwal, Neelum T; Lindeman, Patricia; Stein-Spencer, Leslee; Weber, Joseph M; Pearlman, Kenneth S; Tataris, Katie L; Holl, Jane L; Klabjan, Diego; Prabhakaran, Shyam

2017-01-01

Identifying stroke during a 9-1-1 call is critical to timely prehospital care. However, emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) recognize stroke in less than half of 9-1-1 calls, potentially due to the words used by callers to communicate stroke signs and symptoms. We hypothesized that callers do not typically use words and phrases considered to be classical descriptors of stroke, such as focal neurologic deficits, but that a mixed-methods approach can identify words and phrases commonly used by 9-1-1 callers to describe acute stroke victims. We performed a mixed-method, retrospective study of 9-1-1 call audio recordings for adult patients with confirmed stroke who were transported by ambulance in a large urban city. Content analysis, a qualitative methodology, and computational linguistics, a quantitative methodology, were used to identify key words and phrases used by 9-1-1 callers to describe acute stroke victims. Because a caller's level of emotional distress contributes to the communication during a 9-1-1 call, the Emotional Content and Cooperation Score was scored by a multidisciplinary team. A total of 110 9-1-1 calls, received between June and September 2013, were analyzed. EMDs recognized stroke in 48% of calls, and the emotional state of most callers (95%) was calm. In 77% of calls in which EMDs recognized stroke, callers specifically used the word "stroke"; however, the word "stroke" was used in only 38% of calls. Vague, non-specific words and phrases were used to describe stroke victims' symptoms in 55% of calls, and 45% of callers used distractor words and phrases suggestive of non-stroke emergencies. Focal neurologic symptoms were described in 39% of calls. Computational linguistics identified 9 key words that were more commonly used in calls where the EMD identified stroke. These words were concordant with terms identified through qualitative content analysis. Most 9-1-1 callers used vague, non-specific, or distractor words and phrases and infrequently provide classic stroke descriptions during 9-1-1 calls for stroke. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies identified similar key words and phrases associated with accurate EMD stroke recognition. This study suggests that tools incorporating commonly used words and phrases could potentially improve EMD stroke recognition.

Managing in-hospital quality improvement: An importance-performance analysis to set priorities for ST-elevation myocardial infarction care.

PubMed

Aeyels, Daan; Seys, Deborah; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

2018-02-01

A focus on specific priorities increases the success rate of quality improvement efforts for broad and complex-care processes. Importance-performance analysis presents a possible approach to set priorities around which to design and implement effective quality improvement initiatives. Persistent variation in hospital performance makes ST-elevation myocardial infarction care relevant to consider for importance-performance analysis. The purpose of this study was to identify quality improvement priorities in ST-elevation myocardial infarction care. Importance and performance levels of ST-elevation myocardial infarction key interventions were combined in an importance-performance analysis. Content validity indexes on 23 ST-elevation myocardial infarction key interventions of a multidisciplinary RAND Delphi Survey defined importance levels. Structured review of 300 patient records in 15 acute hospitals determined performance levels. The significance of between-hospital variation was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test. A performance heat-map allowed for hospital-specific priority setting. Seven key interventions were each rated as an overall improvement priority. Priority key interventions related to risk assessment, timely reperfusion by percutaneous coronary intervention and secondary prevention. Between-hospital performance varied significantly for the majority of key interventions. The type and number of priorities varied strongly across hospitals. Guideline adherence in ST-elevation myocardial infarction care is low and improvement priorities vary between hospitals. Importance-performance analysis helps clinicians and management in demarcation of the nature, number and order of improvement priorities. By offering a tailored improvement focus, this methodology makes improvement efforts more specific and achievable.

Genetic association analysis identifies variants associated with disease progression in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

PubMed

Alberts, Rudi; de Vries, Elisabeth M G; Goode, Elizabeth C; Jiang, Xiaojun; Sampaziotis, Fotis; Rombouts, Krista; Böttcher, Katrin; Folseraas, Trine; Weismüller, Tobias J; Mason, Andrew L; Wang, Weiwei; Alexander, Graeme; Alvaro, Domenico; Bergquist, Annika; Björkström, Niklas K; Beuers, Ulrich; Björnsson, Einar; Boberg, Kirsten Muri; Bowlus, Christopher L; Bragazzi, Maria C; Carbone, Marco; Chazouillères, Olivier; Cheung, Angela; Dalekos, Georgios; Eaton, John; Eksteen, Bertus; Ellinghaus, David; Färkkilä, Martti; Festen, Eleonora A M; Floreani, Annarosa; Franceschet, Irene; Gotthardt, Daniel Nils; Hirschfield, Gideon M; Hoek, Bart van; Holm, Kristian; Hohenester, Simon; Hov, Johannes Roksund; Imhann, Floris; Invernizzi, Pietro; Juran, Brian D; Lenzen, Henrike; Lieb, Wolfgang; Liu, Jimmy Z; Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich; Marzioni, Marco; Melum, Espen; Milkiewicz, Piotr; Müller, Tobias; Pares, Albert; Rupp, Christian; Rust, Christian; Sandford, Richard N; Schramm, Christoph; Schreiber, Stefan; Schrumpf, Erik; Silverberg, Mark S; Srivastava, Brijesh; Sterneck, Martina; Teufel, Andreas; Vallier, Ludovic; Verheij, Joanne; Vila, Arnau Vich; Vries, Boudewijn de; Zachou, Kalliopi; Chapman, Roger W; Manns, Michael P; Pinzani, Massimo; Rushbrook, Simon M; Lazaridis, Konstantinos N; Franke, Andre; Anderson, Carl A; Karlsen, Tom H; Ponsioen, Cyriel Y; Weersma, Rinse K

2017-08-04

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a genetically complex, inflammatory bile duct disease of largely unknown aetiology often leading to liver transplantation or death. Little is known about the genetic contribution to the severity and progression of PSC. The aim of this study is to identify genetic variants associated with PSC disease progression and development of complications. We collected standardised PSC subphenotypes in a large cohort of 3402 patients with PSC. After quality control, we combined 130 422 single nucleotide polymorphisms of all patients-obtained using the Illumina immunochip-with their disease subphenotypes. Using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, we identified genetic variants associated with binary and time-to-event PSC subphenotypes. We identified genetic variant rs853974 to be associated with liver transplant-free survival (p=6.07×10 -9 ). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a 50.9% (95% CI 41.5% to 59.5%) transplant-free survival for homozygous AA allele carriers of rs853974 compared with 72.8% (95% CI 69.6% to 75.7%) for GG carriers at 10 years after PSC diagnosis. For the candidate gene in the region, RSPO3 , we demonstrated expression in key liver-resident effector cells, such as human and murine cholangiocytes and human hepatic stellate cells. We present a large international PSC cohort, and report genetic loci associated with PSC disease progression. For liver transplant-free survival, we identified a genome-wide significant signal and demonstrated expression of the candidate gene RSPO3 in key liver-resident effector cells. This warrants further assessments of the role of this potential key PSC modifier gene. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Designing new institutions for implementing integrated disaster risk management: key elements and future directions.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, Chennat; Okada, Norio

2007-12-01

The goal of integrated disaster risk management is to promote an overall improvement in the quality of safety and security in a region, city or community at disaster risk. This paper presents the case for a thorough overhaul of the institutional component of integrated disaster risk management. A review of disaster management institutions in the United States indicates significant weaknesses in their ability to contribute effectively to the implementation of integrated disaster risk management. Our analysis and findings identify eight key elements for the design of dynamic new disaster management institutions. Six specific approaches are suggested for incorporating the identified key elements in building new institutions that would have significant potential for enhancing the effective implementation of integrated disaster risk management. We have developed a possible blueprint for effective design and construction of efficient, sustainable and functional disaster management institutions.

Differential gene expression analysis in glioblastoma cells and normal human brain cells based on GEO database.

PubMed

Wang, Anping; Zhang, Guibin

2017-11-01

The differentially expressed genes between glioblastoma (GBM) cells and normal human brain cells were investigated to performed pathway analysis and protein interaction network analysis for the differentially expressed genes. GSE12657 and GSE42656 gene chips, which contain gene expression profile of GBM were obtained from Gene Expression Omniub (GEO) database of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The 'limma' data packet in 'R' software was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes in the two gene chips, and gene integration was performed using 'RobustRankAggreg' package. Finally, pheatmap software was used for heatmap analysis and Cytoscape, DAVID, STRING and KOBAS were used for protein-protein interaction, Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG analyses. As results: i) 702 differentially expressed genes were identified in GSE12657, among those genes, 548 were significantly upregulated and 154 were significantly downregulated (p<0.01, fold-change >1), and 1,854 differentially expressed genes were identified in GSE42656, among the genes, 1,068 were significantly upregulated and 786 were significantly downregulated (p<0.01, fold-change >1). A total of 167 differentially expressed genes including 100 upregulated genes and 67 downregulated genes were identified after gene integration, and the genes showed significantly different expression levels in GBM compared with normal human brain cells (p<0.05). ii) Interactions between the protein products of 101 differentially expressed genes were identified using STRING and expression network was established. A key gene, called CALM3, was identified by Cytoscape software. iii) GO enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in 'neurotransmitter:sodium symporter activity' and 'neurotransmitter transporter activity', which can affect the activity of neurotransmitter transportation. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in 'protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum', which can affect protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum. The results showed that: i) 167 differentially expressed genes were identified from two gene chips after integration; and ii) protein interaction network was established, and GO and KEGG pathway analyses were successfully performed to identify and annotate the key gene, which provide new insights for the studies on GBN at gene level.

Barriers to implementation of workplace health interventions: an economic perspective.

PubMed

Cherniack, Martin; Lahiri, Supriya

2010-09-01

To identify insurance related, structural, and workplace cultural barriers to the implementation of effective preventive and upstream clinical interventions in the working age adult population. Analysis of avoided costs from perspective of health economics theory and from empiric observations from large studies; presentation of data from our own cost-plus model on integrating health promotion and ergonomics. We identify key avoided costs issues as a misalignment of interests between employers, insurers, service institutions, and government. Conceptual limitations of neoclassical economics are attributable to work culture and supply-driven nature of health care. Effective valuation of avoided costs is a necessary condition for redirecting allocations and incentives. Key content for valuation models is discussed.

Success Factors of European Syndromic Surveillance Systems: A Worked Example of Applying Qualitative Comparative Analysis

PubMed Central

Ziemann, Alexandra; Fouillet, Anne; Brand, Helmut; Krafft, Thomas

2016-01-01

Introduction Syndromic surveillance aims at augmenting traditional public health surveillance with timely information. To gain a head start, it mainly analyses existing data such as from web searches or patient records. Despite the setup of many syndromic surveillance systems, there is still much doubt about the benefit of the approach. There are diverse interactions between performance indicators such as timeliness and various system characteristics. This makes the performance assessment of syndromic surveillance systems a complex endeavour. We assessed if the comparison of several syndromic surveillance systems through Qualitative Comparative Analysis helps to evaluate performance and identify key success factors. Materials and Methods We compiled case-based, mixed data on performance and characteristics of 19 syndromic surveillance systems in Europe from scientific and grey literature and from site visits. We identified success factors by applying crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. We focused on two main areas of syndromic surveillance application: seasonal influenza surveillance and situational awareness during different types of potentially health threatening events. Results We found that syndromic surveillance systems might detect the onset or peak of seasonal influenza earlier if they analyse non-clinical data sources. Timely situational awareness during different types of events is supported by an automated syndromic surveillance system capable of analysing multiple syndromes. To our surprise, the analysis of multiple data sources was no key success factor for situational awareness. Conclusions We suggest to consider these key success factors when designing or further developing syndromic surveillance systems. Qualitative Comparative Analysis helped interpreting complex, mixed data on small-N cases and resulted in concrete and practically relevant findings. PMID:27182731

A Decision Support Framework for Science-Based, Multi-Stakeholder Deliberation: A Coral Reef Example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehr, Amanda P.; Small, Mitchell J.; Bradley, Patricia; Fisher, William S.; Vega, Ann; Black, Kelly; Stockton, Tom

2012-12-01

We present a decision support framework for science-based assessment and multi-stakeholder deliberation. The framework consists of two parts: a DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-States-Impacts-Responses) analysis to identify the important causal relationships among anthropogenic environmental stressors, processes, and outcomes; and a Decision Landscape analysis to depict the legal, social, and institutional dimensions of environmental decisions. The Decision Landscape incorporates interactions among government agencies, regulated businesses, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders. It also identifies where scientific information regarding environmental processes is collected and transmitted to improve knowledge about elements of the DPSIR and to improve the scientific basis for decisions. Our application of the decision support framework to coral reef protection and restoration in the Florida Keys focusing on anthropogenic stressors, such as wastewater, proved to be successful and offered several insights. Using information from a management plan, it was possible to capture the current state of the science with a DPSIR analysis as well as important decision options, decision makers and applicable laws with a the Decision Landscape analysis. A structured elicitation of values and beliefs conducted at a coral reef management workshop held in Key West, Florida provided a diversity of opinion and also indicated a prioritization of several environmental stressors affecting coral reef health. The integrated DPSIR/Decision landscape framework for the Florida Keys developed based on the elicited opinion and the DPSIR analysis can be used to inform management decisions, to reveal the role that further scientific information and research might play to populate the framework, and to facilitate better-informed agreement among participants.

TMEM88, CCL14 and CLEC3B as prognostic biomarkers for prognosis and palindromia of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Wan, Jin-Xiang; Ke, Zun-Ping; Wang, Feng; Chai, Hai-Xia; Liu, Jia-Qiang

2017-07-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most mortal and prevalent cancers with increasing incidence worldwide. Elucidating genetic driver genes for prognosis and palindromia of hepatocellular carcinoma helps managing clinical decisions for patients. In this study, the high-throughput RNA sequencing data on platform IlluminaHiSeq of hepatocellular carcinoma were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas with 330 primary hepatocellular carcinoma patient samples. Stable key genes with differential expressions were identified with which Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards test in R language. Driver genes influencing the prognosis of this disease were determined using clustering analysis. Functional analysis of driver genes was performed by literature search and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Finally, the selected driver genes were verified using external dataset GSE40873. A total of 5781 stable key genes were identified, including 156 genes definitely related to prognoses of hepatocellular carcinoma. Based on the significant key genes, samples were grouped into five clusters which were further integrated into high- and low-risk classes based on clinical features. TMEM88, CCL14, and CLEC3B were selected as driver genes which clustered high-/low-risk patients successfully (generally, p = 0.0005124445). Finally, survival analysis of the high-/low-risk samples from external database illustrated significant difference with p value 0.0198. In conclusion, TMEM88, CCL14, and CLEC3B genes were stable and available in predicting the survival and palindromia time of hepatocellular carcinoma. These genes could function as potential prognostic genes contributing to improve patients' outcomes and survival.

Success Factors of European Syndromic Surveillance Systems: A Worked Example of Applying Qualitative Comparative Analysis.

PubMed

Ziemann, Alexandra; Fouillet, Anne; Brand, Helmut; Krafft, Thomas

2016-01-01

Syndromic surveillance aims at augmenting traditional public health surveillance with timely information. To gain a head start, it mainly analyses existing data such as from web searches or patient records. Despite the setup of many syndromic surveillance systems, there is still much doubt about the benefit of the approach. There are diverse interactions between performance indicators such as timeliness and various system characteristics. This makes the performance assessment of syndromic surveillance systems a complex endeavour. We assessed if the comparison of several syndromic surveillance systems through Qualitative Comparative Analysis helps to evaluate performance and identify key success factors. We compiled case-based, mixed data on performance and characteristics of 19 syndromic surveillance systems in Europe from scientific and grey literature and from site visits. We identified success factors by applying crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. We focused on two main areas of syndromic surveillance application: seasonal influenza surveillance and situational awareness during different types of potentially health threatening events. We found that syndromic surveillance systems might detect the onset or peak of seasonal influenza earlier if they analyse non-clinical data sources. Timely situational awareness during different types of events is supported by an automated syndromic surveillance system capable of analysing multiple syndromes. To our surprise, the analysis of multiple data sources was no key success factor for situational awareness. We suggest to consider these key success factors when designing or further developing syndromic surveillance systems. Qualitative Comparative Analysis helped interpreting complex, mixed data on small-N cases and resulted in concrete and practically relevant findings.

Service user involvement in mental health care: an evolutionary concept analysis.

PubMed

Millar, Samantha L; Chambers, Mary; Giles, Melanie

2016-04-01

The concept of service user involvement is an evolving concept in the mental health-care literature. This study sought to explore and analyse the concept of service user involvement as used in within the field of mental health care. An evolutionary concept analysis was conducted using a literature-based sample extracted from an electronic database search. One hundred and thirty-four papers met the inclusion criteria and were analysed to discover key attributes, antecedents and consequences of service user involvement and to produce a definition of the concept. Five key attributes of service user involvement within the context of mental health care were identified: a person-centred approach, informed decision making, advocacy, obtaining service user views and feedback and working in partnership. Clarity of the attributes and definition of the concept of service user involvement aims to promote understanding of the concept among key stakeholders including mental health professionals, service users and community and voluntary organizations. The findings of the research have utility in the areas of theory and policy development, research on service user involvement in mental health care and service user involvement in mental health practice. Directions for further research regarding the concept are identified. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Projections of Demand for Waterborne Transportation, Ohio River Basin, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2020, 2040. Volume 10. Group VIII. Iron Ore, Steel and Iron.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 19. KEY WORDS (Continue on reverse aide if neceeary aod identify by block number) Bulk cargo Market demand analysis Iron Commodity resource...shown below. The study included a Commodity Resource Inventory, a Modal Split Analysis and a Market Demand Analysis. The work included investigation...resource inventory, a modal split analysis and a market demand analysis. The work included investigation and analyses of the production

Weighted Key Player Problem for Social Network Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

the degree of the actor, the number of adjacent neighbors, to de - termine its centrality value. Introduced in its current form by Freeman, a node’s...identifying individuals who are key in a number of contexts. This chapter developed the WKPP-Pos measure that allows for the inclusion of actor and...Techniques were de - 44 veloped for using the p-median to find optimal solutions to the WKPP-Pos measure and for using hierarchical clustering as a

Footwear Experiences of People With Chronic Musculoskeletal Diseases.

PubMed

Hendry, Gordon J; Brenton-Rule, Angela; Barr, Georgina; Rome, Keith

2015-08-01

Foot pain and deformities are frequently reported by people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases, but only limited research has been conducted to explore the key issues concerning footwear difficulties in this population. The aim of this study is to explore, identify, and describe the main issues surrounding the footwear experiences of people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases. A qualitative manifest content analysis of open-ended survey responses concerning footwear experiences was conducted from a national footwear survey of people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases in New Zealand. Eighty-five respondents submitted usable responses. Specific statements in the text were identified as units of analysis prior to coding and organizing these units into emerging mutually exclusive categories. Content analysis was independently undertaken by 3 researchers, and the final categories and coding were achieved through consensus. Frequencies of assigned units of analysis were calculated in order to obtain a quantitative description for each category. Four categories encompassing a total of 9 subcategories related to the footwear experiences of respondents emerged from the qualitative data content analysis: difficulty finding appropriate footwear; dissatisfaction with therapeutic footwear provision and foot care access; high costs of footwear, foot care, and self-care; and satisfaction with therapeutic footwear and foot care. Key categories describing the important issues surrounding the footwear experiences of respondents with chronic musculoskeletal diseases were identified, which may provide important targets for improving footwear and foot care services and self-management strategies. © 2015, American College of Rheumatology.

Industrial Water Analysis Program: A Critical Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio UMAMUION lTATEMNT A APtO.6UPbhtd3WJ 83 11 04 014’ X. .. . INDUSTRIAL WATER ANALYSIS PROGRAM: A CRITICAL STUDY Dennis C...Twhoo-17 (ATC) Wright-FPafewon AFB O 44 3 1S. KEY WORDS (Continue on reverse aide if necessary and identify by block number) Industrial Water Analysis ...Boiler Water Analysis Preservation Procedures Air Force Industrial Water Stabilization Procedures 20. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse side it necessary and

Glycomics meets artificial intelligence - Potential of glycan analysis for identification of seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis patients revealed.

PubMed

Chocholova, Erika; Bertok, Tomas; Jane, Eduard; Lorencova, Lenka; Holazova, Alena; Belicka, Ludmila; Belicky, Stefan; Mislovicova, Danica; Vikartovska, Alica; Imrich, Richard; Kasak, Peter; Tkac, Jan

2018-06-01

In this study, one hundred serum samples from healthy people and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were analyzed. Standard immunoassays for detection of 10 different RA markers and analysis of glycan markers on antibodies in 10 different assay formats with several lectins were applied for each serum sample. A dataset containing 2000 data points was data mined using artificial neural networks (ANN). We identified key RA markers, which can discriminate between healthy people and seropositive RA patients (serum containing autoantibodies) with accuracy of 83.3%. Combination of RA markers with glycan analysis provided much better discrimination accuracy of 92.5%. Immunoassays completely failed to identify seronegative RA patients (serum not containing autoantibodies), while glycan analysis correctly identified 43.8% of these patients. Further, we revealed other critical parameters for successful glycan analysis such as type of a sample, format of analysis and orientation of captured antibodies for glycan analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification and functional analysis of a core gene module associated with hepatitis C virus-induced human hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

PubMed

Bai, Gaobo; Zheng, Wenling; Ma, Wenli

2018-05-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression may be due to a complex multi-step processes. The developmental mechanism of these processes is worth investigating for the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of HCC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the progression of HCV-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. First, the dynamic gene module, consisting of key genes associated with progression between the normal stage and HCC, was identified using the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis tool from R language. By defining those genes in the module as seeds, the change of co-expression in differentially expressed gene sets in two consecutive stages of pathological progression was examined. Finally, interaction pairs of HCV viral proteins and their directly targeted proteins in the identified module were extracted from the literature and a comprehensive interaction dataset from yeast two-hybrid experiments. By combining the interactions between HCV and their targets, and protein-protein interactions in the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database (STRING), the HCV-key genes interaction network was constructed and visualized using Cytoscape software 3.2. As a result, a module containing 44 key genes was identified to be associated with HCC progression, due to the dynamic features and functions of those genes in the module. Several important differentially co-expressed gene pairs were identified between non-HCC and HCC stages. In the key genes, cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), NDC80, cyclin A2 (CCNA2) and rac GTPase activating protein 1 (RACGAP1) were shown to be targeted by the HCV nonstructural proteins NS5A, NS3 and NS5B, respectively. The four genes perform an intermediary role between the HCV viral proteins and the dysfunctional module in the HCV key genes interaction network. These findings provided valuable information for understanding the mechanism of HCV-induced HCC progression and for seeking drug targets for the therapy and prevention of HCC.

Soybean Roots Grown under Heat Stress Show Global Changes in Their Transcriptional and Proteomic Profiles

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

Valdés-López, Oswaldo; Batek, Josef; Gomez-Hernandez, Nicolas

2016-04-25

Heat stress is likely to be a key factor in the negative impact of climate change on crop production. Roots provide support, water and nutrients to other plant organs. Likewise, roots play an important role in the establishment of symbiotic associations with different microorganisms. Despite the physiological relevance of roots, few studies have examined the response of these plant organs to heat stress. In this study, we performed genome-wide transcriptomic and proteomic analyses on isolated root hairs, which are a single, epidermal cell type, and compared their response to whole roots. We identified 2,013 genes differentially regulated in root hairsmore » in response to heat stress. Our gene regulatory module analysis identified ten, key modules that controlled the majority of the transcriptional response to heat stress. We also conducted proteomic analysis on membrane fractions isolated from roots and root hairs. These experiments identified a variety of proteins whose expression changed within 3 hours of application of heat stress. Most of these proteins were predicted to play a role in thermotolerance, as well as in chromatin remodeling and post-transcriptional regulation. The data presented represent an in-depth analysis of the heat stress response of a single cell type in soybean.« less

Dynamic motif occupancy (DynaMO) analysis identifies transcription factors and their binding sites driving dynamic biological processes.

PubMed

Kuang, Zheng; Ji, Zhicheng; Boeke, Jef D; Ji, Hongkai

2018-01-09

Biological processes are usually associated with genome-wide remodeling of transcription driven by transcription factors (TFs). Identifying key TFs and their spatiotemporal binding patterns are indispensable to understanding how dynamic processes are programmed. However, most methods are designed to predict TF binding sites only. We present a computational method, dynamic motif occupancy analysis (DynaMO), to infer important TFs and their spatiotemporal binding activities in dynamic biological processes using chromatin profiling data from multiple biological conditions such as time-course histone modification ChIP-seq data. In the first step, DynaMO predicts TF binding sites with a random forests approach. Next and uniquely, DynaMO infers dynamic TF binding activities at predicted binding sites using their local chromatin profiles from multiple biological conditions. Another landmark of DynaMO is to identify key TFs in a dynamic process using a clustering and enrichment analysis of dynamic TF binding patterns. Application of DynaMO to the yeast ultradian cycle, mouse circadian clock and human neural differentiation exhibits its accuracy and versatility. We anticipate DynaMO will be generally useful for elucidating transcriptional programs in dynamic processes. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

A case study in nonconformance and performance trend analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maloy, Joseph E.; Newton, Coy P.

1990-01-01

As part of NASA's effort to develop an agency-wide approach to trend analysis, a pilot nonconformance and performance trending analysis study was conducted on the Space Shuttle auxiliary power unit (APU). The purpose of the study was to (1) demonstrate that nonconformance analysis can be used to identify repeating failures of a specific item (and the associated failure modes and causes) and (2) determine whether performance parameters could be analyzed and monitored to provide an indication of component or system degradation prior to failure. The nonconformance analysis of the APU did identify repeating component failures, which possibly could be reduced if key performance parameters were monitored and analyzed. The performance-trending analysis verified that the characteristics of hardware parameters can be effective in detecting degradation of hardware performance prior to failure.

Gene-to-metabolite network for biosynthesis of lignans in MeJA-elicited Isatis indigotica hairy root cultures

PubMed Central

Chen, Ruibing; Li, Qing; Tan, Hexin; Chen, Junfeng; Xiao, Ying; Ma, Ruifang; Gao, Shouhong; Zerbe, Philipp; Chen, Wansheng; Zhang, Lei

2015-01-01

Root and leaf tissue of Isatis indigotica shows notable anti-viral efficacy, and are widely used as “Banlangen” and “Daqingye” in traditional Chinese medicine. The plants' pharmacological activity is attributed to phenylpropanoids, especially a group of lignan metabolites. However, the biosynthesis of lignans in I. indigotica remains opaque. This study describes the discovery and analysis of biosynthetic genes and AP2/ERF-type transcription factors involved in lignan biosynthesis in I. indigotica. MeJA treatment revealed differential expression of three genes involved in phenylpropanoid backbone biosynthesis (IiPAL, IiC4H, Ii4CL), five genes involved in lignan biosynthesis (IiCAD, IiC3H, IiCCR, IiDIR, and IiPLR), and 112 putative AP2/ERF transcription factors. In addition, four intermediates of lariciresinol biosynthesis were found to be induced. Based on these results, a canonical correlation analysis using Pearson's correlation coefficient was performed to construct gene-to-metabolite networks and identify putative key genes and rate-limiting reactions in lignan biosynthesis. Over-expression of IiC3H, identified as a key pathway gene, was used for metabolic engineering of I. indigotica hairy roots, and resulted in an increase in lariciresinol production. These findings illustrate the utility of canonical correlation analysis for the discovery and metabolic engineering of key metabolic genes in plants. PMID:26579184

[Key effect genes responding to nerve injury identified by gene ontology and computer pattern recognition].

PubMed

Pan, Qian; Peng, Jin; Zhou, Xue; Yang, Hao; Zhang, Wei

2012-07-01

In order to screen out important genes from large gene data of gene microarray after nerve injury, we combine gene ontology (GO) method and computer pattern recognition technology to find key genes responding to nerve injury, and then verify one of these screened-out genes. Data mining and gene ontology analysis of gene chip data GSE26350 was carried out through MATLAB software. Cd44 was selected from screened-out key gene molecular spectrum by comparing genes' different GO terms and positions on score map of principal component. Function interferences were employed to influence the normal binding of Cd44 and one of its ligands, chondroitin sulfate C (CSC), to observe neurite extension. Gene ontology analysis showed that the first genes on score map (marked by red *) mainly distributed in molecular transducer activity, receptor activity, protein binding et al molecular function GO terms. Cd44 is one of six effector protein genes, and attracted us with its function diversity. After adding different reagents into the medium to interfere the normal binding of CSC and Cd44, varying-degree remissions of CSC's inhibition on neurite extension were observed. CSC can inhibit neurite extension through binding Cd44 on the neuron membrane. This verifies that important genes in given physiological processes can be identified by gene ontology analysis of gene chip data.

Designing novel cellulase systems through agent-based modeling and global sensitivity analysis.

PubMed

Apte, Advait A; Senger, Ryan S; Fong, Stephen S

2014-01-01

Experimental techniques allow engineering of biological systems to modify functionality; however, there still remains a need to develop tools to prioritize targets for modification. In this study, agent-based modeling (ABM) was used to build stochastic models of complexed and non-complexed cellulose hydrolysis, including enzymatic mechanisms for endoglucanase, exoglucanase, and β-glucosidase activity. Modeling results were consistent with experimental observations of higher efficiency in complexed systems than non-complexed systems and established relationships between specific cellulolytic mechanisms and overall efficiency. Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) of model results identified key parameters for improving overall cellulose hydrolysis efficiency including: (1) the cellulase half-life, (2) the exoglucanase activity, and (3) the cellulase composition. Overall, the following parameters were found to significantly influence cellulose consumption in a consolidated bioprocess (CBP): (1) the glucose uptake rate of the culture, (2) the bacterial cell concentration, and (3) the nature of the cellulase enzyme system (complexed or non-complexed). Broadly, these results demonstrate the utility of combining modeling and sensitivity analysis to identify key parameters and/or targets for experimental improvement.

Designing novel cellulase systems through agent-based modeling and global sensitivity analysis

PubMed Central

Apte, Advait A; Senger, Ryan S; Fong, Stephen S

2014-01-01

Experimental techniques allow engineering of biological systems to modify functionality; however, there still remains a need to develop tools to prioritize targets for modification. In this study, agent-based modeling (ABM) was used to build stochastic models of complexed and non-complexed cellulose hydrolysis, including enzymatic mechanisms for endoglucanase, exoglucanase, and β-glucosidase activity. Modeling results were consistent with experimental observations of higher efficiency in complexed systems than non-complexed systems and established relationships between specific cellulolytic mechanisms and overall efficiency. Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) of model results identified key parameters for improving overall cellulose hydrolysis efficiency including: (1) the cellulase half-life, (2) the exoglucanase activity, and (3) the cellulase composition. Overall, the following parameters were found to significantly influence cellulose consumption in a consolidated bioprocess (CBP): (1) the glucose uptake rate of the culture, (2) the bacterial cell concentration, and (3) the nature of the cellulase enzyme system (complexed or non-complexed). Broadly, these results demonstrate the utility of combining modeling and sensitivity analysis to identify key parameters and/or targets for experimental improvement. PMID:24830736

Mental health in Zimbabwe: a health systems analysis.

PubMed

Kidia, Khameer; Machando, Debra; Mangezi, Walter; Hendler, Reuben; Crooks, Megan; Abas, Melanie; Chibanda, Dixon; Thornicroft, Graham; Semrau, Maya; Jack, Helen

2017-11-01

There has been little external analysis of Zimbabwe's mental health system. We did a systems analysis to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for mental health service improvement in Zimbabwe and to generate cost-effective, policy-relevant solutions. We combined in-depth interviews with a range of key stakeholders in health and mental health, analysis of mental health laws and policies, and publicly available data about mental health. Five themes are key to mental health service delivery in Zimbabwe: policy and law; financing and resources; criminal justice; workforce, training, and research; and beliefs about mental illness. We identified human resources, rehabilitation facilities, psychotropic medication, and community mental health as funding priorities. Moreover, we found that researchers should prioritise measuring the economic impact of mental health and exploring substance use, forensic care, and mental health integration. Our study highlights forensic services as a central component of the mental health system, which has been a neglected concept. We also describe a tailored process for mental health systems that is transferable to other low-income settings and that garners political will, builds capacity, and raises the profile of mental health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mining key elements for severe convection prediction based on CNN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ming; Pan, Ning; Zhang, Changan; Sha, Hongzhou; Zhang, Bolei; Liu, Liang; Zhang, Meng

2017-04-01

Severe convective weather is a kind of weather disasters accompanied by heavy rainfall, gust wind, hail, etc. Along with recent developments on remote sensing and numerical modeling, there are high-volume and long-term observational and modeling data accumulated to capture massive severe convective events over particular areas and time periods. With those high-volume and high-variety weather data, most of the existing studies and methods carry out the dynamical laws, cause analysis, potential rule study, and prediction enhancement by utilizing the governing equations from fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. In this study, a key-element mining method is proposed for severe convection prediction based on convolution neural network (CNN). It aims to identify the key areas and key elements from huge amounts of historical weather data including conventional measurements, weather radar, satellite, so as numerical modeling and/or reanalysis data. Under this manner, the machine-learning based method could help the human forecasters on their decision-making on operational weather forecasts on severe convective weathers by extracting key information from the real-time and historical weather big data. In this paper, it first utilizes computer vision technology to complete the data preprocessing work of the meteorological variables. Then, it utilizes the information such as radar map and expert knowledge to annotate all images automatically. And finally, by using CNN model, it cloud analyze and evaluate each weather elements (e.g., particular variables, patterns, features, etc.), and identify key areas of those critical weather elements, then help forecasters quickly screen out the key elements from huge amounts of observation data by current weather conditions. Based on the rich weather measurement and model data (up to 10 years) over Fujian province in China, where the severe convective weathers are very active during the summer months, experimental tests are conducted with the new machine-learning method via CNN models. Based on the analysis of those experimental results and case studies, the proposed new method have below benefits for the severe convection prediction: (1) helping forecasters to narrow down the scope of analysis and saves lead-time for those high-impact severe convection; (2) performing huge amount of weather big data by machine learning methods rather relying on traditional theory and knowledge, which provide new method to explore and quantify the severe convective weathers; (3) providing machine learning based end-to-end analysis and processing ability with considerable scalability on data volumes, and accomplishing the analysis work without human intervention.

Mind the Gap. A systematic review to identify usability and safety challenges and practices during electronic health record implementation.

PubMed

Ratwani, Raj; Fairbanks, Terry; Savage, Erica; Adams, Katie; Wittie, Michael; Boone, Edna; Hayden, Andrew; Barnes, Janey; Hettinger, Zach; Gettinger, Andrew

2016-11-16

Decisions made during electronic health record (EHR) implementations profoundly affect usability and safety. This study aims to identify gaps between the current literature and key stakeholders' perceptions of usability and safety practices and the challenges encountered during the implementation of EHRs. Two approaches were used: a literature review and interviews with key stakeholders. We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify usability and safety challenges and best practices during implementation. A total of 55 articles were reviewed through searches of PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. We used a qualitative approach to identify key stakeholders' perceptions; semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse set of health IT stakeholders to understand their current practices and challenges related to usability during implementation. We used a grounded theory approach: data were coded, sorted, and emerging themes were identified. Conclusions from both sources of data were compared to identify areas of misalignment. We identified six emerging themes from the literature and stakeholder interviews: cost and resources, risk assessment, governance and consensus building, customization, clinical workflow and usability testing, and training. Across these themes, there were misalignments between the literature and stakeholder perspectives, indicating major gaps. Major gaps identified from each of six emerging themes are discussed as critical areas for future research, opportunities for new stakeholder initiatives, and opportunities to better disseminate resources to improve the implementation of EHRs. Our analysis identified practices and challenges across six different emerging themes, illustrated important gaps, and results suggest critical areas for future research and dissemination to improve EHR implementation.

Ready, Steady, Go! Program, Italy: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Veracini, Giordana; Leonardi, Elisabetta; Girotti, Rita; Thrasher, Erika Willumsen

2014-09-01

Ready, Steady, Go! promotes proper nutrition and physical activity among people of all ages in targeted neighborhoods and encourages social integration and children's participation in decisions that affect their lives. It also seeks to involve parents in activities so that they can influence their children's attitudes toward lifestyles and personal development. This partnership has reached 70,000 Italian children and adults with new opportunities for physical activities and social experiences that help them improve nutritional behaviors while having fun with their peers. To assess the Ready, Steady, Go! Program logic and to identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs) and a core suite of impact indicators based on a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis. The PIP analysis team reviewed the key activities and processes that form Ready, Steady, Go! and then identified key CCPs for the project. The findings were presented at the Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The PIP analysis confirmed that Ready, Steady, Go! has a structure that is likely to support the primary aims of the program. The CCPs identified are training of teachers in healthy lifestyles, teachers' active participation in the program, access to remodeled and well-equipped sports and recreational centers, participation of parents and grandparents, and involvement of local institutions and networks. A suite of impact indicators for changes in healthy lifestyle knowledge, attitudes, and behavior was identified. Project staff are now more aware of the importance of carefully monitoring the CCPs and have decided to conduct quarterly PIP-informed quality control evaluations.

Description and identification of American Black Duck, Mallard, and hybrid wing plumage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirby, R.E.; Reed, A.; Dupuis, P.; Obrecht, H.H.; Quist, W.J.

2000-01-01

We developed a key to identify wings of hybrids between American Black Ducks (Anas rubripes) and Mallards (A. platyrhynchos). Material for analysis included review of historical descriptions dating from the late 1700's, older museum collections in Europe and North America, wings collected from hunters in North America and Great Britain, birds banded in Canada and the United States, and a flock of propagated hybrids. All first filial generation (F1) American Black Duck x Mallard hybrids were identified correctly with the key. A lower proportion of other hybrid cohorts (i.e., backcrosses of F1, to parental forms (P1), and second and third filial generations (F2, F3, etc.) were identified. We successfully identified a larger portion of male than female hybrids for all hybrid progeny cohorts examined except F1. The new key identified 2.37 times more hybrids in the 1977 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Parts Collection Survey (annual determination of the species, age, and sex composition of the waterfowl harvest using detached wings contributed by hunters) than were identified by standard techniques. The proportion of American Black Duck x Mallard hybrids to the American Black Duck parental population (the ratio: hybrids/[hybrids + American Black Ducks]) may therefore be closer to 0.132 than 0.056, the historically reported value. The hybrid key is suggested for use from North Carolina north in the Atlantic Flyway and Arkansas and Tennessee north in the Mississippi Flyway (areas where other members of the Mallard group will not confound assessment). We provide suggestions for further research that would assist identification of wings in parts collection surveys and permit estimation of the proportional representation of Mallard genes in the American Black Duck gene pool.

Description and identification of American Black Duck, Mallard, and hybrid wing plumage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirby, Ronald E.; Reed, Austin; Dupuis, Pierre; Obrecht, Holliday H.; Quist, Walter J.

2000-01-01

We developed a key to identify wings of hybrids between American Black Ducks (Anas rubripes) and Mallards (A. platyrhynchos). Material for analysis included review of historical descriptions dating from the late 1700's, older museum collections in Europe and North America, wings collected from hunters in North America and Great Britain, birds banded in Canada and the United States, and a flock of propagated hybrids. All first filial generation (F1) American Black Duck - Mallard hybrids were identified correctly with the key. A lower proportion of other hybrid cohorts (i.e., backcrosses of F1 to parental forms (P1), and second and third filial generations (F2, F3, etc.) were identified. We successfully identified a larger portion of male than female hybrids for all hybrid progeny cohorts examined except F1. The new key identified 2.37 times more hybrids in the 1977 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Parts Collection Survey (annual determination of the species, age, and sex composition of the waterfowl harvest using detached wings contributed by hunters) than were identified by standard techniques. The proportion of American Black Duck - Mallard hybrids to the American Black Duck parental population (the ratio: hybrids/[hybrids + American Black Ducks]) may therefore be closer to 0.132 than 0.056, the historically reported value. The hybrid key is suggested for use from North Carolina north in the Atlantic Flyway and Arkansas and Tennessee north in the Mississippi Flyway (areas where other members of the Mallard group will not confound assessment). We provide suggestions for further research that would assist identification of wings in parts collection surveys and permit estimation of the proportional representation of Mallard genes in the American Black Duck gene pool.

Proposed Mode of Action for Acrolein Respiratory Toxicity Associated with Inhaled Tobacco Smoke.

PubMed

Yeager, R Philip; Kushman, Mary; Chemerynski, Susan; Weil, Roxana; Fu, Xin; White, Marcella; Callahan-Lyon, Priscilla; Rosenfeldt, Hans

2016-06-01

This article presents a mode of action (MOA) analysis that identifies key mechanisms in the respiratory toxicity of inhaled acrolein and proposes key acrolein-related toxic events resulting from the inhalation of tobacco smoke. Smoking causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and acrolein has been previously linked to the majority of smoking-induced noncancer respiratory toxicity. In contrast to previous MOA analyses for acrolein, this MOA focuses on the toxicity of acrolein in the lower respiratory system, reflecting the exposure that smokers experience upon tobacco smoke inhalation. The key mechanisms of acrolein toxicity identified in this proposed MOA include (1) acrolein chemical reactivity with proteins and other macromolecules of cells lining the respiratory tract, (2) cellular oxidative stress, including compromise of the important anti-oxidant glutathione, (3) chronic inflammation, (4) necrotic cell death leading to a feedback loop where necrosis-induced inflammation leads to more necrosis and oxidative damage and vice versa, (5) tissue remodeling and destruction, and (6) loss of lung elasticity and enlarged lung airspaces. From these mechanisms, the proposed MOA analysis identifies the key cellular processes in acrolein respiratory toxicity that consistently occur with the development of COPD: inflammation and necrosis in the middle and lower regions of the respiratory tract. Moreover, the acrolein exposures that occur as a result of smoking are well above exposures that induce both inflammation and necrosis in laboratory animals, highlighting the importance of the role of acrolein in smoking-related respiratory disease. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

A method for data‐driven exploration to pinpoint key features in medical data and facilitate expert review

PubMed Central

Juhlin, Kristina; Norén, G. Niklas

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose To develop a method for data‐driven exploration in pharmacovigilance and illustrate its use by identifying the key features of individual case safety reports related to medication errors. Methods We propose vigiPoint, a method that contrasts the relative frequency of covariate values in a data subset of interest to those within one or more comparators, utilizing odds ratios with adaptive statistical shrinkage. Nested analyses identify higher order patterns, and permutation analysis is employed to protect against chance findings. For illustration, a total of 164 000 adverse event reports related to medication errors were characterized and contrasted to the other 7 833 000 reports in VigiBase, the WHO global database of individual case safety reports, as of May 2013. The initial scope included 2000 features, such as patient age groups, reporter qualifications, and countries of origin. Results vigiPoint highlighted 109 key features of medication error reports. The most prominent were that the vast majority of medication error reports were from the United States (89% compared with 49% for other reports in VigiBase); that the majority of reports were sent by consumers (53% vs 17% for other reports); that pharmacists (12% vs 5.3%) and lawyers (2.9% vs 1.5%) were overrepresented; and that there were more medication error reports than expected for patients aged 2‐11 years (10% vs 5.7%), particularly in Germany (16%). Conclusions vigiPoint effectively identified key features of medication error reports in VigiBase. More generally, it reduces lead times for analysis and ensures reproducibility and transparency. An important next step is to evaluate its use in other data. PMID:28815800

A deliberative framework to identify the need for real-life evidence building of new cancer drugs after interim funding decision.

PubMed

Leung, Leanne; de Lemos, Mário L; Kovacic, Laurel

2017-01-01

Background With the rising cost of new oncology treatments, it is no longer sustainable to base initial drug funding decisions primarily on prospective clinical trials as their performance in real-life populations are often difficult to determine. In British Columbia, an approach in evidence building is to retrospectively analyse patient outcomes using observational research on an ad hoc basis. Methods The deliberative framework was constructed in three stages: framework design, framework validation and treatment programme characterization, and key informant interview. Framework design was informed through a literature review and analyses of provincial and national decision-making processes. Treatment programmes funded between 2010 and 2013 were used for framework validation. A selection concordance rate of 80% amongst three reviewers was considered to be a validation of the framework. Key informant interviews were conducted to determine the utility of this deliberative framework. Results A multi-domain deliberative framework with 15 assessment parameters was developed. A selection concordance rate of 84.2% was achieved for content validation of the framework. Nine treatment programmes from five different tumour groups were selected for retrospective outcomes analysis. Five contributory factors to funding uncertainties were identified. Key informants agreed that the framework is a comprehensive tool that targets the key areas involved in the funding decision-making process. Conclusions The oncology-based deliberative framework can be routinely used to assess treatment programmes from the major tumour sites for retrospective outcomes analysis. Key informants indicate this is a value-added tool and will provide insight to the current prospective funding model.

Recommendations for Review of TRADOC Pam 351-4(T).

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-08

demonstrate proficiency in performing task at speed required on the job . Overtrain - Trainee must be trained to a high standard of retention ...20, It different from Report) OI. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 1. KEY WORDS (Continue on reveree aide It necessary and Identify by block number) Job Analysis...the analysis effort. The terminology in 351-4 is confusing. For example, no distinction is made between job and task analysis. There are no practical

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

PubMed

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

2018-01-01

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

Towards optimised information about clinical trials; identification and validation of key issues in collaboration with cancer patient advocates.

PubMed

Dellson, P; Nilbert, M; Bendahl, P-O; Malmström, P; Carlsson, C

2011-07-01

Clinical trials are crucial to improve cancer treatment but recruitment is difficult. Optimised patient information has been recognised as a key issue. In line with the increasing focus on patients' perspectives in health care, we aimed to study patients' opinions about the written information used in three clinical trials for breast cancer. Primary data collection was done in focus group interviews with breast cancer patient advocates. Content analysis identified three major themes: comprehensibility, emotions and associations, and decision making. Based on the advocates' suggestions for improvements, 21 key issues were defined and validated through a questionnaire in an independent group of breast cancer patient advocates. Clear messages, emotionally neutral expressions, careful descriptions of side effects, clear comparisons between different treatment alternatives and information about the possibility to discontinue treatment were perceived as the most important issues. Patients' views of the information in clinical trials provide new insights and identify key issues to consider in optimising future written information and may improve recruitment to clinical cancer trials. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

"Dateline NBC"'s Persuasive Attack on Wal-Mart.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benoit, William L.; Dorries, Bruce

1996-01-01

Develops a typology of persuasive attack strategies. Identifies two key components of persuasive attack: responsibility and offensiveness. Describes several strategies for intensifying each of these elements. Applies this analysis to "Dateline NBC"'s allegations that Wal-Mart's "Buy American" campaign was deceptive. Concludes…

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 3: Design/cost tradeoff studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The key issues in the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) program which are subject to configuration study and tradeoff are identified. The issue of a combined operational and research and development program is considered. It is stated that cost and spacecraft weight are the key design variables and design options are proposed in terms of these parameters. A cost analysis of the EOS program is provided. Diagrams of the satellite configuration and subsystem components are included.

Print news coverage of school-based human papillomavirus vaccine mandates.

PubMed

Casciotti, Dana M; Smith, Katherine C; Andon, Lindsay; Vernick, Jon; Tsui, Amy; Klassen, Ann C

2014-02-01

In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005 to 2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages and promote informed decision-making by parents and students. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Implementing communication and decision-making interventions directed at goals of care: a theory-led scoping review

PubMed Central

Cummings, Amanda; Lund, Susi; Campling, Natasha; May, Carl; Richardson, Alison; Myall, Michelle

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify the factors that promote and inhibit the implementation of interventions that improve communication and decision-making directed at goals of care in the event of acute clinical deterioration. Design and methods A scoping review was undertaken based on the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley for conducting this type of review. Searches were carried out in Medline and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) to identify peer-reviewed papers and in Google to identify grey literature. Searches were limited to those published in the English language from 2000 onwards. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and only papers that had a specific focus on implementation in practice were selected. Data extracted were treated as qualitative and subjected to directed content analysis. A theory-informed coding framework using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was applied to characterise and explain implementation processes. Results Searches identified 2619 citations, 43 of which met the inclusion criteria. Analysis generated six themes fundamental to successful implementation of goals of care interventions: (1) input into development; (2) key clinical proponents; (3) training and education; (4) intervention workability and functionality; (5) setting and context; and (6) perceived value and appraisal. Conclusions A broad and diverse literature focusing on implementation of goals of care interventions was identified. Our review recognised these interventions as both complex and contentious in nature, making their incorporation into routine clinical practice dependent on a number of factors. Implementing such interventions presents challenges at individual, organisational and systems levels, which make them difficult to introduce and embed. We have identified a series of factors that influence successful implementation and our analysis has distilled key learning points, conceptualised as a set of propositions, we consider relevant to implementing other complex and contentious interventions. PMID:28988176

Identifying Key Hospital Service Quality Factors in Online Health Communities

PubMed Central

Jung, Yuchul; Hur, Cinyoung; Jung, Dain

2015-01-01

Background The volume of health-related user-created content, especially hospital-related questions and answers in online health communities, has rapidly increased. Patients and caregivers participate in online community activities to share their experiences, exchange information, and ask about recommended or discredited hospitals. However, there is little research on how to identify hospital service quality automatically from the online communities. In the past, in-depth analysis of hospitals has used random sampling surveys. However, such surveys are becoming impractical owing to the rapidly increasing volume of online data and the diverse analysis requirements of related stakeholders. Objective As a solution for utilizing large-scale health-related information, we propose a novel approach to identify hospital service quality factors and overtime trends automatically from online health communities, especially hospital-related questions and answers. Methods We defined social media–based key quality factors for hospitals. In addition, we developed text mining techniques to detect such factors that frequently occur in online health communities. After detecting these factors that represent qualitative aspects of hospitals, we applied a sentiment analysis to recognize the types of recommendations in messages posted within online health communities. Korea’s two biggest online portals were used to test the effectiveness of detection of social media–based key quality factors for hospitals. Results To evaluate the proposed text mining techniques, we performed manual evaluations on the extraction and classification results, such as hospital name, service quality factors, and recommendation types using a random sample of messages (ie, 5.44% (9450/173,748) of the total messages). Service quality factor detection and hospital name extraction achieved average F1 scores of 91% and 78%, respectively. In terms of recommendation classification, performance (ie, precision) is 78% on average. Extraction and classification performance still has room for improvement, but the extraction results are applicable to more detailed analysis. Further analysis of the extracted information reveals that there are differences in the details of social media–based key quality factors for hospitals according to the regions in Korea, and the patterns of change seem to accurately reflect social events (eg, influenza epidemics). Conclusions These findings could be used to provide timely information to caregivers, hospital officials, and medical officials for health care policies. PMID:25855612

Nondestructive Testing Information Analysis Center, 1980.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

A.-A. 1 50 STHWEbf RESEARCH INST SAN ANTONIO TLX F/, 1*/ NONOESTRUCTIVE TESTING INFORMAtION ANALYSIS CENTER 19J8 SOT U)’JUN 81 R T SMITH OLA90U-T9-C...Feb ~81,J ’. Nondestructive Testing Information Analysis Center, 1980. ., I F l.15-56 7- . E T 7. AUTHORts) W. CNTRACTO--FFArNT NUMBER(s) - ) Richard T...ifdifferent from Report) 18 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 19. KEY WORDS (Continue on reverse side ifnecessary and identify bv block number) Information analysis centers

A Risk-Based Approach for Aerothermal/TPS Analysis and Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Michael J.; Grinstead, Jay H.; Bose, Deepak

2007-01-01

The current status of aerothermal and thermal protection system modeling for civilian entry missions is reviewed. For most such missions, the accuracy of our simulations is limited not by the tools and processes currently employed, but rather by reducible deficiencies in the underlying physical models. Improving the accuracy of and reducing the uncertainties in these models will enable a greater understanding of the system level impacts of a particular thermal protection system and of the system operation and risk over the operational life of the system. A strategic plan will be laid out by which key modeling deficiencies can be identified via mission-specific gap analysis. Once these gaps have been identified, the driving component uncertainties are determined via sensitivity analyses. A Monte-Carlo based methodology is presented for physics-based probabilistic uncertainty analysis of aerothermodynamics and thermal protection system material response modeling. These data are then used to advocate for and plan focused testing aimed at reducing key uncertainties. The results of these tests are used to validate or modify existing physical models. Concurrently, a testing methodology is outlined for thermal protection materials. The proposed approach is based on using the results of uncertainty/sensitivity analyses discussed above to tailor ground testing so as to best identify and quantify system performance and risk drivers. A key component of this testing is understanding the relationship between the test and flight environments. No existing ground test facility can simultaneously replicate all aspects of the flight environment, and therefore good models for traceability to flight are critical to ensure a low risk, high reliability thermal protection system design. Finally, the role of flight testing in the overall thermal protection system development strategy is discussed.

A cognitive task analysis of information management strategies in a computerized provider order entry environment.

PubMed

Weir, Charlene R; Nebeker, Jonathan J R; Hicken, Bret L; Campo, Rebecca; Drews, Frank; Lebar, Beth

2007-01-01

Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) with electronic documentation, and computerized decision support dramatically changes the information environment of the practicing clinician. Prior work patterns based on paper, verbal exchange, and manual methods are replaced with automated, computerized, and potentially less flexible systems. The objective of this study is to explore the information management strategies that clinicians use in the process of adapting to a CPOE system using cognitive task analysis techniques. Observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 88 primary-care clinicians at 10 Veterans Administration Medical Centers. Interviews were taped, transcribed, and extensively analyzed to identify key information management goals, strategies, and tasks. Tasks were aggregated into groups, common components across tasks were clarified, and underlying goals and strategies identified. Nearly half of the identified tasks were not fully supported by the available technology. Six core components of tasks were identified. Four meta-cognitive information management goals emerged: 1) Relevance Screening; 2) Ensuring Accuracy; 3) Minimizing memory load; and 4) Negotiating Responsibility. Strategies used to support these goals are presented. Users develop a wide array of information management strategies that allow them to successfully adapt to new technology. Supporting the ability of users to develop adaptive strategies to support meta-cognitive goals is a key component of a successful system.

Subpathway-GM: identification of metabolic subpathways via joint power of interesting genes and metabolites and their topologies within pathways

PubMed Central

Li, Chunquan; Han, Junwei; Yao, Qianlan; Zou, Chendan; Xu, Yanjun; Zhang, Chunlong; Shang, Desi; Zhou, Lingyun; Zou, Chaoxia; Sun, Zeguo; Li, Jing; Zhang, Yunpeng; Yang, Haixiu; Gao, Xu; Li, Xia

2013-01-01

Various ‘omics’ technologies, including microarrays and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, can be used to identify hundreds of interesting genes, proteins and metabolites, such as differential genes, proteins and metabolites associated with diseases. Identifying metabolic pathways has become an invaluable aid to understanding the genes and metabolites associated with studying conditions. However, the classical methods used to identify pathways fail to accurately consider joint power of interesting gene/metabolite and the key regions impacted by them within metabolic pathways. In this study, we propose a powerful analytical method referred to as Subpathway-GM for the identification of metabolic subpathways. This provides a more accurate level of pathway analysis by integrating information from genes and metabolites, and their positions and cascade regions within the given pathway. We analyzed two colorectal cancer and one metastatic prostate cancer data sets and demonstrated that Subpathway-GM was able to identify disease-relevant subpathways whose corresponding entire pathways might be ignored using classical entire pathway identification methods. Further analysis indicated that the power of a joint genes/metabolites and subpathway strategy based on their topologies may play a key role in reliably recalling disease-relevant subpathways and finding novel subpathways. PMID:23482392

An Actor-Network Theory Analysis of Policy Innovation for Smoke-Free Places: Understanding Change in Complex Systems

PubMed Central

Borland, Ron; Coghill, Ken

2010-01-01

Complex, transnational issues like the tobacco epidemic are major challenges that defy analysis and management by conventional methods, as are other public health issues, such as those associated with global food distribution and climate change. We examined the evolution of indoor smoke-free regulations, a tobacco control policy innovation, and identified the key attributes of those jurisdictions that successfully pursued this innovation and those that to date have not. In doing so, we employed the actor-network theory, a comprehensive framework for the analysis of fundamental system change. Through our analysis, we identified approaches to help overcome some systemic barriers to the solution of the tobacco problem and comment on other complex transnational problems. PMID:20466949

An actor-network theory analysis of policy innovation for smoke-free places: understanding change in complex systems.

PubMed

Young, David; Borland, Ron; Coghill, Ken

2010-07-01

Complex, transnational issues like the tobacco epidemic are major challenges that defy analysis and management by conventional methods, as are other public health issues, such as those associated with global food distribution and climate change. We examined the evolution of indoor smoke-free regulations, a tobacco control policy innovation, and identified the key attributes of those jurisdictions that successfully pursued this innovation and those that to date have not. In doing so, we employed the actor-network theory, a comprehensive framework for the analysis of fundamental system change. Through our analysis, we identified approaches to help overcome some systemic barriers to the solution of the tobacco problem and comment on other complex transnational problems.

Investigation Of In-Line Monitoring Options At H Canyon/HB Line For Plutonium Oxide Production

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

Sexton, L.

2015-10-14

H Canyon and HB Line have a production goal of 1 MT per year of plutonium oxide feedstock for the MOX facility by FY17 (AFS-2 mission). In order to meet this goal, steps will need to be taken to improve processing efficiency. One concept for achieving this goal is to implement in-line process monitoring at key measurement points within the facilities. In-line monitoring during operations has the potential to increase throughput and efficiency while reducing costs associated with laboratory sample analysis. In the work reported here, we mapped the plutonium oxide process, identified key measurement points, investigated alternate technologies thatmore » could be used for in-line analysis, and initiated a throughput benefit analysis.« less

Mind the Gap

PubMed Central

Fairbanks, Terry; Savage, Erica; Adams, Katie; Wittie, Michael; Boone, Edna; Hayden, Andrew; Barnes, Janey; Hettinger, Zach; Gettinger, Andrew

2016-01-01

Summary Objective Decisions made during electronic health record (EHR) implementations profoundly affect usability and safety. This study aims to identify gaps between the current literature and key stakeholders’ perceptions of usability and safety practices and the challenges encountered during the implementation of EHRs. Materials and Methods Two approaches were used: a literature review and interviews with key stakeholders. We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify usability and safety challenges and best practices during implementation. A total of 55 articles were reviewed through searches of PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. We used a qualitative approach to identify key stakeholders’ perceptions; semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse set of health IT stakeholders to understand their current practices and challenges related to usability during implementation. We used a grounded theory approach: data were coded, sorted, and emerging themes were identified. Conclusions from both sources of data were compared to identify areas of misalignment. Results We identified six emerging themes from the literature and stakeholder interviews: cost and resources, risk assessment, governance and consensus building, customization, clinical work-flow and usability testing, and training. Across these themes, there were misalignments between the literature and stakeholder perspectives, indicating major gaps. Discussion Major gaps identified from each of six emerging themes are discussed as critical areas for future research, opportunities for new stakeholder initiatives, and opportunities to better disseminate resources to improve the implementation of EHRs. Conclusion Our analysis identified practices and challenges across six different emerging themes, illustrated important gaps, and results suggest critical areas for future research and dissemination to improve EHR implementation. PMID:27847961

Comparing Parents’ and Children’s Views of Children’s Quality of Life after Heart Transplant

PubMed Central

Green, Angela L.; McSweeney, Jean; Ainley, Kathy; Bryant, Janet

2012-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this focused ethnographic study was to explore the quality of life (QOL) of school-age heart-transplant recipients. Design and Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 parent-child dyads. Data were analyzed using content analysis and constant comparison. Results Participants identified key factors impacting the children’s QOL including: participation in normal activities, normalcy, staying healthy, sources of strength and support, and struggles (parents’ perspectives) and doing what kids do, being with family and friends, and being a heart transplant kid (children’s perspectives). Practice Implications Interventions focusing on the key factors identified by participants may impact the QOL of school-age heart-transplant recipients. PMID:19161575

Strategies in Forecasting Outcomes in Ethical Decision-making: Identifying and Analyzing the Causes of the Problem

PubMed Central

Beeler, Cheryl K.; Antes, Alison L.; Wang, Xiaoqian; Caughron, Jared J.; Thiel, Chase E.; Mumford, Michael D.

2010-01-01

This study examined the role of key causal analysis strategies in forecasting and ethical decision-making. Undergraduate participants took on the role of the key actor in several ethical problems and were asked to identify and analyze the causes, forecast potential outcomes, and make a decision about each problem. Time pressure and analytic mindset were manipulated while participants worked through these problems. The results indicated that forecast quality was associated with decision ethicality, and the identification of the critical causes of the problem was associated with both higher quality forecasts and higher ethicality of decisions. Neither time pressure nor analytic mindset impacted forecasts or ethicality of decisions. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:20352056

Metabolomic approach for determination of key volatile compounds related to beef flavor in glutathione-Maillard reaction products.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Mi; Kwon, Goo Young; Kim, Kwang-Ok; Kim, Young-Suk

2011-10-10

The non-targeted analysis, combining gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) and sensory evaluation, was applied to investigate the relationship between volatile compounds and the sensory attributes of glutathione-Maillard reaction products (GSH-MRPs) prepared under different reaction conditions. Volatile compounds in GSH-MRPs correlating to the sensory attributes were determined using partial least-squares (PLS) regression. Volatile compounds such as 2-methylfuran-3-thiol, 3-sulfanylpentan-2-one, furan-2-ylmethanethiol, 2-propylpyrazine, 1-furan-2-ylpropan-2-one, 1H-pyrrole, 2-methylthiophene, and 2-(furan-2-ylmethyldisulfanylmethyl)furan could be identified as possible key contributors to the beef-related attributes of GSH-MRPs. In this study, we demonstrated that the unbiased non-targeted analysis based on metabolomic approach allows the identification of key volatile compounds related to beef flavor in GSH-MRPs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of patient and public involvement on UK NHS health care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mockford, Carole; Staniszewska, Sophie; Griffiths, Frances; Herron-Marx, Sandra

2012-02-01

Patient and public involvement (PPI) has become an integral part of health care with its emphasis on including and empowering individuals and communities in the shaping of health and social care services. The aims of this study were to identify the impact of PPI on UK National Health Service (NHS) healthcare services and to identify the economic cost. It also examined how PPI is being defined, theorized and conceptualized, and how the impact of PPI is captured or measured. Seventeen key online databases and websites were searched, e.g. Medline and the King's Fund. UK studies from 1997 to 2009 which included service user involvement in NHS healthcare services. Date extraction Key themes were identified and a narrative analysis was undertaken. The review indicates that PPI has a range of impacts on healthcare services. There is little evidence of any economic analysis of the costs involved. A key limitation of the PPI evidence base is the poor quality of reporting impact. Few studies define PPI, there is little theoretical underpinning or conceptualization reported, there is an absence of robust measurement of impact and descriptive evidence lacked detail. There is a need for significant development of the PPI evidence base particularly around guidance for the reporting of user activity and impact. The evidence base needs to be significantly strengthened to ensure the full impact of involving service users in NHS healthcare services is fully understood.

Social Network Analysis Identifies Key Participants in Conservation Development.

PubMed

Farr, Cooper M; Reed, Sarah E; Pejchar, Liba

2018-05-01

Understanding patterns of participation in private lands conservation, which is often implemented voluntarily by individual citizens and private organizations, could improve its effectiveness at combating biodiversity loss. We used social network analysis (SNA) to examine participation in conservation development (CD), a private land conservation strategy that clusters houses in a small portion of a property while preserving the remaining land as protected open space. Using data from public records for six counties in Colorado, USA, we compared CD participation patterns among counties and identified actors that most often work with others to implement CDs. We found that social network characteristics differed among counties. The network density, or proportion of connections in the network, varied from fewer than 2 to nearly 15%, and was higher in counties with smaller populations and fewer CDs. Centralization, or the degree to which connections are held disproportionately by a few key actors, was not correlated strongly with any county characteristics. Network characteristics were not correlated with the prevalence of wildlife-friendly design features in CDs. The most highly connected actors were biological and geological consultants, surveyors, and engineers. Our work demonstrates a new application of SNA to land-use planning, in which CD network patterns are examined and key actors are identified. For better conservation outcomes of CD, we recommend using network patterns to guide strategies for outreach and information dissemination, and engaging with highly connected actor types to encourage widespread adoption of best practices for CD design and stewardship.

A data mining paradigm for identifying key factors in biological processes using gene expression data.

PubMed

Li, Jin; Zheng, Le; Uchiyama, Akihiko; Bin, Lianghua; Mauro, Theodora M; Elias, Peter M; Pawelczyk, Tadeusz; Sakowicz-Burkiewicz, Monika; Trzeciak, Magdalena; Leung, Donald Y M; Morasso, Maria I; Yu, Peng

2018-06-13

A large volume of biological data is being generated for studying mechanisms of various biological processes. These precious data enable large-scale computational analyses to gain biological insights. However, it remains a challenge to mine the data efficiently for knowledge discovery. The heterogeneity of these data makes it difficult to consistently integrate them, slowing down the process of biological discovery. We introduce a data processing paradigm to identify key factors in biological processes via systematic collection of gene expression datasets, primary analysis of data, and evaluation of consistent signals. To demonstrate its effectiveness, our paradigm was applied to epidermal development and identified many genes that play a potential role in this process. Besides the known epidermal development genes, a substantial proportion of the identified genes are still not supported by gain- or loss-of-function studies, yielding many novel genes for future studies. Among them, we selected a top gene for loss-of-function experimental validation and confirmed its function in epidermal differentiation, proving the ability of this paradigm to identify new factors in biological processes. In addition, this paradigm revealed many key genes in cold-induced thermogenesis using data from cold-challenged tissues, demonstrating its generalizability. This paradigm can lead to fruitful results for studying molecular mechanisms in an era of explosive accumulation of publicly available biological data.

Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative Science Workshop Proceedings, May 15-17, 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

D'Erchia, Frank

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hosted a Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) Science Workshop at the University of Wyoming on May 15, 16, and 17, 2007. The goal of the workshop was to gather information from stakeholders about research needs and existing data resources to help develop the USGS WLCI science plan. The workshop focused on six research and management needs identified by WLCI partners prior to the workshop: *evaluate the cumulative effects of development activities; *identify key drivers of change; *identify condition and distribution of key wildlife species, habitat, and species habitat requirements; *evaluate wildlife and livestock responses to development; *develop an integrated inventory and monitoring strategy; and *develop a data clearinghouse and an information-management framework. These topics correlated to six plenary panels and discussions and six breakout sessions. Several collective needs were identified: *create a long-term, accessible information database; *identify key habitats, indicator species; *collect and research missing critical baseline data; *begin on-the-ground projects as soon as possible; and *implement a monitoring program to assist with adaptive management techniques. Several concerns were expressed repeatedly: *secure adequate and long-term funding; *meeting the WLCI workload with agencies that are already understaffed; *assess cumulative effects as an analysis approach; *perform offsite mitigation in a way that is valuable and effective; *focus all research on providing practical applications; and *involve the public in WLCI proceedings.

Report: Substantial Changes Needed in Implementation and Oversight of Title V Permits If Program Goals Are To Be Fully Realized

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #2005-P-00010, March 9, 2005. Our analysis identified concerns with five key aspects of Title V permits, including permit clarity, statements of basis, monitoring provisions, annual compliance certifications, and practical enforceability.

Transcriptome profiling reveals regulatory mechanisms underlying Corolla Senescence in Petunia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genetic regulatory mechanisms that govern petal natural senescence in petunia is complicated and unclear. To identify key genes and pathways that regulate the process, we initiated a transcriptome analysis in petunia petals at four developmental time points, including petal opening without anthesis ...

Data Analysis and Instrumentation Requirements for Evaluating Rail Joints and Rail Fasteners in Urban Track

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-02-01

Rail fasteners for concrete ties and direct fixation and bolted rail joints have been identified as key components for improving track performance. However, the lack of statistical load data limits the development of improved design criteria and eval...

Mapping Global Research on International Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzhabekova, Aliya; Hendel, Darwin D.; Chapman, David W.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study is to map global research in international higher education. Specifically, the study uses bibliometric and social network analysis methods to identify key individuals, institutions, countries, and disciplines contributing to research in international higher education and to investigate patterns of connectivity among…

The Role of Reasoning in the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCluskey, Catherine; Mulligan, Joanne; Mitchelmore, Mike

2016-01-01

The mathematical proficiencies in the "Australian Curriculum: Mathematics" of understanding, problem solving, reasoning, and fluency are intended to be entwined actions that work together to build generalised understandings of mathematical concepts. A content analysis identifying the incidence of key proficiency terms (KPTs) embedded in…

Pan-cancer genome and transcriptome analyses of 1,699 paediatric leukaemias and solid tumours | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Analysis of molecular aberrations across multiple cancer types, known as pan-cancer analysis, identifies commonalities and differences in key biological processes that are dysregulated in cancer cells from diverse lineages. Pan-cancer analyses have been performed for adult1–4 but not paediatric cancers, which commonly occur in developing mesodermic rather than adult epithelial tissues5.

Data and Analysis Center for Software: An IAC in Transition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

reviewed and is approved for publication. * APPROVEDt Proj ect Engineer . JOHN J. MARCINIAK, Colonel, USAF Chief, Command and Control Division . FOR THE CO...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES RADC Project Engineer : John Palaimo (COEE) It. KEY WORDS (Conilnuo n rever*e aide if necessary and identify by block numober...Software Engineering Software Technology Information Analysis Center Database Scientific and Technical Information 20. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse side It

Concept Mapping of PMTCT Implementation Challenges and Solutions Across 6 sub-Saharan African Countries in the NIH-PEPFAR PMTCT Implementation Science Alliance.

PubMed

Aarons, Gregory A; Sommerfeld, David H; Chi, Benjamin H; Ezeanolue, Echezona E; Sturke, Rachel; Guay, Laura; Siberry, George K

2016-08-01

Although tremendous gains have been made to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) globally, evidence-based practice implementation remains inconsistent in sub-Saharan Africa. We sought to identify the key domains for effective prevention of MTCT (PMTCT) implementation, using a participatory mixed-methods approach. Participants were members of the NIH-PEPFAR PMTCT Implementation Science Alliance (ISA), a platform of researchers, public-health practitioners, policymakers, and donors supported through NIH/PEPFAR. We used concept mapping to identify priority areas for PMTCT implementation science. Participants responded to the focus question: "In your experience, what factors have facilitated or hindered implementation of PMTCT interventions?" Responses were consolidated into discrete statements, grouped together based on similarity, and rated for importance, changeability, and extent to which ISA participation enhanced the capacity to influence/change the factor. Using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis, we identified 12 key domains of PMTCT implementation. Two domains (Governmental Commitment and Data Measurement & Collection) were consistently ranked at or near the top for overall importance, perceived changeability, and enhanced ability to address through ISA participation. Through a stakeholder-based, participatory approach, we identified key domains for that should be considered for future PMTCT implementation research in sub-Saharan Africa.

Policy content and stakeholder network analysis for infant and young child feeding in Nepal.

PubMed

Karn, Sumit; Devkota, Madhu Dixit; Uddin, Shahadat; Thow, Anne Marie

2017-06-13

Despite concerted effort from government and partners, Nepal continues to have a high burden of under nutrition among children. Identifying opportunities to strengthen policy support for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is a key component to improve child survival, growth and development. This study aims to explore policy support for IYCF and to identify the influential stakeholders for IYCF for effective future policy development and programmatic action. Policies relevant to IYCF were identified through web searches and direct approaches to relevant government ministries. Policy content was analysed based on four key domains focussed on mothers, using a qualitative synthesis approach. Three group interviews were conducted using the participatory tool "Net-Map", to identify the influential stakeholders in IYCF policy and programming processes. Twenty-six relevant policy documents were analysed for content relating to IYCF. General support for IYCF was found in most of the development plans and high-level health sector policies. Most implementation level documents included support for provision of correct information to mothers. Capacity building of frontline workers for IYCN and system strengthening were well supported through sectoral plans and policies. However, gaps were identified regarding maternity protection, support for monitoring and evaluation, and translation of high-level policy directives into implementation level guidelines, resulting in a lack of clarity over roles and responsibilities. Both government and non-governmental stakeholders, particularly donors, emerged as influential drivers of IYCF policy decisions in Nepal, through technical assistance and funding. The Nutrition Technical Committee under the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, Suaahara, USAID and WHO were identified as key actors providing technical assistance. Key funding agencies were identified as UNICEF and USAID. This study reveals strong policy support for key dimensions of IYCF, supported by a highly networked stakeholder environment. Opportunities to further strengthen IYCF policy in Nepal include: further support for training of frontline workers and complementary feeding interventions; extending maternity leave provisions; and clarifying roles and responsibilities of actors, particularly non-governmental actors. Engaging technical and funding agencies and developing partnerships with other relevant actors will be crucial for ensuring effective policy translates into effective practice.

Q-marker based strategy for CMC research of Chinese medicine: A case study of Panax Notoginseng saponins.

PubMed

Zhong, Yi; Zhu, Jieqiang; Yang, Zhenzhong; Shao, Qing; Fan, Xiaohui; Cheng, Yiyu

2018-01-31

To ensure pharmaceutical quality, chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC) research is essential. However, due to the inherent complexity of Chinese medicine (CM), CMC study of CM remains a great challenge for academia, industry, and regulatory agencies. Recently, quality-marker (Q-marker) was proposed to establish quality standards or quality analysis approaches of Chinese medicine, which sheds a light on Chinese medicine's CMC study. Here manufacture processes of Panax Notoginseng Saponins (PNS) is taken as a case study and the present work is to establish a Q-marker based research strategy for CMC of Chinese medicine. The Q-markers of Panax Notoginseng Saponins (PNS) is selected and established by integrating chemical profile with pharmacological activities. Then, the key processes of PNS manufacturing are identified by material flow analysis. Furthermore, modeling algorithms are employed to explore the relationship between Q-markers and critical process parameters (CPPs) of the key processes. At last, CPPs of the key processes are optimized in order to improving the process efficiency. Among the 97 identified compounds, Notoginsenoside R 1 , ginsenoside Rg 1 , Re, Rb 1 and Rd are selected as the Q-markers of PNS. Our analysis on PNS manufacturing show the extraction process and column chromatography process are the key processes. With the CPPs of each process as the inputs and Q-markers' contents as the outputs, two process prediction models are built separately for the extraction process and column chromatography process of Panax notoginseng, which both possess good prediction ability. Based on the efficiency models of extraction process and column chromatography process we constructed, the optimal CPPs of both processes are calculated. Our results show that the Q-markers derived from CMC research strategy can be applied to analyze the manufacturing processes of Chinese medicine to assure product's quality and promote key processes' efficiency simultaneously. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Identification of two key genes controlling chill haze stability of beer in barley (Hordeum vulgare L).

PubMed

Ye, Lingzhen; Huang, Yuqing; Dai, Fei; Ning, Huajiang; Li, Chengdao; Zhou, Meixue; Zhang, Guoping

2015-06-11

In bright beer, haze formation is a serious quality problem, degrading beer quality and reducing its shelf life. The quality of barley (Hordeum vulgare L) malt, as the main raw material for beer brewing, largely affects the colloidal stability of beer. In this study, the genetic mechanism of the factors affecting beer haze stability in barley was studied. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of alcohol chill haze (ACH) in beer was carried out using a Franklin/Yerong double haploid (DH) population. One QTL, named as qACH, was detected for ACH, and it was located on the position of about 108 cM in chromosome 4H and can explain about 20 % of the phenotypic variation. Two key haze active proteins, BATI-CMb and BATI-CMd were identified by proteomics analysis. Bioinformatics analysis showed that BATI-CMb and BATI-CMd had the same position as qACH in the chromosome. It may be deduced that BATI-CMb and BATI-CMd are candidate genes for qACH, controlling colloidal stability of beer. Polymorphism comparison between Yerong and Franklin in the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of BATI-CMb and BATI-CMd detected the corresponding gene specific markers, which could be used in marker-assisted selection for malt barley breeding. We identified a novel QTL, qACH controlling chill haze of beer, and two key haze active proteins, BATI-CMb and BATI-CMd. And further analysis showed that BATI-CMb and BATI-CMd might be the candidate genes associated with beer chill haze.

Application of the U.S. EPA Mode of Action Framework for Purposes of Guiding Future Research: A Case Study Involving the Oral Carcinogenicity of Hexavalent Chromium

PubMed Central

Thompson, Chad M.; Haws, Laurie C.; Harris, Mark A.; Gatto, Nicole M.; Proctor, Deborah M.

2011-01-01

Mode of action (MOA) analysis provides a systematic description of key events leading to adverse health effects in animal bioassays for the purpose of informing human health risk assessment. Uncertainties and data gaps identified in the MOA analysis may also be used to guide future research to improve understanding of the MOAs underlying a specific toxic response and foster development of toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic models. An MOA analysis, consistent with approaches outlined in the MOA Framework as described in the Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment, was conducted to evaluate small intestinal tumors observed in mice chronically exposed to relatively high concentrations of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in drinking water. Based on review of the literature, key events in the MOA are hypothesized to include saturation of the reductive capacity of the upper gastrointestinal tract, absorption of Cr(VI) into the intestinal epithelium, oxidative stress and inflammation, cell proliferation, direct and/or indirect DNA modification, and mutagenesis. Although available data generally support the plausibility of these key events, several unresolved questions and data gaps were identified, highlighting the need for obtaining critical toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic data in the target tissue and in the low-dose range. Experimental assays that can address these data gaps are discussed along with strategies for comparisons between responsive and nonresponsive tissues and species. This analysis provides a practical application of MOA Framework guidance and is instructive for the design of studies to improve upon the information available for quantitative risk assessment. PMID:20947717

Microbiome Networks: A Systems Framework for Identifying Candidate Microbial Assemblages for Disease Management.

PubMed

Poudel, R; Jumpponen, A; Schlatter, D C; Paulitz, T C; Gardener, B B McSpadden; Kinkel, L L; Garrett, K A

2016-10-01

Network models of soil and plant microbiomes provide new opportunities for enhancing disease management, but also challenges for interpretation. We present a framework for interpreting microbiome networks, illustrating how observed network structures can be used to generate testable hypotheses about candidate microbes affecting plant health. The framework includes four types of network analyses. "General network analysis" identifies candidate taxa for maintaining an existing microbial community. "Host-focused analysis" includes a node representing a plant response such as yield, identifying taxa with direct or indirect associations with that node. "Pathogen-focused analysis" identifies taxa with direct or indirect associations with taxa known a priori as pathogens. "Disease-focused analysis" identifies taxa associated with disease. Positive direct or indirect associations with desirable outcomes, or negative associations with undesirable outcomes, indicate candidate taxa. Network analysis provides characterization not only of taxa with direct associations with important outcomes such as disease suppression, biofertilization, or expression of plant host resistance, but also taxa with indirect associations via their association with other key taxa. We illustrate the interpretation of network structure with analyses of microbiomes in the oak phyllosphere, and in wheat rhizosphere and bulk soil associated with the presence or absence of infection by Rhizoctonia solani.

GEAR: genomic enrichment analysis of regional DNA copy number changes.

PubMed

Kim, Tae-Min; Jung, Yu-Chae; Rhyu, Mun-Gan; Jung, Myeong Ho; Chung, Yeun-Jun

2008-02-01

We developed an algorithm named GEAR (genomic enrichment analysis of regional DNA copy number changes) for functional interpretation of genome-wide DNA copy number changes identified by array-based comparative genomic hybridization. GEAR selects two types of chromosomal alterations with potential biological relevance, i.e. recurrent and phenotype-specific alterations. Then it performs functional enrichment analysis using a priori selected functional gene sets to identify primary and clinical genomic signatures. The genomic signatures identified by GEAR represent functionally coordinated genomic changes, which can provide clues on the underlying molecular mechanisms related to the phenotypes of interest. GEAR can help the identification of key molecular functions that are activated or repressed in the tumor genomes leading to the improved understanding on the tumor biology. GEAR software is available with online manual in the website, http://www.systemsbiology.co.kr/GEAR/.

UAS Integration into the NAS Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Jeff

2010-01-01

The goal of the UAS Integration in the NAS Project is to contribute capabilities that reduce technical barriers related to the safety and operational challenges associated with enabling routine UAS access to the NAS This goal will be accomplished through a two-phased approach of system-level integration of key concepts, technologies and/or procedures, and demonstrations of integrated capabilities in an operationally relevant environment. Technical objectives include: PHASE 1: a) Validating the key technical areas identified by this project. System-level analyses, a State of the Art Analysis (SOAA), and a ConOps will identify the challenges and barriers preventing routine UAS access to the NAS. b) Developing a national roadmap and gap analysis identifying specific deliverables in the area of operations, procedures, and technologies that will impact future policy decisions. PHASE 2: a) Provide regulators with a methodology for developing airworthiness requirements for UAS and data to support development of certifications standards and regulatory guidance. b) Provide systems-level integrated testing of concepts and/or capabilities that address barriers to routine access to the NAS. Through simulation and flight testing, address issues including separation assurance, communications requirements, and Pilot Aircraft Interfaces (PAIs) in operationally relevant environments

Military Service Member and Veteran Reintegration: A Conceptual Analysis, Unified Definition, and Key Domains

PubMed Central

Elnitsky, Christine A.; Fisher, Michael P.; Blevins, Cara L.

2017-01-01

Returning military service members and veterans (MSMVs) may experience a variety of stress-related disorders and challenges when reintegrating from the military to the community. Facilitating the reintegration, transition, readjustment and coping, and community integration, of MSMVs is a societal priority. To date, research addressing MSMV reintegration has not identified a comprehensive definition of the term or defined the broader context within which the process of reintegration occurs although both are needed to promote valid and reliable measurement of reintegration and clarify related challenges, processes, and their impact on outcomes. Therefore, this principle-based concept analysis sought to review existing empirical reintegration measurement instruments and identify the problems and needs of MSMV reintegration to provide a unified definition of reintegration to guide future research, clinical practice, and related services. We identified 1,459 articles in the health and social sciences literature, published between 1990 and 2015, by searching multiple electronic databases. Screening of abstracts and full text review based on our inclusion/exclusion criteria, yielded 117 articles for review. Two investigators used constant conceptual comparison to evaluate relevant articles independently. We examined the term reintegration and related terms (i.e., transition, readjustment, community integration) identifying trends in their use over time, analyzed the eight reintegration survey instruments, and synthesized service member and veteran self-reported challenges and needs for reintegration. More reintegration research was published during the last 5 years (n = 373) than in the previous 10 years combined (n = 130). The research suggests coping with life stresses plays an integral role in military service member and veteran post-deployment reintegration. Key domains of reintegration include individual, interpersonal, community organizations, and societal factors that may facilitate or challenge successful reintegration, and results suggest that successful coping with life stressors plays an integral role in post-deployment reintegration. Overall, the literature does not provide a comprehensive representation of reintegration among MSMVs. Although, previous research describes military service member and veteran reintegration challenges, this concept analysis provides a unified definition of the phenomenon and identifies key domains of reintegration that may broaden our understanding and guide reintegration research and practice. PMID:28352240

Negated bio-events: analysis and identification

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Negation occurs frequently in scientific literature, especially in biomedical literature. It has previously been reported that around 13% of sentences found in biomedical research articles contain negation. Historically, the main motivation for identifying negated events has been to ensure their exclusion from lists of extracted interactions. However, recently, there has been a growing interest in negative results, which has resulted in negation detection being identified as a key challenge in biomedical relation extraction. In this article, we focus on the problem of identifying negated bio-events, given gold standard event annotations. Results We have conducted a detailed analysis of three open access bio-event corpora containing negation information (i.e., GENIA Event, BioInfer and BioNLP’09 ST), and have identified the main types of negated bio-events. We have analysed the key aspects of a machine learning solution to the problem of detecting negated events, including selection of negation cues, feature engineering and the choice of learning algorithm. Combining the best solutions for each aspect of the problem, we propose a novel framework for the identification of negated bio-events. We have evaluated our system on each of the three open access corpora mentioned above. The performance of the system significantly surpasses the best results previously reported on the BioNLP’09 ST corpus, and achieves even better results on the GENIA Event and BioInfer corpora, both of which contain more varied and complex events. Conclusions Recently, in the field of biomedical text mining, the development and enhancement of event-based systems has received significant interest. The ability to identify negated events is a key performance element for these systems. We have conducted the first detailed study on the analysis and identification of negated bio-events. Our proposed framework can be integrated with state-of-the-art event extraction systems. The resulting systems will be able to extract bio-events with attached polarities from textual documents, which can serve as the foundation for more elaborate systems that are able to detect mutually contradicting bio-events. PMID:23323936

Military Service Member and Veteran Reintegration: A Conceptual Analysis, Unified Definition, and Key Domains.

PubMed

Elnitsky, Christine A; Fisher, Michael P; Blevins, Cara L

2017-01-01

Returning military service members and veterans (MSMVs) may experience a variety of stress-related disorders and challenges when reintegrating from the military to the community. Facilitating the reintegration, transition, readjustment and coping, and community integration, of MSMVs is a societal priority. To date, research addressing MSMV reintegration has not identified a comprehensive definition of the term or defined the broader context within which the process of reintegration occurs although both are needed to promote valid and reliable measurement of reintegration and clarify related challenges, processes, and their impact on outcomes. Therefore, this principle-based concept analysis sought to review existing empirical reintegration measurement instruments and identify the problems and needs of MSMV reintegration to provide a unified definition of reintegration to guide future research, clinical practice, and related services. We identified 1,459 articles in the health and social sciences literature, published between 1990 and 2015, by searching multiple electronic databases. Screening of abstracts and full text review based on our inclusion/exclusion criteria, yielded 117 articles for review. Two investigators used constant conceptual comparison to evaluate relevant articles independently. We examined the term reintegration and related terms (i.e., transition, readjustment, community integration) identifying trends in their use over time, analyzed the eight reintegration survey instruments, and synthesized service member and veteran self-reported challenges and needs for reintegration. More reintegration research was published during the last 5 years ( n = 373) than in the previous 10 years combined ( n = 130). The research suggests coping with life stresses plays an integral role in military service member and veteran post-deployment reintegration. Key domains of reintegration include individual, interpersonal, community organizations, and societal factors that may facilitate or challenge successful reintegration, and results suggest that successful coping with life stressors plays an integral role in post-deployment reintegration. Overall, the literature does not provide a comprehensive representation of reintegration among MSMVs. Although, previous research describes military service member and veteran reintegration challenges, this concept analysis provides a unified definition of the phenomenon and identifies key domains of reintegration that may broaden our understanding and guide reintegration research and practice.

Relationships, Expertise, Incentives, and Governance: Supporting Care Home Residents' Access to Health Care. An Interview Study From England

PubMed Central

Goodman, Claire; Davies, Sue L.; Gordon, Adam L.; Meyer, Julienne; Dening, Tom; Gladman, John R.F.; Iliffe, Steve; Zubair, Maria; Bowman, Clive; Victor, Christina; Martin, Finbarr C.

2015-01-01

Objectives To explore what commissioners of care, regulators, providers, and care home residents in England identify as the key mechanisms or components of different service delivery models that support the provision of National Health Service (NHS) provision to independent care homes. Methods Qualitative, semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of people with direct experience of commissioning, providing, and regulating health care provision in care homes and care home residents. Data from interviews were augmented by a secondary analysis of previous interviews with care home residents on their personal experience of and priorities for access to health care. Analysis was framed by the assumptions of realist evaluation and drew on the constant comparative method to identify key themes about what is required to achieve quality health care provision to care homes and resident health. Results Participants identified 3 overlapping approaches to the provision of NHS that they believed supported access to health care for older people in care homes: (1) Investment in relational working that fostered continuity and shared learning between visiting NHS staff and care home staff, (2) the provision of age-appropriate clinical services, and (3) governance arrangements that used contractual and financial incentives to specify a minimum service that care homes should receive. Conclusion The 3 approaches, and how they were typified as working, provide a rich picture of the stakeholder perspectives and the underlying assumptions about how service delivery models should work with care homes. The findings inform how evidence on effective working in care homes will be interrogated to identify how different approaches, or specifically key elements of those approaches, achieve different health-related outcomes in different situations for residents and associated health and social care organizations. PMID:25687930

Exploiting genomic data to identify proteins involved in abalone reproduction.

PubMed

Mendoza-Porras, Omar; Botwright, Natasha A; McWilliam, Sean M; Cook, Mathew T; Harris, James O; Wijffels, Gene; Colgrave, Michelle L

2014-08-28

Aside from their critical role in reproduction, abalone gonads serve as an indicator of sexual maturity and energy balance, two key considerations for effective abalone culture. Temperate abalone farmers face issues with tank restocking with highly marketable abalone owing to inefficient spawning induction methods. The identification of key proteins in sexually mature abalone will serve as the foundation for a greater understanding of reproductive biology. Addressing this knowledge gap is the first step towards improving abalone aquaculture methods. Proteomic profiling of female and male gonads of greenlip abalone, Haliotis laevigata, was undertaken using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Owing to the incomplete nature of abalone protein databases, in addition to searching against two publicly available databases, a custom database comprising genomic data was used. Overall, 162 and 110 proteins were identified in females and males respectively with 40 proteins common to both sexes. For proteins involved in sexual maturation, sperm and egg structure, motility, acrosomal reaction and fertilization, 23 were identified only in females, 18 only in males and 6 were common. Gene ontology analysis revealed clear differences between the female and male protein profiles reflecting a higher rate of protein synthesis in the ovary and higher metabolic activity in the testis. A comprehensive mass spectrometry-based analysis was performed to profile the abalone gonad proteome providing the foundation for future studies of reproduction in abalone. Key proteins involved in both reproduction and energy balance were identified. Genomic resources were utilised to build a database of molluscan proteins yielding >60% more protein identifications than in a standard workflow employing public protein databases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systematic Prioritization and Integrative Analysis of Copy Number Variations in Schizophrenia Reveal Key Schizophrenia Susceptibility Genes

PubMed Central

Luo, Xiongjian; Huang, Liang; Han, Leng; Luo, Zhenwu; Hu, Fang; Tieu, Roger; Gan, Lin

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia is a common mental disorder with high heritability and strong genetic heterogeneity. Common disease-common variants hypothesis predicts that schizophrenia is attributable in part to common genetic variants. However, recent studies have clearly demonstrated that copy number variations (CNVs) also play pivotal roles in schizophrenia susceptibility and explain a proportion of missing heritability. Though numerous CNVs have been identified, many of the regions affected by CNVs show poor overlapping among different studies, and it is not known whether the genes disrupted by CNVs contribute to the risk of schizophrenia. By using cumulative scoring, we systematically prioritized the genes affected by CNVs in schizophrenia. We identified 8 top genes that are frequently disrupted by CNVs, including NRXN1, CHRNA7, BCL9, CYFIP1, GJA8, NDE1, SNAP29, and GJA5. Integration of genes affected by CNVs with known schizophrenia susceptibility genes (from previous genetic linkage and association studies) reveals that many genes disrupted by CNVs are also associated with schizophrenia. Further protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis indicates that protein products of genes affected by CNVs frequently interact with known schizophrenia-associated proteins. Finally, systematic integration of CNVs prioritization data with genetic association and PPI data identifies key schizophrenia candidate genes. Our results provide a global overview of genes impacted by CNVs in schizophrenia and reveal a densely interconnected molecular network of de novo CNVs in schizophrenia. Though the prioritized top genes represent promising schizophrenia risk genes, further work with different prioritization methods and independent samples is needed to confirm these findings. Nevertheless, the identified key candidate genes may have important roles in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, and further functional characterization of these genes may provide pivotal targets for future therapeutics and diagnostics. PMID:24664977

Overview of the infant and young child feeding policy environment in Pakistan: Federal, Sindh and Punjab context.

PubMed

Mahmood, Hana; Suleman, Yasmeen; Hazir, Tabish; Akram, Durre Samin; Uddin, Shahadat; Dibley, Michael J; Abassi, Saleem; Shakeel, Amara; Kazmi, Narjis; Thow, Anne Marie

2017-06-13

Appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices have been identified as important for appropriate child growth and development. (Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (2012)) Children in Pakistan still experience high rates of malnutrition, indicating a likely need for stronger IYCF policy. The purpose of this study was to identify major stakeholders who shape the IYCF policy environment and analyze which policies protect, promote and support IYCF practices, either directly or indirectly. This study was conducted at the federal level, and in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab. We identified policies relevant to IYCF using a matrix developed by the South Asian Infant Feeding Research Network (SAIFRN), designed to capture policies at a range of levels (strategic policy documents through to implementation guidelines) in sectors relevant to IYCF. We analyzed the content using predetermined themes focused on support for mothers, and used narrative synthesis to present our findings. For the stakeholder analysis, we conducted four Net-Map activities with 49 interviewees using the Net-Map methodology. We analyzed the quantitative data using Organizational Risk Analyzer ORA and used the qualitative data to elucidate further information regarding relationships between stakeholders. We identified 19 policy documents for analysis. Eleven of these were nutrition and/or IYCF focused and eight were broader policies with IYCF as a component. The majority lacked detail relevant to implementation, particularly in terms of: ownership of the policies by a specific government body; sustainability of programs/strategies (most are donor funded), multi-sectoral collaboration; and effective advocacy and behavior change communication. Data collected through four Net-Map activities showed that after devolution of health ministry, provincial health departments were the key actors in the government whereas UNICEF and WHO were the key donors who were also highly influential and supportive of the objective. This analysis identified opportunities to strengthen IYCF policy in Pakistan through increased clarity on roles and responsibilities, improved multisectoral collaboration, and strong and consistent training guidelines and schedules for community health workers. The current policy environment presents opportunities, despite limitations. Our Net-Map analysis indicated several key government and international stakeholders, who differed across Federal and Provincial study sites. The detailed information regarding stakeholder influence can be used to strengthen advocacy.

1992 NASA Life Support Systems Analysis workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evanich, Peggy L.; Crabb, Thomas M.; Gartrell, Charles F.

1992-01-01

The 1992 Life Support Systems Analysis Workshop was sponsored by NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) to integrate the inputs from, disseminate information to, and foster communication among NASA, industry, and academic specialists. The workshop continued discussion and definition of key issues identified in the 1991 workshop, including: (1) modeling and experimental validation; (2) definition of systems analysis evaluation criteria; (3) integration of modeling at multiple levels; and (4) assessment of process control modeling approaches. Through both the 1991 and 1992 workshops, NASA has continued to seek input from industry and university chemical process modeling and analysis experts, and to introduce and apply new systems analysis approaches to life support systems. The workshop included technical presentations, discussions, and interactive planning, with sufficient time allocated for discussion of both technology status and technology development recommendations. Key personnel currently involved with life support technology developments from NASA, industry, and academia provided input to the status and priorities of current and future systems analysis methods and requirements.

[Analysis on barriers of urban sustainable development based on DEMATEL: a case of Shenyang City].

PubMed

Li, Chun-Rong; Geng, Yong; Xue, Bing; Ren, Wan-Xia; Dong, Hui-Juan

2012-10-01

To scientifically identify the key barriers which the urban sustainable development is facing and to analyze the interrelationships among the barriers are of significance to promote urban sustainable development. Through literature review, site investigation and structural interview, 21 factors affecting the Shenyang City's sustainable development were recognized, and based on questionnaire survey and statistics analysis, 12 main factors were screened. Further, by employing decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method, the interrelationships among these factors were analyzed. The key factors affecting the Shenyang's sustainable development included the lack of leaders' attention, the economy-oriented governmental performance evaluation system, the lower public awareness on sustainable development, and the lack of academic understanding on regional eco-carrying capacity and related key projects. It was suggested that the local government should pay more attention on sustainable development, increase propaganda activities, reform governmental performance evaluation system, establish a reward-punishment system for promoting sustainable development and an effective monitoring mechanism, and enhance the implementation of related regulations, the local enterprises should establish research and development funds to support the researches of key technologies and introduce key projects, and general publics should improve their awareness on sustainable development and actively participate in related activities.

Providing long-acting reversible contraception services in Seattle school-based health centers: key themes for facilitating implementation.

PubMed

Gilmore, Kelly; Hoopes, Andrea J; Cady, Janet; Amies Oelschlager, Anne-Marie; Prager, Sarah; Vander Stoep, Ann

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the implementation of a program that provides long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) services within school-based health centers (SBHCs) and to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation as reported by SBHC clinicians and administrators, public health officials, and community partners. We conducted 14 semistructured interviews with key informants involved in the implementation of LARC services. Key informants included SBHC clinicians and administrators, public health officials, and community partners. We used a content analysis approach to analyze interview transcripts for themes. We explored barriers to and facilitators of LARC service delivery across and within key informant groups. The most cited barriers across key informant groups were as follows: perceived lack of provider procedural skills and bias and negative attitudes about LARC methods. The most common facilitators identified across groups were as follows: clear communication strategies, contraceptive counseling practice changes, provider trainings, and stakeholder engagement. Two additional barriers emerged in specific key informant groups. Technical and logistical barriers to LARC service delivery were cited heavily by SBHC administrative staff, community partners, and public health officials. Expense and billing was a major barrier to SBHC administrative staff. LARC counseling and procedural services can be implemented in an SBHC setting to promote access to effective contraceptive options for adolescent women. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Managerial Coaches, Are They Ready? The Case of Malaysian Telecommunications Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chong, Chin Wei; Yuen, Yee Yen; Tan, Booi Chen; Zarim, Zainal Abu; Hamid, Norhasniza Abdul

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to identify the key competencies managerial coaches have and examine the significant competencies that affect coaching effectiveness in the Malaysian telecommunications industry. Design/Methodology/Approach: The unit of analysis was individual managerial coaches who were working in the Malaysian telecommunications…

Oxidative stress-triggered interactions between the succinyl- and acetyl-proteomes of rice leaves.

PubMed

Zhou, Heng; Finkemeier, Iris; Guan, Wenxue; Tossounian, Maria-Armineh; Wei, Bo; Young, David; Huang, Jingjing; Messens, Joris; Yang, Xibin; Zhu, Jun; Wilson, Michael H; Shen, Wenbiao; Xie, Yanjie; Foyer, Christine H

2018-05-01

Protein lysine acylations, such as succinylation and acetylation, are important post-translational modification (PTM) mechanisms, with key roles in cellular regulation. Antibody-based affinity enrichment, high-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analysis, and integrated bioinformatics analysis were used to characterize the lysine succinylome (K suc ) and acetylome (K ace ) of rice leaves. In total, 2,593 succinylated and 1,024 acetylated proteins were identified, of which 723 were simultaneously acetylated and succinylated. Proteins involved in photosynthetic carbon metabolism such as the large and small subunits of RuBisCO, ribosomal functions, and other key processes were subject to both PTMs. Preliminary insights into oxidant-induced changes to the rice acetylome and succinylome were gained from treatments with hydrogen peroxide. Exposure to oxidative stress did not regulate global changes in the rice acetylome or succinylome but rather led to modifications on a specific subset of the identified sites. De-succinylation of recombinant catalase (CATA) and glutathione S-transferase (OsGSTU6) altered the activities of these enzymes showing that this PTM may have a regulatory function. These findings not only greatly extend the list of acetylated and/or succinylated proteins but they also demonstrate the close cooperation between these PTMs in leaf proteins with key metabolic functions. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cost accounting for end-of-life care: recommendations to the field by the Cost Accounting Workgroup.

PubMed

Seninger, Stephen; Smith, Dean G

2004-01-01

Accurate measurement of economic costs is prerequisite to progress in improving the care delivered to Americans during the last stage of life. The Robert Wood Johnson Excellence in End-of-Life Care national program assembled a Cost Accounting Workgroup to identify accurate and meaningful methods to measure palliative and end-of-life health care use and costs. Eight key issues were identified: (1) planning the cost analysis; (2) identifying the perspective for cost analysis; (3) describing the end-of-life care program; (4) identifying the appropriate comparison group; (5) defining the period of care to be studied; (6) identifying the units of health care services; (7) assigning monetary values to health care service units; and (8) calculating costs. Economic principles of cost measurement and cost measurement issues encountered by practitioners were reviewed and incorporated into a set of recommendations.

Signed weighted gene co-expression network analysis of transcriptional regulation in murine embryonic stem cells

PubMed Central

Mason, Mike J; Fan, Guoping; Plath, Kathrin; Zhou, Qing; Horvath, Steve

2009-01-01

Background Recent work has revealed that a core group of transcription factors (TFs) regulates the key characteristics of embryonic stem (ES) cells: pluripotency and self-renewal. Current efforts focus on identifying genes that play important roles in maintaining pluripotency and self-renewal in ES cells and aim to understand the interactions among these genes. To that end, we investigated the use of unsigned and signed network analysis to identify pluripotency and differentiation related genes. Results We show that signed networks provide a better systems level understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ES cells than unsigned networks, using two independent murine ES cell expression data sets. Specifically, using signed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we found a pluripotency module and a differentiation module, which are not identified in unsigned networks. We confirmed the importance of these modules by incorporating genome-wide TF binding data for key ES cell regulators. Interestingly, we find that the pluripotency module is enriched with genes related to DNA damage repair and mitochondrial function in addition to transcriptional regulation. Using a connectivity measure of module membership, we not only identify known regulators of ES cells but also show that Mrpl15, Msh6, Nrf1, Nup133, Ppif, Rbpj, Sh3gl2, and Zfp39, among other genes, have important roles in maintaining ES cell pluripotency and self-renewal. We also report highly significant relationships between module membership and epigenetic modifications (histone modifications and promoter CpG methylation status), which are known to play a role in controlling gene expression during ES cell self-renewal and differentiation. Conclusion Our systems biologic re-analysis of gene expression, transcription factor binding, epigenetic and gene ontology data provides a novel integrative view of ES cell biology. PMID:19619308

[Priority setting of health interventions. Review of criteria, approaches and role of assessment agencies].

PubMed

Varela-Lema, Leonor; Atienza-Merino, Gerardo; López-García, Marisa

This study was carried out to develop an explicit health priority setting methodology to support decision-making regarding the technologies to be assessed for inclusion in the National Health Service service portfolio. The primary objective is to identify and analyse the criteria, approaches and conceptual frameworks used for national/international priority setting. An exhaustive review of the literature was carried out. For this purpose, a search of the main biomedical databases was performed and assessment agency websites were reviewed, among other sources. In general terms, it was found that there are no standardised criteria for priority setting, although some consensus and common trends have been identified regarding key elements (criteria, models and strategies, key actors, etc.). Globally, 8 key domains were identified: 1) need for intervention; 2) health outcomes; 3) type of benefit of the intervention; 4) economic consequences; 5) existing knowledge on the intervention/quality of and uncertainties regarding the evidence; 6) implementation and complexity of the intervention/feasibility; 7) priority, justice and ethics; and 8) overall context. The review provides a thorough analysis of the relevant issues and offers key recommendations regarding considerations for developing a national prioritisation framework. Findings are envisioned to be useful for different public organisations that are aiming to establish healthcare priorities. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Self-efficacy with application to adolescent smoking cessation: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Heale, Roberta; Griffin, Mary T Q

2009-04-01

This paper is a report of a concept analysis of adolescent smoking cessation self-efficacy. Smoking cessation is a key preventive care/health promotion strategy offered by nurses worldwide. Most programming is tailored to adults although the reasons for smoking, along with coping strategies, resources and developmental stage, differ in adolescence. Understanding of the concept of self-efficacy as it relates to the adolescent population will assist nurses in addressing smoking cessation behaviours with this population. The CINAHL and Proquest Nursing databases were searched for papers published between 1977 and 2007 using the keywords self-efficacy, adolescents and smoking cessation. The Walker and Avant method of concept analysis was applied. Adolescent smoking cessation self-efficacy is the confidence, perceived capacity and perceived ability that the teen possesses to quit smoking. Identified antecedents include developmental stage, past life support, emotional support, coping strategies, resources and emotional status. Consequences are smoking cessation: positive or negative. Empirical measures are identified. Levels of self-efficacy have been shown to be an important consideration in the approach of nurses to smoking cessation counselling with the adolescent client. The theoretical definition for this concept will provide the basis for nurses to design appropriate interventions for use in smoking cessation programmes targeted to adolescents. This definition identifies the key attributes of this concept that should be addressed when caring for this population.

atBioNet--an integrated network analysis tool for genomics and biomarker discovery.

PubMed

Ding, Yijun; Chen, Minjun; Liu, Zhichao; Ding, Don; Ye, Yanbin; Zhang, Min; Kelly, Reagan; Guo, Li; Su, Zhenqiang; Harris, Stephen C; Qian, Feng; Ge, Weigong; Fang, Hong; Xu, Xiaowei; Tong, Weida

2012-07-20

Large amounts of mammalian protein-protein interaction (PPI) data have been generated and are available for public use. From a systems biology perspective, Proteins/genes interactions encode the key mechanisms distinguishing disease and health, and such mechanisms can be uncovered through network analysis. An effective network analysis tool should integrate different content-specific PPI databases into a comprehensive network format with a user-friendly platform to identify key functional modules/pathways and the underlying mechanisms of disease and toxicity. atBioNet integrates seven publicly available PPI databases into a network-specific knowledge base. Knowledge expansion is achieved by expanding a user supplied proteins/genes list with interactions from its integrated PPI network. The statistically significant functional modules are determined by applying a fast network-clustering algorithm (SCAN: a Structural Clustering Algorithm for Networks). The functional modules can be visualized either separately or together in the context of the whole network. Integration of pathway information enables enrichment analysis and assessment of the biological function of modules. Three case studies are presented using publicly available disease gene signatures as a basis to discover new biomarkers for acute leukemia, systemic lupus erythematosus, and breast cancer. The results demonstrated that atBioNet can not only identify functional modules and pathways related to the studied diseases, but this information can also be used to hypothesize novel biomarkers for future analysis. atBioNet is a free web-based network analysis tool that provides a systematic insight into proteins/genes interactions through examining significant functional modules. The identified functional modules are useful for determining underlying mechanisms of disease and biomarker discovery. It can be accessed at: http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/BioinformaticsTools/ucm285284.htm.

New Roles for Medical Assistants in Innovative Primary Care Practices.

PubMed

Chapman, Susan A; Blash, Lisel K

2017-02-01

To identify and describe new roles for medical assistants (MAs) in innovative care models that improve care while providing training and career advancement opportunities for MAs. Primary data collected at 15 case study sites; 173 key informant interviews and de-identified secondary data on staffing, wages, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes. Researchers used snowball sampling and screening calls to identify 15 organizations using MAs in new roles. Conducted site visits from 2010 to 2012 and updated information in 2014. Thematic analysis explored key topics: factors driving MA role innovation, role description, training required, and wage gains. Categorized outcome data in patient and staff satisfaction, quality of care, and efficiency. New MA roles included health coach, medical scribe, dual role translator, health navigator, panel manager, cross-trained flexible role, and supervisor. Implementation of new roles required extensive training. MA incentives and enhanced compensation varied by role type. New MA roles are part of a larger attempt to reform workflow and relieve primary care providers. Despite some evidence of success, spread has been limited. Key challenges to adoption included leadership and provider resistance to change, cost of additional MA training, and lack of reimbursement for nonbillable services. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Implementing large-scale programmes to optimise the health workforce in low- and middle-income settings: a multicountry case study synthesis.

PubMed

Gopinathan, Unni; Lewin, Simon; Glenton, Claire

2014-12-01

To identify factors affecting the implementation of large-scale programmes to optimise the health workforce in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a multicountry case study synthesis. Eligible programmes were identified through consultation with experts and using Internet searches. Programmes were selected purposively to match the inclusion criteria. Programme documents were gathered via Google Scholar and PubMed and from key informants. The SURE Framework - a comprehensive list of factors that may influence the implementation of health system interventions - was used to organise the data. Thematic analysis was used to identify the key issues that emerged from the case studies. Programmes from Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Malawi, Venezuela and Zimbabwe were selected. Key system-level factors affecting the implementation of the programmes were related to health worker training and continuing education, management and programme support structures, the organisation and delivery of services, community participation, and the sociopolitical environment. Existing weaknesses in health systems may undermine the implementation of large-scale programmes to optimise the health workforce. Changes in the roles and responsibilities of cadres may also, in turn, impact the health system throughout. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The role of organizational structure in readiness for change: A conceptual integration.

PubMed

Benzer, Justin K; Charns, Martin P; Hamdan, Sami; Afable, Melissa

2017-02-01

The purpose of this review is to extend extant conceptualizations of readiness for change as an individual-level phenomenon. This review-of-reviews focuses on existing conceptual frameworks from the dissemination, implementation, quality improvement, and organizational transformation literatures in order to integrate theoretical rationales for how organization structure, a key dimension of the organizational context, may impact readiness for change. We propose that the organization structure dimensions of differentiation and integration impact readiness for change at the individual level of analysis by influencing four key concepts of relevance, legitimacy, perceived need for change, and resource allocation. We identify future research directions that focus on these four key concepts.

Identifying Key Actors in Heterogeneous Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-29

analysis (SNA) and game theory (GT) to improve accuracy for detecting significant or “powerful” actors within a total actor space when both resource...coalesce in order to achieve a desired outcome. Cooperative game theory (CGT) models of coalition formation are based on two limiting assumptions: that...demonstration of a new approach for synthesizing social network analysis and game theory. The ultimate goal of this research agenda is to generalize

From Common Sense Concepts to Scientifically Conditioned Concepts of Chemical Bonding: An Historical and Textbook Approach Designed to Address Learning and Teaching Issues at the Secondary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croft, Michael; de Berg, Kevin

2014-01-01

This paper selects six key alternative conceptions identified in the literature on student understandings of chemical bonding and illustrates how a historical analysis and a textbook analysis can inform these conceptions and lead to recommendations for improving the teaching and learning of chemical bonding at the secondary school level. The…

Analysis of small crack behavior for airframe applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcclung, R. C.; Chan, K. S.; Hudak, S. J., Jr.; Davidson, D. L.

1994-01-01

The small fatigue crack problem is critically reviewed from the perspective of airframe applications. Different types of small cracks-microstructural, mechanical, and chemical-are carefully defined and relevant mechanisms identified. Appropriate analysis techniques, including both rigorous scientific and practical engineering treatments, are briefly described. Important materials data issues are addressed, including increased scatter in small crack data and recommended small crack test methods. Key problems requiring further study are highlighted.

Development of a pest risk analysis for Phytophthora ramorum for the European Union; the key deliverable from the EU-Funded project RAPRA

Treesearch

Claire Sansford; Alan Inman; Joan Webber

2010-01-01

Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) is an internationally recognized, structured process of determining whether plant pests and pathogens that are absent from a country or area could enter, establish, and cause an economic or environmental risk that is deemed unacceptable. PRA is also used to help identify phytosanitary measures to reduce risks to an acceptable level. United...

Partitioned key-value store with atomic memory operations

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

Bent, John M.; Faibish, Sorin; Grider, Gary

A partitioned key-value store is provided that supports atomic memory operations. A server performs a memory operation in a partitioned key-value store by receiving a request from an application for at least one atomic memory operation, the atomic memory operation comprising a memory address identifier; and, in response to the atomic memory operation, performing one or more of (i) reading a client-side memory location identified by the memory address identifier and storing one or more key-value pairs from the client-side memory location in a local key-value store of the server; and (ii) obtaining one or more key-value pairs from themore » local key-value store of the server and writing the obtained one or more key-value pairs into the client-side memory location identified by the memory address identifier. The server can perform functions obtained from a client-side memory location and return a result to the client using one or more of the atomic memory operations.« less

Identifying key sources of uncertainty in the modelling of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Sweetapple, Christine; Fu, Guangtao; Butler, David

2013-09-01

This study investigates sources of uncertainty in the modelling of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment, through the use of local and global sensitivity analysis tools, and contributes to an in-depth understanding of wastewater treatment modelling by revealing critical parameters and parameter interactions. One-factor-at-a-time sensitivity analysis is used to screen model parameters and identify those with significant individual effects on three performance indicators: total greenhouse gas emissions, effluent quality and operational cost. Sobol's method enables identification of parameters with significant higher order effects and of particular parameter pairs to which model outputs are sensitive. Use of a variance-based global sensitivity analysis tool to investigate parameter interactions enables identification of important parameters not revealed in one-factor-at-a-time sensitivity analysis. These interaction effects have not been considered in previous studies and thus provide a better understanding wastewater treatment plant model characterisation. It was found that uncertainty in modelled nitrous oxide emissions is the primary contributor to uncertainty in total greenhouse gas emissions, due largely to the interaction effects of three nitrogen conversion modelling parameters. The higher order effects of these parameters are also shown to be a key source of uncertainty in effluent quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiple receptor conformation docking, dock pose clustering and 3D QSAR studies on human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) inhibitors.

PubMed

Fatima, Sabiha; Jatavath, Mohan Babu; Bathini, Raju; Sivan, Sree Kanth; Manga, Vijjulatha

2014-10-01

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) functions as a DNA damage sensor and signaling molecule. It plays a vital role in the repair of DNA strand breaks induced by radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs; inhibitors of this enzyme have the potential to improve cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Three-dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship (3D QSAR) models were developed using comparative molecular field analysis, comparative molecular similarity indices analysis and docking studies. A set of 88 molecules were docked into the active site of six X-ray crystal structures of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 (PARP-1), by a procedure called multiple receptor conformation docking (MRCD), in order to improve the 3D QSAR models through the analysis of binding conformations. The docked poses were clustered to obtain the best receptor binding conformation. These dock poses from clustering were used for 3D QSAR analysis. Based on MRCD and QSAR information, some key features have been identified that explain the observed variance in the activity. Two receptor-based QSAR models were generated; these models showed good internal and external statistical reliability that is evident from the [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The identified key features enabled us to design new PARP-1 inhibitors.

Comparative qualitative phosphoproteomics analysis identifies shared phosphorylation motifs and associated biological processes in evolutionary divergent plants.

PubMed

Al-Momani, Shireen; Qi, Da; Ren, Zhe; Jones, Andrew R

2018-06-15

Phosphorylation is one of the most prevalent post-translational modifications and plays a key role in regulating cellular processes. We carried out a bioinformatics analysis of pre-existing phosphoproteomics data, to profile two model species representing the largest subclasses in flowering plants the dicot Arabidopsis thaliana and the monocot Oryza sativa, to understand the extent to which phosphorylation signaling and function is conserved across evolutionary divergent plants. We identified 6537 phosphopeptides from 3189 phosphoproteins in Arabidopsis and 2307 phosphopeptides from 1613 phosphoproteins in rice. We identified phosphorylation motifs, finding nineteen pS motifs and two pT motifs shared in rice and Arabidopsis. The majority of shared motif-containing proteins were mapped to the same biological processes with similar patterns of fold enrichment, indicating high functional conservation. We also identified shared patterns of crosstalk between phosphoserines with enrichment for motifs pSXpS, pSXXpS and pSXXXpS, where X is any amino acid. Lastly, our results identified several pairs of motifs that are significantly enriched to co-occur in Arabidopsis proteins, indicating cross-talk between different sites, but this was not observed in rice. Our results demonstrate that there are evolutionary conserved mechanisms of phosphorylation-mediated signaling in plants, via analysis of high-throughput phosphorylation proteomics data from key monocot and dicot species: rice and Arabidposis thaliana. The results also suggest that there is increased crosstalk between phosphorylation sites in A. thaliana compared with rice. The results are important for our general understanding of cell signaling in plants, and the ability to use A. thaliana as a general model for plant biology. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cost analysis of open radical cystectomy versus robot-assisted radical cystectomy.

PubMed

Bansal, Sukhchain S; Dogra, Tara; Smith, Peter W; Amran, Maisarah; Auluck, Ishna; Bhambra, Maninder; Sura, Manraj S; Rowe, Edward; Koupparis, Anthony

2018-03-01

To perform a cost analysis comparing the cost of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with open RC (ORC) in a UK tertiary referral centre and to identify the key cost drivers. Data on hospital length of stay (LOS), operative time (OT), transfusion rate, and volume and complication rate were obtained from a prospectively updated institutional database for patients undergoing RARC or ORC. A cost decision tree model was created. Sensitivity analysis was performed to find key drivers of overall cost and to find breakeven points with ORC. Monte Carlo analysis was performed to quantify the variability in the dataset. One RARC procedure costs £12 449.87, or £12 106.12 if the robot was donated via charitable funds. In comparison, one ORC procedure costs £10 474.54. RARC is 18.9% more expensive than ORC. The key cost drivers were OT, LOS, and the number of cases performed per annum. High ongoing equipment costs remain a large barrier to the cost of RARC falling. However, minimal improvements in patient quality of life would be required to offset this difference. © 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding identifiability as a crucial step in uncertainty assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakeman, A. J.; Guillaume, J. H. A.; Hill, M. C.; Seo, L.

2016-12-01

The topic of identifiability analysis offers concepts and approaches to identify why unique model parameter values cannot be identified, and can suggest possible responses that either increase uniqueness or help to understand the effect of non-uniqueness on predictions. Identifiability analysis typically involves evaluation of the model equations and the parameter estimation process. Non-identifiability can have a number of undesirable effects. In terms of model parameters these effects include: parameters not being estimated uniquely even with ideal data; wildly different values being returned for different initialisations of a parameter optimisation algorithm; and parameters not being physically meaningful in a model attempting to represent a process. This presentation illustrates some of the drastic consequences of ignoring model identifiability analysis. It argues for a more cogent framework and use of identifiability analysis as a way of understanding model limitations and systematically learning about sources of uncertainty and their importance. The presentation specifically distinguishes between five sources of parameter non-uniqueness (and hence uncertainty) within the modelling process, pragmatically capturing key distinctions within existing identifiability literature. It enumerates many of the various approaches discussed in the literature. Admittedly, improving identifiability is often non-trivial. It requires thorough understanding of the cause of non-identifiability, and the time, knowledge and resources to collect or select new data, modify model structures or objective functions, or improve conditioning. But ignoring these problems is not a viable solution. Even simple approaches such as fixing parameter values or naively using a different model structure may have significant impacts on results which are too often overlooked because identifiability analysis is neglected.

A Key Gene, PLIN1, Can Affect Porcine Intramuscular Fat Content Based on Transcriptome Analysis

PubMed Central

Li, Bojiang; Weng, Qiannan; Dong, Chao; Zhang, Zengkai; Li, Rongyang; Liu, Jingge; Jiang, Aiwen; Li, Qifa; Jia, Chao; Wu, Wangjun; Liu, Honglin

2018-01-01

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content is an important indicator for meat quality evaluation. However, the key genes and molecular regulatory mechanisms affecting IMF deposition remain unclear. In the present study, we identified 75 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the higher (H) and lower (L) IMF content of pigs using transcriptome analysis, of which 27 were upregulated and 48 were downregulated. Notably, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated that the DEG perilipin-1 (PLIN1) was significantly enriched in the fat metabolism-related peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. Furthermore, we determined the expression patterns and functional role of porcine PLIN1. Our results indicate that PLIN1 was highly expressed in porcine adipose tissue, and its expression level was significantly higher in the H IMF content group when compared with the L IMF content group, and expression was increased during adipocyte differentiation. Additionally, our results confirm that PLIN1 knockdown decreases the triglyceride (TG) level and lipid droplet (LD) size in porcine adipocytes. Overall, our data identify novel candidate genes affecting IMF content and provide new insight into PLIN1 in porcine IMF deposition and adipocyte differentiation. PMID:29617344

A quality function deployment framework for the service quality of health information websites.

PubMed

Chang, Hyejung; Kim, Dohoon

2010-03-01

This research was conducted to identify both the users' service requirements on health information websites (HIWs) and the key functional elements for running HIWs. With the quality function deployment framework, the derived service attributes (SAs) are mapped into the suppliers' functional characteristics (FCs) to derive the most critical FCs for the users' satisfaction. Using the survey data from 228 respondents, the SAs, FCs and their relationships were analyzed using various multivariate statistical methods such as principal component factor analysis, discriminant analysis, correlation analysis, etc. Simple and compound FC priorities were derived by matrix calculation. Nine factors of SAs and five key features of FCs were identified, and these served as the basis for the house of quality model. Based on the compound FC priorities, the functional elements pertaining to security and privacy, and usage support should receive top priority in the course of enhancing HIWs. The quality function deployment framework can improve the FCs of the HIWs in an effective, structured manner, and it can also be utilized for critical success factors together with their strategic implications for enhancing the service quality of HIWs. Therefore, website managers could efficiently improve website operations by considering this study's results.

A Key Gene, PLIN1, Can Affect Porcine Intramuscular Fat Content Based on Transcriptome Analysis.

PubMed

Li, Bojiang; Weng, Qiannan; Dong, Chao; Zhang, Zengkai; Li, Rongyang; Liu, Jingge; Jiang, Aiwen; Li, Qifa; Jia, Chao; Wu, Wangjun; Liu, Honglin

2018-04-04

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content is an important indicator for meat quality evaluation. However, the key genes and molecular regulatory mechanisms affecting IMF deposition remain unclear. In the present study, we identified 75 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the higher (H) and lower (L) IMF content of pigs using transcriptome analysis, of which 27 were upregulated and 48 were downregulated. Notably, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated that the DEG perilipin-1 ( PLIN1 ) was significantly enriched in the fat metabolism-related peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. Furthermore, we determined the expression patterns and functional role of porcine PLIN1. Our results indicate that PLIN1 was highly expressed in porcine adipose tissue, and its expression level was significantly higher in the H IMF content group when compared with the L IMF content group, and expression was increased during adipocyte differentiation. Additionally, our results confirm that PLIN1 knockdown decreases the triglyceride (TG) level and lipid droplet (LD) size in porcine adipocytes. Overall, our data identify novel candidate genes affecting IMF content and provide new insight into PLIN1 in porcine IMF deposition and adipocyte differentiation.

Assessing efficiency of software production for NASA-SEL data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonmayrhauser, Anneliese; Roeseler, Armin

1993-01-01

This paper uses production models to identify and quantify efficient allocation of resources and key drivers of software productivity for project data in the NASA-SEL database. While analysis allows identification of efficient projects, many of the metrics that could have provided a more detailed analysis are not at a level of measurement to allow production model analysis. Production models must be used with proper parameterization to be successful. This may mean a new look at which metrics are helpful for efficiency assessment.

Characterization of rock populations on planetary surfaces - Techniques and a preliminary analysis of Mars and Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garvin, J. B.; Mouginis-Mark, P. J.; Head, J. W.

1981-01-01

A data collection and analysis scheme developed for the interpretation of rock morphology from lander images is reviewed with emphasis on rock population characterization techniques. Data analysis techniques are also discussed in the context of identifying key characteristics of a rock that place it in a single category with similar rocks. Actual rock characteristics observed from Viking and Venera lander imagery are summarized. Finally, some speculations regarding the block fields on Mars and Venus are presented.

Academic Readiness for College: The Role of School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chul; Kim, Eunyoung

2010-01-01

The study utilized the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) to identify which characteristics of academically effective high schools are key determinants of students' academic readiness for college. A multilevel analysis shows that high school characteristics affect student preparation for college in four core subject areas:…

Automation tools for demonstration of goal directed and self-repairing flight control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agarwal, A. K.

1988-01-01

The coupling of expert systems and control design and analysis techniques are documented to provide a realizable self repairing flight control system. Key features of such a flight control system are identified and a limited set of rules for a simple aircraft model are presented.

New Superintendents: Trust, Networking, and Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ripley, Joan; Mitchell, Roxanne M.; Richman, John A.

2013-01-01

This instrumental case study explored how five newly appointed superintendents identified key stakeholders and built trust and social capital with stakeholders in their districts. Stakeholder, trust, and social capital theory were the lenses that guided this study. We utilized a pragmatic research design and thematic data analysis to interpret our…

Coping with Relationship Stressors: A Decade Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seiffge-Krenke, Inge

2011-01-01

This review identifies key issues in research on adolescent coping with stress with parents, friends, and romantic partners during the past decade. An analysis of 78 studies revealed findings on relationship stressors and the potential links between the use of different coping styles for different relationship types. Research has confirmed…

Deformations in VLBI antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, T. A.; Thomsen, P.

1988-01-01

A study is presented of deformations in antennas with the emphasis on their influence on VLBI measurements. The GIFTS structural analysis program has been used to model the VLBI antenna in Fairbanks (Alaska). The report identifies key deformations and studies the effect of gravity, wind, and temperature. Estimates of expected deformations are given.

Development of Teaching Materials for Field Identification of Plants and Analysis of Their Effectiveness in Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohkawa, Chizuru

2000-01-01

Introduces teaching materials developed for field identification of plants with synoptical keys, identification tables, cards, and programs. Selects approximately 2000 seed plants and uses visibly identifiable characteristics for classification. Recommends using the methodology of identification in other areas for biological identification. (YDS)

Thai Students' Choices of Vocational Education: Marketing Factors and Reference Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pimpa, Nattavud; Suwannapirom, Suda

2008-01-01

This study aims to identify factors influencing Thai students' choices of vocational education. By using factor analysis, it reveals five key influencing factors: personal attitude, curriculum, potential employment, attractiveness of campus, and tuition fees. Furthermore, this study also indicates that teachers from secondary school, and parents…

Challenges Facing Principals in the First Year at Their Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayar, Adem

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to identify key challenges of practice that principals face. In line with this purpose, the researcher has employed a qualitative research methodology, interviewing principals working in Amasya district, over and above doing document analysis to collect detailed information concerning leadership and administration…

A Contrastive Rhetoric Analysis of English and Hindi Editorials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolgün, M. Ali; Mangla, Asham

2017-01-01

This study explores and identifies a number of key qualitative and quantitative differences in textual discourse styles in English and Hindi editorials found in the "New York Times" ("NYT) and "Navbharat", respectively. These differences could be the source of strenuous processing of such editorials by learners of Hindi.…

Comparative Economic Organization: The Analysis of Discrete Structural Alternatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Oliver E.

1991-01-01

Combines institutional economics with aspects of contract law and organization theory to identify and explicate the key differences distinguishing three generic forms of economic organization: market, hybrid, and hierarchy. These generic forms are distinguished by different coordinating and control mechanisms and by different abilities to adapt to…

DIAGNOSTIC STUDY ON FINE PARTICULATE MATTER PREDICTIONS OF CMAQ IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S.

EPA Science Inventory

In this study, the authors use the process analysis tool embedded in CMAQ to examine major processes that govern the fate of key pollutants, identify the most influential processes that contribute to model errors, and guide the diagnostic and sensitivity studies aimed at improvin...

SU-E-T-191: PITSTOP: Process Improvement Techniques, Software Tools, and Operating Principles for a Quality Initiative Discovery Framework.

PubMed

Siochi, R

2012-06-01

To develop a quality initiative discovery framework using process improvement techniques, software tools and operating principles. Process deviations are entered into a radiotherapy incident reporting database. Supervisors use an in-house Event Analysis System (EASy) to discuss incidents with staff. Major incidents are analyzed with an in-house Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). A meta-Analysis is performed using association, text mining, key word clustering, and differential frequency analysis. A key operating principle encourages the creation of forcing functions via rapid application development. 504 events have been logged this past year. The results for the key word analysis indicate that the root cause for the top ranked key words was miscommunication. This was also the root cause found from association analysis, where 24% of the time that an event involved a physician it also involved a nurse. Differential frequency analysis revealed that sharp peaks at week 27 were followed by 3 major incidents, two of which were dose related. The peak was largely due to the front desk which caused distractions in other areas. The analysis led to many PI projects but there is still a major systematic issue with the use of forms. The solution we identified is to implement Smart Forms to perform error checking and interlocking. Our first initiative replaced our daily QA checklist with a form that uses custom validation routines, preventing therapists from proceeding with treatments until out of tolerance conditions are corrected. PITSTOP has increased the number of quality initiatives in our department, and we have discovered or confirmed common underlying causes of a variety of seemingly unrelated errors. It has motivated the replacement of all forms with smart forms. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Material Analysis and Identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KeyMaster Technologies, Inc., develops and markets specialized, hand-held X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instruments and unique tagging technology used to identify and authenticate materials or processes. NASA first met with this Kennewick, Washington-based company as the Agency began seeking companies to develop a hand-held instrument that would detect data matrix symbols on parts covered by paint and other coatings. Since the Federal Aviation Administration was also searching for methods to detect and eliminate the use of unapproved parts, it recommended that NASA and KeyMaster work together to develop a technology that would benefit both agencies.

Impact Assessment and Forecasts of Information and Telecommunications Technologies Applied to Education and Training. R&D in Information and Communication Based Learning Technology. Analysis of Key Issues for the Orientation of the Work of Sector Actors in the Framework of DELTA. Volume I--Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium).

This report, the first volume in a three volume set, summarizes the results of a study performed by the DELTA (Developing European Learning through Technological Advance) Unit in parallel with the projects underway in the research and development Exploratory Action. The report identifies the key issues, associated requirements and options, and…

Key metabolites in tissue extracts of Elliptio complanata identified using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Hurley-Sanders, Jennifer L.; Levine, Jay F.; Nelson, Stacy A. C.; Law, J. M.; Showers, William J.; Stoskopf, Michael K.

2015-01-01

We used 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to describe key metabolites of the polar metabolome of the freshwater mussel, Elliptio complanata. Principal components analysis documented variability across tissue types and river of origin in mussels collected from two rivers in North Carolina (USA). Muscle, digestive gland, mantle and gill tissues yielded identifiable but overlapping metabolic profiles. Variation in digestive gland metabolic profiles between the two mussel collection sites was characterized by differences in mono- and disaccharides. Variation in mantle tissue metabolomes appeared to be associated with sex. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a sensitive means to detect metabolites in the tissues of E. complanata and holds promise as a tool for the investigation of freshwater mussel health and physiology. PMID:27293708

Key Stakeholders' Perceptions of Motivators for Research Participation Among Individuals Who Are Incarcerated.

PubMed

Hanson, Bridget L; Faulkner, Sherilyn A; Brems, Christiane; Corey, Staci L; Eldridge, Gloria D; Johnson, Mark E

2015-10-01

Understanding motivations of research participants is crucial for developing ethical research protocols, especially for research with vulnerable populations. Through interviews with 92 institutional review board members, prison administrators, research ethicists, and researchers, we explored key stakeholders' perceptions of what motivates incarcerated individuals to participate in research. Primary motivators identified were a desire to contribute to society, gaining knowledge and health care, acquiring incentives, and obtaining social support. The potential for undue influence or coercion were also identified as motivators. These results highlight the need for careful analysis of what motivates incarcerated individuals to participate in research as part of developing or reviewing ethically permissible and responsible research protocols. Future research should expand this line of inquiry to directly include perspectives of incarcerated individuals. © The Author(s) 2015.

Reduction of PM emissions from specific sources reflected on key components concentrations of ambient PM10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minguillon, M. C.; Querol, X.; Monfort, E.; Alastuey, A.; Escrig, A.; Celades, I.; Miro, J. V.

2009-04-01

The relationship between specific particulate emission control and ambient levels of some PM10 components (Zn, As, Pb, Cs, Tl) was evaluated. To this end, the industrial area of Castellón (Eastern Spain) was selected, where around 40% of the EU glazed ceramic tiles and a high proportion of EU ceramic frits (middle product for the manufacture of ceramic glaze) are produced. The PM10 emissions from the ceramic processes were calculated over the period 2000 to 2007 taking into account the degree of implementation of corrective measures throughout the study period. Abatement systems (mainly bag filters) were implemented in the majority of the fusion kilns for frit manufacture in the area as a result of the application of the Directive 1996/61/CE, leading to a marked decrease in PM10 emissions. On the other hand, ambient PM10 sampling was carried out from April 2002 to July 2008 at three urban sites and one suburban site of the area and a complete chemical analysis was made for about 35 % of the collected samples, by means of different techniques (ICP-AES, ICP-MS, Ion Chromatography, selective electrode and elemental analyser). The series of chemical composition of PM10 allowed us to apply a source contribution model (Principal Component Analysis), followed by a multilinear regression analysis, so that PM10 sources were identified and their contribution to bulk ambient PM10 was quantified on a daily basis, as well as the contribution to bulk ambient concentrations of the identified key components (Zn, As, Pb, Cs, Tl). The contribution of the sources identified as the manufacture and use of ceramic glaze components, including the manufacture of ceramic frits, accounted for more than 65, 75, 58, 53, and 53% of ambient Zn, As, Pb, Cs and Tl levels, respectively (with the exception of Tl contribution at one of the sites). The important emission reductions of these sources during the study period had an impact on ambient key components levels, such that there was a high correlation between PM10 emissions from these sources and ambient key components levels (R2= 0.61-0.98).

Evaluating public housing residents for knowledge, attitudes, and practices following dengue prevention outreach in Key West, Florida.

PubMed

Matthias, James; Zielinski-Gutierrez, Emily C; Tisch, Daniel J; Stanek, Danielle; Blanton, Ronald E; Doyle, Michael S; Eadie, Robert B; Gazdick, Elizabeth J; Leal, Andrea L; Pattison, Kimberly J; Perez-Guerra, Carmen L; Tittel, Christopher J; Vyas, Jooi; Wagner, Todd; Blackmore, Carina G M

2014-11-01

In 2009-2010, 93 cases of dengue were identified in Key West, Florida. This was the first outbreak of autochthonous transmission of dengue in Florida since 1934. In response to this outbreak, a multifaceted public education outreach campaign was launched. The aim of this study is to compare dengue prevention knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and prevention practices among residents of subsidized public housing to the general population in Key West and to assess whether there were barriers preventing effective outreach from reaching specific vulnerable populations. A randomized population-based evaluation of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward dengue prevention consisting of 521 separate household interviews was undertaken in July of 2011. A subset analysis was performed on interviews collected from 28 public housing units within four subsidized public housing complexes. Analysis was performed to determine whether knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors exhibited by public housing residents differed from the non-public housing study population. Public housing residents recalled fewer outreach materials (p=0.01) and were 3.4 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-8.3) more likely not to recall any outreach materials. Public housing residents were less likely to correctly identify how dengue transmission occurs (61% vs. 89%), where mosquitoes lay their eggs (54% vs. 85%), or to identify any signs or symptoms related to dengue (36% vs. 64%). Public housing residents were less likely to perform dengue prevention practices such as removing standing water or always using air conditioning. Examination of public housing residents identified an at-risk population that recalled less exposure to outreach materials and had less knowledge about dengue infection and prevention than the randomized study population. This provides public health systems the opportunity to target or modify future health messages and interventions to this group. Differences identified in the demographics of this population suggest that alternative methods or non-English materials may be required to reach desired outcomes.

Identification and annotation of erotic film based on content analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Donghui; Zhu, Miaoliang; Yuan, Xin; Qian, Hui

2005-02-01

The paper brings forward a new method for identifying and annotating erotic films based on content analysis. First, the film is decomposed to video and audio stream. Then, the video stream is segmented into shots and key frames are extracted from each shot. We filter the shots that include potential erotic content by finding the nude human body in key frames. A Gaussian model in YCbCr color space for detecting skin region is presented. An external polygon that covered the skin regions is used for the approximation of the human body. Last, we give the degree of the nudity by calculating the ratio of skin area to whole body area with weighted parameters. The result of the experiment shows the effectiveness of our method.

Milestones in Rotorcraft Aeromechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Wayne

2011-01-01

The subject of this paper is milestones in rotorcraft aeromechanics. Aeromechanics covers much of what the engineer needs: performance, loads, vibration, stability, flight dynamics, noise. These topics cover many of the key performance attributes, and many of the often-encountered problems in rotorcraft designs. A milestone is a critical achievement, a turning point, an event marking a significant change or stage in development. The milestones identified and discussed include the beginnings of aeromechanics with autogyro analysis, ground resonance, aeromechanics books, unsteady aerodynamics and airloads, nonuniform inflow and wakes, beams and dynamics, comprehensive analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and rotor airloads tests. The focus on milestones limits the scope of the history, but allows the author to acknowledge his choices for key steps in the development of the science and engineering of rotorcraft.

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

PubMed Central

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

2018-01-01

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

Gene expression profiles in rainbow trout, Onchorynchus mykiss, exposed to a simple chemical mixture.

PubMed

Hook, Sharon E; Skillman, Ann D; Gopalan, Banu; Small, Jack A; Schultz, Irvin R

2008-03-01

Among proposed uses for microarrays in environmental toxiciology is the identification of key contributors to toxicity within a mixture. However, it remains uncertain whether the transcriptomic profiles resulting from exposure to a mixture have patterns of altered gene expression that contain identifiable contributions from each toxicant component. We exposed isogenic rainbow trout Onchorynchus mykiss, to sublethal levels of ethynylestradiol, 2,2,4,4-tetrabromodiphenyl ether, and chromium VI or to a mixture of all three toxicants Fluorescently labeled complementary DNA (cDNA) were generated and hybridized against a commercially available Salmonid array spotted with 16,000 cDNAs. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (p<0.05) with a Benjamani-Hochberg multiple test correction (Genespring [Agilent] software package) to identify up and downregulated genes. Gene clustering patterns that can be used as "expression signatures" were determined using hierarchical cluster analysis. The gene ontology terms associated with significantly altered genes were also used to identify functional groups that were associated with toxicant exposure. Cross-ontological analytics approach was used to assign functional annotations to genes with "unknown" function. Our analysis indicates that transcriptomic profiles resulting from the mixture exposure resemble those of the individual contaminant exposures, but are not a simple additive list. However, patterns of altered genes representative of each component of the mixture are clearly discernible, and the functional classes of genes altered represent the individual components of the mixture. These findings indicate that the use of microarrays to identify transcriptomic profiles may aid in the identification of key stressors within a chemical mixture, ultimately improving environmental assessment.

Eurytemora carolleeae in the Laurentian Great Lakes revealed by phylogenetic and morphological analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vasquez, Adrian A.; Hudson, Patrick L.; Fujimoto, Masanori; Keeler, Kevin M.; Armenio, Patricia M.; Ram, Jeffrey L.

2016-01-01

In the Laurentian Great Lakes, specimens of Eurytemora have been reported asEurytemora affinis since its invasion in the late 1950s. During an intensive collection of aquatic invertebrates for morphological and molecular identification in Western Lake Erie in 2012-2013, several specimens of Eurytemora were collected. Analysis of these specimens identified them as the recently described species Eurytemora carolleeaeAlekseev and Souissi 2011. This result led us to assess E. carolleeae’s identifying features, geographic distribution and historical presence in the Laurentian Great Lakes in view of its recent description in 2011. Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) DNA sequences ofEurytemora specimens were identified as closer (2 - 4% different) to recently describedE. carolleeae than to most E. affinis sequences (14% different). Eurytemora from other areas of the Great Lakes and from North American rivers as far west as South Dakota (Missouri River) and east to Delaware (Christina River) also keyed to E. carolleeae. Morphological analysis of archival specimens from 1962 and from all the Great Lakes was identified as E. carolleeae. Additionally, Eurytemora drawings in previous publications were reassessed to determine if the species was E. carolleeae and are reported here. Additional morphological characters that may distinguish North AmericanE. carolleeae from other taxa are also described. We conclude that E. carolleeae is the correct name for the species of Eurytemora that has inhabited the Great Lakes since its invasion, as established by both morphological and COI sequence comparisons to reference keys and sequence databases in present and archival specimens.

In-Silico Integration Approach to Identify a Key miRNA Regulating a Gene Network in Aggressive Prostate Cancer

PubMed Central

Colaprico, Antonio; Bontempi, Gianluca; Castiglioni, Isabella

2018-01-01

Like other cancer diseases, prostate cancer (PC) is caused by the accumulation of genetic alterations in the cells that drives malignant growth. These alterations are revealed by gene profiling and copy number alteration (CNA) analysis. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that also microRNAs have an important role in PC development. Despite efforts to profile PC, the alterations (gene, CNA, and miRNA) and biological processes that correlate with disease development and progression remain partially elusive. Many gene signatures proposed as diagnostic or prognostic tools in cancer poorly overlap. The identification of co-expressed genes, that are functionally related, can identify a core network of genes associated with PC with a better reproducibility. By combining different approaches, including the integration of mRNA expression profiles, CNAs, and miRNA expression levels, we identified a gene signature of four genes overlapping with other published gene signatures and able to distinguish, in silico, high Gleason-scored PC from normal human tissue, which was further enriched to 19 genes by gene co-expression analysis. From the analysis of miRNAs possibly regulating this network, we found that hsa-miR-153 was highly connected to the genes in the network. Our results identify a four-gene signature with diagnostic and prognostic value in PC and suggest an interesting gene network that could play a key regulatory role in PC development and progression. Furthermore, hsa-miR-153, controlling this network, could be a potential biomarker for theranostics in high Gleason-scored PC. PMID:29562723

One Health Economics to confront disease threats

PubMed Central

Machalaba, Catherine; Smith, Kristine M; Awada, Lina; Berry, Kevin; Berthe, Franck; Bouley, Timothy A; Bruce, Mieghan; Cortiñas Abrahantes, Jose; El Turabi, Anas; Feferholtz, Yasha; Flynn, Louise; Fournié, Giullaume; Andre, Amanda; Grace, Delia; Jonas, Olga; Kimani, Tabitha; Le Gall, François; Miranda, Juan Jose; Peyre, Marisa; Pinto, Julio; Ross, Noam; Rüegg, Simon R; Salerno, Robert H; Seifman, Richard; Zambrana-Torrelio, Carlos; Karesh, William B

2017-01-01

Abstract Global economic impacts of epidemics suggest high return on investment in prevention and One Health capacity. However, such investments remain limited, contributing to persistent endemic diseases and vulnerability to emerging ones. An interdisciplinary workshop explored methods for country-level analysis of added value of One Health approaches to disease control. Key recommendations include: 1. systems thinking to identify risks and mitigation options for decision-making under uncertainty; 2. multisectoral economic impact assessment to identify wider relevance and possible resource-sharing, and 3. consistent integration of environmental considerations. Economic analysis offers a congruent measure of value complementing diverse impact metrics among sectors and contexts. PMID:29044367

Implications of Contingency Planning Support for Weather and Icing Information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vigeant-Langlois, Laurence; Hansman, R. John, Jr.

2003-01-01

A human-centered systems analysis was applied to the adverse aircraft weather encounter problem in order to identify desirable functions of weather and icing information. The importance of contingency planning was identified as emerging from a system safety design methodology as well as from results of other aviation decision-making studies. The relationship between contingency planning support and information on regions clear of adverse weather was investigated in a scenario- based analysis. A rapid prototype example of the key elements in the depiction of icing conditions was developed in a case study, and the implications for the components of the icing information system were articulated.

A Cognitive Task Analysis of Information Management Strategies in a Computerized Provider Order Entry Environment

PubMed Central

Weir, Charlene R.; Nebeker, Jonathan J.R.; Hicken, Bret L.; Campo, Rebecca; Drews, Frank; LeBar, Beth

2007-01-01

Objective Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) with electronic documentation, and computerized decision support dramatically changes the information environment of the practicing clinician. Prior work patterns based on paper, verbal exchange, and manual methods are replaced with automated, computerized, and potentially less flexible systems. The objective of this study is to explore the information management strategies that clinicians use in the process of adapting to a CPOE system using cognitive task analysis techniques. Design Observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 88 primary-care clinicians at 10 Veterans Administration Medical Centers. Measurements Interviews were taped, transcribed, and extensively analyzed to identify key information management goals, strategies, and tasks. Tasks were aggregated into groups, common components across tasks were clarified, and underlying goals and strategies identified. Results Nearly half of the identified tasks were not fully supported by the available technology. Six core components of tasks were identified. Four meta-cognitive information management goals emerged: 1) Relevance Screening; 2) Ensuring Accuracy; 3) Minimizing memory load; and 4) Negotiating Responsibility. Strategies used to support these goals are presented. Conclusion Users develop a wide array of information management strategies that allow them to successfully adapt to new technology. Supporting the ability of users to develop adaptive strategies to support meta-cognitive goals is a key component of a successful system. PMID:17068345

Structural identifiability of cyclic graphical models of biological networks with latent variables.

PubMed

Wang, Yulin; Lu, Na; Miao, Hongyu

2016-06-13

Graphical models have long been used to describe biological networks for a variety of important tasks such as the determination of key biological parameters, and the structure of graphical model ultimately determines whether such unknown parameters can be unambiguously obtained from experimental observations (i.e., the identifiability problem). Limited by resources or technical capacities, complex biological networks are usually partially observed in experiment, which thus introduces latent variables into the corresponding graphical models. A number of previous studies have tackled the parameter identifiability problem for graphical models such as linear structural equation models (SEMs) with or without latent variables. However, the limited resolution and efficiency of existing approaches necessarily calls for further development of novel structural identifiability analysis algorithms. An efficient structural identifiability analysis algorithm is developed in this study for a broad range of network structures. The proposed method adopts the Wright's path coefficient method to generate identifiability equations in forms of symbolic polynomials, and then converts these symbolic equations to binary matrices (called identifiability matrix). Several matrix operations are introduced for identifiability matrix reduction with system equivalency maintained. Based on the reduced identifiability matrices, the structural identifiability of each parameter is determined. A number of benchmark models are used to verify the validity of the proposed approach. Finally, the network module for influenza A virus replication is employed as a real example to illustrate the application of the proposed approach in practice. The proposed approach can deal with cyclic networks with latent variables. The key advantage is that it intentionally avoids symbolic computation and is thus highly efficient. Also, this method is capable of determining the identifiability of each single parameter and is thus of higher resolution in comparison with many existing approaches. Overall, this study provides a basis for systematic examination and refinement of graphical models of biological networks from the identifiability point of view, and it has a significant potential to be extended to more complex network structures or high-dimensional systems.

Identification of Key Transcription Factors Associated with Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Zhang, Feng; Chen, Xia; Wei, Ke; Liu, Daoming; Xu, Xiaodong; Zhang, Xing; Shi, Hong

2017-01-01

Background Lung squamous cell carcinoma (lung SCC) is a common type of lung cancer, but its mechanism of pathogenesis is unclear. The aim of this study was to identify key transcription factors in lung SCC and elucidate its mechanism. Material/Methods Six published microarray datasets of lung SCC were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) for integrated bioinformatics analysis. Significance analysis of microarrays was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between lung SCC and normal controls. The biological functions and signaling pathways of DEGs were mapped in the Gene Otology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database, respectively. A transcription factor gene regulatory network was used to obtain insights into the functions of DEGs. Results A total of 1,011 genes, including 539 upregulated genes and 462 downregulated genes, were filtered as DEGs between lung SCC and normal controls. DEGs were significantly enriched in cell cycle, DNA replication, p53 signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, adherens junction, and cell adhesion molecules signaling pathways. There were 57 transcription factors identified, which were used to construct a regulatory network. The network consisted of 736 interactions between 49 transcription factors and 486 DEGs. NFIC, BRCA1, and NFATC2 were the top 3 transcription factors that had the highest connectivity with DEGs and that regulated 83, 82, and 75 DEGs in the network, respectively. Conclusions NFIC, BRCA1, and NFATC2 might be the key transcription factors in the development of lung SCC by regulating the genes involved in cell cycle and DNA replication pathways. PMID:28081052

Spatial Paradigm for Information Retrieval and Exploration

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

The SPIRE system consists of software for visual analysis of primarily text based information sources. This technology enables the content analysis of text documents without reading all the documents. It employs several algorithms for text and word proximity analysis. It identifies the key themes within the text documents. From this analysis, it projects the results onto a visual spatial proximity display (Galaxies or Themescape) where items (documents and/or themes) visually close to each other are known to have content which is close to each other. Innovative interaction techniques then allow for dynamic visual analysis of large text based information spaces.

SPIRE1.03. Spatial Paradigm for Information Retrieval and Exploration

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

Adams, K.J.; Bohn, S.; Crow, V.

The SPIRE system consists of software for visual analysis of primarily text based information sources. This technology enables the content analysis of text documents without reading all the documents. It employs several algorithms for text and word proximity analysis. It identifies the key themes within the text documents. From this analysis, it projects the results onto a visual spatial proximity display (Galaxies or Themescape) where items (documents and/or themes) visually close to each other are known to have content which is close to each other. Innovative interaction techniques then allow for dynamic visual analysis of large text based information spaces.

BDA: A novel method for identifying defects in body-centered cubic crystals.

PubMed

Möller, Johannes J; Bitzek, Erik

2016-01-01

The accurate and fast identification of crystallographic defects plays a key role for the analysis of atomistic simulation output data. For face-centered cubic (fcc) metals, most existing structure analysis tools allow for the direct distinction of common defects, such as stacking faults or certain low-index surfaces. For body-centered cubic (bcc) metals, on the other hand, a robust way to identify such defects is currently not easily available. We therefore introduce a new method for analyzing atomistic configurations of bcc metals, the BCC Defect Analysis (BDA). It uses existing structure analysis algorithms and combines their results to uniquely distinguish between typical defects in bcc metals. In essence, the BDA method offers the following features:•Identification of typical defect structures in bcc metals.•Reduction of erroneously identified defects by iterative comparison to the defects in the atom's neighborhood.•Availability as ready-to-use Python script for the widespread visualization tool OVITO [http://ovito.org].

Evaluation of a Stratified National Breast Screening Program in the United Kingdom: An Early Model-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

PubMed

Gray, Ewan; Donten, Anna; Karssemeijer, Nico; van Gils, Carla; Evans, D Gareth; Astley, Sue; Payne, Katherine

2017-09-01

To identify the incremental costs and consequences of stratified national breast screening programs (stratified NBSPs) and drivers of relative cost-effectiveness. A decision-analytic model (discrete event simulation) was conceptualized to represent four stratified NBSPs (risk 1, risk 2, masking [supplemental screening for women with higher breast density], and masking and risk 1) compared with the current UK NBSP and no screening. The model assumed a lifetime horizon, the health service perspective to identify costs (£, 2015), and measured consequences in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Multiple data sources were used: systematic reviews of effectiveness and utility, published studies reporting costs, and cohort studies embedded in existing NBSPs. Model parameter uncertainty was assessed using probabilistic sensitivity analysis and one-way sensitivity analysis. The base-case analysis, supported by probabilistic sensitivity analysis, suggested that the risk stratified NBSPs (risk 1 and risk-2) were relatively cost-effective when compared with the current UK NBSP, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of £16,689 per QALY and £23,924 per QALY, respectively. Stratified NBSP including masking approaches (supplemental screening for women with higher breast density) was not a cost-effective alternative, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of £212,947 per QALY (masking) and £75,254 per QALY (risk 1 and masking). When compared with no screening, all stratified NBSPs could be considered cost-effective. Key drivers of cost-effectiveness were discount rate, natural history model parameters, mammographic sensitivity, and biopsy rates for recalled cases. A key assumption was that the risk model used in the stratification process was perfectly calibrated to the population. This early model-based cost-effectiveness analysis provides indicative evidence for decision makers to understand the key drivers of costs and QALYs for exemplar stratified NBSP. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The identification of key genes and pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma by bioinformatics analysis of high-throughput data.

PubMed

Zhang, Chaoyang; Peng, Li; Zhang, Yaqin; Liu, Zhaoyang; Li, Wenling; Chen, Shilian; Li, Guancheng

2017-06-01

Liver cancer is a serious threat to public health and has fairly complicated pathogenesis. Therefore, the identification of key genes and pathways is of much importance for clarifying molecular mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) initiation and progression. HCC-associated gene expression dataset was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Statistical software R was used for significance analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between liver cancer samples and normal samples. Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, based on R software, were applied for the identification of pathways in which DEGs significantly enriched. Cytoscape software was for the construction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and module analysis to find the hub genes and key pathways. Finally, weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to further screen critical gene modules with similar expression pattern and explore their biological significance. Significance analysis identified 1230 DEGs with fold change >2, including 632 significantly down-regulated DEGs and 598 significantly up-regulated DEGs. GO term enrichment analysis suggested that up-regulated DEG significantly enriched in immune response, cell adhesion, cell migration, type I interferon signaling pathway, and cell proliferation, and the down-regulated DEG mainly enriched in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress and endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response. KEGG pathway analysis found DEGs significantly enriched in five pathways including complement and coagulation cascades, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, antigen processing and presentation, and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum. The top 10 hub genes in HCC were separately GMPS, ACACA, ALB, TGFB1, KRAS, ERBB2, BCL2, EGFR, STAT3, and CD8A, which resulted from PPI network. The top 3 gene interaction modules in PPI network enriched in immune response, organ development, and response to other organism, respectively. WGCNA revealed that the confirmed eight gene modules significantly enriched in monooxygenase and oxidoreductase activity, response to endoplasmic reticulum stress, type I interferon signaling pathway, processing, presentation and binding of peptide antigen, cellular response to cadmium and zinc ion, cell locomotion and differentiation, ribonucleoprotein complex and RNA processing, and immune system process, respectively. In conclusion, we identified some key genes and pathways closely related with HCC initiation and progression by a series of bioinformatics analysis on DEGs. These screened genes and pathways provided for a more detailed molecular mechanism underlying HCC occurrence and progression, holding promise for acting as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.

Sensitivity analysis of navy aviation readiness based sparing model

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

variability. (See Figure 4.) Figure 4. Research design flowchart 18 Figure 4 lays out the four steps of the methodology , starting in the upper left-hand...as a function of changes in key inputs. We develop NAVARM Experimental Designs (NED), a computational tool created by applying a state-of-the-art...experimental design to the NAVARM model. Statistical analysis of the resulting data identifies the most influential cost factors. Those are, in order of

Global-local methodologies and their application to nonlinear analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

1989-01-01

An assessment is made of the potential of different global-local analysis strategies for predicting the nonlinear and postbuckling responses of structures. Two postbuckling problems of composite panels are used as benchmarks and the application of different global-local methodologies to these benchmarks is outlined. The key elements of each of the global-local strategies are discussed and future research areas needed to realize the full potential of global-local methodologies are identified.

Drug target identification using network analysis: Taking active components in Sini decoction as an example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Si; Jiang, Hailong; Cao, Yan; Wang, Yun; Hu, Ziheng; Zhu, Zhenyu; Chai, Yifeng

2016-04-01

Identifying the molecular targets for the beneficial effects of active small-molecule compounds simultaneously is an important and currently unmet challenge. In this study, we firstly proposed network analysis by integrating data from network pharmacology and metabolomics to identify targets of active components in sini decoction (SND) simultaneously against heart failure. To begin with, 48 potential active components in SND against heart failure were predicted by serum pharmacochemistry, text mining and similarity match. Then, we employed network pharmacology including text mining and molecular docking to identify the potential targets of these components. The key enriched processes, pathways and related diseases of these target proteins were analyzed by STRING database. At last, network analysis was conducted to identify most possible targets of components in SND. Among the 25 targets predicted by network analysis, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was firstly experimentally validated in molecular and cellular level. Results indicated that hypaconitine, mesaconitine, higenamine and quercetin in SND can directly bind to TNF-α, reduce the TNF-α-mediated cytotoxicity on L929 cells and exert anti-myocardial cell apoptosis effects. We envisage that network analysis will also be useful in target identification of a bioactive compound.

Drug target identification using network analysis: Taking active components in Sini decoction as an example

PubMed Central

Chen, Si; Jiang, Hailong; Cao, Yan; Wang, Yun; Hu, Ziheng; Zhu, Zhenyu; Chai, Yifeng

2016-01-01

Identifying the molecular targets for the beneficial effects of active small-molecule compounds simultaneously is an important and currently unmet challenge. In this study, we firstly proposed network analysis by integrating data from network pharmacology and metabolomics to identify targets of active components in sini decoction (SND) simultaneously against heart failure. To begin with, 48 potential active components in SND against heart failure were predicted by serum pharmacochemistry, text mining and similarity match. Then, we employed network pharmacology including text mining and molecular docking to identify the potential targets of these components. The key enriched processes, pathways and related diseases of these target proteins were analyzed by STRING database. At last, network analysis was conducted to identify most possible targets of components in SND. Among the 25 targets predicted by network analysis, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was firstly experimentally validated in molecular and cellular level. Results indicated that hypaconitine, mesaconitine, higenamine and quercetin in SND can directly bind to TNF-α, reduce the TNF-α-mediated cytotoxicity on L929 cells and exert anti-myocardial cell apoptosis effects. We envisage that network analysis will also be useful in target identification of a bioactive compound. PMID:27095146

Gene expression profiles analysis identifies key genes for acute lung injury in patients with sepsis.

PubMed

Guo, Zhiqiang; Zhao, Chuncheng; Wang, Zheng

2014-09-26

To identify critical genes and biological pathways in acute lung injury (ALI), a comparative analysis of gene expression profiles of patients with ALI + sepsis compared with patients with sepsis alone were performed with bioinformatic tools. GSE10474 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus, including a collective of 13 whole blood samples with ALI + sepsis and 21 whole blood samples with sepsis alone. After pre-treatment with robust multichip averaging (RMA) method, differential analysis was conducted using simpleaffy package based upon t-test and fold change. Hierarchical clustering was also performed using function hclust from package stats. Beisides, functional enrichment analysis was conducted using iGepros. Moreover, the gene regulatory network was constructed with information from Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and then visualized by Cytoscape. A total of 128 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 47 up- and 81 down-regulated genes. The significantly enriched functions included negative regulation of cell proliferation, regulation of response to stimulus and cellular component morphogenesis. A total of 27 DEGs were significantly enriched in 16 KEGG pathways, such as protein digestion and absorption, fatty acid metabolism, amoebiasis, etc. Furthermore, the regulatory network of these 27 DEGs was constructed, which involved several key genes, including protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2), v-src avian sarcoma (SRC) and Caveolin 2 (CAV2). PTK2, SRC and CAV2 may be potential markers for diagnosis and treatment of ALI. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5865162912987143.

Gene expression profiles reveal key genes for early diagnosis and treatment of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.

PubMed

Yang, Jun; Hou, Ziming; Wang, Changjiang; Wang, Hao; Zhang, Hongbing

2018-04-23

Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) is an aggressive brain tumor that occurs predominantly in the pediatric population. Conventional diagnosis method and standard therapy cannot treat ACPs effectively. In this paper, we aimed to identify key genes for ACP early diagnosis and treatment. Datasets GSE94349 and GSE68015 were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Consensus clustering was applied to discover the gene clusters in the expression data of GSE94349 and functional enrichment analysis was performed on gene set in each cluster. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes, and hubs were selected. Support vector machine (SVM) model was built based on the signature genes identified from enrichment analysis and PPI network. Dataset GSE94349 was used for training and testing, and GSE68015 was used for validation. Besides, RT-qPCR analysis was performed to analyze the expression of signature genes in ACP samples compared with normal controls. Seven gene clusters were discovered in the differentially expressed genes identified from GSE94349 dataset. Enrichment analysis of each cluster identified 25 pathways that highly associated with ACP. PPI network was built and 46 hubs were determined. Twenty-five pathway-related genes that overlapped with the hubs in PPI network were used as signatures to establish the SVM diagnosis model for ACP. The prediction accuracy of SVM model for training, testing, and validation data were 94, 85, and 74%, respectively. The expression of CDH1, CCL2, ITGA2, COL8A1, COL6A2, and COL6A3 were significantly upregulated in ACP tumor samples, while CAMK2A, RIMS1, NEFL, SYT1, and STX1A were significantly downregulated, which were consistent with the differentially expressed gene analysis. SVM model is a promising classification tool for screening and early diagnosis of ACP. The ACP-related pathways and signature genes will advance our knowledge of ACP pathogenesis and benefit the therapy improvement.

Gene Network Construction from Microarray Data Identifies a Key Network Module and Several Candidate Hub Genes in Age-Associated Spatial Learning Impairment

PubMed Central

Uddin, Raihan; Singh, Shiva M.

2017-01-01

As humans age many suffer from a decrease in normal brain functions including spatial learning impairments. This study aimed to better understand the molecular mechanisms in age-associated spatial learning impairment (ASLI). We used a mathematical modeling approach implemented in Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to create and compare gene network models of young (learning unimpaired) and aged (predominantly learning impaired) brains from a set of exploratory datasets in rats in the context of ASLI. The major goal was to overcome some of the limitations previously observed in the traditional meta- and pathway analysis using these data, and identify novel ASLI related genes and their networks based on co-expression relationship of genes. This analysis identified a set of network modules in the young, each of which is highly enriched with genes functioning in broad but distinct GO functional categories or biological pathways. Interestingly, the analysis pointed to a single module that was highly enriched with genes functioning in “learning and memory” related functions and pathways. Subsequent differential network analysis of this “learning and memory” module in the aged (predominantly learning impaired) rats compared to the young learning unimpaired rats allowed us to identify a set of novel ASLI candidate hub genes. Some of these genes show significant repeatability in networks generated from independent young and aged validation datasets. These hub genes are highly co-expressed with other genes in the network, which not only show differential expression but also differential co-expression and differential connectivity across age and learning impairment. The known function of these hub genes indicate that they play key roles in critical pathways, including kinase and phosphatase signaling, in functions related to various ion channels, and in maintaining neuronal integrity relating to synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Taken together, they provide a new insight and generate new hypotheses into the molecular mechanisms responsible for age associated learning impairment, including spatial learning. PMID:29066959

Gene Network Construction from Microarray Data Identifies a Key Network Module and Several Candidate Hub Genes in Age-Associated Spatial Learning Impairment.

PubMed

Uddin, Raihan; Singh, Shiva M

2017-01-01

As humans age many suffer from a decrease in normal brain functions including spatial learning impairments. This study aimed to better understand the molecular mechanisms in age-associated spatial learning impairment (ASLI). We used a mathematical modeling approach implemented in Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to create and compare gene network models of young (learning unimpaired) and aged (predominantly learning impaired) brains from a set of exploratory datasets in rats in the context of ASLI. The major goal was to overcome some of the limitations previously observed in the traditional meta- and pathway analysis using these data, and identify novel ASLI related genes and their networks based on co-expression relationship of genes. This analysis identified a set of network modules in the young, each of which is highly enriched with genes functioning in broad but distinct GO functional categories or biological pathways. Interestingly, the analysis pointed to a single module that was highly enriched with genes functioning in "learning and memory" related functions and pathways. Subsequent differential network analysis of this "learning and memory" module in the aged (predominantly learning impaired) rats compared to the young learning unimpaired rats allowed us to identify a set of novel ASLI candidate hub genes. Some of these genes show significant repeatability in networks generated from independent young and aged validation datasets. These hub genes are highly co-expressed with other genes in the network, which not only show differential expression but also differential co-expression and differential connectivity across age and learning impairment. The known function of these hub genes indicate that they play key roles in critical pathways, including kinase and phosphatase signaling, in functions related to various ion channels, and in maintaining neuronal integrity relating to synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Taken together, they provide a new insight and generate new hypotheses into the molecular mechanisms responsible for age associated learning impairment, including spatial learning.

Genome-Wide Profiling of Histone Modifications (H3K9me2 and H4K12ac) and Gene Expression in Rust (Uromyces appendiculatus) Inoculated Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

PubMed

Ayyappan, Vasudevan; Kalavacharla, Venu; Thimmapuram, Jyothi; Bhide, Ketaki P; Sripathi, Venkateswara R; Smolinski, Tomasz G; Manoharan, Muthusamy; Thurston, Yaqoob; Todd, Antonette; Kingham, Bruce

2015-01-01

Histone modifications such as methylation and acetylation play a significant role in controlling gene expression in unstressed and stressed plants. Genome-wide analysis of such stress-responsive modifications and genes in non-model crops is limited. We report the genome-wide profiling of histone methylation (H3K9me2) and acetylation (H4K12ac) in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under rust (Uromyces appendiculatus) stress using two high-throughput approaches, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). ChIP-Seq analysis revealed 1,235 and 556 histone methylation and acetylation responsive genes from common bean leaves treated with the rust pathogen at 0, 12 and 84 hour-after-inoculation (hai), while RNA-Seq analysis identified 145 and 1,763 genes differentially expressed between mock-inoculated and inoculated plants. The combined ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq analyses identified some key defense responsive genes (calmodulin, cytochrome p450, chitinase, DNA Pol II, and LRR) and transcription factors (WRKY, bZIP, MYB, HSFB3, GRAS, NAC, and NMRA) in bean-rust interaction. Differential methylation and acetylation affected a large proportion of stress-responsive genes including resistant (R) proteins, detoxifying enzymes, and genes involved in ion flux and cell death. The genes identified were functionally classified using Gene Ontology (GO) and EuKaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOGs). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis identified a putative pathway with ten key genes involved in plant-pathogen interactions. This first report of an integrated analysis of histone modifications and gene expression involved in the bean-rust interaction as reported here provides a comprehensive resource for other epigenomic regulation studies in non-model species under stress.

Genome-Wide Profiling of Histone Modifications (H3K9me2 and H4K12ac) and Gene Expression in Rust (Uromyces appendiculatus) Inoculated Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

PubMed Central

Thimmapuram, Jyothi; Bhide, Ketaki P.; Sripathi, Venkateswara R.; Smolinski, Tomasz G.; Manoharan, Muthusamy; Thurston, Yaqoob; Todd, Antonette; Kingham, Bruce

2015-01-01

Histone modifications such as methylation and acetylation play a significant role in controlling gene expression in unstressed and stressed plants. Genome-wide analysis of such stress-responsive modifications and genes in non-model crops is limited. We report the genome-wide profiling of histone methylation (H3K9me2) and acetylation (H4K12ac) in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under rust (Uromyces appendiculatus) stress using two high-throughput approaches, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). ChIP-Seq analysis revealed 1,235 and 556 histone methylation and acetylation responsive genes from common bean leaves treated with the rust pathogen at 0, 12 and 84 hour-after-inoculation (hai), while RNA-Seq analysis identified 145 and 1,763 genes differentially expressed between mock-inoculated and inoculated plants. The combined ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq analyses identified some key defense responsive genes (calmodulin, cytochrome p450, chitinase, DNA Pol II, and LRR) and transcription factors (WRKY, bZIP, MYB, HSFB3, GRAS, NAC, and NMRA) in bean-rust interaction. Differential methylation and acetylation affected a large proportion of stress-responsive genes including resistant (R) proteins, detoxifying enzymes, and genes involved in ion flux and cell death. The genes identified were functionally classified using Gene Ontology (GO) and EuKaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOGs). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis identified a putative pathway with ten key genes involved in plant-pathogen interactions. This first report of an integrated analysis of histone modifications and gene expression involved in the bean-rust interaction as reported here provides a comprehensive resource for other epigenomic regulation studies in non-model species under stress. PMID:26167691

The psychological health of remote area medics in Iraq.

PubMed

Whittaker-Howe, S; Brown, G; Williamson, V; Greenberg, N

2017-12-30

Remote area medics (RAMs) may be at increased risk of mental health difficulties. To explore the occupational experiences of RAMs to identify stressors and the mental health impact. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six RAMs working in Iraq to gather data, which was explored using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three key themes emerged from the data (i) the experience of being remote, (ii) cultural shock and (iii) social support. A number of key stressors were identified, including loneliness and boredom, associated with being remote, and the loss of professional identity due to the occupational role. Three out of the six participants reported substantial depressive symptoms. A number of positive coping strategies were identified, particularly relationships with other RAMs, via instant messaging forums. RAMs experience a number of particular stressors that could put them at risk of depression. Adaptive coping strategies were identified; in particular, virtual social support. These findings should be of interest to companies which employ RAMs. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Probing the structural dynamics of the CRISPR-Cas9 RNA-guided DNA-cleavage system by coarse-grained modeling.

PubMed

Zheng, Wenjun

2017-02-01

In the adaptive immune systems of many bacteria and archaea, the Cas9 endonuclease forms a complex with specific guide/scaffold RNA to identify and cleave complementary target sequences in foreign DNA. This DNA targeting machinery has been exploited in numerous applications of genome editing and transcription control. However, the molecular mechanism of the Cas9 system is still obscure. Recently, high-resolution structures have been solved for Cas9 in different structural forms (e.g., unbound forms, RNA-bound binary complexes, and RNA-DNA-bound tertiary complexes, corresponding to an inactive state, a pre-target-bound state, and a cleavage-competent or product state), which offered key structural insights to the Cas9 mechanism. To further probe the structural dynamics of Cas9 interacting with RNA and DNA at the amino-acid level of details, we have performed systematic coarse-grained modeling using an elastic network model and related analyses. Our normal mode analysis predicted a few key modes of collective motions that capture the observed conformational changes featuring large domain motions triggered by binding of RNA and DNA. Our flexibility analysis identified specific regions with high or low flexibility that coincide with key functional sites (such as DNA/RNA-binding sites, nuclease cleavage sites, and key hinges). We also identified a small set of hotspot residues that control the energetics of functional motions, which overlap with known functional sites and offer promising targets for future mutagenesis efforts to improve the specificity of Cas9. Finally, we modeled the conformational transitions of Cas9 from the unbound form to the binary complex and then the tertiary complex, and predicted a distinct sequence of domain motions. In sum, our findings have offered rich structural and dynamic details relevant to the Cas9 machinery, and will guide future investigation and engineering of the Cas9 systems. Proteins 2017; 85:342-353. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

National logistics working groups: A landscape analysis study.

PubMed

Leab, Dorothy; Schreiber, Benjamin; Kasonde, Musonda; Bessat, Olivia; Bui, Son; Loisel, Carine

2017-04-19

Several countries have acknowledged the contributions made by national logistics working groups (NLWG) to ensure equitable access to the expanded program on immunization's (EPI) vaccines against preventable diseases. In order to provide key insights to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) supply chain hub - as well as other players, including national EPI - a landscape analysis study was conducted from September 2015 to February 2016. This is a cross-sectional survey taken by 43 countries that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected through a desk review, consultation, interviews, and distance questioning. References and guidance were used to determine and specify the underlying mechanisms of NLWGs. The key findings are:This study has provided a general overview of the status of NLWGs for immunization in various countries. Based on the key insights of the study, technical assistance needs have been identified, and immunization partners will be required to help countries create and reinforce their NLWGs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of Transcription Factors Key for Mouse Pancreatic Development Establishes NKX2-2 and MNX1 Mutations as Causes of Neonatal Diabetes in Man

PubMed Central

Flanagan, Sarah E.; De Franco, Elisa; Lango Allen, Hana; Zerah, Michele; Abdul-Rasoul, Majedah M.; Edge, Julie A.; Stewart, Helen; Alamiri, Elham; Hussain, Khalid; Wallis, Sam; de Vries, Liat; Rubio-Cabezas, Oscar; Houghton, Jayne A.L.; Edghill, Emma L.; Patch, Ann-Marie; Ellard, Sian; Hattersley, Andrew T.

2014-01-01

Summary Understanding transcriptional regulation of pancreatic development is required to advance current efforts in developing beta cell replacement therapies for patients with diabetes. Current knowledge of key transcriptional regulators has predominantly come from mouse studies, with rare, naturally occurring mutations establishing their relevance in man. This study used a combination of homozygosity analysis and Sanger sequencing in 37 consanguineous patients with permanent neonatal diabetes to search for homozygous mutations in 29 transcription factor genes important for murine pancreatic development. We identified homozygous mutations in 7 different genes in 11 unrelated patients and show that NKX2-2 and MNX1 are etiological genes for neonatal diabetes, thus confirming their key role in development of the human pancreas. The similar phenotype of the patients with recessive mutations and mice with inactivation of a transcription factor gene support there being common steps critical for pancreatic development and validate the use of rodent models for beta cell development. PMID:24411943

Identification of Neurodegenerative Factors Using Translatome-Regulatory Network Analysis

PubMed Central

Brichta, Lars; Shin, William; Jackson-Lewis, Vernice; Blesa, Javier; Yap, Ee-Lynn; Walker, Zachary; Zhang, Jack; Roussarie, Jean-Pierre; Alvarez, Mariano J.; Califano, Andrea; Przedborski, Serge; Greengard, Paul

2016-01-01

For degenerative disorders of the central nervous system, the major obstacle to therapeutic advancement has been the challenge of identifying the key molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal loss. We developed a combinatorial approach including translational profiling and brain regulatory network analysis to search for key determinants of neuronal survival or death. Following the generation of transgenic mice for cell type-specific profiling of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, we established and compared translatome libraries reflecting the molecular signature of these cells at baseline or under degenerative stress. Analysis of these libraries by interrogating a context-specific brain regulatory network led to the identification of a repertoire of intrinsic upstream regulators that drive the dopaminergic stress response. The altered activity of these regulators was not associated with changes in their expression levels. This strategy can be generalized for the elucidation of novel molecular determinants involved in the degeneration of other classes of neurons. PMID:26214373

Mapping science communication scholarship in China: Content analysis on breadth, depth and agenda of published research.

PubMed

Xu, Linjia; Huang, Biaowen; Wu, Guosheng

2015-11-01

This study attempted to illuminate the cause and relation between government, scholars, disciplines, and societal aspects, presenting data from a content analysis of published research with the key word "science communication" (Symbol: see text) in the title or in the key words, including academic papers published in journals and dissertations from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database. Of these, 572 articles were coded using categories that identified science topics, theory, authorship, and methods used in each study to examine the breadth and depth that Science Communication has achieved since its inception in China. This study explored the dominance of History and Philosophy of Science scholars rather than Communication scholars. We also explored how science communication research began from theories and concepts instead of science report analysis and the difficulties of the shift from public understanding of science to public engagement in China. © The Author(s) 2015.

Community engagement as conflict prevention: Understanding the social license to operate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knih, Dejana

This thesis examines community engagement as a form of conflict prevention in order to obtain the social license to operate (SLO) in Alberta's oil and gas industry. It does this by answering the question: what are the key elements of the Social License to Operate and how can these elements be applied to community engagement/consultation in a way that prevents conflicts in Alberta's oil and gas industry? The underlying assumption of this thesis is that building good relationships and working collaboratively functions as a form of conflict prevention and that this in turn leads to the SLO. This thesis outlines the key features of both successful community engagement and of the SLO, to provide a guideline for what is needed to obtain the SLO. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews and through a literature review. The data analysis concluded that there are direct parallels between the key elements of effective community engagement and the key elements of the SLO as identified in the interviews. These parallels are: knowing the community, addressing community needs, corporate social responsibility, relationship building, follow through and evidence for what has been done, executive buy-in, excellent communication, and open dialogue, all within a process which is principled (there is trust, understanding, transparency and respect), inclusive, dynamic, flexible, ongoing, and long-term. Moreover, the key elements of effective community engagement and of the SLO identified in the interviews also overlapped with those found in the literature review, with only one exception. The literature review explicitly named early involvement as a key element of both effective community engagement and the SLO, whereas the interview participants only explicitly indicated it as a key factor of community engagement and implied it to be a key element of the SLO.

Temporal steering and security of quantum key distribution with mutually unbiased bases against individual attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartkiewicz, Karol; Černoch, Antonín; Lemr, Karel; Miranowicz, Adam; Nori, Franco

2016-06-01

Temporal steering, which is a temporal analog of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering, refers to temporal quantum correlations between the initial and final state of a quantum system. Our analysis of temporal steering inequalities in relation to the average quantum bit error rates reveals the interplay between temporal steering and quantum cloning, which guarantees the security of quantum key distribution based on mutually unbiased bases against individual attacks. The key distributions analyzed here include the Bennett-Brassard 1984 protocol and the six-state 1998 protocol by Bruss. Moreover, we define a temporal steerable weight, which enables us to identify a kind of monogamy of temporal correlation that is essential to quantum cryptography and useful for analyzing various scenarios of quantum causality.

Awareness, Analysis, and Action: Curricular Alignment for Student Success in General Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewitt, Sarah; Sutphin, Kathy; Gierasch, Tiffany; Hamilton, Pauline; Lilly, Kathleen; Miller, Kristine; Newlin, Donald; Pires, Richard; Sherer, Maureen; LaCourse, William R.

2018-01-01

This article examines the ways that a shared faculty experience across five partner institutions led to a deep awareness of the curriculum and pedagogy of general chemistry coursework, and ultimately, to a collaborative action plan for student success. The team identified key differences and similarities in course content and instructional…

TreeGenes and CartograTree: Enabling visualization and analysis in forest tree genomics

Treesearch

E.S. Grau; S.A. Demurjian; H.A. Vasquez-Gross; D.G. Gessler; D.B. Neale; J.L. Wegrzyn

2017-01-01

Association studies integrating environmental, phenotypic, and genetic data are key in understanding forest tree resilience to climate change and disease. As genomic resources increase, both in terms of complete reference sequences and magnitude of individuals genotyped, researchers are better equipped to identify correlations between genetic variation and adaptive or...

Perceived Uncertainty Sources in Wind Power Plant Design

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

Damiani, Rick R

This presentation for the Fourth Wind Energy Systems Engineering Workshop covers some of the uncertainties that still impact turbulent wind operation and how these affect design and structural reliability; identifies key sources and prioritization for R and D; and summarizes an analysis of current procedures, industry best practice, standards, and expert opinions.

Mutual Support Groups for Long-Term Recipients of TANF

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson-Butcher, Dawn; Khairallah, Angela Oliver; Race-Bigelow, Janis

2004-01-01

This study examined the effect of involvement in mutual support groups on long-term recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other vulnerable individuals. From qualitative interviews with nine group members, the study identified key themes, benefits, and barriers related to involvement in the groups. Content analysis of the…

Chapter 6: Hair collection

Treesearch

Katherine C. Kendall; Kevin S. McKelvey

2008-01-01

The identification of species from hair samples is probably as old as humanity, but did not receive much scientific attention until efficient and relatively inexpensive methods for amplifying DNA became available. Prior to this time, keys were used to identify species through the microscopic analysis of hair shaft morphology (Moore et al. 1974; also see Raphael 1994...

ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING METHANE GAS RECOVERY FROM SIX LANDFILLS

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a pilot study of six U.S. landfills that have methane (CH4) gas recovery systems. NOTE: The study was a first step in developing a field testing program to gather data to identify key variables that affect CH4 generation and to develop an empirical mod...

Factors Affecting Success of Training Companies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogala, Piotr; Batko, Roman; Wawak, Slawomir

2017-01-01

This study aims to identify the key factors which influence the functioning quality and success of training companies. Based on an analysis of the requirements included in the quality management system standards for providers of education and training services, a set of twenty factors has been developed. This was followed by a survey for…

Finding the "Prism": Understanding Vygotsky's "Perezhivanie" as an Ontogenetic Unit of Child Consciousness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michell, Michael

2016-01-01

The concept of perezhivanie, Vygotsky's "last word" on psychology, has been among the most difficult of his theoretical constructs to define and operationalise in research. Drawing on close analysis of key texts, this article identifies and examines three defining attributes of "perezhivanie" found throughout Vygotsky's works.…

Exploring Parent Perceptions of the Food Environment in Youth Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Megan; Nelson, Toben F.; Harwood, Eileen; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2012-01-01

Objective: To examine parent perceptions of the food environment in youth sport. Methods: Eight focus group discussions were held with parents (n = 60) of youth aged 6-13 years participating in basketball programs in Minnesota. Key themes and concepts were identified via transcript-based analysis. Results: Parents reported that youth commonly…

Tarawa Landing: Proving Ground for Pacific Victory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Thomas

1990-01-01

Points out the importance of the Tarawa landing in the Gilbert Islands during World War II, and recommends teaching about the event. Provides detailed analysis of the November 21-24, 1943, amphibious assault by U.S. Marines. Examines the rationale for the location, timing, and type of attack. Identifies key personnel. Includes intelligence map of…

Promoting College Students' Problem Understanding Using Schema-Emphasizing Worked Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Jie; Lavigne, Nancy C.

2014-01-01

Statistics learners often bypass the critical step of understanding a problem before executing solutions. Worked-out examples that identify problem information (e.g., data type, number of groups, purpose of analysis) key to determining a solution (e.g., "t" test, chi-square, correlation) can address this concern. The authors examined the…

Analysis of the Choice for Public and Private Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gemello, John M.; Osman, Jack W.

Key factors influencing the decision to attend private school are identified in this paper. It looks at the factors accounting for varying rates of private school attendance and estimates the responsiveness of such attendance to government support. It studies the variation in private school attendance rates at three levels: across states, across…

Which Emotional Profiles Exhibit the Best Learning Outcomes? A Person-Centered Analysis of Students' Academic Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganotice, Fraide A., Jr.; Datu, Jesus Alfonso D.; King, Ronnel B.

2016-01-01

Previous studies on academic emotions have mostly used variable-centered approaches. Although these studies have elucidated the relationships between academic emotions and key academic outcomes, they cannot identify naturally-occurring groups of students defined by distinct academic emotion profiles. In this study, we adopted a person-centered…

Open Teaching: A New Way on E-Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiappe, Andres; Lee, Linda L.

2017-01-01

Open Teaching is currently considered an ambiguous and polysemic concept but has nevertheless become a growing global trend in ICT-based education. To identify key issues on the subject, this article presents a study on Open teaching that combines meta-synthesis and content analysis of research published over the last twenty years in major…

Training School Psychologists to Identify Specific Learning Disabilities: A Content Analysis of Syllabi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Courtenay A.; Cottrell, Joseph M.; Newman, Daniel S.; Pierce, Benjamin G.; Anderson, Alisha

2015-01-01

Approximately 2.4 million children receive special education services for specific learning disabilities (SLDs), and school psychologists are key contributors to the SLD eligibility decision-making process. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) enabled local education agencies to use response to intervention (RTI) instead of the…

Stressors and Stressor Response Levels of Hong Kong Primary School Music Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Marina Wai-yee; Chik, Maria Pik-yuk; Chan, Edmund Sze Shing

2018-01-01

Responses from 309 randomly sampled Hong Kong primary school music teachers to the shortened version of the Chinese Teacher Stress Questionnaire were subjected to a descriptive percentage analysis, one-way ANOVA and independent t test. Obtained results identify five key stressors: "changing education policy of the government";…

Policy, Practice and Innovative Governance in the English Further Education and Skills Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clapham, Andrew; Vickers, Rob

2017-01-01

This paper examines "innovative" governance in the English further education and skills (FE) sector. Drawing on the work of Lyotard, Foucault and Ball, the paper explores how practitioners enacted innovative governance in a sector facing increasingly performative conditions. Analysis identified the key category of opportunity and risk…

Theories in Developing Oral Communication for Specific Learner Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadi, Marham Jupri

2016-01-01

The current article presents some key theories most relevant to the development of oral communication skills in an Indonesian senior high school. Critical analysis on the learners' background is employed to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. The brief overview of the learning context and learners' characteristic are used to identify which…

The Relationship of Morphological Analysis and Morphological Decoding to Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deacon, S. Hélène; Tong, Xiuli; Francis, Kathryn

2017-01-01

The ultimate goal of children's reading development is the full and fluid understanding of texts. Morphological structure awareness, or children's awareness of the minimal units of meaning in language, has been identified as a key skill influencing reading comprehension. Here, we evaluate the roles of morphological structure awareness and two…

Growth of a Science Center: The Center for Science and Mathematics Education (CESAME) at Stony Brook University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafney, Leo; Bynum, R. David; Sheppard, Keith

2015-01-01

This report describes the origin and development of CESAME (The Center for Science and Mathematics Education) at Stony Brook University. The analysis identifies key ingredients in areas of personnel, funding, organizational structures, educational priorities, collaboration, and institutionalization. After a discussion of relevant issues in…

Early Home Activities and Oral Language Skills in Middle Childhood: A Quantile Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, James; Rush, Robert; King, Tom; Westrupp, Elizabeth; Reilly, Sheena

2018-01-01

Oral language development is a key outcome of elementary school, and it is important to identify factors that predict it most effectively. Commonly researchers use ordinary least squares regression with conclusions restricted to average performance conditional on relevant covariates. Quantile regression offers a more sophisticated alternative.…

Family Decision Making: Benefits to Persons with Developmental Disabilities and Their Family Members

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neely-Barnes, Susan; Graff, J. Carolyn; Marcenko, Maureen; Weber, Lisa

2008-01-01

Family involvement in planning and choosing services has become a key intervention concept in developmental disability services. This study (N = 547) modeled patterns of family decision making and assessed benefits to persons with developmental disabilities (DDs) and their family members. A latent profile analysis identified 4 classes that were…

The Blackberry Image: Self-Identified Perceptions and Motivations Associated with College Student Blackberry Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firmin, Michael W.; Firmin, Ruth L.; Orient, Katlyn M.; Edwards, Anna J.; Cunliff, Jennifer M.

2012-01-01

We report the results of a qualitative research study conducted with university students regarding their phenomenological perspectives of BlackBerry use. Three key themes inductively emerged throughout the interview and analysis process regarding self-perceptions college students reported regarding their own BlackBerry use. First, students offered…

[Isolation and function of genes regulating aphB expression in Vibrio cholerae].

PubMed

Chen, Haili; Zhu, Zhaoqin; Zhong, Zengtao; Zhu, Jun; Kan, Biao

2012-02-04

We identified genes that regulate the expression of aphB, the gene encoding a key virulence regulator in Vibrio cholerae O1 E1 Tor C6706(-). We constructed a transposon library in V. cholerae C6706 strain containing a P(aphB)-luxCDABE and P(aphB)-lacZ transcriptional reporter plasmids. Using a chemiluminescence imager system, we rapidly detected aphB promoter expression level at a large scale. We then sequenced the transposon insertion sites by arbitrary PCR and sequencing analysis. We obtained two candidate mutants T1 and T2 which displayed reduced aphB expression from approximately 40,000 transposon insertion mutants. Sequencing analysis shows that Tn inserted in vc1585 reading frame in the T1 mutant and Tn inserted in the end of coding sequence of vc1602 in the T2 mutant. By using a genetic screen, we identified two potential genes that may involve in regulation of the expression of the key virulence regulator AphB. This study sheds light on our further investigation to fully understand V. cholerae virulence gene regulatory cascades.

Prediction of active sites of enzymes by maximum relevance minimum redundancy (mRMR) feature selection.

PubMed

Gao, Yu-Fei; Li, Bi-Qing; Cai, Yu-Dong; Feng, Kai-Yan; Li, Zhan-Dong; Jiang, Yang

2013-01-27

Identification of catalytic residues plays a key role in understanding how enzymes work. Although numerous computational methods have been developed to predict catalytic residues and active sites, the prediction accuracy remains relatively low with high false positives. In this work, we developed a novel predictor based on the Random Forest algorithm (RF) aided by the maximum relevance minimum redundancy (mRMR) method and incremental feature selection (IFS). We incorporated features of physicochemical/biochemical properties, sequence conservation, residual disorder, secondary structure and solvent accessibility to predict active sites of enzymes and achieved an overall accuracy of 0.885687 and MCC of 0.689226 on an independent test dataset. Feature analysis showed that every category of the features except disorder contributed to the identification of active sites. It was also shown via the site-specific feature analysis that the features derived from the active site itself contributed most to the active site determination. Our prediction method may become a useful tool for identifying the active sites and the key features identified by the paper may provide valuable insights into the mechanism of catalysis.

A Systematic Approach to Time-series Metabolite Profiling and RNA-seq Analysis of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Culture.

PubMed

Hsu, Han-Hsiu; Araki, Michihiro; Mochizuki, Masao; Hori, Yoshimi; Murata, Masahiro; Kahar, Prihardi; Yoshida, Takanobu; Hasunuma, Tomohisa; Kondo, Akihiko

2017-03-02

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the primary host used for biopharmaceutical protein production. The engineering of CHO cells to produce higher amounts of biopharmaceuticals has been highly dependent on empirical approaches, but recent high-throughput "omics" methods are changing the situation in a rational manner. Omics data analyses using gene expression or metabolite profiling make it possible to identify key genes and metabolites in antibody production. Systematic omics approaches using different types of time-series data are expected to further enhance understanding of cellular behaviours and molecular networks for rational design of CHO cells. This study developed a systematic method for obtaining and analysing time-dependent intracellular and extracellular metabolite profiles, RNA-seq data (enzymatic mRNA levels) and cell counts from CHO cell cultures to capture an overall view of the CHO central metabolic pathway (CMP). We then calculated correlation coefficients among all the profiles and visualised the whole CMP by heatmap analysis and metabolic pathway mapping, to classify genes and metabolites together. This approach provides an efficient platform to identify key genes and metabolites in CHO cell culture.

Measuring Integration of Cancer Services to Support Performance Improvement: The CSI Survey

PubMed Central

Dobrow, Mark J.; Paszat, Lawrence; Golden, Brian; Brown, Adalsteinn D.; Holowaty, Eric; Orchard, Margo C.; Monga, Neerav; Sullivan, Terrence

2009-01-01

Objective: To develop a measure of cancer services integration (CSI) that can inform clinical and administrative decision-makers in their efforts to monitor and improve cancer system performance. Methods: We employed a systematic approach to measurement development, including review of existing cancer/health services integration measures, key-informant interviews and focus groups with cancer system leaders. The research team constructed a Web-based survey that was field- and pilot-tested, refined and then formally conducted on a sample of cancer care providers and administrators in Ontario, Canada. We then conducted exploratory factor analysis to identify key dimensions of CSI. Results: A total of 1,769 physicians, other clinicians and administrators participated in the survey, responding to a 67-item questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis identified 12 factors that were linked to three broader dimensions: clinical, functional and vertical system integration. Conclusions: The CSI Survey provides important insights on a range of typically unmeasured aspects of the coordination and integration of cancer services, representing a new tool to inform performance improvement efforts. PMID:20676250

Genomic profiling of Sézary Syndrome identifies alterations of key T-cell signaling and differentiation genes

PubMed Central

Wang, Linghua; Ni, Xiao; Covington, Kyle R.; Yang, Betty Y.; Shiu, Jessica; Zhang, Xiang; Xi, Liu; Meng, Qingchang; Langridge, Timothy; Drummond, Jennifer; Donehower, Lawrence A.; Doddapaneni, Harshavardhan; Muzny, Donna M.; Gibbs, Richard A.; Wheeler, David A.; Duvic, Madeleine

2016-01-01

Sézary Syndrome is a rare leukemic form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma defined as erythroderma, adenopathy, and circulating atypical T-lymphocytes. It is rarely curable with poor prognosis. Here we present a multi-platform genomic analysis of 37 Sézary Syndrome patients that implicates dysregulation of the cell cycle checkpoint and T-cell signaling. Frequent somatic alterations were identified in TP53, CARD11, CCR4, PLCG1, CDKN2A, ARID1A, RPS6KA1, and ZEB1. Activating CCR4 and CARD11 mutations were detected in nearly a third of patients. ZEB1, a transcription repressor essential for T-cell differentiation, was deleted in over half of patients. IL32 and IL2RG were over-expressed in nearly all cases. Analysis of T-cell receptor Vβ and Vα expression revealed ongoing rearrangement of the receptors after the expansion of a malignant clone in one third of subjects. Our results demonstrate profound disruption of key signaling pathways in Sézary Syndrome and suggest potential targets for novel therapies. PMID:26551670

Women's Health at Work Program: musculoskeletal pain experienced by women of Chinese background working on market gardens in the Sydney Basin.

PubMed

Innes, Ev; Crowther, Amber; Fonti, Fiona; Quayle, Leonie

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE/PARTICIPANTS: This report describes a project undertaken by three final (4th) year occupational therapy undergraduate students from the University of Sydney, Australia, in their final fieldwork placement. The project involved women from a Chinese background who worked on market gardens across the Sydney Basin. Its purpose was to identify musculoskeletal risks in the work environment and work practices of a selected group of seven Cantonese-speaking women working on market gardens in the Western Sydney region. The approaches used in the project reflected a risk management approach, and involved background research, initial interviews, task analysis, hazard identification, risk assessment, data analysis, identification of key issues, and developing recommendations, in collaboration with participants and consultation with professionals. The key issues identified as contributing factors to musculoskeletal pain and injuries were: (1) work practices (long work hours, repetitive work); (2) biomechanical factors (repetitive and sustained work postures, poor manual handling practices) and limited training; (3) ergonomics of the equipment used; (4) fatigue. Two priority areas for intervention were identified: (1) pain management, and (2) preventative strategies (improving both the work environment and work practices). Recommendations were made in collaboration with the women, and in consultation with health professionals.

Protein-protein interaction networks identify targets which rescue the MPP+ cellular model of Parkinson’s disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keane, Harriet; Ryan, Brent J.; Jackson, Brendan; Whitmore, Alan; Wade-Martins, Richard

2015-11-01

Neurodegenerative diseases are complex multifactorial disorders characterised by the interplay of many dysregulated physiological processes. As an exemplar, Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves multiple perturbed cellular functions, including mitochondrial dysfunction and autophagic dysregulation in preferentially-sensitive dopamine neurons, a selective pathophysiology recapitulated in vitro using the neurotoxin MPP+. Here we explore a network science approach for the selection of therapeutic protein targets in the cellular MPP+ model. We hypothesised that analysis of protein-protein interaction networks modelling MPP+ toxicity could identify proteins critical for mediating MPP+ toxicity. Analysis of protein-protein interaction networks constructed to model the interplay of mitochondrial dysfunction and autophagic dysregulation (key aspects of MPP+ toxicity) enabled us to identify four proteins predicted to be key for MPP+ toxicity (P62, GABARAP, GBRL1 and GBRL2). Combined, but not individual, knockdown of these proteins increased cellular susceptibility to MPP+ toxicity. Conversely, combined, but not individual, over-expression of the network targets provided rescue of MPP+ toxicity associated with the formation of autophagosome-like structures. We also found that modulation of two distinct proteins in the protein-protein interaction network was necessary and sufficient to mitigate neurotoxicity. Together, these findings validate our network science approach to multi-target identification in complex neurological diseases.

Transcriptome Analysis of Three Sheep Intestinal Regions reveals Key Pathways and Hub Regulatory Genes of Large Intestinal Lipid Metabolism.

PubMed

Chao, Tianle; Wang, Guizhi; Ji, Zhibin; Liu, Zhaohua; Hou, Lei; Wang, Jin; Wang, Jianmin

2017-07-13

The large intestine, also known as the hindgut, is an important part of the animal digestive system. Recent studies on digestive system development in ruminants have focused on the rumen and the small intestine, but the molecular mechanisms underlying sheep large intestine metabolism remain poorly understood. To identify genes related to intestinal metabolism and to reveal molecular regulation mechanisms, we sequenced and compared the transcriptomes of mucosal epithelial tissues among the cecum, proximal colon and duodenum. A total of 4,221 transcripts from 3,254 genes were identified as differentially expressed transcripts. Between the large intestine and duodenum, differentially expressed transcripts were found to be significantly enriched in 6 metabolism-related pathways, among which PPAR signaling was identified as a key pathway. Three genes, CPT1A, LPL and PCK1, were identified as higher expression hub genes in the large intestine. Between the cecum and colon, differentially expressed transcripts were significantly enriched in 5 lipid metabolism related pathways, and CEPT1 and MBOAT1 were identified as hub genes. This study provides important information regarding the molecular mechanisms of intestinal metabolism in sheep and may provide a basis for further study.

Identification of miRNA Signatures Associated with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance with Further Biological and Functional Validation of Identified Key miRNAs

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

separated on 12% SDS PAGE gels and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes. After blocking with 5% non- fat milk (Labscientific, Inc) in TBS-Tween buffer... Raw mass spectrometric data were processed and analyzed for variations in the spectral counts of peptides between sample sets and bioinformatics was...accomplished using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA). Results: The total numbers of proteins and peptides identified are listed in the table

Lessons from the Canadian national health information technology plan for the United States: opinions of key Canadian experts.

PubMed

Zimlichman, Eyal; Rozenblum, Ronen; Salzberg, Claudia A; Jang, Yeona; Tamblyn, Melissa; Tamblyn, Robyn; Bates, David W

2012-01-01

To summarize the Canadian health information technology (HIT) policy experience and impart lessons learned to the US as it determines its policy in this area. Qualitative analysis of interviews with identified key stakeholders followed by an electronic survey. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 key Canadian HIT policy and opinion leaders and used a grounded theory approach to analyze the results. The informant sample was chosen to provide views from different stakeholder groups including national representatives and regional representatives from three Canadian provinces. Canadian informants believed that much of the current US direction is positive, especially regarding incentives and meaningful use, but that there are key opportunities for the US to emphasize direct engagement with providers, define a clear business case for them, sponsor large scale evaluations to assess HIT impact in a broad array of settings, determine standards but also enable access to resources needed for mid-course corrections of standards when issues are identified, and, finally, leverage implementation of digital imaging systems. Not all stakeholder groups were included, such as providers or patients. In addition, as in all qualitative research, a selection bias could be present due to the relatively small sample size. Based on Canadian experience with HIT policy, stakeholders identified as lessons for the US the need to increase direct engagement with providers and the importance of defining the business case for HIT, which can be achieved through large scale evaluations, and of recognizing and leveraging successes as they emerge.

Built environment assessment: Multidisciplinary perspectives.

PubMed

Glanz, Karen; Handy, Susan L; Henderson, Kathryn E; Slater, Sandy J; Davis, Erica L; Powell, Lisa M

2016-12-01

As obesity has become increasingly widespread, scientists seek better ways to assess and modify built and social environments to positively impact health. The applicable methods and concepts draw on multiple disciplines and require collaboration and cross-learning. This paper describes the results of an expert team׳s analysis of how key disciplinary perspectives contribute to environmental context-based assessment related to obesity, identifies gaps, and suggests opportunities to encourage effective advances in this arena. A team of experts representing diverse disciplines convened in 2013 to discuss the contributions of their respective disciplines to assessing built environments relevant to obesity prevention. The disciplines include urban planning, public health nutrition, exercise science, physical activity research, public health and epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, and economics. Each expert identified key concepts and measures from their discipline, and applications to built environment assessment and action. A selective review of published literature and internet-based information was conducted in 2013 and 2014. The key points that are highlighted in this article were identified in 2014-2015 through discussion, debate and consensus-building among the team of experts. Results focus on the various disciplines׳ perspectives and tools, recommendations, progress and gaps. There has been significant progress in collaboration across key disciplines that contribute to studies of built environments and obesity, but important gaps remain. Using lessons from interprofessional education and team science, along with appreciation of and attention to other disciplines׳ contributions, can promote more effective cross-disciplinary collaboration in obesity prevention.

Implementing communication and decision-making interventions directed at goals of care: a theory-led scoping review.

PubMed

Cummings, Amanda; Lund, Susi; Campling, Natasha; May, Carl R; Richardson, Alison; Myall, Michelle

2017-10-06

To identify the factors that promote and inhibit the implementation of interventions that improve communication and decision-making directed at goals of care in the event of acute clinical deterioration. A scoping review was undertaken based on the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley for conducting this type of review. Searches were carried out in Medline and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) to identify peer-reviewed papers and in Google to identify grey literature. Searches were limited to those published in the English language from 2000 onwards. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and only papers that had a specific focus on implementation in practice were selected. Data extracted were treated as qualitative and subjected to directed content analysis. A theory-informed coding framework using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was applied to characterise and explain implementation processes. Searches identified 2619 citations, 43 of which met the inclusion criteria. Analysis generated six themes fundamental to successful implementation of goals of care interventions: (1) input into development; (2) key clinical proponents; (3) training and education; (4) intervention workability and functionality; (5) setting and context; and (6) perceived value and appraisal. A broad and diverse literature focusing on implementation of goals of care interventions was identified. Our review recognised these interventions as both complex and contentious in nature, making their incorporation into routine clinical practice dependent on a number of factors. Implementing such interventions presents challenges at individual, organisational and systems levels, which make them difficult to introduce and embed. We have identified a series of factors that influence successful implementation and our analysis has distilled key learning points, conceptualised as a set of propositions, we consider relevant to implementing other complex and contentious interventions. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Integrating statistical and clinical research elements in intervention-related grant applications: summary from an NIMH workshop.

PubMed

Sherrill, Joel T; Sommers, David I; Nierenberg, Andrew A; Leon, Andrew C; Arndt, Stephan; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; Greenhouse, Joel; Guthrie, Donald; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Phillips, Katharine A; Shear, M Katherine; Woolson, Robert

2009-01-01

The authors summarize points for consideration generated in a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) workshop convened to provide an opportunity for reviewers from different disciplines-specifically clinical researchers and statisticians-to discuss how their differing and complementary expertise can be well integrated in the review of intervention-related grant applications. A 1-day workshop was convened in October, 2004. The workshop featured panel presentations on key topics followed by interactive discussion. This article summarizes the workshop and subsequent discussions, which centered on topics including weighting the statistics/data analysis elements of an application in the assessment of the application's overall merit; the level of statistical sophistication appropriate to different stages of research and for different funding mechanisms; some key considerations in the design and analysis portions of applications; appropriate statistical methods for addressing essential questions posed by an application; and the role of the statistician in the application's development, study conduct, and interpretation and dissemination of results. A number of key elements crucial to the construction and review of grant applications were identified. It was acknowledged that intervention-related studies unavoidably involve trade-offs. Reviewers are helped when applications acknowledge such trade-offs and provide good rationale for their choices. Clear linkage among the design, aims, hypotheses, and data analysis plan and avoidance of disconnections among these elements also strengthens applications. The authors identify multiple points to consider when constructing intervention-related grant applications. The points are presented here as questions and do not reflect institute policy or comprise a list of best practices, but rather represent points for consideration.

Global Sensitivity Analysis of OnGuard Models Identifies Key Hubs for Transport Interaction in Stomatal Dynamics1[CC-BY

PubMed Central

Vialet-Chabrand, Silvere; Griffiths, Howard

2017-01-01

The physical requirement for charge to balance across biological membranes means that the transmembrane transport of each ionic species is interrelated, and manipulating solute flux through any one transporter will affect other transporters at the same membrane, often with unforeseen consequences. The OnGuard systems modeling platform has helped to resolve the mechanics of stomatal movements, uncovering previously unexpected behaviors of stomata. To date, however, the manual approach to exploring model parameter space has captured little formal information about the emergent connections between parameters that define the most interesting properties of the system as a whole. Here, we introduce global sensitivity analysis to identify interacting parameters affecting a number of outputs commonly accessed in experiments in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The analysis highlights synergies between transporters affecting the balance between Ca2+ sequestration and Ca2+ release pathways, notably those associated with internal Ca2+ stores and their turnover. Other, unexpected synergies appear, including with the plasma membrane anion channels and H+-ATPase and with the tonoplast TPK K+ channel. These emergent synergies, and the core hubs of interaction that they define, identify subsets of transporters associated with free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration that represent key targets to enhance plant performance in the future. They also highlight the importance of interactions between the voltage regulation of the plasma membrane and tonoplast in coordinating transport between the different cellular compartments. PMID:28432256

Linked Sensitivity Analysis, Calibration, and Uncertainty Analysis Using a System Dynamics Model for Stroke Comparative Effectiveness Research.

PubMed

Tian, Yuan; Hassmiller Lich, Kristen; Osgood, Nathaniel D; Eom, Kirsten; Matchar, David B

2016-11-01

As health services researchers and decision makers tackle more difficult problems using simulation models, the number of parameters and the corresponding degree of uncertainty have increased. This often results in reduced confidence in such complex models to guide decision making. To demonstrate a systematic approach of linked sensitivity analysis, calibration, and uncertainty analysis to improve confidence in complex models. Four techniques were integrated and applied to a System Dynamics stroke model of US veterans, which was developed to inform systemwide intervention and research planning: Morris method (sensitivity analysis), multistart Powell hill-climbing algorithm and generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (calibration), and Monte Carlo simulation (uncertainty analysis). Of 60 uncertain parameters, sensitivity analysis identified 29 needing calibration, 7 that did not need calibration but significantly influenced key stroke outcomes, and 24 not influential to calibration or stroke outcomes that were fixed at their best guess values. One thousand alternative well-calibrated baselines were obtained to reflect calibration uncertainty and brought into uncertainty analysis. The initial stroke incidence rate among veterans was identified as the most influential uncertain parameter, for which further data should be collected. That said, accounting for current uncertainty, the analysis of 15 distinct prevention and treatment interventions provided a robust conclusion that hypertension control for all veterans would yield the largest gain in quality-adjusted life years. For complex health care models, a mixed approach was applied to examine the uncertainty surrounding key stroke outcomes and the robustness of conclusions. We demonstrate that this rigorous approach can be practical and advocate for such analysis to promote understanding of the limits of certainty in applying models to current decisions and to guide future data collection. © The Author(s) 2016.

To Drug or Not to Drug: A Qualitative Study of Patients' Decision-Making Processes for Managing Insomnia.

PubMed

Cheung, Janet M Y; Bartlett, Delwyn J; Armour, Carol L; Laba, Tracey-Lea; Saini, Bandana

2018-01-01

Treatment preferences play a key role in dictating sleep health outcomes. However, patients' treatment beliefs, attitudes, and experiences that inform preference conceptualization remain an unknown phenomenon. Therefore, this study aims to explore patient perceptions toward pharmacotherapy and the nonpharmacological management of insomnia. Fifty-one patients with insomnia were recruited from specialist clinics and general community settings. Participants completed a brief questionnaire followed by an in-depth semistructured interview that was digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to Framework Analysis to identify emergent themes. Three key themes were identified: Resolving Insomnia, Self-Imposed Treatment Boundaries, and Treatment Uptake. Patients' illness, treatment, and psychosocial beliefs and experiences are closely linked to treatment choice. Being attuned to these influences during the clinical encounter can facilitate treatment selection that is meaningful for the patient.

Telemedicine information analysis center.

PubMed

Zajtchuk, Joan T; Zajtchuk, Russ; Petrovic, Joseph J; Gutz, Ryan P; Walrath, Benjamin D

2004-01-01

Congress mandated a pilot project to demonstrate the feasibility of establishing a Department of Defense (DoD) telemedicine information analysis center (TIAC). The project developed a medical information support system to show the core capabilities of a TIAC. The productivity and effectiveness of telemedicine researchers and clinical practitioners can be enhanced by the existence of an information analysis center (IACs) devoted to the collection, analysis, synthesis, and dissemination of worldwide scientific and technical information related to the field of telemedicine. The work conducted under the TIAC pilot project establishes the basic IAC functions and assesses the utility of the TIAC to the military medical departments. The pilot project capabilities are Web-based and include: (1) applying the science of classification (taxonomy) to telemedicine to identify key words; (2) creating a relational database of this taxonomy to a bibliographic database using these key words; (3) developing and disseminating information via a public TIAC Web site; (4) performing a specific baseline technical area task for the U.S. Army Medical Command; and (5) providing analyses by subject matter experts.

Strengthening mental health system governance in six low- and middle-income countries in Africa and South Asia: challenges, needs and potential strategies

PubMed Central

Marais, Debbie; Abdulmalik, Jibril; Ahuja, Shalini; Alem, Atalay; Chisholm, Dan; Egbe, Catherine; Gureje, Oye; Hanlon, Charlotte; Lund, Crick; Shidhaye, Rahul; Jordans, Mark; Kigozi, Fred; Mugisha, James; Upadhaya, Nawaraj; Thornicroft, Graham

2017-01-01

Abstract Poor governance has been identified as a barrier to effective integration of mental health care in low- and middle-income countries. Governance includes providing the necessary policy and legislative framework to promote and protect the mental health of a population, as well as health system design and quality assurance to ensure optimal policy implementation. The aim of this study was to identify key governance challenges, needs and potential strategies that could facilitate adequate integration of mental health into primary health care settings in low- and middle-income countries. Key informant qualitative interviews were held with 141 participants across six countries participating in the Emerging mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries (Emerald) research program: Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda. Data were transcribed (and where necessary, translated into English) and analysed thematically using framework analysis, first at the country level, then synthesized at a cross-country level. While all the countries fared well with respect to strategic vision in the form of the development of national mental health policies, key governance strategies identified to address challenges included: strengthening capacity of managers at sub-national levels to develop and implement integrated plans; strengthening key aspects of the essential health system building blocks to promote responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness; developing workable mechanisms for inter-sectoral collaboration, as well as community and service user engagement; and developing innovative approaches to improving mental health literacy and stigma reduction. Inadequate financing emerged as the biggest challenge for good governance. In addition to the need for overall good governance of a health care system, this study identifies a number of specific strategies to improve governance for integrated mental health care in low- and middle-income countries. PMID:28369396

[Methods of a posteriori identification of food patterns in Brazilian children: a systematic review].

PubMed

Carvalho, Carolina Abreu de; Fonsêca, Poliana Cristina de Almeida; Nobre, Luciana Neri; Priore, Silvia Eloiza; Franceschini, Sylvia do Carmo Castro

2016-01-01

The objective of this study is to provide guidance for identifying dietary patterns using the a posteriori approach, and analyze the methodological aspects of the studies conducted in Brazil that identified the dietary patterns of children. Articles were selected from the Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences, Scientific Electronic Library Online and Pubmed databases. The key words were: Dietary pattern; Food pattern; Principal Components Analysis; Factor analysis; Cluster analysis; Reduced rank regression. We included studies that identified dietary patterns of children using the a posteriori approach. Seven studies published between 2007 and 2014 were selected, six of which were cross-sectional and one cohort, Five studies used the food frequency questionnaire for dietary assessment; one used a 24-hour dietary recall and the other a food list. The method of exploratory approach used in most publications was principal components factor analysis, followed by cluster analysis. The sample size of the studies ranged from 232 to 4231, the values of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test from 0.524 to 0.873, and Cronbach's alpha from 0.51 to 0.69. Few Brazilian studies identified dietary patterns of children using the a posteriori approach and principal components factor analysis was the technique most used.

Clinical application of ICF key codes to evaluate patients with dysphagia following stroke

PubMed Central

Dong, Yi; Zhang, Chang-Jie; Shi, Jie; Deng, Jinggui; Lan, Chun-Na

2016-01-01

Abstract This study was aimed to identify and evaluate the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) key codes for dysphagia in stroke patients. Thirty patients with dysphagia after stroke were enrolled in our study. To evaluate the ICF dysphagia scale, 6 scales were used as comparisons, namely the Barthel Index (BI), Repetitive Saliva Swallowing Test (RSST), Kubota Water Swallowing Test (KWST), Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Multiple regression analysis was performed to quantitate the relationship between the ICF scale and the other 7 scales. In addition, 60 ICF scales were analyzed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method. A total of 21 ICF codes were identified, which were closely related with the other scales. These included 13 codes from Body Function, 1 from Body Structure, 3 from Activities and Participation, and 4 from Environmental Factors. A topographic network map with 30 ICF key codes was also generated to visualize their relationships. The number of ICF codes identified is in line with other well-established evaluation methods. The network topographic map generated here could be used as an instruction tool in future evaluations. We also found that attention functions and biting were critical codes of these scales, and could be used as treatment targets. PMID:27661012

Investigating slips, trips and falls in the New Zealand dairy farming sector.

PubMed

Bentley, Tim; Tappin, David; Moore, Dave; Legg, Stephen; Ashby, Liz; Parker, Richard

2005-06-22

The paper presents findings from 39 detailed follow-up investigations of slips, trips and falls (STF) incurred by individuals working in New Zealand's dairy farming industry. The study sought to identify the key contributory risk factors for STF in this sector to provide evidence to support intervention design, and to determine the effectiveness of the investigative methodology used to achieve these objectives. Findings from the follow-up investigations included an analysis of factors related to the underfoot surface, underfoot hazard and footwear. Of note here was the propensity for STF-involved workers to not see or identify an underfoot hazard due to concurrent visual task distractions, and for workers to use footwear that both lacked effective tread and was unsuitable for the task and underfoot surface. Key latent risk factors and their interactions identified included problems associated with time pressure and related time-saving behaviours and the presence of design errors that, for example, required workers to climb onto equipment to view aspects of the task they were working on. The paper concludes that the potential resource and logistical problems associated with conducting detailed STF investigations are outweighed by the opportunity to collect rich data on key risk factors and their interactions in STF research.

Identification of Mitosis-Specific Phosphorylation in Mitotic Chromosome-Associated Proteins.

PubMed

Ohta, Shinya; Kimura, Michiko; Takagi, Shunsuke; Toramoto, Iyo; Ishihama, Yasushi

2016-09-02

During mitosis, phosphorylation of chromosome-associated proteins is a key regulatory mechanism. Mass spectrometry has been successfully applied to determine the complete protein composition of mitotic chromosomes, but not to identify post-translational modifications. Here, we quantitatively compared the phosphoproteome of isolated mitotic chromosomes with that of chromosomes in nonsynchronized cells. We identified 4274 total phosphorylation sites and 350 mitosis-specific phosphorylation sites in mitotic chromosome-associated proteins. Significant mitosis-specific phosphorylation in centromere/kinetochore proteins was detected, although the chromosomal association of these proteins did not change throughout the cell cycle. This mitosis-specific phosphorylation might play a key role in regulation of mitosis. Further analysis revealed strong dependency of phosphorylation dynamics on kinase consensus patterns, thus linking the identified phosphorylation sites to known key mitotic kinases. Remarkably, chromosomal axial proteins such as non-SMC subunits of condensin, TopoIIα, and Kif4A, together with the chromosomal periphery protein Ki67 involved in the establishment of the mitotic chromosomal structure, demonstrated high phosphorylation during mitosis. These findings suggest a novel mechanism for regulation of chromosome restructuring in mitosis via protein phosphorylation. Our study generated a large quantitative database on protein phosphorylation in mitotic and nonmitotic chromosomes, thus providing insights into the dynamics of chromatin protein phosphorylation at mitosis onset.

Enhancing security and improving interoperability in healthcare information systems.

PubMed

Gritzalis, D A

1998-01-01

Security is a key issue in healthcare information systems, since most aspects of security become of considerable or even critical importance when handling healthcare information. In addition, the intense need for information exchange has revealed interoperability of systems and applications as another key issue. Standardization can play an important role towards both these issues. In this paper, relevant standardization activities are briefly presented, and existing and emerging healthcare information security standards are identified and critically analysed. The analysis is based on a framework which has been developed for this reason. Therefore, the identification of gaps and inconsistencies in current standardization, the description of the conflicts of standards with legislation, and the analysis of implications of these standards to user organizations, are the main results of this paper.

Characterization of the key aroma compounds in pork soup stock by using an aroma extract dilution analysis.

PubMed

Takakura, Yukiko; Osanai, Hiroki; Masuzawa, Takuya; Wakabayashi, Hidehiko; Nishimura, Toshihide

2014-01-01

The aroma extract dilution analysis of an extract prepared from pork stock and subsequent experiments led to the identification of 15 aroma-active compounds in the flavor dilution factor range of 64-2048. Omission experiments to select the most aroma-active compounds from the 15 odor compounds suggested acetol, octanoic acid, δ-decalactone, and decanoic acid as the main active compounds contributing to the aroma of pork stock. Aroma recombination, addition, and omission experiments of these four aroma compounds in taste-reconstituted pork stock showed that each compound had an individual aroma profile. A comparison of the overall aroma between this recombined mixture and pork stock showed strong similarity, suggesting that the key aroma compounds had been successfully identified.

Differential proteomics analysis to identify proteins and pathways associated with male sterility of soybean using iTRAQ-based strategy.

PubMed

Li, Jiajia; Ding, Xianlong; Han, Shaohuai; He, Tingting; Zhang, Hao; Yang, Longshu; Yang, Shouping; Gai, Junyi

2016-04-14

To further elucidate the molecular mechanism of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in soybean, a differential proteomic analysis was completed between the CMS line NJCMS1A and its maintainer NJCMS1B using iTRAQ-based strategy. As a result, 180 differential abundance proteins (DAPs) were identified, of which, 60 were down-regulated and 120 were up-regulated in NJCMS1A compared with NJCMS1B. Bioinformatic analysis showed that 167 DAPs were annotated in 41 Gene Ontology functional groups, 106 DAPs were classified into 20 clusters of orthologous groups of protein categories, and 128 DAPs were enrichment in 53 KEGG pathways. Fifteen differential level proteins/genes with the same expression pattern were identified in the further conjoint analysis of DAPs and the previously reported differential expression genes. Moreover, multiple reaction monitoring test, qRT-PCR analysis and enzyme activity assay validated that the iTRAQ results were reliable. Based on functional analysis of DAPs, we concluded that male sterility in NJCMS1A might be related to insufficiencies in energy supply, unbalance of protein synthesis and degradation, disruption of flavonoid synthesis, programmed cell death, abnormalities of substance metabolism, etc. These results might facilitate our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind CMS in soybean. Soybean is an important global crop that provides protein and oil. Heterosis is a significantly potential approach to increase the yield of soybean. Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) plays a vital role in the production of hybrid seeds. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms of male sterility in soybean still need to be further elucidated. In the present paper, a differential proteomic analysis was carried out and the results showed that several key proteins involved in key pathways were associated with male sterility in soybean. This work provides a new insight to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying CMS in soybean. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

funRNA: a fungi-centered genomics platform for genes encoding key components of RNAi.

PubMed

Choi, Jaeyoung; Kim, Ki-Tae; Jeon, Jongbum; Wu, Jiayao; Song, Hyeunjeong; Asiegbu, Fred O; Lee, Yong-Hwan

2014-01-01

RNA interference (RNAi) is involved in genome defense as well as diverse cellular, developmental, and physiological processes. Key components of RNAi are Argonaute, Dicer, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), which have been functionally characterized mainly in model organisms. The key components are believed to exist throughout eukaryotes; however, there is no systematic platform for archiving and dissecting these important gene families. In addition, few fungi have been studied to date, limiting our understanding of RNAi in fungi. Here we present funRNA http://funrna.riceblast.snu.ac.kr/, a fungal kingdom-wide comparative genomics platform for putative genes encoding Argonaute, Dicer, and RdRP. To identify and archive genes encoding the abovementioned key components, protein domain profiles were determined from reference sequences obtained from UniProtKB/SwissProt. The domain profiles were searched using fungal, metazoan, and plant genomes, as well as bacterial and archaeal genomes. 1,163, 442, and 678 genes encoding Argonaute, Dicer, and RdRP, respectively, were predicted. Based on the identification results, active site variation of Argonaute, diversification of Dicer, and sequence analysis of RdRP were discussed in a fungus-oriented manner. funRNA provides results from diverse bioinformatics programs and job submission forms for BLAST, BLASTMatrix, and ClustalW. Furthermore, sequence collections created in funRNA are synced with several gene family analysis portals and databases, offering further analysis opportunities. funRNA provides identification results from a broad taxonomic range and diverse analysis functions, and could be used in diverse comparative and evolutionary studies. It could serve as a versatile genomics workbench for key components of RNAi.

Chemical Analysis of Plants that Poison Livestock: Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities.

PubMed

Welch, Kevin D; Lee, Stephen T; Cook, Daniel; Gardner, Dale R; Pfister, James A

2018-04-04

Poisonous plants have a devastating impact on the livestock industry as well as human health. To fully understand the effects of poisonous plants, multiple scientific disciplines are required. Chemical analysis of plant secondary compounds is key to identifying the responsible toxins, characterizing their metabolism, and understanding their effects on animals and humans. In this review, we highlight some of the successes in studying poisonous plants and mitigating their toxic effects. We also highlight some of the remaining challenges and opportunities with regards to the chemical analysis of poisonous plants.

Infusing Reliability Techniques into Software Safety Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shi, Ying

2015-01-01

Software safety analysis for a large software intensive system is always a challenge. Software safety practitioners need to ensure that software related hazards are completely identified, controlled, and tracked. This paper discusses in detail how to incorporate the traditional reliability techniques into the entire software safety analysis process. In addition, this paper addresses how information can be effectively shared between the various practitioners involved in the software safety analyses. The author has successfully applied the approach to several aerospace applications. Examples are provided to illustrate the key steps of the proposed approach.

Volatile and key odourant compounds of Turkish Berberis crataegina fruit using GC-MS-Olfactometry.

PubMed

Sonmezdag, Ahmet Salih; Kelebek, Hasim; Selli, Serkan

2018-04-01

This research was conducted to identify the aroma and aroma-active compounds of Berberis crataegina for the first time. Volatile profile of B. crataegina was obtained using the purge and trap extraction method with dichloromethane. Gas chromatography was coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) allowed the quantitative and qualitative detection of 22 compounds in the sample. Aldehydes were the main chemical group in the sample and followed by aromatic alcohols and lactone. Aroma extract dilution analysis was implemented for the specification of key odourants of B. crataegina. In total, eight key odourants were detected in the extract of the sample, using GC-MS-Olfactometry and aldehydes were the leading chemical group. The key odourants, found to be contributing to the overall aroma in B. crataegina, were nonanal (FD = 1024; green, flowery), hexanal (FD = 512; green) and linalool (FD = 256; flowery, rose) because of high FD factors.

An analysis of the outdoor recreation and wilderness situation in the United States, 1989-2040: A technical document supporting the 1989 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment

Treesearch

H. Ken Cordell; John C. Bergstrom; Lawrence A. Hartmann; Donald B. K. English

1990-01-01

The Analysis of the Outdoor Recreation and Wilderness Situation in the United States is intended to build upon past studies and to establish a new and better information base on outdoor recreation and wilderness demand and supply. Also, this assessment answers several key questions which will help identify ways to meet demand through the year 2040. Specifically, it is...

Global Carbon Fiber Composites Supply Chain Competitiveness Analysis

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

Das, Sujit; Warren, Josh; West, Devin

This analysis identifies key opportunities in the carbon fiber supply chain where resources and investments can help advance the clean energy economy. The report focuses on four application areas — wind energy, aerospace, automotive, and pressure vessels — that top the list of industries using carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced polymers. For each of the four application areas, the report addresses the supply and demand trends within that sector, supply chain, and costs of carbon fiber and components.

Global-local methodologies and their application to nonlinear analysis. [for structural postbuckling study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

1986-01-01

An assessment is made of the potential of different global-local analysis strategies for predicting the nonlinear and postbuckling responses of structures. Two postbuckling problems of composite panels are used as benchmarks and the application of different global-local methodologies to these benchmarks is outlined. The key elements of each of the global-local strategies are discussed and future research areas needed to realize the full potential of global-local methodologies are identified.

Literature Survey of Induced Traffic Due to Transport Cost Savings.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

19. KEY WORDS (Continue on reveres aide If necessary and identify by block number) Induced traffic, benefit -cost analysis,discriminant analysis...currently " al"ilable t’ induced movement benefit . The reviewer focused on coal and grain . ’.rade. A jide range of sources were consulted and read...in order to find any research that had been done on induced movement benefit . Findings are sum- marized, and future research topics on feasible models

Global Phosphoproteomic Analysis of Insulin/Akt/mTORC1/S6K Signaling in Rat Hepatocytes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yajie; Yu, Yonghao

2017-08-04

Insulin resistance is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes. Although multiple genetic and physiological factors interact to cause insulin resistance, deregulated signaling by phosphorylation is a common underlying mechanism. In particular, the specific phosphorylation-dependent regulatory mechanisms and signaling outputs of insulin are poorly understood in hepatocytes, which represents one of the most important insulin-responsive cell types. Using primary rat hepatocytes as a model system, we performed reductive dimethylation (ReDi)-based quantitative mass spectrometric analysis and characterized the phosphoproteome that is regulated by insulin as well as its key downstream kinases including Akt, mTORC1, and S6K. We identified a total of 12 294 unique, confidently localized phosphorylation sites and 3805 phosphorylated proteins in this single cell type. Detailed bioinformatic analysis on each individual data set identified both known and previously unrecognized targets of this key insulin downstream effector pathway. Furthermore, integrated analysis of the hepatic Akt/mTORC1/S6K signaling axis allowed the delineation of the substrate specificity of several close-related kinases within the insulin signaling pathway. We expect that the data sets will serve as an invaluable resource, providing the foundation for future hypothesis-driven research that helps delineate the molecular mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and related metabolic syndrome.

PLAU inferred from a correlation network is critical for suppressor function of regulatory T cells

PubMed Central

He, Feng; Chen, Hairong; Probst-Kepper, Michael; Geffers, Robert; Eifes, Serge; del Sol, Antonio; Schughart, Klaus; Zeng, An-Ping; Balling, Rudi

2012-01-01

Human FOXP3+CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential to the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Several genes are known to be important for murine Tregs, but for human Tregs the genes and underlying molecular networks controlling the suppressor function still largely remain unclear. Here, we describe a strategy to identify the key genes directly from an undirected correlation network which we reconstruct from a very high time-resolution (HTR) transcriptome during the activation of human Tregs/CD4+ T-effector cells. We show that a predicted top-ranked new key gene PLAU (the plasminogen activator urokinase) is important for the suppressor function of both human and murine Tregs. Further analysis unveils that PLAU is particularly important for memory Tregs and that PLAU mediates Treg suppressor function via STAT5 and ERK signaling pathways. Our study demonstrates the potential for identifying novel key genes for complex dynamic biological processes using a network strategy based on HTR data, and reveals a critical role for PLAU in Treg suppressor function. PMID:23169000

GOClonto: an ontological clustering approach for conceptualizing PubMed abstracts.

PubMed

Zheng, Hai-Tao; Borchert, Charles; Kim, Hong-Gee

2010-02-01

Concurrent with progress in biomedical sciences, an overwhelming of textual knowledge is accumulating in the biomedical literature. PubMed is the most comprehensive database collecting and managing biomedical literature. To help researchers easily understand collections of PubMed abstracts, numerous clustering methods have been proposed to group similar abstracts based on their shared features. However, most of these methods do not explore the semantic relationships among groupings of documents, which could help better illuminate the groupings of PubMed abstracts. To address this issue, we proposed an ontological clustering method called GOClonto for conceptualizing PubMed abstracts. GOClonto uses latent semantic analysis (LSA) and gene ontology (GO) to identify key gene-related concepts and their relationships as well as allocate PubMed abstracts based on these key gene-related concepts. Based on two PubMed abstract collections, the experimental results show that GOClonto is able to identify key gene-related concepts and outperforms the STC (suffix tree clustering) algorithm, the Lingo algorithm, the Fuzzy Ants algorithm, and the clustering based TRS (tolerance rough set) algorithm. Moreover, the two ontologies generated by GOClonto show significant informative conceptual structures.

Comparative proteomics analysis of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9 revealed the key proteins involved in in situ root colonization.

PubMed

Qiu, Meihua; Xu, Zhihui; Li, Xingxing; Li, Qing; Zhang, Nan; Shen, Qirong; Zhang, Ruifu

2014-12-05

Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens SQR9 is a well-investigated plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria with strong root colonization capability. To identify the key proteins involved in in situ root colonization and biofilm formation, the proteomic profiles of planktonic and root colonized SQR9 cells were compared. A total of 755 proteins were identified, of which 78 and 95 proteins were significantly increased and deceased, respectively, when SQR9 was colonized on the root. The proteins that were closely affiliated with the root colonization belonged to the functional categories of biocontrol, detoxification, biofilm formation, cell motility and chemotaxis, transport, and degradation of plant polysaccharides. A two-component system protein ResE was increased 100-fold when compared to the planktonic status; impairment of the resE gene postponed the formation of cell biofilm and decreased the root colonization capability, which may be regulated through the spo0A-sinI-yqxM pathway. The SQR9 proteomic data provide valuable clues for screening key proteins in the plant-rhizobacteria interaction.

Aroma improvement by repeated freeze-thaw treatment during Tuber melanosporum fermentation

PubMed Central

Xiao, Deng-Rong; Liu, Rui-Sang; He, Long; Li, Hong-Mei; Tang, Ya-Ling; Liang, Xin-Hua; Chen, Tao; Tang, Ya-Jie

2015-01-01

The aroma attributes of sulfurous, mushroom and earthy are the most important characteristics of the aroma of Tuber melanosporum. However, these three aroma attributes are absent in the T. melanosporum fermentation system. To improve the quality of the aroma, repeated freeze-thaw treatment (RFTT) was adopted to affect the interplay of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Using RFTT, not only was the score on the hedonic scale of the aroma increased from the “liked slightly” to the “liked moderately” grade, but the aroma attributes of sulfurous, mushroom and earthy could also be smelled in the T. melanosporum fermentation system for the first time. A total of 29 VOCs were identified, and 9 compounds were identified as the key discriminative volatiles affected by RFTT. Amino acid analysis revealed that methionine, valine, serine, phenylalanine, isoleucine and threonine were the key substrates associated with the biosynthesis of the 9 key discriminative VOCs. This study noted that amino acid metabolism played an important role in the regulation of the aroma of the T. melanosporum fermentation system. PMID:26607288

[Identification of educational needs among patients with HIV and their health care providers].

PubMed

Araya G, Alejandra; Carrasco A, Paola; Loayza G, Carla; Fernández S, Ana María; Pérez C, Carlos; Lasso B, Martín

2013-05-01

The success of educational interventions depends on the integration of educational programs into clinical practice. To determine the educational needs and perceived barriers of people living with HIV (PHIV) and their health care providers (HCP). Qualitative study conducted in 60 PHIV and 10 HCP. For data collection, a semi-structured in-depth interview was applied, addressing the educational needs (content, methodology, person, time, physical location) and identified barriers to implement an educational program for PHIV Content analysis technique was used for data analysis. PHIV and their HCP identified the same educational needs as the following: general-related content, psychological, sexual and secondary prevention aspects of the disease. Individual sessions with written material and web pages were identified as important resources to support education. Both PHIV and professionals expressed their willingness to participate in educational programs, but the most commonly identified barrier was lack of time. This study identifies the key elements to include in an educational program for Chilean PHIV from the user and professional perspective.

Integrated microarray and ChIP analysis identifies multiple Foxa2 dependent target genes in the notochord.

PubMed

Tamplin, Owen J; Cox, Brian J; Rossant, Janet

2011-12-15

The node and notochord are key tissues required for patterning of the vertebrate body plan. Understanding the gene regulatory network that drives their formation and function is therefore important. Foxa2 is a key transcription factor at the top of this genetic hierarchy and finding its targets will help us to better understand node and notochord development. We performed an extensive microarray-based gene expression screen using sorted embryonic notochord cells to identify early notochord-enriched genes. We validated their specificity to the node and notochord by whole mount in situ hybridization. This provides the largest available resource of notochord-expressed genes, and therefore candidate Foxa2 target genes in the notochord. Using existing Foxa2 ChIP-seq data from adult liver, we were able to identify a set of genes expressed in the notochord that had associated regions of Foxa2-bound chromatin. Given that Foxa2 is a pioneer transcription factor, we reasoned that these sites might represent notochord-specific enhancers. Candidate Foxa2-bound regions were tested for notochord specific enhancer function in a zebrafish reporter assay and 7 novel notochord enhancers were identified. Importantly, sequence conservation or predictive models could not have readily identified these regions. Mutation of putative Foxa2 binding elements in two of these novel enhancers abrogated reporter expression and confirmed their Foxa2 dependence. The combination of highly specific gene expression profiling and genome-wide ChIP analysis is a powerful means of understanding developmental pathways, even for small cell populations such as the notochord. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microarray analysis reveals key genes and pathways in Tetralogy of Fallot

PubMed Central

He, Yue-E; Qiu, Hui-Xian; Jiang, Jian-Bing; Wu, Rong-Zhou; Xiang, Ru-Lian; Zhang, Yuan-Hai

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to identify key genes that may be involved in the pathogenesis of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) using bioinformatics methods. The GSE26125 microarray dataset, which includes cardiovascular tissue samples derived from 16 children with TOF and five healthy age-matched control infants, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differential expression analysis was performed between TOF and control samples to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using Student's t-test, and the R/limma package, with a log2 fold-change of >2 and a false discovery rate of <0.01 set as thresholds. The biological functions of DEGs were analyzed using the ToppGene database. The ReactomeFIViz application was used to construct functional interaction (FI) networks, and the genes in each module were subjected to pathway enrichment analysis. The iRegulon plugin was used to identify transcription factors predicted to regulate the DEGs in the FI network, and the gene-transcription factor pairs were then visualized using Cytoscape software. A total of 878 DEGs were identified, including 848 upregulated genes and 30 downregulated genes. The gene FI network contained seven function modules, which were all comprised of upregulated genes. Genes enriched in Module 1 were enriched in the following three neurological disorder-associated signaling pathways: Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. Genes in Modules 0, 3 and 5 were dominantly enriched in pathways associated with ribosomes and protein translation. The Xbox binding protein 1 transcription factor was demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of genes encoding the subunits of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ribosomes, as well as genes involved in neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, dysfunction of genes involved in signaling pathways associated with neurodegenerative disorders, ribosome function and protein translation may contribute to the pathogenesis of TOF. PMID:28713939

Synthesizing qualitative and quantitative evidence on non-financial access barriers: implications for assessment at the district level.

PubMed

O'Connell, Thomas S; Bedford, K Juliet A; Thiede, Michael; McIntyre, Di

2015-06-09

A key element of the global drive to universal health coverage is ensuring access to needed health services for everyone, and to pursue this goal in an equitable way. This requires concerted efforts to reduce disparities in access through understanding and acting on barriers facing communities with the lowest utilisation levels. Financial barriers dominate the empirical literature on health service access. Unless the full range of access barriers are investigated, efforts to promote equitable access to health care are unlikely to succeed. This paper therefore focuses on exploring the nature and extent of non-financial access barriers. We draw upon two structured literature reviews on barriers to access and utilization of maternal, newborn and child health services in Ghana, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Rwanda. One review analyses access barriers identified in published literature using qualitative research methods; the other in published literature using quantitative analysis of household survey data. We then synthesised the key qualitative and quantitative findings through a conjoint iterative analysis. Five dominant themes on non-financial access barriers were identified: ethnicity; religion; physical accessibility; decision-making, gender and autonomy; and knowledge, information and education. The analysis highlighted that non-financial factors pose considerable barriers to access, many of which relate to the acceptability dimension of access and are challenging to address. Another key finding is that quantitative research methods, while yielding important findings, are inadequate for understanding non-financial access barriers in sufficient detail to develop effective responses. Qualitative research is critical in filling this gap. The analysis also indicates that the nature of non-financial access barriers vary considerably, not only between countries but also between different communities within individual countries. To adequately understand access barriers as a basis for developing effective strategies to address them, mixed-methods approaches are required. From an equity perspective, communities with the lowest utilisation levels should be prioritised and the access barriers specific to that community identified. It is, therefore, critical to develop approaches that can be used at the district level to diagnose and act upon access barriers if we are to pursue an equitable path to universal health coverage.

Equity in public health standards: a qualitative document analysis of policies from two Canadian provinces

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Introduction Promoting health equity is a key goal of many public health systems. However, little is known about how equity is conceptualized in such systems, particularly as standards of public health practice are established. As part of a larger study examining the renewal of public health in two Canadian provinces, Ontario and British Columbia (BC), we undertook an analysis of relevant public health documents related to equity. The aim of this paper is to discuss how equity is considered within documents that outline standards for public health. Methods A research team consisting of policymakers and academics identified key documents related to the public health renewal process in each province. The documents were analyzed using constant comparative analysis to identify key themes related to the conceptualization and integration of health equity as part of public health renewal in Ontario and BC. Documents were coded inductively with higher levels of abstraction achieved through multiple readings. Sets of questions were developed to guide the analysis throughout the process. Results In both sets of provincial documents health inequities were defined in a similar fashion, as the consequence of unfair or unjust structural conditions. Reducing health inequities was an explicit goal of the public health renewal process. In Ontario, addressing “priority populations” was used as a proxy term for health equity and the focus was on existing programs. In BC, the incorporation of an equity lens enhanced the identification of health inequities, with a particular emphasis on the social determinants of health. In both, priority was given to reducing barriers to public health services and to forming partnerships with other sectors to reduce health inequities. Limits to the accountability of public health to reduce health inequities were identified in both provinces. Conclusion This study contributes to understanding how health equity is conceptualized and incorporated into standards for local public health. As reflected in their policies, both provinces have embraced the importance of reducing health inequities. Both concepualized this process as rooted in structural injustices and the social determinants of health. Differences in the conceptualization of health equity likely reflect contextual influences on the public health renewal processes in each jurisdiction. PMID:22632097

Microeconomic institutions and personnel economics for health care delivery: a formal exploration of what matters to health workers in Rwanda.

PubMed

Serneels, Pieter; Lievens, Tomas

2018-01-26

Most developing countries face important challenges regarding the quality of health care, and there is a growing consensus that health workers play a key role in this process. Our understanding as to what are the key institutional challenges in human resources, and their underlying driving forces, is more limited. A conceptual framework that structures existing insights and provides concrete directions for policymaking is also missing. To gain a bottom-up perspective, we gather qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with different levels of health workers and users of health services in rural and urban Rwanda. We conducted discussions with 48 health workers and 25 users of health services in nine different groups in 2005. We maximized within-group heterogeneity by selecting participants using specific criteria that affect health worker performance and career choice. The discussion were analysed electronically, to identify key themes and insights, and are documented with a descriptive quantitative analysis relating to the associations between quotations. The findings from this research are then revisited 10 years later making use of detailed follow-up studies that have been carried out since then. The original discussions identified both key challenges in human resources for health and driving forces of these challenges, as well as possible solutions. Two sets of issues were highlighted: those related to the size and distribution of the workforce and those related to health workers' on-the-job performance. Among the latter, four categories were identified: health workers' poor attitudes towards patients, absenteeism, corruption and embezzlement and lack of medical skills among some categories of health workers. The discussion suggest that four components constitute the deeper causal factors, which are, ranked in order of ease of malleability, incentives, monitoring arrangements, professional and workplace norms and intrinsic motivation. Three institutional innovations are identified that aim at improving performance: performance pay, community health workers and increased attention to training of health workers. Revisiting the findings from this primary research making use of later in-depth studies, the analysis demonstrates their continued relevance and usefulness. We discuss how the different factors affect the quality of care by impacting on health worker performance and labour market choices, making use of insights from economics and development studies on the role of institutions. The study results indicate that health care quality to an important degree depends on four institutional factors at the microlevel that strongly impact on health workers' performance and career choice, and which deserve more attention in applied research and policy reform. The analysis also helps to identify ways forwards, which fit well with the Ministry's most recent strategic plan.

Comparison of Portable and Bench-Top Spectrometers for Mid-Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Measurements of Soils.

PubMed

Hutengs, Christopher; Ludwig, Bernard; Jung, András; Eisele, Andreas; Vohland, Michael

2018-03-27

Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy has received widespread interest as a method to complement traditional soil analysis. Recently available portable MIR spectrometers additionally offer potential for on-site applications, given sufficient spectral data quality. We therefore tested the performance of the Agilent 4300 Handheld FTIR (DRIFT spectra) in comparison to a Bruker Tensor 27 bench-top instrument in terms of (i) spectral quality and measurement noise quantified by wavelet analysis; (ii) accuracy of partial least squares (PLS) calibrations for soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N), pH, clay and sand content with a repeated cross-validation analysis; and (iii) key spectral regions for these soil properties identified with a Monte Carlo spectral variable selection approach. Measurements and multivariate calibrations with the handheld device were as good as or slightly better than Bruker equipped with a DRIFT accessory, but not as accurate as with directional hemispherical reflectance (DHR) data collected with an integrating sphere. Variations in noise did not markedly affect the accuracy of multivariate PLS calibrations. Identified key spectral regions for PLS calibrations provided a good match between Agilent and Bruker DHR data, especially for SOC and N. Our findings suggest that portable FTIR instruments are a viable alternative for MIR measurements in the laboratory and offer great potential for on-site applications.

A Quality Function Deployment Framework for the Service Quality of Health Information Websites

PubMed Central

Kim, Dohoon

2010-01-01

Objectives This research was conducted to identify both the users' service requirements on health information websites (HIWs) and the key functional elements for running HIWs. With the quality function deployment framework, the derived service attributes (SAs) are mapped into the suppliers' functional characteristics (FCs) to derive the most critical FCs for the users' satisfaction. Methods Using the survey data from 228 respondents, the SAs, FCs and their relationships were analyzed using various multivariate statistical methods such as principal component factor analysis, discriminant analysis, correlation analysis, etc. Simple and compound FC priorities were derived by matrix calculation. Results Nine factors of SAs and five key features of FCs were identified, and these served as the basis for the house of quality model. Based on the compound FC priorities, the functional elements pertaining to security and privacy, and usage support should receive top priority in the course of enhancing HIWs. Conclusions The quality function deployment framework can improve the FCs of the HIWs in an effective, structured manner, and it can also be utilized for critical success factors together with their strategic implications for enhancing the service quality of HIWs. Therefore, website managers could efficiently improve website operations by considering this study's results. PMID:21818418

Integrated RNA-Seq and sRNA-Seq Analysis Identifies Chilling and Freezing Responsive Key Molecular Players and Pathways in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis)

PubMed Central

Zheng, Chao; Zhao, Lei; Wang, Yu; Shen, Jiazhi; Zhang, Yinfei; Jia, Sisi; Li, Yusheng; Ding, Zhaotang

2015-01-01

Tea [Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze, Theaceae] is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages worldwide. Cold stress is one of the most severe abiotic stresses that limit tea plants’ growth, survival and geographical distribution. However, the genetic regulatory network and signaling pathways involved in cold stress responses in tea plants remain unearthed. Using RNA-Seq, DGE and sRNA-Seq technologies, we performed an integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiling and their regulatory network of tea plants under chilling (4℃) and freezing (-5℃) stress. Differentially expressed (DE) miRNA and mRNA profiles were obtained based on fold change analysis, miRNAs and target mRNAs were found to show both coherent and incoherent relationships in the regulatory network. Furthermore, we compared several key pathways (e.g., ‘Photosynthesis’), GO terms (e.g., ‘response to karrikin’) and transcriptional factors (TFs, e.g., DREB1b/CBF1) which were identified as involved in the early chilling and/or freezing response of tea plants. Intriguingly, we found that karrikins, a new group of plant growth regulators, and β-primeverosidase (BPR), a key enzyme functionally relevant with the formation of tea aroma might play an important role in both early chilling and freezing response of tea plants. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis further confirmed the results from RNA-Seq and sRNA-Seq analysis. This is the first study to simultaneously profile the expression patterns of both miRNAs and mRNAs on a genome-wide scale to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of early responses of tea plants to cold stress. In addition to gaining a deeper insight into the cold resistant characteristics of tea plants, we provide a good case study to analyse mRNA/miRNA expression and profiling of non-model plant species using next-generation sequencing technology. PMID:25901577

Integrated RNA-Seq and sRNA-Seq Analysis Identifies Chilling and Freezing Responsive Key Molecular Players and Pathways in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis).

PubMed

Zheng, Chao; Zhao, Lei; Wang, Yu; Shen, Jiazhi; Zhang, Yinfei; Jia, Sisi; Li, Yusheng; Ding, Zhaotang

2015-01-01

Tea [Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze, Theaceae] is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages worldwide. Cold stress is one of the most severe abiotic stresses that limit tea plants' growth, survival and geographical distribution. However, the genetic regulatory network and signaling pathways involved in cold stress responses in tea plants remain unearthed. Using RNA-Seq, DGE and sRNA-Seq technologies, we performed an integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiling and their regulatory network of tea plants under chilling (4℃) and freezing (-5℃) stress. Differentially expressed (DE) miRNA and mRNA profiles were obtained based on fold change analysis, miRNAs and target mRNAs were found to show both coherent and incoherent relationships in the regulatory network. Furthermore, we compared several key pathways (e.g., 'Photosynthesis'), GO terms (e.g., 'response to karrikin') and transcriptional factors (TFs, e.g., DREB1b/CBF1) which were identified as involved in the early chilling and/or freezing response of tea plants. Intriguingly, we found that karrikins, a new group of plant growth regulators, and β-primeverosidase (BPR), a key enzyme functionally relevant with the formation of tea aroma might play an important role in both early chilling and freezing response of tea plants. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis further confirmed the results from RNA-Seq and sRNA-Seq analysis. This is the first study to simultaneously profile the expression patterns of both miRNAs and mRNAs on a genome-wide scale to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of early responses of tea plants to cold stress. In addition to gaining a deeper insight into the cold resistant characteristics of tea plants, we provide a good case study to analyse mRNA/miRNA expression and profiling of non-model plant species using next-generation sequencing technology.

Identification of the key molecules involved in chronic copper exposure-aggravated memory impairment in transgenic mice of Alzheimer's disease using proteomic analysis.

PubMed

Yu, Jun; Luo, Xiaobin; Xu, Hua; Ma, Quan; Yuan, Jianhui; Li, Xuling; Chang, Raymond Chuen-Chung; Qu, Zhongsen; Huang, Xinfeng; Zhuang, Zhixiong; Liu, Jianjun; Yang, Xifei

2015-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive impairment of cognitive functions including spatial learning and memory. Excess copper exposure accelerates the development of AD; however, the potential mechanisms by which copper exacerbates the symptoms of AD remain unknown. In this study, we explored the effects of chronic copper exposure on cognitive function by treating 6 month-old triple AD transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice with 250 ppm copper sulfate in drinking water for 6 months, and identified several potential key molecules involved in the effects of chronic copper exposure on memory by proteomic analysis. The behavioral test showed that chronic copper exposure aggravated memory impairment of 3xTg-AD mice. Two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with mass spectrometry revealed a total of 44 differentially expressed proteins (18 upregulated and 26 down-regulated) in hippocampus between the wild-type (WT) mice and non-exposed 3xTg-AD mice. A total of 40 differentially expressed proteins were revealed (20 upregulated and 20 down-regulated) in hippocampus between copper exposed and non-exposed 3xTg-AD mice. Among these differentially expressed proteins, complexin-1 and complexin-2, two memory associated proteins, were significantly decreased in hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mice compared with the WT mice. Furthermore, the expression of these two proteins was further down-regulated in 3xTg-AD mice when exposed to copper. The abnormal expression of complexin-1 and complexin-2 identified by proteomic analysis was verified by western blot analysis. Taken together, our data showed that chronic copper exposure accelerated memory impairment and altered the expression of proteins in hippocampus in 3xTg-AD mice. The functional analysis on the differentially expressed proteins suggested that complexin-1 and complexin-2 may be the key molecules involved in chronic copper exposure-aggravated memory impairment in AD.

The Use of Key Informant Method for Identifying Children with Blindness and Severe Visual Impairment in Developing Countries.

PubMed

du Toit, Rènée; Courtright, Paul; Lewallen, Susan

2017-06-01

An estimated 19 million children are visually impaired; of these, 1.4 million are irreversibly blind. A key challenge is to identify them early in life to benefit maximally from visual rehabilitation, and/or treatment. This aggregative review and structured literature analysis summarizes evidence of what it is about the key informant (KI) approach that works to identify children with blindness or severe visual impairment (B/SVI) in the community (for whom, to what extent, in what circumstances, in what respect, how and why). Peer-reviewed (PubMed, hand search) and grey literature (Google, World Health Organization website, academic theses, direct requests) were included, and methods and criteria used for identification, productivity (number of children referred per KI), accuracy of referrals (positive predictive value, PPV), age of children with B/SVI, KI definition, sex, information about cost and comparisons aggregated. We included 31 documents describing 22 unique KI programs. Mostly KIs identified children with B/SVI in 1-3 weeks, i.e. "campaign mode." In 60%, KIs were community volunteers, others formal health sector workers (FHSW). Around 0.02-1.56 children per KI (median = 0.25) were successfully recruited. PPV ranged from 12 to 66%. In two studies comparing FHSWs and community KIs, the latter were 8 and 10 times more productive. KIs working in campaign mode may provide an effective approach to identifying children with B/SVI in communities. Including identification of ocular problems and/or other impairments has been recommended. Research on factors that influence effectiveness and on whether KIs continue to contribute could inform programs.

Stakeholders’ analysis of the medical tourism industry: development strategies in Isfahan

PubMed Central

Jabbari, Alireza; Ferdosi, Masoud; Keyvanara, Mahmoud; Agharahimi, Zahra

2013-01-01

Introduction: Policy makers and decision makers must identify the stakeholders in medical tourism, who will be affected by and/or affect this industry, and determine their status for partnership. The aim of this study was to identify the main stakeholders in Isfahan's medical tourism, analyze them, and provide strategies for developing this industry. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 2011. At first, the key stakeholders in medical tourism were identified in accordance with the experts’ idea and literature review. Then we interviewed the key stakeholders. Data analysis was conducted using the stakeholders’ analyses, which helped in developing strategies. Results: The result showed that the key stakeholders were made up of nine groups. They included the provincial governance of Isfahan, the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Isfahan, the Chamber of Commerce, the Medical Council, the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, health service providers, tourism services providers, investors, and the Tosea Saderat Bank. The rate of knowledge of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Isfahan, clinic and international relationship of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences from government policy about medical tourism were very much. Private Hospitals, the Medical Council, investors, and the University of Medical Sciences had great power. Private hospitals, clinics, the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Isfahan, and the University of Medical Sciences were in the supporter position. The effected strategies were the included strategies, focused on increasing power; increasing support, and on maintaining the position. Conclusion: There are different stakeholders in the medical tourism industry. Thus, policy makers can plan, make a policy and decision, and use effective strategies to develop medical tourism by designing a medical tourism stakeholders’ network, a medical tourism provincial council, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders. PMID:24251280

Stakeholders' analysis of the medical tourism industry: development strategies in Isfahan.

PubMed

Jabbari, Alireza; Ferdosi, Masoud; Keyvanara, Mahmoud; Agharahimi, Zahra

2013-01-01

Policy makers and decision makers must identify the stakeholders in medical tourism, who will be affected by and/or affect this industry, and determine their status for partnership. The aim of this study was to identify the main stakeholders in Isfahan's medical tourism, analyze them, and provide strategies for developing this industry. A qualitative study was conducted in 2011. At first, the key stakeholders in medical tourism were identified in accordance with the experts' idea and literature review. Then we interviewed the key stakeholders. Data analysis was conducted using the stakeholders' analyses, which helped in developing strategies. The result showed that the key stakeholders were made up of nine groups. They included the provincial governance of Isfahan, the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Isfahan, the Chamber of Commerce, the Medical Council, the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, health service providers, tourism services providers, investors, and the Tosea Saderat Bank. The rate of knowledge of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Isfahan, clinic and international relationship of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences from government policy about medical tourism were very much. Private Hospitals, the Medical Council, investors, and the University of Medical Sciences had great power. Private hospitals, clinics, the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Isfahan, and the University of Medical Sciences were in the supporter position. The effected strategies were the included strategies, focused on increasing power; increasing support, and on maintaining the position. There are different stakeholders in the medical tourism industry. Thus, policy makers can plan, make a policy and decision, and use effective strategies to develop medical tourism by designing a medical tourism stakeholders' network, a medical tourism provincial council, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.

Seeing voices of health disparity: evaluating arts projects as influence processes.

PubMed

Parsons, Janet; Heus, Lineke; Moravac, Catherine

2013-02-01

Arts-informed approaches are increasingly popular as vehicles for research, knowledge translation and for engaging key stakeholders on topics of health and health care. This paper describes an evaluation of a multimedia art installation intended to promote awareness of health disparities as experienced by homeless persons living in Toronto (Canada). The objective of the evaluation was to determine whether the installation had an impact on audience members, and if so, to understand its influence on viewers' perspectives on homelessness and the health concerns of homeless persons. Key themes were identified through the analysis of direct observational data of viewer interactions with the exhibit and qualitative interviews with different audience members after the exhibit. The four key themes were: (1) Promoting recognition of common humanity between viewers and viewed (challenging previously held assumptions and stereotypes, narrowing perceived social distance); (2) functions fulfilled (or potentially fulfilled) by the exhibit: raising awareness, educational applications, and potential pathways by which the exhibit could serve as a call to social action; (3) stories that prompt more stories: the stories within the exhibit (coupled with the interview questions) prompted further sharing of stories amongst the evaluation respondents, highlighting the iterative nature of such approaches. Respondents told of recognizing similarities in the experiences recounted in the exhibit with their own interactions with homeless persons; (4) strengths and weaknesses identified: including aesthetic features, issues of audience 'reach' and the importance of suitable venues for exhibition. Theoretically informed by narrative analysis and visual anthropology, this evaluation demonstrates that arts-informed 'interventions' are highly complex and work in subtle ways on viewers, allowing them to re-imagine the lives of others and identify points of common interest. It also problematizes our assumptions about which outcomes matter and why. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability and Productivity Modeling for the Optimization of Separated Spacecraft Interferometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Sean (Technical Monitor); Wertz, Julie

2002-01-01

As technological systems grow in capability, they also grow in complexity. Due to this complexity, it is no longer possible for a designer to use engineering judgement to identify the components that have the largest impact on system life cycle metrics, such as reliability, productivity, cost, and cost effectiveness. One way of identifying these key components is to build quantitative models and analysis tools that can be used to aid the designer in making high level architecture decisions. Once these key components have been identified, two main approaches to improving a system using these components exist: add redundancy or improve the reliability of the component. In reality, the most effective approach to almost any system will be some combination of these two approaches, in varying orders of magnitude for each component. Therefore, this research tries to answer the question of how to divide funds, between adding redundancy and improving the reliability of components, to most cost effectively improve the life cycle metrics of a system. While this question is relevant to any complex system, this research focuses on one type of system in particular: Separate Spacecraft Interferometers (SSI). Quantitative models are developed to analyze the key life cycle metrics of different SSI system architectures. Next, tools are developed to compare a given set of architectures in terms of total performance, by coupling different life cycle metrics together into one performance metric. Optimization tools, such as simulated annealing and genetic algorithms, are then used to search the entire design space to find the "optimal" architecture design. Sensitivity analysis tools have been developed to determine how sensitive the results of these analyses are to uncertain user defined parameters. Finally, several possibilities for the future work that could be done in this area of research are presented.

Use of Opioids in Latin America: The Need of an Evidence-Based Change.

PubMed

Rico, María Antonieta; Kraychete, Durval Campos; Iskandar, Aziza Jreige; Colimon, Frantz; Lara-Solares, Argelia; Cantisani, José Alberto Flores; Amescua-García, César; Núñez, María del Rocío Guillén; Bonilla, Patricia; Lech, Osvandré; Hernández-Castro, John Jairo; Guerrero, Carlos; Barrera, William Delgado; Gallegos, Manuel Sempértegui; Cook, María Berenguel; Garcia, João Batista Santos; Hernández, Concepción Pérez

2016-04-01

The subject of this publication has been focused on local considerations for facilitating regional best practice, including identifying and uniformly adopting the most relevant international guidelines on opioid use (OU) in chronic pain management. The Change Pain Latin America (CPLA) Advisory Panel conducted a comprehensive, robust, and critical analysis of published national and international reviews and guidelines of OU, considering those most appropriate for Latin America. A PubMed search was conducted using the terms "opioid," "chronic," and "pain" and then refined using the filters "practice guidelines" and "within the last 5 years" (2007-2012). Once the publications were identified, they were selected using five key criteria: "Evidence based," "Comprehensive," "From a well-recognized source," "Current publications," and "Based on best practice" and then critically analyzed considering 10 key criteria for determining the most relevant guidelines to be applied in Latin America. The initial PubMed search identified 177 reviews and guidelines, which was reduced to 16 articles using the five preliminary criteria. After a secondary analysis according to the 10 key criteria specific to OU in Latin America, 10 publications were selected for critical review and discussion. The CPLA advisory panel considered the "Safe and effective use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain" (published in 2010 by the NOUGG of Canada) to be valid, relevant to Latin America, practical, evidence-based, concise, unambiguous, and sufficiently educational to provide clear instruction on OU and pain management and, thus, recommended for uniform adoption across the Latin America region. © 2015 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Identification of potential therapeutic target genes, key miRNAs and mechanisms in oral lichen planus by bioinformatics analysis.

PubMed

Gong, Cuihua; Sun, Shangtong; Liu, Bing; Wang, Jing; Chen, Xiaodong

2017-06-01

The study aimed to identify the potential target genes and key miRNAs as well as to explore the underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP) by bioinformatics analysis. The microarray data of GSE38617 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. A total of 7 OLP and 7 normal samples were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and miRNAs. The DEGs were then performed functional enrichment analyses. Furthermore, DEG-miRNA network and miRNA-function network were constructed by Cytoscape software. Total 1758 DEGs (598 up- and 1160 down-regulated genes) and 40 miRNAs (17 up- and 23 down-regulated miRNAs) were selected. The up-regulated genes were related to nuclear factor-Kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, while down-regulated genes were mainly enriched in the function of ribosome. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), caspase recruitment domain family, member 11 (CARD11) and mitochondrial ribosomal protein (MRP) genes were identified in these functions. In addition, miR-302 was a hub node in DEG-miRNA network and regulated cyclin D1 (CCND1). MiR-548a-2 was the key miRNA in miRNA-function network by regulating multiple functions including ribosomal function. The NF-κB signaling pathway and ribosome function may be the pathogenic mechanisms of OLP. The genes such as TNF, CARD11, MRP genes and CCND1 may be potential therapeutic target genes in OLP. MiR-548a-2 and miR-302 may play important roles in OLP development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment Approach for Identifying Compatibility of Restoration Projects with Geomorphic and Flooding Processes in Gravel Bed Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeVries, Paul; Aldrich, Robert

2015-08-01

A critical requirement for a successful river restoration project in a dynamic gravel bed river is that it be compatible with natural hydraulic and sediment transport processes operating at the reach scale. The potential for failure is greater at locations where the influence of natural processes is inconsistent with intended project function and performance. We present an approach using practical GIS, hydrologic, hydraulic, and sediment transport analyses to identify locations where specific restoration project types have the greatest likelihood of working as intended because their function and design are matched with flooding and morphologic processes. The key premise is to identify whether a specific river analysis segment (length ~1-10 bankfull widths) within a longer reach is geomorphically active or inactive in the context of vertical and lateral stabilities, and hydrologically active for floodplain connectivity. Analyses involve empirical channel geometry relations, aerial photographic time series, LiDAR data, HEC-RAS hydraulic modeling, and a time-integrated sediment transport budget to evaluate trapping efficiency within each segment. The analysis segments are defined by HEC-RAS model cross sections. The results have been used effectively to identify feasible projects in a variety of alluvial gravel bed river reaches with lengths between 11 and 80 km and 2-year flood magnitudes between ~350 and 1330 m3/s. Projects constructed based on the results have all performed as planned. In addition, the results provide key criteria for formulating erosion and flood management plans.

Assessment Approach for Identifying Compatibility of Restoration Projects with Geomorphic and Flooding Processes in Gravel Bed Rivers.

PubMed

DeVries, Paul; Aldrich, Robert

2015-08-01

A critical requirement for a successful river restoration project in a dynamic gravel bed river is that it be compatible with natural hydraulic and sediment transport processes operating at the reach scale. The potential for failure is greater at locations where the influence of natural processes is inconsistent with intended project function and performance. We present an approach using practical GIS, hydrologic, hydraulic, and sediment transport analyses to identify locations where specific restoration project types have the greatest likelihood of working as intended because their function and design are matched with flooding and morphologic processes. The key premise is to identify whether a specific river analysis segment (length ~1-10 bankfull widths) within a longer reach is geomorphically active or inactive in the context of vertical and lateral stabilities, and hydrologically active for floodplain connectivity. Analyses involve empirical channel geometry relations, aerial photographic time series, LiDAR data, HEC-RAS hydraulic modeling, and a time-integrated sediment transport budget to evaluate trapping efficiency within each segment. The analysis segments are defined by HEC-RAS model cross sections. The results have been used effectively to identify feasible projects in a variety of alluvial gravel bed river reaches with lengths between 11 and 80 km and 2-year flood magnitudes between ~350 and 1330 m(3)/s. Projects constructed based on the results have all performed as planned. In addition, the results provide key criteria for formulating erosion and flood management plans.

Relationships, expertise, incentives, and governance: supporting care home residents' access to health care. An interview study from England.

PubMed

Goodman, Claire; Davies, Sue L; Gordon, Adam L; Meyer, Julienne; Dening, Tom; Gladman, John R F; Iliffe, Steve; Zubair, Maria; Bowman, Clive; Victor, Christina; Martin, Finbarr C

2015-05-01

To explore what commissioners of care, regulators, providers, and care home residents in England identify as the key mechanisms or components of different service delivery models that support the provision of National Health Service (NHS) provision to independent care homes. Qualitative, semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of people with direct experience of commissioning, providing, and regulating health care provision in care homes and care home residents. Data from interviews were augmented by a secondary analysis of previous interviews with care home residents on their personal experience of and priorities for access to health care. Analysis was framed by the assumptions of realist evaluation and drew on the constant comparative method to identify key themes about what is required to achieve quality health care provision to care homes and resident health. Participants identified 3 overlapping approaches to the provision of NHS that they believed supported access to health care for older people in care homes: (1) Investment in relational working that fostered continuity and shared learning between visiting NHS staff and care home staff, (2) the provision of age-appropriate clinical services, and (3) governance arrangements that used contractual and financial incentives to specify a minimum service that care homes should receive. The 3 approaches, and how they were typified as working, provide a rich picture of the stakeholder perspectives and the underlying assumptions about how service delivery models should work with care homes. The findings inform how evidence on effective working in care homes will be interrogated to identify how different approaches, or specifically key elements of those approaches, achieve different health-related outcomes in different situations for residents and associated health and social care organizations. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards an Analysis of Review Article in Applied Linguistics: Its Classes, Purposes and Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azar, Ali Sorayyaei; Hashim, Azirah

2014-01-01

The classes, purposes and characteristics associated with the review article in the field of applied linguistics were analyzed. The data were collected from a randomly selected corpus of thirty two review articles from a discipline-related key journal in applied linguistics. The findings revealed that different sub-genres can be identified within…

Institutional Boundaries and Common-Pool Resource Management: A Comparative Analysis of Water Management Programs in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heikkila, Tanya

2004-01-01

Policymakers and academics often identify institutional boundaries as one of the factors that shape the capacity of jurisdictions to manage natural resources such as water, forests, and scenic lands. This article examines two key bodies of literature--common-pool resource management theory and local public economy theory--to explain how the…

"Reflexivity Is Kicking Our Asses": Tensions in Foregrounding Photographs in a Multimodal Ethnographic Analysis of Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaffee, Rachel; Luehmann, April Lynn; Henderson, Joseph

2016-01-01

Bringing multimodal and ethnographic approaches together, this paper seeks to identify key considerations, limitations, and implications of using photographs as primary data. We offer a concrete example of an approach that capitalizes on a systematic look at how different modes work together to foreground unique aspects of participation, while…

Finding and Developing Moderators and Directional Keys by Regression Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kokosh, John

A procedure for rapid screening of variables as potential moderators is presented and discussed. A moderator is defined as any variable which can be used to identify differentially predictable persons; or defined statistically by stating that if a predictor and a moderator are each divided into three or more categories and used as independent…

Competencies of Front-Line Managers in Supported Accommodation: Issues for Practice and Future Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clement, Tim; Bigby, Christine

2012-01-01

Background: Front-line managers of supported accommodation for people with intellectual disability are assumed to have a key role in the realisation of outcomes for service users. Yet, their job has been little researched. A job analysis from Minnesota that identified 142 competencies required of effective front-line managers was used to examine…

Meaningful Messages: Adults in the Lower Mississippi Delta Provide Cultural Insight into Strategies for Promoting the MyPyramid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zoellner, Jamie; Bounds, Wendy; Connell, Carol; Yadrick, Kathy; Crook, LaShaundrea

2010-01-01

Objective: To explore cultural perceptions of the MyPyramid key messages and identify factors that may impact adoption of these recommendations. Methods: Systematic content analysis of transcripts from in-depth, structured interviews with 23 adults, primarily African American females, residing in the Lower Mississippi Delta. Results: When asked to…

Evaluating Potential Bias in Media Coverage of the Public Debate over Acid Rain and Chlorofluorocarbons in the 1980s

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Tiffany Dawn; Moore, Rebecca; Markewitz, Daniel

2012-01-01

This study evaluates media coverage of two important environmental issues from the 1980s (acid rain and chlorofluorocarbons), providing historical context for current media coverage analysis. Focusing on popular magazine articles, this study identifies key characteristics of content and presentation. Content-related characteristics are inclusion…

The Effects of Program Structure on Dissertation Writing in "Online Academia": A Qualitative Analysis of Online Doctoral Student Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin-Lee, Regina

2010-01-01

Writing the dissertation can be one of the most stressful experiences in the doctoral education experience. Previous research findings indicate that traditional psychology doctoral candidates (PDC) identify the graduate school experience, and the dissertation process in particular as stress-inducing, isolating and key obstacles to graduation.…

Using Insider Research in MEd Final Projects to Bridge the Theory/Practice Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arar, Khalid

2018-01-01

This paper aims to identify key issues involved in MEd final project supervision and to highlight the potential of supervision from an academic institution to change educational reality through the postgraduate student-teachers' work-based final project as insider researchers in Israeli schools. It draws on analysis of case-study data from two…

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Cultural Differences on the Adoption of Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arpaci, Ibrahim

2015-01-01

The objective of this paper is to understand the impact of cultural differences on mobile learning adoption through identifying key adoption characteristics in Canada and Turkey, which have markedly different cultural backgrounds. A multi-group analysis was employed to test the hypothesised relationships based on the data collected by means of…

Models of Community Learning Networks in Canada = Modeles de reseaux d'apprentissage communautaires au Canada.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Resources Development Canada, Hull (Quebec). Office of Learning Technologies.

Canada-based community learning networks (CLNs) were examined to provide an operational definition of CLNs, design a framework for their review and analysis, and identify best practices in CLNs. Data were collected from three sources: interviews with 16 key stakeholders in CLNs, literature review, and case studies of five Canadian CLNs. The…

Reverse Engineering of Modified Genes by Bayesian Network Analysis Defines Molecular Determinants Critical to the Development of Glioblastoma

PubMed Central

Kunkle, Brian W.; Yoo, Changwon; Roy, Deodutta

2013-01-01

In this study we have identified key genes that are critical in development of astrocytic tumors. Meta-analysis of microarray studies which compared normal tissue to astrocytoma revealed a set of 646 differentially expressed genes in the majority of astrocytoma. Reverse engineering of these 646 genes using Bayesian network analysis produced a gene network for each grade of astrocytoma (Grade I–IV), and ‘key genes’ within each grade were identified. Genes found to be most influential to development of the highest grade of astrocytoma, Glioblastoma multiforme were: COL4A1, EGFR, BTF3, MPP2, RAB31, CDK4, CD99, ANXA2, TOP2A, and SERBP1. All of these genes were up-regulated, except MPP2 (down regulated). These 10 genes were able to predict tumor status with 96–100% confidence when using logistic regression, cross validation, and the support vector machine analysis. Markov genes interact with NFkβ, ERK, MAPK, VEGF, growth hormone and collagen to produce a network whose top biological functions are cancer, neurological disease, and cellular movement. Three of the 10 genes - EGFR, COL4A1, and CDK4, in particular, seemed to be potential ‘hubs of activity’. Modified expression of these 10 Markov Blanket genes increases lifetime risk of developing glioblastoma compared to the normal population. The glioblastoma risk estimates were dramatically increased with joint effects of 4 or more than 4 Markov Blanket genes. Joint interaction effects of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 Markov Blanket genes produced 9, 13, 20.9, 26.7, 52.8, 53.2, 78.1 or 85.9%, respectively, increase in lifetime risk of developing glioblastoma compared to normal population. In summary, it appears that modified expression of several ‘key genes’ may be required for the development of glioblastoma. Further studies are needed to validate these ‘key genes’ as useful tools for early detection and novel therapeutic options for these tumors. PMID:23737970

Identifying key performance indicators for nursing and midwifery care using a consensus approach.

PubMed

McCance, Tanya; Telford, Lorna; Wilson, Julie; Macleod, Olive; Dowd, Audrey

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to gain consensus on key performance indicators that are appropriate and relevant for nursing and midwifery practice in the current policy context. There is continuing demand to demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency in health and social care and to communicate this at boardroom level. Whilst there is substantial literature on the use of clinical indicators and nursing metrics, there is less evidence relating to indicators that reflect the patient experience. A consensus approach was used to identify relevant key performance indicators. A nominal group technique was used comprising two stages: a workshop involving all grades of nursing and midwifery staff in two HSC trusts in Northern Ireland (n = 50); followed by a regional Consensus Conference (n = 80). During the workshop, potential key performance indicators were identified. This was used as the basis for the Consensus Conference, which involved two rounds of consensus. Analysis was based on aggregated scores that were then ranked. Stage one identified 38 potential indicators and stage two prioritised the eight top-ranked indicators as a core set for nursing and midwifery. The relevance and appropriateness of these indicators were confirmed with nurses and midwives working in a range of settings and from the perspective of service users. The eight indicators identified do not conform to the majority of other nursing metrics generally reported in the literature. Furthermore, they are strategically aligned to work on the patient experience and are reflective of the fundamentals of nursing and midwifery practice, with the focus on person-centred care. Nurses and midwives have a significant contribution to make in determining the extent to which these indicators are achieved in practice. Furthermore, measurement of such indicators provides an opportunity to evidence of the unique impact of nursing/midwifery care on the patient experience. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Characterization of individual mouse cerebrospinal fluid proteomes

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

Smith, Jeffrey S.; Angel, Thomas E.; Chavkin, Charles

2014-03-20

Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) offers key insight into the status of the central nervous system. Characterization of murine CSF proteomes can provide a valuable resource for studying central nervous system injury and disease in animal models. However, the small volume of CSF in mice has thus far limited individual mouse proteome characterization. Through non-terminal CSF extractions in C57Bl/6 mice and high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of individual murine samples, we report the most comprehensive proteome characterization of individual murine CSF to date. Utilizing stringent protein inclusion criteria that required the identification of at least two unique peptides (1% falsemore » discovery rate at the peptide level) we identified a total of 566 unique proteins, including 128 proteins from three individual CSF samples that have been previously identified in brain tissue. Our methods and analysis provide a mechanism for individual murine CSF proteome analysis.« less

Analysis of Radiation Damage in Light Water Reactors: Comparison of Cluster Analysis Methods for the Analysis of Atom Probe Data.

PubMed

Hyde, Jonathan M; DaCosta, Gérald; Hatzoglou, Constantinos; Weekes, Hannah; Radiguet, Bertrand; Styman, Paul D; Vurpillot, Francois; Pareige, Cristelle; Etienne, Auriane; Bonny, Giovanni; Castin, Nicolas; Malerba, Lorenzo; Pareige, Philippe

2017-04-01

Irradiation of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels causes the formation of nanoscale microstructural features (termed radiation damage), which affect the mechanical properties of the vessel. A key tool for characterizing these nanoscale features is atom probe tomography (APT), due to its high spatial resolution and the ability to identify different chemical species in three dimensions. Microstructural observations using APT can underpin development of a mechanistic understanding of defect formation. However, with atom probe analyses there are currently multiple methods for analyzing the data. This can result in inconsistencies between results obtained from different researchers and unnecessary scatter when combining data from multiple sources. This makes interpretation of results more complex and calibration of radiation damage models challenging. In this work simulations of a range of different microstructures are used to directly compare different cluster analysis algorithms and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

Defining competency-based evaluation objectives in family medicine

PubMed Central

Lawrence, Kathrine; Allen, Tim; Brailovsky, Carlos; Crichton, Tom; Bethune, Cheri; Donoff, Michel; Laughlin, Tom; Wetmore, Stephen; Carpentier, Marie-Pierre; Visser, Shaun

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective To develop key features for priority topics previously identified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada that, together with skill dimensions and phases of the clinical encounter, broadly describe competence in family medicine. Design Modified nominal group methodology, which was used to develop key features for each priority topic through an iterative process. Setting The College of Family Physicians of Canada. Participants An expert group of 7 family physicians and 1 educational consultant, all of whom had experience in assessing competence in family medicine. Group members represented the Canadian family medicine context with respect to region, sex, language, community type, and experience. Methods The group used a modified Delphi process to derive a detailed operational definition of competence, using multiple iterations until consensus was achieved for the items under discussion. The group met 3 to 4 times a year from 2000 to 2007. Main findings The group analyzed 99 topics and generated 773 key features. There were 2 to 20 (average 7.8) key features per topic; 63% of the key features focused on the diagnostic phase of the clinical encounter. Conclusion This project expands previous descriptions of the process of generating key features for assessment, and removes this process from the context of written examinations. A key-features analysis of topics focuses on higher-order cognitive processes of clinical competence. The project did not define all the skill dimensions of competence to the same degree, but it clearly identified those requiring further definition. This work generates part of a discipline-specific, competency-based definition of family medicine for assessment purposes. It limits the domain for assessment purposes, which is an advantage for the teaching and assessment of learners. A validation study on the content of this work would ensure that it truly reflects competence in family medicine. PMID:21998245

Key Parameters for Operator Diagnosis of BWR Plant Condition during a Severe Accident

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

Clayton, Dwight A.; Poore, III, Willis P.

2015-01-01

The objective of this research is to examine the key information needed from nuclear power plant instrumentation to guide severe accident management and mitigation for boiling water reactor (BWR) designs (specifically, a BWR/4-Mark I), estimate environmental conditions that the instrumentation will experience during a severe accident, and identify potential gaps in existing instrumentation that may require further research and development. This report notes the key parameters that instrumentation needs to measure to help operators respond to severe accidents. A follow-up report will assess severe accident environmental conditions as estimated by severe accident simulation model analysis for a specific US BWR/4-Markmore » I plant for those instrumentation systems considered most important for accident management purposes.« less

Identification of pivotal genes and pathways for spinal cord injury via bioinformatics analysis

PubMed Central

Zhu, Zonghao; Shen, Qiang; Zhu, Liang; Wei, Xiaokang

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to identify key genes and pathways associated with spinal cord injury (SCI) and subsequently investigate possible therapeutic targets for the condition. The array data of GSE20907 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and 24 gene chips, including 3-day, 4-day, 1-week, 2-week and 1-month post-SCI together with control propriospinal neurons, were used for the analysis. The raw data was normalized and then the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the (A) 2-week post-SCI group vs. control group, (B) 1-month post-SCI group vs. control group, (C) 1-month and 2-week post-SCI group vs. control group, and (D) all post-SCI groups vs. all control groups, were analyzed with a limma package. Gene Ontology annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses for DEGs were performed. Cluster analysis was performed using ClusterOne plugins. All the DEGs identified were associated with immune and inflammatory responses. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (ERBB4) and cytochrome B-245, α polypeptide (CYBA) were in the network diagrams of (A), (C) and (D), respectively. The enrichment analysis of DEGs identified in all samples demonstrated that the DEGs were also enriched in the chemokine signaling pathway (enriched in STAT3) and the high-affinity immunoglobulin E receptor (FcεRI) signaling pathway [enriched in proto-oncogene, src family tyrosine kinase (LYN)]. Immune and inflammatory responses serve significant roles in SCI. STAT3, ERBB4 and CYBA may be key genes associated with SCI at certain stages. Furthermore, STAT3 and LYN may be involved in the development of SCI via the chemokine and FcεRI signaling pathways, respectively. PMID:28731189

The information filter: how dentists use diet diary information to give patients clear and simple advice.

PubMed

Arheiam, Arheiam; Brown, Stephen L; Higham, Susan M; Albadri, Sondos; Harris, Rebecca V

2016-12-01

Diet diaries are recommended for dentists to monitor children's sugar consumption. Diaries provide multifaceted dietary information, but patients respond better to simpler advice. We explore how dentists integrate information from diet diaries to deliver useable advice to patients. As part of a questionnaire study of general dental practitioners (GDPs) in Northwest England, we asked dentists to specify the advice they would give a hypothetical patient based upon a diet diary case vignette. A sequential mixed method approach was used for data analysis: an initial inductive content analysis (ICA) to develop coding system to capture the complexity of dietary assessment and delivered advice. Using these codes, a quantitative analysis was conducted to examine correspondences between identified dietary problems and advice given. From these correspondences, we inferred how dentists reduced problems to give simple advice. A total of 229 dentists' responses were analysed. ICA on 40 questionnaires identified two distinctive approaches of developing diet advice: a summative (summary of issues into an all-encompassing message) and a selective approach (selection of a main message approach). In the quantitative analysis of all responses, raw frequencies indicated that dentists saw more problems than they advised on and provided highly specific advice on a restricted number of problems (e.g. not eating sugars before bedtime 50.7% or harmful items 42.4%, rather than simply reducing the amount of sugar 9.2%). Binary logistic regression models indicate that dentists provided specific advice that was tailored to the key problems that they identified. Dentists provided specific recommendations to address what they felt were key problems, whilst not intervening to address other problems that they may have felt less pressing. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using Social Networking to Understand Social Networks: Analysis of a Mobile Phone Closed User Group Used by a Ghanaian Health Team

PubMed Central

Akosah, Eric; Ohemeng-Dapaah, Seth; Sakyi Baah, Joseph; Kanter, Andrew S

2013-01-01

Background The network structure of an organization influences how well or poorly an organization communicates and manages its resources. In the Millennium Villages Project site in Bonsaaso, Ghana, a mobile phone closed user group has been introduced for use by the Bonsaaso Millennium Villages Project Health Team and other key individuals. No assessment on the benefits or barriers of the use of the closed user group had been carried out. Objective The purpose of this research was to make the case for the use of social network analysis methods to be applied in health systems research—specifically related to mobile health. Methods This study used mobile phone voice records of, conducted interviews with, and reviewed call journals kept by a mobile phone closed user group consisting of the Bonsaaso Millennium Villages Project Health Team. Social network analysis methodology complemented by a qualitative component was used. Monthly voice data of the closed user group from Airtel Bharti Ghana were analyzed using UCINET and visual depictions of the network were created using NetDraw. Interviews and call journals kept by informants were analyzed using NVivo. Results The methodology was successful in helping identify effective organizational structure. Members of the Health Management Team were the more central players in the network, rather than the Community Health Nurses (who might have been expected to be central). Conclusions Social network analysis methodology can be used to determine the most productive structure for an organization or team, identify gaps in communication, identify key actors with greatest influence, and more. In conclusion, this methodology can be a useful analytical tool, especially in the context of mobile health, health services, and operational and managerial research. PMID:23552721

Using social networking to understand social networks: analysis of a mobile phone closed user group used by a Ghanaian health team.

PubMed

Kaonga, Nadi Nina; Labrique, Alain; Mechael, Patricia; Akosah, Eric; Ohemeng-Dapaah, Seth; Sakyi Baah, Joseph; Kodie, Richmond; Kanter, Andrew S; Levine, Orin

2013-04-03

The network structure of an organization influences how well or poorly an organization communicates and manages its resources. In the Millennium Villages Project site in Bonsaaso, Ghana, a mobile phone closed user group has been introduced for use by the Bonsaaso Millennium Villages Project Health Team and other key individuals. No assessment on the benefits or barriers of the use of the closed user group had been carried out. The purpose of this research was to make the case for the use of social network analysis methods to be applied in health systems research--specifically related to mobile health. This study used mobile phone voice records of, conducted interviews with, and reviewed call journals kept by a mobile phone closed user group consisting of the Bonsaaso Millennium Villages Project Health Team. Social network analysis methodology complemented by a qualitative component was used. Monthly voice data of the closed user group from Airtel Bharti Ghana were analyzed using UCINET and visual depictions of the network were created using NetDraw. Interviews and call journals kept by informants were analyzed using NVivo. The methodology was successful in helping identify effective organizational structure. Members of the Health Management Team were the more central players in the network, rather than the Community Health Nurses (who might have been expected to be central). Social network analysis methodology can be used to determine the most productive structure for an organization or team, identify gaps in communication, identify key actors with greatest influence, and more. In conclusion, this methodology can be a useful analytical tool, especially in the context of mobile health, health services, and operational and managerial research.

Predicting Key Events in the Popularity Evolution of Online Information.

PubMed

Hu, Ying; Hu, Changjun; Fu, Shushen; Fang, Mingzhe; Xu, Wenwen

2017-01-01

The popularity of online information generally experiences a rising and falling evolution. This paper considers the "burst", "peak", and "fade" key events together as a representative summary of popularity evolution. We propose a novel prediction task-predicting when popularity undergoes these key events. It is of great importance to know when these three key events occur, because doing so helps recommendation systems, online marketing, and containment of rumors. However, it is very challenging to solve this new prediction task due to two issues. First, popularity evolution has high variation and can follow various patterns, so how can we identify "burst", "peak", and "fade" in different patterns of popularity evolution? Second, these events usually occur in a very short time, so how can we accurately yet promptly predict them? In this paper we address these two issues. To handle the first one, we use a simple moving average to smooth variation, and then a universal method is presented for different patterns to identify the key events in popularity evolution. To deal with the second one, we extract different types of features that may have an impact on the key events, and then a correlation analysis is conducted in the feature selection step to remove irrelevant and redundant features. The remaining features are used to train a machine learning model. The feature selection step improves prediction accuracy, and in order to emphasize prediction promptness, we design a new evaluation metric which considers both accuracy and promptness to evaluate our prediction task. Experimental and comparative results show the superiority of our prediction solution.

Predicting Key Events in the Popularity Evolution of Online Information

PubMed Central

Fu, Shushen; Fang, Mingzhe; Xu, Wenwen

2017-01-01

The popularity of online information generally experiences a rising and falling evolution. This paper considers the “burst”, “peak”, and “fade” key events together as a representative summary of popularity evolution. We propose a novel prediction task—predicting when popularity undergoes these key events. It is of great importance to know when these three key events occur, because doing so helps recommendation systems, online marketing, and containment of rumors. However, it is very challenging to solve this new prediction task due to two issues. First, popularity evolution has high variation and can follow various patterns, so how can we identify “burst”, “peak”, and “fade” in different patterns of popularity evolution? Second, these events usually occur in a very short time, so how can we accurately yet promptly predict them? In this paper we address these two issues. To handle the first one, we use a simple moving average to smooth variation, and then a universal method is presented for different patterns to identify the key events in popularity evolution. To deal with the second one, we extract different types of features that may have an impact on the key events, and then a correlation analysis is conducted in the feature selection step to remove irrelevant and redundant features. The remaining features are used to train a machine learning model. The feature selection step improves prediction accuracy, and in order to emphasize prediction promptness, we design a new evaluation metric which considers both accuracy and promptness to evaluate our prediction task. Experimental and comparative results show the superiority of our prediction solution. PMID:28046121

Identification of key factors affecting the water pollutant concentration in the sluice-controlled river reaches of the Shaying River in China via statistical analysis methods.

PubMed

Dou, Ming; Zhang, Yan; Zuo, Qiting; Mi, Qingbin

2015-08-01

The construction of sluices creates a strong disturbance in water environmental factors within a river. The change in water pollutant concentrations of sluice-controlled river reaches (SCRRs) is more complex than that of natural river segments. To determine the key factors affecting water pollutant concentration changes in SCRRs, river reaches near the Huaidian Sluice in the Shaying River of China were selected as a case study, and water quality monitoring experiments based on different regulating modes were implemented in 2009 and 2010. To identify the key factors affecting the change rates for the chemical oxygen demand of permanganate (CODMn) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentrations in the SCRRs of the Huaidian Sluice, partial correlation analysis, principal component analysis and principal factor analysis were used. The results indicate four factors, i.e., the inflow quantity from upper reaches, opening size of sluice gates, water pollutant concentration from upper reaches, and turbidity before the sluice, which are the common key factors for the CODMn and NH3-N concentration change rates. Moreover, the dissolved oxygen before a sluice is a key factor for the permanganate concentration from CODMn change rate, and the water depth before a sluice is a key factor for the NH3-N concentration change rate. Multiple linear regressions between the water pollutant concentration change rate and key factors were established via multiple linear regression analyses, and the quantitative relationship between the CODMn and NH3-N concentration change rates and key affecting factors was analyzed. Finally, the mechanism of action for the key factors affecting the water pollutant concentration changes was analyzed. The results reveal that the inflow quantity from upper reaches, opening size of sluice gates, permanganate concentration from CODMn from upper reaches and dissolved oxygen before the sluice have a negative influence and the turbidity before the sluice has a positive influence on the permanganate concentration from CODMn change rates and that the opening size of sluice gates, NH3-N concentration from upper reaches, and water depth before the sluice have a negative influence and the inflow quantity from upper reaches and turbidity before the sluice have a positive influence on the NH3-N concentration change rates, which provides a scientific grounding for pollution control and sluice operations in SCRRs.

Public perceptions of key performance indicators of healthcare in Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Northcott, Herbert C; Harvey, Michael D

2012-06-01

To examine the relationship between public perceptions of key performance indicators assessing various aspects of the health-care system. Cross-sequential survey research. Annual telephone surveys of random samples of adult Albertans selected by random digit dialing and stratified according to age, sex and region (n = 4000 for each survey year). The survey questionnaires included single-item measures of key performance indicators to assess public perceptions of availability, accessibility, quality, outcome and satisfaction with healthcare. Cronbach's α and factor analysis were used to assess the relationship between key performance indicators focusing on the health-care system overall and on a recent interaction with the health-care system. The province of Alberta, Canada during the years 1996-2004. Four thousand adults randomly selected each survey year. Survey questions measuring public perceptions of healthcare availability, accessibility, quality, outcome and satisfaction with healthcare. Factor analysis identified two principal components with key performance indicators focusing on the health system overall loading most strongly on the first component and key performance indicators focusing on the most recent health-care encounter loading most strongly on the second component. Assessments of the quality of care most recently received, accessibility of that care and perceived outcome of care tended to be higher than the more general assessments of overall health system quality and accessibility. Assessments of specific health-care encounters and more general assessments of the overall health-care system, while related, nevertheless comprise separate dimensions for health-care evaluation.

Consumer-phase Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis risk assessment for egg-containing food products.

PubMed

Mokhtari, Amirhossein; Moore, Christina M; Yang, Hong; Jaykus, Lee-Ann; Morales, Roberta; Cates, Sheryl C; Cowen, Peter

2006-06-01

We describe a one-dimensional probabilistic model of the role of domestic food handling behaviors on salmonellosis risk associated with the consumption of eggs and egg-containing foods. Six categories of egg-containing foods were defined based on the amount of egg contained in the food, whether eggs are pooled, and the degree of cooking practiced by consumers. We used bootstrap simulation to quantify uncertainty in risk estimates due to sampling error, and sensitivity analysis to identify key sources of variability and uncertainty in the model. Because of typical model characteristics such as nonlinearity, interaction between inputs, thresholds, and saturation points, Sobol's method, a novel sensitivity analysis approach, was used to identify key sources of variability. Based on the mean probability of illness, examples of foods from the food categories ranked from most to least risk of illness were: (1) home-made salad dressings/ice cream; (2) fried eggs/boiled eggs; (3) omelettes; and (4) baked foods/breads. For food categories that may include uncooked eggs (e.g., home-made salad dressings/ice cream), consumer handling conditions such as storage time and temperature after food preparation were the key sources of variability. In contrast, for food categories associated with undercooked eggs (e.g., fried/soft-boiled eggs), the initial level of Salmonella contamination and the log10 reduction due to cooking were the key sources of variability. Important sources of uncertainty varied with both the risk percentile and the food category under consideration. This work adds to previous risk assessments focused on egg production and storage practices, and provides a science-based approach to inform consumer risk communications regarding safe egg handling practices.

Joint genetic analysis of hippocampal size in mouse and human identifies a novel gene linked to neurodegenerative disease.

PubMed

Ashbrook, David G; Williams, Robert W; Lu, Lu; Stein, Jason L; Hibar, Derrek P; Nichols, Thomas E; Medland, Sarah E; Thompson, Paul M; Hager, Reinmar

2014-10-03

Variation in hippocampal volume has been linked to significant differences in memory, behavior, and cognition among individuals. To identify genetic variants underlying such differences and associated disease phenotypes, multinational consortia such as ENIGMA have used large magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data sets in human GWAS studies. In addition, mapping studies in mouse model systems have identified genetic variants for brain structure variation with great power. A key challenge is to understand how genetically based differences in brain structure lead to the propensity to develop specific neurological disorders. We combine the largest human GWAS of brain structure with the largest mammalian model system, the BXD recombinant inbred mouse population, to identify novel genetic targets influencing brain structure variation that are linked to increased risk for neurological disorders. We first use a novel cross-species, comparative analysis using mouse and human genetic data to identify a candidate gene, MGST3, associated with adult hippocampus size in both systems. We then establish the coregulation and function of this gene in a comprehensive systems-analysis. We find that MGST3 is associated with hippocampus size and is linked to a group of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's.

Lunar Exploration Architecture Level Key Drivers and Sensitivities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodliff, Kandyce; Cirillo, William; Earle, Kevin; Reeves, J. D.; Shyface, Hilary; Andraschko, Mark; Merrill, R. Gabe; Stromgren, Chel; Cirillo, Christopher

2009-01-01

Strategic level analysis of the integrated behavior of lunar transportation and lunar surface systems architecture options is performed to assess the benefit, viability, affordability, and robustness of system design choices. This analysis employs both deterministic and probabilistic modeling techniques so that the extent of potential future uncertainties associated with each option are properly characterized. The results of these analyses are summarized in a predefined set of high-level Figures of Merit (FOMs) so as to provide senior NASA Constellation Program (CxP) and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) management with pertinent information to better inform strategic level decision making. The strategic level exploration architecture model is designed to perform analysis at as high a level as possible but still capture those details that have major impacts on system performance. The strategic analysis methodology focuses on integrated performance, affordability, and risk analysis, and captures the linkages and feedbacks between these three areas. Each of these results leads into the determination of the high-level FOMs. This strategic level analysis methodology has been previously applied to Space Shuttle and International Space Station assessments and is now being applied to the development of the Constellation Program point-of-departure lunar architecture. This paper provides an overview of the strategic analysis methodology and the lunar exploration architecture analyses to date. In studying these analysis results, the strategic analysis team has identified and characterized key drivers affecting the integrated architecture behavior. These key drivers include inclusion of a cargo lander, mission rate, mission location, fixed-versus- variable costs/return on investment, and the requirement for probabilistic analysis. Results of sensitivity analysis performed on lunar exploration architecture scenarios are also presented.

Strategic Planning to Conduct Joint Force Network Operations: A Content Analysis of NETOPS Organizations Strategic Plans

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

information dominance , Joint Network Operations (NETOPS) organizations need to be strategically aligned. As result, to enhance the capabilities-based effects of NETOPS and reduce our NETOP infrastructures susceptibility to compromise. Once the key organizations were identified, their strategic plans were analyzed using a structured content analysis framework. The results illustrated that the strategic plans were aligned with the community of interests tasking to conduct NETOPS. Further research is required into the strategic alignment beyond the strategic

Meta-analysis identifies five novel loci associated with endometriosis highlighting key genes involved in hormone metabolism

PubMed Central

Sapkota, Yadav; Steinthorsdottir, Valgerdur; Morris, Andrew P.; Fassbender, Amelie; Rahmioglu, Nilufer; De Vivo, Immaculata; Buring, Julie E.; Zhang, Futao; Edwards, Todd L.; Jones, Sarah; O, Dorien; Peterse, Daniëlle; Rexrode, Kathryn M.; Ridker, Paul M.; Schork, Andrew J.; MacGregor, Stuart; Martin, Nicholas G.; Becker, Christian M.; Adachi, Sosuke; Yoshihara, Kosuke; Enomoto, Takayuki; Takahashi, Atsushi; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Matsuda, Koichi; Kubo, Michiaki; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Geirsson, Reynir T.; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Wallace, Leanne M.; Werge, Thomas M.; Thompson, Wesley K.; Yang, Jian; Velez Edwards, Digna R.; Nyegaard, Mette; Low, Siew-Kee; Zondervan, Krina T.; Missmer, Stacey A.; D'Hooghe, Thomas; Montgomery, Grant W.; Chasman, Daniel I.; Stefansson, Kari; Tung, Joyce Y.; Nyholt, Dale R.

2017-01-01

Endometriosis is a heritable hormone-dependent gynecological disorder, associated with severe pelvic pain and reduced fertility; however, its molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we perform a meta-analysis of 11 genome-wide association case-control data sets, totalling 17,045 endometriosis cases and 191,596 controls. In addition to replicating previously reported loci, we identify five novel loci significantly associated with endometriosis risk (P<5 × 10−8), implicating genes involved in sex steroid hormone pathways (FN1, CCDC170, ESR1, SYNE1 and FSHB). Conditional analysis identified five secondary association signals, including two at the ESR1 locus, resulting in 19 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) robustly associated with endometriosis, which together explain up to 5.19% of variance in endometriosis. These results highlight novel variants in or near specific genes with important roles in sex steroid hormone signalling and function, and offer unique opportunities for more targeted functional research efforts. PMID:28537267

A review of second law techniques applicable to basic thermal science research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drost, M. Kevin; Zamorski, Joseph R.

1988-11-01

This paper reports the results of a review of second law analysis techniques which can contribute to basic research in the thermal sciences. The review demonstrated that second law analysis has a role in basic thermal science research. Unlike traditional techniques, second law analysis accurately identifies the sources and location of thermodynamic losses. This allows the development of innovative solutions to thermal science problems by directing research to the key technical issues. Two classes of second law techniques were identified as being particularly useful. First, system and component investigations can provide information of the source and nature of irreversibilities on a macroscopic scale. This information will help to identify new research topics and will support the evaluation of current research efforts. Second, the differential approach can provide information on the causes and spatial and temporal distribution of local irreversibilities. This information enhances the understanding of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat and mass transfer, and may suggest innovative methods for reducing irreversibilities.

[Bilingual guides: a strategy to decrease cultural barriers to health care access in the Wayuu communities of Maicao, Colombia].

PubMed

Patiño-Londoño, Sandra Yaneth; Mignone, Javier; Castro-Arroyave, Diana María; Valencia, Natalia Gómez; Rojas Arbeláez, Carlos Alberto

2016-01-01

The article examines the use of bilingual guides to decrease cultural barriers to health care access in the Wayuu indigenous communities of Colombia. Within a larger project on HIV carried out between 2012 and 2014, 24 interviews were conducted with key actors in the administrative and health areas, including Wayuu bilingual guides. As a result of the qualitative analysis, the study identified three cultural barriers to health care access: a) language; b) the Wayuu worldview regarding the body, health, and illness; and c) information about sexual and reproductive health and HIV not adapted to the Wayuu culture. The study identifies the bilingual guides as key actors in reducing these barriers and concludes with a discussion of the role of the guides, the tensions inherent to their work, and the complexity of their contributions as cultural mediators.

Application of linker technique to trap transiently interacting protein complexes for structural studies

PubMed Central

Reddy Chichili, Vishnu Priyanka; Kumar, Veerendra; Sivaraman, J.

2016-01-01

Protein-protein interactions are key events controlling several biological processes. We have developed and employed a method to trap transiently interacting protein complexes for structural studies using glycine-rich linkers to fuse interacting partners, one of which is unstructured. Initial steps involve isothermal titration calorimetry to identify the minimum binding region of the unstructured protein in its interaction with its stable binding partner. This is followed by computational analysis to identify the approximate site of the interaction and to design an appropriate linker length. Subsequently, fused constructs are generated and characterized using size exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering experiments. The structure of the chimeric protein is then solved by crystallization, and validated both in vitro and in vivo by substituting key interacting residues of the full length, unlinked proteins with alanine. This protocol offers the opportunity to study crucial and currently unattainable transient protein interactions involved in various biological processes. PMID:26985443

What Barriers and Facilitators Do School Nurses Experience When Implementing an Obesity Intervention?

PubMed

Schroeder, Krista; Smaldone, Arlene

2017-12-01

A recent evaluation of a school nurse-led obesity intervention demonstrated a 5% implementation rate. The purpose of this study was to explore school nurses' perceived barriers to and facilitators of the intervention in order to understand reasons for the low implementation rate. Methods included semi-structured individual interviews with school nurses. Data were analyzed using content analysis and heat mapping. Nineteen nurses participated and eight themes were identified. Parental and administrative gatekeeping, heavy nurse workload, obesogenic environments, and concerns about obesity stigma were barriers to implementation. Teamwork with parents and school staff was a key facilitator of implementation. Nurses also noted the importance of cultural considerations and highlighted the need to tailor the intervention to the unique needs of their school environment and student population. These findings suggest that for school nurses to play a key role in school-based obesity interventions, barriers must be identified and addressed prior to program implementation.

Key Aroma Compounds in Smoked Cooked Loin.

PubMed

Kosowska, Monika; Majcher, Małgorzata A; Jeleń, Henryk H; Fortuna, Teresa

2018-04-11

Smoked cooked loin is one of the most popular meat products in Poland. In this study, key volatile compounds in this traditional Polish meat product were determined using gas chromatography-olfactometry and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). In total, 27 odor-active volatile compounds were identified, with flavor dilution (FD) factors ranging from 4 to 1024, with the highest FD factors noted for 2-methoxyphenol, 2-methoxy-4-(prop-2-enyl)phenol, and 2-methoxy-4-( E)-(prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol. Results of the quantitative analyses based on determinations with stable isotope dilution assays (SIDAs) and standard addition (SA), followed by calculations of the odor activity value (OAV), enabled identifying 24 of the volatile compounds responsible for flavor development in the analyzed smoked cooked loin. The highest OAVs were obtained for 2-methoxyphenol, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 1-octen-3-one, and 2-methyl-3-(methyldithio)furan.

A watermarking algorithm for polysomnography data.

PubMed

Jamasebi, R; Johnson, N L; Kaffashi, F; Redline, S; Loparo, K A

2008-01-01

A blind watermarking algorithm for polysomnography (PSG) data in European Data Format (EDF) has been developed for the identification and attribution of shared data. This is accomplished by hiding a unique identifier in the phase spectrum of each PSG epoch using an undisclosed key so that a third party cannot retrieve the watermark without knowledge of the key. A pattern discovery algorithm is developed to find the watermark pattern even though the data may have been altered. The method is evaluated using 25 PSG studies from the Sleep Heart Health Study database. The integrity of the signal data was determined using time series measures of both the original and watermarked signals, and by determining its effect on scoring sleep stages from the PSG data. The results of the analysis indicate that the proposed watermarking method for PSG data is an effective and efficient way to identify shared data without compromising its intended use.

A Business Analytics Software Tool for Monitoring and Predicting Radiology Throughput Performance.

PubMed

Jones, Stephen; Cournane, Seán; Sheehy, Niall; Hederman, Lucy

2016-12-01

Business analytics (BA) is increasingly being utilised by radiology departments to analyse and present data. It encompasses statistical analysis, forecasting and predictive modelling and is used as an umbrella term for decision support and business intelligence systems. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether utilising BA technologies could contribute towards improved decision support and resource management within radiology departments. A set of information technology requirements were identified with key stakeholders, and a prototype BA software tool was designed, developed and implemented. A qualitative evaluation of the tool was carried out through a series of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Feedback was collated, and emergent themes were identified. The results indicated that BA software applications can provide visibility of radiology performance data across all time horizons. The study demonstrated that the tool could potentially assist with improving operational efficiencies and management of radiology resources.

Identification of key microRNAs and genes in preeclampsia by bioinformatics analysis

PubMed Central

Luo, Shouling; Cao, Nannan; Tang, Yao; Gu, Weirong

2017-01-01

Preeclampsia is a leading cause of perinatal maternal–foetal mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study is to identify the key microRNAs and genes in preeclampsia and uncover their potential functions. We downloaded the miRNA expression profile of GSE84260 and the gene expression profile of GSE73374 from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed miRNAs and genes were identified and compared to miRNA-target information from MiRWalk 2.0, and a total of 65 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMIs), including 32 up-regulated miRNAs and 33 down-regulated miRNAs, and 91 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 83 up-regulated genes and 8 down-regulated genes, were identified. The pathway enrichment analyses of the DEMIs showed that the up-regulated DEMIs were enriched in the Hippo signalling pathway and MAPK signalling pathway, and the down-regulated DEMIs were enriched in HTLV-I infection and miRNAs in cancers. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analyses of the DEGs were performed using Multifaceted Analysis Tool for Human Transcriptome. The up-regulated DEGs were enriched in biological processes (BPs), including the response to cAMP, response to hydrogen peroxide and cell-cell adhesion mediated by integrin; no enrichment of down-regulated DEGs was identified. KEGG analysis showed that the up-regulated DEGs were enriched in the Hippo signalling pathway and pathways in cancer. A PPI network of the DEGs was constructed by using Cytoscape software, and FOS, STAT1, MMP14, ITGB1, VCAN, DUSP1, LDHA, MCL1, MET, and ZFP36 were identified as the hub genes. The current study illustrates a characteristic microRNA profile and gene profile in preeclampsia, which may contribute to the interpretation of the progression of preeclampsia and provide novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for preeclampsia. PMID:28594854

Exploring critical pathways for urban water management to identify robust strategies under deep uncertainties.

PubMed

Urich, Christian; Rauch, Wolfgang

2014-12-01

Long-term projections for key drivers needed in urban water infrastructure planning such as climate change, population growth, and socio-economic changes are deeply uncertain. Traditional planning approaches heavily rely on these projections, which, if a projection stays unfulfilled, can lead to problematic infrastructure decisions causing high operational costs and/or lock-in effects. New approaches based on exploratory modelling take a fundamentally different view. Aim of these is, to identify an adaptation strategy that performs well under many future scenarios, instead of optimising a strategy for a handful. However, a modelling tool to support strategic planning to test the implication of adaptation strategies under deeply uncertain conditions for urban water management does not exist yet. This paper presents a first step towards a new generation of such strategic planning tools, by combing innovative modelling tools, which coevolve the urban environment and urban water infrastructure under many different future scenarios, with robust decision making. The developed approach is applied to the city of Innsbruck, Austria, which is spatially explicitly evolved 20 years into the future under 1000 scenarios to test the robustness of different adaptation strategies. Key findings of this paper show that: (1) Such an approach can be used to successfully identify parameter ranges of key drivers in which a desired performance criterion is not fulfilled, which is an important indicator for the robustness of an adaptation strategy; and (2) Analysis of the rich dataset gives new insights into the adaptive responses of agents to key drivers in the urban system by modifying a strategy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orbital transfer vehicle concept definition and system analysis study, 1986. Volume 9: Study extension results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kofal, Allen E.

1987-01-01

The purpose of this extension to the OTV Concept Definition and Systems Analysis Study was to improve the definition of the OTV Program that will be most beneficial to the nation in the 1995 to 2010 timeframe. The implications of the defined mission and defined launch vehicle are investigated. The key mission requirements identified for the Space Transportation Architecture Study (STAS) were established and reflect a need for early capability and more ambitious capability growth. The key technical objectives and related issues addressed are summarized. The analyses of selected areas including aerobrake design, proximity operations, and the balance of EVA and IVA operations used in the support of the OTV at the space-base were enhanced. Sensitivity studies were conducted to establish how the OTV program should be tailored to meet changing circumstances.

Stigma of People with Epilepsy in China: Views of health professionals, teachers, employers and community leaders

PubMed Central

Yang, Rongrong; Wang, Wenzhi; Snape, Dee; Chen, Gong; Zhang, Lei; Wu, Jianzhong; Baker, Gus A; Zheng, Xiaoying; Jacoby, Ann

2011-01-01

To identify the possible sources of stigma of epilepsy in key informant groups, “mini-ethnographic” studies were conducted in rural and urban locations in China. Data from 45 semi-structured interviews and 8 focus group discussions (6 persons each) were analysed to investigate the world experienced by people with epilepsy. Underpinned by a social constructionist approach to data analysis, emerging themes were identified with the use of computer-assisted data analysis (NVivo 8). A hierarchical model was then constructed, to include: Practical Level issues: attitudes to risk, attitudes towards costs of epilepsy; and Cultural Level issues: the contrast between rurality and tradition and urbanization and modernity in the Chinese context. The analysis enriches current research on factors and sources of stigma of epilepsy and highlights issues for future practice. PMID:21606005

Risk factors for highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial layer chicken farms in bangladesh during 2011.

PubMed

Osmani, M G; Thornton, R N; Dhand, N K; Hoque, M A; Milon, Sk M A; Kalam, M A; Hossain, M; Yamage, M

2014-12-01

A case-control study conducted during 2011 involved 90 randomly selected commercial layer farms infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza type A subtype H5N1 (HPAI) and 175 control farms randomly selected from within 5 km of infected farms. A questionnaire was designed to obtain information about potential risk factors for contracting HPAI and was administered to farm owners or managers. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify significant risk factors. A total of 20 of 43 risk factors for contracting HPAI were identified after univariable logistic regression analysis. A multivariable logistic regression model was derived by forward stepwise selection. Both unmatched and matched analyses were performed. The key risk factors identified were numbers of staff, frequency of veterinary visits, presence of village chickens roaming on the farm and staff trading birds. Aggregating these findings with those from other studies resulted in a list of 16 key risk factors identified in Bangladesh. Most of these related to biosecurity. It is considered feasible for Bangladesh to achieve a very low incidence of HPAI. Using the cumulative list of risk factors to enhance biosecurity pertaining to commercial farms would facilitate this objective. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

"Key Concepts in ELT": Taking Stock

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Graham

2012-01-01

This article identifies patterns and trends within "Key Concepts in ELT", both since the inception of the feature in ELT Journal in 1993 and during the 17 years of the current editorship. After outlining the aims of the series, the article identifies key themes that have emerged over time, exploring the links between "Key Concepts" pieces and the…

Heparin/heparan sulfate 6-O-sulfatase from Flavobacterium heparinum: integrated structural and biochemical investigation of enzyme active site and substrate specificity.

PubMed

Myette, James R; Soundararajan, Venkataramanan; Shriver, Zachary; Raman, Rahul; Sasisekharan, Ram

2009-12-11

Heparin and heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HSGAGs) comprise a chemically heterogeneous class of sulfated polysaccharides. The development of structure-activity relationships for this class of polysaccharides requires the identification and characterization of degrading enzymes with defined substrate specificity and enzymatic activity. Toward this end, we report here the molecular cloning and extensive structure-function analysis of a 6-O-sulfatase from the Gram-negative bacterium Flavobacterium heparinum. In addition, we report the recombinant expression of this enzyme in Escherichia coli in a soluble, active form and identify it as a specific HSGAG sulfatase. We further define the mechanism of action of the enzyme through biochemical and structural studies. Through the use of defined substrates, we investigate the kinetic properties of the enzyme. This analysis was complemented by homology-based molecular modeling studies that sought to rationalize the substrate specificity of the enzyme and mode of action through an analysis of the active-site topology of the enzyme including identifying key enzyme-substrate interactions and assigning key amino acids within the active site of the enzyme. Taken together, our structural and biochemical studies indicate that 6-O-sulfatase is a predominantly exolytic enzyme that specifically acts on N-sulfated or N-acetylated 6-O-sulfated glucosamines present at the non-reducing end of HSGAG oligosaccharide substrates. This requirement for the N-acetyl or N-sulfo groups on the glucosamine substrate can be explained through eliciting favorable interactions with key residues within the active site of the enzyme. These findings provide a framework that enables the use of 6-O-sulfatase as a tool for HSGAG structure-activity studies as well as expand our biochemical and structural understanding of this important class of enzymes.

What Factors Do Allied Health Take Into Account When Making Resource Allocation Decisions?

PubMed Central

Lane, Haylee; Sturgess, Tamica; Philip, Kathleen; Markham, Donna; Martin, Jennifer; Walsh, Jill; Hubbard, Wendy; Haines, Terry

2018-01-01

Background: Allied health comprises multiple professional groups including dietetics, medical radiation practitioners, occupational therapists, optometrists and psychologists. Different to medical and nursing, Allied health are often organized in discipline specific departments and allocate budgets within these to provide services to a range of clinical areas. Little is known of how managers of allied health go about allocating these resources, the factors they consider when making these decisions, and the sources of information they rely upon. The purpose of this study was to identify the key factors that allied health consider when making resource allocation decisions and the sources of information they are based upon. Methods: Four forums were conducted each consisting of case studies, a large group discussion and two hypothetical scenarios to elicit data. A thematic content analysis commenced during post-forum discussions of key factors by forum facilitators. These factors were then presented to an expert working party for further discussion and refinement. Transcripts were generated of all data recordings and a detailed thematic analysis was undertaken by one author to ensure coded data matched the initial thematic analysis. Results: Twelve factors affecting the decision-making of allied health managers and clinicians were identified. One of these factors was disendorsed by the expert working party. The 11 remaining factors can be considered to be key decision-making principles that should be consistently applied to resource allocation. These principles were clustered into three overarching themes of readiness, impact and appropriateness. Conclusion: Understanding these principles now means further research can be completed to more effectively integrate research evidence into health policy and service delivery, create partnerships among policy-makers, managers, service providers and researchers, and to provide support to answer difficult questions that policy-makers, managers and service providers face. PMID:29764105

Identification of the key regulating genes of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) by network and gene ontology analysis.

PubMed

Pashaiasl, Maryam; Ebrahimi, Mansour; Ebrahimie, Esmaeil

2016-09-01

Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is one of the reasons for infertility that not only affects both older and young women. Ovarian reserve assessment can be used as a new prognostic tool for infertility treatment decision making. Here, up- and down-regulated gene expression profiles of granulosa cells were analysed to generate a putative interaction map of the involved genes. In addition, gene ontology (GO) analysis was used to get insight intol the biological processes and molecular functions of involved proteins in DOR. Eleven up-regulated genes and nine down-regulated genes were identified and assessed by constructing interaction networks based on their biological processes. PTGS2, CTGF, LHCGR, CITED, SOCS2, STAR and FSTL3 were the key nodes in the up-regulated networks, while the IGF2, AMH, GREM, and FOXC1 proteins were key in the down-regulated networks. MIRN101-1, MIRN153-1 and MIRN194-1 inhibited the expression of SOCS2, while CSH1 and BMP2 positively regulated IGF1 and IGF2. Ossification, ovarian follicle development, vasculogenesis, sequence-specific DNA binding transcription factor activity, and golgi apparatus are the major differential groups between up-regulated and down-regulated genes in DOR. Meta-analysis of publicly available transcriptomic data highlighted the high coexpression of CTGF, connective tissue growth factor, with the other key regulators of DOR. CTGF is involved in organ senescence and focal adhesion pathway according to GO analysis. These findings provide a comprehensive system biology based insight into the aetiology of DOR through network and gene ontology analyses.

Microhistological characteristics of selected aquatic plants of Florida, with techniques for the study of manatee food habits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hurst, L.A.; Beck, C.A.

1988-01-01

This study was initiated in 1978 to develop a technique of identifying and quantifying the digestive tract contents of Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and to serve as a manual for the identification and analysis of ingesta collected from manatee carcasses salvaged in Florida. This report includes key microhistological characters found useful in identifying fragments of 83 plant species and three invertebrate groups. Many species of aquatic and wetland plants and invertebrates are available to manatees in Florida as potential foods.

Integrated network analysis identifies fight-club nodes as a class of hubs encompassing key putative switch genes that induce major transcriptome reprogramming during grapevine development.

PubMed

Palumbo, Maria Concetta; Zenoni, Sara; Fasoli, Marianna; Massonnet, Mélanie; Farina, Lorenzo; Castiglione, Filippo; Pezzotti, Mario; Paci, Paola

2014-12-01

We developed an approach that integrates different network-based methods to analyze the correlation network arising from large-scale gene expression data. By studying grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) gene expression atlases and a grapevine berry transcriptomic data set during the transition from immature to mature growth, we identified a category named "fight-club hubs" characterized by a marked negative correlation with the expression profiles of neighboring genes in the network. A special subset named "switch genes" was identified, with the additional property of many significant negative correlations outside their own group in the network. Switch genes are involved in multiple processes and include transcription factors that may be considered master regulators of the previously reported transcriptome remodeling that marks the developmental shift from immature to mature growth. All switch genes, expressed at low levels in vegetative/green tissues, showed a significant increase in mature/woody organs, suggesting a potential regulatory role during the developmental transition. Finally, our analysis of tomato gene expression data sets showed that wild-type switch genes are downregulated in ripening-deficient mutants. The identification of known master regulators of tomato fruit maturation suggests our method is suitable for the detection of key regulators of organ development in different fleshy fruit crops. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Integrated Network Analysis Identifies Fight-Club Nodes as a Class of Hubs Encompassing Key Putative Switch Genes That Induce Major Transcriptome Reprogramming during Grapevine Development[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Palumbo, Maria Concetta; Zenoni, Sara; Fasoli, Marianna; Massonnet, Mélanie; Farina, Lorenzo; Castiglione, Filippo; Pezzotti, Mario; Paci, Paola

2014-01-01

We developed an approach that integrates different network-based methods to analyze the correlation network arising from large-scale gene expression data. By studying grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) gene expression atlases and a grapevine berry transcriptomic data set during the transition from immature to mature growth, we identified a category named “fight-club hubs” characterized by a marked negative correlation with the expression profiles of neighboring genes in the network. A special subset named “switch genes” was identified, with the additional property of many significant negative correlations outside their own group in the network. Switch genes are involved in multiple processes and include transcription factors that may be considered master regulators of the previously reported transcriptome remodeling that marks the developmental shift from immature to mature growth. All switch genes, expressed at low levels in vegetative/green tissues, showed a significant increase in mature/woody organs, suggesting a potential regulatory role during the developmental transition. Finally, our analysis of tomato gene expression data sets showed that wild-type switch genes are downregulated in ripening-deficient mutants. The identification of known master regulators of tomato fruit maturation suggests our method is suitable for the detection of key regulators of organ development in different fleshy fruit crops. PMID:25490918

A Human Proteome Array Approach to Identifying Key Host Proteins Targeted by Toxoplasma Kinase ROP18*

PubMed Central

Yang, Zhaoshou; Hou, Yongheng; Hao, Taofang; Rho, Hee-Sool; Wan, Jun; Luan, Yizhao; Gao, Xin; Yao, Jianping; Pan, Aihua; Xie, Zhi; Qian, Jiang; Liao, Wanqin; Zhu, Heng; Zhou, Xingwang

2017-01-01

Toxoplasma kinase ROP18 is a key molecule responsible for the virulence of Toxoplasma gondii; however, the mechanisms by which ROP18 exerts parasite virulence via interaction with host proteins remain limited to a small number of identified substrates. To identify a broader array of ROP18 substrates, we successfully purified bioactive mature ROP18 and used it to probe a human proteome array. Sixty eight new putative host targets were identified. Functional annotation analysis suggested that these proteins have a variety of functions, including metabolic process, kinase activity and phosphorylation, cell growth, apoptosis and cell death, and immunity, indicating a pleiotropic role of ROP18 kinase. Among these proteins, four candidates, p53, p38, UBE2N, and Smad1, were further validated. We demonstrated that ROP18 targets p53, p38, UBE2N, and Smad1 for degradation. Importantly, we demonstrated that ROP18 phosphorylates Smad1 Ser-187 to trigger its proteasome-dependent degradation. Further functional characterization of the substrates of ROP18 may enhance understanding of the pathogenesis of Toxoplasma infection and provide new therapeutic targets. Similar strategies could be used to identify novel host targets for other microbial kinases functioning at the pathogen-host interface. PMID:28087594

Development of Responder Definitions for Fibromyalgia Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Arnold, Lesley M.; Williams, David A.; Hudson, James I.; Martin, Susan A.; Clauw, Daniel J.; Crofford, Leslie J.; Wang, Fujun; Emir, Birol; Lai, Chinglin; Zablocki, Rong; Mease, Philip J.

2011-01-01

Objective To develop responder definitions for fibromyalgia clinical trials using key symptom and functional domains. Methods 24 candidate responder definitions were developed by expert consensus and evaluated in 12 randomized, placebo-controlled fibromyalgia trials of 4 medications. For each definition, treatment effects of the medication compared with placebo were analyzed using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test or Chi Square test. A meta-analysis of the pooled results for the 4 medications established risk ratios to determine the definitions that best favored medication over placebo. Results Two definitions performed best in the analyses. Both definitions included ≥ 30% reduction in pain and ≥ 10% improvement in physical function. They differed in that one (FM30 short version) included ≥ 30% improvement in sleep or fatigue, and the other (FM30 long version) required ≥ 30% improvement in 2 of the following symptoms: sleep, fatigue, depression, anxiety, or cognition. In the analysis of both versions, the response rate was ≥ 15% for each medication and significantly greater than placebo. The risk ratio favoring drug over placebo (95% CI) in the pooled analysis for the FM30 short version was 1.50 (1.24, 1.82), P ≤ 0.0001; the FM30 long version was 1.60 (1.31, 1.96), P ≤ 0.00001. Conclusion Among the 24 responder definitions tested, 2 were identified as most sensitive in identifying response to treatment. The identification of responder definitions for fibromyalgia clinical trials that include assessments of key symptom and functional domains may improve the sensitivity of clinical trials to identify meaningful improvements, leading to improved management of fibromyalgia. PMID:21953205

Federal Public Health Workforce Development: An Evidence-Based Approach for Defining Competencies.

PubMed

Mumford, Karen; Young, Andrea C; Nawaz, Saira

2016-01-01

This study reports the use of exploratory factor analysis to describe essential skills and knowledge for an important segment of the domestic public health workforce-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) project officers-using an evidence-based approach to competency development and validation. A multicomponent survey was conducted. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the underlying domains and relationships between competency domains and key behaviors. The Cronbach α coefficient determined the reliability of the overall scale and identified factors. All domestic (US state, tribe, local, and territorial) grantees who received funding from the CDC during fiscal year 2011 to implement nonresearch prevention or intervention programs were invited to participate in a Web-based questionnaire. A total of 34 key behaviors representing knowledge, skills, and abilities, grouped in 7 domains-communication, grant administration and management, public health applied science and knowledge, program planning and development, program management, program monitoring and improvement, and organizational consultation-were examined. There were 795 responses (58% response rate). A total of 6 factors were identified with loadings of 0.40 or more for all 34 behavioral items. The Cronbach α coefficient was 0.95 overall and ranged between 0.73 and 0.91 for the factors. This study provides empirical evidence for the construct validity of 6 competencies and 34 key behaviors important for CDC project officers and serves as an important first step to evidence-driven workforce development efforts in public health.

Identification and comparison of aberrant key regulatory networks in breast, colon, liver, lung, and stomach cancers through methylome database analysis.

PubMed

Kim, Byungtak; Kang, Seongeun; Jeong, Gookjoo; Park, Sung-Bin; Kim, Sun Jung

2014-01-01

Aberrant methylation of specific CpG sites at the promoter is widely responsible for genesis and development of various cancer types. Even though the microarray-based methylome analyzing techniques have contributed to the elucidation of the methylation change at the genome-wide level, the identification of key methylation markers or top regulatory networks appearing common in highly incident cancers through comparison analysis is still limited. In this study, we in silico performed the genome-wide methylation analysis on each 10 sets of normal and cancer pairs of five tissues: breast, colon, liver, lung, and stomach. The methylation array covers 27,578 CpG sites, corresponding to 14,495 genes, and significantly hypermethylated or hypomethylated genes in the cancer were collected (FDR adjusted p-value <0.05; methylation difference >0.3). Analysis of the dataset confirmed the methylation of previously known methylation markers and further identified novel methylation markers, such as GPX2, CLDN15, and KL. Cluster analysis using the methylome dataset resulted in a diagram with a bipartite mode distinguishing cancer cells from normal cells regardless of tissue types. The analysis further revealed that breast cancer was closest with lung cancer, whereas it was farthest from colon cancer. Pathway analysis identified that either the "cancer" related network or the "cancer" related bio-function appeared as the highest confidence in all the five cancers, whereas each cancer type represents its tissue-specific gene sets. Our results contribute toward understanding the essential abnormal epigenetic pathways involved in carcinogenesis. Further, the novel methylation markers could be applied to establish markers for cancer prognosis.

Self-perceived professional identity of pharmacy educators in South Africa.

PubMed

Burton, Sue; Boschmans, Shirley-Anne; Hoelson, Chris

2013-12-16

Objective. To identify, describe, and analyze the self-perceived professional identities of pharmacy educators within the South African context. Methods. Narrative interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed. Thematic analysis and interpretation of the transcripts were conducted using qualitative data analysis software. Results. Multiplicities of self-perceived professional identities were identified. All of these were multi-faceted and could be situated on a continuum between pharmacist identity on one end and academic identity on the other. In addition, 6 key determinants were recognized as underpinning the participants' self-perception of their professional identity. Conclusion. This study afforded a better understanding of who pharmacy educators in South Africa are as professionals. Moreover, the findings contribute to an international, collective understanding of the professional identity of pharmacy educators.

One Health Economics to confront disease threats.

PubMed

Machalaba, Catherine; Smith, Kristine M; Awada, Lina; Berry, Kevin; Berthe, Franck; Bouley, Timothy A; Bruce, Mieghan; Cortiñas Abrahantes, Jose; El Turabi, Anas; Feferholtz, Yasha; Flynn, Louise; Fournié, Giullaume; Andre, Amanda; Grace, Delia; Jonas, Olga; Kimani, Tabitha; Le Gall, François; Miranda, Juan Jose; Peyre, Marisa; Pinto, Julio; Ross, Noam; Rüegg, Simon R; Salerno, Robert H; Seifman, Richard; Zambrana-Torrelio, Carlos; Karesh, William B

2017-06-01

Global economic impacts of epidemics suggest high return on investment in prevention and One Health capacity. However, such investments remain limited, contributing to persistent endemic diseases and vulnerability to emerging ones. An interdisciplinary workshop explored methods for country-level analysis of added value of One Health approaches to disease control. Key recommendations include: 1. systems thinking to identify risks and mitigation options for decision-making under uncertainty; 2. multisectoral economic impact assessment to identify wider relevance and possible resource-sharing, and 3. consistent integration of environmental considerations. Economic analysis offers a congruent measure of value complementing diverse impact metrics among sectors and contexts. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) and HS-SPME-GCMS quantification of key aroma volatiles for fruit and sap of Australian mango cultivars.

PubMed

San, Anh T; Joyce, Daryl C; Hofman, Peter J; Macnish, Andrew J; Webb, Richard I; Matovic, Nicolas J; Williams, Craig M; De Voss, James J; Wong, Siew H; Smyth, Heather E

2017-04-15

Reported herein is a high throughput method to quantify in a single analysis the key volatiles that contribute to the aroma of commercially significant mango cultivars grown in Australia. The method constitutes stable isotope dilution analysis (SIDA) in conjunction with headspace (HS) solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS). Deuterium labelled analogues of the target analytes were either purchased commercially or synthesised for use as internal standards. Seven volatiles, hexanal, 3-carene, α-terpinene, p-cymene, limonene, α-terpinolene and ethyl octanoate, were targeted. The resulting calibration functions had determination coefficients (R 2 ) ranging from 0.93775 to 0.99741. High recovery efficiencies for spiked mango samples were also achieved. The method was applied to identify the key aroma volatile compounds produced by 'Kensington Pride' and 'B74' mango fruit and by 'Honey Gold' mango sap. This method represents a marked improvement over current methods for detecting and measuring concentrations of mango fruit and sap volatiles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of transcription factors key for mouse pancreatic development establishes NKX2-2 and MNX1 mutations as causes of neonatal diabetes in man.

PubMed

Flanagan, Sarah E; De Franco, Elisa; Lango Allen, Hana; Zerah, Michele; Abdul-Rasoul, Majedah M; Edge, Julie A; Stewart, Helen; Alamiri, Elham; Hussain, Khalid; Wallis, Sam; de Vries, Liat; Rubio-Cabezas, Oscar; Houghton, Jayne A L; Edghill, Emma L; Patch, Ann-Marie; Ellard, Sian; Hattersley, Andrew T

2014-01-07

Understanding transcriptional regulation of pancreatic development is required to advance current efforts in developing beta cell replacement therapies for patients with diabetes. Current knowledge of key transcriptional regulators has predominantly come from mouse studies, with rare, naturally occurring mutations establishing their relevance in man. This study used a combination of homozygosity analysis and Sanger sequencing in 37 consanguineous patients with permanent neonatal diabetes to search for homozygous mutations in 29 transcription factor genes important for murine pancreatic development. We identified homozygous mutations in 7 different genes in 11 unrelated patients and show that NKX2-2 and MNX1 are etiological genes for neonatal diabetes, thus confirming their key role in development of the human pancreas. The similar phenotype of the patients with recessive mutations and mice with inactivation of a transcription factor gene support there being common steps critical for pancreatic development and validate the use of rodent models for beta cell development. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Key Performance Parameter Driven Technology Goals for Electric Machines and Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowman, Cheryl; Jansen, Ralph; Brown, Gerald; Duffy, Kirsten; Trudell, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Transitioning aviation to low carbon propulsion is one of the crucial strategic research thrust and is a driver in the search for alternative propulsion system for advanced aircraft configurations. This work requires multidisciplinary skills coming from multiple entities. The feasibility of scaling up various electric drive system technologies to meet the requirements of a large commercial transport is discussed in terms of key parameters. Functional requirements are identified that impact the power system design. A breakeven analysis is presented to find the minimum allowable electric drive specific power and efficiency that can preserve the range, initial weight, operating empty weight, and payload weight of the base aircraft.

Goal commitment and the goal-setting process: conceptual clarification and empirical synthesis.

PubMed

Klein, H J; Wesson, M J; Hollenbeck, J R; Alge, B J

1999-12-01

Goals are central to current treatments of work motivation, and goal commitment is a critical construct in understanding the relationship between goals and task performance. Despite this importance, there is confusion about the role of goal commitment and only recently has this key construct received the empirical attention it warrants. This meta-analysis, based on 83 independent samples, updates the goal commitment literature by summarizing the accumulated evidence on the antecedents and consequences of goal commitment. Using this aggregate empirical evidence, the role of goal commitment in the goal-setting process is clarified and key areas for future research are identified.

Hydrogen Storage for Aircraft Applications Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Kohout, Lisa (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Advances in fuel cell technology have brought about their consideration as sources of power for aircraft. This power can be utilized to run aircraft systems or even provide propulsion power. One of the key obstacles to utilizing fuel cells on aircraft is the storage of hydrogen. An overview of the potential methods of hydrogen storage was compiled. This overview identifies various methods of hydrogen storage and points out their advantages and disadvantages relative to aircraft applications. Minimizing weight and volume are the key aspects to storing hydrogen within an aircraft. An analysis was performed to show how changes in certain parameters of a given storage system affect its mass and volume.

Determinants for the success of regional ICT ventures: a close examination of South Korea.

PubMed

Park, Eunil; Kim, Ki Joon; Kwon, Sang Jib; Ohm, Jay Y; Del Pobil, Angel P; Yoo, Kyeongsik

2016-01-01

This study identifies the key motivational factors in enhancing economic performance and increasing new job opportunities for information and communication technology ventures (ICTVs) in South Korea and examines their potential causal relationships through structural equation modeling analysis on data collected from over 200 ICTVs located in Daedeok Innopolis. The results indicate that the economic performance of ICTVs is determined mainly by government support, innovation effort, and private equity and support. Government support and innovation effort are also positively associated with new job opportunities. The theoretical, industrial implications of the key findings, and recommendations for the Korean government are discussed.

Comparing direct and iterative equation solvers in a large structural analysis software system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poole, E. L.

1991-01-01

Two direct Choleski equation solvers and two iterative preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) equation solvers used in a large structural analysis software system are described. The two direct solvers are implementations of the Choleski method for variable-band matrix storage and sparse matrix storage. The two iterative PCG solvers include the Jacobi conjugate gradient method and an incomplete Choleski conjugate gradient method. The performance of the direct and iterative solvers is compared by solving several representative structural analysis problems. Some key factors affecting the performance of the iterative solvers relative to the direct solvers are identified.

Static Extraction and Conformance Analysis of Hierarchical Runtime Architectural Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-14

Example: CryptoDB 253 Architectural Component Java Class Note CustomerManager cryptodb.test.CustomerManager AKA “ crypto consumer” CustomerManager.Receipts...PROVIDERS PLAIN KEYID KEYMANAGEMENT KEYSTORAGE CRYPTO (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+) (+)(+) Figure 7.29: CryptoDB: Level-0 OOG with String objects...better understand this communication, we declared different domains for plain-text (PLAIN), encrypted ( CRYPTO ), alias identifier (ALIASID), and key

Learning Online: A Case Study Exploring Student Perceptions and Experience of a Course in Economic Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skordis-Worrall, Jolene; Haghparast-Bidgoli, Hassan; Batura, Neha; Hughes, Jane

2015-01-01

This study explored the perceptions and experiences of a group of students enrolled in an online course in Economic Evaluation. A mixed methods approach was adopted for the data collection, and thematic analysis was used to synthesize the data collected and highlight key findings. The participants identified several positive and negative perceived…

"It Just Makes You Feel Invincible": A Foucauldian Analysis of Children's Experiences of Organised Team Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Simon R.; Payne, Deborah; Schluter, Philip J.; Thomson, Rex W.

2015-01-01

The childhood years are highlighted as a crucial time when ongoing participation in physical activity can be nurtured and maintained. The nurturing of a child's proclivity to participate in organised sport normally falls into the domain of adults. While both parents and coaches have been identified as key influences on children's enjoyment of…

Analysis of NHANES Measured Blood PCBs in the General U.S. Population andApplication of SHEDS Model to Identify Key Exposure Factors

EPA Science Inventory

Studies have shown that the U.S. population continues to be exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), despite their ban more than three decades ago, but the reasons are not fully understood. The objectives of this paper are to characterize patterns of PCBs in blood by age, gen...

Student and Faculty Perceptions of Service Quality: The Moderating Role of the Institutional Aspects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duževic, Ines; Ceh Casni, Anita

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore key attributes of service quality in the Croatian higher education system. In particular, the study aims to compare student and faculty perceptions of service quality and to identify institutional aspects that may affect the perceptions of these two customers. Principal component analysis is used to define…

Identification and pathogenomic analysis of an Escherichia coli strain producing a novel Shiga toxin 2 subtype

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Shiga toxin (Stx) is the key virulent factor in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). To date, three Stx1 subtypes and Seven Stx2 subtypes have been described in E. coli, which were found to differ in receptor preference and toxin potency. Here, we identified a novel Stx2 subtype designated...

Historical Evolution of Assisted Living in the United States, 1979 to the Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Keren Brown

2007-01-01

Purpose: This article provides a historical overview of the emergence of assisted living in the United States over a 25-year period to identify goals and key concepts that underpinned the emerging form of care. Design and Methods: The method is historical analysis based on records and my own personal experiences in conceptualizing and implementing…

The Reallocation of Human Resources to Improve Student Achievement in a Time of Fiscal Constraints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behar, Steve

2013-01-01

This study compared the allocation of human resources of a K-12 unified school district in Southern California to the Evidence-Based model (Odden & Picus, 2008). Using document analysis and interviews of key administrators of the district, data was input into a spreadsheet to identify gaps between current practice and the Evidence-Based model.…

Obstacles and Affordances for Integer Reasoning: An Analysis of Children's Thinking and the History of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Jessica Pierson; Lamb, Lisa L.; Philipp, Randolph A.; Whitacre, Ian; Schappelle, Bonnie P.; Lewis, Melinda L.

2014-01-01

We identify and document 3 cognitive obstacles, 3 cognitive affordances, and 1 type of integer understanding that can function as either an obstacle or affordance for learners while they extend their numeric domains from whole numbers to include negative integers. In particular, we highlight 2 key subsets of integer reasoning: understanding or…

Stakeholder understandings of wildfire mitigation: A case of shared and contested meanings

Treesearch

Joseph G. Champ; Jeffrey J. Brooks; Daniel R. Williams

2012-01-01

This article identifies and compares meanings of wildfire risk mitigation for stakeholders in the Front Range of Colorado, USA. We examine the case of a collaborative partnership sponsored by government agencies and directed to decrease hazardous fuels in interface areas. Data were collected by way of key informant interviews and focus groups. The analysis is guided by...

A HaemAtlas: characterizing gene expression in differentiated human blood cells.

PubMed

Watkins, Nicholas A; Gusnanto, Arief; de Bono, Bernard; De, Subhajyoti; Miranda-Saavedra, Diego; Hardie, Debbie L; Angenent, Will G J; Attwood, Antony P; Ellis, Peter D; Erber, Wendy; Foad, Nicola S; Garner, Stephen F; Isacke, Clare M; Jolley, Jennifer; Koch, Kerstin; Macaulay, Iain C; Morley, Sarah L; Rendon, Augusto; Rice, Kate M; Taylor, Niall; Thijssen-Timmer, Daphne C; Tijssen, Marloes R; van der Schoot, C Ellen; Wernisch, Lorenz; Winzer, Thilo; Dudbridge, Frank; Buckley, Christopher D; Langford, Cordelia F; Teichmann, Sarah; Göttgens, Berthold; Ouwehand, Willem H

2009-05-07

Hematopoiesis is a carefully controlled process that is regulated by complex networks of transcription factors that are, in part, controlled by signals resulting from ligand binding to cell-surface receptors. To further understand hematopoiesis, we have compared gene expression profiles of human erythroblasts, megakaryocytes, B cells, cytotoxic and helper T cells, natural killer cells, granulocytes, and monocytes using whole genome microarrays. A bioinformatics analysis of these data was performed focusing on transcription factors, immunoglobulin superfamily members, and lineage-specific transcripts. We observed that the numbers of lineage-specific genes varies by 2 orders of magnitude, ranging from 5 for cytotoxic T cells to 878 for granulocytes. In addition, we have identified novel coexpression patterns for key transcription factors involved in hematopoiesis (eg, GATA3-GFI1 and GATA2-KLF1). This study represents the most comprehensive analysis of gene expression in hematopoietic cells to date and has identified genes that play key roles in lineage commitment and cell function. The data, which are freely accessible, will be invaluable for future studies on hematopoiesis and the role of specific genes and will also aid the understanding of the recent genome-wide association studies.

A HaemAtlas: characterizing gene expression in differentiated human blood cells

PubMed Central

Gusnanto, Arief; de Bono, Bernard; De, Subhajyoti; Miranda-Saavedra, Diego; Hardie, Debbie L.; Angenent, Will G. J.; Attwood, Antony P.; Ellis, Peter D.; Erber, Wendy; Foad, Nicola S.; Garner, Stephen F.; Isacke, Clare M.; Jolley, Jennifer; Koch, Kerstin; Macaulay, Iain C.; Morley, Sarah L.; Rendon, Augusto; Rice, Kate M.; Taylor, Niall; Thijssen-Timmer, Daphne C.; Tijssen, Marloes R.; van der Schoot, C. Ellen; Wernisch, Lorenz; Winzer, Thilo; Dudbridge, Frank; Buckley, Christopher D.; Langford, Cordelia F.; Teichmann, Sarah; Göttgens, Berthold; Ouwehand, Willem H.

2009-01-01

Hematopoiesis is a carefully controlled process that is regulated by complex networks of transcription factors that are, in part, controlled by signals resulting from ligand binding to cell-surface receptors. To further understand hematopoiesis, we have compared gene expression profiles of human erythroblasts, megakaryocytes, B cells, cytotoxic and helper T cells, natural killer cells, granulocytes, and monocytes using whole genome microarrays. A bioinformatics analysis of these data was performed focusing on transcription factors, immunoglobulin superfamily members, and lineage-specific transcripts. We observed that the numbers of lineage-specific genes varies by 2 orders of magnitude, ranging from 5 for cytotoxic T cells to 878 for granulocytes. In addition, we have identified novel coexpression patterns for key transcription factors involved in hematopoiesis (eg, GATA3-GFI1 and GATA2-KLF1). This study represents the most comprehensive analysis of gene expression in hematopoietic cells to date and has identified genes that play key roles in lineage commitment and cell function. The data, which are freely accessible, will be invaluable for future studies on hematopoiesis and the role of specific genes and will also aid the understanding of the recent genome-wide association studies. PMID:19228925

The study of direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs.

PubMed

Schommer, Jon C; Hansen, Richard A

2005-06-01

The objectives of this article are to (1) identify key methodological issues related to investigating the effects of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) for prescription drugs, (2) highlight opportunities and challenges that these issues pose, and (3) provide suggestions to address these challenges and opportunities from a social and administrative pharmacy perspective. Through a review of existing literature and consultation with research colleagues, we identified 3 broad issues regarding the study of DTCA for prescription drugs: (1) the importance of problem formulation, (2) the role of health behavior and decision-making perspectives, and (3) data collection and data analysis challenges and opportunities. Based upon our findings, we developed recommendations for future research in this area. Clear problem formulation will be instructive for prioritizing research needs and for determining the role that health behavior and decision-making perspectives can serve in DTCA research. In addition, it appears that cluster bias, nonlinear relationships, mediating/moderating effects, time effects, acquiescent response, and case mix are particularly salient challenges for the DTCA research domain. We suggest that problem formulation, selection of sound theories upon which to base research, and data collection and data analysis challenges are key methodological issues related to investigating the effects of DTCA for prescription drugs.

Are emergency care nurses prepared for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive incidents?

PubMed

Mitchell, Christina J; Kernohan, W George; Higginson, Ray

2012-07-01

Two main areas exist within emergency care where chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive preparedness can be focused: departmental preparedness and staff preparedness. This study focused upon the latter. To identify areas where nurses require training in order to improve preparedness for a CBRNe incident. A competency questionnaire was developed from the literature and completed by 50 nursing staff across three Emergency Departments within one NHS Trust in Northern Ireland. Descriptive analysis was used for the quantitative data along with content analysis for the qualitative questions. Six key areas were identified for training; waste management (including clinical waste, contaminated clothing, contaminated water and the management of the contaminated deceased), Triage, Chain of command, PODs, awareness of the range of Personal Protective Equipment and its appropriate use and the decontamination of people and equipment. There is a need for a standardised 'blueprint' of role-specific competency criteria for a CBRNe incident for all emergency healthcare staff. The assessment tool used in this study can help to assess levels of preparedness amongst nursing staff and, if adapted accordingly, help gauge preparedness of other key healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making Sense of the Yeast Sphingolipid Pathway.

PubMed

Megyeri, Márton; Riezman, Howard; Schuldiner, Maya; Futerman, Anthony H

2016-12-04

Sphingolipids (SL) and their metabolites play key roles both as structural components of membranes and as signaling molecules. Many of the key enzymes and regulators of SL metabolism were discovered using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and based on the high degree of conservation, a number of mammalian homologs were identified. Although yeast continues to be an important tool for SL research, the complexity of SL structure and nomenclature often hampers the ability of new researchers to grasp the subtleties of yeast SL biology and discover new modulators of this intricate pathway. Moreover, the emergence of lipidomics by mass spectrometry has enabled the rapid identification of SL species in yeast and rendered the analysis of SL composition under various physiological and pathophysiological conditions readily amenable. However, the complex nomenclature of the identified species renders much of the data inaccessible to non-specialists. In this review, we focus on parsing both the classical SL nomenclature and the nomenclature normally used during mass spectrometry analysis, which should facilitate the understanding of yeast SL data and might shed light on biological processes in which SLs are involved. Finally, we discuss a number of putative roles of various yeast SL species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploration of priority actions for strengthening the role of nurses in achieving universal health coverage

PubMed Central

Maaitah, Rowaida Al; AbuAlRub, Raeda Fawzi

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to explore priority actions for strengthening the role of Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) towards the achievement of Universal Health Converge (UHC) as perceived by health key informants in Jordan. Methods: an exploratory qualitative design, using a semi-structured survey, was utilized. A purposive sample of seventeen key informants from various nursing and health care sectors was recruited for the purpose of the study. Content analysis utilizing the five-stage framework approach was used for data analysis. Results: the findings revealed that policy and regulation, nursing education, research, and workforce were identified as the main elements that influence the role of APNs in contributing to the achievement of UHC. Priority actions were identified by the participants for the main four elements. Conclusion: study findings confirm the need to strengthen the role of APNs to achieve UHC through a major transformation in nursing education, practice, research, leadership, and regulatory system. Nurses should unite to come up with solid nursing competencies related to APNs, PHC, UHC, leadership and policy making to strengthen their position as main actors in influencing the health care system and evidence creation. PMID:28146176

[Development of Human Health Discoveries. 10 years results of Young Innovative Company incubation].

PubMed

Marsac, Jean

2014-01-01

Medicine is evolving every day in its operating procedures and the services offered to patients, emphasizing personalized medicine, safety and medical benefits. The individual patient is more than ever the hub of healthcare organization. Medical innovation is thus a public health priority. However it requires an accurate assessment of medical utility and risk-benefit ratios, and in-depth analysis of economic and organizational impacts. Ten years of experience in the Paris Biotech Santé company incubator has identified key actions for effective support of research projects and the success of innovative companies. Strong expertise is needed to prepare development plans, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and obtain research funding. During its first decade, this incubator has created 87 innovative companies employing 1500 people, raised more than 90 million euros of funding, and reached a cumulative company value of 1200 million euros. Key factors of success have been identified, but an analysis of the causes of failure shows that operational adjustments are mandatory, particularly a strong commitment from medical experts, in order to promote access to new and useful products for patients while at the same time assessing their social impact.

Utilization of a cognitive task analysis for laparoscopic appendectomy to identify differentiated intraoperative teaching objectives.

PubMed

Smink, Douglas S; Peyre, Sarah E; Soybel, David I; Tavakkolizadeh, Ali; Vernon, Ashley H; Anastakis, Dimitri J

2012-04-01

Experts become automated when performing surgery, making it difficult to teach complex procedures to trainees. Cognitive task analysis (CTA) enables experts to articulate operative steps and cognitive decisions in complex procedures such as laparoscopic appendectomy, which can then be used to identify central teaching points. Three local surgeon experts in laparoscopic appendectomy were interviewed using critical decision method-based CTA methodology. Interview transcripts were analyzed, and a cognitive demands table (CDT) was created for each expert. The individual CDTs were reviewed by each expert for completeness and then combined into a master CDT. Percentage agreement on operative steps and decision points was calculated for each expert. The experts then participated in a consensus meeting to review the master CDT. Each surgeon expert was asked to identify in the master CDT the most important teaching objectives for junior-level and senior-level residents. The experts' responses for junior-level and senior-level residents were compared using a χ(2) test. The surgeon experts identified 24 operative steps and 27 decision points. Eighteen of the 24 operative steps (75%) were identified by all 3 surgeon experts. The percentage of operative steps identified was high for each surgeon expert (96% for surgeon 1, 79% for surgeon 2, and 83% for surgeon 3). Of the 27 decision points, only 5 (19%) were identified by all 3 surgeon experts. The percentage of decision points identified varied by surgeon expert (78% for surgeon 1, 59% for surgeon 2, and 48% for surgeon 3). When asked to identify key teaching points, the surgeon experts were more likely to identify operative steps for junior residents (9 operative steps and 6 decision points) and decision points for senior residents (4 operative steps and 13 decision points) (P < .01). CTA can deconstruct the essential operative steps and decision points associated with performing a laparoscopic appendectomy. These results provide a framework to identify key teaching principles to guide intraoperative instruction. These learning objectives could be used to guide resident level-appropriate teaching of an essential general surgery procedure. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proteomic analysis reveals diverse proline hydroxylation-mediated oxygen-sensing cellular pathways in cancer cells

PubMed Central

Liu, Bing; Gao, Yankun; Ruan, Hai-Bin; Chen, Yue

2016-01-01

Proline hydroxylation is a critical cellular mechanism regulating oxygen-response pathways in tumor initiation and progression. Yet, its substrate diversity and functions remain largely unknown. Here, we report a system-wide analysis to characterize proline hydroxylation substrates in cancer cells using an immunoaffinity-purification assisted proteomics strategy. We identified 562 sites from 272 proteins in HeLa cells. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that proline hydroxylation substrates are significantly enriched with mRNA processing and stress-response cellular pathways with canonical and diverse flanking sequence motifs. Structural analysis indicates a significant enrichment of proline hydroxylation participating in the secondary structure of substrate proteins. Our study identified and validated Brd4, a key transcription factor, as a novel proline hydroxylation substrate. Functional analysis showed that the inhibition of proline hydroxylation pathway significantly reduced the proline hydroxylation abundance on Brd4 and affected Brd4-mediated transcriptional activity as well as cell proliferation in AML leukemia cells. Taken together, our study identified a broad regulatory role of proline hydroxylation in cellular oxygen-sensing pathways and revealed potentially new targets that dynamically respond to hypoxia microenvironment in tumor cells. PMID:27764789

Nanomaterials Versus Ambient Ultrafine Particles: An Opportunity to Exchange Toxicology Knowledge

PubMed Central

Miller, Mark R.; Clift, Martin J.D.; Elder, Alison; Mills, Nicholas L.; Møller, Peter; Schins, Roel P.F.; Vogel, Ulla; Kreyling, Wolfgang G.; Alstrup Jensen, Keld; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A.J.; Schwarze, Per E.; Hoet, Peter; Pietroiusti, Antonio; De Vizcaya-Ruiz, Andrea; Baeza-Squiban, Armelle; Teixeira, João Paulo; Tran, C. Lang; Cassee, Flemming R.

2017-01-01

Background: A rich body of literature exists that has demonstrated adverse human health effects following exposure to ambient air particulate matter (PM), and there is strong support for an important role of ultrafine (nanosized) particles. At present, relatively few human health or epidemiology data exist for engineered nanomaterials (NMs) despite clear parallels in their physicochemical properties and biological actions in in vitro models. Objectives: NMs are available with a range of physicochemical characteristics, which allows a more systematic toxicological analysis. Therefore, the study of ultrafine particles (UFP, <100 nm in diameter) provides an opportunity to identify plausible health effects for NMs, and the study of NMs provides an opportunity to facilitate the understanding of the mechanism of toxicity of UFP. Methods: A workshop of experts systematically analyzed the available information and identified 19 key lessons that can facilitate knowledge exchange between these discipline areas. Discussion: Key lessons range from the availability of specific techniques and standard protocols for physicochemical characterization and toxicology assessment to understanding and defining dose and the molecular mechanisms of toxicity. This review identifies a number of key areas in which additional research prioritization would facilitate both research fields simultaneously. Conclusion: There is now an opportunity to apply knowledge from NM toxicology and use it to better inform PM health risk research and vice versa. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP424 PMID:29017987

Nanomaterials Versus Ambient Ultrafine Particles: An Opportunity to Exchange Toxicology Knowledge.

PubMed

Stone, Vicki; Miller, Mark R; Clift, Martin J D; Elder, Alison; Mills, Nicholas L; Møller, Peter; Schins, Roel P F; Vogel, Ulla; Kreyling, Wolfgang G; Alstrup Jensen, Keld; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A J; Schwarze, Per E; Hoet, Peter; Pietroiusti, Antonio; De Vizcaya-Ruiz, Andrea; Baeza-Squiban, Armelle; Teixeira, João Paulo; Tran, C Lang; Cassee, Flemming R

2017-10-10

A rich body of literature exists that has demonstrated adverse human health effects following exposure to ambient air particulate matter (PM), and there is strong support for an important role of ultrafine (nanosized) particles. At present, relatively few human health or epidemiology data exist for engineered nanomaterials (NMs) despite clear parallels in their physicochemical properties and biological actions in in vitro models. NMs are available with a range of physicochemical characteristics, which allows a more systematic toxicological analysis. Therefore, the study of ultrafine particles (UFP, <100 nm in diameter) provides an opportunity to identify plausible health effects for NMs, and the study of NMs provides an opportunity to facilitate the understanding of the mechanism of toxicity of UFP. A workshop of experts systematically analyzed the available information and identified 19 key lessons that can facilitate knowledge exchange between these discipline areas. Key lessons range from the availability of specific techniques and standard protocols for physicochemical characterization and toxicology assessment to understanding and defining dose and the molecular mechanisms of toxicity. This review identifies a number of key areas in which additional research prioritization would facilitate both research fields simultaneously. There is now an opportunity to apply knowledge from NM toxicology and use it to better inform PM health risk research and vice versa. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP424.

Key elements of optimal treatment decision-making for surgeons and older patients with colorectal or pancreatic cancer: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Geessink, Noralie H; Schoon, Yvonne; van Herk, Hanneke C P; van Goor, Harry; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M

2017-03-01

To identify key elements of optimal treatment decision-making for surgeons and older patients with colorectal (CRC) or pancreatic cancer (PC). Six focus groups with different participants were performed: three with older CRC/PC patients and relatives, and three with physicians. Supplementary in-depth interviews were conducted in another seven patients. Framework analysis was used to identify key elements in decision-making. 23 physicians, 22 patients and 14 relatives participated. Three interacting components were revealed: preconditions, content and facilitators of decision-making. To provide optimal information about treatments' impact on an older patient's daily life, physicians should obtain an overall picture and take into account patients' frailty. Depending on patients' preferences and capacities, dividing decision-making into more sessions will be helpful and simultaneously emphasize patients' own responsibility. GPs may have a valuable contribution because of their background knowledge and supportive role. Stakeholders identified several crucial elements in the complex surgical decision-making of older CRC/PC patients. Structured qualitative research may also be of great help in optimizing other treatment directed decision-making processes. Surgeons should be trained in examining preconditions and useful facilitators in decision-making in older CRC/PC patients to optimize its content and to improve the quality of shared care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-Wide Functional and Stress Response Profiling Reveals Toxic Mechanism and Genes Required for Tolerance to Benzo[a]pyrene in S. cerevisiae

PubMed Central

O’Connor, Sean Timothy Francis; Lan, Jiaqi; North, Matthew; Loguinov, Alexandre; Zhang, Luoping; Smith, Martyn T.; Gu, April Z.; Vulpe, Chris

2012-01-01

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a ubiquitous, potent, and complete carcinogen resulting from incomplete organic combustion. BaP can form DNA adducts but other mechanisms may play a role in toxicity. We used a functional toxicology approach in S. cerevisiae to assess the genetic requirements for cellular resistance to BaP. In addition, we examined translational activities of key genes involved in various stress response pathways. We identified multiple genes and processes involved in modulating BaP toxicity in yeast which support DNA damage as a primary mechanism of toxicity, but also identify other potential toxicity pathways. Gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that DNA damage and repair as well as redox homeostasis and oxidative stress are key processes in cellular response to BaP suggesting a similar mode of action of BaP in yeast and mammals. Interestingly, toxicant export is also implicated as a potential novel modulator of cellular susceptibility. In particular, we identified several transporters with human orthologs (solute carrier family 22) which may play a role in mammalian systems. PMID:23403841

Mobile phones and social structures: an exploration of a closed user group in rural Ghana

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In the Millennium Villages Project site of Bonsaaso, Ghana, the Health Team is using a mobile phone closed user group to place calls amongst one another at no cost. Methods In order to determine the utilization and acceptability of the closed user group amongst users, social network analysis and qualitative methods were used. Key informants were identified and interviewed. The key informants also kept prospective call journals. Billing statements and de-identified call data from the closed user group were used to generate data for analyzing the social structure revealed by the network traffic. Results The majority of communication within the closed user group was personal and not for professional purposes. The members of the CUG felt that the group improved their efficiency at work. Conclusions The methods used present an interesting way to investigate the social structure surrounding communication via mobile phones. In addition, the benefits identified from the exploration of this closed user group make a case for supporting mobile phone closed user groups amongst professional groups. PMID:24007331

EnergyPlus Run Time Analysis

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

Hong, Tianzhen; Buhl, Fred; Haves, Philip

2008-09-20

EnergyPlus is a new generation building performance simulation program offering many new modeling capabilities and more accurate performance calculations integrating building components in sub-hourly time steps. However, EnergyPlus runs much slower than the current generation simulation programs. This has become a major barrier to its widespread adoption by the industry. This paper analyzed EnergyPlus run time from comprehensive perspectives to identify key issues and challenges of speeding up EnergyPlus: studying the historical trends of EnergyPlus run time based on the advancement of computers and code improvements to EnergyPlus, comparing EnergyPlus with DOE-2 to understand and quantify the run time differences,more » identifying key simulation settings and model features that have significant impacts on run time, and performing code profiling to identify which EnergyPlus subroutines consume the most amount of run time. This paper provides recommendations to improve EnergyPlus run time from the modeler?s perspective and adequate computing platforms. Suggestions of software code and architecture changes to improve EnergyPlus run time based on the code profiling results are also discussed.« less

Image alignment

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

Dowell, Larry Jonathan

Disclosed is a method and device for aligning at least two digital images. An embodiment may use frequency-domain transforms of small tiles created from each image to identify substantially similar, "distinguishing" features within each of the images, and then align the images together based on the location of the distinguishing features. To accomplish this, an embodiment may create equal sized tile sub-images for each image. A "key" for each tile may be created by performing a frequency-domain transform calculation on each tile. A information-distance difference between each possible pair of tiles on each image may be calculated to identify distinguishingmore » features. From analysis of the information-distance differences of the pairs of tiles, a subset of tiles with high discrimination metrics in relation to other tiles may be located for each image. The subset of distinguishing tiles for each image may then be compared to locate tiles with substantially similar keys and/or information-distance metrics to other tiles of other images. Once similar tiles are located for each image, the images may be aligned in relation to the identified similar tiles.« less

Integrative Analysis of Response to Tamoxifen Treatment in ER-Positive Breast Cancer Using GWAS Information and Transcription Profiling.

PubMed

Hicks, Chindo; Kumar, Ranjit; Pannuti, Antonio; Miele, Lucio

2012-01-01

Variable response and resistance to tamoxifen treatment in breast cancer patients remains a major clinical problem. To determine whether genes and biological pathways containing SNPs associated with risk for breast cancer are dysregulated in response to tamoxifen treatment, we performed analysis combining information from 43 genome-wide association studies with gene expression data from 298 ER(+) breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen and 125 ER(+) controls. We identified 95 genes which distinguished tamoxifen treated patients from controls. Additionally, we identified 54 genes which stratified tamoxifen treated patients into two distinct groups. We identified biological pathways containing SNPs associated with risk for breast cancer, which were dysregulated in response to tamoxifen treatment. Key pathways identified included the apoptosis, P53, NFkB, DNA repair and cell cycle pathways. Combining GWAS with transcription profiling provides a unified approach for associating GWAS findings with response to drug treatment and identification of potential drug targets.

A day in the life of a volunteer incident commander: errors, pressures and mitigating strategies.

PubMed

Bearman, Christopher; Bremner, Peter A

2013-05-01

To meet an identified gap in the literature this paper investigates the tasks that a volunteer incident commander needs to carry out during an incident, the errors that can be made and the way that errors are managed. In addition, pressure from goal seduction and situation aversion were also examined. Volunteer incident commanders participated in a two-part interview consisting of a critical decision method interview and discussions about a hierarchical task analysis constructed by the authors. A SHERPA analysis was conducted to further identify potential errors. The results identified the key tasks, errors with extreme risk, pressures from strong situations and mitigating strategies for errors and pressures. The errors and pressures provide a basic set of issues that need to be managed by both volunteer incident commanders and fire agencies. The mitigating strategies identified here suggest some ways that this can be done. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

User Interaction with the CNPC Link

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hobbs, Alan; Lyall, Elizabeth A.

2014-01-01

As part of NASAs UAS in the NAS project, human factor guidelines are being developed for the ground control station of unmanned aircraft systems. A critical task for the pilot of a UAS is the management and control of the terrestrial radio links used to provide control of the vehicle and relay communications with air traffic control. An analysis of the task of the UAS pilot has been conducted to identify areas where guidelines are required. This analysis has identified a set of information requirements that must be supported by the radio equipment used to provide Control and Non-payload Communication (CNPC). Key requirements include the need for an alert when the link is lost, information on the current quality and latency of the link, and information to enable the future quality of the link to be anticipated as the aircraft changes location. These identified requirements can assist in the development of minimum operational performance standards for CNPC equipment.

Nano-enabled drug delivery: a research profile.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao; Porter, Alan L; Robinson, Douglas K R; Shim, Min Suk; Guo, Ying

2014-07-01

Nano-enabled drug delivery (NEDD) systems are rapidly emerging as a key area for nanotechnology application. Understanding the status and developmental prospects of this area around the world is important to determine research priorities, and to evaluate and direct progress. Global research publication and patent databases provide a reservoir of information that can be tapped to provide intelligence for such needs. Here, we present a process to allow for extraction of NEDD-related information from these databases by involving topical experts. This process incorporates in-depth analysis of NEDD literature review papers to identify key subsystems and major topics. We then use these to structure global analysis of NEDD research topical trends and collaborative patterns, inform future innovation directions. This paper describes the process of how to derive nano-enabled drug delivery-related information from global research and patent databases in an effort to perform comprehensive global analysis of research trends and directions, along with collaborative patterns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differentiation between Flavors of Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) and Mandarin (Citrus reticulata).

PubMed

Feng, Shi; Suh, Joon Hyuk; Gmitter, Frederick G; Wang, Yu

2018-01-10

Pioneering investigations referring to citrus flavor have been intensively conducted. However, the characteristic flavor difference between sweet orange and mandarin has not been defined. In this study, sensory analysis illustrated the crucial role of aroma in the differentiation between orange flavor and mandarin flavor. To study aroma, Valencia orange and LB8-9 mandarin were used. Their most aroma-active compounds were preliminarily identified by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Quantitation of key volatiles followed by calculation of odor activity values (OAVs) further detected potent components (OAV ≥ 1) impacting the overall aromatic profile of orange/mandarin. Follow-up aroma profile analysis revealed that ethyl butanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, octanal, decanal, and acetaldehyde were essential for orange-like aroma, whereas linalool, octanal, α-pinene, limonene, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal were considered key components for mandarin-like aroma. Furthermore, an unreleased mandarin hybrid producing fruit with orange-like flavor was used to validate the identification of characteristic volatiles in orange-like aroma.

How have health promotion frameworks considered gender?

PubMed

Gelb, Karen; Pederson, Ann; Greaves, Lorraine

2012-12-01

This paper provides an overview of five key internationally recognized health promotion frameworks and assesses their consideration of gender. This analysis was conducted as part of the Promoting Health in Women project, a Canadian initiative focused on generating a framework for effective health promotion for women. To date, no review of health promotion frameworks has specifically focused on assessing the treatment of gender. This analysis draws on a comprehensive literature review that covered available literature on gender and health promotion frameworks published internationally between 1974 and 2010. Analysis of five key health promotion frameworks revealed that although gender was at times mentioned as a determinant of health, gender was never identified and integrated as a factor critical to successful health promotion. This superficial attention to the role of gender in health promotion is problematic as it limits our capacity to understand how gender influences health, health contexts and health promotion, as well as our ability to integrate gender into future comprehensive health promotion strategies.

Integrated, Step-Wise, Mass-Isotopomeric Flux Analysis of the TCA Cycle.

PubMed

Alves, Tiago C; Pongratz, Rebecca L; Zhao, Xiaojian; Yarborough, Orlando; Sereda, Sam; Shirihai, Orian; Cline, Gary W; Mason, Graeme; Kibbey, Richard G

2015-11-03

Mass isotopomer multi-ordinate spectral analysis (MIMOSA) is a step-wise flux analysis platform to measure discrete glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolic rates. Importantly, direct citrate synthesis rates were obtained by deconvolving the mass spectra generated from [U-(13)C6]-D-glucose labeling for position-specific enrichments of mitochondrial acetyl-CoA, oxaloacetate, and citrate. Comprehensive steady-state and dynamic analyses of key metabolic rates (pyruvate dehydrogenase, β-oxidation, pyruvate carboxylase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and PEP/pyruvate cycling) were calculated from the position-specific transfer of (13)C from sequential precursors to their products. Important limitations of previous techniques were identified. In INS-1 cells, citrate synthase rates correlated with both insulin secretion and oxygen consumption. Pyruvate carboxylase rates were substantially lower than previously reported but showed the highest fold change in response to glucose stimulation. In conclusion, MIMOSA measures key metabolic rates from the precursor/product position-specific transfer of (13)C-label between metabolites and has broad applicability to any glucose-oxidizing cell. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cluster analysis of accelerated molecular dynamics simulations: A case study of the decahedron to icosahedron transition in Pt nanoparticles.

PubMed

Huang, Rao; Lo, Li-Ta; Wen, Yuhua; Voter, Arthur F; Perez, Danny

2017-10-21

Modern molecular-dynamics-based techniques are extremely powerful to investigate the dynamical evolution of materials. With the increase in sophistication of the simulation techniques and the ubiquity of massively parallel computing platforms, atomistic simulations now generate very large amounts of data, which have to be carefully analyzed in order to reveal key features of the underlying trajectories, including the nature and characteristics of the relevant reaction pathways. We show that clustering algorithms, such as the Perron Cluster Cluster Analysis, can provide reduced representations that greatly facilitate the interpretation of complex trajectories. To illustrate this point, clustering tools are used to identify the key kinetic steps in complex accelerated molecular dynamics trajectories exhibiting shape fluctuations in Pt nanoclusters. This analysis provides an easily interpretable coarse representation of the reaction pathways in terms of a handful of clusters, in contrast to the raw trajectory that contains thousands of unique states and tens of thousands of transitions.

Cluster analysis of accelerated molecular dynamics simulations: A case study of the decahedron to icosahedron transition in Pt nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Rao; Lo, Li-Ta; Wen, Yuhua; Voter, Arthur F.; Perez, Danny

2017-10-01

Modern molecular-dynamics-based techniques are extremely powerful to investigate the dynamical evolution of materials. With the increase in sophistication of the simulation techniques and the ubiquity of massively parallel computing platforms, atomistic simulations now generate very large amounts of data, which have to be carefully analyzed in order to reveal key features of the underlying trajectories, including the nature and characteristics of the relevant reaction pathways. We show that clustering algorithms, such as the Perron Cluster Cluster Analysis, can provide reduced representations that greatly facilitate the interpretation of complex trajectories. To illustrate this point, clustering tools are used to identify the key kinetic steps in complex accelerated molecular dynamics trajectories exhibiting shape fluctuations in Pt nanoclusters. This analysis provides an easily interpretable coarse representation of the reaction pathways in terms of a handful of clusters, in contrast to the raw trajectory that contains thousands of unique states and tens of thousands of transitions.

High-order interactions observed in multi-task intrinsic networks are dominant indicators of aberrant brain function in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Plis, Sergey M; Sui, Jing; Lane, Terran; Roy, Sushmita; Clark, Vincent P; Potluru, Vamsi K; Huster, Rene J; Michael, Andrew; Sponheim, Scott R; Weisend, Michael P; Calhoun, Vince D

2013-01-01

Identifying the complex activity relationships present in rich, modern neuroimaging data sets remains a key challenge for neuroscience. The problem is hard because (a) the underlying spatial and temporal networks may be nonlinear and multivariate and (b) the observed data may be driven by numerous latent factors. Further, modern experiments often produce data sets containing multiple stimulus contexts or tasks processed by the same subjects. Fusing such multi-session data sets may reveal additional structure, but raises further statistical challenges. We present a novel analysis method for extracting complex activity networks from such multifaceted imaging data sets. Compared to previous methods, we choose a new point in the trade-off space, sacrificing detailed generative probability models and explicit latent variable inference in order to achieve robust estimation of multivariate, nonlinear group factors (“network clusters”). We apply our method to identify relationships of task-specific intrinsic networks in schizophrenia patients and control subjects from a large fMRI study. After identifying network-clusters characterized by within- and between-task interactions, we find significant differences between patient and control groups in interaction strength among networks. Our results are consistent with known findings of brain regions exhibiting deviations in schizophrenic patients. However, we also find high-order, nonlinear interactions that discriminate groups but that are not detected by linear, pair-wise methods. We additionally identify high-order relationships that provide new insights into schizophrenia but that have not been found by traditional univariate or second-order methods. Overall, our approach can identify key relationships that are missed by existing analysis methods, without losing the ability to find relationships that are known to be important. PMID:23876245

Reporting guidelines for survey research: an analysis of published guidance and reporting practices.

PubMed

Bennett, Carol; Khangura, Sara; Brehaut, Jamie C; Graham, Ian D; Moher, David; Potter, Beth K; Grimshaw, Jeremy M

2010-08-01

Research needs to be reported transparently so readers can critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the design, conduct, and analysis of studies. Reporting guidelines have been developed to inform reporting for a variety of study designs. The objective of this study was to identify whether there is a need to develop a reporting guideline for survey research. We conducted a three-part project: (1) a systematic review of the literature (including "Instructions to Authors" from the top five journals of 33 medical specialties and top 15 general and internal medicine journals) to identify guidance for reporting survey research; (2) a systematic review of evidence on the quality of reporting of surveys; and (3) a review of reporting of key quality criteria for survey research in 117 recently published reports of self-administered surveys. Fewer than 7% of medical journals (n = 165) provided guidance to authors on survey research despite a majority having published survey-based studies in recent years. We identified four published checklists for conducting or reporting survey research, none of which were validated. We identified eight previous reviews of survey reporting quality, which focused on issues of non-response and accessibility of questionnaires. Our own review of 117 published survey studies revealed that many items were poorly reported: few studies provided the survey or core questions (35%), reported the validity or reliability of the instrument (19%), defined the response rate (25%), discussed the representativeness of the sample (11%), or identified how missing data were handled (11%). There is limited guidance and no consensus regarding the optimal reporting of survey research. The majority of key reporting criteria are poorly reported in peer-reviewed survey research articles. Our findings highlight the need for clear and consistent reporting guidelines specific to survey research.

Strategy for an Association Study of the Intestinal Microbiome and Brain Metabolome Across the Lifespan of Rats.

PubMed

Chen, Tianlu; You, Yijun; Xie, Guoxiang; Zheng, Xiaojiao; Zhao, Aihua; Liu, Jiajian; Zhao, Qing; Wang, Shouli; Huang, Fengjie; Rajani, Cynthia; Wang, Congcong; Chen, Shaoqiu; Ni, Yan; Yu, Herbert; Deng, Youping; Wang, Xiaoyan; Jia, Wei

2018-02-20

There is increased appreciation for the diverse roles of the microbiome-gut-brain axis on mammalian growth and health throughout the lifespan. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiome and their metabolites are extensively involved in the communication between brain and gut. Association study of brain metabolome and gut microbiome is an active field offering large amounts of information on the interaction of microbiome, brain and gut but data size and complicated hierarchical relationships were found to be major obstacles to the formation of significant, reproducible conclusions. This study addressed a two-level strategy of brain metabolome and gut microbiome association analysis of male Wistar rats in the process of growth, employing several analytical platforms and various bioinformatics methods. Trajectory analysis showed that the age-related brain metabolome and gut microbiome had similarity in overall alteration patterns. Four high taxonomical level correlated pairs of "metabolite type-bacterial phylum", including "lipids-Spirochaetes", "free fatty acids (FFAs)-Firmicutes", "bile acids (BAs)-Firmicutes", and "Neurotransmitters-Bacteroidetes", were screened out based on unit- and multivariant correlation analysis and function analysis. Four groups of specific "metabolite-bacterium" association pairs from within the above high level key pairs were further identified. The key correlation pairs were validated by an independent animal study. This two-level strategy is effective in identifying principal correlations in big data sets obtained from the systematic multiomics study, furthering our understanding on the lifelong connection between brain and gut.

Recurrent seascape units identify key ecological processes along the western Antarctic Peninsula.

PubMed

Bowman, Jeff S; Kavanaugh, Maria T; Doney, Scott C; Ducklow, Hugh W

2018-04-10

The western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is a bellwether of global climate change and natural laboratory for identifying interactions between climate and ecosystems. The Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) project has collected data on key ecological and environmental processes along the WAP since 1993. To better understand how key ecological parameters are changing across space and time, we developed a novel seascape classification approach based on in situ temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a, nitrate + nitrite, phosphate, and silicate. We anticipate that this approach will be broadly applicable to other geographical areas. Through the application of self-organizing maps (SOMs), we identified eight recurrent seascape units (SUs) in these data. These SUs have strong fidelity to known regional water masses but with an additional layer of biogeochemical detail, allowing us to identify multiple distinct nutrient profiles in several water masses. To identify the temporal and spatial distribution of these SUs, we mapped them across the Palmer LTER sampling grid via objective mapping of the original parameters. Analysis of the abundance and distribution of SUs since 1993 suggests two year types characterized by the partitioning of chlorophyll a into SUs with different spatial characteristics. By developing generalized linear models for correlated, time-lagged external drivers, we conclude that early spring sea ice conditions exert a strong influence on the distribution of chlorophyll a and nutrients along the WAP, but not necessarily the total chlorophyll a inventory. Because the distribution and density of phytoplankton biomass can have an impact on biomass transfer to the upper trophic levels, these results highlight anticipated links between the WAP marine ecosystem and climate. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Identifying nontechnical skills associated with safety in the emergency department: a scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Flowerdew, Lynsey; Brown, Ruth; Vincent, Charles; Woloshynowych, Maria

2012-05-01

Understanding the nontechnical skills specifically applicable to the emergency department (ED) is essential to facilitate training and more broadly consider interventions to reduce error. The aim of this scoping review is to first identify and then explore in depth the nontechnical skills linked to safety in the ED. The review was conducted in 2 stages. In stage 1, online databases were searched for published empirical studies linking nontechnical skills to safety and performance in the ED. Articles were analyzed to identify key ED nontechnical skills. In stage 2, these key skills were used to generate additional key words, which enabled a second search of the literature to be undertaken and expand on the evidence available for review. In stage 1, 11 articles were retrieved for data analysis and 9 core emergency medicine nontechnical skills were identified. These were communicating, managing workload, anticipating, situational awareness, supervising and providing feedback, leadership, maintaining standards, using assertiveness, and decisionmaking. In stage 2, a secondary search, using these 9 skills and related terms, uncovered a further 21 relevant articles. Therefore, 32 articles were used to describe the main nontechnical skills linked to safety in the ED. This article highlights the challenges of reviewing a topic for which the terms are not clearly defined in the literature. A novel methodological approach is described that provides a structured and transparent process for reviewing the literature in emerging areas of interest. A series of literature reviews focusing on individual nontechnical skills will provide a clearer understanding of how the skills identified contribute to safety in the ED. Copyright © 2011 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.