The information content of cosmic microwave background anisotropies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, Douglas; Contreras, Dagoberto; Narimani, Ali; Ma, Yin-Zhe

2016-06-01

The cosmic microwave background (CMB) contains perturbations that are close to Gaussian and isotropic. This means that its information content, in the sense of the ability to constrain cosmological models, is closely related to the number of modes probed in CMB power spectra. Rather than making forecasts for specific experimental setups, here we take a more pedagogical approach and ask how much information we can extract from the CMB if we are only limited by sample variance. We show that, compared with temperature measurements, the addition of E-mode polarization doubles the number of modes available out to a fixed maximum multipole, provided that all of the TT, TE, and EE power spectra are measured. However, the situation in terms of constraints on particular parameters is more complicated, as we explain and illustrate graphically. We also discuss the enhancements in information that can come from adding B-mode polarization and gravitational lensing. We show how well one could ever determine the basic cosmological parameters from CMB data compared with what has been achieved with Planck, which has already probed a substantial fraction of the TT information. Lastly, we look at constraints on neutrino mass as a specific example of how lensing information improves future prospects beyond the current 6-parameter model.

Importance of background values in assessing the impact of heavy metals in river ecosystems: case study of Tisza River, Serbia.

PubMed

Štrbac, Snežana; Kašanin Grubin, Milica; Vasić, Nebojša

2017-11-30

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate how a choice of different background values may affect assessing the anthropogenic heavy metal pollution in sediments from Tisza River (Serbia). The second objective of this paper is to underline significance of using geochemical background values when establishing quality criteria for sediment. Enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (I geo ), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were calculated using different background values. Three geochemical (average metal concentrations in continental crust, average metal concentrations in shale, and average metal concentrations in non-contaminated core sediment samples) and two statistical methods (delineation method and principal component analyses) were used for calculating background values. It can be concluded that obtained information of pollution status can be more dependent on the use of background values than the index/factor chosen. The best option to assess the potential river sediment contamination is to compare obtained concentrations of analyzed elements with concentrations of mineralogically and texturally comparable, uncontaminated core sediment samples. Geochemical background values should be taken into account when establishing quality criteria for soils, sediments, and waters. Due to complexity of the local lithology, it is recommended that environmental monitoring and assessment include selection of an appropriate background values to gain understanding of the geochemistry and potential source of pollution in a given environment.

Chemical Source Localization Fusing Concentration Information in the Presence of Chemical Background Noise.

PubMed

Pomareda, Víctor; Magrans, Rudys; Jiménez-Soto, Juan M; Martínez, Dani; Tresánchez, Marcel; Burgués, Javier; Palacín, Jordi; Marco, Santiago

2017-04-20

We present the estimation of a likelihood map for the location of the source of a chemical plume dispersed under atmospheric turbulence under uniform wind conditions. The main contribution of this work is to extend previous proposals based on Bayesian inference with binary detections to the use of concentration information while at the same time being robust against the presence of background chemical noise. For that, the algorithm builds a background model with robust statistics measurements to assess the posterior probability that a given chemical concentration reading comes from the background or from a source emitting at a distance with a specific release rate. In addition, our algorithm allows multiple mobile gas sensors to be used. Ten realistic simulations and ten real data experiments are used for evaluation purposes. For the simulations, we have supposed that sensors are mounted on cars which do not have among its main tasks navigating toward the source. To collect the real dataset, a special arena with induced wind is built, and an autonomous vehicle equipped with several sensors, including a photo ionization detector (PID) for sensing chemical concentration, is used. Simulation results show that our algorithm, provides a better estimation of the source location even for a low background level that benefits the performance of binary version. The improvement is clear for the synthetic data while for real data the estimation is only slightly better, probably because our exploration arena is not able to provide uniform wind conditions. Finally, an estimation of the computational cost of the algorithmic proposal is presented.

Students Seeking Access to Four-Year Institutions: Community College Transfers [Background Information].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Jamillah

This publication provides background information for a hearing by the California Senate Select Committee on Higher Education and Outreach on December 3, 1997. The Introduction presents the Committee announcement, press release, agenda, information about transfer efforts in California, facts and figures about the community colleges, and the text of…

Computational Assessment of Naturally Occurring Neutron and Photon Background Radiation Produced by Extraterrestrial Sources

DOE PAGES

Miller, Thomas Martin; de Wet, Wouter C.; Patton, Bruce W.

2015-10-28

In this study, a computational assessment of the variation in terrestrial neutron and photon background from extraterrestrial sources is presented. The motivation of this assessment is to evaluate the practicality of developing a tool or database to estimate background in real time (or near–real time) during an experimental measurement or to even predict the background for future measurements. The extraterrestrial source focused on during this assessment is naturally occurring galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). The MCNP6 transport code was used to perform the computational assessment. However, the GCR source available in MCNP6 was not used. Rather, models developed and maintained bymore » NASA were used to generate the GCR sources. The largest variation in both neutron and photon background spectra was found to be caused by changes in elevation on Earth's surface, which can be as large as an order of magnitude. All other perturbations produced background variations on the order of a factor of 3 or less. The most interesting finding was that ~80% and 50% of terrestrial background neutrons and photons, respectively, are generated by interactions in Earth's surface and other naturally occurring and man-made objects near a detector of particles from extraterrestrial sources and their progeny created in Earth's atmosphere. In conclusion, this assessment shows that it will be difficult to estimate the terrestrial background from extraterrestrial sources without a good understanding of a detector's surroundings. Therefore, estimating or predicting background during a measurement environment like a mobile random search will be difficult.« less

The information content of cosmic microwave background anisotropies

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

Scott, Douglas; Contreras, Dagoberto; Narimani, Ali

The cosmic microwave background (CMB) contains perturbations that are close to Gaussian and isotropic. This means that its information content, in the sense of the ability to constrain cosmological models, is closely related to the number of modes probed in CMB power spectra. Rather than making forecasts for specific experimental setups, here we take a more pedagogical approach and ask how much information we can extract from the CMB if we are only limited by sample variance. We show that, compared with temperature measurements, the addition of E -mode polarization doubles the number of modes available out to a fixedmore » maximum multipole, provided that all of the TT , TE , and EE power spectra are measured. However, the situation in terms of constraints on particular parameters is more complicated, as we explain and illustrate graphically. We also discuss the enhancements in information that can come from adding B -mode polarization and gravitational lensing. We show how well one could ever determine the basic cosmological parameters from CMB data compared with what has been achieved with Planck , which has already probed a substantial fraction of the TT information. Lastly, we look at constraints on neutrino mass as a specific example of how lensing information improves future prospects beyond the current 6-parameter model.« less

Information gains from cosmic microwave background experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seehars, Sebastian; Amara, Adam; Refregier, Alexandre; Paranjape, Aseem; Akeret, Joël

2014-07-01

To shed light on the fundamental problems posed by dark energy and dark matter, a large number of experiments have been performed and combined to constrain cosmological models. We propose a novel way of quantifying the information gained by updates on the parameter constraints from a series of experiments which can either complement earlier measurements or replace them. For this purpose, we use the Kullback-Leibler divergence or relative entropy from information theory to measure differences in the posterior distributions in model parameter space from a pair of experiments. We apply this formalism to a historical series of cosmic microwave background experiments ranging from Boomerang to WMAP, SPT, and Planck. Considering different combinations of these experiments, we thus estimate the information gain in units of bits and distinguish contributions from the reduction of statistical errors and the "surprise" corresponding to a significant shift of the parameters' central values. For this experiment series, we find individual relative entropy gains ranging from about 1 to 30 bits. In some cases, e.g. when comparing WMAP and Planck results, we find that the gains are dominated by the surprise rather than by improvements in statistical precision. We discuss how this technique provides a useful tool for both quantifying the constraining power of data from cosmological probes and detecting the tensions between experiments.

Staffing Preschools: Background Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G.; Weir, Mary K.

This report explores background variables related to preschool teaching, and emphasizes that statistics fluctuate in early childhood education. The increase for preprimary enrollment of 3- and 4-year-olds was 26 percent from 1966 to 1967. Accurate figures on preschool teaching personnel are not available, but a large proportion of Head Start…

Information Literacy Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warmkessel, Marjorie M.

2007-01-01

This article presents an annotated list of seven recent articles on the topic of information literacy assessment. They include: (1) "The Three Arenas of Information Literacy Assessment" (Bonnie Gratch Lindauer); (2) "Testing the Effectiveness of Interactive Multimedia for Library-User Education" (Karen Markey et al.); (3)…

Preliminary assessment of the ATHENA/WFI non-X-ray background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perinati, Emanuele; Barbera, Marco; Diebold, Sebastian; Guzman, Alejandro; Santangelo, Andrea; Tenzer, Chris

2017-12-01

We present a preliminary assessment of the non-X-ray background for the WFI on board ATHENA conducted at IAAT in the context of the collaborative background and radiation damage working group activities. Our main result is that in the baseline configuration originally assumed for the camera the requirement on the level of non-X-ray background could not be met. In light of the results of Geant4 simulations we propose and discuss a possible optimization of the camera design and pinpoint some open issues to be addressed in the next phase of investigation. One of these concerns the possible contribution to the non-X-ray background from soft protons and ions funneled to the focal plane through the optics. This is not quantified at this stage, here we just briefly report on our ongoing activities aimed at validating the mechanisms of proton scattering at grazing incidence.

Introduction of Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation into Nursing Practice: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Achrekar, Meera S; Murthy, Vedang; Kanan, Sadhana; Shetty, Rani; Nair, Mini; Khattry, Navin

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to introduce and evaluate the compliance to documentation of situation, background, assessment, recommendation (SBAR) form. Twenty nurses involved in active bedside care were selected by simple random sampling. Use of SBAR was illustrated thru self-instructional module (SIM). Content validity and reliability were established. The situation, background, assessment, recommendation (SBAR) form was disseminated for use in a clinical setting during shift handover. A retrospective audit was undertaken at 1 st week (A1) and 16 th week (A2), post introduction of SIM. Nurse's opinion about the SBAR form was also captured. Majority of nurses were females (65%) in the age group 21-30 years (80%). There was a significant association ( P = 0.019) between overall audit scores and graduate nurses. Significant improvement ( P = 0.043) seen in overall scores between A1 (mean: 23.20) and A2 (mean: 24.26) and also in "Situation" domain ( P = 0.045) as compared to other domains. There was only a marginal improvement in documentation related to patient's allergies and relevant past history (7%) while identifying comorbidities decreased by 40%. Only 70% of nurses had documented plan of care. Most (76%) of nurses expressed that SBAR form was useful, but 24% nurses felt SBAR documentation was time-consuming. The assessment was easy (53%) to document while recommendation was the difficult (53%) part. SBAR technique has helped nurses to have a focused and easy communication during transition of care during handover. Importance and relevance of capturing information need to be reinforced. An audit to look for reduced number of incidents related to communication failures is essential for long-term evaluation of patient outcomes. Use of standardized SBAR in nursing practice for bedside shift handover will improve communication between nurses and thus ensure patient safety.

Acquisition of background and technical information and class trip planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackinnon, R. M.; Wake, W. H.

1981-01-01

Instructors who are very familiar with a study area, as well as those who are not, find the field trip information acquisition and planning process speeded and made more effective by organizing it in stages. The stage follow a deductive progression: from the associated context region, to the study area, to the specific sample window sites, and from generalized background information on the study region to specific technical data on the environmental and human use systems to be interpreted at each site. On the class trip and in the follow up laboratory, the learning/interpretive process are at first deductive in applying previously learned information and skills to analysis of the study site, then inductive in reading and interpreting the landscape, imagery, and maps of the site, correlating them with information of other samples sites and building valid generalizations about the larger study area, its context region, and other (similar and/or contrasting) regions.

[Effects of exposure frequency and background information on preferences for photographs of cars in different locations].

PubMed

Matsuda, Ken; Kusumi, Takashi; Hosomi, Naohiro; Osa, Atsushi; Miike, Hidetoshi

2014-08-01

This study examined the influence of familiarity and novelty on the mere exposure effect while manipulating the presentation of background information. We selected presentation stimuli that integrated cars and backgrounds based on the results of pilot studies. During the exposure phase, we displayed the stimuli successively for 3 seconds, manipulating the background information (same or different backgrounds with each presentation) and exposure frequency (3, 6, and 9 times). In the judgment phase, 18 participants judged the cars in terms of preference, familiarity, and novelty on a 7-point scale. As the number of stimulus presentations increased, the preference for the cars increased during the different background condition and decreased during the same background condition. This increased preference may be due to the increase in familiarity caused by the higher exposure frequency and novelty resulting from the background changes per exposure session. The rise in preference judgments was not seen when cars and backgrounds were presented independently. Therefore, the addition of novel features to each exposure session facilitated the mere exposure effect.

Assessing reading levels of health information: uses and limitations of flesch formula.

PubMed

Jindal, Pranay; MacDermid, Joy C

2017-01-01

Written health information is commonly used by health-care professionals (HCPs) to inform and assess patients in clinical practice. With growing self-management of many health conditions and increased information seeking behavior among patients, there is a greater stress on HCPs and researchers to develop and implement readable and understandable health information. Readability formulas such as Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level (FKRGL) are commonly used by researchers and HCPs to assess if health information is reading grade appropriate for patients. In this article, we critically analyze the role and credibility of Flesch formula in assessing the reading level of written health information. FRE and FKRGL assign a grade level by measuring semantic and syntactic difficulty. They serve as a simple tool that provides some information about the potential literacy difficulty of written health information. However, health information documents often involve complex medical words and may incorporate pictures and tables to improve the legibility. In their assessments, FRE and FKRGL do not take into account (1) document factors (layout, pictures and charts, color, font, spacing, legibility, and grammar), (2) person factors (education level, comprehension, health literacy, motivation, prior knowledge, information needs, anxiety levels), and (3) style of writing (cultural sensitivity, comprehensiveness, and appropriateness), and thus, inadequately assess reading level. New readability measures incorporate pictures and use complex algorithms to assess reading level but are only moderately used in health-care research and not in clinical practice. Future research needs to develop generic and disease-specific readability measures to evaluate comprehension of a written document based on individuals' literacy levels, cultural background, and knowledge of disease.

Distinguishing vegetation from soil background information. [by gray mapping of Landsat MSS data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, A. J.; Wiegand, C. L.

1977-01-01

In aircraft and satellite multispectral scanner data, soil background signals are superimposed on or intermingled with information about vegetation. A procedure which accounts for soil background would, therefore, make a considerable contribution to an operational use of Landsat and other spectral data for monitoring the productivity of range, forest, and crop lands. A description is presented of an investigation which was conducted to obtain information for the development of such a procedure. The investigation included a study of the soil reflectance that supplies the background signal of vegetated surfaces. Landsat data as recorded on computer compatible tapes were used in the study. The results of the investigation are discussed, taking into account a study reported by Kauth and Thomas (1976). Attention is given to the determination of Kauth's plane of soils, sun angle effects, vegetation index modeling, and the evaluation of vegetation indexes. Graphs are presented which show the results obtained with a gray mapping technique. The technique makes it possible to display plant, soil, water, and cloud conditions for any Landsat overpass.

Distinguishing nanomaterial particles from background airborne particulate matter for quantitative exposure assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono-Ogasawara, Mariko; Serita, Fumio; Takaya, Mitsutoshi

2009-10-01

As the production of engineered nanomaterials quantitatively expands, the chance that workers involved in the manufacturing process will be exposed to nanoparticles also increases. A risk management system is needed for workplaces in the nanomaterial industry based on the precautionary principle. One of the problems in the risk management system is difficulty of exposure assessment. In this article, examples of exposure assessment in nanomaterial industries are reviewed with a focus on distinguishing engineered nanomaterial particles from background nanoparticles in workplace atmosphere. An approach by JNIOSH (Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) to quantitatively measure exposure to carbonaceous nanomaterials is also introduced. In addition to real-time measurements and qualitative analysis by electron microscopy, quantitative chemical analysis is necessary for quantitatively assessing exposure to nanomaterials. Chemical analysis is suitable for quantitative exposure measurement especially at facilities with high levels of background NPs.

Information Technology and Literacy Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balajthy, Ernest

2002-01-01

Compares technology predictions from around 1989 with the technology of 2002. Discusses the place of computer-based assessment today, computer-scored testing, computer-administered formal assessment, Internet-based formal assessment, computerized adaptive tests, placement tests, informal assessment, electronic portfolios, information management,…

Information Security Risk Assessment in Hospitals

PubMed Central

Ayatollahi, Haleh; Shagerdi, Ghazal

2017-01-01

Background: To date, many efforts have been made to classify information security threats, especially in the healthcare area. However, there are still many unknown risks which may threat the security of health information and their resources especially in the hospitals. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the risks threatening information security in the hospitals located in one of the northwest cities of Iran. Method: This study was completed in 2014. The participants were information technology managers who worked in the hospitals (n=27). The research instrument was a questionnaire composed of a number of open and closed questions. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed, and the reliability of the closed questions was measured by using the test-retest method (r =0.78). Results: The results showed that among the information security risks, fire found to be a high probability/high impact risk factor. Human and physical/environmental threats were among the low probability risk factors. Regarding the information security safeguards used in the hospitals, the results showed that the use of the technical safeguards was the most frequent one (n =22, 91.7%) compared to the administrative (n =21, 87.5%) and the physical safeguards (n =16, 66.7%). Conclusion: The high probability risk factors require quick corrective actions to be taken. Therefore, the underlying causes of such threats should be identified and controlled before experiencing adverse effects. It is also important to note that information security in health care systems needs to be considered at a macro level with respect to the national interests and policies. PMID:29204226

The Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program; background information to accompany folio of geologic and mineral resource maps of the Silver City 1 degree x 2 degrees Quadrangle, New Mexico and Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richter, Donald H.; Houser, B.B.; Watts, K.C.; Klein, D.P.; Sharp, W.N.; Drewes, Harald; Hedlund, D.C.; Raines, G.L.; Hassemer, J.R.

1987-01-01

The Silver City 1 ? x 2 ? quadrangle, consisting of about 20,650 km2 in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona, has been investigated by a multidisciplinary research team for the purpose of assessing its mineral resource potential. The results of this investigation are in a folio of 21 maps that contain detailed information on the geology, geochemistry, geophysics, mineral deposits, and potential mineral resources of the quadrangle. This Circular provides background information on the various studies and integrates the component maps. It contains an extensive selected bibliography pertinent to the geology and mineral deposits of the quadrangle. The quadrangle has produced more than $3.5 billion in mineral products since about 1850 and contains significant resources of gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, iron, manganese-iron, zeolite minerals, and possibly tin and tungsten.

A neural mechanism for background information-gated learning based on axonal-dendritic overlaps.

PubMed

Mainetti, Matteo; Ascoli, Giorgio A

2015-03-01

Experiencing certain events triggers the acquisition of new memories. Although necessary, however, actual experience is not sufficient for memory formation. One-trial learning is also gated by knowledge of appropriate background information to make sense of the experienced occurrence. Strong neurobiological evidence suggests that long-term memory storage involves formation of new synapses. On the short time scale, this form of structural plasticity requires that the axon of the pre-synaptic neuron be physically proximal to the dendrite of the post-synaptic neuron. We surmise that such "axonal-dendritic overlap" (ADO) constitutes the neural correlate of background information-gated (BIG) learning. The hypothesis is based on a fundamental neuroanatomical constraint: an axon must pass close to the dendrites that are near other neurons it contacts. The topographic organization of the mammalian cortex ensures that nearby neurons encode related information. Using neural network simulations, we demonstrate that ADO is a suitable mechanism for BIG learning. We model knowledge as associations between terms, concepts or indivisible units of thought via directed graphs. The simplest instantiation encodes each concept by single neurons. Results are then generalized to cell assemblies. The proposed mechanism results in learning real associations better than spurious co-occurrences, providing definitive cognitive advantages.

A Neural Mechanism for Background Information-Gated Learning Based on Axonal-Dendritic Overlaps

PubMed Central

Mainetti, Matteo; Ascoli, Giorgio A.

2015-01-01

Experiencing certain events triggers the acquisition of new memories. Although necessary, however, actual experience is not sufficient for memory formation. One-trial learning is also gated by knowledge of appropriate background information to make sense of the experienced occurrence. Strong neurobiological evidence suggests that long-term memory storage involves formation of new synapses. On the short time scale, this form of structural plasticity requires that the axon of the pre-synaptic neuron be physically proximal to the dendrite of the post-synaptic neuron. We surmise that such “axonal-dendritic overlap” (ADO) constitutes the neural correlate of background information-gated (BIG) learning. The hypothesis is based on a fundamental neuroanatomical constraint: an axon must pass close to the dendrites that are near other neurons it contacts. The topographic organization of the mammalian cortex ensures that nearby neurons encode related information. Using neural network simulations, we demonstrate that ADO is a suitable mechanism for BIG learning. We model knowledge as associations between terms, concepts or indivisible units of thought via directed graphs. The simplest instantiation encodes each concept by single neurons. Results are then generalized to cell assemblies. The proposed mechanism results in learning real associations better than spurious co-occurrences, providing definitive cognitive advantages. PMID:25767887

Reappraising Abstract Paintings after Exposure to Background Information

PubMed Central

Park, Seongmin A.; Yun, Kyongsik; Jeong, Jaeseung

2015-01-01

Can knowledge help viewers when they appreciate an artwork? Experts’ judgments of the aesthetic value of a painting often differ from the estimates of naïve viewers, and this phenomenon is especially pronounced in the aesthetic judgment of abstract paintings. We compared the changes in aesthetic judgments of naïve viewers while they were progressively exposed to five pieces of background information. The participants were asked to report their aesthetic judgments of a given painting after each piece of information was presented. We found that commentaries by the artist and a critic significantly increased the subjective aesthetic ratings. Does knowledge enable experts to attend to the visual features in a painting and to link it to the evaluative conventions, thus potentially causing different aesthetic judgments? To investigate whether a specific pattern of attention is essential for the knowledge-based appreciation, we tracked the eye movements of subjects while viewing a painting with a commentary by the artist and with a commentary by a critic. We observed that critics’ commentaries directed the viewers’ attention to the visual components that were highly relevant to the presented commentary. However, attention to specific features of a painting was not necessary for increasing the subjective aesthetic judgment when the artists’ commentary was presented. Our results suggest that at least two different cognitive mechanisms may be involved in knowledge- guided aesthetic judgments while viewers reappraise a painting. PMID:25945789

Towards standardization of 18F-FET PET imaging: do we need a consistent method of background activity assessment?

PubMed

Unterrainer, Marcus; Vettermann, Franziska; Brendel, Matthias; Holzgreve, Adrien; Lifschitz, Michael; Zähringer, Matthias; Suchorska, Bogdana; Wenter, Vera; Illigens, Ben M; Bartenstein, Peter; Albert, Nathalie L

2017-12-01

PET with O-(2- 18 F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ( 18 F-FET) has reached increasing clinical significance for patients with brain neoplasms. For quantification of standard PET-derived parameters such as the tumor-to-background ratio, the background activity is assessed using a region of interest (ROI) or volume of interest (VOI) in unaffected brain tissue. However, there is no standardized approach regarding the assessment of the background reference. Therefore, we evaluated the intra- and inter-reader variability of commonly applied approaches for clinical 18 F-FET PET reading. The background activity of 20 18 F-FET PET scans was independently evaluated by 6 readers using a (i) simple 2D-ROI, (ii) spherical VOI with 3.0 cm diameter, and (iii) VOI consisting of crescent-shaped ROIs; each in the contralateral, non-affected hemisphere including white and gray matter in line with the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and German guidelines. To assess intra-reader variability, each scan was evaluated 10 times by each reader. The coefficient of variation (CoV) was assessed for determination of intra- and inter-reader variability. In a second step, the best method was refined by instructions for a guided background activity assessment and validated by 10 further scans. Compared to the other approaches, the crescent-shaped VOIs revealed most stable results with the lowest intra-reader variabilities (median CoV 1.52%, spherical VOI 4.20%, 2D-ROI 3.69%; p < 0.001) and inter-reader variabilities (median CoV 2.14%, spherical VOI 4.02%, 2D-ROI 3.83%; p = 0.001). Using the guided background assessment, both intra-reader variabilities (median CoV 1.10%) and inter-reader variabilities (median CoV 1.19%) could be reduced even more. The commonly applied methods for background activity assessment show different variability which might hamper 18 F-FET PET quantification and comparability in multicenter settings. The proposed background activity assessment using a

E-Mail Writing: Providing Background Information in the Core of Computer Assisted Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nazari, Behzad; Ninknejad, Sahar

2015-01-01

The present study highly supported the effective role of providing background information via email by the teacher to write e-mail by the students in learners' writing ability. A total number of 50 EFL advanced male students aged between 25 and 40 at different branches of Iran Language Institute in Tehran, Tehran. Through the placement test of…

Background factors related to and/or influencing occupation in mentally disordered offenders.

PubMed

Lindstedt, Helena; Ivarsson, Ann-Britt; Söderlund, Anne

2006-09-01

Knowledge of background and occupational related factors of mentally disordered offenders are missing. It is essential to understand these issues when planning discharge from forensic psychiatric hospital care to enable community dwelling. One aim was to investigate mentally disordered offenders' background factors, confidence in and how they value occupations. Another aim was to investigate MDOs background factors' in relation to and the influences on Occupational Performance and Social Participation. Data was collected with an explorative, correlative design after informed consent, from 74 mentally disordered offenders (mean age 34,2) cared for in forensic psychiatric hospitals. Assessments were Allen Cognitive Level Screen, Capability to Perform Daily Occupations, Interview Schedule of Social Interaction, Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life, Self-efficacy Scale and Importance scale. Eight background factors were assembled from the individual forensic psychiatric investigation. Most of the investigated background factors relate to and half of them influence occupational performance, particular the cognitive aspect of occupational performance. The influences on occupation originate from adulthood, such as suffering from schizophrenia, psycho/social problems, and having performed violent crimes. These findings indicate that staff in forensic hospital care should initiate rehabilitation with knowledge about MDOs' complex daily occupations. For avoiding information bias, information gathering preceding treatment planning should be performed in collaboration between caring staff and mentally disordered offenders.

Assessment study of infrared detector arrays for low-background astronomical research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ando, K. J.

1978-01-01

The current state-of-the-art of infrared detector arrays employing charge coupled devices (CCD) or charge injection devices (CID) readout are assessed. The applicability, limitations and potentials of such arrays under the low-background astronomical observing conditions of interest for SIRFT (Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility) are determined. The following are reviewed: (1) monolithic extrinsic arrays; (2) monolithic intrinsic arrays; (3) charge injection devices; and (4) hybrid arrays.

Italian: Area Background Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defense Language Inst., Washington, DC.

This booklet has been assembled in order to provide students of Italian with a compact source of cultural information on their target area. Chapters include discussion of: (1) introduction to Italian; (2) origins of the Italian population; (3) geography; (4) history including the Roman Era, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the "Risorgimento," and…

Information sensitivity functions to assess parameter information gain and identifiability of dynamical systems.

PubMed

Pant, Sanjay

2018-05-01

A new class of functions, called the 'information sensitivity functions' (ISFs), which quantify the information gain about the parameters through the measurements/observables of a dynamical system are presented. These functions can be easily computed through classical sensitivity functions alone and are based on Bayesian and information-theoretic approaches. While marginal information gain is quantified by decrease in differential entropy, correlations between arbitrary sets of parameters are assessed through mutual information. For individual parameters, these information gains are also presented as marginal posterior variances, and, to assess the effect of correlations, as conditional variances when other parameters are given. The easy to interpret ISFs can be used to (a) identify time intervals or regions in dynamical system behaviour where information about the parameters is concentrated; (b) assess the effect of measurement noise on the information gain for the parameters; (c) assess whether sufficient information in an experimental protocol (input, measurements and their frequency) is available to identify the parameters; (d) assess correlation in the posterior distribution of the parameters to identify the sets of parameters that are likely to be indistinguishable; and (e) assess identifiability problems for particular sets of parameters. © 2018 The Authors.

Holistic approach for automated background EEG assessment in asphyxiated full-term infants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matic, Vladimir; Cherian, Perumpillichira J.; Koolen, Ninah; Naulaers, Gunnar; Swarte, Renate M.; Govaert, Paul; Van Huffel, Sabine; De Vos, Maarten

2014-12-01

Objective. To develop an automated algorithm to quantify background EEG abnormalities in full-term neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Approach. The algorithm classifies 1 h of continuous neonatal EEG (cEEG) into a mild, moderate or severe background abnormality grade. These classes are well established in the literature and a clinical neurophysiologist labeled 272 1 h cEEG epochs selected from 34 neonates. The algorithm is based on adaptive EEG segmentation and mapping of the segments into the so-called segments’ feature space. Three features are suggested and further processing is obtained using a discretized three-dimensional distribution of the segments’ features represented as a 3-way data tensor. Further classification has been achieved using recently developed tensor decomposition/classification methods that reduce the size of the model and extract a significant and discriminative set of features. Main results. Effective parameterization of cEEG data has been achieved resulting in high classification accuracy (89%) to grade background EEG abnormalities. Significance. For the first time, the algorithm for the background EEG assessment has been validated on an extensive dataset which contained major artifacts and epileptic seizures. The demonstrated high robustness, while processing real-case EEGs, suggests that the algorithm can be used as an assistive tool to monitor the severity of hypoxic insults in newborns.

Emerging Technologies Program Integration Report. Volume 2. Background, Delphi and Workshop Data. Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-05-04

FTIILE COP’ AD-A196 840 EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM INTEGRATION REPORT VOLUME II BACKGROUND, DELPHI AND WORKSHOP DATA, APPENDICES . -- PREPARED...Security Classification) Emerging Technologies Program Integration Report Volume II: Background, Delphi and Workshop Data; Appendices (U) 12 PERSONAL...volumes of this integration report assess and synthesize information gathered through a Delphi survey, defense needs prioritization workshops, and

Measuring Attitude towards RE: Factoring Pupil Experience and Home Faith Background into Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thanissaro, Phra Nicholas

2012-01-01

Recent studies have increasingly favoured contextualisation of religious education (RE) to pupils' home faith background in spite of current assessment methods that might hinder this. For a multi-religious, multi-ethnic sample of 369 London school pupils aged from 13 to 15 years, this study found that the participatory, transformative and…

Assessing and Comparing Information Security in Swiss Hospitals

PubMed Central

Hirschel, Jürg; Schlienger, Thomas; Businger, Walter; Zbinden, Alex M

2012-01-01

Background Availability of information in hospitals is an important prerequisite for good service. Significant resources have been invested to improve the availability of information, but it is also vital that the security of this information can be guaranteed. Objective The goal of this study was to assess information security in hospitals through a questionnaire based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard ISO/IEC 27002, evaluating Information technology – Security techniques – Code of practice for information-security management, with a special focus on the effect of the hospitals’ size and type. Methods The survey, set up as a cross-sectional study, was conducted in January 2011. The chief information officers (CIOs) of 112 hospitals in German-speaking Switzerland were invited to participate. The online questionnaire was designed to be fast and easy to complete to maximize participation. To group the analyzed controls of the ISO/IEC standard 27002 in a meaningful way, a factor analysis was performed. A linear score from 0 (not implemented) to 3 (fully implemented) was introduced. The scores of the hospitals were then analyzed for significant differences in any of the factors with respect to size and type of hospital. The participating hospitals were offered a benchmark report about their status. Results The 51 participating hospitals had an average score of 51.1% (range 30.6% - 81.9%) out of a possible 100% where all items in the questionnaire were fully implemented. Room for improvement could be identified, especially for the factors covering “process and quality management” (average score 1.3 ± 0.8 out of a maximum of 3) and “organization and risk management” (average score 1.3 ± 0.7 out of a maximum of 3). Private hospitals scored significantly higher than university hospitals in the implementation of “security zones” and “backup” (P = .008

Produced water discharges to the Gulf of Mexico: Background information for ecological risk assessments

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

Meinhold, A.F.; Holtzman, S.; DePhillips, M.P.

1996-06-01

This report reviews ecological risk assessment concepts and methods; describes important biological resources in the Gulf of Mexico of potential concern for produced water impacts; and summarizes data available to estimate exposure and effects of produced water discharges. The emphasis is on data relating to produced water discharges in the central and western Gulf of Mexico, especially in Louisiana. Much of the summarized data and cited literature are relevant to assessments of impacts in other regions. Data describing effects on marine and estuarine fishes, mollusks, crustaceans and benthic invertebrates are emphasized. This review is part of a series of studiesmore » of the health and ecological risks from discharges of produced water to the Gulf of Mexico. These assessments will provide input to regulators in the development of guidelines and permits, and to industry in the use of appropriate discharge practices.« less

Assessing information technologies for health.

PubMed

Kulikowski, C; Haux, R

2006-01-01

To provide an editorial introduction to the 2006 IMIA Yearbook of Medical Informatics with an overview of its contents and contributors. A brief overview of the main theme of 'Assessing Information Technology for Health Care', and an outline of the purposes, readership, contents, new format, and acknowledgment of contributions for the 2006 IMIA Yearbook. Assessing information technology (IT) in biomedicine and health care is emphasized in a number of survey and review articles. Synopses of a selection of best papers for the past 12 months are included, as are original papers on the history of medical informatics by pioneers in the field, and selected research and education programs. Information about IMIA and its constituent societies is given, as well as the authors, reviewers, and advisors to the Yearbook. The 2006 IMIA Yearbook of Medical Informatics highlights as its theme one of the most significant yet difficult aspects of information technology in health: the assessment of IT as part of the complex enterprise of biomedical research and practice. It is being published in a new format with a wide range of original survey and review articles.

Information Technology Resources Assessment

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

Not Available

1993-04-01

The Information Technology Resources Assessment (ITRA) is being published as a companion document to the Department of Energy (DOE) FY 1994--FY 1998 Information Resources Management Long-Range Plan. This document represents a collaborative effort between the Office of Information Resources Management and the Office of Energy Research that was undertaken to achieve, in part, the Technology Strategic Objective of IRM Vision 21. An integral part of this objective, technology forecasting provides an understanding of the information technology horizon and presents a perspective and focus on technologies of particular interest to DOE program activities. Specifically, this document provides site planners with anmore » overview of the status and use of new information technology for their planning consideration.« less

Video calls from lay bystanders to dispatch centers - risk assessment of information security

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Video calls from mobile phones can improve communication during medical emergencies. Lay bystanders can be instructed and supervised by health professionals at Emergency Medical Communication Centers. Before implementation of video mobile calls in emergencies, issues of information security should be addressed. Methods Information security was assessed for risk, based on the information security standard ISO/IEC 27005:2008. A multi-professional team used structured brainstorming to find threats to the information security aspects confidentiality, quality, integrity, and availability. Results Twenty security threats of different risk levels were identified and analyzed. Solutions were proposed to reduce the risk level. Conclusions Given proper implementation, we found no risks to information security that would advocate against the use of video calls between lay bystanders and Emergency Medical Communication Centers. The identified threats should be used as input to formal requirements when planning and implementing video calls from mobile phones for these call centers. PMID:21958387

Assessing background ground water chemistry beneath a new unsewered subdivision

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, J.D.; Bradbury, K.R.; Thomas, C.L.; Bahr, J.M.

2005-01-01

Previous site-specific studies designed to assess the impacts of unsewered subdivisions on ground water quality have relied on upgradient monitoring wells or very limited background data to characterize conditions prior to development. In this study, an extensive monitoring program was designed to document ground water conditions prior to construction of a rural subdivision in south-central Wisconsin. Previous agricultural land use has impacted ground water quality; concentrations of chloride, nitrate-nitrogen, and atrazine ranged from below the level of detection to 296 mg/L, 36 mg/L, and 0.8 ??g/L, respectively, and were highly variable from well to well and through time. Seasonal variations in recharge, surface topography, aquifer heterogeneities, surficial loading patterns, and well casing depth explain observed variations in ground water chemistry. This variability would not have been detected if background conditions were determined from only a few monitoring wells or inferred from wells located upgradient of the subdivision site. This project demonstrates the importance of characterizing both ground water quality and chemical variability prior to land-use change to detect any changes once homes are constructed. Copyright ?? 2005 National Ground Water Association.

Health Information Literacy and Competencies of Information Age Students: Results From the Interactive Online Research Readiness Self-Assessment (RRSA)

PubMed Central

O’Boyle, Irene; Casey, Anne Marie

2006-01-01

Background In an era of easy access to information, university students who will soon enter health professions need to develop their information competencies. The Research Readiness Self-Assessment (RRSA) is based on the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, and it measures proficiency in obtaining health information, evaluating the quality of health information, and understanding plagiarism. Objective This study aimed to measure the proficiency of college-age health information consumers in finding and evaluating electronic health information; to assess their ability to discriminate between peer-reviewed scholarly resources and opinion pieces or sales pitches; and to examine the extent to which they are aware of their level of health information competency. Methods An interactive 56-item online assessment, the Research Readiness Self-Assessment (RRSA), was used to measure the health information competencies of university students. We invited 400 students to take part in the study, and 308 participated, giving a response rate of 77%. The RRSA included multiple-choice questions and problem-based exercises. Declarative and procedural knowledge were assessed in three domains: finding health information, evaluating health information, and understanding plagiarism. Actual performance was contrasted with self-reported skill level. Upon answering all questions, students received a results page that summarized their numerical results and displayed individually tailored feedback composed by an experienced librarian. Results Even though most students (89%) understood that a one-keyword search is likely to return too many documents, few students were able to narrow a search by using multiple search categories simultaneously or by employing Boolean operators. In addition, nearly half of the respondents had trouble discriminating between primary and secondary sources of information as well as between references to journal articles and other published

Assessing Change in High School Student Information Literacy Using the Tool for Real-Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovalik, Cindy L.; Yutzey, Susan D.; Piazza, Laura M.

2012-01-01

Change in high school student information literacy (IL) knowledge and skills, from freshman year to senior year in high school was the focus of this quasi-experimental research project. Researchers used a free information literacy skills assessment tool entitled TRAILS (Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) to measure…

Informal Assessment of Older Readers' Abilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siedow, Mary Dunn

1991-01-01

Explores the utility of an informal reading inventory for assessing the reading abilities of college students. Determines the amount and kinds of information that can be learned from an informal reading inventory. Determines whether information gained from the Advanced Reading Inventory differed qualitatively from that obtained from the Nelson…

Backgrounds in Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, John C.; Long, Barbara K.

"Backgrounds in Language," a field-tested inservice course designed for use by groups of 15 or 25 language arts teachers, provides the subject matter background teachers need to make informed decisions about what curriculum materials to use in what way, at what time, and with which students. The course is comprised of eight 2-hour sessions,…

The information protection level assessment system implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trapeznikov, E. V.

2018-04-01

Currently, the threat of various attacks increases significantly as automated systems become more widespread. On the basis of the conducted analysis the information protection level assessment system establishing objective was identified. The paper presents the information protection level assessment software implementation in the information system by applying the programming language C #. In conclusions the software features are identified and experimental results are represented.

Alternatives Assessment Frameworks: Research Needs for the Informed Substitution of Hazardous Chemicals

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Molly M.; Malloy, Timothy F.; Tickner, Joel A.; Edwards, Sally

2015-01-01

Background Given increasing pressures for hazardous chemical replacement, there is growing interest in alternatives assessment to avoid substituting a toxic chemical with another of equal or greater concern. Alternatives assessment is a process for identifying, comparing, and selecting safer alternatives to chemicals of concern (including those used in materials, processes, or technologies) on the basis of their hazards, performance, and economic viability. Objectives The purposes of this substantive review of alternatives assessment frameworks are to identify consistencies and differences in methods and to outline needs for research and collaboration to advance science policy practice. Methods This review compares methods used in six core components of these frameworks: hazard assessment, exposure characterization, life-cycle impacts, technical feasibility evaluation, economic feasibility assessment, and decision making. Alternatives assessment frameworks published from 1990 to 2014 were included. Results Twenty frameworks were reviewed. The frameworks were consistent in terms of general process steps, but some differences were identified in the end points addressed. Methodological gaps were identified in the exposure characterization, life-cycle assessment, and decision–analysis components. Methods for addressing data gaps remain an issue. Discussion Greater consistency in methods and evaluation metrics is needed but with sufficient flexibility to allow the process to be adapted to different decision contexts. Conclusion Although alternatives assessment is becoming an important science policy field, there is a need for increased cross-disciplinary collaboration to refine methodologies in support of the informed substitution and design of safer chemicals, materials, and products. Case studies can provide concrete lessons to improve alternatives assessment. Citation Jacobs MM, Malloy TF, Tickner JA, Edwards S. 2016. Alternatives assessment frameworks: research

Experiences with nutrition-related information during antenatal care of pregnant women of different ethnic backgrounds residing in the area of Oslo, Norway.

PubMed

Garnweidner, Lisa M; Sverre Pettersen, Kjell; Mosdøl, Annhild

2013-12-01

to explore experiences with nutrition-related information during routine antenatal care among women of different ethnical backgrounds. individual interviews with seventeen participants were conducted twice during pregnancy. Data collection and analysis were inspired by an interpretative phenomenological approach. participants were purposively recruited at eight Mother and Child Health Centres in the area of Oslo, Norway, where they received antenatal care. participants had either immigrant backgrounds from African and Asian countries (n=12) or were ethnic Norwegian (n=5). Participants were pregnant with their first child and had a pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index above 25 kg/m(2). participants experienced that they were provided with little nutrition-related information in antenatal care. The information was perceived as presented in very general terms and focused on food safety. Weight management and the long-term prevention of diet-related chronic diseases had hardly been discussed. Participants with immigrant backgrounds appeared to be confused about information given by the midwife which was incongruent with their original food culture. The participants were actively seeking for nutrition-related information and had to navigate between various sources of information. the midwife is considered a trustworthy source of nutrition-related information. Therefore, antenatal care may have considerable potential to promote a healthy diet to pregnant women. Findings suggest that nutrition communication in antenatal care should be more tailored towards women's dietary habits and cultural background, nutritional knowledge as well as level of nutrition literacy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applying soil property information for watershed assessment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archer, V.; Mayn, C.; Brown, S. R.

2017-12-01

The Forest Service uses a priority watershed scheme to guide where to direct watershed restoration work. Initial assessment was done across the nation following the watershed condition framework process. This assessment method uses soils information for a three step ranking across each 12 code hydrologic unit; however, the soil information used in the assessment may not provide adequate detail to guide work on the ground. Modern remote sensing information and terrain derivatives that model the environmental gradients hold promise of showing the influence of soil forming factors on watershed processes. These small scale data products enable the disaggregation of coarse scale soils mapping to show continuous soil property information across a watershed. When this information is coupled with the geomorphic and geologic information, watershed specialists can more aptly understand the controlling influences of drainage within watersheds and focus on where watershed restoration projects can have the most success. A case study on the application of this work shows where road restoration may be most effective.

Information Technology Assessment Study: Full Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, John (Editor)

2002-01-01

A team was formed to assess NASA Office of Space Science (OSS) information technology research and development activities. These activities were reviewed for their relevance to OSS missions, for their potential for using products better supplied by industry or other government agencies, and for recommending an information technology (IT) infusion strategy for appropriate products for OSS missions. Assessment scope and methodology are presented. IT needs and interests for future OSS missions and current NASA IT research and development (R&D) are discussed. Non-NASA participants provide overviews of some of their IT R&D programs. Implementation and infusion issues and the findings and recommendations of the assessment team are presented.

GATHERING INFORMATION FOR WATERSHED ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS: A REVIEW OF TEN WATERSHED ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The document outlines and reviews the various types of information used in 10 different watershed assessments. Data tables that describe the data types, sources of data, data reliability, and study contacts as well as other information used in each of the 10 assessments are incl...

GATHERING INFORMATION FOR WATERSHED ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS: A REVIEW OF TEN WATERSHED ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

This document outlines and reviews the various types of information used in 10 different watershed assessments. Data tables that describe the data types, sources of data, data reliability, and study contacts as well as other information used in each of the 10 assessments are inc...

AMS measurements of 26Al in quartz to assess the cosmic ray background for the geochemical solar neutrino experiment LOREX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavicevic, Miodrag K.; Wild, Eva Maria; Amthauer, Georg; Berger, Michael; Boev, Blazo; Kutschera, Walter; Priller, Alfred; Prohaska, Thomas; Steffan, Ilse

2004-08-01

LORandite EXperiment (LOREX) plans to measure the time integrated solar neutrino flux of the last few million years via the product of the reaction 205Tl(υe,e-)205Pb in lorandite of the Allchar mine in Macedonia. Utilizing this reaction is only possible if the background of 205Pb produced by the interaction of secondary cosmic ray particles and particles originating from the natural radioactivity within the rock mineral itself is substantially lower than the expected signal from neutrino interactions. Low abundance of cosmic ray induced 205Pb implies good shielding of the mine by the overlying rock. For the assessment of this background fraction it is necessary to acquire information about the past erosion activity at this site. In the present study the erosion rates have been estimated via cosmogenic 26Al produced in situ in quartz of surface rock materials of the Allchar site. Details of the first determinations of in situ produced 26Al with the AMS method at VERA are described, and a rough estimate of the erosion rates at the Allchar site is given.

Information sources in biomedical science and medical journalism: methodological approaches and assessment.

PubMed

Miranda, Giovanna F; Vercellesi, Luisa; Bruno, Flavia

2004-09-01

Throughout the world the public is showing increasing interest in medical and scientific subjects and journalists largely spread this information, with an important impact on knowledge and health. Clearly, therefore, the relationship between the journalist and his sources is delicate: freedom and independence of information depend on the independence and truthfulness of the sources. The new "precision journalism" holds that scientific methods should be applied to journalism, so authoritative sources are a common need for journalists and scientists. We therefore compared the individual classifications and methods of assessing of sources in biomedical science and medical journalism to try to extrapolate scientific methods of evaluation to journalism. In journalism and science terms used to classify sources of information show some similarities, but their meanings are different. In science primary and secondary classes of information, for instance, refer to the levels of processing, but in journalism to the official nature of the source itself. Scientists and journalists must both always consult as many sources as possible and check their authoritativeness, reliability, completeness, up-to-dateness and balance. In journalism, however, there are some important differences and limits: too many sources can sometimes diminish the quality of the information. The sources serve a first filter between the event and the journalist, who is not providing the reader with the fact, but with its projection. Journalists have time constraints and lack the objective criteria for searching, the specific background knowledge, and the expertise to fully assess sources. To assist in understanding the wealth of sources of information in journalism, we have prepared a checklist of items and questions. There are at least four fundamental points that a good journalist, like any scientist, should know: how to find the latest information (the sources), how to assess it (the quality and

Assessment and prevention of acute health effects of weather conditions in Europe, the PHEWE project: background, objectives, design

PubMed Central

Michelozzi, Paola; Kirchmayer, Ursula; Katsouyanni, Klea; Biggeri, Annibale; McGregor, Glenn; Menne, Bettina; Kassomenos, Pavlos; Anderson, Hugh Ross; Baccini, Michela; Accetta, Gabriele; Analytis, Antonis; Kosatsky, Tom

2007-01-01

Background The project "Assessment and prevention of acute health effects of weather conditions in Europe" (PHEWE) had the aim of assessing the association between weather conditions and acute health effects, during both warm and cold seasons in 16 European cities with widely differing climatic conditions and to provide information for public health policies. Methods The PHEWE project was a three-year pan-European collaboration between epidemiologists, meteorologists and experts in public health. Meteorological, air pollution and mortality data from 16 cities and hospital admission data from 12 cities were available from 1990 to 2000. The short-term effect on mortality/morbidity was evaluated through city-specific and pooled time series analysis. The interaction between weather and air pollutants was evaluated and health impact assessments were performed to quantify the effect on the different populations. A heat/health watch warning system to predict oppressive weather conditions and alert the population was developed in a subgroup of cities and information on existing prevention policies and of adaptive strategies was gathered. Results Main results were presented in a symposium at the conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology in Paris on September 6th 2006 and will be published as scientific articles. The present article introduces the project and includes a description of the database and the framework of the applied methodology. Conclusion The PHEWE project offers the opportunity to investigate the relationship between temperature and mortality in 16 European cities, representing a wide range of climatic, socio-demographic and cultural characteristics; the use of a standardized methodology allows for direct comparison between cities. PMID:17456236

Stability of Early EEG Background Patterns After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest.

PubMed

Abend, Nicholas S; Xiao, Rui; Kessler, Sudha Kilaru; Topjian, Alexis A

2018-05-01

We aimed to determine whether EEG background characteristics remain stable across discrete time periods during the acute period after resuscitation from pediatric cardiac arrest. Children resuscitated from cardiac arrest underwent continuous conventional EEG monitoring. The EEG was scored in 12-hour epochs for up to 72 hours after return of circulation by an electroencephalographer using a Background Category with 4 levels (normal, slow-disorganized, discontinuous/burst-suppression, or attenuated-featureless) or 2 levels (normal/slow-disorganized or discontinuous/burst-suppression/attenuated-featureless). Survival analyses and mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression models evaluated whether the EEG remained stable across epochs. EEG monitoring was performed in 89 consecutive children. When EEG was assessed as the 4-level Background Category, 30% of subjects changed category over time. Based on initial Background Category, one quarter of the subjects changed EEG category by 24 hours if the initial EEG was attenuated-featureless, by 36 hours if the initial EEG was discontinuous or burst-suppression, by 48 hours if the initial EEG was slow-disorganized, and never if the initial EEG was normal. However, regression modeling for the 4-level Background Category indicated that the EEG did not change over time (odds ratio = 1.06, 95% confidence interval = 0.96-1.17, P = 0.26). Similarly, when EEG was assessed as the 2-level Background Category, 8% of subjects changed EEG category over time. However, regression modeling for the 2-level category indicated that the EEG did not change over time (odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval = 0.91-1.13, P = 0.75). The EEG Background Category changes over time whether analyzed as 4 levels (30% of subjects) or 2 levels (8% of subjects), although regression analyses indicated that no significant changes occurred over time for the full cohort. These data indicate that the Background Category is often stable during the acute 72 hours

Conducting Source Water Assessments

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page presents background information on the source water assessment steps, the four steps of a source wter assessment, and how to use the results of an assessment to protect drinking water sources.

The Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program; background information to accompany geologic and mineral-resource maps of the Cordova and Middleton Island quadrangles, southern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winkler, Gary R.; Plafker, George; Goldfarb, R.J.; Case, J.E.

1992-01-01

report summarizes recent results of integrated geological, geochemical, and geophysical field and laboratory studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Cordova and Middleton Island 1?x3 ? quadrangles of coastal southern Alaska. Published open-file reports and maps accompanied by descriptive and interpretative texts, tables, diagrams, and pertinent references provide background information for a mineral-resource assessment of the two quadrangles. Mines in the Cordova and Middleton Island quadrangles produced copper and byproduct gold and silver in the first three decades of the 20th century. The quadrangles may contain potentially significant undiscovered resources of precious and base metals (gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead) in veins and massive sulfide deposits hosted by Cretaceous and Paleogene sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Resources of manganese also may be present in the Paleogene rocks; uranium resources may be present in Eocene granitic rocks; and placer gold may be present in beach sands near the mouth of the Copper River, in alluvial sands within the canyons of the Copper River, and in smaller alluvial deposits underlain by rocks of the Valdez Group. Significant coal resources are present in the Bering River area, but difficult access and structural complexities have discouraged development. Investigation of numerous oil and gas seeps near Katalla in the eastern part of the area led to the discovery of a small, shallow field from which oil was produced between 1902 and 1933. The field has been inactive since, and subsequent exploration and drilling onshore near Katalla in the 1960's and offshore near Middleton Island on the outer continental shelf in the 1970's and 1980's was not successful.

Assessment of a Library Science Program Specializing in Chemical Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, Gary; Monnier, Cynthia

1994-01-01

Reports on a survey of Indiana University Master in Library Science (M.L.S.)-Chemical Information Specialist program graduates. Information includes graduates' educational background; the nature of first jobs and current positions held; and databases most frequently used. Graduates generally favored more training in computer skills, patent…

Effect of display update interval, update type, and background on perception of aircraft separation on a cockpit display on traffic information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jago, S.; Baty, D.; Oconnor, S.; Palmer, E.

1981-01-01

The concept of a cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI) includes the integration of air traffic, navigation, and other pertinent information in a single electronic display in the cockpit. Concise display symbology was developed for use in later full-mission simulator evaluations of the CDTI concept. Experimental variables used included the update interval motion of the aircraft, the update type, (that is, whether the two aircraft were updated at the same update interval or not), the background (grid pattern or no background), and encounter type (straight or curved). Only the type of encounter affected performance.

Using rangeland health assessment to inform successional management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rangeland health assessment provides qualitative information on ecosystem attributes. Successional management is a conceptual framework that allows managers to link information gathered in rangeland health assessment to ecological processes that need to be repaired to allow vegetation to change in ...

Complex method to calculate objective assessments of information systems protection to improve expert assessments reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdenov, A. Zh; Trushin, V. A.; Abdenova, G. A.

2018-01-01

The paper considers the questions of filling the relevant SIEM nodes based on calculations of objective assessments in order to improve the reliability of subjective expert assessments. The proposed methodology is necessary for the most accurate security risk assessment of information systems. This technique is also intended for the purpose of establishing real-time operational information protection in the enterprise information systems. Risk calculations are based on objective estimates of the adverse events implementation probabilities, predictions of the damage magnitude from information security violations. Calculations of objective assessments are necessary to increase the reliability of the proposed expert assessments.

Taiwan: Background Notes Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reams, Joanne Reppert

Concise background information on Taiwan is provided. The publication begins with a profile of Taiwan, discussing the people, geography, political establishment, and economy. A map of the country is provided. The bulk of the publication then provides more detailed information on Taiwan's people, geography, history, administration, political…

GPS Receivers Use-Case Information : GPS Adjacent Band Compatibility Assessment Workshop

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-18

Topics 1. Background. 2. Use Case Template. 3. Description of Submitted UseCases from DOT Extended Pos/Nav Working Group. 4. Utilization of UseCase Information. 5. Request of Information for Additional UseCases from GPS Receiver Manufacturer...

75 FR 79354 - Assessment Technology Standards Request for Information (RFI)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-20

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Assessment Technology Standards Request for Information (RFI) AGENCY... information to gather technical expertise pertaining to assessment technology standards. SUMMARY: The purpose of this RFI is to collect information relating to assessment technology standards. Toward that end...

47 CFR 215.1 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Background. 215.1 Section 215.1 Telecommunication OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOCAL POINT FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) INFORMATION § 215.1 Background. (a) The nuclear electromagnetic...

47 CFR 215.1 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Background. 215.1 Section 215.1 Telecommunication OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOCAL POINT FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) INFORMATION § 215.1 Background. (a) The nuclear electromagnetic...

47 CFR 215.1 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Background. 215.1 Section 215.1 Telecommunication OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOCAL POINT FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) INFORMATION § 215.1 Background. (a) The nuclear electromagnetic...

47 CFR 215.1 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Background. 215.1 Section 215.1 Telecommunication OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOCAL POINT FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) INFORMATION § 215.1 Background. (a) The nuclear electromagnetic...

47 CFR 215.1 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Background. 215.1 Section 215.1 Telecommunication OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOCAL POINT FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) INFORMATION § 215.1 Background. (a) The nuclear electromagnetic...

Latent variable method for automatic adaptation to background states in motor imagery BCI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dagaev, Nikolay; Volkova, Ksenia; Ossadtchi, Alexei

2018-02-01

Objective. Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are known to be vulnerable to variabilities in background states of a user. Usually, no detailed information on these states is available even during the training stage. Thus there is a need in a method which is capable of taking background states into account in an unsupervised way. Approach. We propose a latent variable method that is based on a probabilistic model with a discrete latent variable. In order to estimate the model’s parameters, we suggest to use the expectation maximization algorithm. The proposed method is aimed at assessing characteristics of background states without any corresponding data labeling. In the context of asynchronous motor imagery paradigm, we applied this method to the real data from twelve able-bodied subjects with open/closed eyes serving as background states. Main results. We found that the latent variable method improved classification of target states compared to the baseline method (in seven of twelve subjects). In addition, we found that our method was also capable of background states recognition (in six of twelve subjects). Significance. Without any supervised information on background states, the latent variable method provides a way to improve classification in BCI by taking background states into account at the training stage and then by making decisions on target states weighted by posterior probabilities of background states at the prediction stage.

Assessment of toxic metal contamination using a regional lithogenic geochemical background, Pampean area river basin, Argentina.

PubMed

Castro, Liliana Norma; Rendina, Alicia Elena; Orgeira, Maria Julia

2018-06-15

Contamination assessment in riverbed sediments depends on the accurate determination of the background values. The aim of this study is to assess the degree of contamination and to evaluate the most adequate background for the determination of anthropogenic contamination in Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in bed sediments of the Pampean area river basin (Matanza-Riachuelo River and tributary streams), Argentina. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) values were calculated using selected lithogenic backgrounds (loess, loessoid sediments and paleosoils), the metal concentrations in the residual fraction (F4) in riverbed sediments and a global average shale often applied in the estimation of toxic metal Igeo. The IgeoF4, IgeoLZB and most of the others Igeos, indicated that in land areas used mainly for agriculture and cattle grazing, the superficial sediments were uncontaminated with Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn, and slightly contaminated with Ni and Pb. Conversely, in those areas dedicated to urban and industrial use, the metal contamination was greater. Overall, the relatively significant anthropogenic contamination of Cr > Pb ≥ Cu > Zn > Ni > Cd in the Riachuelo River area was associated with metallurgic activities, tanning and industrial waste. The comparative analysis of different values suggested that Buenos Aires' "pristine" loess could be recommended to evaluate the Igeo index of riverbed sediments in the Pampean area. To enhance the use of the selected background, the normalized enrichment factor using Al. In this study case, the Igeo and the EF using LZB background display the same trend, showing the greatest degree of contamination, as would be expected, in Riachuelo samples (RIA 1 and RIA 2) located in the urban/industrial area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ecological risk assessment: influence of texture on background concentration of microelements in soils of Russia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beketskaya, Olga

2010-05-01

In Russia quality standards of contaminated substances values in environment consist of ecological and sanitary rate-setting. The sanitary risk assessment base on potential risk that contaminants pose to protect human beings. The main purpose of the ecological risk assessment is to protect ecosystem. To determine negative influence on living organisms in the sanitary risk assessment in Russia we use MPC. This value of contaminants show how substances affected on different part of environment, biological activity and soil processes. The ecological risk assessment based on comparison compounds concentration with background concentration for definite territories. Taking into account high interval of microelements value in soils, we suggest using statistic method for determination of concentration levels of chemical elements concentration in soils of Russia. This method is based on determination middle levels of elements content in natural condition. The top limit of middle chemical elements concentration in soils is value, which exceed middle regional background level in three times standard deviation. The top limit of natural concentration excess we can explain as anthropogenic impact. At first we study changing in the middle content value of microelements in soils of geographic regions in European part of Russia on the basis of cartographical analysis. Cartographical analysis showed that the soil of mountainous and mountain surrounding regions is enriched with microelements. On the plain territory of European part of Russia for most of microelements was noticed general direction of increasing their concentration in soils from north to south, also in the same direction soil clay content rise for majority of soils. For all other territories a clear connection has been noticed between the distribution of sand sediment. By our own investigation and data from scientific literature data base was created. This data base consist of following soil properties: texture

Informal Assessment in Reading: Group vs. Individual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shipman, Dorothy A.; Warncke, Edna W.

A study was conducted to determine whether informal group assessment instruments could be used effectively to provide the same type of reading achievement information as that secured from informal individual instruments. The researchers developed group instruments comparable to individual instruments, including a group reading inventory for grades…

Information security system quality assessment through the intelligent tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trapeznikov, E. V.

2018-04-01

The technology development has shown the automated system information security comprehensive analysis necessity. The subject area analysis indicates the study relevance. The research objective is to develop the information security system quality assessment methodology based on the intelligent tools. The basis of the methodology is the information security assessment model in the information system through the neural network. The paper presents the security assessment model, its algorithm. The methodology practical implementation results in the form of the software flow diagram are represented. The practical significance of the model being developed is noted in conclusions.

Historical Background on Assessment the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

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

Rechard, R.P.

1999-06-01

In 1979, six years after selecting the Delaware Basin as a potential disposal area, Congress authorized the US Department of Energy to build the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as a research and development facility for the safe management, storage, and disposal of waste contaminated with transuranic radioisotopes. In 1998, 19 years after authorization and 25 years after site selection, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations. The EPA's decision was primarily based on the results from a performance assessment conducted in 1996. This performance assessment wasmore » the culmination of four preliminary performance assessments conducted between 1989 and 1992. This report provides a historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed. Also included is background on political forces acting on the project. For example, the federal requirement to provide environmental impact statements and negotiated agreements with the State of New Mexico influenced the type of scientific areas that were investigated and the engineering analysis prior to 1989 for the WIPP.« less

OLEM Performance Assessment Information

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This asset includes a variety of data sets that measure the performance of Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) programs in support of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer's Annual Commitment System (ACS) and Performance Evaluation Reporting System (PERS). Information is drawn from OLEM's ACRES, RCRAInfo, CERCLIS/SEMS, ICIS, and LUST4 systems, as well as input manually by authorized individuals in OLEM's program offices. Information is reviewed by OLEM program staff prior to being pushed to ACS and entered into PERS. This data asset also pulls in certain performance information input directly by Regional Office staff into ACS. Information is managed by the Performance Assessment Tool (PAT) and displayed in the PAT Dashboard.Information in this asset include:--Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993: Measures reported for Innovations, Partnerships and Communications Office (IPCO), the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR), the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR), the Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI), and the Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST).-- Performance and Environmental Results System (PERS): Includes OLEM's information on performance results and baselines for the EPA Annual Plan and Budget.--Key Performance Indicators: OLEM has identified five KPIs that are tracked annually.--Integrated Cleanup Initiative: A pilot pe

Synthetic Fuels for Transportation Background Paper #1 : The Future Potential of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-03-01

This report presents a comprehensive review of the future of electric and hybrid vehicles through the year 2010 in the United States. It was prepared for the Office of Technology Assessment as background information for its study, "Synthetic Fuels fo...

The Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program; background information to accompany folio of geologic, geochemical, remote sensing, and mineral resources maps of the Butte 1 degree x 2 degrees Quadrangle, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, James E.; Trautwein, C.M.; Wallace, C.A.; Lee, G.K.; Rowan, L.C.; Hanna, W.F.

1993-01-01

The Butte 1?x2 ? quadrangle in west-central Montana was investigated as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program (CUSMAP). These investigations included geologic mapping, geochemical surveys, gravity and aeromagnetic surveys, examinations of mineral deposits, and specialized geochronologic and remote-sensing studies. The data collected during these studies were compiled, combined with available published and unpublished data, analyzed, and used in a mineral-resource assessment of the quadrangle. The results, including data, interpretations, and mineral-resource assessments for nine types of mineral deposits, are published separately as a folio of maps. These maps are accompanied by figures, tables, and explanatory text. This circular provides background information on the Butte quadrangle, summarizes the studies and published maps, and lists a selected bibliography of references pertinent to the geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and mineral resources of the quadrangle. The Butte quadrangle, which includes the world-famous Butte mining district, has a long history of mineral production. Many mining districts within the quadrangle have produced large quantities of many commodities; the most important in dollar value of production were copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, and phosphate. At present, mines at several locations produce copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, lead, zinc, and phosphate. Exploration, mainly for gold, has indicated the presence of other mineral deposits that may be exploited in the future. The results of the investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey indicate that many areas of the quadrangle are highly favorable for the occurrence of additional undiscovered resources of gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, and other metals in several deposit types.

Cumulative Impact Assessment: Approaching Environmental Capacity in Development Area Using Environmental Impact Assessment Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, N.; Lee, M. J.; Maeng, J. H.

2017-12-01

Environmental impact assessment estimates the impact of development as a business unit and establishes mitigation plan. If the development is done, its economic effects can spread to the nearby areas. So that various developments can be distributed at different time intervals. The impact of the new developments can be combined with existing environmental impacts and can have a larger impact. That is, Cumulative impact assessment is needed to consider the environmental capacity of the Nearby area. Cumulative impact assessments require policy tools such as environmental impact assessment information and cumulative impact estimation models. In Korea, environmental information (water quality, air quality, etc.) of the development site is measured for environmental impact assessment and monitored for a certain period (generally 5 years) after the project. In addition, by constructing the environmental information as a spatial database, it is possible to express the environmental impact on a regional basis spatially and to intuitively use it for development site selection. Utilizing a composite model of environmental impact assessment information and Remote Sensing data for cumulative impact estimation, That can be used as a policy decision support tool that provides quantitative information for development area management, such as time series effect and sprawl phenomenon.

Acoustic Analyses and Intelligibility Assessments of Timing Patterns among Chinese English Learners with Different Dialect Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Hsueh Chu

2015-01-01

This paper includes two interrelated studies. The first production study investigates the timing patterns of English as spoken by Chinese learners with different dialect backgrounds. The second comprehension study explores native and non-native speakers' assessments of the intelligibility of Chinese-accented English, and examines the effects of…

Informing Species Conservation at Multiple Scales Using Data Collected for Marine Mammal Stock Assessments

PubMed Central

Grech, Alana; Sheppard, James; Marsh, Helene

2011-01-01

Background Conservation planning and the design of marine protected areas (MPAs) requires spatially explicit information on the distribution of ecological features. Most species of marine mammals range over large areas and across multiple planning regions. The spatial distributions of marine mammals are difficult to predict using habitat modelling at ecological scales because of insufficient understanding of their habitat needs, however, relevant information may be available from surveys conducted to inform mandatory stock assessments. Methodology and Results We use a 20-year time series of systematic aerial surveys of dugong (Dugong dugong) abundance to create spatially-explicit models of dugong distribution and relative density at the scale of the coastal waters of northeast Australia (∼136,000 km2). We interpolated the corrected data at the scale of 2 km * 2 km planning units using geostatistics. Planning units were classified as low, medium, high and very high dugong density on the basis of the relative density of dugongs estimated from the models and a frequency analysis. Torres Strait was identified as the most significant dugong habitat in northeast Australia and the most globally significant habitat known for any member of the Order Sirenia. The models are used by local, State and Federal agencies to inform management decisions related to the Indigenous harvest of dugongs, gill-net fisheries and Australia's National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas. Conclusion/Significance In this paper we demonstrate that spatially-explicit population models add value to data collected for stock assessments, provide a robust alternative to predictive habitat distribution models, and inform species conservation at multiple scales. PMID:21464933

Review and assessment of information kiosk systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-03-01

This report reviews the current state-of-the-art and assesses the progress that is being made, in Kiosk Information Systems. This information will be used in developing a kiosk system for the Metro Dade Transit Agency (MDTA), which has recently been ...

The structured communication tool SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) improves communication in neonatology.

PubMed

Raymond, M; Harrison, M C

2014-12-01

Effective communication, co-operation and teamwork have been identified as key determinants of patient safety. SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) is a communication tool recommended by the World Health Organization and the UK National Health Service. SBAR is a structured method for communicating critical information that requires immediate attention and action, contributing to effective escalation of management and increased patient safety. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing use of SBAR in South Africa (SA). To determine the effectiveness of adopting the SBAR communication tool in an acute clinical setting in SA. In the first phase of this study, neonatal nurses and doctors at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, were gathered in a focus group and given a questionnaire asking about communication in the neonatal department. Neonatal nurses and doctors were then trained to use SBAR. A telephone audit demonstrated an increase in SBAR use by registrars from 29% to 70% when calling consultants for help. After training, the majority of staff agreed that SBAR had helped with communication, confidence, and quality of patient care. There was qualitative evidence that SBAR led to greater promptness in care of acutely ill patients. Adopting SBAR was associated with perceived improvement in communication between professionals and in the quality and safety of patient care. It is suggested that this simple tool be introduced to many other hospitals in SA.

Understandability of Patient Information Booklets for Patients with Cancer.

PubMed

Keinki, Christian; Zowalla, Richard; Wiesner, Martin; Koester, Marie Jolin; Huebner, Jutta

2018-06-01

The improvement of health literacy in general and the information of individual patient is a major concern of the German national cancer plan and similar initiatives in other western countries. The aim of our study was to assess the readability and understandability of information booklets for cancer patients available at German Web sites. A support vector machine (SVM) was used to discriminate between laymen- and expert-centric patient information booklets about nine most common tumor types. All booklets had to be available for free at the Internet. A total of 52 different patient booklets were downloaded and assessed. Overall, the assessment of all booklets showed that an understandability level L of 4.6 and therefore increased medical background knowledge is required to understand a random text selected from the sample. The assessed information booklets on cancer show very limited suitability for laymen. We were able to demonstrate that a medical background is necessary to understand the examined booklets. The current study highlights the need to create information material adjusted to the needs of laymen. Assessing understandability before publication, especially for laymen with low health literacy, could ensure the suitability and thus quality of the information material.

Assessment of background particulate matter concentrations in small cities and rural locations--Prince George, Canada.

PubMed

Veira, Andreas; Jackson, Peter L; Ainslie, Bruce; Fudge, Dennis

2013-07-01

concentrations for small cities in sparsely populated regions like northern British Columbia. In rural areas like northern British Columbia, particulate matter (PM) monitoring stations are usually located close to emission sources and residential areas in order to assess the PM impact on human health. Thus there is a lack of accurate PM background concentration data that represent PM ambient concentrations in the absence of local emissions. The background calculation method developed in this study uses observed meteorological data as well as local source emission locations and provides annual, seasonal and precipitation-related PM background concentrations that are comparable to literature values for four out of six monitoring stations.

Illuminating the Background: Topics in Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Nathan J.

The cosmic microwave background provides a wealth of information about the origin and history of the universe. The statistics of the anisotropy and the polarization of the cosmic microwave background, among other things, can tell us about the distribution of matter, the redshift of reionization, and the nature of the primordial uctuations. From the lensing of cosmic microwave background due to intervening matter, we can extract information about neutrinos and the equation of state of dark energy. A measurement of the large angular scale B-mode polarization has been called the "smoking gun" of in ation, a theory that describes a possible early rapid expansion of the universe. The focus of current experiments is to measure this B-mode polarization, while several experiments, such as POLARBEAR, are also looking to measure the lensing of the cosmic microwave background. This dissertation will discuss several different topics in cosmic microwave background polarization research. I will make predictions for future experiments and I will also show analysis for two current experiments, POLARBEAR and BICEP. I will show how beam systematics affect the measurement of cosmological parameters and how well we must limit these systematics in order to get unbiased constraints on cosmological parameters for future experiments. I will discuss a novel way of using the temperature-polarization cross correlation to constrain the amount of inflationary gravitational waves. Through Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, I will determine how well future experiments will be able to constrain the neutrino masses and their degeneracy parameters. I will show results from current data analysis and calibration being done on the Cedar Flat deployment for the POLARBEAR experiment which is currently being constructed in the Atacama desert in Chile. Finally, I will analyze the claim of detection of cosmological birefringence in the BICEP data and show that there is reason to believe it is due to

Questioning reliability assessments of health information on social media.

PubMed

Dalmer, Nicole K

2017-01-01

This narrative review examines assessments of the reliability of online health information retrieved through social media to ascertain whether health information accessed or disseminated through social media should be evaluated differently than other online health information. Several medical, library and information science, and interdisciplinary databases were searched using terms relating to social media, reliability, and health information. While social media's increasing role in health information consumption is recognized, studies are dominated by investigations of traditional (i.e., non-social media) sites. To more richly assess constructions of reliability when using social media for health information, future research must focus on health consumers' unique contexts, virtual relationships, and degrees of trust within their social networks.

A Linguistic Framework for Assessing the Quality of Written Patient Information: Its Use in Assessing Methotrexate Information for Rheumatoid Arthritis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clerehan, Rosemary; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Moodie, Jane

2005-01-01

Patient information leaflets are an important adjunct to verbal exchange between doctor and patient. Their value is dependent upon whether they contain useful information from the viewpoint of the patient and are easily understood. We developed a framework based upon linguistic theory for assessing the quality of written patient information and…

Maps of Information Spaces: Assessments from Astronomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poincot, Philippe; Lesteven, Soizick; Murtagh, Fionn

2000-01-01

Discusses the implementation of a cartographic user interface to bibliographic and other information sub-spaces in astronomy. Presents a range of comparative assessments, in operational frameworks, of this approach to accessing and retrieving astronomical information. Discusses the particular role that such cartographic user interfaces can play in…

Computer-Based Assessments. Information Capsule. Volume 0918

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazer, Christie

2010-01-01

This Information Capsule reviews research conducted on computer-based assessments. Advantages and disadvantages associated with computer-based testing programs are summarized and research on the comparability of computer-based and paper-and-pencil assessments is reviewed. Overall, studies suggest that for most students, there are few if any…

Assessment of visual communication by information theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huck, Friedrich O.; Fales, Carl L.

1994-01-01

This assessment of visual communication integrates the optical design of the image-gathering device with the digital processing for image coding and restoration. Results show that informationally optimized image gathering ordinarily can be relied upon to maximize the information efficiency of decorrelated data and the visual quality of optimally restored images.

Information Technology Assessment Study: Executive Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, John (Editor)

2002-01-01

A team was formed to assess NASA Office of Space Science (OSS) information technology research and development activities. These activities were reviewed for their relevance to OSS missions, for their potential for using products better supplied by industry or other government agencies, and for recommending an IT infusion strategy for appropriate products for OSS missions. Assessment scope and methodology and the findings and recommendations of OSS IT users and providers are presented.

Neighborhood Information Service Centers. Public Library "Information and Referral" Provides Significant New Personal Service to the Individual Library User. A Background Paper for the White House Conference on Library and Information Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Layne, Elizabeth N.

This booklet, one of a series of background papers for the White House Conference, presents information and referral services as one of the ways libraries are developing programs to discharge their responsibilities to the public they serve. It details the determination of a woman librarian in Detroit to develop the first comprehensive I&R…

Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Medical Procedures in Croatia

PubMed Central

Vučemilo, Luka; Borovečki, Ana

2015-01-01

Background High quality of informed consent form is essential for adequate information transfer between physicians and patients. Current status of medical procedure consent forms in clinical practice in Croatia specifically in terms of the readability and the content is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the readability and the content of informed consent forms for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used with patients in Croatia. Methods 52 informed consent forms from six Croatian hospitals on the secondary and tertiary health-care level were tested for reading difficulty using Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formula adjusted for Croatian language and for qualitative analysis of the content. Results The averaged SMOG grade of analyzed informed consent forms was 13.25 (SD 1.59, range 10–19). Content analysis revealed that informed consent forms included description of risks in 96% of the cases, benefits in 81%, description of procedures in 78%, alternatives in 52%, risks and benefits of alternatives in 17% and risks and benefits of not receiving treatment or undergoing procedures in 13%. Conclusions Readability of evaluated informed consent forms is not appropriate for the general population in Croatia. The content of the forms failed to include in high proportion of the cases description of alternatives, risks and benefits of alternatives, as well as risks and benefits of not receiving treatments or undergoing procedures. Data obtained from this research could help in development and improvement of informed consent forms in Croatia especially now when Croatian hospitals are undergoing the process of accreditation. PMID:26376183

Combining Self-Assessments and Achievement Tests in Information Literacy Assessment: Empirical Results and Recommendations for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosman, Tom; Mayer, Anne-Kathrin; Krampen, Günter

2015-01-01

This article examines the significance of information literacy self-assessments in higher education with a special focus on situational conditions increasing their explanatory power. First, it was hypothesised that self-assessments of information literacy correlate higher with factual information literacy if measured after the administration of…

FOCUS AREA 4 BACKGROUND PAPER: AQUATIC ECOTOXICITY ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

In parallel with a growing literature on the presence of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in effluents and surface waters, recent years have witnessed a steady increase in published studies on the ecotoxicity of APIs to aquatic organisms. Against this background, key issu...

2010 Data Standards Manual Student Background Characteristics. For Use by Schools and School Systems Test Administration Authorities and Assessment Contractors. Fifth Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2009

2009-01-01

The process of collecting student background information from parents using nationally agreed definitions of student background characteristics began in 2005. The original edition of this manual, titled "Data Implementation Manual for Enrolments for the 2005 and 2006 School Years," was prepared to assist schools and systems in modifying…

Foregrounding the Background.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robbins, Bruce

1998-01-01

Argues that when introductory activities to the classics begin with background information, it can upstage or confine the life of the story, and shows little faith in the students as readers or in the literature itself. Suggests sometimes letting the literature begin, and then helping students make sense of it. Discusses examples from "To Kill a…

Innovations in information management and access for assessments

PubMed Central

Champion, Sarah M.; Kunkel, Kenneth E.; Tilmes, Curt

2017-01-01

The third National Climate Assessment (NCA3) included goals for becoming a more timely, inclusive, rigorous, and sustained process, and for serving a wider variety of decision makers. In order to accomplish these goals, it was necessary to deliberately design an information management strategy that could serve multiple stakeholders and manage different types of information - from highly mature government-supported climate science data, to isolated practitioner-generated case study information - and to do so in ways that are consistent and appropriate for a highly influential assessment. Meeting the information management challenge for NCA3 meant balancing relevance and authority, complexity and accessibility, inclusivity and rigor. Increasing traceability of data behind figures and graphics, designing a public-facing website, managing hundreds of technical inputs to the NCA, and producing guidance for over 300 participants on meeting the Information Quality Act were all aspects of a deliberate, multi-faceted, and strategic information management approach that nonetheless attempted to be practical and usable for a variety of participants and stakeholders. PMID:29081560

Feedback data sources that inform physician self-assessment.

PubMed

Lockyer, Jocelyn; Armson, Heather; Chesluk, Benjamin; Dornan, Timothy; Holmboe, Eric; Loney, Elaine; Mann, Karen; Sargeant, Joan

2011-01-01

Self-assessment is a process of interpreting data about one's performance and comparing it to explicit or implicit standards. To examine the external data sources physicians used to monitor themselves. Focus groups were conducted with physicians who participated in three practice improvement activities: a multisource feedback program; a program providing patient and chart audit data; and practice-based learning groups. We used grounded theory strategies to understand the external sources that stimulated self-assessment and how they worked. Data from seven focus groups (49 physicians) were analyzed. Physicians used information from structured programs, other educational activities, professional colleagues, and patients. Data were of varying quality, often from non-formal sources with implicit (not explicit) standards. Mandatory programs elicited variable responses, whereas data and activities the physicians selected themselves were more likely to be accepted. Physicians used the information to create a reference point against which they could weigh their performance using it variably depending on their personal interpretation of its accuracy, application, and utility. Physicians use and interpret data and standards of varying quality to inform self-assessment. Physicians may benefit from regular and routine feedback and guidance on how to seek out data for self-assessment.

Collecting Information for Rating Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF): Sources of Information and Methods for Information Collection.

PubMed

I H, Monrad Aas

2014-11-01

Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) is an assessment instrument that is known worldwide. It is widely used for rating the severity of illness. Results from evaluations in psychiatry should characterize the patients. Rating of GAF is based on collected information. The aim of the study is to identify the factors involved in collecting information that is relevant for rating GAF, and gaps in knowledge where it is likely that further development would play a role for improved scoring. A literature search was conducted with a combination of thorough hand search and search in the bibliographic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Campbell Collaboration Library of Systematic Reviews. Collection of information for rating GAF depends on two fundamental factors: the sources of information and the methods for information collection. Sources of information are patients, informants, health personnel, medical records, letters of referral and police records about violence and substance abuse. Methods for information collection include the many different types of interview - unstructured, semi-structured, structured, interviews for Axis I and II disorders, semistructured interviews for rating GAF, and interviews of informants - as well as instruments for rating symptoms and functioning, and observation. The different sources of information, and methods for collection, frequently result in inconsistencies in the information collected. The variation in collected information, and lack of a generally accepted algorithm for combining collected information, is likely to be important for rated GAF values, but there is a fundamental lack of knowledge about the degree of importance. Research to improve GAF has not reached a high level. Rated GAF values are likely to be influenced by both the sources of information used and the methods employed for information collection, but the lack of research-based information about these influences is fundamental. Further development of

Thoracic Surgery Information on the Internet: A Multilingual Quality Assessment

PubMed Central

Davaris, Myles; Barnett, Stephen; Abouassaly, Robert

2017-01-01

Background Previous data suggest that quality of Internet information regarding surgical conditions and their treatments is variable. However, no comprehensive analysis of website quality exists for thoracic surgery. Objective The aim of this study was to quantify website quality in a multilingual setting using an international standard for assessment. Methods Health On the Net (HON) principles may be applied to websites using an automated toolbar function. We used the English, French, Spanish, and German Google search engines to identify 12,000 websites using keywords related to thoracic conditions and procedures. The first 150 websites returned by each keyword in each language were examined. We compared website quality to assess for tertile (is the quality better in first, second, or third 50 websites returned) and language differences. A further analysis of the English site types was undertaken performing a comparative analysis of website provider types. Results Overall, there are a considerable number of websites devoted to thoracic surgery: “lung cancer” returned over 150 million websites. About 7.85% (940/11,967) of websites are HON-accredited with differences by search term (P<.001) and tertiles (P<.001) of the first 150 websites, but not between languages. Oncological keywords regarding conditions and procedures were found to return a higher percentage of HON-accreditation. The percentage of HON-accredited sites was similar across all four languages (P=.77). In general, the first tertile contained a higher percentage of HON-accredited sites for every keyword. Conclusions Clinicians should appreciate the lack of validation of the majority of thoracic websites, with discrepancies in quality and number of websites across conditions and procedures. These differences appear similar regardless of language. An opportunity exists for clinicians to participate in the development of informative, ethical, and reliable health websites on the Internet and direct

76 FR 79565 - Management Contracts-Background Investigations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-22

... Management Contracts--Background Investigations AGENCY: National Indian Gaming Commission. ACTION: Notice of... investigation process required for management contracts. The proposed revision may reduce duplication of efforts... to clarify that a management contractor should be required to submit background information when the...

Information Literacy Follow-Through: Enhancing Preservice Teachers' Information Evaluation Skills through Formative Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seely, Sara Robertson; Fry, Sara Winstead; Ruppel, Margie

2011-01-01

An investigation into preservice teachers' information evaluation skills at a large university suggests that formative assessment can improve student achievement. Preservice teachers were asked to apply information evaluation skills in the areas of currency, relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose. The study used quantitative methods to assess…

X-Ray Background Survey Spectrometer (XBSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, W. T. (Principal Investigator); Paulos, R. J.

1996-01-01

The objective of this investigation was to perform a spectral survey of the low energy diffuse X-ray background using the X-ray Background Survey Spectrometer (XBSS) on board the Space Station Freedom (SSF). XBSS obtains spectra of the X-ray diffuse background in the 11-24 A and 44-84 A wavelength intervals over the entire sky with 15 deg spatial resolution. These X-rays are almost certainly from a very hot (10(exp 6) K) component of the interstellar medium that is contained in regions occupying a large fraction of the interstellar volume near the Sun. Astrophysical plasmas near 10(exp 6) K are rich in emission lines, and the relative strengths of these lines, besides providing information about the physical conditions of the emitting gas, also provide information about its history and heating mechanisms.

Littoral assessment of mine burial signatures (LAMBS): buried landmine/background spectral-signature analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenton, Arthur C.; Geci, Duane M.; Ray, Kristofer J.; Thomas, Clayton M.; Salisbury, John W.; Mars, John C.; Crowley, James K.; Witherspoon, Ned H.; Holloway, John H., Jr.

2004-09-01

The objective of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Rapid Overt Reconnaissance (ROR) program and the Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies (ALRT) project's LAMBS effort is to determine if electro-optical spectral discriminants exist that are useful for the detection of land mines in littoral regions. Statistically significant buried mine overburden and background signature data were collected over a wide spectral range (0.35 to 14 μm) to identify robust spectral features that might serve as discriminants for new airborne sensor concepts. LAMBS has expanded previously collected databases to littoral areas - primarily dry and wet sandy soils - where tidal, surf, and wind conditions can severely modify spectral signatures. At AeroSense 2003, we reported completion of three buried mine collections at an inland bay, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico beach sites. We now report LAMBS spectral database analyses results using metrics which characterize the detection performance of general types of spectral detection algorithms. These metrics include mean contrast, spectral signal-to-clutter, covariance, information content, and spectral matched filter analyses. Detection performance of the buried land mines was analyzed with regard to burial age, background type, and environmental conditions. These analyses considered features observed due to particle size differences, surface roughness, surface moisture, and compositional differences.

14 CFR 1203.200 - Background and discussion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 1203.200 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM NASA Information Security Program § 1203.200 Background and discussion. (a) In establishing a... public inspection of that information that is classified to protect the national security. (b) In...

14 CFR 1203.200 - Background and discussion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 1203.200 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM NASA Information Security Program § 1203.200 Background and discussion. (a) In establishing a... public inspection of that information that is classified to protect the national security. (b) In...

How do hospitalised patients with Turkish migration background estimate their language skills and their comprehension of medical information – a prospective cross-sectional study and comparison to native patients in Germany to assess the language barrier and the need for translation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Today more than two million people with Turkish migration background live in Germany making them the largest ethnic minority in the country. Data concerning language skills and the perception of medical information in hospitalised patients with Turkish migration background (T) are scarce. Our study is the first to gather quantitative information on this important subject. Methods T and hospitalised German patients without migration background (G) of our university hospital were prospectively included into a cross-sectional study and completed a questionnaire - each group in the appropriate language (T: Turkish, G: German). Results 121 T and 121 G were included. Groups significantly differed in age (T: 44.9 ± 17.8, G: 56.9 ± 16.7y) and proportion of males (T: 37.2, G: 54.5%) but not regarding the proportion of college graduates (T: 19.3, G: 15.7%). The majority of T was born in Turkey (71%) and is of Turkish nationality (66%). 74% of T speak mainly Turkish at home; however, 73% speak German at work. 74.4% of T self-rated their German linguistic proficiency as “average” or better while 25.6% reported it as “very bad” or “bad”. 10.7% of T need translation in order to pursue everyday activities. T were significantly less satisfied with the physician’s information on disease and estimated to understand significantly less of what the physician told them: 46.3% of T estimated their reception of the physician’s information to be “average” or worse. 43.3% of T had the impression that it would have helped them “much” or “very much” to be aided by an interpreter at the hospital. The information transmitted while giving informed consent to invasive medical procedure was judged to be “mostly” or “completely” sufficient by the majority of T (76%) and G (89.8%). In this setting 37 of 96 T (38.5%) reported being helped by an interpreter – in most cases (64.9%) a family member. Conclusion Although the majority of

Extracting information in spike time patterns with wavelets and information theory.

PubMed

Lopes-dos-Santos, Vítor; Panzeri, Stefano; Kayser, Christoph; Diamond, Mathew E; Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo

2015-02-01

We present a new method to assess the information carried by temporal patterns in spike trains. The method first performs a wavelet decomposition of the spike trains, then uses Shannon information to select a subset of coefficients carrying information, and finally assesses timing information in terms of decoding performance: the ability to identify the presented stimuli from spike train patterns. We show that the method allows: 1) a robust assessment of the information carried by spike time patterns even when this is distributed across multiple time scales and time points; 2) an effective denoising of the raster plots that improves the estimate of stimulus tuning of spike trains; and 3) an assessment of the information carried by temporally coordinated spikes across neurons. Using simulated data, we demonstrate that the Wavelet-Information (WI) method performs better and is more robust to spike time-jitter, background noise, and sample size than well-established approaches, such as principal component analysis, direct estimates of information from digitized spike trains, or a metric-based method. Furthermore, when applied to real spike trains from monkey auditory cortex and from rat barrel cortex, the WI method allows extracting larger amounts of spike timing information. Importantly, the fact that the WI method incorporates multiple time scales makes it robust to the choice of partly arbitrary parameters such as temporal resolution, response window length, number of response features considered, and the number of available trials. These results highlight the potential of the proposed method for accurate and objective assessments of how spike timing encodes information. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Information sharing during diagnostic assessments: what is relevant for parents?

PubMed

Klein, Sheryl; Wynn, Kerry; Ray, Lynne; Demeriez, Lori; LaBerge, Patricia; Pei, Jacqueline; St Pierre, Cherie

2011-05-01

ABSTRACT This descriptive qualitative study facilitates the application of family-centered care within a tertiary care interdisciplinary neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessment clinic by furthering an understanding of parent perceptions of the relevance of diagnostic information provision. An interdisciplinary assessment team completed an open-ended questionnaire to describe parent information provision. Parents from 9 families completed in-depth parent interviews following clinic attendance to discuss perceptions of information received. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded by related themes. Parents did not perceive the information in the way professionals expected. Parents acknowledged receipt of comprehensive information relevant to the diagnosis but indicated that not all their needs were met. During the interviews, parents described the assessment process, preassessment information, and "steps in their journey." They noted that a strength-based approach and a focus on parental competency would support their coping efforts. Results underscore the need for professionals to be attentive to parents' individualized needs.

ASSESSMENT OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON MEDICATION USE IN PREGNANCY

PubMed Central

Hansen, Craig; Interrante, Julia D; Ailes, Elizabeth C; Frey, Meghan T; Broussard, Cheryl S; Godoshian, Valerie J; Lewis, Courtney; Polen, Kara ND; Garcia, Amanda P; Gilboa, Suzanne M

2015-01-01

Background When making decisions about medication use in pregnancy, women consult many information sources, including the Internet. The aim of this study was to assess the content of publicly-accessible YouTube videos that discuss medication use in pregnancy. Methods Using 2,023 distinct combinations of search terms related to medications and pregnancy, we extracted metadata from YouTube videos using a YouTube video Application Programming Interface. Relevant videos were defined as those with a medication search term and a pregnancy-related search term in either the video title or description. We viewed relevant videos and abstracted content from each video into a database. We documented whether videos implied each medication to be ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’ in pregnancy and compared that assessment with the medication’s Teratogen Information System (TERIS) rating. Results After viewing 651 videos, 314 videos with information about medication use in pregnancy were available for the final analyses. The majority of videos were from law firms (67%), television segments (10%), or physicians (8%). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were the most common medication class named (225 videos, 72%), and 88% percent of videos about SSRIs indicated they were ‘unsafe’ for use in pregnancy. However, the TERIS ratings for medication products in this class range from ‘unlikely’ to ‘minimal’ teratogenic risk. Conclusion For the majority of medications, current YouTube video content does not adequately reflect what is known about the safety of their use in pregnancy and should be interpreted cautiously. However, YouTube could serve as a valuable platform for communicating evidence-based medication safety information. PMID:26541372

Quality Assessment of Information on Bariatric Surgery Websites.

PubMed

Vetter, Diana; Ruhwinkel, Hendrik; Raptis, Dimitri A; Bueter, Marco

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of patient information on bariatric surgery in the internet using the modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool. Systematic review of information on bariatric surgery in the internet by entering common search terms into five search engines. The top 100 websites of every search term and search engine were assessed using the validated EQIP tool (maximum score, 36), which entails points for content, structure, and identification data of a given website. Websites at or above the 99th percentile were analyzed separately (n = 8). The median EQIP score of all included websites (n = 463) was 17 (IQR 15-19). While information on the medical problem, the indication for surgery, or the treatment alternatives was present in 84% of all websites, only 10% of the included websites contained adequate information on postoperative complications. Although quantitative information on incidence (37.5%) and treatment of complications (12.5%) was significantly better in the top 99th percentile websites, the content of relevant information such as occurrence and treatment of complications was still very limited. The overall quality of patient information on bariatric surgery in the internet is relatively poor. Especially incidence of complications and their treatment are rarely reported even on websites with a 99th percentile EQIP score.

Informal Formative Assessment and Scientific Inquiry: Exploring Teachers' Practices and Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz-Primo, Maria Araceli; Furtak, Erin Marie

2006-01-01

What does informal formative assessment look like in the context of scientific inquiry teaching? Is it possible to identify different levels of informal assessment practices? Can different levels of informal assessment practices be related to levels of student learning? This study addresses these issues by exploring how 4 middle school science…

Project RAILS: Lessons Learned about Rubric Assessment of Information Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belanger, Jackie; Zou, Ning; Mills, Jenny Rushing; Holmes, Claire; Oakleaf, Megan

2015-01-01

Rubric assessment of information literacy is an important tool for librarians seeking to show evidence of student learning. The authors, who collaborated on the Rubric Assessment of Informational Literacy Skills (RAILS) research project, draw from their shared experience to present practical recommendations for implementing rubric assessment in a…

China: Background Notes Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reams, Joanne Reppert

Concise background information on the People's Republic of China is provided. The publication begins with a profile of the country, outlining the people, geography, economy, and membership in international organizations. The bulk of the document then discusses in more detail China's people, geography, history, government, education, economy, and…

78 FR 38094 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-25

.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: USDOT Survey and Comparative Assessment of Truck Parking Facilities. Background: US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is directed to complete a survey and comparative... of a system of metrics designed to measure the adequacy of commercial motor vehicle truck parking...

Design and implementation of website information disclosure assessment system.

PubMed

Cho, Ying-Chiang; Pan, Jen-Yi

2015-01-01

Internet application technologies, such as cloud computing and cloud storage, have increasingly changed people's lives. Websites contain vast amounts of personal privacy information. In order to protect this information, network security technologies, such as database protection and data encryption, attract many researchers. The most serious problems concerning web vulnerability are e-mail address and network database leakages. These leakages have many causes. For example, malicious users can steal database contents, taking advantage of mistakes made by programmers and administrators. In order to mitigate this type of abuse, a website information disclosure assessment system is proposed in this study. This system utilizes a series of technologies, such as web crawler algorithms, SQL injection attack detection, and web vulnerability mining, to assess a website's information disclosure. Thirty websites, randomly sampled from the top 50 world colleges, were used to collect leakage information. This testing showed the importance of increasing the security and privacy of website information for academic websites.

Design and Implementation of Website Information Disclosure Assessment System

PubMed Central

Cho, Ying-Chiang; Pan, Jen-Yi

2015-01-01

Internet application technologies, such as cloud computing and cloud storage, have increasingly changed people’s lives. Websites contain vast amounts of personal privacy information. In order to protect this information, network security technologies, such as database protection and data encryption, attract many researchers. The most serious problems concerning web vulnerability are e-mail address and network database leakages. These leakages have many causes. For example, malicious users can steal database contents, taking advantage of mistakes made by programmers and administrators. In order to mitigate this type of abuse, a website information disclosure assessment system is proposed in this study. This system utilizes a series of technologies, such as web crawler algorithms, SQL injection attack detection, and web vulnerability mining, to assess a website’s information disclosure. Thirty websites, randomly sampled from the top 50 world colleges, were used to collect leakage information. This testing showed the importance of increasing the security and privacy of website information for academic websites. PMID:25768434

The cosmic microwave background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silk, Joseph

1991-01-01

Recent limits on spectral distortions and angular anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background are reviewed. The various backgrounds are described, and the theoretical implications are assessed. Constraints on inflationary cosmology dominated by cold dark matter (CDM) and on open cosmological models dominated by baryonic dark matter (BDM), with, respectively, primordial random phase scale-invariant curvature fluctuations or non-gaussian isocurvature fluctuations are described. More exotic theories are addressed, and I conclude with the 'bottom line': what theorists expect experimentalists to be measuring within the next two to three years without having to abandon their most cherished theories.

[Algorithm for taking into account the average annual background of air pollution in the assessment of health risks].

PubMed

Fokin, M V

2013-01-01

State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University" of the Ministry of Health care and Social Development, Moscow, Russian Federation. The assessment of health risks from air pollution with emissions from industrial facilities, without the average annual background of air pollution does not meet sanitary legislation. However Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring issues official certificates for a limited number of areas covered by the observations of the full program on the stationary points. Questions of accounting average background air pollution in the evaluation of health risks from exposure to emissions from industrial facilities are considered.

Information-Theoretic Assessment of Sample Imaging Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huck, Friedrich O.; Alter-Gartenberg, Rachel; Park, Stephen K.; Rahman, Zia-ur

1999-01-01

By rigorously extending modern communication theory to the assessment of sampled imaging systems, we develop the formulations that are required to optimize the performance of these systems within the critical constraints of image gathering, data transmission, and image display. The goal of this optimization is to produce images with the best possible visual quality for the wide range of statistical properties of the radiance field of natural scenes that one normally encounters. Extensive computational results are presented to assess the performance of sampled imaging systems in terms of information rate, theoretical minimum data rate, and fidelity. Comparisons of this assessment with perceptual and measurable performance demonstrate that (1) the information rate that a sampled imaging system conveys from the captured radiance field to the observer is closely correlated with the fidelity, sharpness and clarity with which the observed images can be restored and (2) the associated theoretical minimum data rate is closely correlated with the lowest data rate with which the acquired signal can be encoded for efficient transmission.

Objectively assessed recess physical activity in girls and boys from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds.

PubMed

Baquet, Georges; Ridgers, Nicola D; Blaes, Aurélie; Aucouturier, Julien; Van Praagh, Emmanuel; Berthoin, Serge

2014-02-21

The school environment influences children's opportunities for physical activity participation. The aim of the present study was to assess objectively measured school recess physical activity in children from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds. Four hundred and seven children (6-11 years old) from 4 primary schools located in high socioeconomic status (high-SES) and low socioeconomic status (low-SES) areas participated in the study. Children's physical activity was measured using accelerometry during morning and afternoon recess during a 4-day school week. The percentage of time spent in light, moderate, vigorous, very high and in moderate- to very high-intensity physical activity were calculated using age-dependent cut-points. Sedentary time was defined as 100 counts per minute. Boys were significantly (p < 0.001) more active than girls. No difference in sedentary time between socioeconomic backgrounds was observed. The low-SES group spent significantly more time in light (p < 0.001) and very high (p < 0.05) intensity physical activity compared to the high-SES group. High-SES boys and girls spent significantly more time in moderate (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively) and vigorous (p < 0.001) physical activity than low-SES boys. Differences were observed in recess physical activity levels according to socioeconomic background and sex. These results indicate that recess interventions should target children in low-SES schools.

Outcomes Assessment in Accredited Health Information Management Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Dorine

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the use and perceived usefulness of outcomes assessment methods in health information management programs. Additional characteristics of the outcomes assessment practices were recognized. The findings were evaluated for significant differences in results based on age of the program, type of institution,…

Child Care: State Requirements for Background Checks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagnoni, Cynthia

Background checks involve gathering information from state and federal databases to determine if child care providers have a history of child abuse or other criminal convictions that would make them unacceptable for working with children. Background checks include state criminal history checks, state child abuse registry checks, and Federal Bureau…

International Computer and Information Literacy Study: Assessment Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraillon, Julian; Schulz, Wolfram; Ainley, John

2013-01-01

The purpose of the International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2013 (ICILS 2013) is to investigate, in a range of countries, the ways in which young people are developing "computer and information literacy" (CIL) to support their capacity to participate in the digital age. To achieve this aim, the study will assess student…

The Impact of Vocational Assessment Information on the Individualized Education Planning Process. Supporting Curriculum-Based Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stodden, Robert A.; And Others

1989-01-01

Educational records of 127 secondary students with disabilities were reviewed to assess impact of vocational assessment information in Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development process. Results focus on the impact of information on the number of IEP vocational goals and objectives written, kinds of IEP items written, and number of IEP goals…

Information theoretical assessment of digital imaging systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

John, Sarah; Rahman, Zia-Ur; Huck, Friedrich O.; Reichenbach, Stephen E.

1990-01-01

The end-to-end performance of image gathering, coding, and restoration as a whole is considered. This approach is based on the pivotal relationship that exists between the spectral information density of the transmitted signal and the restorability of images from this signal. The information-theoretical assessment accounts for (1) the information density and efficiency of the acquired signal as a function of the image-gathering system design and the radiance-field statistics, and (2) the improvement in information efficiency and data compression that can be gained by combining image gathering with coding to reduce the signal redundancy and irrelevancy. It is concluded that images can be restored with better quality and from fewer data as the information efficiency of the data is increased. The restoration correctly explains the image gathering and coding processes and effectively suppresses the image-display degradations.

Information theoretical assessment of digital imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, Sarah; Rahman, Zia-Ur; Huck, Friedrich O.; Reichenbach, Stephen E.

1990-10-01

The end-to-end performance of image gathering, coding, and restoration as a whole is considered. This approach is based on the pivotal relationship that exists between the spectral information density of the transmitted signal and the restorability of images from this signal. The information-theoretical assessment accounts for (1) the information density and efficiency of the acquired signal as a function of the image-gathering system design and the radiance-field statistics, and (2) the improvement in information efficiency and data compression that can be gained by combining image gathering with coding to reduce the signal redundancy and irrelevancy. It is concluded that images can be restored with better quality and from fewer data as the information efficiency of the data is increased. The restoration correctly explains the image gathering and coding processes and effectively suppresses the image-display degradations.

Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences in the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS): Does the German Version of the RIAS Allow a Valid Assessment of Individuals with a Migration Background?

PubMed Central

Gygi, Jasmin T.; Fux, Elodie; Grob, Alexander; Hagmann-von Arx, Priska

2016-01-01

This study examined measurement invariance and latent mean differences in the German version of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS) for 316 individuals with a migration background (defined as speaking German as a second language) and 316 sex- and age-matched natives. The RIAS measures general intelligence (single-factor structure) and its two components, verbal and nonverbal intelligence (two-factor structure). Results of a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed scalar invariance for the two-factor and partial scalar invariance for the single-factor structure. We conclude that the two-factor structure of the RIAS is comparable across groups. Hence, verbal and nonverbal intelligence but not general intelligence should be considered when comparing RIAS test results of individuals with and without a migration background. Further, latent mean differences especially on the verbal, but also on the nonverbal intelligence index indicate language barriers for individuals with a migration background, as subtests corresponding to verbal intelligence require higher skills in German language. Moreover, cultural, environmental, and social factors that have to be taken into account when assessing individuals with a migration background are discussed. PMID:27846270

Background Languages, Learner Motivation and Self-Assessed Progress in Learning Zulu as an Additional Language in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marten, Lutz; Mostert, Carola

2012-01-01

The article reports results of a study of beginner-level learners of Zulu in higher education in the UK, focussing on learners' linguistic background, their motivation and reasons for studying Zulu, and their self-assessed progress at the beginning of the second term of teaching. The study shows that participants typically studied Zulu as an…

Bullying in German Primary Schools: Gender Differences, Age Trends and Influence of Parents' Migration and Educational Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Marees, Nandoli; Petermann, Franz

2010-01-01

The study discussed herein assessed the prevalence of bullying and analysed possible predictors for bullying in a sample of urban primary school-age children. Factors considered were students' gender and age differences as well as parents' educational level and migration backgrounds. Using a cross-informant approach (self- and teacher-reports),…

Understanding self-assessment as an informed process: residents' use of external information for self-assessment of performance in simulated resuscitations.

PubMed

Plant, Jennifer L; Corden, Mark; Mourad, Michelle; O'Brien, Bridget C; van Schaik, Sandrijn M

2013-05-01

Self-directed learning requires self-assessment of learning needs and performance, a complex process that requires collecting and interpreting data from various sources. Learners' approaches to self-assessment likely vary depending on the learner and the context. The aim of this study was to gain insight into how learners process external information and apply their interpretation of this information to their self-assessment and learning during a structured educational activity. The study combined quantitative performance data with qualitative interview data. Pediatric residents led video-recorded simulated resuscitations and rated their crisis resource management skills on a validated 6-item instrument. Three independent observers rated the videos using the same instrument. During semi-structured interviews, each resident reviewed the video, rerated performance, discussed the self-assessment process, and interpreted feedback and observer scores. Transcripts were analyzed for themes. Sixteen residents participated. Residents' self-assessed scores ranged widely but usually fell within two points of the observers. They almost universally lowered their scores when self-assessing after the video review. Five major themes emerged from qualitative analysis of their interviews: (1) residents found self-assessment important and useful in certain contexts and conditions; (2) residents varied in their self-directed learning behaviors after the simulated resuscitation; (3) quantitative observer assessment had limited usefulness; (4) video review was difficult but useful; and (5) residents focused on their weaknesses and felt a need for constructive feedback to enhance learning. The residents in our study almost uniformly embraced the importance of self-assessment for all medical professionals. Even though video review had a negative impact on their self-assessment scores and was perceived as painful, residents saw this as the most useful aspect of the study exercises

Compilation of Physicochemical and Toxicological Information ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of this product is to make accessible the information about the 1,173 hydraulic fracturing-related chemicals that were listed in the external review draft of the Hydraulic Fracturing Drinking Water Assessment that was released recently. The product consists of a series of spreadsheets with physicochemical and toxicological information pulled from several sources of information, including: EPI Suite, LeadScope, QikiProp, Reaxys, IRIS, PPRTV, ATSDR, among other sources. The spreadsheets also contain background information about how the list of chemicals were compiled, what the different sources of chemical information are, and definitions and descriptions of the values presented. The purpose of this product is to compile and make accessible information about the 1,173 hydraulic fracturing-related chemicals listed in the external review draft of the Hydraulic Fracturing Drinking Water Assessment.

Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Sulfur Oxides (Health Criteria)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information, history and background on the development and maintenance of sulfur dioxide (health criteria) assessments. There is a separate site that has combined NOx/SOx ecological criteria assessment.

Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Nitrogen Dioxide (Health Criteria)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information, history and background on the development and maintenance of nitrogen dioxide (health criteria) assessments. There is a separate site that has combined NOx/SOx ecological criteria assessment.

49 CFR 1572.9 - Applicant information required for HME security threat assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... threat assessment. 1572.9 Section 1572.9 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... TRANSPORTATION SECURITY CREDENTIALING AND SECURITY THREAT ASSESSMENTS Procedures and General Standards § 1572.9 Applicant information required for HME security threat assessment. An applicant must supply the information...

A readability assessment of online stroke information.

PubMed

Sharma, Nikhil; Tridimas, Andreas; Fitzsimmons, Paul R

2014-07-01

Patients and carers increasingly access the Internet as a source of health information. Poor health literacy is extremely common and frequently limits patient's comprehension of health care information literature. We aimed to assess the readability of online consumer-orientated stroke information using 2 validated readability measures. The 100 highest Google ranked consumer-oriented stroke Web pages were assessed for reading difficulty using the Flesch-Kincaid and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formulae. None of the included Web pages complied with the current readability guidelines when readability was measured using the gold standard SMOG formula. Mean Flesch-Kincaid grade level was 10.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.97-10.9) and mean SMOG grade 12.1 (95% CI 11.7-12.4). Over half of the Web pages were produced at graduate reading levels or above. Not-for-profit Web pages were significantly easier to read (P=.0006). The Flesch-Kincaid formula significantly underestimated reading difficulty, with a mean underestimation of 1.65 grades (95% CI 1.49-1.81), P<.0001. Most consumer-orientated stroke information Web sites require major text revision to comply with readability guidelines and to be comprehensible to the average patient. The Flesch-Kincaid formula significantly underestimates reading difficulty, and SMOG should be used as the measure of choice. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Third Molars on the Internet: A Guide for Assessing Information Quality and Readability

PubMed Central

Brennan, David; Sambrook, Paul; Armfield, Jason

2015-01-01

Background Directing patients suffering from third molars (TMs) problems to high-quality online information is not only medically important, but also could enable better engagement in shared decision making. Objectives This study aimed to develop a scale that measures the scientific information quality (SIQ) for online information concerning wisdom tooth problems and to conduct a quality evaluation for online TMs resources. In addition, the study evaluated whether a specific piece of readability software (Readability Studio Professional 2012) might be reliable in measuring information comprehension, and explored predictors for the SIQ Scale. Methods A cross-sectional sample of websites was retrieved using certain keywords and phrases such as “impacted wisdom tooth problems” using 3 popular search engines. The retrieved websites (n=150) were filtered. The retained 50 websites were evaluated to assess their characteristics, usability, accessibility, trust, readability, SIQ, and their credibility using DISCERN and Health on the Net Code (HoNCode). Results Websites’ mean scale scores varied significantly across website affiliation groups such as governmental, commercial, and treatment provider bodies. The SIQ Scale had a good internal consistency (alpha=.85) and was significantly correlated with DISCERN (r=.82, P<.01) and HoNCode (r=.38, P<.01). Less than 25% of websites had SIQ scores above 75%. The mean readability grade (10.3, SD 1.9) was above the recommended level, and was significantly correlated with the Scientific Information Comprehension Scale (r=.45. P<.01), which provides evidence for convergent validity. Website affiliation and DISCERN were significantly associated with SIQ (P<.01) and explained 76% of the SIQ variance. Conclusion The developed SIQ Scale was found to demonstrate reliability and initial validity. Website affiliation, DISCERN, and HoNCode were significant predictors for the quality of scientific information. The Readability Studio

APPLICATION OF SPATIAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO PETROLEUM RESOURCE ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Betty M.; Domaratz, Michael A.

1984-01-01

Petroleum resource assessment procedures require the analysis of a large volume of spatial data. The US Geological Survey (USGS) has developed and applied spatial information handling procedures and digital cartographic techniques to a recent study involving the assessment of oil and gas resource potential for 74 million acres of designated and proposed wilderness lands in the western United States. The part of the study which dealt with the application of spatial information technology to petroleum resource assessment procedures is reviewed. A method was designed to expedite the gathering, integrating, managing, manipulating and plotting of spatial data from multiple data sources that are essential in modern resource assessment procedures.

Littoral Assessment of Mine Burial Signatures (LAMBS) buried land mine/background spectral signature analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kenton, A.C.; Geci, D.M.; Ray, K.J.; Thomas, C.M.; Salisbury, J.W.; Mars, J.C.; Crowley, J.K.; Witherspoon, N.H.; Holloway, J.H.; Harmon R.S.Broach J.T.Holloway, Jr. J.H.

2004-01-01

The objective of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Rapid Overt Reconnaissance (ROR) program and the Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies (ALRT) project's LAMBS effort is to determine if electro-optical spectral discriminants exist that are useful for the detection of land mines in littoral regions. Statistically significant buried mine overburden and background signature data were collected over a wide spectral range (0.35 to 14 ??m) to identify robust spectral features that might serve as discriminants for new airborne sensor concepts. LAMBS has expanded previously collected databases to littoral areas - primarily dry and wet sandy soils - where tidal, surf, and wind conditions can severely modify spectral signatures. At AeroSense 2003, we reported completion of three buried mine collections at an inland bay, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico beach sites.1 We now report LAMBS spectral database analyses results using metrics which characterize the detection performance of general types of spectral detection algorithms. These metrics include mean contrast, spectral signal-to-clutter, covariance, information content, and spectral matched filter analyses. Detection performance of the buried land mines was analyzed with regard to burial age, background type, and environmental conditions. These analyses considered features observed due to particle size differences, surface roughness, surface moisture, and compositional differences.

77 FR 10508 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Background Checks...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Background Checks for Contractor Employees (Renewal) AGENCY... the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov . Title: Background Checks for Contractor Employees... consolidated in 40 CFR part 9. Abstract: The EPA uses contractors to perform services throughout the nation...

Multi-talker background and semantic priming effect

PubMed Central

Dekerle, Marie; Boulenger, Véronique; Hoen, Michel; Meunier, Fanny

2014-01-01

The reported studies have aimed to investigate whether informational masking in a multi-talker background relies on semantic interference between the background and target using an adapted semantic priming paradigm. In 3 experiments, participants were required to perform a lexical decision task on a target item embedded in backgrounds composed of 1–4 voices. These voices were Semantically Consistent (SC) voices (i.e., pronouncing words sharing semantic features with the target) or Semantically Inconsistent (SI) voices (i.e., pronouncing words semantically unrelated to each other and to the target). In the first experiment, backgrounds consisted of 1 or 2 SC voices. One and 2 SI voices were added in Experiments 2 and 3, respectively. The results showed a semantic priming effect only in the conditions where the number of SC voices was greater than the number of SI voices, suggesting that semantic priming depended on prime intelligibility and strategic processes. However, even if backgrounds were composed of 3 or 4 voices, reducing intelligibility, participants were able to recognize words from these backgrounds, although no semantic priming effect on the targets was observed. Overall this finding suggests that informational masking can occur at a semantic level if intelligibility is sufficient. Based on the Effortfulness Hypothesis, we also suggest that when there is an increased difficulty in extracting target signals (caused by a relatively high number of voices in the background), more cognitive resources were allocated to formal processes (i.e., acoustic and phonological), leading to a decrease in available resources for deeper semantic processing of background words, therefore preventing semantic priming from occurring. PMID:25400572

Internal combustion engines for alcohol motor fuels: a compilation of background technical information

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

Blaser, Richard

1980-11-01

This compilation, a draft training manual containing technical background information on internal combustion engines and alcohol motor fuel technologies, is presented in 3 parts. The first is a compilation of facts from the state of the art on internal combustion engine fuels and their characteristics and requisites and provides an overview of fuel sources, fuels technology and future projections for availability and alternatives. Part two compiles facts about alcohol chemistry, alcohol identification, production, and use, examines ethanol as spirit and as fuel, and provides an overview of modern evaluation of alcohols as motor fuels and of the characteristics of alcoholmore » fuels. The final section compiles cross references on the handling and combustion of fuels for I.C. engines, presents basic evaluations of events leading to the use of alcohols as motor fuels, reviews current applications of alcohols as motor fuels, describes the formulation of alcohol fuels for engines and engine and fuel handling hardware modifications for using alcohol fuels, and introduces the multifuel engines concept. (LCL)« less

An Information Needs Assessment of School Nurses in a Metropolitan County

PubMed Central

Schweikhard, April J.

2016-01-01

School nurses are an integral though often underserved population within the health care and education professions. To develop an effective outreach program for this group, an academic health sciences library conducted an information needs assessment of public school nurses in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. An online survey collected perceptions regarding information needs and behaviors, and a focus group session further explored the survey results. The assessment revealed that school nurses frequently require specific types of information to perform their responsibilities but also face challenges accessing and integrating research into their daily practice. This article presents the implications and results of this assessment. PMID:26794194

An Inside Look at School Reform: What We Have Learned about Assessing Student Learning in a Nongraded Primary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Tracey E.; Baker, Scott

This paper provides background information on school reform and describes efforts to implement an assessment system for students with disabilities in 12 nongraded primary classrooms. Background information briefly covers the school restructuring movement, the history of nongraded primary education, alternative assessment strategies which focus on…

Formative assessment of oncology trainees' communication with cancer patients about internet information.

PubMed

Bylund, Carma L; Sperka, Miryam; D'Agostino, Thomas A

2015-04-01

Cancer patients and their caregivers often turn to the internet for information and support following a cancer diagnosis. Research shows a need for improvement in doctors' communication with patients about internet information. The purpose of this formative assessment was to evaluate oncology trainees' skills in talking about internet information with cancer patients. Thirty-nine oncology trainees were evaluated in a baseline standardized patient assessment as part of their participation in the Comskil Training Program. As part of the assessment, standardized patients were instructed to raise the topic of internet information they had read. Transcriptions of the video-recorded assessments were coded for patient statements and trainee responses. Fifty-six percent of trainees used a probe to get more information before addressing the content of the internet search, while 18% addressed it immediately. Eighteen percent of trainees warned the patient about using the internet, and 8% warned about and also encouraged internet use. Thirteen percent of trainees praised the patient for seeking out information on the internet. This formative assessment indicated that the majority of trainees addressed the content of the internet search, while a minority addressed the internet as a tool and praised patients' efforts. Research in this area should examine the effectiveness of educational interventions for trainees to improve discussions about internet information.

Information Technology Sector Baseline Risk Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

alternative root be economically advantageous , an actor’s ability to exploit market forces and create an alternative root would be significantly improved...conduct their operations. Therefore, a loss or disruption to Internet services would not be advantageous for the desired outcomes of these syndicates.26... eCommerce Service loss or disruption [C] Traffic Redirection [C] = Undesired consequence Information Technology Sector Baseline Risk Assessment

77 FR 69814 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; National Assessment of Educational...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-21

... is a federally authorized survey of student achievement at grades 4, 8, and 12 in various subject... achievement data and permits the collection of background, noncognitive, or descriptive information that is...

Lewis Information Network (LINK): Background and overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulte, Roger R.

1987-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center supports many research facilities with many isolated buildings, including wind tunnels, test cells, and research laboratories. These facilities are all located on a 350 acre campus adjacent to the Cleveland Hopkins Airport. The function of NASA-Lewis is to do basic and applied research in all areas of aeronautics, fluid mechanics, materials and structures, space propulsion, and energy systems. These functions require a great variety of remote high speed, high volume data communications for computing and interactive graphic capabilities. In addition, new requirements for local distribution of intercenter video teleconferencing and data communications via satellite have developed. To address these and future communications requirements for the next 15 yrs, a project team was organized to design and implement a new high speed communication system that would handle both data and video information in a common lab-wide Local Area Network. The project team selected cable television broadband coaxial cable technology as the communications medium and first installation of in-ground cable began in the summer of 1980. The Lewis Information Network (LINK) became operational in August 1982 and has become the backbone of all data communications and video.

Reviewing the Quality of Discourse Information Measures in Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Madeleine; Hilari, Katerina; Cocks, Naomi; Dipper, Lucy

2017-01-01

Background: Discourse is fundamental to everyday communication, and is an increasing focus of clinical assessment, intervention and research. Aphasia can affect the information a speaker communicates in discourse. Little is known about the psychometrics of the tools for measuring information in discourse, which means it is unclear whether these…

Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of the Tuck Jump Assessment by Health Professionals of Varied Educational Backgrounds

PubMed Central

Dudley, Lisa A.; Smith, Craig A.; Olson, Brandon K.; Chimera, Nicole J.

2013-01-01

Objective. The Tuck Jump Assessment (TJA), a clinical plyometric assessment, identifies 10 jumping and landing technique flaws. The study objective was to investigate TJA interrater and intrarater reliability with raters of different educational and clinical backgrounds. Methods. 40 participants were video recorded performing the TJA using published protocol and instructions. Five raters of varied educational and clinical backgrounds scored the TJA. Each score of the 10 technique flaws was summed for the total TJA score. Approximately one month later, 3 raters scored the videos again. Intraclass correlation coefficients determined interrater (5 and 3 raters for first and second session, resp.) and intrarater (3 raters) reliability. Results. Interrater reliability with 5 raters was poor (ICC = 0.47; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.33–0.62). Interrater reliability between 3 raters who completed 2 scoring sessions improved from 0.52 (95% CI 0.35–0.68) for session one to 0.69 (95% CI 0.55–0.81) for session two. Intrarater reliability was poor to moderate, ranging from 0.44 (95% CI 0.22–0.68) to 0.72 (95% CI 0.55–0.84). Conclusion. Published protocol and training of raters were insufficient to allow consistent TJA scoring. There may be a learned effect with the TJA since interrater reliability improved with repetition. TJA instructions and training should be modified and enhanced before clinical implementation. PMID:26464881

Information resources assessment of a healthcare integrated delivery system.

PubMed Central

Gadd, C. S.; Friedman, C. P.; Douglas, G.; Miller, D. J.

1999-01-01

While clinical healthcare systems may have lagged behind computer applications in other fields in the shift from mainframes to client-server architectures, the rapid deployment of newer applications is closing that gap. Organizations considering the transition to client-server must identify and position themselves to provide the resources necessary to implement and support the infrastructure requirements of client-server architectures and to manage the accelerated complexity at the desktop, including hardware and software deployment, training, and maintenance needs. This paper describes an information resources assessment of the recently aligned Pennsylvania regional Veterans Administration Stars and Stripes Health Network (VISN4), in anticipation of the shift from a predominantly mainframe to a client-server information systems architecture in its well-established VistA clinical information system. The multimethod assessment study is described here to demonstrate this approach and its value to regional healthcare networks undergoing organizational integration and/or significant information technology transformations. PMID:10566414

Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter (Ecological Criteria)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information, history and background on the development and maintenance of NOx and SOx (ecological criteria) assessment. There are 2 separate sites that have the background and history on the individual NOx/SOx health assessments.

Information Security Risk Assessment in Hospitals.

PubMed

Ayatollahi, Haleh; Shagerdi, Ghazal

2017-01-01

To date, many efforts have been made to classify information security threats, especially in the healthcare area. However, there are still many unknown risks which may threat the security of health information and their resources especially in the hospitals. The aim of this study was to assess the risks threatening information security in the hospitals located in one of the northwest cities of Iran. This study was completed in 2014. The participants were information technology managers who worked in the hospitals (n=27). The research instrument was a questionnaire composed of a number of open and closed questions. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed, and the reliability of the closed questions was measured by using the test-retest method (r =0.78). The results showed that among the information security risks, fire found to be a high probability/high impact risk factor. Human and physical/environmental threats were among the low probability risk factors. Regarding the information security safeguards used in the hospitals, the results showed that the use of the technical safeguards was the most frequent one (n =22, 91.7%) compared to the administrative (n =21, 87.5%) and the physical safeguards (n =16, 66.7%). The high probability risk factors require quick corrective actions to be taken. Therefore, the underlying causes of such threats should be identified and controlled before experiencing adverse effects. It is also important to note that information security in health care systems needs to be considered at a macro level with respect to the national interests and policies.

14 CFR 91.1051 - Pilot safety background check.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Pilot safety background check. 91.1051... Operations Program Management § 91.1051 Pilot safety background check. Within 90 days of an individual beginning service as a pilot, the program manager must request the following information: (a) FAA records...

Background rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes for assessing the safety of maternal vaccine trials in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Orenstein, Lauren A V; Orenstein, Evan W; Teguete, Ibrahima; Kodio, Mamoudou; Tapia, Milagritos; Sow, Samba O; Levine, Myron M

2012-01-01

Maternal immunization has gained traction as a strategy to diminish maternal and young infant mortality attributable to infectious diseases. Background rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes are crucial to interpret results of clinical trials in Sub-Saharan Africa. We developed a mathematical model that calculates a clinical trial's expected number of neonatal and maternal deaths at an interim safety assessment based on the person-time observed during different risk windows. This model was compared to crude multiplication of the maternal mortality ratio and neonatal mortality rate by the number of live births. Systematic reviews of severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM), low birth weight (LBW), prematurity, and major congenital malformations (MCM) in Sub-Saharan African countries were also performed. Accounting for the person-time observed during different risk periods yields lower, more conservative estimates of expected maternal and neonatal deaths, particularly at an interim safety evaluation soon after a large number of deliveries. Median incidence of SAMM in 16 reports was 40.7 (IQR: 10.6-73.3) per 1,000 total births, and the most common causes were hemorrhage (34%), dystocia (22%), and severe hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (22%). Proportions of liveborn infants who were LBW (median 13.3%, IQR: 9.9-16.4) or premature (median 15.4%, IQR: 10.6-19.1) were similar across geographic region, study design, and institutional setting. The median incidence of MCM per 1,000 live births was 14.4 (IQR: 5.5-17.6), with the musculoskeletal system comprising 30%. Some clinical trials assessing whether maternal immunization can improve pregnancy and young infant outcomes in the developing world have made ethics-based decisions not to use a pure placebo control. Consequently, reliable background rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes are necessary to distinguish between vaccine benefits and safety concerns. Local studies that quantify population-based background rates of adverse

State Norms for IQ, Adaptive Behavior, and Sociocultural Status: Implications for Nonbiased Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reschly, Daniel J.; And Others

Findings from the Iowa Assessment Project are examined regarding the assessment and use of information on adaptive behavior and sociocultural background in decisions about students with mild mental retardation. Background aspects reviewed include terminology regarding mild retardation; research, litigation, and legislation on the topic during the…

Informal Assessment as a Tool for Supporting Parent Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darragh, Johnna

2009-01-01

Many strategies contribute to forming co-constructed relationships. However, one of the most effective tools that supports co-construction is ongoing assessment, which provides a common base (knowledge of the child) on which families and professionals can build relationships. As a part of this ongoing assessment, informal strategies--including…

On the assessment of visual communication by information theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huck, Friedrich O.; Fales, Carl L.

1993-01-01

This assessment of visual communication integrates the optical design of the image-gathering device with the digital processing for image coding and restoration. Results show that informationally optimized image gathering ordinarily can be relied upon to maximize the information efficiency of decorrelated data and the visual quality of optimally restored images.

Informant Report of Financial Capacity for Individuals With Chronic Acquired Brain Injury: An Assessment of Informant Accuracy.

PubMed

Sunderaraman, Preeti; Cosentino, Stephanie; Lindgren, Karen; James, Angela; Schultheis, Maria

2018-03-29

Primarily, to investigate the association between informant report and objective performance on specific financial capacity (FC) tasks by adults with chronic, moderate to severe acquired brain injury, and to examine the nature of misestimates by the informants. Cross-sectional design. A postacute, community-based rehabilitation center. Data were obtained from 22 chronic acquired brain injury (CABI) adults, mean age of 46.6 years (SD = 8.67), mean years of education of 13.45 years (SD = 2.15), with moderate to severe acquired brain injury (86% had traumatic brain injury), with a mean postinjury period of 17.14 years (SD = 9.5). Whereas the CABI adults completed the Financial Competence Assessment Inventory interview-a combination of self-report and performance-based assessment, 22 informants completed a specifically designed parallel version of the interview. Pearson correlations and 1-sample t tests based on the discrepancy scores between informant report and CABI group's performance were used. The CABI group's performance was not associated with its informant's perceptions. One-sample t tests revealed that informants both underestimated and overestimated CABI group's performance. Results indicate lack of correspondence between self- and informant ratings. Further investigation revealed that misestimations by informants occurred in contrary directions with CABI adults' performance being inaccurately rated. These findings raise critical issues related to assuming that the informant report can be used as a "gold standard" for collecting functional data related to financial management, and the idea that obtaining objective data on financial tasks may represent a more valid method of assessing financial competency in adults with brain injury.

Assessing exposure to violence using multiple informants: application of hierarchical linear model.

PubMed

Kuo, M; Mohler, B; Raudenbush, S L; Earls, F J

2000-11-01

The present study assesses the effects of demographic risk factors on children's exposure to violence (ETV) and how these effects vary by informants. Data on exposure to violence of 9-, 12-, and 15-year-olds were collected from both child participants (N = 1880) and parents (N = 1776), as part of the assessment of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN). A two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) with multivariate outcomes was employed to analyze information obtained from these two different groups of informants. The findings indicate that parents generally report less ETV than do their children and that associations of age, gender, and parent education with ETV are stronger in the self-reports than in the parent reports. The findings support a multivariate approach when information obtained from different sources is being integrated. The application of HLM allows an assessment of interactions between risk factors and informants and uses all available data, including data from one informant when data from the other informant is missing.

Accessibility and Integrity of Networked Information Collections. Background Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Clifford A.

This paper considers questions related to the integrity and accessibility of new electronic information resources. It begins with a review of recent developments in networked information resources and the tools to identify, navigate, and use such resources. An overview is then given of the issues involved in access and integrity questions. Links…

32 CFR 701.40 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... OFFICIAL RECORDS AVAILABILITY OF DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY RECORDS AND PUBLICATION OF DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY DOCUMENTS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC FOIA Fees § 701.40 Background. (a) The DON follows the uniform fee schedule... Freedom of Information Act Fee Schedule and Guidelines. (b) Fees reflect direct costs for search; review...

A Simplified Program Needs Assessment Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Larry

A rationale, background information, and a discussion of methodology are presented for a needs assessment process intended for pilot implementation at Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC). This process was designed to assess the local need for paraprofessional programs in the Human Services area, i.e., Early Childhood Associate, Mental Health…

Is knowing believing? The role of event plausibility and background knowledge in planting false beliefs about the personal past.

PubMed

Pezdek, Kathy; Blandon-Gitlin, Iris; Lam, Shirley; Hart, Rhiannon Ellis; Schooler, Jonathan W

2006-12-01

False memories are more likely to be planted for plausible than for implausible events, but does just knowing about an implausible event make individuals more likely to think that the event happened to them? Two experiments assessed the independent contributions o f plausibility a nd background knowledge to planting false beliefs. In Experiment 1, subjects rated 20 childhood events as to the likelihood of each event having happened to them. The list included the implausible target event "received an enema," a critical target event of Pezdek, Finger, and Hodge (1997). Two weeks later, subjects were presented with (1) information regarding the high prevalence rate of enemas; (2) background information on how to administer an enema; (3) neither type of information; or (4) both. Immediately or 2 weeks later, they rated the 20 childhood events again. Only plausibility significantly increased occurrence ratings. In Experiment 2, the target event was changed from "barium enema administered in a hospital" to "home enema for constipation"; significant effects of both plausibility and background knowledge resulted. The results suggest that providing background knowledge can increase beliefs about personal events, but that its impact is limited by the extent of the individual's familiarity with the context of the suggested target event.

75 FR 13543 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

... their perceived value of the QIO's assistance. The NHIN Survey will address the following: Background information; Current work--information and assessment; Satisfaction with QIOs; Value of QIO assistance... nursing home satisfaction with technical assistance strategies delivered as a component of the NHIN. The...

The Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program; background information to accompany folio of geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and mineral resource maps of the Ajo and Lukeville 1 degree x 2 degrees quadrangles, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, Floyd; Tosdal, R.M.; Peterson, J.A.; Cox, D.P.; Miller, R.J.; Klein, D.P.; Theobald, P.K.; Haxel, G.B.; Grubensky, M.J.; Raines, G.L.; Barton, H.N.; Singer, D.A.; Eppinger, R.G.

1992-01-01

Encompassing about 21,000 km 2 in southwestern Arizona, the Ajo and Lukeville 1 ? by 2 ? quadrangles have been the subject of mineral resource investigations utilizing field and laboratory studies in the disciplines of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and Landsat imagery. The results of these studies are published as a folio of maps, figures, and tables, with accompanying discussions. Past mineral production has been limited to copper from the Ajo Mining District. In addition to copper, the quadrangles contain potentially significant resources of gold and silver; a few other commodities, including molybdenum and evaporites, may also exist in the area as appreciable resources. This circular provides background information on the mineral deposits and on the investigations and integrates the information presented in the folio. The bibliography cites references to the geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and mineral deposits of the two quadrangles.

Health Libraries and Information Services in Tanzania: A Strategic Assessment.

PubMed

Haruna, Hussein; Mtoroki, Majaliwa; Gerendasy, Dan D; Detlefsen, Ellen G

The intention of the Government of Tanzania is to establish more health information resource canters in all health facilities. With this regard, health information science personnel are needed to provide adequate and accurate health information services. However, availability of these personnel remains to be a challenge because of their non-existence. To identify the current status and local impact of health sciences libraries and user perception of these libraries, as a prerequisite to the development of a competence-based curriculum for health information science training in Tanzania. A needs assessment was carried out using a convenience sample of local respondents, including librarians, trainers, academicians, students, health care providers, and patients and families, drawn from national, referral, regional, district hospitals, health training institutions, and universities from both government and nongovernment entities in Tanzania. A focus group approach was used to gather data from respondents. Results from this assessment revealed that health science libraries in Tanzania are faced with the challenges of insufficient infrastructure, old technology, limited facilities and furniture, inadequate and incompetent library staff, lack of health sciences librarians, outdated and insufficient resources, and low knowledge and use of information technologies by library clients. Most respondents would prefer to have both physical and electronic libraries, as well as librarians with specialized health information science skills, to cope with changing nature of the medical field. The findings obtained from this assessment are strong enough to guide the development of a curriculum and training strategy and an operational plan and training packages for health information professionals. The development of a training curriculum for health information science professionals will mean better health information service delivery for Tanzania. Copyright © 2016 Icahn School of

Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Automated Transit Information Systems Technology

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-03-01

This report is the final product of a program to assess the socio-economic impacts of automated transit information system (ATIS) technology deployments on the transit industry's telephone information/marketing function. In the course of this program...

New Rodent Population Models May Inform Human Health Risk Assessment and Identification of Genetic Susceptibility to Environmental Exposures

PubMed Central

Harrill, Alison H.

2017-01-01

Background: This paper provides an introduction for environmental health scientists to emerging population-based rodent resources. Mouse reference populations provide an opportunity to model environmental exposures and gene–environment interactions in human disease and to inform human health risk assessment. Objectives: This review will describe several mouse populations for toxicity assessment, including older models such as the Mouse Diversity Panel (MDP), and newer models that include the Collaborative Cross (CC) and Diversity Outbred (DO) models. Methods: This review will outline the features of the MDP, CC, and DO mouse models and will discuss published case studies investigating the use of these mouse population resources in each step of the risk assessment paradigm. Discussion: These unique resources have the potential to be powerful tools for generating hypotheses related to gene–environment interplay in human disease, performing controlled exposure studies to understand the differential responses in humans for susceptibility or resistance to environmental exposures, and identifying gene variants that influence sensitivity to toxicity and disease states. Conclusions: These new resources offer substantial advances to classical toxicity testing paradigms by including genetically sensitive individuals that may inform toxicity risks for sensitive subpopulations. Both in vivo and complementary in vitro resources provide platforms with which to reduce uncertainty by providing population-level data around biological variability. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1274 PMID:28886592

Building and Activating Students' Background Knowledge: It's What They Already Know That Counts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Douglas; Frey, Nancy; Lapp, Diane

2012-01-01

Students enter the middle grades with varying amounts of background knowledge. Teachers must assess student background knowledge for gaps or misconceptions and then provide instruction to build on that base. This article discusses effective strategies for assessing and developing students' background knowledge so they can become independent…

How Do Countries' Health Information Systems Perform in Assessing Asylum Seekers' Health Situation? Developing a Health Information Assessment Tool on Asylum Seekers (HIATUS) and Piloting It in Two European Countries.

PubMed

Bozorgmehr, Kayvan; Goosen, Simone; Mohsenpour, Amir; Kuehne, Anna; Razum, Oliver; Kunst, Anton E

2017-08-08

Background: Accurate data on the health status, health behaviour and access to health care of asylum seekers is essential, but such data is lacking in many European countries. We hence aimed to: (a) develop and pilot-test an instrument that can be used to compare and benchmark the country health information systems (HIS) with respect to the ability to assess the health status and health care situation of asylum seekers and (b) present the results of that pilot for The Netherlands (NL) and Germany (DE). Materials and Methods : Reviewing and adapting existing tools, we developed a Health Information Assessment Tool on Asylum Seekers (HIATUS) with 50 items to assess HIS performance across three dimensions: (1) availability and detail of data across potential data sources; (2) HIS resources and monitoring capacity; (3) general coverage and timeliness of publications on selected indicators. We piloted HIATUS by applying the tool to the HIS in DE and NL. Two raters per country independently assessed the performance of country HIS and the inter-rater reliability was analysed by Pearson's rho and the intra-class correlation (ICC). We then applied a consensus-based group rating to obtain the final ratings which were transformed into a weighted summary score (range: 0-97). We assessed HIS performance by calculating total and domain-specific HIATUS scores by country as well as absolute and relative gaps in scores within and between countries. Results : In the independent rating, Pearson's rho was 0.14 (NL) and 0.30 (DE), the ICC yielded an estimated reliability of 0.29 (NL) and 0.83 (DE) respectively. In the final consensus-based rating, the total HIATUS score was 47 in NL and 15 in DE, translating into a relative gap in HIS capacity of 52% (NL) and 85% (DE) respectively. Shortfalls in HIS capacity in both countries relate to the areas of HIS coordination, planning and policies, and to limited coverage of specific indicators such as self-reported health, mental health, socio

[Formal quality assessment of informed consent documents in 9 hospitals].

PubMed

Calle-Urra, J E; Parra-Hidalgo, P; Saturno-Hernández, P J; Martínez-Martínez, M J; Navarro-Moya, F J

2013-01-01

Informed consent forms are very important in the process of medical information. The aim of this study is to design reliable formal quality criteria of these documents and their application in the evaluation of those used in the hospitals of a regional health service. Criteria have been designed from the analysis of existing regulations, previous studies and consultation with key experts. The interobserver concordance was assessed using the kappa index. Criteria evaluation was performed on 1425 documents of 9 hospitals. A total of 19 criteria used in the evaluation of the quality of informed consent forms have been obtained. Kappa values were higher than 0,60 in 17 of them and higher than 0,52 in the other 2. The average number of defects per document was 7.6, with a high-low ratio among hospitals of 1.84. More than 90% of the documents had defects in the information on consequences and contraindications, and in about 90% it did not mention the copy to the patient. More than 60% did not comply with stating the purpose of the procedure, a statement of having understood and clarified doubts, and the treatment options. A tool has been obtained to reliably assess the formal quality of the informed consent forms. The documents assessed have a wide margin for improvement related to giving a copy to the patient, and some aspects of the specific information that patients should receive. Copyright © 2012 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Health Libraries and Information Services in Tanzania: A Strategic Assessment

PubMed Central

Haruna, Hussein; Mtoroki, Majaliwa; Gerendasy, Dan D.; Detlefsen, Ellen G.

2016-01-01

Objective To identify the current status and local impact of health sciences libraries and the perception of these libraries by their users, as a pre-requisite to the development of a competence-based curriculum for health information science training in Tanzania. Methodology A needs assessment was carried out using a convenience sample of local respondents, including librarians, trainers, academicians, students, health care providers and patients and families, drawn from national, referral, regional, district hospitals, health training institutions, and Universities from both government and non-government entities in Tanzania. A focus group approach was used to gather data from respondents. Results Results from this assessment revealed that health science libraries in Tanzania are faced with the challenges of insufficient infrastructure, old technology, limited facilities and furniture, inadequate and incompetent library staff, lack of health sciences librarians, outdated and insufficient resources, as well as low knowledge and use of information technologies by library clients. Most respondents would prefer to have both physical and electronic libraries, as well as librarians with specialized health information science skills, to cope with changing nature of the medical field. Conclusion The findings obtained from this assessment are strong enough to guide the development of a curriculum and training strategy and an operational plan and training packages for health information professionals. The development of a training curriculum for health information science professionals will mean better health information service delivery for Tanzania. PMID:28283146

Information Uncertainty to Compare Qualitative Reasoning Security Risk Assessment Results

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

Chavez, Gregory M; Key, Brian P; Zerkle, David K

2009-01-01

The security risk associated with malevolent acts such as those of terrorism are often void of the historical data required for a traditional PRA. Most information available to conduct security risk assessments for these malevolent acts is obtained from subject matter experts as subjective judgements. Qualitative reasoning approaches such as approximate reasoning and evidential reasoning are useful for modeling the predicted risk from information provided by subject matter experts. Absent from these approaches is a consistent means to compare the security risk assessment results. Associated with each predicted risk reasoning result is a quantifiable amount of information uncertainty which canmore » be measured and used to compare the results. This paper explores using entropy measures to quantify the information uncertainty associated with conflict and non-specificity in the predicted reasoning results. The measured quantities of conflict and non-specificity can ultimately be used to compare qualitative reasoning results which are important in triage studies and ultimately resource allocation. Straight forward extensions of previous entropy measures are presented here to quantify the non-specificity and conflict associated with security risk assessment results obtained from qualitative reasoning models.« less

Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) impact assessment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

This report is an independent assessment of three prototype Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) tests at Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, and South Florida. The FRATIS technologies deployed at one or two drayage companies in each tes...

Contextual assessment in science education: Background, issues, and policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klassen, Stephen

2006-09-01

Contemporary assessment practices in science education have undergone significant changes in recent decades. The basis for these changes and the resulting new assessment practices are the subject of this two-part paper. Part 1 considers the basis of assessment that, more than 25 years ago, was driven by the assumptions of decomposability and decontextualization of knowledge, resulting in a low-inference testing system, often described as traditional. This assessment model was replaced not on account of direct criticism, but rather on account of a larger revolution - the change from behavioral to cognitive psychology, developments in the philosophy of science, and the rise of constructivism. Most notably, the study of the active cognitive processes of the individual resulted in a major emphasis on context in learning and assessment. These changes gave rise to the development of various contextual assessment methodologies in science education, for example, concept mapping assessment, performance assessment, and portfolio assessment. In Part 2, the literature relating to the assessment methods identified in Part 1 is reviewed, revealing that there is not much research that supports their validity and reliability. However, encouraging new work on selected-response tests is forming the basis for reconsideration of past criticisms of this technique. Despite the major developments in contextual assessment methodologies in science education, two important questions remain unanswered, namely, whether grades can be considered as genuine numeric quantities and whether the individual student is the appropriate unit of assessment in public accountability. Given these issues and the requirement for science assessment to satisfy the goals of the individual, the classroom, and the society, tentative recommendations are put forward addressing these parallel needs in the assessment of science learning.

78 FR 5276 - Tribal Background Investigations and Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-25

... industry generally, including ownership interests in those businesses; (7) The name and address of any... temporary and permanent gaming licenses. DATES: Effective Date: February 25, 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.... Telephone: 202-632-7009. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA or...

Cognitive assessment of older adults at the acute care interface: the informant history.

PubMed

Dyer, Adam H; Nabeel, Shamis; Briggs, Robert; O'Neill, Desmond; Kennelly, Sean P

2016-05-01

An informant history is critical in the complete cognitive assessments of older adults, but has never been formally assessed. A convenience sample of older adults aged ≥70 years were assessed using cognitive screeners for delirium (confusion assessment method-intensive care unit) and dementia (standardised Mini Mental State Examination and AD8) in a tertiary referral emergency department (ED). A total of 220/270 (81.5%) adults were included in the study (mean age 78.8±6.16; 49.1% male). Informant histories, obtained in almost two-thirds (61.1%, 66/108) of patients where desired, revealed a cognitive pattern suggestive of previously undiagnosed dementia in 39.4% (26/66). Most informants were relatives/friends (93.9%, 62/66) and were rated very good/excellent in contribution to care (96.9%, 64/66) and ability to provide useful information (93.9%, 62/66). The acute environment was also rated suitable to brief informant interviewing (mean duration <6 min) in terms of privacy (8.4±1.6/10) and accessibility (8.5±1.47/10). Following a review of the attending ED physician's notes, an informant history (either obtained/desired/refused) was only documented in 5.6% of cases. The informant history represents a much underused tool in the cognitive assessment of older adults presenting to the ED. The main barrier to informant interviewing in the ED environment appears to be informant availability. Where available, the informant history is easy to extract and provides invaluable information to the assessing physician. The acute care environment is suitable to brief informant interviews using readily available frameworks (AD8). However, the informant history is rarely obtained in this context, and further emphasis on undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula is warranted. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The use of climate information in vulnerability assessments.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

This memorandum focuses on the use of climate information when performing a vulnerability : assessment, a topic that was discussed at the Newark Pilot Peer Exchange Workshop on May 4-5, : 2011. The memorandum describes several sources of climate info...

Effect of Background Luminance Level on the Assessment of Color Visual Acuity Using Colored Landolt Rings in Young Healthy Subjects.

PubMed

Tanaka, Yoshiki; Yokoyama, Sho; Horai, Rie; Kojima, Takashi; Hiroyuki, Sato; Kato, Yukihito; Takagi, Mari; Nakamura, Hideki; Tanaka, Kiyoshi; Ichikawa, Kazuo; Tanabe, Shoko

2018-03-01

To evaluate the color visual acuity (CVA) of young healthy subjects using colored Landolt rings and the effect of background luminance level on the CVA. We measured the CVA of 20 young healthy subjects (age: 23.8 ± 3.8 years) with different colors using a computer and a liquid crystal display, with 15 Landolt ring colors (30 cd/m 2 ) with a background luminance of 30 cd/m 2 , and then 100 cd/m 2 . We then used different background luminance levels (15-50 cd/m 2 ) using four Landolt ring colors (red, green-yellow, green, and blue-green) to evaluate the effect of the background luminance level on CVA. The CVA significantly differed among the colors with a background luminance of 30 cd/m 2 (p < 0.0001). Green-yellow and blue-purple had poor CVA (high LogMAR value; 0.808 ± 0.107 and 0.633 ± 0.150, respectively) with a background luminance of 30 cd/m 2 (same luminance as the Landolt rings). There were no significant differences in the CVAs among the colors with a background luminance of 100 cd/m 2 (p = 0.5999). There were no significant difference in the CVA between background luminance 30 cd/m 2 and other luminance level ranging from 28 to 32 cd/m 2 for colors of red, green-yellow, green, and blue-green. The results reveal that the background luminance of Landolt rings affects the CVA. Distinctive CVAs for each color are measured by equalizing the luminance between the Landolt ring and the background. We consider that the poor CVAs of these colors reflect the visual function of S-cone, because GY and BP are included in the confusion locus of tritan axis on the chromaticity diagram. We believe that CVA assessment may be useful for individuals who have known or suspected ocular dysfunction or color vision deficiencies.

Contribution of spoken language and socio-economic background to adolescents' educational achievement at age 16 years.

PubMed

Spencer, Sarah; Clegg, Judy; Stackhouse, Joy; Rush, Robert

2017-03-01

were particularly relevant to all three GCSE outcomes. Socio-economic background only remained important for English Language, once language assessment scores and demographic information were considered. Language ability, and in particular vocabulary, plays an important role for educational achievement. Results confirm a need for ongoing support for spoken language ability throughout secondary education and a potential role for speech and language therapy provision in the continuing drive to reduce the gap in educational attainment between groups from differing socio-economic backgrounds. © 2016 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

78 FR 40310 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-03

... Information Collection: Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer... Collection Title of Information Collection: Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA). OMB Approval Number: 2502... provide a copy to HUD. Description of the need for the information and proposed use: Collecting this...

Information transfer satellite concept study. Volume 3: Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergin, P.; Kincade, C.; Kurpiewski, D.; Leinhaupel, F.; Millican, F.; Onstad, R.

1971-01-01

Briefly reviewed are the various documents which supply background information for the information transfer satellite study. The sixteen papers reviewed are evaluated in terms of: (1) the category of service or demand being treated; (2) the extent to which information transfer predictions are quantified; (3) the degree to which the data supplied is adequate for the purposes of system synthesis; (4) some assessment as to the overall utility of the data presented in the paper.

The KICA Carer: informant information to enhance the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment.

PubMed

Smith, K; Flicker, L; Atkinson, D; Dwyer, A; Lautenschlager, N T; Thomas, J; Almeida, O P; LoGiudice, D

2016-01-01

A quality dementia-screening tool is required for older remote Aboriginal Australians who have high rates of dementia and limited access to appropriate medical equipment and clinicians. The Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA Cog) is a valid cognitive test for dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The KICA cognitive informant questionnaire (KICA Carer) had yet to be analyzed to determine validity alone or in combination with the KICA Cog. The KICA Carer was completed by nominated informants of 349 remote-living Aboriginal Australians in the Kimberley region, Western Australia. Validity was assessed by comparing KICA Carer with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) consensus diagnoses based on a blinded specialist review. KICA Carer and KICA Cog were then compared to determine joint validity. A KICA Carer score of ≥3/16 gave optimum sensitivity (76.2%) and specificity (81.4%), area under curve (AUC) 0.89 (95% CI = 0.85, 0.94) with positive predictive value (PPV) of 35.8%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 96.2%. A KICA Cog score of ≤33/39 gave a sensitivity of 92.9% and specificity of 89.9%, AUC 0.96 (95% CI = 0.94, 0.98), with PPV of 55.6% and NPV of 98.9%. Cut-off scores of KICA Cog ≤ 33/39 and KICA Carer ≥ 2/16 in series indicate possible dementia, with sensitivity of 90.5% and specificity of 93.5%. In this setting, PPV was 66.5% and NPV was 98.6%. The KICA Carer is an important tool to accurately screen dementia in remote Aboriginal Australians when the KICA Cog is unable to be used for a patient. It is readily accepted by caregivers. • For the best practice in the cognitive assessment of an Aboriginal Australian aged over 45 years, KICA Cog should be utilized. • In cases where Aboriginal patients are not assessed directly, KICA Carer should be conducted with an informant. A cut-off score of ≥3/16 should be used (these tools can be

DOA-informed source extraction in the presence of competing talkers and background noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taseska, Maja; Habets, Emanuël A. P.

2017-12-01

A desired speech signal in hands-free communication systems is often degraded by noise and interfering speech. Even though the number and locations of the interferers are often unknown in practice, it is justified to assume in certain applications that the direction-of-arrival (DOA) of the desired source is approximately known. Using the known DOA, fixed spatial filters such as the delay-and-sum beamformer can be steered to extract the desired source. However, it is well-known that fixed data-independent spatial filters do not provide sufficient reduction of directional interferers. Instead, the DOA information can be used to estimate the statistics of the desired and the undesired signals and to compute optimal data-dependent spatial filters. One way the DOA is exploited for optimal spatial filtering in the literature, is by designing DOA-based narrowband detectors to determine whether a desired or an undesired signal is dominant at each time-frequency (TF) bin. Subsequently, the statistics of the desired and the undesired signals can be estimated during the TF bins where the respective signal is dominant. In a similar manner, a Gaussian signal model-based detector which does not incorporate DOA information has been used in scenarios where the undesired signal consists of stationary background noise. However, when the undesired signal is non-stationary, resulting for example from interfering speakers, such a Gaussian signal model-based detector is unable to robustly distinguish desired from undesired speech. To this end, we propose a DOA model-based detector to determine the dominant source at each TF bin and estimate the desired and undesired signal statistics. We demonstrate that data-dependent spatial filters that use the statistics estimated by the proposed framework achieve very good undesired signal reduction, even when using only three microphones.

Convergence of Self-Reports and Informant Reports on the Personality Assessment Screener.

PubMed

Kelley, Shannon E; Edens, John F; Morey, Leslie C

2017-12-01

The present study is the first to investigate the Personality Assessment Screener, a brief self-report measure of risk for emotional and behavioral dysfunction, in relation to the informant report version of this instrument, the Personality Assessment Screener-Other. Among a sample of undergraduate roommate dyads ( N = 174), self-report and informant report total scores on the Personality Assessment Screener/Personality Assessment Screener-Other moderately converged ( r = 0.45), with generally greater agreement between perspectives observed for externalizing behaviors compared with internalizing distress. In addition, selves tended to report more psychological difficulties relative to informant ratings ( d = 0.45) with an average absolute discrepancy between sources of 6.31 ( SD = 4.96) out of a possible range of 66. Discrepancies between self-report and informant report were significantly associated with characteristics of the dyadic relationship (e.g., length of acquaintanceship) as well as the severity of self-reported psychological difficulties and positive impression management.

78 FR 19509 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-01

... Information Collection: Comment Request; Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) AGENCY: Office of the Assistant... information: Title of Proposal: Capital Needs Assessment (CNA). OMB Control Number, if applicable: 2502-0505. Description of the need for the information and proposed use: Collecting this information is required for...

Cluster randomized trial assessing the effects of rapid ethical assessment on informed consent comprehension in a low-resource setting.

PubMed

Addissie, Adamu; Abay, Serebe; Feleke, Yeweyenhareg; Newport, Melanie; Farsides, Bobbie; Davey, Gail

2016-07-12

Maximizing comprehension is a major challenge for informed consent processes in low-literacy and resource-limited settings. Application of rapid qualitative assessments to improve the informed consent process is increasingly considered useful. This study assessed the effects of Rapid Ethical Assessment (REA) on comprehension, retention and quality of the informed consent process. A cluster randomized trial was conducted among participants of HPV sero-prevalence study in two districts of Northern Ethiopia, in 2013. A total of 300 study participants, 150 in the intervention and 150 in the control group, were included in the study. For the intervention group, the informed consent process was designed with further revisions based on REA findings. Informed consent comprehension levels and quality of the consent process were measured using the Modular Informed Consent Comprehension Assessment (MICCA) and Quality of Informed Consent (QuIC) process assessment tools, respectively. Study recruitment rates were 88.7 % and 80.7 % (p = 0.05), while study retention rates were 85.7 % and 70.3 % (p < 0.005) for the intervention and control groups respectively. Overall, the mean informed consent comprehension scores for the intervention and control groups were 73.1 % and 45.2 %, respectively, with a mean difference in comprehension score of 27.9 % (95 % CI 24.0 % - 33.4 %; p < 0.001,). Mean scores for quality of informed consent for the intervention and control groups were 89.1 % and 78.5 %, respectively, with a mean difference of 10.5 % (95 % CI 6.8 -14.2 %; p < 0.001). Levels of informed consent comprehension, quality of the consent process, study recruitment and retention rates were significantly improved in the intervention group. We recommend REA as a potential modality to improve informed consent comprehension and quality of informed consent process in low resource settings.

Migration Background Influences Consumption Patterns Based on Dietary Recommendations of Food Bank Users in Germany.

PubMed

Stroebele-Benschop, Nanette; Depa, Julia; Gyngell, Fiona; Müller, Annalena; Eleraky, Laila; Hilzendegen, Carolin

2018-03-29

People with low income tend to eat less balanced than people with higher income. This seems to be particularly the case for people with migration background. This cross-sectional study examined the relation of consumption patterns of 597 food bank users with different migration background in Germany. Questionnaires were distributed assessing sociodemographic information and consumption patterns. Analyses were conducted using binary logistic regressions. Models were controlled for age, gender, type of household and education. The group of German food bank users consumed fewer fruits and vegetables and less fish compared to all other groups with migration background (former USSR, Balkan region, Middle East). A significant predictor for fruit and vegetable consumption was migration status. Participants from the former USSR consumed less often SSBs compared to the other groups. Dietary recommendations for low income populations should take into consideration other aspects besides income such as migration status.

Identification of publicly available data sources to inform the conduct of Health Technology Assessment in India

PubMed Central

Downey, Laura; Rao, Neethi; Guinness, Lorna; Asaria, Miqdad; Prinja, Shankar; Sinha, Anju; Kant, Rajni; Pandey, Arvind; Cluzeau, Francoise; Chalkidou, Kalipso

2018-01-01

Background: Health technology assessment (HTA) provides a globally-accepted and structured approach to synthesising evidence for cost and clinical effectiveness alongside ethical and equity considerations to inform evidence-based priorities. India is one of the most recent countries to formally commit to institutionalising HTA as an integral component of the heath resource allocation decision-making process. The effective conduct of HTA depends on the availability of reliable data.   Methods: We draw from our experience of collecting, synthesizing, and analysing health-related datasets in India and internationally, to highlight the complex requirements for undertaking HTA, and explore the availability of such data in India. We first outlined each of the core data components required for the conduct of HTA, and their availability in India, drawing attention to where data can be accessed, and different ways in which researchers can overcome the challenges of missing or low quality data. Results: We grouped data into the following categories: clinical efficacy; cost; epidemiology; quality of life; service use/consumption; and equity. We identified numerous large local data sources containing epidemiological information. There was a marked absence of other locally-collected data necessary for informing HTA, particularly data relating to cost, service use, and quality of life. Conclusions: The introduction of HTA into the health policy space in India provides an opportunity to comprehensively assess the availability and quality of health data capture across the country. While epidemiological information is routinely collected across India, other data inputs necessary for HTA are not readily available. This poses a significant bottleneck to the efficient generation and deployment of HTA into the health decision space. Overcoming these data gaps by strengthening the routine collection of comprehensive and verifiable health data will have important implications not only

75 FR 34440 - National Assessment Governing Board: Proposed Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

... through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (5... Institutions). Use: The congressionally authorized National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports... under the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (Pub. L. 107-279). Among the...

Background modeling for the GERDA experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becerici-Schmidt, N.; Gerda Collaboration

2013-08-01

The neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay experiment GERDA at the LNGS of INFN has started physics data taking in November 2011. This paper presents an analysis aimed at understanding and modeling the observed background energy spectrum, which plays an essential role in searches for a rare signal like 0νββ decay. A very promising preliminary model has been obtained, with the systematic uncertainties still under study. Important information can be deduced from the model such as the expected background and its decomposition in the signal region. According to the model the main background contributions around Qββ come from 214Bi, 228Th, 42K, 60Co and α emitting isotopes in the 226Ra decay chain, with a fraction depending on the assumed source positions.

Multimodal cues provide redundant information for bumblebees when the stimulus is visually salient, but facilitate red target detection in a naturalistic background

PubMed Central

Corcobado, Guadalupe; Trillo, Alejandro

2017-01-01

Our understanding of how floral visitors integrate visual and olfactory cues when seeking food, and how background complexity affects flower detection is limited. Here, we aimed to understand the use of visual and olfactory information for bumblebees (Bombus terrestris terrestris L.) when seeking flowers in a visually complex background. To explore this issue, we first evaluated the effect of flower colour (red and blue), size (8, 16 and 32 mm), scent (presence or absence) and the amount of training on the foraging strategy of bumblebees (accuracy, search time and flight behaviour), considering the visual complexity of our background, to later explore whether experienced bumblebees, previously trained in the presence of scent, can recall and make use of odour information when foraging in the presence of novel visual stimuli carrying a familiar scent. Of all the variables analysed, flower colour had the strongest effect on the foraging strategy. Bumblebees searching for blue flowers were more accurate, flew faster, followed more direct paths between flowers and needed less time to find them, than bumblebees searching for red flowers. In turn, training and the presence of odour helped bees to find inconspicuous (red) flowers. When bees foraged on red flowers, search time increased with flower size; but search time was independent of flower size when bees foraged on blue flowers. Previous experience with floral scent enhances the capacity of detection of a novel colour carrying a familiar scent, probably by elemental association influencing attention. PMID:28898287

Assessment of Adult Psychopathology: Meta-Analyses and Implications of Cross-Informant Correlations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achenbach, Thomas M.; Krukowsi, Rebecca A.; Dumenci, Levent; Ivanova, Masha Y.

2005-01-01

Assessment of adult psychopathology relies heavily on self-reports. To determine how well self-reports agree with reports by "informants" who know the person being assessed, the authors examined 51,000 articles published over 10 years in 52 peer-reviewed journals for correlations between self-reports and "informants" reports. Qualifying…

Informed and Uninformed Naïve Assessment Constructors' Strategies for Item Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fives, Helenrose; Barnes, Nicole

2017-01-01

We present a descriptive analysis of 53 naïve assessment constructors' explanations for selecting test items to include on a summative assessment. We randomly assigned participants to an informed and uninformed condition (i.e., informed participants read an article describing a Table of Specifications). Through recursive thematic analyses of…

Information Competence of Doctoral Students in Information Science in Spain and Latin America: A Self-Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinto, Maria; Fernandez-Ramos, Andres; Sanchez, Gerardo; Meneses, Grizly

2013-01-01

The study was carried out with students of official doctoral programs of Information Science in four universities in Spain and Latin America with the purpose of finding out, through self-assessments, student perceptions of their own information competence. A survey was designed to determine self-perceptions of knowledge, skills and attitudes…

When Educational Material Is Delivered: A Mixed Methods Content Validation Study of the Information Assessment Method

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background The Information Assessment Method (IAM) allows clinicians to report the cognitive impact, clinical relevance, intention to use, and expected patient health benefits associated with clinical information received by email. More than 15,000 Canadian physicians and pharmacists use the IAM in continuing education programs. In addition, information providers can use IAM ratings and feedback comments from clinicians to improve their products. Objective Our general objective was to validate the IAM questionnaire for the delivery of educational material (ecological and logical content validity). Our specific objectives were to measure the relevance and evaluate the representativeness of IAM items for assessing information received by email. Methods A 3-part mixed methods study was conducted (convergent design). In part 1 (quantitative longitudinal study), the relevance of IAM items was measured. Participants were 5596 physician members of the Canadian Medical Association who used the IAM. A total of 234,196 ratings were collected in 2012. The relevance of IAM items with respect to their main construct was calculated using descriptive statistics (relevance ratio R). In part 2 (qualitative descriptive study), the representativeness of IAM items was evaluated. A total of 15 family physicians completed semistructured face-to-face interviews. For each construct, we evaluated the representativeness of IAM items using a deductive-inductive thematic qualitative data analysis. In part 3 (mixing quantitative and qualitative parts), results from quantitative and qualitative analyses were reviewed, juxtaposed in a table, discussed with experts, and integrated. Thus, our final results are derived from the views of users (ecological content validation) and experts (logical content validation). Results Of the 23 IAM items, 21 were validated for content, while 2 were removed. In part 1 (quantitative results), 21 items were deemed relevant, while 2 items were deemed not relevant

76 FR 2348 - National Assessment Governing Board: Proposed Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-13

... collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (5) estimates of capital or start-up... congressionally authorized National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports to the public on the... Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (Pub. L. 107-279). Among the Board's responsibilities is...

Assessing Environmental Impact: A Secondary School Learning Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nous, Albert P.

This packet contains information on teaching about environmental impact. Background information is included on the role of environmental impact on our society and environmental risk is also discussed. Environmental impacts are studied using Stages of Assessment. Learning activities and seven lesson plans include: (1) "The Community…

Background Indoor Air Concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds in North American Residences (1990 – 2005): A Compilation of Statistics for Assessing Vapor Intrusion

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This technical report presents a summary of indoor air studies that measured background concentrations of VOCs in the indoor air of thousands of North American residences and an evaluation and compilation of their reported statistical information.

Association of Radon Background and Total Background Ionizing Radiation with Alzheimer's Disease Deaths in U.S. States.

PubMed

Lehrer, Steven; Rheinstein, Peter H; Rosenzweig, Kenneth E

2017-01-01

Exposure of the brain to ionizing radiation might promote the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Analysis of AD death rates versus radon background radiation and total background radiation in U.S. states. Total background, radon background, cosmic and terrestrial background radiation measurements are from Assessment of Variations in Radiation Exposure in the United States and Report No. 160 - Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of the United States. 2013 AD death rates by U.S. state are from the Alzheimer's Association. Radon background ionizing radiation was significantly correlated with AD death rate in 50 states and the District of Columbia (r = 0.467, p = 0.001). Total background ionizing radiation was also significantly correlated with AD death rate in 50 states and the District of Columbia (r = 0.452, p = 0.001). Multivariate linear regression weighted by state population demonstrated that AD death rate was significantly correlated with radon background (β= 0.169, p < 0.001), age (β= 0.231, p < 0.001), hypertension (β= 0.155, p < 0.001), and diabetes (β= 0.353, p < 0.001). Our findings, like other studies, suggest that ionizing radiation is a risk factor for AD. Intranasal inhalation of radon gas could subject the rhinencephalon and hippocampus to damaging radiation that initiates AD. The damage would accumulate over time, causing age to be a powerful risk factor.

Prior academic background and student performance in assessment in a graduate entry programme.

PubMed

Craig, P L; Gordon, J J; Clark, R M; Langendyk, V

2004-11-01

This study aims to identify whether non-science graduates perform as well as science graduates in Basic and Clinical Sciences (B & CS) assessments during Years 1-3 of a four-year graduate-entry programme at the University of Sydney (the 'USydMP'). Students were grouped into five categories: Health Professions (HP), Biomedical Sciences (BMS), Other Biology (BIOL), Physical Sciences (PHYS) or Non-Science (NONS). We examined the performance rank of students in each of the five groups for single best answer (SBA) and modified essay (MEQ) assessments separately, and also calculated the relative risk of failure in the summative assessments in Years 2 and 3. Students with science-based prior degrees performed better in the SBA assessments. The same occurred initially in the MEQs, but the effect diminished with time. The HP students performed consistently better but converged with other groups over time, particularly in the MEQs. Relative performance by the NONS students improved with time in both assessment formats. Overall, differences between the highest and lowest groups were small and very few students failed to meet the overall standard for the summative assessments. HP and BMS students had the lowest failure rate. NONS students were more likely to fail the assessments in Year 2 and 3, but their pass rates were still high. Female students performed significantly better overall at the end of Year 2 and in Year 3. There were only minor differences between Australian resident and International students. While there are small differences in performance in B & CS early in the programme, these lessen with time. The study results will inform decisions regarding timing of summative assessments, selection policy and for providing additional support to students who need it to minimize their risk of failure. Readers should note that this paper refers to student performance in only one of the four curriculum themes, where health professional and science graduates would be

Can one measure the Cosmic Neutrino Background?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faessler, Amand; Hodák, Rastislav; Kovalenko, Sergey; Šimkovic, Fedor

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) yields information about our Universe at around 380,000 years after the Big Bang (BB). Due to the weak interaction of the neutrinos with matter, the Cosmic Neutrino Background (CNB) should give information about a much earlier time of our Universe, around one second after the BB. Probably, the most promising method to “see” the CNB is the capture of the electron neutrinos from the Background by Tritium, which then decays into 3He and an electron with the energy of the the Q-value = 18.562keV plus the electron neutrino rest mass. The “KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino” (KATRIN) experiment, which is in preparation, seems presently the most sensitive proposed method for measuring the electron antineutrino mass. At the same time, KATRIN can also look by the reaction νe(˜ 1.95K) +3H →3He + e-(Q = 18.6keV + m νec2). The capture of the Cosmic Background Neutrinos (CNB) should show in the electron spectrum as a peak by the electron neutrino rest mass above Q. Here, the possibility to see the CNB with KATRIN is studied. A detection of the CNB by KATRIN seems not to be possible at the moment. But KATRIN should be able to determine an upper limit for the local electron neutrino density of the CNB.

Can one measure the Cosmic Neutrino Background?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faessler, Amand; Hodák, Rastislav; Kovalenko, Sergey; Šimkovic, Fedor

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) yields information about our Universe at around 380,000 years after the Big Bang (BB). Due to the weak interaction of the neutrinos with matter, the Cosmic Neutrino Background (CNB) should give information about a much earlier time of our Universe, around one second after the BB. Probably, the most promising method to "see" the CNB is the capture of the electron neutrinos from the Background by Tritium, which then decays into 3He and an electron with the energy of the the Q-value = 18.562 keV plus the electron neutrino rest mass. The "KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino" (KATRIN) experiment, which is in preparation, seems presently the most sensitive proposed method for measuring the electron antineutrino mass. At the same time, KATRIN can also look by the reaction νe(˜1.95K) + 3H → 3He + e-(Q = 18.6keV + mνec2). The capture of the Cosmic Background Neutrinos (CNB) should show in the electron spectrum as a peak by the electron neutrino rest mass above Q. Here, the possibility to see the CNB with KATRIN is studied. A detection of the CNB by KATRIN seems not to be possible at the moment. But KATRIN should be able to determine an upper limit for the local electron neutrino density of the CNB.

Secondary Statistical Modeling with the National Assessment of Adult Literacy: Implications for the Design of the Background Questionnaire. Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, David

This paper offers recommendations to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on the development of the background questionnaire for the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). The recommendations are from the viewpoint of a researcher interested in applying sophisticated statistical models to address important issues in adult…

10 CFR 37.25 - Background investigations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... investigation; and attempt to obtain the information from an alternate source. (b) Grandfathering. (1... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Background investigations. 37.25 Section 37.25 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF CATEGORY 1 AND CATEGORY 2 QUANTITIES OF RADIOACTIVE...

Information management - Assessing the demand for information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, William H.

1991-01-01

Information demand is defined in terms of both information content (what information) and form (when, how, and where it is needed). Providing the information richness required for flight crews to be informed without overwhelming their information processing capabilities will require a great deal of automated intelligence. It is seen that the essence of this intelligence is comprehending and capturing the demand for information.

75 FR 6682 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-10

... Information Collection: Comment Request; Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) AGENCY: Office of the Assistant.... This Notice also lists the following information: Title of Proposal: Capital Needs Assessment (CNA...-96001 Unit Survey Comprehensive Needs Assessment; Form HUD-96002 Project Profile Comprehensive Needs...

Health inequalities among workers with a foreign background in Sweden: do working conditions matter?

PubMed

Dunlavy, Andrea C; Rostila, Mikael

2013-07-10

Employment and working conditions are key social determinants of health, yet current information is lacking regarding relationships between foreign background status, working conditions and health among workers in Sweden. This study utilized cross-sectional data from the 2010 Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU) and the Level of Living Survey for Foreign Born Persons and their Children (LNU-UFB) to assess whether or not health inequalities exist between native Swedish and foreign background workers and if exposure to adverse psychosocial and physical working conditions contributes to the risk for poor health among foreign background workers. A sub-sample of 4,021 employed individuals aged 18-65 was analyzed using logistic regression. Eastern European, Latin American and Other Non-Western workers had an increased risk of both poor self-rated health and mental distress compared to native Swedish workers. Exposure to adverse working conditions only minimally influenced the risk of poor health. Further research should examine workers who are less integrated or who have less secure labor market attachments and also investigate how additional working conditions may influence associations between health and foreign background status.

Health Inequalities among Workers with a Foreign Background in Sweden: Do Working Conditions Matter?

PubMed Central

Dunlavy, Andrea C.; Rostila, Mikael

2013-01-01

Employment and working conditions are key social determinants of health, yet current information is lacking regarding relationships between foreign background status, working conditions and health among workers in Sweden. This study utilized cross-sectional data from the 2010 Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU) and the Level of Living Survey for Foreign Born Persons and their Children (LNU-UFB) to assess whether or not health inequalities exist between native Swedish and foreign background workers and if exposure to adverse psychosocial and physical working conditions contributes to the risk for poor health among foreign background workers. A sub-sample of 4,021 employed individuals aged 18–65 was analyzed using logistic regression. Eastern European, Latin American and Other Non-Western workers had an increased risk of both poor self-rated health and mental distress compared to native Swedish workers. Exposure to adverse working conditions only minimally influenced the risk of poor health. Further research should examine workers who are less integrated or who have less secure labor market attachments and also investigate how additional working conditions may influence associations between health and foreign background status. PMID:23846669

Background Mole Fractions of Hydrocarbons in North America Determined from NOAA Global Reference Network Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mielke-Maday, I.

2015-12-01

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Monitoring Division (GMD) maintains a global reference network for over 50 trace gas species and analyzes discrete air samples collected by this network throughout the world at the Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. In particular, flask samples are analyzed for a number of hydrocarbons with policy and health relevance such as ozone precursors, greenhouse gases, and hazardous air pollutants. Because this global network's sites are remote and therefore minimally influenced by local anthropogenic emissions, these data yield information about background ambient mole fractions and can provide a context for observations collected in intensive field campaigns, such as the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment (FRAPPE), the Southeast Nexus (SENEX) study, and the DISCOVER-AQ deployments. Information about background mole fractions during field campaigns is critical for calculating hydrocarbon enhancements in the region of study and for assessing the extent to which a particular region's local emissions sources contribute to these enhancements. Understanding the geographic variability of the background and its contribution to regional ambient mole fractions is also crucial for the development of realistic regulations. We present background hydrocarbon mole fractions and their ratios in North America using data from air samples collected in the planetary boundary layer at tall towers and aboard aircraft from 2008 to 2014. We discuss the spatial and seasonal variability in these data. We present trends over the time period of measurements and propose possible explanations for these trends.

The Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases and Refugee Health Network of Australia recommendations for health assessment for people from refugee-like backgrounds: an abridged outline.

PubMed

Chaves, Nadia J; Paxton, Georgia A; Biggs, Beverley-Ann; Thambiran, Aesen; Gardiner, Joanne; Williams, Jan; Smith, Mitchell M; Davis, Joshua S

2017-04-17

In 2009, the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases published guidelines on the post-arrival health assessment of recently arrived refugees. Since then, the number of refugees and asylum seekers reaching Australia has increased substantially (17 555 refugees in 2015-16) and the countries of origin have changed. These groups are likely to have had poor access to health care pre-arrival and, consequently, are at risk of a range of chronic and infectious diseases. We established an advisory group that included infectious diseases physicians, general practitioners, public health specialists, paediatricians and refugee health nurses to update the 2009 guidelines.Main recommendations: All people from refugee-like backgrounds, including children, should be offered a tailored comprehensive health assessment and management plan, ideally within 1 month of arrival in Australia. This can be offered at any time if initial contact with a GP or clinic is delayed. Recommended screening depends on history, examination and previous investigations, and is tailored based on age, gender, countries of origin and transit and risk profile. The full version of the guidelines is available at http://www.asid.net.au/documents/item/1225.Changes in management as a result of this guideline: These guidelines apply to all people from refugee-like backgrounds, including asylum seekers. They provide more information about non-communicable diseases and consider Asia and the Middle East as regions of origin as well as Africa. Key changes include an emphasis on person-centred care; risk-based rather than universal screening for hepatitis C virus, malaria, schistosomiasis and sexually transmissible infections; updated immunisation guidelines; and new recommendations for other problems, such as nutritional deficiencies, women's health and mental health.

Background radiation measurements at high power research reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashenfelter, J.; Balantekin, B.; Baldenegro, C. X.; Band, H. R.; Barclay, G.; Bass, C. D.; Berish, D.; Bowden, N. S.; Bryan, C. D.; Cherwinka, J. J.; Chu, R.; Classen, T.; Davee, D.; Dean, D.; Deichert, G.; Dolinski, M. J.; Dolph, J.; Dwyer, D. A.; Fan, S.; Gaison, J. K.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Gilje, K.; Glenn, A.; Green, M.; Han, K.; Hans, S.; Heeger, K. M.; Heffron, B.; Jaffe, D. E.; Kettell, S.; Langford, T. J.; Littlejohn, B. R.; Martinez, D.; McKeown, R. D.; Morrell, S.; Mueller, P. E.; Mumm, H. P.; Napolitano, J.; Norcini, D.; Pushin, D.; Romero, E.; Rosero, R.; Saldana, L.; Seilhan, B. S.; Sharma, R.; Stemen, N. T.; Surukuchi, P. T.; Thompson, S. J.; Varner, R. L.; Wang, W.; Watson, S. M.; White, B.; White, C.; Wilhelmi, J.; Williams, C.; Wise, T.; Yao, H.; Yeh, M.; Yen, Y.-R.; Zhang, C.; Zhang, X.; Prospect Collaboration

2016-01-01

Research reactors host a wide range of activities that make use of the intense neutron fluxes generated at these facilities. Recent interest in performing measurements with relatively low event rates, e.g. reactor antineutrino detection, at these facilities necessitates a detailed understanding of background radiation fields. Both reactor-correlated and naturally occurring background sources are potentially important, even at levels well below those of importance for typical activities. Here we describe a comprehensive series of background assessments at three high-power research reactors, including γ-ray, neutron, and muon measurements. For each facility we describe the characteristics and identify the sources of the background fields encountered. The general understanding gained of background production mechanisms and their relationship to facility features will prove valuable for the planning of any sensitive measurement conducted therein.

Assessing Informal Astronomy Education and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bednarski, Marsha; Larsen, K.; Robinson, C.

2008-05-01

As astronomical organizations, science centers, and planetariums prepare new programming for the IYA, the question of assessment of such programs, both in conveying astronomical content and engaging the audience in that content, becomes increasingly important. In addition, how can target audience interests be measured in such as way as to facilitate the development of this new programming? One methodology is question cards (Stroud et al. 2007) which asks participants to physically sort a set of questions into categories such as "what I already know about,” "what I want to know more about,” and "what I am not interested in knowing more about.” When administered as a pre/post assessment, the resulting data can be utilized to make adjustments to future programming and to create new programs which better fit target audience interests and pedagogical needs. This poster discusses a modification of this methodology as 10-item questionnaire where questions such as "how will the sun die?” and "why do stars have different colors” are accompanied by four possible responses: "I know the answer,” "I want to know the answer,” "I know the answer but I want to know more,” and "I'm not interested in this question.” Data will be provided for the successes and limitations of this assessment technique as applied to three pilot programs: assessment of an existing informal astronomy education program for 7th graders, assessment of an existing planetarium show, and audience research for the planning of a future planetarium show.

Improving Multi-Sensor Drought Monitoring, Prediction and Recovery Assessment Using Gravimetry Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghakouchak, Amir; Tourian, Mohammad J.

2015-04-01

Development of reliable drought monitoring, prediction and recovery assessment tools are fundamental to water resources management. This presentation focuses on how gravimetry information can improve drought assessment. First, we provide an overview of the Global Integrated Drought Monitoring and Prediction System (GIDMaPS) which offers near real-time drought information using remote sensing observations and model simulations. Then, we present a framework for integration of satellite gravimetry information for improving drought prediction and recovery assessment. The input data include satellite-based and model-based precipitation, soil moisture estimates and equivalent water height. Previous studies show that drought assessment based on one single indicator may not be sufficient. For this reason, GIDMaPS provides drought information based on multiple drought indicators including Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Soil Moisture Index (SSI) and the Multivariate Standardized Drought Index (MSDI) which combines SPI and SSI probabilistically. MSDI incorporates the meteorological and agricultural drought conditions and provides composite multi-index drought information for overall characterization of droughts. GIDMaPS includes a seasonal prediction component based on a statistical persistence-based approach. The prediction component of GIDMaPS provides the empirical probability of drought for different severity levels. In this presentation we present a new component in which the drought prediction information based on SPI, SSI and MSDI are conditioned on equivalent water height obtained from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). Using a Bayesian approach, GRACE information is used to evaluate persistence of drought. Finally, the deficit equivalent water height based on GRACE is used for assessing drought recovery. In this presentation, both monitoring and prediction components of GIDMaPS will be discussed, and the results from 2014

Creating Trails: Tool for Real-Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schloman, Barbara F.; Gedeon, Julie A.

2007-01-01

This article describes Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (TRAILS), a freely available, online tool designed to measure the information literacy skills of high school students. It is based on information literacy competencies for ninth-graders found in the "Ohio Academic Content Standards" (Ohio Department of Education…

General Aviation in Nebraska: Nebraska SATS Project Background Paper No. 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Russell; Wachal, Jocelyn

2000-01-01

The Nebraska SATS project is a state-level component of NASA's Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS). During the next several years the project will examine several different factors affecting SATS implementation in Nebraska. These include economic and taxation issues, public policy issues, airport planning processes, information dissemination strategies, and systemic change factors. This background paper profiles the general aviation system in Nebraska. It is written to provide information about the "context" within which SATS will be pursued. The primary focus is thus on describing and providing background information about the current situation. A secondary focus is on drawing general conclusions about the ability of the current system to incorporate the types of changes implied by SATS. First, some brief information on the U.S. aviation system is provided. The next two sections profile the current general aviation aircraft and pilot base. Nebraska's system of general aviation airports is then described. Within this section of the paper, information is provided on the different types of general aviation airports in Nebraska, airport activity levels and current infrastructure. The fourth major section of the background paper looks at Nebraska's local airport authorities. These special purpose local governments oversee the majority of the general aviation airports in the state. Among the items examined are total expenditures, capital expenditures and planning activities. Next, the paper provides background information on the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics (NDA) and recent Federal funding for general aviation in Nebraska. The final section presents summary conclusions.

16 CFR § 1404.2 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... INSULATION § 1404.2 Background. Based on available fire incident information, engineering analysis of the... fires can occur where cellulose insulation is improperly installed too close to the sides or over the top of recessed electrical light fixtures, or installed too close to the exhaust flues from heat...

School Buildings Services Information Needs Assessment: Volumes 1 and 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. School Buildings Services.

This report presents an information needs assessment for an office automation plan to be undertaken for the School Building Services Branch of the Alberta Department of Education. This exercise complements the work of two senior committees within the Department: (1) the Electronic Information Processing Needs Study Steering Committee, and (2) the…

VNIR hyperspectral background characterization methods in adverse weather conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, João M.; Rosario, Dalton; Roth, Luz

2009-05-01

Hyperspectral technology is currently being used by the military to detect regions of interest where potential targets may be located. Weather variability, however, may affect the ability for an algorithm to discriminate possible targets from background clutter. Nonetheless, different background characterization approaches may facilitate the ability for an algorithm to discriminate potential targets over a variety of weather conditions. In a previous paper, we introduced a new autonomous target size invariant background characterization process, the Autonomous Background Characterization (ABC) or also known as the Parallel Random Sampling (PRS) method, features a random sampling stage, a parallel process to mitigate the inclusion by chance of target samples into clutter background classes during random sampling; and a fusion of results at the end. In this paper, we will demonstrate how different background characterization approaches are able to improve performance of algorithms over a variety of challenging weather conditions. By using the Mahalanobis distance as the standard algorithm for this study, we compare the performance of different characterization methods such as: the global information, 2 stage global information, and our proposed method, ABC, using data that was collected under a variety of adverse weather conditions. For this study, we used ARDEC's Hyperspectral VNIR Adverse Weather data collection comprised of heavy, light, and transitional fog, light and heavy rain, and low light conditions.

The Validity of the Multi-Informant Approach to Assessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health

PubMed Central

De Los Reyes, Andres; Augenstein, Tara M.; Wang, Mo; Thomas, Sarah A.; Drabick, Deborah A.G.; Burgers, Darcy E.; Rabinowitz, Jill

2015-01-01

Child and adolescent patients may display mental health concerns within some contexts and not others (e.g., home vs. school). Thus, understanding the specific contexts in which patients display concerns may assist mental health professionals in tailoring treatments to patients' needs. Consequently, clinical assessments often include reports from multiple informants who vary in the contexts in which they observe patients' behavior (e.g., patients, parents, teachers). Previous meta-analyses indicate that informants' reports correlate at low-to-moderate magnitudes. However, is it valid to interpret low correspondence among reports as indicating that patients display concerns in some contexts and not others? We meta-analyzed 341 studies published between 1989 and 2014 that reported cross-informant correspondence estimates, and observed low-to-moderate correspondence (mean internalizing: r = .25; mean externalizing: r = .30; mean overall: r = .28). Informant pair, mental health domain, and measurement method moderated magnitudes of correspondence. These robust findings have informed the development of concepts for interpreting multi-informant assessments, allowing researchers to draw specific predictions about the incremental and construct validity of these assessments. In turn, we critically evaluated research on the incremental and construct validity of the multi-informant approach to clinical child and adolescent assessment. In so doing, we identify crucial gaps in knowledge for future research, and provide recommendations for “best practices” in using and interpreting multi-informant assessments in clinical work and research. This paper has important implications for developing personalized approaches to clinical assessment, with the goal of informing techniques for tailoring treatments to target the specific contexts where patients display concerns. PMID:25915035

Assessment of adult psychopathology: meta-analyses and implications of cross-informant correlations.

PubMed

Achenbach, Thomas M; Krukowski, Rebecca A; Dumenci, Levent; Ivanova, Masha Y

2005-05-01

Assessment of adult psychopathology relies heavily on self-reports. To determine how well self-reports agree with reports by "informants" who know the person being assessed, the authors examined 51,000 articles published over 10 years in 52 peer-reviewed journals for correlations between self-reports and "informants" reports. Qualifying correlations were found in 108 (0.2%) of the articles. When self-reports and informant reports were obtained with parallel instruments, mean cross-informant correlations were .681 for substance use, .428 for internalizing, and .438 for externalizing problems. When based on different instruments, the mean cross-informant correlation was .304. The moderate sizes of the correlations argue for systematically obtaining multi-informant data. National survey findings were used to illustrate practical ways to obtain and use such data.

Assessing and comparing information security in swiss hospitals.

PubMed

Landolt, Sarah; Hirschel, Jürg; Schlienger, Thomas; Businger, Walter; Zbinden, Alex M

2012-11-07

Availability of information in hospitals is an important prerequisite for good service. Significant resources have been invested to improve the availability of information, but it is also vital that the security of this information can be guaranteed. The goal of this study was to assess information security in hospitals through a questionnaire based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard ISO/IEC 27002, evaluating Information technology - Security techniques - Code of practice for information-security management, with a special focus on the effect of the hospitals' size and type. The survey, set up as a cross-sectional study, was conducted in January 2011. The chief information officers (CIOs) of 112 hospitals in German-speaking Switzerland were invited to participate. The online questionnaire was designed to be fast and easy to complete to maximize participation. To group the analyzed controls of the ISO/IEC standard 27002 in a meaningful way, a factor analysis was performed. A linear score from 0 (not implemented) to 3 (fully implemented) was introduced. The scores of the hospitals were then analyzed for significant differences in any of the factors with respect to size and type of hospital. The participating hospitals were offered a benchmark report about their status. The 51 participating hospitals had an average score of 51.1% (range 30.6% - 81.9%) out of a possible 100% where all items in the questionnaire were fully implemented. Room for improvement could be identified, especially for the factors covering "process and quality management" (average score 1.3 ± 0.8 out of a maximum of 3) and "organization and risk management" (average score 1.3 ± 0.7 out of a maximum of 3). Private hospitals scored significantly higher than university hospitals in the implementation of "security zones" and "backup" (P = .008). Half (50.00%, 8588/17,177) of all assessed hospital beds

75 FR 63482 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-15

... their perceived value of the QIO's assistance. The NHIN Survey will address the following: Background information; Current work--information and assessment; Satisfaction with QIOs; Value of QIO assistance... nursing home satisfaction with technical assistance strategies delivered as a component of the NHIN. The...

75 FR 60476 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; HUD Multifamily Energy Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-30

... Information Collection: Comment Request; HUD Multifamily Energy Assessment AGENCY: Office of the Assistant... Multifamily Energy Assessment. OMB Control Number, if applicable: 2502-0568. Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The purpose of this information collection is to assist owners of multifamily...

Assessing information transfer in full mission flight simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Alfred T.

1990-01-01

Considerable attention must be given to the important topic of aircrew situation awareness in any discussion of aviation safety and flight deck design. Reliable means of assessing this important aspect of crew behavior without simultaneously interfering with the behavior are difficult to develop. Unobtrusive measurement of crew situation awareness is particularly important in the conduct of full mission simulations where considerable effort and cost is expended to achieve a high degree of operational fidelity. An unobtrusive method of assessing situational awareness is described here which employs a topical analysis of intra-crew communications. The communications were taken from videotapes of crew behavior prior to, during, and following an encounter with a microburst/windshear event. The simulation scenario re-created an actual encounter with an event during an approach into Denver Stapleton Airport. The analyses were conducted on twelve experienced airline crews with the objective of determining the effect on situation awareness of uplinking ground-based information of the crew during the approach. The topical analysis of crew communication was conducted on all references to weather or weather-related topics. The general weather topic was further divided into weather subtopical references such as surface winds, windshear, precipitation, etc., thereby allowing for an assessment of the relative frequency of subtopic reference during the scenario. Reliable differences were found between the relative frequency of subtopic references when comparing the communications of crews receiving a cockpit display of ground-based information to the communications of a control group. The findings support the utility of this method of assessing situation awareness and information value in full mission simulations. A limiting factor in the use of this measure is that crews vary in the amount of intra-crew communications that may take place due to individual differences and other

Assessing the level of healthcare information technology adoption in the United States: a snapshot

PubMed Central

Poon, Eric G; Jha, Ashish K; Christino, Melissa; Honour, Melissa M; Fernandopulle, Rushika; Middleton, Blackford; Newhouse, Joseph; Leape, Lucian; Bates, David W; Blumenthal, David; Kaushal, Rainu

2006-01-01

Background Comprehensive knowledge about the level of healthcare information technology (HIT) adoption in the United States remains limited. We therefore performed a baseline assessment to address this knowledge gap. Methods We segmented HIT into eight major stakeholder groups and identified major functionalities that should ideally exist for each, focusing on applications most likely to improve patient safety, quality of care and organizational efficiency. We then conducted a multi-site qualitative study in Boston and Denver by interviewing key informants from each stakeholder group. Interview transcripts were analyzed to assess the level of adoption and to document the major barriers to further adoption. Findings for Boston and Denver were then presented to an expert panel, which was then asked to estimate the national level of adoption using the modified Delphi approach. We measured adoption level in Boston and Denver was graded on Rogers' technology adoption curve by co-investigators. National estimates from our expert panel were expressed as percentages. Results Adoption of functionalities with financial benefits far exceeds adoption of those with safety and quality benefits. Despite growing interest to adopt HIT to improve safety and quality, adoption remains limited, especially in the area of ambulatory electronic health records and physician-patient communication. Organizations, particularly physicians' practices, face enormous financial challenges in adopting HIT, and concerns remain about its impact on productivity. Conclusion Adoption of HIT is limited and will likely remain slow unless significant financial resources are made available. Policy changes, such as financial incentivesto clinicians to use HIT or pay-for-performance reimbursement, may help health care providers defray upfront investment costs and initial productivity loss. PMID:16396679

US National Climate Assessment (NCA) Scenarios for Assessing Our Climate Future: Issues and Methodological Perspectives Background Whitepaper for Participants

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

Moss, Richard H.; Engle, Nathan L.; Hall, John

This whitepaper is intended to provide a starting point for discussion at a workshop for the National Climate Assessment (NCA) that focuses on the use and development of scenarios. The paper will provide background needed by participants in the workshop in order to review options for developing and using scenarios in NCA. The paper briefly defines key terms and establishes a conceptual framework for developing consistent scenarios across different end uses and spatial scales. It reviews uses of scenarios in past U.S. national assessments and identifies potential users of and needs for scenarios for both the report scheduled for releasemore » in June 2013 and to support an ongoing distributed assessment process in sectors and regions around the country. Because scenarios prepared for the NCA will need to leverage existing research, the paper takes account of recent scientific advances and activities that could provide needed inputs. Finally, it considers potential approaches for providing methods, data, and other tools for assessment participants. We note that the term 'scenarios' has many meanings. An important goal of the whitepaper (and portions of the workshop agenda) is pedagogical (i.e., to compare different meanings and uses of the term and make assessment participants aware of the need to be explicit about types and uses of scenarios). In climate change research, scenarios have been used to establish bounds for future climate conditions and resulting effects on human and natural systems, given a defined level of greenhouse gas emissions. This quasi-predictive use contrasts with the way decision analysts typically use scenarios (i.e., to consider how robust alternative decisions or strategies may be to variation in key aspects of the future that are uncertain). As will be discussed, in climate change research and assessment, scenarios describe a range of aspects of the future, including major driving forces (both human activities and natural processes

Health information literacy and competencies of information age students: results from the interactive online Research Readiness Self-Assessment (RRSA).

PubMed

Ivanitskaya, Lana; O'Boyle, Irene; Casey, Anne Marie

2006-04-21

In an era of easy access to information, university students who will soon enter health professions need to develop their information competencies. The Research Readiness Self-Assessment (RRSA) is based on the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, and it measures proficiency in obtaining health information, evaluating the quality of health information, and understanding plagiarism. This study aimed to measure the proficiency of college-age health information consumers in finding and evaluating electronic health information; to assess their ability to discriminate between peer-reviewed scholarly resources and opinion pieces or sales pitches; and to examine the extent to which they are aware of their level of health information competency. An interactive 56-item online assessment, the Research Readiness Self-Assessment (RRSA), was used to measure the health information competencies of university students. We invited 400 students to take part in the study, and 308 participated, giving a response rate of 77%. The RRSA included multiple-choice questions and problem-based exercises. Declarative and procedural knowledge were assessed in three domains: finding health information, evaluating health information, and understanding plagiarism. Actual performance was contrasted with self-reported skill level. Upon answering all questions, students received a results page that summarized their numerical results and displayed individually tailored feedback composed by an experienced librarian. Even though most students (89%) understood that a one-keyword search is likely to return too many documents, few students were able to narrow a search by using multiple search categories simultaneously or by employing Boolean operators. In addition, nearly half of the respondents had trouble discriminating between primary and secondary sources of information as well as between references to journal articles and other published documents. When presented with

Orientations in adolescent use of information and communication technology: a digital divide by sociodemographic background, educational career, and health.

PubMed

Koivusilta, Leena K; Lintonen, Tomi P; Rimpelä, Arja H

2007-01-01

The role of information and communication technology (ICT) in adolescents' lives was studied, with emphasis on whether there exists a digital divide based on sociodemographic background, educational career, and health. The assumption was that some groups of adolescents use ICT more so that their information utilization skills improve (computer use), while others use it primarily for entertainment (digital gaming, contacting friends by mobile phone). Data were collected by mailed survey from a nationally representative sample of 12- to 18-year-olds (n=7,292; response 70%) in 2001 and analysed using ANOVA. Computer use was most frequent among adolescents whose fathers had higher education or socioeconomic status, who came from nuclear families, and who continued studies after compulsory education. Digital gaming was associated with poor school achievement and attending vocational rather than upper secondary school. Mobile phone use was frequent among adolescents whose fathers had lower education or socioeconomic status, who came from non-nuclear families, and whose educational prospects were poor. Intensive use of each ICT form, especially of mobile phones, was associated with health problems. High social position, nuclear family, and a successful educational career signified good health in general, independently of the diverse usage of ICT. There exists a digital divide among adolescents: orientation to computer use is more common in educated well-off families while digital gaming and mobile phone use accumulate at the opposite end of the spectrum. Poorest health was reported by mobile phone users. High social background and success at school signify better health, independently of the ways of using ICT.

78 FR 23545 - Proposed Extension of Approval of Information Collection; Comment Request: Third Party Conformity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-19

... evaluate whether third party conformity assessment bodies meet the requirements to test for compliance to... background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...: A. Background The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) requires third party...

Repeater Analysis for Combining Information from Different Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haberman, Shelby; Yao, Lili

2015-01-01

Admission decisions frequently rely on multiple assessments. As a consequence, it is important to explore rational approaches to combine the information from different educational tests. For example, U.S. graduate schools usually receive both TOEFL iBT® scores and GRE® General scores of foreign applicants for admission; however, little guidance…

Personnel Performance Assessment in Information Systems Outsourcing Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casado-Lumbreras, Cristina; Soto-Acosta, Pedro; Colomo-Palacios, Ricardo; de Pablos, Patricia Ordonez

2011-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to present a tool which uses semantic technologies for personnel performance and workplace learning assessment in outsourced information technology environments. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the tool from a technical perspective and introduces a use case that depicts the main features related to…

Topic and Background Knowledge Effects on Performance in Speaking Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khabbazbashi, Nahal

2017-01-01

This study explores the extent to which topic and background knowledge of topic affect spoken performance in a high-stakes speaking test. It is argued that evidence of a substantial influence may introduce construct-irrelevant variance and undermine test fairness. Data were collected from 81 non-native speakers of English who performed on 10…

The MARINA Risk Assessment Strategy: A Flexible Strategy for Efficient Information Collection and Risk Assessment of Nanomaterials

PubMed Central

Bos, Peter M. J.; Gottardo, Stefania; Scott-Fordsmand, Janeck J.; van Tongeren, Martie; Semenzin, Elena; Fernandes, Teresa F.; Hristozov, Danail; Hund-Rinke, Kerstin; Hunt, Neil; Irfan, Muhammad-Adeel; Landsiedel, Robert; Peijnenburg, Willie J. G. M.; Sánchez Jiménez, Araceli; van Kesteren, Petra C. E.; Oomen, Agnes G.

2015-01-01

An engineered nanomaterial (ENM) may actually consist of a population of primary particles, aggregates and agglomerates of various sizes. Furthermore, their physico-chemical characteristics may change during the various life-cycle stages. It will probably not be feasible to test all varieties of all ENMs for possible health and environmental risks. There is therefore a need to further develop the approaches for risk assessment of ENMs. Within the EU FP7 project Managing Risks of Nanoparticles (MARINA) a two-phase risk assessment strategy has been developed. In Phase 1 (Problem framing) a base set of information is considered, relevant exposure scenarios (RESs) are identified and the scope for Phase 2 (Risk assessment) is established. The relevance of an RES is indicated by information on exposure, fate/kinetics and/or hazard; these three domains are included as separate pillars that contain specific tools. Phase 2 consists of an iterative process of risk characterization, identification of data needs and integrated collection and evaluation of data on the three domains, until sufficient information is obtained to conclude on possible risks in a RES. Only data are generated that are considered to be needed for the purpose of risk assessment. A fourth pillar, risk characterization, is defined and it contains risk assessment tools. This strategy describes a flexible and efficient approach for data collection and risk assessment which is essential to ensure safety of ENMs. Further developments are needed to provide guidance and make the MARINA Risk Assessment Strategy operational. Case studies will be needed to refine the strategy. PMID:26633430

The MARINA Risk Assessment Strategy: A Flexible Strategy for Efficient Information Collection and Risk Assessment of Nanomaterials.

PubMed

Bos, Peter M J; Gottardo, Stefania; Scott-Fordsmand, Janeck J; van Tongeren, Martie; Semenzin, Elena; Fernandes, Teresa F; Hristozov, Danail; Hund-Rinke, Kerstin; Hunt, Neil; Irfan, Muhammad-Adeel; Landsiedel, Robert; Peijnenburg, Willie J G M; Sánchez Jiménez, Araceli; van Kesteren, Petra C E; Oomen, Agnes G

2015-11-27

An engineered nanomaterial (ENM) may actually consist of a population of primary particles, aggregates and agglomerates of various sizes. Furthermore, their physico-chemical characteristics may change during the various life-cycle stages. It will probably not be feasible to test all varieties of all ENMs for possible health and environmental risks. There is therefore a need to further develop the approaches for risk assessment of ENMs. Within the EU FP7 project Managing Risks of Nanoparticles (MARINA) a two-phase risk assessment strategy has been developed. In Phase 1 (Problem framing) a base set of information is considered, relevant exposure scenarios (RESs) are identified and the scope for Phase 2 (Risk assessment) is established. The relevance of an RES is indicated by information on exposure, fate/kinetics and/or hazard; these three domains are included as separate pillars that contain specific tools. Phase 2 consists of an iterative process of risk characterization, identification of data needs and integrated collection and evaluation of data on the three domains, until sufficient information is obtained to conclude on possible risks in a RES. Only data are generated that are considered to be needed for the purpose of risk assessment. A fourth pillar, risk characterization, is defined and it contains risk assessment tools. This strategy describes a flexible and efficient approach for data collection and risk assessment which is essential to ensure safety of ENMs. Further developments are needed to provide guidance and make the MARINA Risk Assessment Strategy operational. Case studies will be needed to refine the strategy.

A National Survey of Mental Health Screening and Assessment Practices in Juvenile Correctional Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swank, Jacqueline M.; Gagnon, Joseph C.

2017-01-01

Background: Mental health screening and assessment is crucial within juvenile correctional facilities (JC). However, limited information is available about the current screening and assessment procedures specifically within JC. Objective: The purpose of the current study was to obtain information about the mental health screening and assessment…

Background Error Covariance Estimation Using Information from a Single Model Trajectory with Application to Ocean Data Assimilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keppenne, Christian L.; Rienecker, Michele; Kovach, Robin M.; Vernieres, Guillaume

2014-01-01

An attractive property of ensemble data assimilation methods is that they provide flow dependent background error covariance estimates which can be used to update fields of observed variables as well as fields of unobserved model variables. Two methods to estimate background error covariances are introduced which share the above property with ensemble data assimilation methods but do not involve the integration of multiple model trajectories. Instead, all the necessary covariance information is obtained from a single model integration. The Space Adaptive Forecast error Estimation (SAFE) algorithm estimates error covariances from the spatial distribution of model variables within a single state vector. The Flow Adaptive error Statistics from a Time series (FAST) method constructs an ensemble sampled from a moving window along a model trajectory.SAFE and FAST are applied to the assimilation of Argo temperature profiles into version 4.1 of the Modular Ocean Model (MOM4.1) coupled to the GEOS-5 atmospheric model and to the CICE sea ice model. The results are validated against unassimilated Argo salinity data. They show that SAFE and FAST are competitive with the ensemble optimal interpolation (EnOI) used by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) to produce its ocean analysis. Because of their reduced cost, SAFE and FAST hold promise for high-resolution data assimilation applications.

Assessment of natural background radiation in one of the highest regions of Ecuador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez, Mario; Chávez, Estefanía; Echeverría, Magdy; Córdova, Rafael; Recalde, Celso

2018-05-01

Natural background radiation was measured in the province of Chimborazo (Ecuador) with the following reference coordinates 1°40'00''S 78°39'00''W, where the furthest point to the center of the planet is located. Natural background radiation measurements were performed at 130 randomly selected sites using a Geiger Müller GCA-07W portable detector; these measurements were run at 6 m away from buildings or walls and 1 m above the ground. The global average natural background radiation established by UNSCEAR is 2.4 mSv y-1. In the study area measurements ranged from 0.57 mSv y-1 to 3.09 mSv y-1 with a mean value of 1.57 mSv y-1, the maximum value was recorded in the north of the study area at 5073 metres above sea level (m.a.s.l.), and the minimum value was recorded in the southwestern area at 297 m.a.s.l. An isodose map was plotted to represent the equivalent dose rate due to natural background radiation. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) between the data of the high and low regions of the study area showed a significant difference (p < α), in addition a linear correlation coefficient of 0.92 was obtained, supporting the hypothesis that in high altitude zones extraterrestrial radiation contributes significantly to natural background radiation.

The validity of the multi-informant approach to assessing child and adolescent mental health.

PubMed

De Los Reyes, Andres; Augenstein, Tara M; Wang, Mo; Thomas, Sarah A; Drabick, Deborah A G; Burgers, Darcy E; Rabinowitz, Jill

2015-07-01

Child and adolescent patients may display mental health concerns within some contexts and not others (e.g., home vs. school). Thus, understanding the specific contexts in which patients display concerns may assist mental health professionals in tailoring treatments to patients' needs. Consequently, clinical assessments often include reports from multiple informants who vary in the contexts in which they observe patients' behavior (e.g., patients, parents, teachers). Previous meta-analyses indicate that informants' reports correlate at low-to-moderate magnitudes. However, is it valid to interpret low correspondence among reports as indicating that patients display concerns in some contexts and not others? We meta-analyzed 341 studies published between 1989 and 2014 that reported cross-informant correspondence estimates, and observed low-to-moderate correspondence (mean internalizing: r = .25; mean externalizing: r = .30; mean overall: r = .28). Informant pair, mental health domain, and measurement method moderated magnitudes of correspondence. These robust findings have informed the development of concepts for interpreting multi-informant assessments, allowing researchers to draw specific predictions about the incremental and construct validity of these assessments. In turn, we critically evaluated research on the incremental and construct validity of the multi-informant approach to clinical child and adolescent assessment. In so doing, we identify crucial gaps in knowledge for future research, and provide recommendations for "best practices" in using and interpreting multi-informant assessments in clinical work and research. This article has important implications for developing personalized approaches to clinical assessment, with the goal of informing techniques for tailoring treatments to target the specific contexts where patients display concerns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

75 FR 56561 - Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-16

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Mine Safety and Health Administration Proposed Information Collection Request... collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Mine Safety and Health... INFORMATION: I. Background Under Section 103(g) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended...

A conceptual model of the automated credibility assessment of the volunteered geographic information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris, N. H.; Jackson, M. J.; Ishak, M. H. I.

2014-02-01

The use of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) in collecting, sharing and disseminating geospatially referenced information on the Web is increasingly common. The potentials of this localized and collective information have been seen to complement the maintenance process of authoritative mapping data sources and in realizing the development of Digital Earth. The main barrier to the use of this data in supporting this bottom up approach is the credibility (trust), completeness, accuracy, and quality of both the data input and outputs generated. The only feasible approach to assess these data is by relying on an automated process. This paper describes a conceptual model of indicators (parameters) and practical approaches to automated assess the credibility of information contributed through the VGI including map mashups, Geo Web and crowd - sourced based applications. There are two main components proposed to be assessed in the conceptual model - metadata and data. The metadata component comprises the indicator of the hosting (websites) and the sources of data / information. The data component comprises the indicators to assess absolute and relative data positioning, attribute, thematic, temporal and geometric correctness and consistency. This paper suggests approaches to assess the components. To assess the metadata component, automated text categorization using supervised machine learning is proposed. To assess the correctness and consistency in the data component, we suggest a matching validation approach using the current emerging technologies from Linked Data infrastructures and using third party reviews validation. This study contributes to the research domain that focuses on the credibility, trust and quality issues of data contributed by web citizen providers.

77 FR 21843 - Mango Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Assessment Increase

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-12

...-0021] Mango Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Assessment Increase AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This rule amends the Mango Promotion, Research, and..., which is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (Act). The...

Adolescent Health. Volume II: Background and the Effectiveness of Selected Prevention and Treatment Services [and] Indexes to Volumes I, II, and III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

This document, the second of three volumes in the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment's "Adolescent Health" series, provides background information on aspects of adolescents' lives and examines the effectiveness of prevention and treatment interventions. Chapter 1, an introduction to this two-part document, provides a summary of the…

A Web-based patient information system--identification of patients' information needs.

PubMed

Hassling, Linda; Babic, Ankica; Lönn, Urban; Casimir-Ahn, Henrik

2003-06-01

Research described here was carried out to explore possibilities of creating a web-based patient information system within the areas of thoracic surgery. Data were collected to distinguish and assess the actual information needs of patients (1) prior to surgical treatment, (2) before discharge, and (3) 8 months after the hospitalization using a follow-up questionnaire. Interviews were performed with patients undergoing heart surgery. The study included material of 19 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (12) and valve replacement (7), age 35-74, 13 males and 6 females with nonacademic background. Patient satisfaction with given information was high. Analysis of the interviews held at the hospital resulted in seven different categories describing and giving a picture of the patients' information needs and apprehension of received care. The results found in this study can be used as guidance for developers in their design and development process of a health information system.

Gamma-Ray Background Variability in Mobile Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aucott, Timothy John

Gamma-ray background radiation significantly reduces detection sensitivity when searching for radioactive sources in the field, such as in wide-area searches for homeland security applications. Mobile detector systems in particular must contend with a variable background that is not necessarily known or even measurable a priori. This work will present measurements of the spatial and temporal variability of the background, with the goal of merging gamma-ray detection, spectroscopy, and imaging with contextual information--a "nuclear street view" of the ubiquitous background radiation. The gamma-ray background originates from a variety of sources, both natural and anthropogenic. The dominant sources in the field are the primordial isotopes potassium-40, uranium-238, and thorium-232, as well as their decay daughters. In addition to the natural background, many artificially-created isotopes are used for industrial or medical purposes, and contamination from fission products can be found in many environments. Regardless of origin, these backgrounds will reduce detection sensitivity by adding both statistical as well as systematic uncertainty. In particular, large detector arrays will be limited by the systematic uncertainty in the background and will suffer from a high rate of false alarms. The goal of this work is to provide a comprehensive characterization of the gamma-ray background and its variability in order to improve detection sensitivity and evaluate the performance of mobile detectors in the field. Large quantities of data are measured in order to study their performance at very low false alarm rates. Two different approaches, spectroscopy and imaging, are compared in a controlled study in the presence of this measured background. Furthermore, there is additional information that can be gained by correlating the gamma-ray data with contextual data streams (such as cameras and global positioning systems) in order to reduce the variability in the background

Adult orthodontics: a quality assessment of Internet information.

PubMed

McMorrow, Siobhán Mary; Millett, Declan T

2016-09-01

This study evaluated the quality, reliability and readability of information on the Internet on adult orthodontics. A quality assessment of adult orthodontic websites. Postgraduate Orthodontic Unit, Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Cork, Ireland. An Internet search using three search engines (Google, Yahoo and Bing) was conducted using the terms ('adult orthodontics' and 'adult braces'). The first 50 websites from each engine and under each search term were screened and exclusion criteria applied. Included websites were then assessed for quality using four methods: the HON seal, JAMA benchmarks, the DISCERN instrument and the LIDA tool. Readability of included websites was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES). Only 13 websites met the inclusion criteria. Most were of US origin (n = 8; 61%). The authors of the websites were dentists (n = 5; 39%), professional organizations (n = 2; 15%), past patients (n = 2; 15%) and unspecified (n = 4; 31%). Only 1 website displayed the HON seal and three websites contained all JAMA benchmarks. The mean overall score for DISCERN was 3.9/5 and the mean total LIDA score was 115/144. The average FRES score was 63.1/100. The number of informative websites on adult orthodontics is low and these are of moderate quality. More accurate, high-quality Internet resources are required on adult orthodontics. Recommendations are made as to how this may be achieved.

Assessing the quality of online information for patients with carotid disease.

PubMed

Keogh, C J; McHugh, S M; Clarke Moloney, M; Hannigan, A; Healy, D A; Burke, P E; Kavanagh, E G; Grace, P A; Walsh, S R

2014-01-01

Controversy exists relating to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) versus carotid artery stenting (CAS). We aimed to assess the quality of online patient information relating to both. The Google search engine was searched for "carotid endarterectomy" and "carotid stenting". The first 50 webpages returned were assessed. The Gunning Fog Index (GFI) and Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) were calculated to assess readability. The LIDA tool (Minervation Ltd., Oxford, U.K.) was used to assess accessibility, usability and reliability. 20% (n = 10) of the webpages returned for CEA were from peer reviewed sources with 34% (n = 17) posted by hospitals or health services. Comparatively, for CAS, 40% (n = 20) were peer reviewed with 16% (n = 8) posted by hospitals or health services. GFI and FRES scores indicated webpages for both CEA and CAS had poor general readability. Webpages for CEA were easier to read than those for CAS (mean FRES difference of 6.7 (95% CI 0.51 to 12.93, p = 0.03). Median LIDA scores demonstrated acceptable reliability, accessibility and usability of information for both CEA and CAS webpages. The more readable webpages were not associated with higher LIDA scores for either CEA or CAS webpages. Webpages providing information on carotid disease management must be made more readable. Online information currently available to patients regarding CAS is more difficult to read and comprehend than CEA. Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making Information Useful: Engagement in the Sustained National Climate Assessment Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lough, G. C.; Cloyd, E.

2015-12-01

Creation of actionable information requires that the producers of that information understand the needs of the intended users and decision makers. To that end, the U.S. Global Change Research Program's sustained National Climate Assessment process includes a focus on engaging users through an inclusive, broad-based, and ongoing process. Such a process provides opportunities for scientific experts and decision makers to share knowledge about the climate-related issues, impacts, and potential response actions that are most important in a particular region or sector. Such a process is also highly transparent in order to produce results that are credible, salient, and legitimate for both scientists and decision makers, ultimately making the results extremely useful. To implement these principles, USGCRP implements a broad-based engagement strategy that invites participation from users and stakeholder communities and considers methods for communicating with potential users at every step. The strategy elicits contributions to help shape the framing of the assessment process and products, improve the transparency of the process, and increase the utility of the final information. Specific user inputs are gathered through workshops, public comment opportunities, town hall meetings, presentations, requests for information, submitted documents, and open meetings. Further, a network of contributors self-organizes around topics of interest to extend assessment activities to a wider range of user groups. Here, we describe the outcomes of these innovations in assessment engagement and identify clear successes, notable surprises, future evaluation needs, and areas for new ideas.

Economic assessment of the use value of geospatial information

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, Richard L.; Shapiro, Carl D.

2015-01-01

Geospatial data inform decision makers. An economic model that involves application of spatial and temporal scientific, technical, and economic data in decision making is described. The value of information (VOI) contained in geospatial data is the difference between the net benefits (in present value terms) of a decision with and without the information. A range of technologies is used to collect and distribute geospatial data. These technical activities are linked to examples that show how the data can be applied in decision making, which is a cultural activity. The economic model for assessing the VOI in geospatial data for decision making is applied to three examples: (1) a retrospective model about environmental regulation of agrochemicals; (2) a prospective model about the impact and mitigation of earthquakes in urban areas; and (3) a prospective model about developing private–public geospatial information for an ecosystem services market. Each example demonstrates the potential value of geospatial information in a decision with uncertain information.

78 FR 75365 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-11

... Information Collection: Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs AGENCY... its subcontractors, NORC, Econometrica and SSI. The project is a housing needs assessment that will... below. A. Overview of Information Collection Title of Information Collection: Assessment of Native...

78 FR 70956 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-27

... Information Collection: Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs AGENCY... subcontractors, NORC, Econometrica and SSI. The project is a housing needs assessment that will produce national.... Overview of Information Collection Title of Information Collection: Assessment of Native American, Alaska...

The interaction of family background and personal education on depressive symptoms in later life.

PubMed

Schaan, Barbara

2014-02-01

This study assesses the interaction between personal education and family background during childhood on depressive symptoms in later life by applying Ross & Mirowsky's resource substitution and structural amplification theory of health and education. OLS regression models are estimated using data from the "Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe" (SHARE), which covers information on current social and health status as well as retrospective life histories from 20,716 respondents aged 50 or older from thirteen European countries. Higher education helps to overcome the negative consequences of a poor family background. Since people from poor families are less likely to attain higher educational levels, they lack exactly the resource they need in order to overcome the negative consequences their non-prosperous background has on depressive symptoms. Thus, low family background and low personal education amplify each other. Examining the processes described by theory of resource substitution and structural amplification over different age groups from midlife to old-age suggests that the moderating effect of education remains constant over age among people coming from a poor family background. However, there is some evidence for a decrease with age in the buffering effect of a well-off family background on depressive symptoms among the low educated group. Furthermore, the educational gap in depression diverges with age among individuals originating from a well-off family background. Taken together the results cautiously allude to the conclusion that three processes - cumulative (dis-)advantage, age-as-leveler, and persistent inequalities - might take place. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

25 CFR 20.404 - What information is contained in a social services assessment?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What information is contained in a social services... FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS Services to Children, Elderly, and Families § 20.404 What information is contained in a social services assessment? A social services assessment must contain, but is...

Perceived visual informativeness (PVI): construct and scale development to assess visual information in printed materials.

PubMed

King, Andy J; Jensen, Jakob D; Davis, LaShara A; Carcioppolo, Nick

2014-01-01

There is a paucity of research on the visual images used in health communication messages and campaign materials. Even though many studies suggest further investigation of these visual messages and their features, few studies provide specific constructs or assessment tools for evaluating the characteristics of visual messages in health communication contexts. The authors conducted 2 studies to validate a measure of perceived visual informativeness (PVI), a message construct assessing visual messages presenting statistical or indexical information. In Study 1, a 7-item scale was created that demonstrated good internal reliability (α = .91), as well as convergent and divergent validity with related message constructs such as perceived message quality, perceived informativeness, and perceived attractiveness. PVI also converged with a preference for visual learning but was unrelated to a person's actual vision ability. In addition, PVI exhibited concurrent validity with a number of important constructs including perceived message effectiveness, decisional satisfaction, and three key public health theory behavior predictors: perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy. Study 2 provided more evidence that PVI is an internally reliable measure and demonstrates that PVI is a modifiable message feature that can be tested in future experimental work. PVI provides an initial step to assist in the evaluation and testing of visual messages in campaign and intervention materials promoting informed decision making and behavior change.

WIS Implementation Study Report. Volume 3. Background Information.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

similar representations so that a single schema interpreter can serve in either environment. Examples of schema intepreters exist in all databases...Unfortunately, programs expect ing ;L VSA M file caninot accept a similar, non-VSAM file instead. In practice, a tile written using any of tire 6 film ...Thomas Kaczmarek USC/Information Sciences Institute 4676 Admiralty Way Marina del Rey, CA 90292 14 September 1983 247 PAiIECDIG PAMI &~A -NOT FILM

Background Model for the Majorana Demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuesta, C.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; Avignone, F. T.; Barabash, A. S.; Bertrand, F. E.; Boswell, M.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Byram, D.; Caldwell, A. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Combs, D. C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Doe, P. J.; Efremenko, Yu.; Egorov, V.; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Fast, J. E.; Finnerty, P.; Fraenkle, F. M.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Goett, J.; Green, M. P.; Gruszko, J.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Gusev, K.; Hallin, A. L.; Hazama, R.; Hegai, A.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howard, S.; Howe, M. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Kochetov, O.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; LaFerriere, B. D.; Leon, J.; Leviner, L. E.; Loach, J. C.; MacMullin, J.; MacMullin, S.; Martin, R. D.; Meijer, S.; Mertens, S.; Nomachi, M.; Orrell, J. L.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Overman, N. R.; Phillips, D. G.; Poon, A. W. P.; Pushkin, K.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Romero-Romero, E.; Ronquest, M. C.; Schubert, A. G.; Shanks, B.; Shima, T.; Shirchenko, M.; Snavely, K. J.; Snyder, N.; Suriano, A. M.; Thompson, J.; Timkin, V.; Tornow, W.; Trimble, J. E.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Young, A. R.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.

The Majorana Collaboration is constructing a system containing 40 kg of HPGe detectors to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of a future tonne-scale experiment capable of probing the neutrino mass scale in the inverted-hierarchy region. To realize this, a major goal of the Majorana Demonstrator is to demonstrate a path forward to achieving a background rate at or below 1 cnt/(ROI-t-y) in the 4 keV region of interest around the Q-value at 2039 keV. This goal is pursued through a combination of a significant reduction of radioactive impurities in construction materials with analytical methods for background rejection, for example using powerful pulse shape analysis techniques profiting from the p-type point contact HPGe detectors technology. The effectiveness of these methods is assessed using simulations of the different background components whose purity levels are constrained from radioassay measurements.

Background model for the Majorana Demonstrator

DOE PAGES

Cuesta, C.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; ...

2015-01-01

The Majorana Collaboration is constructing a system containing 40 kg of HPGe detectors to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of a future tonne-scale experiment capable of probing the neutrino mass scale in the inverted-hierarchy region. To realize this, a major goal of the Majorana Demonstrator is to demonstrate a path forward to achieving a background rate at or below 1 cnt/(ROI-t-y) in the 4 keV region of interest around the Q-value at 2039 keV. This goal is pursued through a combination of a significant reduction of radioactive impurities in construction materials with analytical methods for background rejection, for example usingmore » powerful pulse shape analysis techniques profiting from the p-type point contact HPGe detectors technology. The effectiveness of these methods is assessed using simulations of the different background components whose purity levels are constrained from radioassay measurements.« less

Background information for the Leaching environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF) test methods

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery has initiated the review and validation process for four leaching tests under consideration for inclusion into SW-846: Method 1313 "Liquid-Solid Partitioning as a Function of Extract pH for Co...

INFORMATION SCIENCE--OUTLINE, ASSESSMENT, INTERDISCIPLINARY DISCUSSION. REPORT FOR JUNE, 1965-JUNE, 1966.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

IBERALL, A.S.

THIS REPORT PROVIDES AN ASSESSMENT AND INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERDISCIPLINARY LITERATURE OF THREE APSECTS OF INFORMATION SCIENCE, IN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FORM. THESE ARE--COMMUNICATION NETWORKS, HUMAN INFORMATION PROCESSES (PRINCIPALLY LANGUAGE AND INFORMATION RETRIEVAL), AND THE LARGE CYBERNETIC SYSTEMS SUCH AS THE HUMAN BRAIN AND CENTRAL…

Raman background photobleaching as a possible method of cancer diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Nikolai N.; Brandt, Nikolai B.; Chikishev, Andrey Y.; Gangardt, Mihail G.; Karyakina, Nina F.

2001-06-01

Kinetics of photobleaching of background in Raman spectra of aqueous solutions of plant toxins ricin and ricin agglutinin, ricin binding subunit, and normal and malignant human blood serum were measured. For the excitation of the spectra cw and pulsed laser radiation were used. The spectra of Raman background change upon laser irradiation. Background intensity is lower for the samples with small molecular weight. The cyclization of amino acid residues in the toxin molecules as well as in human blood serum can be a reason of the Raman background. The model of the background photobleaching is proposed. The differences in photobleaching kinetics in the cases of cw and pulsed laser radiation are discussed. It is shown that Raman background photobleaching can be very informative for cancer diagnostics.

A Tutorial on Probablilistic Risk Assessement and its Role in Risk-Informed Decision Making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dezfuli, Homayoon

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews risk assessment and its role in risk-informed decision making. It includes information on probabilistic risk assessment, typical risk management process, origins of risk matrix, performance measures, performance objectives and Bayes theorem.

Summary information of human health hazard assessment of existing chemical substances (I).

PubMed

Matsumoto, Mariko; Kobayashi, Katsumi; Takahashi, Mika; Hirata-Koizumi, Mutsuko; Ono, Atsushi; Hirose, Akihiko

2015-01-01

Under the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) in Japan, initial hazard information tor existing chemical substances has been collected by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan (MHLW) to assess potential initial risks to human health. We have reviewed all collected toxicity information pertaining to acute toxicity, repeated dose toxicity, genotoxicity, and/or reproductive/developmental toxicity and performed hazard assessments. Approximately 150 substances are currently undergoing review and assessment. For clarification and evaluation of each toxicity study, we have created a dossier (a collection of study data containing a detailed summary of the methods, results, and conclusions of each study) in English using the International Uniform Chemical Information Database (IUCLID) version 5. The IUCLID dossier format is widely used and has been accepted as one of the most beneficial formats for providing summarized chemical substance toxicity assessments. In this report, as a contribution to our ongoing hazard assessment activity, we present summary hazard information related to the potential human health effects of the following 5 chemical substances: 4-chlorobenzoyl chloride (CAS: 122-01-0); benzenesulfonic acid, 4-hydroxy-, tin (2+) salt (CAS: 70974- 33-3); chlorocyclohexane (CAS: 542-18-7); 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanamine (CAS: 2579-20-6); and 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6 (1H,3H,5H) -trithione (CAS: 638-16-4). The IUCLID dossiers created for these 5 chemical substances will be made available via the Japan Existing Chemical Data Base (JECDB) at . Additional human health hazard information on existing chemical substances will be provided using the same methodology and website when it is available.

Risk Assessment of Alzheimer's Disease using the Information Diffusion Model from Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

PubMed

Beheshti, Iman; Olya, Hossain G T; Demirel, Hasan

2016-04-05

Recently, automatic risk assessment methods have been a target for the detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. This study aims to develop an automatic computer-aided AD diagnosis technique for risk assessment of AD using information diffusion theory. Information diffusion is a fuzzy mathematics logic of set-value that is used for risk assessment of natural phenomena, which attaches fuzziness (uncertainty) and incompleteness. Data were obtained from voxel-based morphometry analysis of structural magnetic resonance imaging. The information diffusion model results revealed that the risk of AD increases with a reduction of the normalized gray matter ratio (p > 0.5, normalized gray matter ratio <40%). The information diffusion model results were evaluated by calculation of the correlation of two traditional risk assessments of AD, the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Clinical Dementia Rating. The correlation results revealed that the information diffusion model findings were in line with Mini-Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating results. Application of information diffusion model contributes to the computerization of risk assessment of AD, which has a practical implication for the early detection of AD.

Beyond scene gist: Objects guide search more than scene background.

PubMed

Koehler, Kathryn; Eckstein, Miguel P

2017-06-01

Although the facilitation of visual search by contextual information is well established, there is little understanding of the independent contributions of different types of contextual cues in scenes. Here we manipulated 3 types of contextual information: object co-occurrence, multiple object configurations, and background category. We isolated the benefits of each contextual cue to target detectability, its impact on decision bias, confidence, and the guidance of eye movements. We find that object-based information guides eye movements and facilitates perceptual judgments more than scene background. The degree of guidance and facilitation of each contextual cue can be related to its inherent informativeness about the target spatial location as measured by human explicit judgments about likely target locations. Our results improve the understanding of the contributions of distinct contextual scene components to search and suggest that the brain's utilization of cues to guide eye movements is linked to the cue's informativeness about the target's location. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Searching the Internet for information on prostate cancer screening: an assessment of quality.

PubMed

Ilic, Dragan; Risbridger, Gail; Green, Sally

2004-07-01

To identify how on-line information relating to prostate cancer screening (PCS) is best sourced, whether through general, medical, or meta-search engines, and to assess the quality of that information. Websites providing information about PCS were searched across 15 search engines representing three distinct types: general, medical, and meta-search engines. The quality of on-line information was assessed using the DISCERN quality assessment tool. Quality performance characteristics were analyzed by performing Mann-Whitney U tests. Search engine efficiency was measured by each search query as a percentage of the relevant websites included for analysis from the total returned and analyzed by performing Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance. Of 6690 websites reviewed, 84 unique websites were identified as providing information relevant to PCS. General and meta-search engines were significantly more efficient at retrieving relevant information on PCS compared with medical search engines. The quality of information was variable, with most of a poor standard. Websites that provided referral links to other resources and a citation of evidence provided a significantly better quality of information. In contrast, websites offering a direct service were more likely to provide a significantly poorer quality of information. The current lack of a clear consensus on guidelines and recommendation in published data is also reflected by the variable quality of information found on-line. Specialized medical search engines were no more likely to retrieve relevant, high-quality information than general or meta-search engines.

Assessment of Registration Information on Methodological Design of Acupuncture RCTs: A Review of 453 Registration Records Retrieved from WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform

PubMed Central

Gu, Jing; Wang, Qi; Wang, Xiaogang; Li, Hailong; Gu, Mei; Ming, Haixia; Dong, Xiaoli; Yang, Kehu; Wu, Hongyan

2014-01-01

Background. This review provides the first methodological information assessment of protocol of acupuncture RCTs registered in WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). Methods. All records of acupuncture RCTs registered in the ICTRP have been collected. The methodological design assessment involved whether the randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding were adequate or not based on the information of registration records (protocols of acupuncture RCTs). Results. A total of 453 records, found in 11 registries, were examined. Methodological details were insufficient in registration records; there were 76.4%, 89.0%, and 21.4% records that did not provide information on randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding respectively. The proportions of adequate randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding were only 107 (23.6%), 48 (10.6%), and 210 (46.4%), respectively. The methodological design improved year by year, especially after 2007. Additionally, methodology of RCTs with ethics approval was clearly superior to those without ethics approval and different among registries. Conclusions. The overall methodological design based on registration records of acupuncture RCTs is not very well but improved year by year. The insufficient information on randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding maybe due to the relevant description is not taken seriously in acupuncture RCTs' registration. PMID:24688591

Assessment of Registration Information on Methodological Design of Acupuncture RCTs: A Review of 453 Registration Records Retrieved from WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.

PubMed

Gu, Jing; Wang, Qi; Wang, Xiaogang; Li, Hailong; Gu, Mei; Ming, Haixia; Dong, Xiaoli; Yang, Kehu; Wu, Hongyan

2014-01-01

Background. This review provides the first methodological information assessment of protocol of acupuncture RCTs registered in WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). Methods. All records of acupuncture RCTs registered in the ICTRP have been collected. The methodological design assessment involved whether the randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding were adequate or not based on the information of registration records (protocols of acupuncture RCTs). Results. A total of 453 records, found in 11 registries, were examined. Methodological details were insufficient in registration records; there were 76.4%, 89.0%, and 21.4% records that did not provide information on randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding respectively. The proportions of adequate randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding were only 107 (23.6%), 48 (10.6%), and 210 (46.4%), respectively. The methodological design improved year by year, especially after 2007. Additionally, methodology of RCTs with ethics approval was clearly superior to those without ethics approval and different among registries. Conclusions. The overall methodological design based on registration records of acupuncture RCTs is not very well but improved year by year. The insufficient information on randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding maybe due to the relevant description is not taken seriously in acupuncture RCTs' registration.

A Needs Assessment, Development, and Formative Evaluation of a Health Promotion Smartphone Application for College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Tiffany; Chandler, Laura; Mouttapa, Michele

2015-01-01

Background: Approximately half of college students who completed the National College Health Assessment 2013 indicated a greater need for health-related information. University-based smartphone applications may help students better access this information. Purpose: This study describes the needs assessment, development, and formative evaluation of…

Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM)--software user manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-05-01

This document presents guidelines for the installation and use of the Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) software. For more information regarding the SSAM application, including discussion of theoretical background and the results of a series o...

Memory performance on the Auditory Inference Span Test is independent of background noise type for young adults with normal hearing at high speech intelligibility

PubMed Central

Rönnberg, Niklas; Rudner, Mary; Lunner, Thomas; Stenfelt, Stefan

2014-01-01

Listening in noise is often perceived to be effortful. This is partly because cognitive resources are engaged in separating the target signal from background noise, leaving fewer resources for storage and processing of the content of the message in working memory. The Auditory Inference Span Test (AIST) is designed to assess listening effort by measuring the ability to maintain and process heard information. The aim of this study was to use AIST to investigate the effect of background noise types and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on listening effort, as a function of working memory capacity (WMC) and updating ability (UA). The AIST was administered in three types of background noise: steady-state speech-shaped noise, amplitude modulated speech-shaped noise, and unintelligible speech. Three SNRs targeting 90% speech intelligibility or better were used in each of the three noise types, giving nine different conditions. The reading span test assessed WMC, while UA was assessed with the letter memory test. Twenty young adults with normal hearing participated in the study. Results showed that AIST performance was not influenced by noise type at the same intelligibility level, but became worse with worse SNR when background noise was speech-like. Performance on AIST also decreased with increasing memory load level. Correlations between AIST performance and the cognitive measurements suggested that WMC is of more importance for listening when SNRs are worse, while UA is of more importance for listening in easier SNRs. The results indicated that in young adults with normal hearing, the effort involved in listening in noise at high intelligibility levels is independent of the noise type. However, when noise is speech-like and intelligibility decreases, listening effort increases, probably due to extra demands on cognitive resources added by the informational masking created by the speech fragments and vocal sounds in the background noise. PMID:25566159

Memory performance on the Auditory Inference Span Test is independent of background noise type for young adults with normal hearing at high speech intelligibility.

PubMed

Rönnberg, Niklas; Rudner, Mary; Lunner, Thomas; Stenfelt, Stefan

2014-01-01

Listening in noise is often perceived to be effortful. This is partly because cognitive resources are engaged in separating the target signal from background noise, leaving fewer resources for storage and processing of the content of the message in working memory. The Auditory Inference Span Test (AIST) is designed to assess listening effort by measuring the ability to maintain and process heard information. The aim of this study was to use AIST to investigate the effect of background noise types and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on listening effort, as a function of working memory capacity (WMC) and updating ability (UA). The AIST was administered in three types of background noise: steady-state speech-shaped noise, amplitude modulated speech-shaped noise, and unintelligible speech. Three SNRs targeting 90% speech intelligibility or better were used in each of the three noise types, giving nine different conditions. The reading span test assessed WMC, while UA was assessed with the letter memory test. Twenty young adults with normal hearing participated in the study. Results showed that AIST performance was not influenced by noise type at the same intelligibility level, but became worse with worse SNR when background noise was speech-like. Performance on AIST also decreased with increasing memory load level. Correlations between AIST performance and the cognitive measurements suggested that WMC is of more importance for listening when SNRs are worse, while UA is of more importance for listening in easier SNRs. The results indicated that in young adults with normal hearing, the effort involved in listening in noise at high intelligibility levels is independent of the noise type. However, when noise is speech-like and intelligibility decreases, listening effort increases, probably due to extra demands on cognitive resources added by the informational masking created by the speech fragments and vocal sounds in the background noise.

Assessment of the quality of web-based information on bunions.

PubMed

Chong, Yew Ming; Fraval, Andrew; Chandrananth, Janan; Plunkett, Virginia; Tran, Phong

2013-08-01

The Internet provides a large source of health-related information for patients. However, information on the Internet is mostly unregulated, ranging from factually correct to misleading or contradictory information. The objective of this study was to determine the quality of information available on World Wide Web on the topic of bunions. Websites were identified using 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo, and MSN) and the search term bunions. The first 30 websites in each search were analyzed. Websites were assessed using the validated DISCERN rating instrument to determine the quality of health content and treatment information. The DISCERN tool possesses moderate to very good strength of interobserver agreement, ranging from .41 to .82. A total of 90 websites were assessed and studied. Forty-eight sites were duplicated, leaving 42 unique sites. Of these, 60% (25/42) provided patient-related information, 21% (9/42) were advertisements, 7% (3/42) promoted medical centers, 5% (2/42) were dead links, 5% (2/42) were news articles, and 2% (1/42) was doctor's information. In determining the quality of unique sites, of a maximum score of 5, the average overall DISCERN score was 2.9 (range, 1.8 to 4.6). Only 24% (10/42) of websites were classified as "good" or "excellent." Although most websites contained information on symptoms, causes, risk factors, investigations, and treatment options on bunions, 60% (25/42) did not provide adequate information on the benefits for each treatment, 45% (19/42) did not contain any risks of treatment, and 76% (32/42) did not describe how treatment choices affect overall quality of life. The sources of information were clear in 33% (14/42), and the date when this information was reviewed was given in only 50% (21/42). Only 29% (12/42) of websites had been updated within the past 2 years. Overall, the quality of patient information on bunions varies widely. We believe clinicians should guide patients in identifying the best possible and genuine

76 FR 65742 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; Inspector Candidate Assessment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... Information Collection for Public Comment; Inspector Candidate Assessment Questionnaire AGENCY: Office of the... following information: Title of Proposal: Inspector Candidate Assessment Questionnaire. OMB Control Number... trained and certified by HUD are requested to electronically submit the questionnaire via the Internet...

Making Information Useful: Engagement in the National Climate Assessment Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lough, G. C.; Cloyd, E.

2014-12-01

Creation of actionable information requires that the producers of that information understand the needs of the intended users and decision makers. To that end, development of the Third National Climate Assessment included a focus on engaging users through an inclusive, broad-based, and sustained process. Such a process provides opportunities for scientific experts and decision makers to share knowledge about the climate-related issues, impacts, and potential response actions that are most important in a particular region or sector. Such a process is also highly transparent in order to produce results that are credible, salient, and legitimate for both scientists and decision makers, ultimately making the results extremely useful. To implement these principles for the recent NCA, a broad-based engagement strategy was implemented from the start of the process. The strategy invited participation from users and stakeholder communities at each stage of the process, and considered methods for communicating with potential users at every step. The strategy was designed to elicit contributions to help shape the framing of the assessment, improve the transparency of the process, and increase the utility of the final information. Specific user inputs were gathered through a series of workshops, public comment opportunities, town hall meetings, presentations, requests for information, submitted documents, and open meetings. Further, a network of contributors self-organized around topics of interest to extend the NCA to a wider range of user groups. Here, we describe the outcomes of these innovations in assessment engagement and identify clear successes, notable surprises, future evaluation needs, and areas for new ideas.

Informal Reading Inventories: Creating Teacher-Designed Literature-Based Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Provost, Mary C.; Lambert, Monica A.; Babkie, Andrea M.

2010-01-01

Mandates emphasizing student achievement have increased the importance of appropriate assessment techniques for students in general and special education classrooms. Informal reading inventories (IRIs), designed by classroom teachers, have been proven to be an efficient and effective way to determine students' strengths, weaknesses, and strategies…

Validating the Octave Allegro Information Systems Risk Assessment Methodology: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keating, Corland G.

2014-01-01

An information system (IS) risk assessment is an important part of any successful security management strategy. Risk assessments help organizations to identify mission-critical IS assets and prioritize risk mitigation efforts. Many risk assessment methodologies, however, are complex and can only be completed successfully by highly qualified and…

Unexploded ordnance issues at Aberdeen Proving Ground: Background information

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

Rosenblatt, D.H.

1996-11-01

This document summarizes currently available information about the presence and significance of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the two main areas of Aberdeen Proving Ground: Aberdeen Area and Edgewood Area. Known UXO in the land ranges of the Aberdeen Area consists entirely of conventional munitions. The Edgewood Area contains, in addition to conventional munitions, a significant quantity of chemical-munition UXO, which is reflected in the presence of chemical agent decomposition products in Edgewood Area ground-water samples. It may be concluded from current information that the UXO at Aberdeen Proving Ground has not adversely affected the environment through release of toxic substancesmore » to the public domain, especially not by water pathways, and is not likely to do so in the near future. Nevertheless, modest but periodic monitoring of groundwater and nearby surface waters would be a prudent policy.« less

Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES) for Usability Assessment of Mobile Health Technology: Validation Study

PubMed Central

Cho, Hwayoung; Liu, Jianfang

2018-01-01

Background Mobile technology has become a ubiquitous technology and can be particularly useful in the delivery of health interventions. This technology can allow us to deliver interventions to scale, cover broad geographic areas, and deliver technologies in highly tailored ways based on the preferences or characteristics of users. The broad use of mobile technologies supports the need for usability assessments of these tools. Although there have been a number of usability assessment instruments developed, none have been validated for use with mobile technologies. Objective The goal of this work was to validate the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), a customizable usability assessment instrument in a sample of community-dwelling adults who were testing the use of a new mobile health (mHealth) technology. Methods A sample of 92 community-dwelling adults living with HIV used a new mobile app for symptom self-management and completed the Health-ITUES to assess the usability of the app. They also completed the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ), a widely used and well-validated usability assessment tool. Correlations between these scales and each of the subscales were assessed. Results The subscales of the Health-ITUES showed high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alpha=.85-.92). Each of the Health-ITUES subscales and the overall scale was moderately to strongly correlated with the PSSUQ scales (r=.46-.70), demonstrating the criterion validity of the Health-ITUES. Conclusions The Health-ITUES has demonstrated reliability and validity for use in assessing the usability of mHealth technologies in community-dwelling adults living with a chronic illness. PMID:29305343

Use of epidemiologic data in Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessments

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

Persad, Amanda S.; Cooper, Glinda S.

2008-11-15

In human health risk assessment, information from epidemiologic studies is typically utilized in the hazard identification step of the risk assessment paradigm. However, in the assessment of many chemicals by the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), epidemiologic data, both observational and experimental, have also been used in the derivation of toxicological risk estimates (i.e., reference doses [RfD], reference concentrations [RfC], oral cancer slope factors [CSF] and inhalation unit risks [IUR]). Of the 545 health assessments posted on the IRIS database as of June 2007, 44 assessments derived non-cancer or cancer risk estimates based on human data. RfD and RfC calculationsmore » were based on a spectrum of endpoints from changes in enzyme activity to specific neurological or dermal effects. There are 12 assessments with IURs based on human data, two assessments that extrapolated human inhalation data to derive CSFs and one that used human data to directly derive a CSF. Lung or respiratory cancer is the most common endpoint for cancer assessments based on human data. To date, only one chemical, benzene, has utilized human data for derivation of all three quantitative risk estimates (i.e., RfC, RfD, and dose-response modeling for cancer assessment). Through examples from the IRIS database, this paper will demonstrate how epidemiologic data have been used in IRIS assessments for both adding to the body of evidence in the hazard identification process and in the quantification of risk estimates in the dose-response component of the risk assessment paradigm.« less

Mind the Gap: Assessing the Disconnect Between Postpartum Health Information Desired and Health Information Received.

PubMed

Guerra-Reyes, Lucia; Christie, Vanessa M; Prabhakar, Annu; Siek, Katie A

Seeking and receiving health information are critical aspects of prenatal and postpartum care; however, many informational sources lack postpartum content. This study explores the gaps between information desired and information received postpartum and identifies the sources women use for health information seeking, with an emphasis on emergent online and mobile phone-based resources. Participants were recruited from our community partners' client base for a cross-sectional study. Mothers (n = 77) of a child 48 months or younger completed a survey on health information seeking, health information needs, and technology use. Postpartum health information gaps were defined as topics about which a participant indicated that she wanted information, but did not receive information. Bivariate analyses assessed the association between demographic characteristics, sources of health information used during pregnancy, and postpartum information gaps. Health care providers, Internet-based resources, and mobile applications were common sources of health information during pregnancy. Mental and sexual health were the most common types of postpartum health information gaps. In bivariate analyses, higher income and education were associated with postpartum information gaps in mental health and sexual health, respectively (p < .05). Postpartum health information gaps were common in this sample, particularly for topics in mental and sexual health. Unexpected associations between higher levels of education and income and postpartum health information gaps were observed in bivariate analyses. Health educators have the opportunity to capitalize on high rates of Internet information seeking by providing health information online. Health care providers must incorporate mental and sexual health into routine postpartum care. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In-Suit Doppler Technology Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulze, Arthur E.; Greene, Ernest R.; Nadeau, John J.

1991-01-01

The objective of this program was to perform a technology assessment survey of non-invasive air embolism detection utilizing Doppler ultrasound methodologies. The primary application of this technology will be a continuous monitor for astronauts while performing extravehicular activities (EVA's). The technology assessment was to include: (1) development of a full understanding of all relevant background research; and (2) a survey of the medical ultrasound marketplace for expertise, information, and technical capability relevant to this development. Upon completion of the assessment, LSR was to provide an overview of technological approaches and R&D/manufacturing organizations.

Interactive QR code beautification with full background image embedding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Lijian; Wu, Song; Liu, Sijiang; Jiang, Bo

2017-06-01

QR (Quick Response) code is a kind of two dimensional barcode that was first developed in automotive industry. Nowadays, QR code has been widely used in commercial applications like product promotion, mobile payment, product information management, etc. Traditional QR codes in accordance with the international standard are reliable and fast to decode, but are lack of aesthetic appearance to demonstrate visual information to customers. In this work, we present a novel interactive method to generate aesthetic QR code. By given information to be encoded and an image to be decorated as full QR code background, our method accepts interactive user's strokes as hints to remove undesired parts of QR code modules based on the support of QR code error correction mechanism and background color thresholds. Compared to previous approaches, our method follows the intention of the QR code designer, thus can achieve more user pleasant result, while keeping high machine readability.

Characterizing Health Information for Different Target Audiences.

PubMed

Sun, Yueping; Hou, Zhen; Hou, Li; Li, Jiao

2015-01-01

Different groups of audiences in health care: health professionals and health consumers, each have different information needs. Health monographs targeting different audiences are created by leveraging readers' background knowledge. The NCI's Physician Data Query (PDQ®) Cancer Information Summaries provide parallel cancer information and education resources with different target audiences. In this paper, we used targeted audience-specific cancer information PDQs to measure characteristic differences on the element level between audiences. In addition, we compared vocabulary coverage. Results show a significant difference between the professional and patient version of cancer monographs in both content organization and vocabulary. This study provides a new view to assess targeted audience-specific health information, and helps editors to improve the quality and readability of health information.

Public School Accountability. Background Paper 95-14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturm, H. Pepper

This paper describes the background of various accountability systems, discusses policy issues related to the use of educational accountability information, and offers a history of the school-accountability law in Nevada. The paper concludes that because policymakers continue to express concerns about uniform measurements and comparability, it is…

Background radiation measurements at high power research reactors

DOE PAGES

Ashenfelter, J.; Yeh, M.; Balantekin, B.; ...

2015-10-23

Research reactors host a wide range of activities that make use of the intense neutron fluxes generated at these facilities. Recent interest in performing measurements with relatively low event rates, e.g. reactor antineutrino detection, at these facilities necessitates a detailed understanding of background radiation fields. Both reactor-correlated and naturally occurring background sources are potentially important, even at levels well below those of importance for typical activities. Here we describe a comprehensive series of background assessments at three high-power research reactors, including γ-ray, neutron, and muon measurements. For each facility we describe the characteristics and identify the sources of the backgroundmore » fields encountered. Furthermore, the general understanding gained of background production mechanisms and their relationship to facility features will prove valuable for the planning of any sensitive measurement conducted therein.« less

Comparative risk assessment and cessation information seeking among smokeless tobacco users.

PubMed

Jun, Jungmi; Nan, Xiaoli

2018-05-01

This research examined (1) smokeless tobacco users' comparative optimism in assessing the health and addiction risks of their own product in comparison with cigarettes, and (2) the effects of comparative optimism on cessation information-seeking. A nationally-representative sample from the 2015 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)-FDA was employed. The analyses revealed the presence of comparative optimism in assessing both health and addiction risks among smokeless tobacco users. Comparative optimism was negatively correlated with most cessation information-seeking variables. Health bias (the health risk rating gap between the subject's own tobacco product and cigarettes) was associated with decreased intent to use cessation support. However, the health bias and addiction bias (the addiction risk rating gap between the subject's own tobacco product and cigarettes) were not consistent predictors of all cessation information-seeking variables, when covariates of socio-demographics and tobacco use status were included. In addition, positive correlations between health bias and past/recent cessation-information searches were observed. Optimisic biases may negatively influence cessation behaviors not only directly but also indirectly by influencing an important moderator, cessation information-seeking. Future interventions should prioritize dispelling the comparative optimism in perceiving risks of smokeless tobacco use, as well as provide more reliable cessation information specific to smokeless tobacco users. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Country Immunization Information System Assessments - Kenya, 2015 and Ghana, 2016.

PubMed

Scott, Colleen; Clarke, Kristie E N; Grevendonk, Jan; Dolan, Samantha B; Ahmed, Hussein Osman; Kamau, Peter; Ademba, Peter Aswani; Osadebe, Lynda; Bonsu, George; Opare, Joseph; Diamenu, Stanley; Amenuvegbe, Gregory; Quaye, Pamela; Osei-Sarpong, Fred; Abotsi, Francis; Ankrah, Joseph Dwomor; MacNeil, Adam

2017-11-10

The collection, analysis, and use of data to measure and improve immunization program performance are priorities for the World Health Organization (WHO), global partners, and national immunization programs (NIPs). High quality data are essential for evidence-based decision-making to support successful NIPs. Consistent recording and reporting practices, optimal access to and use of health information systems, and rigorous interpretation and use of data for decision-making are characteristics of high-quality immunization information systems. In 2015 and 2016, immunization information system assessments (IISAs) were conducted in Kenya and Ghana using a new WHO and CDC assessment methodology designed to identify root causes of immunization data quality problems and facilitate development of plans for improvement. Data quality challenges common to both countries included low confidence in facility-level target population data (Kenya = 50%, Ghana = 53%) and poor data concordance between child registers and facility tally sheets (Kenya = 0%, Ghana = 3%). In Kenya, systemic challenges included limited supportive supervision and lack of resources to access electronic reporting systems; in Ghana, challenges included a poorly defined subdistrict administrative level. Data quality improvement plans (DQIPs) based on assessment findings are being implemented in both countries. IISAs can help countries identify and address root causes of poor immunization data to provide a stronger evidence base for future investments in immunization programs.

Background suppression of infrared small target image based on inter-frame registration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Xiubo; Xue, Bindang

2018-04-01

We propose a multi-frame background suppression method for remote infrared small target detection. Inter-frame information is necessary when the heavy background clutters make it difficult to distinguish real targets and false alarms. A registration procedure based on points matching in image patches is used to compensate the local deformation of background. Then the target can be separated by background subtraction. Experiments show our method serves as an effective preliminary of target detection.

Lifetime Effective Dose Assessment Based on Background Outdoor Gamma Exposure in Chihuahua City, Mexico

PubMed Central

Luevano-Gurrola, Sergio; Perez-Tapia, Angelica; Pinedo-Alvarez, Carmelo; Carrillo-Flores, Jorge; Montero-Cabrera, Maria Elena; Renteria-Villalobos, Marusia

2015-01-01

Determining ionizing radiation in a geographic area serves to assess its effects on a population’s health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the background environmental outdoor gamma dose rates in Chihuahua City. This study also estimated the annual effective dose and the lifetime cancer risks of the population of this city. To determine the outdoor gamma dose rate in air, the annual effective dose and the lifetime cancer risk, 48 sampling points were randomly selected in Chihuahua City. Outdoor gamma dose rate measurements were carried out by using a Geiger-Müller counter. Outdoor gamma dose rates ranged from 113 to 310 nGy·h−1. At the same sites, 48 soil samples were taken to obtain the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K and to calculate their terrestrial gamma dose rates. Radioisotope activity concentrations were determined by gamma spectrometry. Calculated gamma dose rates ranged from 56 to 193 nGy·h−1. Results indicated that the lifetime effective dose of the inhabitants of Chihuahua City is on average 19.8 mSv, resulting in a lifetime cancer risk of 0.001. In addition, the mean of the activity concentrations in soil were 52, 73 and 1097 Bq·kg−1, for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. From the analysis, the spatial distribution of 232Th, 226Ra and 40K is to the north, to the north-center and to the south of city, respectively. In conclusion, the natural background gamma dose received by the inhabitants of Chihuahua City is high and mainly due to the geological characteristics of the zone. From the radiological point of view, this kind of study allows us to identify the importance of manmade environments, which are often highly variable and difficult to characterize. PMID:26437425

Lifetime Effective Dose Assessment Based on Background Outdoor Gamma Exposure in Chihuahua City, Mexico.

PubMed

Luevano-Gurrola, Sergio; Perez-Tapia, Angelica; Pinedo-Alvarez, Carmelo; Carrillo-Flores, Jorge; Montero-Cabrera, Maria Elena; Renteria-Villalobos, Marusia

2015-09-30

Determining ionizing radiation in a geographic area serves to assess its effects on a population's health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the background environmental outdoor gamma dose rates in Chihuahua City. This study also estimated the annual effective dose and the lifetime cancer risks of the population of this city. To determine the outdoor gamma dose rate in air, the annual effective dose and the lifetime cancer risk, 48 sampling points were randomly selected in Chihuahua City. Outdoor gamma dose rate measurements were carried out by using a Geiger-Müller counter. Outdoor gamma dose rates ranged from 113 to 310 nGy·h(-1). At the same sites, 48 soil samples were taken to obtain the activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K and to calculate their terrestrial gamma dose rates. Radioisotope activity concentrations were determined by gamma spectrometry. Calculated gamma dose rates ranged from 56 to 193 nGy·h(-1). Results indicated that the lifetime effective dose of the inhabitants of Chihuahua City is on average 19.8 mSv, resulting in a lifetime cancer risk of 0.001. In addition, the mean of the activity concentrations in soil were 52, 73 and 1097 Bq·kg(-1), for (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, respectively. From the analysis, the spatial distribution of (232)Th, (226)Ra and (40)K is to the north, to the north-center and to the south of city, respectively. In conclusion, the natural background gamma dose received by the inhabitants of Chihuahua City is high and mainly due to the geological characteristics of the zone. From the radiological point of view, this kind of study allows us to identify the importance of manmade environments, which are often highly variable and difficult to characterize.

In-Home Respite Care Program Development. Background. Coordinator's Manual. Training Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parham, J. D.; And Others

This volume consists of a background discussion, coordinator's manual, and training manual dealing with developing programs for the in-home respite care (IHRC) of the developmentally disabled. Addressed in the background information unit are the nature of developmental disabilities; program variables, planning, and funding; and practical…

An Evolving Assessment Strategy: Sustaining Interactions with Users to Inform Planning and Decisionmaking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moss, R. H.

2016-12-01

Research indicates that in addition to reports, decision makers need to access climate science through a range of products such as scenarios, observed data, maps, technical guidelines, and other materials. This presentation will describe an evolving strategy for leveraging climate research and assessments conducted by the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) to provide usable climate information to build society's capacity to manage climate variability and change. The approach is called "sustained assessment" and is intended to be more interactive and to empower individuals and organizations to participate more fully and in an ongoing basis to evaluate the implications of climate change using state of the art scientific information. The speaker will describe the necessary conditions for sustained assessment, including mechanisms to facilitate ongoing communication between users and the climate science community in co-design and implementation of assessment activities. It will also review some of the needed scientific foundations for sustained assessment. The speaker is chair of the recently established Federal Advisory Committee. He has been involved in previous US National Climate Assessments (NCAs), including as a lead author of a special advisory report on establishing a sustained US national assessment process. He will speak in his personal capacity and provide publicly-available information on the role of the new Advisory Committee and steps towards establishing a sustained assessment process.

Evaluation of background radiation dose contributions in the United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Goddard, Braden; Bosc, Emmanuel; Al Hasani, Sarra; Lloyd, Cody

2018-09-01

The natural background radiation consists of three main components; cosmic, terrestrial, and skyshine. Although there are currently methods available to measure the total dose rate from background radiation, no established methods exist that allow for the measurement of each component the background radiation. This analysis consists of a unique methodology in which the dose rate contribution from each component of the natural background radiation is measured and calculated. This project evaluates the natural background dose rate in the Abu Dhabi City region from all three of these components using the developed methodology. Evaluating and understanding the different components of background radiation provides a baseline allowing for the detection, and possibly attribution, of elevated radiation levels. Measurements using a high-pressure ion chamber with different shielding configurations and two offshore measurements provided dose rate information that were attributed to the different components of the background radiation. Additional spectral information was obtained using an HPGe detector to verify and quantify the presence of terrestrial radionuclides. By evaluating the dose rates of the different shielding configurations the comic, terrestrial, and skyshine contribution in the Abu Dhabi City region were determined to be 33.0 ± 1.7, 15.7 ± 2.5, and 2.4 ± 2.1 nSv/h, respectively. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assessing young unmarried men's access to reproductive health information and services in rural India

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background We investigated the accessibility of reproductive health information and contraceptives in a relatively less developed area of rural central India and assessed the risks facing young unmarried men. Methods This cross-sectional study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. Participants included 38 unmarried rural men in four focus-group discussions and a representative sample of 316 similarly profiled men, aged 17-22 years, in a survey. Information was collected on the men's socioeconomic characteristics; awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of family planning; attitudes toward future contraceptive use; intra-family communication; knowledge about STIs/HIV/AIDS; and access and use of condoms. Content analysis for qualitative information and descriptive analysis for survey data were used to draw conclusions. Results Young unmarried rural Indian men's sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge is limited, although the majority is familiar with condoms (99%). The young men identified electronic mass media (67%) as the prime source of reproductive health information, yet they lacked detailed knowledge of various contraceptives and felt ignored by health providers, who, they felt, would be capable of providing SRH information through interpersonal communication. Young men are more concerned about avoiding infections and securing sexual pleasure and less concerned about avoiding potential pregnancies. For example, 68% of the young men were aware of condoms and their HIV/AIDS preventive role, but only about two-fifths mentioned condom use to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Although most young men (96%) knew where to access a condom, they felt uncomfortable or embarrassed doing so in their own villages or close by because of socio-cultural norms that prevented them from using contraceptives. Very few respondents (4%) disclosed using condoms themselves, but 59% said they knew someone from their peer group who had used them. Conclusions Young unmarried

[Integrated health information system based on Resident Assessment Instruments].

PubMed

Frijters, D; Achterberg, W; Hirdes, J P; Fries, B E; Morris, J N; Steel, K

2001-02-01

The paper explores the meaning of Resident Assessment Instruments. It gives a summary of existing RAI instruments and derived applications. It argues how all of these form the basis for an integrated health information system for "chain care" (home care, home for the elderly care, nursing home care, mental health care and acute care). The primary application of RAI systems is the assessment of client care needs, followed by an analysis of the required and administered care with the objective to make an optimal individual care plan. On the basis of RAI, however, applications have been derived for reimbursement systems, quality improvement programs, accreditation, benchmarking, best practice comparison and care eligibility systems. These applications have become possible by the development on the basis of the Minimum Data Set of RAI of outcome measures (item scores, scales and indices), case-mix classifications and quality indicators. To illustrate the possibilities of outcome measures of RAI we present a table and a figure with data of six Dutch nursing homes which shows how social engagement is related to ADL and cognition. We argue that RAI/MDS assessment instruments comprise an integrated health information system because they have consistent terminology, common core items, and a common conceptual basis in a clinical approach that emphasizes the identification of functional problems.

Backgrounds, radiation damage, and spacecraft orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grant, Catherine E.; Miller, Eric D.; Bautz, Mark W.

2017-08-01

The scientific utility of any space-based observatory can be limited by the on-orbit charged particle background and the radiation-induced damage. All existing and proposed missions have had to make choices about orbit selection, trading off the radiation environment against other factors. We present simulations from ESA’s SPace ENVironment Information System (SPENVIS) of the radiation environment for spacecraft in a variety of orbits, from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at multiple inclinations to High Earth Orbit (HEO) to Earth-Sun L2 orbit. We summarize how different orbits change the charged particle background and the radiation damage to the instrument. We also discuss the limitations of SPENVIS simulations, particularly outside the Earth’s trapped radiation and point to new resources attempting to address those limitations.

Readability assessment of online ophthalmic patient information.

PubMed

Edmunds, Matthew R; Barry, Robert J; Denniston, Alastair K

2013-12-01

Patients increasingly use the Internet to access information related to their disease, but poor health literacy is known to impact negatively on medical outcomes. Multiple agencies have recommended that patient-oriented literature be written at a fourth- to sixth-grade (9-12 years of age) reading level to assist understanding. The readability of online patient-oriented materials related to ophthalmic diagnoses is not yet known. To assess the readability of online literature specifically for a range of ophthalmic conditions. Body text of the top 10 patient-oriented websites for 16 different ophthalmic diagnoses, covering the full range of ophthalmic subspecialties, was analyzed for readability, source (United Kingdom vs non-United Kingdom, not for profit vs commercial), and appropriateness for sight-impaired readers. Four validated readability formulas were used: Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Fog Index (GFOG). Data were compared with the Mann-Whitney test (for 2 groups) and Kruskal-Wallis test (for more than 2 groups) and correlation was assessed by the Spearman r. None of the 160 webpages had readability scores within published guidelines, with 83% assessed as being of "difficult" readability. Not-for-profit webpages were of significantly greater length than commercial webpages (P = .02) and UK-based webpages had slightly superior readability scores compared with those of non-UK webpages (P = .004 to P < .001, depending on the readability formula used). Of all webpages evaluated, only 34% included facility to adjust text size to assist visually impaired readers. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess readability of patient-focused webpages specifically for a range of ophthalmic diagnoses. In keeping with previous studies in other medical conditions, we determined that readability scores were inferior to those recommended, irrespective of the measure used. Although

Assessment and Accountability in America Today: Background and Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewell, Peter T.

2008-01-01

In the wake of the Spellings Commission, critical choices need to be made about how to refashion institutional assessment practices to respond to new accountability demands, without destroying the essence of accountability as a process of continuous improvement. This article begins with a brief description of the history of assessment, with…

Calculating background levels for ecological risk parameters in toxic harbor sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leadon, C.J.; McDonnell, T.R.; Lear, J.; Barclift, D.

2007-01-01

Establishing background levels for biological parameters is necessary in assessing the ecological risks from harbor sediment contaminated with toxic chemicals. For chemicals in sediment, the term contaminated is defined as having concentrations above background and significant human health or ecological risk levels. For biological parameters, a site could be considered contaminated if levels of the parameter are either more or less than the background level, depending on the specific parameter. Biological parameters can include tissue chemical concentrations in ecological receptors, bioassay responses, bioaccumulation levels, and benthic community metrics. Chemical parameters can include sediment concentrations of a variety of potentially toxic chemicals. Indirectly, contaminated harbor sediment can impact shellfish, fish, birds, and marine mammals, and human populations. This paper summarizes the methods used to define background levels for chemical and biological parameters from a survey of ecological risk investigations of marine harbor sediment at California Navy bases. Background levels for regional biological indices used to quantify ecological risks for benthic communities are also described. Generally, background stations are positioned in relatively clean areas exhibiting the same physical and general chemical characteristics as nearby areas with contaminated harbor sediment. The number of background stations and the number of sample replicates per background station depend on the statistical design of the sediment ecological risk investigation, developed through the data quality objective (DQO) process. Biological data from the background stations can be compared to data from a contaminated site by using minimum or maximum background levels or comparative statistics. In Navy ecological risk assessments (ERA's), calculated background levels and appropriate ecological risk screening criteria are used to identify sampling stations and sites with contaminated

Applying comprehensive environmental assessment to research planning for multiwalled carbon nanotubes: Refinements to inform future stakeholder engagement.

PubMed

Powers, Christina M; Grieger, Khara; Meacham, Connie A; Gooding, Meredith Lassiter; Gift, Jeffrey S; Lehmann, Geniece M; Hendren, Christine O; Davis, J Michael; Burgoon, Lyle

2016-01-01

Risk assessments and risk management efforts to protect human health and the environment can benefit from early, coordinated research planning by researchers, risk assessors, and risk managers. However, approaches for engaging these and other stakeholders in research planning have not received much attention in the environmental scientific literature. The Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA) approach under development by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is a means to manage complex information and input from diverse stakeholder perspectives on research planning that will ultimately support environmental and human health decision making. The objectives of this article are to 1) describe the outcomes of applying lessons learned from previous CEA applications to planning research on engineered nanomaterial, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and 2) discuss new insights and refinements for future efforts to engage stakeholders in research planning for risk assessment and risk management of environmental issues. Although framed in terms of MWCNTs, this discussion is intended to enhance research planning to support assessments for other environmental issues as well. Key insights for research planning include the potential benefits of 1) ensuring that participants have research, risk assessment, and risk management expertise in addition to diverse disciplinary backgrounds; 2) including an early scoping step before rounds of formal ratings; 3) using a familiar numeric scale (e.g., US dollars) versus ordinal rating scales of "importance"; 4) applying virtual communication tools to supplement face-to-face interaction between participants; and 5) refining criteria to guide development of specific, actionable research questions. © 2015 SETAC.

Complementary therapies for cancer patients: assessing information use and needs.

PubMed

Verhoef, M J; Trojan, L; Armitage, G D; Carlson, L; Hilsden, R J

2009-01-01

Many cancer patients seek complementary therapies (CTs) for cancer management; however, relatively little is known about patients' CT information seeking behaviour. Therefore, we assessed: 1) cancer patients' use of the types and sources of CT information; 2) their information preferences; and 3) their understanding of the phrase "scientific evidence or proof that a therapy works." We collected data from 404 patients attending the Tom Baker Cancer Centre (TBCC) in Calgary and 303 patients calling the Cancer Information Service (CIS) helpline. In most cases, patients wanted information on the safety of CTs, how CTs work and their potential side effects. Physicians and conventional cancer centres were the most desired sources of CT information, but relatively few patients obtained information via these sources. Although patients were aware of the meaning of scientific evidence, they often used information based on non-scientific evidence, such as patient testimonials. The creation of a supportive care environment in conventional cancer treatment centres, by providing CT information, may help address cancer patients' concerns and alleviate some of the stress that may have been caused by the cancer diagnosis.

Guidelines for Assessment and Abatement of Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pielert, James H.; Mathey, Robert G.

This report presents guidelines, based on available information, for the assessment and abatement of asbestos-containing materials in buildings. Section 1 provides background information on the history and use of asbestos-containing products in buildings, the characteristics of asbestos fibers, products and materials containing asbestos, and…

Sharing clinical information across care settings: the birth of an integrated assessment system

PubMed Central

Gray, Leonard C; Berg, Katherine; Fries, Brant E; Henrard, Jean-Claude; Hirdes, John P; Steel, Knight; Morris, John N

2009-01-01

Background Population ageing, the emergence of chronic illness, and the shift away from institutional care challenge conventional approaches to assessment systems which traditionally are problem and setting specific. Methods From 2002, the interRAI research collaborative undertook development of a suite of assessment tools to support assessment and care planning of persons with chronic illness, frailty, disability, or mental health problems across care settings. The suite constitutes an early example of a "third generation" assessment system. Results The rationale and development strategy for the suite is described, together with a description of potential applications. To date, ten instruments comprise the suite, each comprising "core" items shared among the majority of instruments and "optional" items that are specific to particular care settings or situations. Conclusion This comprehensive suite offers the opportunity for integrated multi-domain assessment, enabling electronic clinical records, data transfer, ease of interpretation and streamlined training. PMID:19402891

The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER): A Sounding Rocket Payload to Study the near Infrared Extragalactic Background Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zemcov, M.; Arai, T.; Battle, J.; Bock, J.; Cooray, A.; Hristov, V.; Keating, B.; Kim, M. G.; Lee, D. H.; Levenson, L. R.; Mason, P.; Matsumoto, T.; Matsuura, S.; Nam, U. W.; Renbarger, T.; Sullivan, I.; Suzuki, K.; Tsumura, K.; Wada, T.

2013-08-01

The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER) is a suite of four instruments designed to study the near infrared (IR) background light from above the Earth's atmosphere. The instrument package comprises two imaging telescopes designed to characterize spatial anisotropy in the extragalactic IR background caused by cosmological structure during the epoch of reionization, a low resolution spectrometer to measure the absolute spectrum of the extragalactic IR background, and a narrow band spectrometer optimized to measure the absolute brightness of the zodiacal light foreground. In this paper we describe the design and characterization of the CIBER payload. The detailed mechanical, cryogenic, and electrical design of the system are presented, including all system components common to the four instruments. We present the methods and equipment used to characterize the instruments before and after flight, and give a detailed description of CIBER's flight profile and configurations. CIBER is designed to be recoverable and has flown four times, with modifications to the payload having been informed by analysis of the first flight data. All four instruments performed to specifications during the subsequent flights, and the scientific data from these flights are currently being analyzed.

THE COSMIC INFRARED BACKGROUND EXPERIMENT (CIBER): A SOUNDING ROCKET PAYLOAD TO STUDY THE NEAR INFRARED EXTRAGALACTIC BACKGROUND LIGHT

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

Zemcov, M.; Bock, J.; Hristov, V.

2013-08-15

The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER) is a suite of four instruments designed to study the near infrared (IR) background light from above the Earth's atmosphere. The instrument package comprises two imaging telescopes designed to characterize spatial anisotropy in the extragalactic IR background caused by cosmological structure during the epoch of reionization, a low resolution spectrometer to measure the absolute spectrum of the extragalactic IR background, and a narrow band spectrometer optimized to measure the absolute brightness of the zodiacal light foreground. In this paper we describe the design and characterization of the CIBER payload. The detailed mechanical, cryogenic, andmore » electrical design of the system are presented, including all system components common to the four instruments. We present the methods and equipment used to characterize the instruments before and after flight, and give a detailed description of CIBER's flight profile and configurations. CIBER is designed to be recoverable and has flown four times, with modifications to the payload having been informed by analysis of the first flight data. All four instruments performed to specifications during the subsequent flights, and the scientific data from these flights are currently being analyzed.« less

An information diffusion technique to assess integrated hazard risks.

PubMed

Huang, Chongfu; Huang, Yundong

2018-02-01

An integrated risk is a scene in the future associated with some adverse incident caused by multiple hazards. An integrated probability risk is the expected value of disaster. Due to the difficulty of assessing an integrated probability risk with a small sample, weighting methods and copulas are employed to avoid this obstacle. To resolve the problem, in this paper, we develop the information diffusion technique to construct a joint probability distribution and a vulnerability surface. Then, an integrated risk can be directly assessed by using a small sample. A case of an integrated risk caused by flood and earthquake is given to show how the suggested technique is used to assess the integrated risk of annual property loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Why not just Google it? An assessment of information literacy skills in a biomedical science curriculum

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Few issues in higher education are as fundamental as the ability to search for, evaluate, and synthesize information. The need to develop information literacy, the process of finding, retrieving, organizing, and evaluating the ever-expanding collection of online information, has precipitated the need for training in skill-based competencies in higher education, as well as medical and dental education. Methods The current study evaluated the information literacy skills of first-year dental students, consisting of two, consecutive dental student cohorts (n = 160). An assignment designed to evaluate information literacy skills was conducted. In addition, a survey of student online search engine or database preferences was conducted to identify any significant associations. Subsequently, an intervention was developed, based upon the results of the assessment and survey, to address any deficiencies in information literacy. Results Nearly half of students (n = 70/160 or 43%) missed one or more question components that required finding an evidence-based citation. Analysis of the survey revealed a significantly higher percentage of students who provided incorrect responses (n = 53/70 or 75.7%) reported using Google as their preferred online search method (p < 0.01). In contrast, a significantly higher percentage of students who reported using PubMed (n = 39/45 or 86.7%) were able to provide correct responses (p < 0.01). Following a one-hour intervention by a health science librarian, virtually all students were able to find and retrieve evidence-based materials for subsequent coursework. Conclusions This study confirmed that information literacy among this student population was lacking and that integration of modules within the curriculum can help students to filter and establish the quality of online information, a critical component in the training of new health care professionals. Furthermore, incorporation of these modules early in the curriculum may be of

Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-12

contributions from Germany , Japan, and Switzerland. For more information on the MFO, see http://www.mfo.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1. Egypt: Background and...2008 Report, Egypt’s pace of business reforms and deregulation between 2006 and 2007 ranked first worldwide. In recent years, the state has...reinvigorated its privatization program by divesting shares in the state-dominated banking and insurance sectors. Additionally, the government removed import

Free will and psychiatric assessments of criminal responsibility: a parallel with informed consent.

PubMed

Meynen, Gerben

2010-11-01

In some criminal cases a forensic psychiatrist is asked to make an assessment of the state of mind of the defendant at the time of the legally relevant act. A considerable number of people seem to hold that the basis for this assessment is that free will is required for legal responsibility, and that mental disorders can compromise free will. In fact, because of the alleged relationship between the forensic assessment and free will, researchers in forensic psychiatry also consider the complicated metaphysical discussions on free will relevant to the assessment. At the same time, there is concern about the lack of advancement with respect to clarifying the nature of the forensic assessment. In this paper I argue that, even if free will is considered relevant, there may be no need for forensic researchers to engage into metaphysical discussions on free will in order to make significant progress. I will do so, drawing a parallel between the assessment of criminal responsibility on the one hand, and the medical practice of obtaining informed consent on the other. I argue that also with respect to informed consent, free will is considered relevant, or even crucial. This is the parallel. Yet, researchers on informed consent have not entered into metaphysical debates on free will. Meanwhile, research on informed consent has made significant progress. Based on the parallel with respect to free will, and the differences with respect to research, I conclude that researchers on forensic assessment may not have to engage into metaphysical discussions on free will in order to advance our understanding of this psychiatric practice.

Free will and psychiatric assessments of criminal responsibility: a parallel with informed consent

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

In some criminal cases a forensic psychiatrist is asked to make an assessment of the state of mind of the defendant at the time of the legally relevant act. A considerable number of people seem to hold that the basis for this assessment is that free will is required for legal responsibility, and that mental disorders can compromise free will. In fact, because of the alleged relationship between the forensic assessment and free will, researchers in forensic psychiatry also consider the complicated metaphysical discussions on free will relevant to the assessment. At the same time, there is concern about the lack of advancement with respect to clarifying the nature of the forensic assessment. In this paper I argue that, even if free will is considered relevant, there may be no need for forensic researchers to engage into metaphysical discussions on free will in order to make significant progress. I will do so, drawing a parallel between the assessment of criminal responsibility on the one hand, and the medical practice of obtaining informed consent on the other. I argue that also with respect to informed consent, free will is considered relevant, or even crucial. This is the parallel. Yet, researchers on informed consent have not entered into metaphysical debates on free will. Meanwhile, research on informed consent has made significant progress. Based on the parallel with respect to free will, and the differences with respect to research, I conclude that researchers on forensic assessment may not have to engage into metaphysical discussions on free will in order to advance our understanding of this psychiatric practice. PMID:20424919

Information theoretical assessment of visual communication with wavelet coding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Zia-ur

1995-06-01

A visual communication channel can be characterized by the efficiency with which it conveys information, and the quality of the images restored from the transmitted data. Efficient data representation requires the use of constraints of the visual communication channel. Our information theoretic analysis combines the design of the wavelet compression algorithm with the design of the visual communication channel. Shannon's communication theory, Wiener's restoration filter, and the critical design factors of image gathering and display are combined to provide metrics for measuring the efficiency of data transmission, and for quantitatively assessing the visual quality of the restored image. These metrics are: a) the mutual information (Eta) between the radiance the radiance field and the restored image, and b) the efficiency of the channel which can be roughly measured by as the ratio (Eta) /H, where H is the average number of bits being used to transmit the data. Huck, et al. (Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1993) have shown that channels desinged to maximize (Eta) , also maximize. Our assessment provides a framework for designing channels which provide the highest possible visual quality for a given amount of data under the critical design limitations of the image gathering and display devices. Results show that a trade-off exists between the maximum realizable information of the channel and its efficiency: an increase in one leads to a decrease in the other. The final selection of which of these quantities to maximize is, of course, application dependent.

Assessment of the quality and content of website health information about herbal remedies for menopausal symptoms.

PubMed

Sowter, Julie; Astin, Felicity; Dye, Louise; Marshall, Paul; Knapp, Peter

2016-06-01

To assess the quality, readability and coverage of website information about herbal remedies for menopausal symptoms. A purposive sample of commercial and non-commercial websites was assessed for quality (DISCERN), readability (SMOG) and information coverage. Non-parametric and parametric tests were used to explain the variability of these factors across types of websites and to assess associations between website quality and information coverage. 39 sites were assessed. Median quality and information coverage scores were 44/80 and 11/30 respectively. The median readability score was 18.7, similar to UK broadsheets. Commercial websites scored significantly lower on quality (p=0.014), but there were no statistical differences for information coverage or readability. There was a significant positive correlation between information quality and coverage scores irrespective of website provider (r=0.69, p<0.001, n=39). Overall website quality and information coverage are poor and the required reading level high. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

From Cleanup to Stewardship. A companion report to Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure and background information to support the scoping process required for the 1998 PEIS Settlement Study

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

None, None

1999-10-01

Long-term stewardship is expected to be needed at more than 100 DOE sites after DOE's Environmental Management program completes disposal, stabilization, and restoration operations to address waste and contamination resulting from nuclear research and nuclear weapons production conducted over the past 50 years. From Cleanup to stewardship provides background information on the Department of Energy (DOE) long-term stewardship obligations and activities. This document begins to examine the transition from cleanup to long-term stewardship, and it fulfills the Secretary's commitment to the President in the 1999 Performance Agreement to provide a companion report to the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closuremore » report. It also provides background information to support the scoping process required for a study on long-term stewardship required by a 1998 Settlement Agreement.« less

Authoritative Guide to Evaluating Information on the Internet. Neal-Schuman NetGuide Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooke, Alison

This guide assists Internet users in searching for quality information sources available via the Internet and assessing the quality of materials. Chapter 1 provides an introduction and background to the concept of quality in relation to the information available via the Internet. Chapter 2 presents a guide to the different types of online search…

Abstraction of information in repository performance assessments. Examples from the SKI project Site-94

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

Dverstorp, B.; Andersson, J.

1995-12-01

Performance Assessment of a nuclear waste repository implies an analysis of a complex system with many interacting processes. Even if some of these processes may be known to large detail, problems arise when combining all information, and means of abstracting information from complex detailed models into models that couple different processes are needed. Clearly, one of the major objectives of performance assessment, to calculate doses or other performance indicators, implies an enormous abstraction of information compared to all information that is used as input. Other problems are that the knowledge of different parts or processes is strongly variable and adjustments,more » interpretations, are needed when combining models from different disciplines. In addition, people as well as computers, even today, always have a limited capacity to process information and choices have to be made. However, because abstraction of information clearly is unavoidable in performance assessment the validity of choices made, always need to be scrutinized and judgements made need to be updated in an iterative process.« less

Consortium for Atlantic Regional Assessment: information tools for community adaptation to changes in climate or land use.

PubMed

Dempsey, Rachael; Fisher, Ann

2005-12-01

To inform local and regional decisions about protecting short-term and long-term quality of life, the Consortium for Atlantic Regional Assessment (CARA) provides data and tools (for the northeastern United States) that can help decision makers understand how outcomes of their decisions could be affected by potential changes in both climate and land use. On an interactive, user-friendly website, CARA has amassed data on climate (historical records and future projections for seven global climate models), land cover, and socioeconomic and environmental variables, along with tools to help decision makers tailor the data for their own decision types and locations. CARA Advisory Council stakeholders help identify what information and tools stakeholders would find most useful and how to present these; they also provide in-depth feedback for subregion case studies. General lessons include: (1) decision makers want detailed local projections for periods short enough to account for extreme events, in contrast to the broader spatial and temporal observations and projections that are available or consistent at a regional level; (2) stakeholders will not use such a website unless it is visually appealing and easy to find the information they want; (3) some stakeholders need background while others want to go immediately to data, and some want maps while others want text or tables. This article also compares what has been learned across case studies of Cape May County, New Jersey, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Hampton Roads, Virginia, relating specifically to sea-level rise. Lessons include: (1) groups can be affected differently by physical dangers compared with economic dangers; (2) decisions will differ according to decision makers' preferences about waiting and risk tolerance; (3) future scenarios and maps can help assess the impacts of dangers to emergency evacuation routes, homes, and infrastructure, and the natural environment; (4) residents' and decision makers

Assessing the value of real-time snow and avalanche information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeidler, Antonia; Adams, Marc; Schuster, Martin; Berner, Martin; Nagy, Wilhelm

2017-04-01

This poster presentation shows first results from a pilot study on exploring the possibilities of using existing and new information and communication technologies (ICT) for snow and avalanche assessments. Today, ICT solutions allow the utilisation of information at a high spatiotemporal resolution, due to the widespread availability of internet access, high computing power and affordable mobile devices. Therefore, there is an increasing request for up to date information on snow and avalanche decision-making. However, there are challenges that need to be addressed from different view points. These include topics in the field of technological feasibility of providing a stable network, exchanging trustworthy information and motivation of experts to participate. This contribution discusses the lessons-learnt, from the establishment of a platform to the user-experience.

Learning by Doing: Developing a Baseline Information Literacy Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiel, Stephen; Burclaff, Natalie; Johnson, Catherine

2015-01-01

This paper details the design and implementation of an initial baseline assessment of information literacy skills at the University of Baltimore in Maryland. To provide practical advice and experience for a novice audience, the authors discuss how they approached the design and implementation of the study through the use of a rubric-based…

A statistical, task-based evaluation method for three-dimensional x-ray breast imaging systems using variable-background phantoms

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

Park, Subok; Jennings, Robert; Liu Haimo

Purpose: For the last few years, development and optimization of three-dimensional (3D) x-ray breast imaging systems, such as digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and computed tomography, have drawn much attention from the medical imaging community, either academia or industry. However, there is still much room for understanding how to best optimize and evaluate the devices over a large space of many different system parameters and geometries. Current evaluation methods, which work well for 2D systems, do not incorporate the depth information from the 3D imaging systems. Therefore, it is critical to develop a statistically sound evaluation method to investigate the usefulnessmore » of inclusion of depth and background-variability information into the assessment and optimization of the 3D systems. Methods: In this paper, we present a mathematical framework for a statistical assessment of planar and 3D x-ray breast imaging systems. Our method is based on statistical decision theory, in particular, making use of the ideal linear observer called the Hotelling observer. We also present a physical phantom that consists of spheres of different sizes and materials for producing an ensemble of randomly varying backgrounds to be imaged for a given patient class. Lastly, we demonstrate our evaluation method in comparing laboratory mammography and three-angle DBT systems for signal detection tasks using the phantom's projection data. We compare the variable phantom case to that of a phantom of the same dimensions filled with water, which we call the uniform phantom, based on the performance of the Hotelling observer as a function of signal size and intensity. Results: Detectability trends calculated using the variable and uniform phantom methods are different from each other for both mammography and DBT systems. Conclusions: Our results indicate that measuring the system's detection performance with consideration of background variability may lead to differences in system

Low background screening capability in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghag, Chamkaur

2015-08-01

Low background rare event searches in underground laboratories seeking observation of direct dark matter interactions or neutrino-less double beta decay have the potential to profoundly advance our understanding of the physical universe. Successful results from these experiments depend critically on construction from extremely radiologically clean materials and accurate knowledge of subsequent low levels of expected background. The experiments must conduct comprehensive screening campaigns to reduce radioactivity from detector components, and these measurements also inform detailed characterisation and quantification of background sources and their impact, necessary to assign statistical significance to any potential discovery. To provide requisite sensitivity for material screening and characterisation in the UK to support our rare event search activities, we have re-developed our infrastructure to add ultra-low background capability across a range of complementary techniques that collectively allow complete radioactivity measurements. Ultra-low background HPGe and BEGe detectors have been installed at the Boulby Underground Laboratory, itself undergoing substantial facility re-furbishment, to provide high sensitivity gamma spectroscopy in particular for measuring the uranium and thorium decay series products. Dedicated low-activity mass spectrometry instrumentation has been developed at UCL for part per trillion level contaminant identification to complement underground screening with direct U and Th measurements, and meet throughput demands. Finally, radon emanation screening at UCL measures radon background inaccessible to gamma or mass spectrometry techniques. With this new capability the UK is delivering half of the radioactivity screening for the LZ dark matter search experiment.

Evaluation of background parenchymal enhancement on breast MRI: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Signori, Alessio; Valdora, Francesca; Rossi, Federica; Calabrese, Massimo; Durando, Manuela; Mariscotto, Giovanna; Tagliafico, Alberto

2017-01-01

Objective: To perform a systematic review of the methods used for background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) evaluation on breast MRI. Methods: Studies dealing with BPE assessment on breast MRI were retrieved from major medical libraries independently by four reviewers up to 6 October 2015. The keywords used for database searching are “background parenchymal enhancement”, “parenchymal enhancement”, “MRI” and “breast”. The studies were included if qualitative and/or quantitative methods for BPE assessment were described. Results: Of the 420 studies identified, a total of 52 articles were included in the systematic review. 28 studies performed only a qualitative assessment of BPE, 13 studies performed only a quantitative assessment and 11 studies performed both qualitative and quantitative assessments. A wide heterogeneity was found in the MRI sequences and in the quantitative methods used for BPE assessment. Conclusion: A wide variability exists in the quantitative evaluation of BPE on breast MRI. More studies focused on a reliable and comparable method for quantitative BPE assessment are needed. Advances in knowledge: More studies focused on a quantitative BPE assessment are needed. PMID:27925480

NPEC Sourcebook on Assessment: Definitions and Assessment Methods for Communication, Leadership, Information Literacy, Quantitative Reasoning, and Quantitative Skills. NPEC 2005-0832

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Elizabeth A.; RiCharde, Stephen

2005-01-01

Faculty, instructional staff, and assessment professionals are interested in student outcomes assessment processes and tools that can be used to improve learning experiences and academic programs. How can students' skills be assessed effectively? What assessments measure skills in communication? Leadership? Information literacy? Quantitative…

Background Model for the Majorana Demonstrator

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

Cuesta, C.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, Estanislao

2015-06-01

The Majorana Collaboration is constructing a prototype system containing 40 kg of HPGe detectors to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of a future tonne-scale experiment to search for neutrinoless double-beta (0v BB) decay in 76Ge. In view of the requirement that the next generation of tonne-scale Ge-based 0vBB-decay experiment be capable of probing the neutrino mass scale in the inverted-hierarchy region, a major goal of theMajorana Demonstrator is to demonstrate a path forward to achieving a background rate at or below 1 cnt/(ROI-t-y) in the 4 keV region of interest around the Q-value at 2039 keV. This goal is pursuedmore » through a combination of a significant reduction of radioactive impurities in construction materials with analytical methods for background rejection, for example using powerful pulse shape analysis techniques profiting from the p-type point contact HPGe detectors technology. The effectiveness of these methods is assessed using Geant4 simulations of the different background components whose purity levels are constrained from radioassay measurements.« less

Comparison of assessment of personality disorder by patients and informants.

PubMed

Modestin, J; Puhan, A

2000-01-01

The present study evaluated the pathology of personality disorder in a group of 8 nonpatient volunteers and 32 psychiatric in- and outpatients, most of them suffering from substance abuse disorder. The patient self-reports were compared with the reports by 2 informants for each proband. All probands and informants completed the Structured Interview for DSM-III-R Axis II Personality Questionnaire. Patient self-reports and informant reports yielded the same number of diagnoses. The diagnostic agreement between the three sets of data was generally poor; however, the concordance was slightly better between both groups of informants than between patients and informants: Median kappa were 0.13 for patients versus parents, 0.14 for patients versus brothers/sisters and 0.29 for parents versus brothers/sisters. Patient and informant evaluations represent two different assessment approaches of the personality, and a complete agreement is not to be expected. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

76 FR 67182 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Background Checks...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-31

... Employees (Renewal) and Drug Testing for Contract Employees (Renewal) AGENCY: Environmental Protection...: EPA-HQ-OARM-2-11-0804, Drug Testing for Contractor Employees. Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center... provide qualified personnel that meet the background check and drug testing requirements developed by EPA...

Norming a VALUE rubric to assess graduate information literacy skills.

PubMed

Turbow, David J; Evener, Julie

2016-07-01

The study evaluated whether a modified version of the information literacy Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubric would be useful for assessing the information literacy skills of graduate health sciences students. Through facilitated calibration workshops, an interdepartmental six-person team of librarians and faculty engaged in guided discussion about the meaning of the rubric criteria. They applied the rubric to score student work for a peer-review essay assignment in the "Information Literacy for Evidence-Based Practice" course. To determine inter-rater reliability, the raters participated in a follow-up exercise in which they independently applied the rubric to ten samples of work from a research project in the doctor of physical therapy program: the patient case report assignment. For the peer-review essay, a high level of consistency in scoring was achieved for the second workshop, with statistically significant intra-class correlation coefficients above 0.8 for 3 criteria: "Determine the extent of evidence needed," "Use evidence effectively to accomplish a specific purpose," and "Access the needed evidence." Participants concurred that the essay prompt and rubric criteria adequately discriminated the quality of student work for the peer-review essay assignment. When raters independently scored the patient case report assignment, inter-rater agreement was low and statistically insignificant for all rubric criteria (kappa=-0.16, p>0.05-kappa=0.12, p>0.05). While the peer-review essay assignment lent itself well to rubric calibration, scorers had a difficult time with the patient case report. Lack of familiarity among some raters with the specifics of the patient case report assignment and subject matter might have accounted for low inter-rater reliability. When norming, it is important to hold conversations about search strategies and expectations of performance. Overall, the authors found the rubric to be appropriate for

Assessing Performance through Informal Techniques. Learning Package No. 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Carol; Smith, Carl, Comp.

Originally developed for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on assessing performance through informal techniques is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an overview on the topic;…

Gravitational-wave stochastic background from cosmic strings.

PubMed

Siemens, Xavier; Mandic, Vuk; Creighton, Jolien

2007-03-16

We consider the stochastic background of gravitational waves produced by a network of cosmic strings and assess their accessibility to current and planned gravitational wave detectors, as well as to big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), cosmic microwave background (CMB), and pulsar timing constraints. We find that current data from interferometric gravitational wave detectors, such as Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), are sensitive to areas of parameter space of cosmic string models complementary to those accessible to pulsar, BBN, and CMB bounds. Future more sensitive LIGO runs and interferometers such as Advanced LIGO and Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be able to explore substantial parts of the parameter space.

Practical tool to assess reliability of web-based medicines information.

PubMed

Lebanova, Hristina; Getov, Ilko; Grigorov, Evgeni

2014-02-01

Information disseminated by medicines information systems is not always easy to apply. Nowadays internet provides access to enormous volume and range of health information that was previously inaccessible both for medical specialists and consumers. The aim of this study is to assess internet as a source of drug and health related information and to create test methodology to evaluate the top 10 visited health-related web-sites in Bulgaria. Using existing scientific methodologies for evaluation of web sources, a new algorithm of three-step approach consisting of score-card validation of the drug-related information in the 10 most visited Bulgarian web-sites was created. In many cases the drug information in the internet sites contained errors and discrepancies. Some of the published materials were not validated; they were out-of-date and could cause confusion for consumers. The quality of the online health information is a cause for considerable information noise and threat to patients' safety and rational drug use. There is a need of monitoring the drugs information available online in order to prevent patient misinformation and confusion that could lead to medication errors and abuse.

Information theoretical assessment of image gathering and coding for digital restoration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huck, Friedrich O.; John, Sarah; Reichenbach, Stephen E.

1990-01-01

The process of image-gathering, coding, and restoration is presently treated in its entirety rather than as a catenation of isolated tasks, on the basis of the relationship between the spectral information density of a transmitted signal and the restorability of images from the signal. This 'information-theoretic' assessment accounts for the information density and efficiency of the acquired signal as a function of the image-gathering system's design and radiance-field statistics, as well as for the information efficiency and data compression that are obtainable through the combination of image gathering with coding to reduce signal redundancy. It is found that high information efficiency is achievable only through minimization of image-gathering degradation as well as signal redundancy.

Quantitative assessment of background parenchymal enhancement in breast magnetic resonance images predicts the risk of breast cancer.

PubMed

Hu, Xiaoxin; Jiang, Luan; Li, Qiang; Gu, Yajia

2017-02-07

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association betweenthe quantitative assessment of background parenchymal enhancement rate (BPER) and breast cancer. From 14,033 consecutive patients who underwent breast MRI in our center, we randomly selected 101 normal controls. Then, we selected 101 women with benign breast lesions and 101 women with breast cancer who were matched for age and menstruation status. We evaluated BPER at early (2 minutes), medium (4 minutes) and late (6 minutes) enhanced time phases of breast MRI for quantitative assessment. Odds ratios (ORs) for risk of breast cancer were calculated using the receiver operating curve. The BPER increased in a time-dependent manner after enhancement in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Premenopausal women had higher BPER than postmenopausal women at early, medium and late enhanced phases. In the normal population, the OR for probability of breast cancer for premenopausal women with high BPER was 4.1 (95% CI: 1.7-9.7) and 4.6 (95% CI: 1.7-12.0) for postmenopausal women. The OR of breast cancer morbidity in premenopausal women with high BPER was 2.6 (95% CI: 1.1-6.4) and 2.8 (95% CI: 1.2-6.1) for postmenopausal women. The BPER was found to be a predictive factor of breast cancer morbidity. Different time phases should be used to assess BPER in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

77 FR 10033 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Gender Assessment Surveys, OMB Control Number...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-21

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 7803] 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Gender... accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Title of Information Collection: Gender Assessment... request for a new information collection clearance will allow ECA/P/V, as part of the Gender Assessment...

Background Materials for Chairman's Workshop. 5th Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimble, Gregory A.

Information for newly appointed heads of graduate departments of psychology is presented as background material for the 1974 Chairman's Workshop. Topics include the following: the budgetary situation, pressures for increased teaching loads, effects upon recruiting faculty, faculty morale, graduate and undergraduate student morale, the intellectual…

Information Power: Use it or Loose it. Reflections on the Development and Use of a Statewide Assessment Information System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigelow, Robert A.

The Delaware Educational Assessment Program publishes annual results from the California Test of Basic Skills by district, school, and grade (1 through 8 and 11). A statewide computer information system was developed to manage the testing program, the massive 10-year longitudinal database, and the information requests received. The Delaware…

Ultra-Low Background Measurements Of Decayed Aerosol Filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miley, H.

2009-04-01

To experimentally evaluate the opportunity to apply ultra-low background measurement methods to samples collected, for instance, by the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty International Monitoring System (IMS), aerosol samples collected on filter media were measured using HPGe spectrometers of varying low-background technology approaches. In this way, realistic estimates of the impact of low-background methodology can be assessed on the Minimum Detectable Activities obtained in systems such as the IMS. The current measurement requirement of stations in the IMS is 30 microBq per cubic meter of air for 140Ba, or about 106 fissions per daily sample. Importantly, this is for a fresh aerosol filter. Decay varying form 3 days to one week reduce the intrinsic background from radon daughters in the sample. Computational estimates of the improvement factor for these decayed filters for underground-based HPGe in clean shielding materials are orders of magnitude less, even when the decay of the isotopes of interest is included.

49 CFR 1572.9 - Applicant information required for HME security threat assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

.... (13) Passport number. This information is voluntary and may expedite the adjudication process for... information is voluntary and may expedite the adjudication process for applicants who are U.S. citizens born... adjudication process for applicants who have completed a TSA security threat assessment. (16) Whether the...

Risk assessment vs. right to privacy: the access to health information on the insurance candidate through questionnaires and the right to privacy.

PubMed

Martins, Maria Inês de Oliveira

2013-03-01

The need of private insurers for information on the candidate's health risks is recognized by the law, which places pre-contractual duties of disclosure upon the candidates. When the risks are influenced by health factors, e.g. in the case of life- and health insurances, it implies the provision of health information by the candidates, who thus voluntarily limit their right to privacy. This consent, however, often happens in a context of factual coercion to contract. Next to this, from a legal standpoint, the collection of personal information must respond to the principle of proportionality. Against this background, this article assesses the compatibility of questionnaire techniques that rely on open-ended health related questions with the right to privacy, as protected by Portuguese and international law. It then analyses the extent of pre-contractual duties of disclosure as defined by the Portuguese Insurance Act, which requires the candidate to volunteer all the relevant information independently of being asked for it. In doing so, the article also refers to some other European countries. It concludes that the relevant Portuguese legislation is incompatible both with Portuguese constitutional law and with international law.

Why background colour matters to bees and flowers.

PubMed

Bukovac, Zoë; Shrestha, Mani; Garcia, Jair E; Burd, Martin; Dorin, Alan; Dyer, Adrian G

2017-05-01

Flowers are often viewed by bee pollinators against a variety of different backgrounds. On the Australian continent, backgrounds are very diverse and include surface examples of all major geological stages of the Earth's history, which have been present during the entire evolutionary period of Angiosperms. Flower signals in Australia are also representative of typical worldwide evolutionary spectral adaptations that enable successful pollination. We measured the spectral properties of 581 natural surfaces, including rocks, sand, green leaves, and dry plant materials, sampled from tropical Cairns through to the southern tip of mainland Australia. We modelled in a hexagon colour space, how interactions between background spectra and flower-like colour stimuli affect reliable discrimination and detection in bee pollinators. We calculated the extent to which a given locus would be conflated with the loci of a different flower-colour stimulus using empirically determined colour discrimination regions for bee vision. Our results reveal that whilst colour signals are robust in homogeneous background viewing conditions, there could be significant pressure on plant flowers to evolve saliently-different colours to overcome background spectral noise. We thus show that perceptual noise has a large influence on how colour information can be used in natural conditions.

Rapid humanitarian assessments and rationality: a value-of-information study from Iraq, 2003-04.

PubMed

Benini, Aldo; Conley, Charles

2007-03-01

Rapid assessments are one of the standard informational tools in humanitarian response and are supposed to contribute to rational decision-making.(1) The extent to which the assessment organisation itself behaves rationally, however, is an open question. This can be evaluated against multiple criteria, such as the cost and value of the information it collects and its ability to adapt flexibly design or samples when the survey environment changes unforeseeably. An unusual data constellation from two concurrent recent (2003-04) rapid assessments in northern Iraq permits us to model part of the actual assessment behaviour in terms of geographical, community and prior substantive information attributes. The model correctly predicts the decisions, in 79 per cent of the 2,425 local communities in focus, that data collector teams in the Emergency Mine Action Survey made to visit or not to visit. The analysis demonstrates variably rational behaviour under conditions of insecurity, repeated regrouping and incomplete sampling frames. A pronounced bias towards very small rural settlements is irrational for the overall results, but may be a rational strategy of individual survey workers seeking to prolong their employment. Implications for future assessments are sketched in the areas of tools for urban surveys, greater adaptability, including early feedback from users, and sensibility to value-of-information concepts.

US EPA's Ecological Risk Assessment Support Center ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

BackgroundThe ERASC provides technical information and addresses scientific questions of concern or interest on topics relevant to ecological risk assessment at hazardous waste sites for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) personnel and the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) staff. Requests are channeled to ERASC through the Ecological Risk Assessment Forum (ERAF). To assess emerging and complex scientific issues that require expert judgment, the ERASC relies on the expertise of scientists and engineers located throughout EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) labs and centers.ResponseERASC develops responses that reflect the state of the science for ecological risk assessment and also provides a communication point for the distribution of the responses to other interested parties. For further information, contact Ecology_ERASC@epa.gov or call 513-569-7940.

A multilingual assessment of melanoma information quality on the Internet.

PubMed

Bari, Lilla; Kemeny, Lajos; Bari, Ferenc

2014-06-01

This study aims to assess and compare melanoma information quality in Hungarian, Czech, and German languages on the Internet. We used country-specific Google search engines to retrieve the first 25 uniform resource locators (URLs) by searching the word "melanoma" in the given language. Using the automated toolbar of Health On the Net Foundation (HON), we assessed each Web site for HON certification based on the Health On the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (HONcode). Information quality was determined using a 35-point checklist created by Bichakjian et al. (J Clin Oncol 20:134-141, 2002), with the NCCN melanoma guideline as control. After excluding duplicate and link-only pages, a total of 24 Hungarian, 18 Czech, and 21 German melanoma Web sites were evaluated and rated. The amount of HON certified Web sites was the highest among the German Web pages (19%). One of the retrieved Hungarian and none of the Czech Web sites were HON certified. We found the highest number of Web sites containing comprehensive, correct melanoma information in German language, followed by Czech and Hungarian pages. Although the majority of the Web sites lacked data about incidence, risk factors, prevention, treatment, work-up, and follow-up, at least one comprehensive, high-quality Web site was found in each language. Several Web sites contained incorrect information in each language. While a small amount of comprehensive, quality melanoma-related Web sites was found, most of the retrieved Web content lacked basic disease information, such as risk factors, prevention, and treatment. A significant number of Web sites contained malinformation. In case of melanoma, primary and secondary preventions are of especially high importance; therefore, the improvement of disease information quality available on the Internet is necessary.

76 FR 56809 - Proposed Assessment of Annual Needs for the List I Chemicals Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-14

.... SUMMARY: This notice proposes the initial year 2012 assessment of annual needs for certain List I... INFORMATION CONTACT paragraph. Background The proposed 2012 assessment of annual needs represents those... assessment of annual needs for ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine, DEA has taken into...

Detecting the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colacino, Carlo Nicola

2017-12-01

The stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB) is by far the most difficult source of gravitational radiation detect. At the same time, it is the most interesting and intriguing one. This book describes the initial detection of the SGWB and describes the underlying mathematics behind one of the most amazing discoveries of the 21st century. On the experimental side it would mean that interferometric gravitational wave detectors work even better than expected. On the observational side, such a detection could give us information about the very early Universe, information that could not be obtained otherwise. Even negative results and improved upper bounds could put constraints on many cosmological and particle physics models.

Diffuse neutrino supernova background as a cosmological test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barranco, J.; Bernal, A.; Delepine, D.

2018-05-01

The future detection and measurement of the diffuse neutrino supernova background will provide us with information about supernova neutrino emission and the cosmic core-collapse supernova rate. Little has been said about the information that this measurement could give us about the expansion history of the Universe. The purpose of this article is to study the change of the predicted diffuse supernova neutrino background as a function of the cosmological model. In particular, we study three different models: the Λ–Cold Dark Matter model, the Logotropic universe and a bulk viscous matter-dominated universe. By fitting the free parameters of each model with the supernova Ia probe, we calculate the predicted number of events in these three models. We found that the spectra and number of events for the Λ–Cold dark matter model and the Logotropic model are almost indistinguishable, while a bulk viscous matter-dominated cosmological model predicts more events.

A Framework for General Education Assessment: Assessing Information Literacy and Quantitative Literacy with ePortfolios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubert, David A.; Lewis, Kati J.

2014-01-01

This essay presents the findings of an authentic and holistic assessment, using a random sample of one hundred student General Education ePortfolios, of two of Salt Lake Community College's (SLCC) college-wide learning outcomes: quantitative literacy (QL) and information literacy (IL). Performed by four faculty from biology, humanities, and…

Adult Literacy Information and Evaluation System (ALIES): Background, Status and Future Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Jacqueline; And Others

This document describes the Adult Literacy Information and Evaluation System (ALIES), which is the management information system for New York City's citywide adult education program expansion effort begun in 1984. Chapter 1 describes the organization's creation in order to provide timely and reliable information to funders about the effects of the…

Using Mutual Information for Adaptive Item Comparison and Student Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chao-Lin

2005-01-01

The author analyzes properties of mutual information between dichotomous concepts and test items. The properties generalize some common intuitions about item comparison, and provide principled foundations for designing item-selection heuristics for student assessment in computer-assisted educational systems. The proposed item-selection strategies…

Information visualization courses for students with a computer science background.

PubMed

Kerren, Andreas

2013-01-01

Linnaeus University offers two master's courses in information visualization for computer science students with programming experience. This article briefly describes the syllabi, exercises, and practices developed for these courses.

Information Literacy and Adult Learners: Using Authentic Assessment to Determine Skill Gaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapchak, Marcia E.; Lewis, Leslie A.; Motyka, Julie K.; Balmert, Margaret

2015-01-01

Information literacy (IL) skills are essential for adult learners in higher education, especially those unfamiliar with information systems. Citing a lack of literature assessing such skills in adult learners, this article examines the IL abilities of adult learners in an IL course. Using a rubric and annotated bibliographies from study…

Conducting a user-centered information needs assessment: the Via Christi Libraries' experience*

PubMed Central

Perley, Cathy M.; Gentry, Camillia A.; Fleming, A. Sue; Sen, Kristin M.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The research sought to provide evidence to support the development of a long-term strategy for the Via Christi Regional Medical Center Libraries. Methods: An information needs assessment was conducted in a large medical center serving approximately 5,900 physicians, clinicians, and nonclinical staff in 4 sites in 1 Midwestern city. Quantitative and qualitative data from 1,295 self-reporting surveys, 75 telephone interviews, and 2 focus groups were collected and analyzed to address 2 questions: how could the libraries best serve their patrons, given realistic limitations on time, resources, and personnel, and how could the libraries best help their institution improve patient care and outcomes? Results: Clinicians emphasized the need for “just in time” information accessible at the point of care. Library nonusers emphasized the need to market library services and resources. Both clinical and nonclinical respondents emphasized the need for information services customized to their professional information needs, preferences, and patterns of use. Specific information needs in the organization were identified. Discussion/Conclusions: The results of this three-part, user-centered information needs assessment were used to develop an evidence-based strategic plan. The findings confirmed the importance of promoting library services in the organization and suggested expanded, collaborative roles for hospital librarians. PMID:17443250

Conducting a user-centered information needs assessment: the Via Christi Libraries' experience.

PubMed

Perley, Cathy M; Gentry, Camillia A; Fleming, A Sue; Sen, Kristin M

2007-04-01

The research sought to provide evidence to support the development of a long-term strategy for the Via Christi Regional Medical Center Libraries. An information needs assessment was conducted in a large medical center serving approximately 5,900 physicians, clinicians, and nonclinical staff in 4 sites in 1 Midwestern city. Quantitative and qualitative data from 1,295 self-reporting surveys, 75 telephone interviews, and 2 focus groups were collected and analyzed to address 2 questions: how could the libraries best serve their patrons, given realistic limitations on time, resources, and personnel, and how could the libraries best help their institution improve patient care and outcomes? Clinicians emphasized the need for "just in time" information accessible at the point of care. Library nonusers emphasized the need to market library services and resources. Both clinical and nonclinical respondents emphasized the need for information services customized to their professional information needs, preferences, and patterns of use. Specific information needs in the organization were identified. The results of this three-part, user-centered information needs assessment were used to develop an evidence-based strategic plan. The findings confirmed the importance of promoting library services in the organization and suggested expanded, collaborative roles for hospital librarians.

Informative value of Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) in Health Technology Assessment (HTA)

PubMed Central

Brettschneider, Christian; Lühmann, Dagmar; Raspe, Heiner

2011-01-01

Background “Patient-Reported Outcome” (PRO) is used as an umbrella term for different concepts for measuring subjectively perceived health status e. g. as treatment effects. Their common characteristic is, that the appraisal of the health status is reported by the patient himself. In order to describe the informative value of PRO in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) first an overview of concepts, classifications and methods of measurement is given. The overview is complemented by an empirical analysis of clinical trials and HTA-reports on rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer in order to report on type, frequency and consequences of PRO used in these documents. Methods For both issues systematic reviews of the literature have been performed. The search for methodological literature covers the publication period from 1990 to 2009, the search for clinical trials of rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer covers the period 2005 to 2009. Both searches were performed in the medical databases of the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI). The search for HTA-reports and methodological papers of HTA-agencies was performed in the CRD-Databases (CRD = Centre for Reviews and Dissemination) and by handsearching the websites of INAHTA member agencies (INAHTA = International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment). For all issues specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined. The methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCT) was assessed by a modified version of the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. For the methodological part information extraction from the literature is structured by the report’s chapters, for the empirical part data extraction sheets were constructed. All information is summarized in a qualitative manner. Results Concerning the methodological issues the literature search retrieved 158 documents (87 documents related to definition or classification, 125 documents related to operationalisation of

Watershed-scale assessment of background concentrations and guidance values for heavy metals in soils from a semiarid and coastal zone of Brazil.

PubMed

da Silva, Yuri Jacques Agra Bezerra; do Nascimento, Clístenes Williams Araújo; Cantalice, José Ramon Barros; da Silva, Ygor Jacques Agra Bezerra; Cruz, Cinthia Maria Cordeiro Atanázio

2015-09-01

Determining heavy metal background concentrations in soils is fundamental in order to support the monitoring of potentially contaminated areas. This is particularly important to areas submitted to high environmental impact where an intensive and local monitoring is required. To this end, the aim of this study was to establish background concentrations and quality reference values (QRVs) for the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, As, and Hg in an environmentally impacted watershed from Brazil. Geochemical associations among Fe, Mn, and trace elements were also assessed to provide an alternative tool for establishing background concentrations. A total of one hundred and four samples comprised twenty-six composite soil samples from areas of native forest or minimal anthropic influence. Samples were digested (USEPA method 3051A), and the metals were determined by ICP-OES, except for As and Hg measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Background concentrations of heavy metals in soils had the following decreasing order: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cu > As > Cd > Hg. These values were usually lower than those observed in the international and national literature. The QRVs for Ipojuca watershed followed the order (mg kg(-1)) Fe (13,020.40) > Mn (91.80) > Zn (30.12) > Cr (15.00) > Pb (13.12) > Cu (3.53) > Ni (3.30) > As (0.51) > Cd (0.08) > Hg (0.04). Significant correlation among Fe, Mn, and heavy metals shows that solubilization by the method 3051A provides a reasonable estimate for predicting background concentrations for Cd, Cr, and Cu as well as Zn, Cr, Cu, and Ni.

Fuzzy assessment of health information system users' security awareness.

PubMed

Aydın, Özlem Müge; Chouseinoglou, Oumout

2013-12-01

Health information systems (HIS) are a specific area of information systems (IS), where critical patient data is stored and quality health service is only realized with the correct use and efficient dissemination of this data to health workers. Therefore, a balance needs to be established between the levels of security and flow of information on HIS. Instead of implementing higher levels and further mechanisms of control to increase the security of HIS, it is preferable to deal with the arguably weakest link on HIS chain with respect to security: HIS users. In order to provide solutions and approaches for transforming users to the first line of defense in HIS but also to employ capable and appropriate candidates from the pool of newly graduated students, it is important to assess and evaluate the security awareness levels and characteristics of these existing and future users. This study aims to provide a new perspective to understand the phenomenon of security awareness of HIS users with the use of fuzzy analysis, and to assess the present situation of current and future HIS users of a leading medical and educational institution of Turkey, with respect to their security characteristics based on four different security scales. The results of the fuzzy analysis, the guide on how to implement this fuzzy analysis to any health institution and how to read and interpret these results, together with the possible implications of these results to the organization are provided.

Assessing Information Literacy Skills Development in First Year Students: A Multi-Year Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fain, Margaret

2011-01-01

Assessment data from 5 years of a pretest/posttest with first-year students was analyzed using McNemar's test. The results show that revisiting previous assessment data can identify significant changes in information literacy skill development.

Assessment of Fine-Motor Development of Primary Students with Informal Medical Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Traynelis-Yurek, Elaine; Strong, Mary W.

This study examined whether informal medical assessments could be used by classroom teachers to assess fine-motor ability and if there is any connection between fine-motor ability and reading achievement. Subjects were 174 half-day kindergarten children from whole-language classrooms in three states. Subjects were pretested in October and…

[Are German information materials on colorectal cancer screening understandable or do they fail? Rating of health information by users with different educational backgrounds].

PubMed

Seidel, G; Münch, I; Dreier, M; Borutta, B; Walter, U; Dierks, M-L

2014-03-01

Evidence-based patient information is an essential part of decision making in health issues. A qualitative study was conducted to examine whether consumers consider the health information on colorectal cancer screening in Germany helpful in supporting their decision making. In this study, eight texts from different German authors about colorectal cancer screening were evaluated with a criteria-based selection. The texts were tested for understandability, structure, design, and effect on readers. Thirteen semi-structured focus groups were formed including 59 higher-educated and 15 lower-educated testers, 46 % of them being male with a mean age of 62.9 years. The transcripts were analyzed by content-analytic assessment. The testers provided detailed comments on the content and design of the texts. They revealed inaccuracies and suggested improvements of the texts. The testers differed from each other in terms of the intensity of their participation in the discussions and comprehension of the material. The reception of the flyers and brochures varied according to the educational level of the testers. Lower-educated testers often skipped passages of texts about risks as well as passages containing numbers and graphics. The texts had different effects on the testers, regardless of the level of education. If adverse effects were presented, some testers became scared while others were reassured because they felt informed. Most of the testers appreciated a call for participation as a central message of the text. Sometimes, if there was no clear appeal to attend the screening, the testers even asked for it. The recently introduced political strategy of promoting an informed choice is applied to an unprepared population who was used to getting a clear yes-or-no recommendation. Thus, at first, the population has to learn how to make an informed choice. This topic must be addressed and taken into account in the process of developing health information. Since this is not

Issues and progress in determining background ozone and particle concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinto, J. P.

2011-12-01

Exposure to ambient ozone is associated with a variety of health outcomes ranging from mild breathing discomfort to mortality. For the purpose of health risk and policy assessments EPA evaluates the anthropogenic increase in ozone above background concentrations and has defined the North American (NA) background concentration of O3 as that which would occur in the U.S. in the absence of anthropogenic emissions of precursors in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Monthly average NA background ozone has been used to evaluate health risks, but EPA and state air quality managers must also estimate day specific ozone background levels for high ozone episodes as part of urban scale photochemical modeling efforts to support ozone regulatory programs. The background concentration of O3 is of more concern than other air pollutants because it typically represents a much larger fraction of observed O3 than do the backgrounds of other criteria pollutants (particulate matter (PM), CO, NO2, SO2). NA background cannot be determined directly from ambient monitoring data because of the influence of NA precursor emissions on formation of ozone within NA. Instead, estimates of NA background O3 have been based on GEOS-Chem using simulations in which NA anthropogenic precursor emissions are zeroed out. Thus, modeled NA background O3 includes contributions from natural sources of precursors (including CH4, NMVOCs, NOx, and CO) everywhere in the world, anthropogenic sources of precursors outside of NA, and downward transport of O3 from the stratosphere. Although monitoring data cannot determine NA background directly, measurements by satellites, aircraft, ozonesondes and surface monitors have proved to be highly useful for identifying sources of background O3 and for evaluating the performance of the GEOS-Chem model. Model simulated NA background concentrations are strong functions of location and season with large inter-day variability and with values increasing with elevation and higher in

Assessment of vaccination-related information for consumers available on Facebook.

PubMed

Buchanan, Rachel; Beckett, Robert D

2014-09-01

To assess the magnitude, interest, purpose and validity of vaccination-related information on Facebook and to determine whether information varies by site viewpoint. The 10 largest vaccination-focused Facebook pages, groups and places in each category were identified and classified by viewpoint (i.e. anti-, pro-, neutral) and purpose. Number of members, posts per week, likes, comments and shares per post were recorded. Posts were assessed for concordance with CDC and FDA recommendations. Of 30 sites, 43% (n = 13) were anti-vaccination, 7% (n = 2) neutral and 50% (n = 15) pro-vaccination. Most sites were most popular with American users. Median members were similar between anti-vaccination (2703 members, range 337-33 631 members) and pro-vaccination sites (2142 members, range 456-61,565 members, P = 0.262); however, anti-vaccination sites accumulated more posts per week by authors (median 15 vs. 3, P = 0.031) and members (median 33 vs. 1, P < 0.001). Pro-vaccination sites more commonly had commercial purpose (53% [n = 8] vs. 8% [n = 1], P = 0.02). Anti-vaccination sites more commonly gave medical advice (54% [n = 7] vs. 0%, P = 0.004). Overall, 48% (n = 22) of author posts were concordant with regulatory recommendations; concordance was more common on pro-vaccination sites (78% [n = 21] vs. 5% [n = 1], P = 0.0002). Vaccination-related information is prevalent on Facebook regardless of viewpoint; however, anti-vaccination information generates more interest. Anti-vaccination sites were likely to provide medical advice and disagree with regulatory bodies. © 2014 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2014 Health Libraries Group.

[Maintenance treatment in opioid-dependent patients with migration background].

PubMed

Bald, L K; Schouler-Ocak, M; Penka, S; Schoofs, N; Häbel, T; Bermpohl, F; Gutwinski, S

2016-05-01

No regional analyses regarding opioid-dependent patients in maintenance treatment with a migration background have so far been performed in German-speaking countries. This study examined patients with and without a migration background regarding socioeconomic parameters, characteristics of dependency and attitude towards opiate maintenance treatment (OMT). From May to October 2011 patients in OMT from all of the 20 psychiatry clinics and 110 physician practices in Berlin with a licence to provide OMT were included in this analysis. Out of the 986 participating patients, 956 gave information on migration background and of these, 204 (21.3 %) originated from a country other than Germany. Compared to patients without a migration background, their participation in a maintenance program was significantly shorter and they more often expressed a desire to end OMT and wanted a limited duration of OMT. The differences regarding duration of OMT and the wish to end OMT can reflect a stronger desire for abstinence and a different attitude towards maintenance treatment of patients with a migration background.

Background characterization of an ultra-low background liquid scintillation counter

DOE PAGES

Erchinger, J. L.; Orrell, John L.; Aalseth, C. E.; ...

2017-01-26

The Ultra-Low Background Liquid Scintillation Counter developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will expand the application of liquid scintillation counting by enabling lower detection limits and smaller sample volumes. By reducing the overall count rate of the background environment approximately 2 orders of magnitude below that of commercially available systems, backgrounds on the order of tens of counts per day over an energy range of ~3–3600 keV can be realized. Finally, initial test results of the ULB LSC show promising results for ultra-low background detection with liquid scintillation counting.

Communication and Research Skills in the Information Systems Curriculum: A Method of Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarony, Paul J.; Driscoll, Donna A.

2010-01-01

Assessment of learning goals has become the norm in business programs in higher education across the country. This paper offers a methodology for the assessment of both communication skills and research skills within a curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Program. Program level learning goals assessed in this paper are: (1)…

The Effect of Informational Characteristics and Faculty Knowledge and Beliefs on the Use of Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonson, Jessica L.; Thompson, Robert J., Jr.; Guetterman, Timothy C.; Mitchell, Nancy

2017-01-01

Increasing the use of learning outcome assessments to inform educational decisions is a major challenge in higher education. For this study we used a sense-making theoretical perspective to guide an analysis of the relationship of information characteristics and faculty assessment knowledge and beliefs with the use of general education assessment…

Perspectives on the Application of Mechanistic Information in Chemical Hazard and Dose-Response Assessments

EPA Science Inventory

This overview summarizes several EPA Assessment publications reviewing approaches for applying mechanistic information in human health risk assessment and exploring opportunities for progress in this area.

Assessing Readability and Reliability of Online Patient Information Regarding Vestibular Schwannoma.

PubMed

Spiers, Harry; Amin, Nikul; Lakhani, Raj; Martin, Andrew J; Patel, Parag M

2017-12-01

The aim of this study is to objectively assess the quality and readability of websites related to vestibular schwannomas. Patients are increasingly seeking information on confirmed or suspected diagnoses through the Internet. Clinicians are often concerned regarding the accuracy, quality, and readability of web-based sites. Online information relating to vestibular schwannoma was searched using the three most popular search engines. The terms "acoustic neuroma" and "vestibular schwannoma" were used. The top 50 results from each site were assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, and the Gunning-Fog Index. Quality of website information was scored using the DISCERN tool. Of 300 search results analyzed, 58 separate appropriate websites were identified. The mean readability score using Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level was 10.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.84-10.70). The mean Flesch Reading Ease Score was 48.75 (95% CI 46.57-50.92). The Gunning-Fog Index was 13.40 (95% CI 12.92-13.89). These scores equate to someone finishing secondary school/first year university student. DISCERN scores were highly variable but consistently demonstrated great variability in quality of information. Online patient information on vestibular schwannoma is highly variable in quality. Although there are a wide range of different websites easily available to patients on their condition and its treatment options, the information is written at a difficult level which may exceed the understanding level of many patients as it is written at a higher than average level of expected reading ability.

Probabilistic Climate Scenario Information for Risk Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dairaku, K.; Ueno, G.; Takayabu, I.

2014-12-01

Climate information and services for Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (IAV) Assessments are of great concern. In order to develop probabilistic regional climate information that represents the uncertainty in climate scenario experiments in Japan, we compared the physics ensemble experiments using the 60km global atmospheric model of the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI-AGCM) with multi-model ensemble experiments with global atmospheric-ocean coupled models (CMIP3) of SRES A1b scenario experiments. The MRI-AGCM shows relatively good skills particularly in tropics for temperature and geopotential height. Variability in surface air temperature of physical ensemble experiments with MRI-AGCM was within the range of one standard deviation of the CMIP3 model in the Asia region. On the other hand, the variability of precipitation was relatively well represented compared with the variation of the CMIP3 models. Models which show the similar reproducibility in the present climate shows different future climate change. We couldn't find clear relationships between present climate and future climate change in temperature and precipitation. We develop a new method to produce probabilistic information of climate change scenarios by weighting model ensemble experiments based on a regression model (Krishnamurti et al., Science, 1999). The method can be easily applicable to other regions and other physical quantities, and also to downscale to finer-scale dependent on availability of observation dataset. The prototype of probabilistic information in Japan represents the quantified structural uncertainties of multi-model ensemble experiments of climate change scenarios. Acknowledgments: This study was supported by the SOUSEI Program, funded by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Government of Japan.

The Atrial Fibrillation Health Literacy Information Technology System: Pilot Assessment

PubMed Central

Magnani, Jared W; Schlusser, Courtney L; Kimani, Everlyne; Rollman, Bruce L; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K; Bickmore, Timothy W

2017-01-01

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a highly prevalent heart rhythm condition that has significant associated morbidity and requires chronic treatment. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have the potential to enhance multiple aspects of AF care, including education, monitoring of symptoms, and encouraging and tracking medication adherence. We have previously implemented and tested relational agents to improve outcomes in chronic disease and sought to develop a smartphone-based relational agent for improving patient-centered outcomes in AF. Objective The objective of this study was to pilot a smartphone-based relational agent as preparation for a randomized clinical trial, the Atrial Fibrillation Health Literacy Information Technology Trial (AF-LITT). Methods We developed the relational agent for use by a smartphone consistent with our prior approaches. We programmed the relational agent as a computer-animated agent to simulate a face-to-face conversation and to serve as a health counselor or coach specific to AF. Relational agent’s dialogue content, informed by a review of literature, focused on patient-centered domains and qualitative interviews with patients with AF, encompassed AF education, common symptoms, adherence challenges, and patient activation. We established that the content was accessible to individuals with limited health or computer literacy. Relational agent content coordinated with use of the smartphone AliveCor Kardia heart rate and rhythm monitor. Participants (N=31) were recruited as a convenience cohort from ambulatory clinical sites and instructed to use the relational agent and Kardia for 30 days. We collected demographic, social, and clinical characteristics and conducted baseline and 30-day assessments of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of life (AFEQT) measure; self-reported medication adherence with the Morisky 8-item Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8); and patient activation

Verification and Trust: Background Investigations Preceding Faculty Appointment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academe, 2004

2004-01-01

Many employers in the United States have been initiating or expanding policies requiring background checks of prospective employees. The ability to perform such checks has been abetted by the growth of computerized databases and of commercial enterprises that facilitate access to personal information. Employers now have ready access to public…

Economics of immunization information systems in the United States: assessing costs and efficiency

PubMed Central

Bartlett, Diana L; Molinari, Noelle-Angelique M; Ortega-Sanchez, Ismael R; Urquhart, Gary A

2006-01-01

Background One of the United States' national health objectives for 2010 is that 95% of children aged <6 years participate in fully operational population-based immunization information systems (IIS). Despite important progress, child participation in most IIS has increased slowly, in part due to limited economic knowledge about IIS operations. Should IIS need further improvement, characterizing costs and identifying factors that affect IIS efficiency become crucial. Methods Data were collected from a national sampling frame of the 56 states/cities that received federal immunization grants under U.S. Public Health Service Act 317b and completed the federal 1999 Immunization Registry Annual Report. The sampling frame was stratified by IIS functional status, children's enrollment in the IIS, and whether the IIS had been developed as an independent system or was integrated into a larger system. These sites self-reported IIS developmental and operational program costs for calendar years 1998–2002 using a standardized data collection tool and underwent on-site interviews to verify reported data with information from the state/city financial management system and other financial records. A parametric cost-per-patient-record (CPR) model was estimated. The model assessed the impact of labor and non-labor resources used in development and operations tasks, as well as the impact of information technology, local providers' participation and compliance with federal IIS performance standards (e.g., ensuring the confidentiality and security of information, ensure timely vaccination data at the time of patient encounter, and produce official immunization records). Given the number of records minimizing CPR, the additional amount of resources needed to meet national health goals for the year 2010 was also calculated. Results Estimated CPR was as high as $10.30 and as low as $0.09 in operating IIS. About 20% of IIS had between 2.9 to 3.2 million records and showed CPR estimates

Self-Assessment and Development Planning for Adult and Community Learning Providers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenway, Mike; Reisenberger, Anna

This document is designed to help adult and community learning (ACL) services across the United Kingdom complete the annual self-assessment reports (SARs). The guide begins with background information on the purposes of self-assessment, the new context of ACL and the elements and format of the new SARs. The remaining four sections examine the…

Feasibility and Performance Test of a Real-Time Sensor-Informed Context-Sensitive Ecological Momentary Assessment to Capture Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Dzubur, Eldin; Intille, Stephen

2016-01-01

Background Objective physical activity monitors (eg, accelerometers) have high rates of nonwear and do not provide contextual information about behavior. Objective This study tested performance and value of a mobile phone app that combined objective and real-time self-report methods to measure physical activity using sensor-informed context-sensitive ecological momentary assessment (CS-EMA). Methods The app was programmed to prompt CS-EMA surveys immediately after 3 types of events detected by the mobile phone’s built-in motion sensor: (1) Activity (ie, mobile phone movement), (2) No-Activity (ie, mobile phone nonmovement), and (3) No-Data (ie, mobile phone or app powered off). In addition, the app triggered random (ie, signal-contingent) ecological momentary assessment (R-EMA) prompts (up to 7 per day). A sample of 39 ethnically diverse high school students in the United States (aged 14-18, 54% female) tested the app over 14 continuous days during nonschool time. Both CS-EMA and R-EMA prompts assessed activity type (eg, reading or doing homework, eating or drinking, sports or exercising) and contextual characteristics of the activity (eg, location, social company, purpose). Activity was also measured with a waist-worn Actigraph accelerometer. Results The average CS-EMA + R-EMA prompt compliance and survey completion rates were 80.5% and 98.5%, respectively. More moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was recorded by the waist-worn accelerometer in the 30 minutes before CS-EMA activity prompts (M=5.84 minutes) than CS-EMA No-Activity (M=1.11 minutes) and CS-EMA No-Data (M=0.76 minute) prompts (P’s<.001). Participants were almost 5 times as likely to report going somewhere (ie, active or motorized transit) in the 30 minutes before CS-EMA Activity than R-EMA prompts (odds ratio=4.91, 95% confidence interval=2.16-11.12). Conclusions Mobile phone apps using motion sensor–informed CS-EMA are acceptable among high school students and may be used to

Environmental Information Document: L-reactor reactivation

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

Mackey, H.E. Jr.

1982-04-01

Purpose of this Environmental Information Document is to provide background for assessing environmental impacts associated with the renovation, restartup, and operation of L Reactor at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). SRP is a major US Department of Energy installation for the production of nuclear materials for national defense. The purpose of the restart of L Reactor is to increase the production of nuclear weapons materials, such as plutonium and tritium, to meet projected needs in the nuclear weapons program.

78 FR 42755 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Natural Resource Damage Assessment Restoration...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-17

... Collection; Comment Request; Natural Resource Damage Assessment Restoration Project Information Sheet AGENCY... collection. The purpose of this information collection is to assist state and federal Natural Resource Trustees in more efficiently carrying out the restoration planning phase of Natural Resource Damage...

76 FR 23971 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Competitive Enhancement Needs Assessment Survey...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-29

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of Industry and Security Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Competitive Enhancement Needs Assessment Survey Program AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security... their abilities to meet defense program needs. The information collected from voluntary surveys will be...

Norming a VALUE rubric to assess graduate information literacy skills

PubMed Central

Turbow, David J.; Evener, Julie

2016-01-01

Objective The study evaluated whether a modified version of the information literacy Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubric would be useful for assessing the information literacy skills of graduate health sciences students. Methods Through facilitated calibration workshops, an interdepartmental six-person team of librarians and faculty engaged in guided discussion about the meaning of the rubric criteria. They applied the rubric to score student work for a peer-review essay assignment in the “Information Literacy for Evidence-Based Practice” course. To determine inter-rater reliability, the raters participated in a follow-up exercise in which they independently applied the rubric to ten samples of work from a research project in the doctor of physical therapy program: the patient case report assignment. Results For the peer-review essay, a high level of consistency in scoring was achieved for the second workshop, with statistically significant intra-class correlation coefficients above 0.8 for 3 criteria: “Determine the extent of evidence needed,” “Use evidence effectively to accomplish a specific purpose,” and “Access the needed evidence.” Participants concurred that the essay prompt and rubric criteria adequately discriminated the quality of student work for the peer-review essay assignment. When raters independently scored the patient case report assignment, inter-rater agreement was low and statistically insignificant for all rubric criteria (kappa=−0.16, p>0.05–kappa=0.12, p>0.05). Conclusions While the peer-review essay assignment lent itself well to rubric calibration, scorers had a difficult time with the patient case report. Lack of familiarity among some raters with the specifics of the patient case report assignment and subject matter might have accounted for low inter-rater reliability. When norming, it is important to hold conversations about search strategies and expectations of performance. Overall

Validity of Assessment and Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Achievements in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaminskiene, Lina; Stasiunaitiene, Egle

2013-01-01

The article identifies the validity of assessment of non-formal and informal learning achievements (NILA) as one of the key factors for encouraging further development of the process of assessing and recognising non-formal and informal learning achievements in higher education. The authors analyse why the recognition of non-formal and informal…

Quantum noise properties of CT images with anatomical textured backgrounds across reconstruction algorithms: FBP and SAFIRE

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

Solomon, Justin, E-mail: justin.solomon@duke.edu; Samei, Ehsan

2014-09-15

Purpose: Quantum noise properties of CT images are generally assessed using simple geometric phantoms with uniform backgrounds. Such phantoms may be inadequate when assessing nonlinear reconstruction or postprocessing algorithms. The purpose of this study was to design anatomically informed textured phantoms and use the phantoms to assess quantum noise properties across two clinically available reconstruction algorithms, filtered back projection (FBP) and sinogram affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE). Methods: Two phantoms were designed to represent lung and soft-tissue textures. The lung phantom included intricate vessel-like structures along with embedded nodules (spherical, lobulated, and spiculated). The soft tissue phantom was designed based onmore » a three-dimensional clustered lumpy background with included low-contrast lesions (spherical and anthropomorphic). The phantoms were built using rapid prototyping (3D printing) technology and, along with a uniform phantom of similar size, were imaged on a Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash CT scanner and reconstructed with FBP and SAFIRE. Fifty repeated acquisitions were acquired for each background type and noise was assessed by estimating pixel-value statistics, such as standard deviation (i.e., noise magnitude), autocorrelation, and noise power spectrum. Noise stationarity was also assessed by examining the spatial distribution of noise magnitude. The noise properties were compared across background types and between the two reconstruction algorithms. Results: In FBP and SAFIRE images, noise was globally nonstationary for all phantoms. In FBP images of all phantoms, and in SAFIRE images of the uniform phantom, noise appeared to be locally stationary (within a reasonably small region of interest). Noise was locally nonstationary in SAFIRE images of the textured phantoms with edge pixels showing higher noise magnitude compared to pixels in more homogenous regions. For pixels in uniform regions, noise

75 FR 21592 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Natural Resource Damage Assessment Restoration...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

... Collection; Comment Request; Natural Resource Damage Assessment Restoration Project Information Sheet AGENCY... federal Natural Resource Trustees in more efficiently carrying out the restoration planning phase of Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDA), in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of...

What Do Teachers Need? An Exploration of Evidence-Informed Practice for Classroom Assessment in Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Amanda; Klinger, Don A.; McAdie, Patricia

2017-01-01

Background: Within the realm of public education, there is a well-known "knowledge to practice gap" on current conceptions of classroom assessment. A collaborative research project undertaken by the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and a research team at Queen's University explored the roots of this gap from the…

Optical polarization: background and camouflage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Škerlind, Christina; Hallberg, Tomas; Eriksson, Johan; Kariis, Hans; Bergström, David

2017-10-01

Polarimetric imaging sensors in the electro-optical region, already military and commercially available in both the visual and infrared, show enhanced capabilities for advanced target detection and recognition. The capabilities arise due to the ability to discriminate between man-made and natural background surfaces using the polarization information of light. In the development of materials for signature management in the visible and infrared wavelength regions, different criteria need to be met to fulfil the requirements for a good camouflage against modern sensors. In conventional camouflage design, the aimed design of the surface properties of an object is to spectrally match or adapt it to a background and thereby minimizing the contrast given by a specific threat sensor. Examples will be shown from measurements of some relevant materials and how they in different ways affect the polarimetric signature. Dimensioning properties relevant in an optical camouflage from a polarimetric perspective, such as degree of polarization, the viewing or incident angle, and amount of diffuse reflection, mainly in the infrared region, will be discussed.

Assessing Coverage of Population-Based and Targeted Fortification Programs with the Use of the Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT): Background, Toolkit Development, and Supplement Overview.

PubMed

Friesen, Valerie M; Aaron, Grant J; Myatt, Mark; Neufeld, Lynnette M

2017-05-01

Food fortification is a widely used approach to increase micronutrient intake in the diet. High coverage is essential for achieving impact. Data on coverage is limited in many countries, and tools to assess coverage of fortification programs have not been standardized. In 2013, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition developed the Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT) to carry out coverage assessments in both population-based (i.e., staple foods and/or condiments) and targeted (e.g., infant and young child) fortification programs. The toolkit was designed to generate evidence on program coverage and the use of fortified foods to provide timely and programmatically relevant information for decision making. This supplement presents results from FACT surveys that assessed the coverage of population-based and targeted food fortification programs across 14 countries. It then discusses the policy and program implications of the findings for the potential for impact and program improvement.

"The Dose Makes the Poison": Informing Consumers About the Scientific Risk Assessment of Food Additives.

PubMed

Bearth, Angela; Cousin, Marie-Eve; Siegrist, Michael

2016-01-01

Intensive risk assessment is required before the approval of food additives. During this process, based on the toxicological principle of "the dose makes the poison,ˮ maximum usage doses are assessed. However, most consumers are not aware of these efforts to ensure the safety of food additives and are therefore sceptical, even though food additives bring certain benefits to consumers. This study investigated the effect of a short video, which explains the scientific risk assessment and regulation of food additives, on consumers' perceptions and acceptance of food additives. The primary goal of this study was to inform consumers and enable them to construct their own risk-benefit assessment and make informed decisions about food additives. The secondary goal was to investigate whether people have different perceptions of food additives of artificial (i.e., aspartame) or natural origin (i.e., steviolglycoside). To attain these research goals, an online experiment was conducted on 185 Swiss consumers. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which was shown a video about the scientific risk assessment of food additives, or the control group, which was shown a video about a topic irrelevant to the study. After watching the video, the respondents knew significantly more, expressed more positive thoughts and feelings, had less risk perception, and more acceptance than prior to watching the video. Thus, it appears that informing consumers about complex food safety topics, such as the scientific risk assessment of food additives, is possible, and using a carefully developed information video is a successful strategy for informing consumers. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

Use of Research-Based Information among Leaders of Public Health Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toomey, Traci L.; Tramel, Sarah; Erickson, Darin J.; Lenk, Kathleen M.

2009-01-01

Background: Researchers have identified numerous policies and programs effective in reducing public health problems, yet many of these programs and policies have not been implemented throughout communities and states. Purpose: To assess the use of research-based information among leaders in the local public health system. Methods: We conducted a…

Assessment That Informs Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorson, Annette, Ed.

2000-01-01

Assessment is more than simply ascribing an 'A' or a 'B' to a particular student achievement. In an era of state-mandated proficiencies and alternative assessment strategies, educators need practical ideas they can use to meaningfully assess their students' learning and their own practice. This issue of "ENC Focus" centers on the topic of inquiry…

Risk assessment can be a game-changing information technology--but too often it isn't.

PubMed

Goble, Robert; Bier, Vicki M

2013-11-01

The printing press was a game-changing information technology. Risk assessment could be also. At present, risk assessments are commonly used as one-time decision aids: they provide justification for a particular decision, and afterwards usually sit on a shelf. However, when viewed as information technologies, their potential uses are much broader. Risk assessments: (1) are repositories of structured information and a medium for communication; (2) embody evaluative structures for setting priorities; (3) can preserve information over time and permit asynchronous communication, thus encouraging learning and adaptation; and (4) explicitly address uncertain futures. Moreover, because of their "what-if" capabilities, risk assessments can serve as a platform for constructive discussion among parties that hold different values. The evolution of risk assessment in the nuclear industry shows how such attributes have been used to lower core-melt risks substantially through improved templates for maintenance and more effective coordination with regulators (although risk assessment has been less commonly used in improving emergency-response capabilities). The end result of this evolution in the nuclear industry has been the development of "living" risk assessments that are updated more or less in real time to answer even routine operational questions. Similar but untapped opportunities abound for the use of living risk assessments to reduce risks in small operational decisions as well as large policy decisions in other areas of hazard management. They can also help improve understanding of and communication about risks, and future risk assessment and management. Realization of these opportunities will require significant changes in incentives and active promotion by the risk analytic community. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Assessment of information needs in diabetes: Development and evaluation of a questionnaire.

PubMed

Chernyak, N; Stephan, A; Bächle, C; Genz, J; Jülich, F; Icks, A

2016-08-01

To develop a questionnaire suitable for assessing the information needs of individuals with diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2 in diverse healthcare settings (e.g. primary care or long-term care) and at different time points during the course of the disease. The initial questionnaire was developed on the basis of literature search and analysis, reviewed by clinical experts, and evaluated in two focus groups. The revised version was pilot-tested on 39 individuals with diabetes type 2, type 1 and gestational diabetes. The final questionnaire reveals the most important information needs in diabetes. A choice task, a rating task and open-ended questions are combined. First, participants have to choose three topics that interest them out of a list with 12 general topics and specify in their own words their particular information needs for the chosen topics. They are then asked how informed they feel with regard to all topics (4-point Likert-scale), and whether information is currently desired (yes/no). The questionnaire ends with an open-ended question asking for additional topics of interest. Careful selection of topics and inclusion of open-ended questions seem to be essential prerequisites for the unbiased assessment of information needs. The questionnaire can be applied in surveys in order to examine patterns of information needs across various groups and changes during the course of the disease. Such knowledge would contribute to more patient-guided information, counselling and support. Copyright © 2015 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

School Information: Phase III of Quality Assessment Program. Appendix B.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burson, William W.

This questionnaire, used in the Educational Quality Assessment Program in Pennsylvania, was designed to be filled out by school administrators. It requests information about staff size, enrollment size, library books available, hours of paraprofessionals, and quality of housing in school district. It also includes a checklist to show the extent of…

Institutional Assessment of Student Information Literacy Ability: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Christopher

2016-01-01

With increasing interest in the assessment of learning outcomes in higher education, stakeholders are demanding concrete evidence of student learning. This applies no less to information literacy outcomes, which have been adopted by many colleges and universities around the world. This article describes the experience of a university library in…

An interactive ontology-driven information system for simulating background radiation and generating scenarios for testing special nuclear materials detection algorithms

DOE PAGES

Sorokine, Alexandre; Schlicher, Bob G.; Ward, Richard C.; ...

2015-05-22

This paper describes an original approach to generating scenarios for the purpose of testing the algorithms used to detect special nuclear materials (SNM) that incorporates the use of ontologies. Separating the signal of SNM from the background requires sophisticated algorithms. To assist in developing such algorithms, there is a need for scenarios that capture a very wide range of variables affecting the detection process, depending on the type of detector being used. To provide such a cpability, we developed an ontology-driven information system (ODIS) for generating scenarios that can be used in creating scenarios for testing of algorithms for SNMmore » detection. The ontology-driven scenario generator (ODSG) is an ODIS based on information supplied by subject matter experts and other documentation. The details of the creation of the ontology, the development of the ontology-driven information system, and the design of the web user interface (UI) are presented along with specific examples of scenarios generated using the ODSG. We demonstrate that the paradigm behind the ODSG is capable of addressing the problem of semantic complexity at both the user and developer levels. Compared to traditional approaches, an ODIS provides benefits such as faithful representation of the users' domain conceptualization, simplified management of very large and semantically diverse datasets, and the ability to handle frequent changes to the application and the UI. Furthermore, the approach makes possible the generation of a much larger number of specific scenarios based on limited user-supplied information« less

Hybrid active contour model for inhomogeneous image segmentation with background estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Kaiqiong; Li, Yaqin; Zeng, Shan; Wang, Jun

2018-03-01

This paper proposes a hybrid active contour model for inhomogeneous image segmentation. The data term of the energy function in the active contour consists of a global region fitting term in a difference image and a local region fitting term in the original image. The difference image is obtained by subtracting the background from the original image. The background image is dynamically estimated from a linear filtered result of the original image on the basis of the varying curve locations during the active contour evolution process. As in existing local models, fitting the image to local region information makes the proposed model robust against an inhomogeneous background and maintains the accuracy of the segmentation result. Furthermore, fitting the difference image to the global region information makes the proposed model robust against the initial contour location, unlike existing local models. Experimental results show that the proposed model can obtain improved segmentation results compared with related methods in terms of both segmentation accuracy and initial contour sensitivity.

76 FR 20366 - Changes to the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations Scoring Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-12

... Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Management Operations Scoring Notice AGENCY: Office of the Assistant... Management Operations interim scoring notice. The document inadvertently omitted a word with respect to the... INFORMATION: I. Background The proposed management operations scoring information was published on August 21...

EPA ACTIVITIES TO PREPARE FOR REGULATORY AND RISK ASSESSMENT APPLICATIONS OF GENOMICS INFORMATION

EPA Science Inventory

Genomics will have significant implications for risk assessment and regulatory decision making. Since 2002, the U.S. EPA has undertaken a number of cross-Agency activities to further prepare itself to receive,interpret and apply genomics information for risk assessment and regul...

Assess and Adapt: Coordinated Ecoregional Forest Vulnerability Assessments Covering the Upper Midwest and Northeast in Support of Climate-informed Decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanston, C.; Janowiak, M.; Handler, S.; Butler, P.; Brandt, L.; Iverson, L.; Thompson, F.; Ontl, T.; Shannon, D.

2016-12-01

Forest ecosystem vulnerability assessments are rapidly becoming an integral component of forest management planning, in which there is increasing public expectation that even near-term activities explicitly incorporate information about anticipated climate impacts and risks. There is a clear desire among forest managers for targeted assessments that address critical questions about species and ecosystem vulnerabilities while delivering this information in an accessible format. We developed the Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment Approach (EVAA), which combines multiple quantitative models, expert elicitation from scientists and land managers, and a templated report structure oriented to natural resource managers. The report structure includes relevant information on the contemporary landscape, past climate, future climate projections, impact model results, and a transparent vulnerability assessment of species and ecosystems. We have used EVAA in seven ecoregional assessments covering 246 million acres of forestland across the upper Midwest and Northeast (www.forestadaptation.org; five published, two in review). We convened a panel of local forest ecology and management experts in each assessment area to examine projected climate effects on system drivers, stressors, and dominant species, as well as the current adaptive capacity of the major ecoregional forest ecosystems. The panels provided a qualitative assessment of the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to climate change over the next century. Over 130 authors from dozens of organizations collaborated on these peer-reviewed assessment publications, which are delivered to thousands of stakeholders through live and recorded webinars, online briefs, and in-person trainings and seminars. The assessments are designed to be used with the Adaptation Workbook (www.adaptationworkbook.org), a planning tool that works at multiple scales and has generated more than 200 real-world forest adaptation demonstration projects.

Comparing and using assessments of the value of information to clinical decision-making.

PubMed Central

Urquhart, C J; Hepworth, J B

1996-01-01

This paper discusses the Value project, which assessed the value to clinical decision-making of information supplied by National Health Service (NHS) library and information services. The project not only showed how health libraries in the United Kingdom help clinicians in decision-making but also provided quality assurance guidelines for these libraries to help make their information services more effective. The paper reviews methods and results used in previous studies of the value of health libraries, noting that methodological differences appear to affect the results. The paper also discusses aspects of user involvement, categories of clinical decision-making, the value of information to present and future clinical decisions, and the combination of quantitative and qualitative assessments of value, as applied to the Value project and the studies reviewed. The Value project also demonstrated that the value placed on information depends in part on the career stage of the physician. The paper outlines the structure of the quality assurance tool kit, which is based on the findings and methods used in the Value project. PMID:8913550

78 FR 8190 - Commercial Wind Leasing and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-05

...] Commercial Wind Leasing and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore... Assessment (EA) for Commercial Wind Leasing and Site Assessment Activities on the OCS Offshore North Carolina... INFORMATION: Background: On December 13, 2012, BOEM published the Notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 74218...

Disarmament and Employment: Background for a Research Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabolo, Yves

1983-01-01

As background to a series of articles on the effects of disarmament on employment, the author assesses the present importance of armaments industries in the world economy, including the number of people directly or indirectly employed in military equipment production and services. He also discusses employment problems posed by disarmament.…

Waste isolation safety assessment program. Task 4. Third contractor information meeting

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

Not Available

1980-06-01

The Contractor Information Meeting (October 14 to 17, 1979) was part of the FY-1979 effort of Task 4 of the Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Program (WISAP): Sorption/Desorption Analysis. The objectives of this task are to: evaluate sorption/desorption measurement methods and develop a standardized measurement procedure; produce a generic data bank of nuclide-geologic interactions using a wide variety of geologic media and groundwaters; perform statistical analysis and synthesis of these data; perform validation studies to compare short-term laboratory studies to long-term in situ behavior; develop a fundamental understanding of sorption/desorption processes; produce x-ray and gamma-emitting isotopes suitable for the study ofmore » actinides at tracer concentrations; disseminate resulting information to the international technical community; and provide input data support for repository safety assessment. Conference participants included those subcontracted to WISAP Task 4, representatives and independent subcontractors to the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation, representatives from other waste disposal programs, and experts in the area of waste/geologic media interaction. Since the meeting, WISAP has been divided into two programs: Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) (modeling efforts) and Waste/Rock Interactions Technology (WRIT) (experimental work). The WRIT program encompasses the work conducted under Task 4. This report contains the information presented at the Task 4, Third Contractor Information Meeting. Technical Reports from the subcontractors, as well as Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), are provided along with transcripts of the question-and-answer sessions. The agenda and abstracts of the presentations are also included. Appendix A is a list of the participants. Appendix B gives an overview of the WRIT program and details the WRIT work breakdown structure for 1980.« less

Assessment of drug information resource preferences of pharmacy students and faculty

PubMed Central

Hanrahan, Conor T.; Cole, Sabrina W.

2014-01-01

A 39-item survey instrument was distributed to faculty and students at Wingate University School of Pharmacy to assess student and faculty drug information (DI) resource use and access preferences. The response rate was 81% (n = 289). Faculty and professional year 2 to 4 students preferred access on laptop or desktop computers (67% and 75%, respectively), followed by smartphones (27% and 22%, respectively). Most faculty and students preferred using Lexicomp Online for drug information (53% and 74%, respectively). Results indicate that DI resources use is similar between students and faculty; laptop or desktop computers are the preferred platforms for accessing drug information. PMID:24860270

Using Telerehabilitation to Assess Apraxia of Speech in Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Anne Jane; Theodoros, Deborah; Russell, Trevor; Ward, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

Background: Telerehabilitation is the remote delivery of rehabilitation services via information technology and telecommunication systems. There have been a number of studies that have used videoconferencing to assess speech and language skills in people with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. However, few studies have focused on cases…

In-mine testing of a natural background sensor, part B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martzloff, F. D.

1981-01-01

The capability of a natural background sensor for measuring the thickness of top coal on a longwall face was examined. The limitations on the time during which tests could be performed, and the roof conditions, did not produce readings of top coal measurements during the shearer operation. It was demonstrated that the system is capable to survive operating conditions in the mine environment, while the static tests confirmed that the natural background sensor approach is a valid method of measuring top coal thickness in mines where the roof rock provides a constant radiation level. It is concluded that the practical results will improve sequent development of an integrated vertical control system which is information from the natural background system.

76 FR 55364 - Request for Information: Technical Inputs and Assessment Capacity Related to Regional, Sectoral...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-07

..., and Cross-Cutting Assessments for the 2013 U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA) Report and the... Climate Assessment (NCA) regional, sectoral, and cross-cutting topics proposed for the 2013 NCA report and... report outline, and information about the National Climate Assessment Development and Advisory Committee...

On-Line vs. Face-to-Face Delivery of Information Technology Courses: Students' Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Said, Hazem; Kirgis, Lauren; Verkamp, Brian; Johnson, Lawrence

2015-01-01

This paper investigates students' assessment of on-line vs face-to-face delivery of lecture-based information technology courses. The study used end-of-course surveys to examine students' ratings of five course quality indicators: Course Organization, Assessment and Grading Procedures, Instructor Performance, Positive Learning Experience, and…

Bayes' theorem application in the measure information diagnostic value assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orzechowski, Piotr D.; Makal, Jaroslaw; Nazarkiewicz, Andrzej

2006-03-01

The paper presents Bayesian method application in the measure information diagnostic value assessment that is used in the computer-aided diagnosis system. The computer system described here has been created basing on the Bayesian Network and is used in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) diagnosis. The graphic diagnostic model enables to juxtapose experts' knowledge with data.

Lenses in the forest: cross correlation of the Lyman-alpha flux with cosmic microwave background lensing.

PubMed

Vallinotto, Alberto; Das, Sudeep; Spergel, David N; Viel, Matteo

2009-08-28

We present a theoretical estimate for a new observable: the cross correlation between the Lyman-alpha flux fluctuations in quasar spectra and the convergence of the cosmic microwave background as measured along the same line of sight. As a first step toward the assessment of its detectability, we estimate the signal-to-noise ratio using linear theory. Although the signal-to-noise is small for a single line of sight and peaks at somewhat smaller redshifts than those probed by the Lyman-alpha forest, we estimate a total signal-to-noise of 9 for cross correlating quasar spectra of SDSS-III with Planck and 20 for cross correlating with a future polarization based cosmic microwave background experiment. The detection of this effect would be a direct measure of the neutral hydrogen-matter cross correlation and could provide important information on the growth of structures at large scales in a redshift range which is still poorly probed.

Assessment of acute foot and ankle sprains.

PubMed

Lynam, Louise

2006-07-01

Acute ankle and foot trauma is a regular emergency presentation and prompt strategic assessment skills are required to enable nurses to categorise and prioritise these injuries appropriately. This article provides background information on the anatomy and physiology of the lower limb to help nurses to identify various grades of ankle sprain as well as injuries that are limb threatening

Automatic information timeliness assessment of diabetes web sites by evidence based medicine.

PubMed

Sağlam, Rahime Belen; Taşkaya Temizel, Tuğba

2014-11-01

Studies on health domain have shown that health websites provide imperfect information and give recommendations which are not up to date with the recent literature even when their last modified dates are quite recent. In this paper, we propose a framework which assesses the timeliness of the content of health websites automatically by evidence based medicine. Our aim is to assess the accordance of website contents with the current literature and information timeliness disregarding the update time stated on the websites. The proposed method is based on automatic term recognition, relevance feedback and information retrieval techniques in order to generate time-aware structured queries. We tested the framework on diabetes health web sites which were archived between 2006 and 2013 by Archive-it using American Diabetes Association's (ADA) guidelines. The results showed that the proposed framework achieves 65% and 77% accuracy in detecting the timeliness of the web content according to years and pre-determined time intervals respectively. Information seekers and web site owners may benefit from the proposed framework in finding relevant and up-to-date diabetes web sites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mental models in risk assessment: informing people about drugs.

PubMed

Jungermann, H; Schütz, H; Thüring, M

1988-03-01

One way to communicate about the risks of drugs is through the use of package inserts. The problems associated with this medium of informing patients have been investigated by several researchers who found that people require information about drugs they are using, including extensive risk information, and that they are willing to take this information into account in their usage of drugs. But empirical results also show that people easily misinterpret the information given. A conceptual framework is proposed that might be used for better understanding the cognitive processes involved in such a type of risk assessment and communication. It is based on the idea that people develop, through experience, a mental model of how a drug works, which effects it might produce, that contraindications have to be considered, etc. This mental model is "run" when a specific package insert has been read and a specific question arises such as, for example, whether certain symptoms can be explained as normal or whether they require special attention and action. We argue that the mental model approach offers a useful perspective for examining how people understand package inserts, and consequently for improving their content and design. The approach promises to be equally useful for other aspects of risk analysis that are dependent upon human judgment and decision making, e.g., threat diagnosis and human reliability analysis.

International assessment on quality and content of internet information on osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Varady, N H; Dee, E C; Katz, J N

2018-05-23

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of global disability. Numerous studies have assessed the quality and content of online health information; however, how information content varies between multiple countries remains unknown. The primary objective of this study was to examine how the quality and content of online health information on osteoarthritis compares on an international scale. Internet searches for the equivalent of "knee osteoarthritis treatment" were performed in ten countries around the world. For each country, the first ten websites were evaluated using a custom scoring form examining: website type; quality and reliability using the DISCERN and Health-on-the-Net (HON) frameworks; and treatment content based on three international osteoarthritis treatment guidelines. Consistency of search results between countries speaking the same language was also assessed. Significant differences in all scoring metrics existed between countries speaking different languages. Western countries scored higher than more eastern countries, there were no differences between the United States and Mexico in any of the scoring metrics, and HON certified websites were of higher quality and reliability. Searches in different countries speaking the same language had at least 70% overlap. The quality of online health information on knee osteoarthritis varies significantly between countries speaking different languages. Differential access to quality, accurate, and safe health information online may represent a novel but important health inequality. Future efforts are needed to translate online health resources into additional languages. In the interim, patients may seek websites that display the HON seal. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Information flow to assess cardiorespiratory interactions in patients on weaning trials.

PubMed

Vallverdú, M; Tibaduisa, O; Clariá, F; Hoyer, D; Giraldo, B; Benito, S; Caminal, P

2006-01-01

Nonlinear processes of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) can produce breath-to-breath variability in the pattern of breathing. In order to provide assess to these nonlinear processes, nonlinear statistical dependencies between heart rate variability and respiratory pattern variability are analyzed. In this way, auto-mutual information and cross-mutual information concepts are applied. This information flow analysis is presented as a short-term non linear analysis method to investigate the information flow interactions in patients on weaning trials. 78 patients from mechanical ventilation were studied: Group A of 28 patients that failed to maintain spontaneous breathing and were reconnected; Group B of 50 patients with successful trials. The results show lower complexity with an increase of information flow in group A than in group B. Furthermore, a more (weakly) coupled nonlinear oscillator behavior is observed in the series of group A than in B.

The National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A): I. Background and Measures