Memory and disgust: Effects of appearance-congruent and appearance-incongruent information on source memory for food.

PubMed

Mieth, Laura; Bell, Raoul; Buchner, Axel

2016-01-01

The present study was stimulated by previous findings showing that people preferentially remember person descriptions that violate appearance-based first impressions. Given that until now all studies used faces as stimuli, these findings can be explained by referring to a content-specific module for social information processing that facilitates social orientation within groups via stereotyping and counter-stereotyping. The present study tests whether the same results can be obtained with fitness-relevant stimuli from another domain--pictures of disgusting-looking or tasty-looking food, paired with tasty and disgusting descriptions. A multinomial model was used to disentangle item memory, guessing and source memory. There was an old-new recognition advantage for disgusting-looking food. People had a strong tendency towards guessing that disgusting-looking food had been previously associated with a disgusting description. Source memory was enhanced for descriptions that disconfirmed these negative, appearance-based impressions. These findings parallel the results from the social domain. Heuristic processing of stimuli based on visual appearance may be complemented by intensified processing of incongruent information that invalidates these first impressions.

Teaching and Learning in Two iPad-Infused Classrooms: A Descriptive Case Study of A Dual Classroom, School-Based Pilot Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maich, Kimberly; Hall, Carmen L.; van Rhijn, Tricia Marie; Henning, Megan

2017-01-01

This multi-methods, descriptive case study examines attitudes and practices of classroom-based iPad use. The site is one inner-city, urban, publicly funded school, focused on two iPad-infused classrooms (Grade 2/3 and Grade 4/5). Data were collected from 5 educators and 35 students to investigate two research questions: How are iPads being…

Exploring the Experience of Novelty When Viewing Creative Adverts: An ERP Study.

PubMed

Zhou, Shujin; Yin, Yue; Yu, Tingting; Stupple, Edward J N; Luo, Junlong

2018-01-01

The electrophysiological correlates of experiencing novelty in creative advertising were studied in 28 healthy subjects using event-related potentials. Participants viewed images that were difficult to interpret until a description was presented providing either a creative description (CD) featuring an unexpected description of the image based on the original advertisement, or a normal description (ND), which was a literal description of the image (and served as a baseline condition). Participants evaluated the level of creativity of the description. The results showed that the N2 amplitude was higher for CDs than for NDs across middle and right scalp regions between 240 and 270 ms, most likely reflecting conflict detection. Moreover, CDs demonstrated greater N400 than NDs in a time window between 380 and 500 ms, it is argued that this reflects semantic integration. The present study investigates the electrophysiological correlates of experiencing novelty in advertising with ecologically valid stimuli. This substantially extends the findings of earlier laboratory studies with more artificial stimuli.

Pricing decisions from experience: the roles of information-acquisition and response modes.

PubMed

Golan, Hagai; Ert, Eyal

2015-03-01

While pricing decisions that are based on experience are quite common, e.g., setting a selling price for a used car, this type of decision has been surprisingly overlooked in psychology and decision research. Previous studies have focused on either choice decisions from experience, or pricing decisions from description. Those studies revealed that pricing involves cognitive mechanisms other than choice, while experience-based decisions involve mechanisms that differ from description-based ones. Thus, the mutual effect of pricing and experience on decision-making remains unclear. To test this effect, we experimentally compared real-money pricing decisions from experience with those from description, and with choices from experience. The results show that the mode of acquiring information affects pricing: the tendency to underprice high-probability prospects and overprice low-probability ones is diminished when pricing is based on experience rather than description. The findings further reveal attenuation of the tendency to underweight rare events, which underlies choices from experience, in pricing decisions from experience. The difference occurs because the response mode affects the search effort and decision strategy in decisions from experience. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Management Approaches to Stomal and Peristomal Complications: A Narrative Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Beitz, Janice M; Colwell, Janice C

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify optimal interventions for selected complications based on WOC nurse experts' judgment/expertise. A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive design with qualitative, narrative-type components was used for this study. Following validation rating of appropriateness of interventions and quantitative rankings of first-, second-, and third-line approaches, participants provided substantive handwritten narrative comments about listed interventions. Comments were organized and prioritized using frequency count. Narrative comments reflected the quantitative rankings of efficacy of approaches. Clinicians offered further specific suggestions regarding product use and progression of care for selected complications. Narrative analysis using descriptive quantitative frequency count supported the rankings of most preferred treatments of selected stomal and peristomal complications. Findings add to the previous research on prioritized approaches and evidence-based practice in ostomy care.

Sequentially Simulated Outcomes: Kind Experience versus Nontransparent Description

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogarth, Robin M.; Soyer, Emre

2011-01-01

Recently, researchers have investigated differences in decision making based on description and experience. We address the issue of when experience-based judgments of probability are more accurate than are those based on description. If description is well understood ("transparent") and experience is misleading ("wicked"), it…

The Effect of Progressive Sentence Development Activities on 5th Graders' Description Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamzadayi, Ergun

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of progressive sentence development activities on 5th graders' description skills. The study was conducted based on the pretest-posttest quasi-experimental model with a control group. A total of 58 students participated in the study; 29 in the control group, and 29 in the experimental group. The…

Fokker-Planck description of conductance-based integrate-and-fire neuronal networks

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

Kovacic, Gregor; Tao, Louis; Rangan, Aaditya V.

2009-08-15

Steady dynamics of coupled conductance-based integrate-and-fire neuronal networks in the limit of small fluctuations is studied via the equilibrium states of a Fokker-Planck equation. An asymptotic approximation for the membrane-potential probability density function is derived and the corresponding gain curves are found. Validity conditions are discussed for the Fokker-Planck description and verified via direct numerical simulations.

Effects of perceived descriptive norms on corrupt intention: The mediating role of moral disengagement.

PubMed

Zhao, Huanhuan; Zhang, Heyun; Xu, Yan

2017-01-31

The present study attempts to examine the effect of perceived descriptive norms on corrupt intention (e.g., bribe-taking intention) and then further explore the psychological mechanism underlying this effect. Based on social cognitive theory, we established a mediation model in which moral disengagement partially mediated the link between perceived descriptive norms and corrupt intention. In Study 1, participants (N = 690) completed a series of questionnaires, and the results demonstrated that, while perceived descriptive norms were positively associated with corrupt intention, it was partially mediated by moral disengagement. In Study 2, we conducted a priming experiment (N = 161) to test the causal relationship and psychological mechanism between perceived descriptive norms and corrupt intention. The results revealed that perceived descriptive norms triggered the propensity of individuals to morally disengage, which in turn, partially increased their corrupt intention. This study not only extends previous research by providing evidence that moral disengagement may be one of the reasons why perceived descriptive norms facilitate corrupt intention, but also suggests that reshaping normative beliefs and preventing the moral disengagement of individuals may be the effective ways to curb corrupt behaviours. © 2017 International Union of Psychological Science.

A Set of Descriptive Case Studies of Four Dance Faculty Members' Pedagogical Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Meredith; Erwin, Heather

2012-01-01

Dance faculty members come from a variety of backgrounds, which lead to varied knowledge bases and varied teaching practices. More information is needed about the current pedagogical practices of higher education dance faculty. This study sought to provide a description of four faculty members' pedagogical approaches to a dance technique class in…

Teacher Perceptions and Use of the Internet in the Classroom: A Descriptive Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Steven Michael

2010-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative case study was to explore teacher perceptions and use of the Internet as a tool for constructivist learning. Based on a review of the literature, some researchers concluded that the Internet may be a catalyst for an instructional paradigm towards constructivism (Collins, 1991; Sheingold, 1991; Hadley &…

Attitudes and Descriptive Norms of Alcohol-Related Problems as Predictors of Alcohol Use among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Meg E.; Usdan, Stuart L.; Higginbotham, John C.; Cremeens-Matthews, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study is to identify predictors of alcohol use based on personal values and several constructs from the Integrated Behavioral Model (i.e., attitudes, injunctive norms and descriptive norms) among undergraduate college students. Methods: A cross sectional study design was used with a convenience sample of college…

Understanding the Relationship among Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, and Lewis Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paik, Seoung-Hey

2015-01-01

Many studies suggest that students have difficulties in learning acid-base concepts. This study presents some conflicts in the textbook descriptions of these concepts and proposes these to be the cause of the students' difficulties. This is especially true regarding the description of the relationship among the Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, and Lewis…

Feedback produces divergence from prospect theory in descriptive choice.

PubMed

Jessup, Ryan K; Bishara, Anthony J; Busemeyer, Jerome R

2008-10-01

A recent study demonstrated that individuals making experience-based choices underweight small probabilities, in contrast to the overweighting observed in a typical descriptive paradigm. We tested whether trial-by-trial feedback in a repeated descriptive paradigm would engender choices more correspondent with experiential or descriptive paradigms. The results of a repeated gambling task indicated that individuals receiving feedback underweighted small probabilities, relative to their no-feedback counterparts. These results implicate feedback as a critical component during the decision-making process, even in the presence of fully specified descriptive information. A model comparison at the individual-subject level suggested that feedback drove individuals' decision weights toward objective probability weighting.

A systematic quality review of high-tech AAC interventions as an evidence-based practice.

PubMed

Morin, Kristi L; Ganz, Jennifer B; Gregori, Emily V; Foster, Margaret J; Gerow, Stephanie L; Genç-Tosun, Derya; Hong, Ee Rea

2018-06-01

Although high-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is commonly used to teach social-communication skills to people with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities who have complex communication needs, there is a critical need to evaluate the efficacy of this approach. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the quality of single-case experimental design research on the use of high-tech AAC to teach social-communication skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities who have complex communication needs, to determine if this intervention approach meets the criteria for evidence-based practices as outlined by the What Works Clearinghouse. Additionally, information on the following extended methodological standards is reported on all included studies: participant description, description of setting and materials, interventionist description, baseline and intervention description, maintenance, generalization, procedural integrity, and social validity. The results from 18 multiple-baseline or multiple-probe experiments across 17 studies indicate that using high-tech AAC to teach social-communication skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities and complex communication needs can be considered an evidence-based practice, although the review of comparison (i.e., alternating treatment) design studies did not indicate that high-tech AAC is significantly better than low-tech AAC.

Software Design Description for the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), Version 2.2

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-12

scalars. J. Phys. Oceanogr. 32: 240–264. Carnes, M., (2002). Data base description for the Generalized Digital Environmental Model ( GDEM -V) (U...Direction FCT Flux-Corrected Transport scheme GDEM Generalized Digital Environmental Model GISS NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies GRD

Cost and Usage Study of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) System. A Descriptive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinmiller, Joseph L.

Based on data gathered from a number of complementary sources, this study provides a detailed descriptive analysis of both the direct and indirect costs incurred by the Federal government in operating the ERIC system, and the user population and user demand for ERIC products and services. Data sources included a survey of ERIC's U.S. intermediate…

An Exploratory, Descriptive Study of the Attitudes of Instructors and Students toward the Use of Asynchronous Online Discussion at a Female University in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alshahrani, Hamed A.; Walker, David A.

2016-01-01

This exploratory, descriptive study examined instructor and female student attitudes toward asynchronous online discussion (AOD) in Saudi Arabia. Preliminary results, derived from an attitudinal-based survey, indicated that, in aggregate, instructors and students had positive attitudes toward using AOD at a female institution of higher education…

National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972: A Capsule Description of First Followup Survey Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Research Triangle Inst., Durham, NC.

As part of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS), this report summarizes some descriptive information about participation in postsecondary education and participation in jobs since leaving high school based on the analysis of responses to the First Follow-Up Questionnaire. Its purpose is only to highlight and…

Iterative channel decoding of FEC-based multiple-description codes.

PubMed

Chang, Seok-Ho; Cosman, Pamela C; Milstein, Laurence B

2012-03-01

Multiple description coding has been receiving attention as a robust transmission framework for multimedia services. This paper studies the iterative decoding of FEC-based multiple description codes. The proposed decoding algorithms take advantage of the error detection capability of Reed-Solomon (RS) erasure codes. The information of correctly decoded RS codewords is exploited to enhance the error correction capability of the Viterbi algorithm at the next iteration of decoding. In the proposed algorithm, an intradescription interleaver is synergistically combined with the iterative decoder. The interleaver does not affect the performance of noniterative decoding but greatly enhances the performance when the system is iteratively decoded. We also address the optimal allocation of RS parity symbols for unequal error protection. For the optimal allocation in iterative decoding, we derive mathematical equations from which the probability distributions of description erasures can be generated in a simple way. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated over an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing system. The results show that the performance of the multiple description codes is significantly enhanced.

An inconclusive study comparing the effect of concrete and abstract descriptions of belief-inconsistent information.

PubMed

Collins, Katherine A; Clément, Richard

2018-01-01

Linguistic bias is the differential use of linguistic abstraction (as defined by the Linguistic Category Model) to describe the same behaviour for members of different groups. Essentially, it is the tendency to use concrete language for belief-inconsistent behaviours and abstract language for belief-consistent behaviours. Having found that linguistic bias is produced without intention or awareness in many contexts, researchers argue that linguistic bias reflects, reinforces, and transmits pre-existing beliefs, thus playing a role in belief maintenance. Based on the Linguistic Category Model, this assumes that concrete descriptions reduce the impact of belief-inconsistent behaviours while abstract descriptions maximize the impact of belief-consistent behaviours. However, a key study by Geschke, Sassenberg, Ruhrmann, and Sommer [2007] found that concrete descriptions of belief-inconsistent behaviours actually had a greater impact than abstract descriptions, a finding that does not fit easily within the linguistic bias paradigm. Abstract descriptions (e.g. the elderly woman is athletic) are, by definition, more open to interpretation than concrete descriptions (e.g. the elderly woman works out regularly). It is thus possible that abstract descriptions are (1) perceived as having less evidentiary strength than concrete descriptions, and (2) understood in context (i.e. athletic for an elderly woman). In this study, the design of Geschke et al. [2007] was modified to address this possibility. We expected that the differences in the impact of concrete and abstract descriptions would be reduced or reversed, but instead we found that differences were largely absent. This study did not support the findings of Geschke et al. [2007] or the linguistic bias paradigm. We encourage further attempts to understand the strong effect of concrete descriptions for belief-inconsistent behaviour.

Simulation loop between cad systems, GEANT-4 and GeoModel: Implementation and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharmazanashvili, A.; Tsutskiridze, Niko

2016-09-01

Compare analysis of simulation and as-built geometry descriptions of detector is important field of study for data_vs_Monte-Carlo discrepancies. Shapes consistency and detalization is not important while adequateness of volumes and weights of detector components are essential for tracking. There are 2 main reasons of faults of geometry descriptions in simulation: (1) Difference between simulated and as-built geometry descriptions; (2) Internal inaccuracies of geometry transformations added by simulation software infrastructure itself. Georgian Engineering team developed hub on the base of CATIA platform and several tools enabling to read in CATIA different descriptions used by simulation packages, like XML->CATIA; VP1->CATIA; Geo-Model->CATIA; Geant4->CATIA. As a result it becomes possible to compare different descriptions with each other using the full power of CATIA and investigate both classes of reasons of faults of geometry descriptions. Paper represents results of case studies of ATLAS Coils and End-Cap toroid structures.

An object-oriented description method of EPMM process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zuo; Yang, Fan

2017-06-01

In order to use the object-oriented mature tools and language in software process model, make the software process model more accord with the industrial standard, it’s necessary to study the object-oriented modelling of software process. Based on the formal process definition in EPMM, considering the characteristics that Petri net is mainly formal modelling tool and combining the Petri net modelling with the object-oriented modelling idea, this paper provides this implementation method to convert EPMM based on Petri net into object models based on object-oriented description.

RASSP Benchmark 4 Technical Description.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-09

be carried out. Based on results of the study, an implementation of all, or part, of the system described in this benchmark technical description...validate interface and timing constraints. The ISA level of modeling defines the limit of detail expected in the VHDL virtual prototype. It does not...develop a set of candidate architectures and perform an architecture trade-off study. Candidate proces- sor implementations must then be examined for

Findings From a Nursing Care Audit Based on the Nursing Process: A Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Poortaghi, Sarieh; Salsali, Mahvash; Ebadi, Abbas; Rahnavard, Zahra; Maleki, Farzaneh

2015-09-01

Although using the nursing process improves nursing care quality, few studies have evaluated nursing performance in accordance with nursing process steps either nationally or internationally. This study aimed to audit nursing care based on a nursing process model. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which a nursing audit checklist was designed and validated for assessing nurses' compliance with nursing process. A total of 300 nurses from various clinical settings of Tehran university of medical sciences were selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequencies, Pearson correlation coefficient and independent samples t-tests. The compliance rate of nursing process indicators was 79.71 ± 0.87. Mean compliance scores did not significantly differ by education level and gender. However, overall compliance scores were correlated with nurses' age (r = 0.26, P = 0.001) and work experience (r = 0.273, P = 0.001). Nursing process indicators can be used to audit nursing care. Such audits can be used as quality assurance tools.

The state of readiness for evidence-based practice among nurses: An integrative review.

PubMed

Saunders, Hannele; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

2016-04-01

To review factors related to nurses' individual readiness for evidence-based practice and to determine the current state of nurses' evidence-based practice competencies. An integrative review study. Thirty-seven (37) primary research studies on nurses' readiness for evidence-based practice, of which 30 were descriptive cross-sectional surveys, 5 were pretest-posttest studies, and one study each was an experimental pilot study and a descriptive qualitative study. Included studies were published from the beginning of 2004 through end of January 2015. The integrative review study used thematic synthesis, in which the quantitative studies were analyzed deductively and the qualitative studies inductively. Outcomes related to nurses' readiness for evidence-based practice were grouped according to the four main themes that emerged from the thematic synthesis: (1) nurses' familiarity with evidence-based practice (EBP); (2) nurses' attitudes toward and beliefs about evidence-based practice; (3) nurses' evidence-based practice knowledge and skills; and (4) nurses' use of research in practice. Methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated with Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Although nurses were familiar with, had positive attitudes toward, and believed in the value of EBP in improving care quality and patient outcomes, they perceived their own evidence-based practice knowledge and skills insufficient for employing evidence-based practice, and did not use best evidence in practice. The vast majority (81%) of included studies were descriptive cross-sectional surveys, 84% used a non-probability sampling method, sample sizes were small, and response rates low. Most included studies were of modest quality. More robust, theoretically-based and psychometrically sound nursing research studies are needed to test and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to advance nurses' evidence-based practice competencies, especially teaching them how to integrate evidence-based practice into clinical decision-making. All efforts should be focused on systematically using knowledge transformation strategies shown to be effective in rigorous studies, to translate best evidence into practice-friendly, readily usable forms that are easily accessible to nurses to integrate into their clinical practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Project description and crowdfunding success: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Zhou, Mi Jamie; Lu, Baozhou; Fan, Weiguo Patrick; Wang, G Alan

2018-01-01

Existing research on antecedent of funding success mainly focuses on basic project properties such as funding goal, duration, and project category. In this study, we view the process by which project owners raise funds from backers as a persuasion process through project descriptions. Guided by the unimodel theory of persuasion, this study identifies three exemplary antecedents (length, readability, and tone) from the content of project descriptions and two antecedents (past experience and past expertise) from the trustworthy cue of project descriptions. We then investigate their impacts on funding success. Using data collected from Kickstarter, a popular crowdfunding platform, we find that these antecedents are significantly associated with funding success. Empirical results show that the proposed model that incorporated these antecedents can achieve an accuracy of 73 % (70 % in F-measure). The result represents an improvement of roughly 14 percentage points over the baseline model based on informed guessing and 4 percentage points improvement over the mainstream model based on basic project properties (or 44 % improvement of mainstream's performance over informed guessing). The proposed model also has superior true positive and true negative rates. We also investigate the timeliness of project data and find that old project data is gradually becoming less relevant and losing predictive power to newly created projects. Overall, this study provides evidence that antecedents identified from project descriptions have incremental predictive power and can help project owners evaluate and improve the likelihood of funding success.

PubMed Central

Leduc, Y.; Cauchon, M.; Emond, J. G.; Ouellet, J.

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop and implement a computerized version of the International Classification of Primary Care. To create a data bank and to conduct a descriptive study of our clinic's clientele. DESIGN: Testing a software program and creating a data bank. SETTING: Family Medicine Unit at Enfant-Jésus Hospital, Quebec City. PARTICIPANTS: All Family Medicine Unit doctors and patients seen between July 1, 1990, and June 30, 1993. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Description of our clientele's health problems using the ICPC. RESULTS: During the study, 48,415 diagnostic codes for 33,033 visits were entered into the bank. For close to 50% of these visits, two or more health problems were coded. There was good correlation between the description of our clientele and descriptions in other studies in the literature. CONCLUSION: This article describes the development of a data bank in a family medicine unit using a software program based on the ICPC. Our 3-year experiment demonstrated that the method works well in family physicians' daily practice. A descriptive study of our clientele is presented, as well as a few examples of the many applications of such a data bank. PMID:7580382

One Kid at a Time: Evaluative Case Studies and Description of the Alaska Youth Initiative Demonstration Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burchard, John D.; And Others

This monograph presents an evaluative description of the Alaska Youth Initiative (AYI), a community-based interagency program serving children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Principles of the program include a no reject policy and a "wraparound" service delivery approach. The monograph offers information…

Picture Details in Recognition Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cody, James A.; Madigan, Stephen

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of symbolic format of test material on short- and long-term recognition. Subjects, 104 undergraduate students, viewed slides of either a black-and-white photograph, a one-sentence verbal description of the photo, a black-and-white drawing based on the verbal description, or a black-and-white line…

Job Descriptions and Organizational Analysis for Hospitals and Related Health Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manpower Administration (DOL), Washington, DC. U.S. Training and Employment Service.

Descriptions of 238 hospital payroll jobs are based on a job analysis study of all jobs within specified departments of 27 hospitals, and are intended for use of public employment offices and as a source of occupational information for hospital personnel administrators. Under major sections corresponding to the hospital divisions of…

The Changing American Child: The Perspective of Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimiles, Herbert

A study was based on retrospective descriptions obtained from interviews with a large number of teachers who have taught for over 20 years. Three areas of change in students were consistently noted in the descriptions: children today know more, are freer, and grow up more rapidly. More autonomous, and armed with greater knowledge, children emerge…

Evaluation of Alcohol-Related Personalized Normative Feedback With and Without an Injunctive Message

PubMed Central

Steers, Mai-Ly N.; Coffman, Amelia D.; Wickham, Robert E.; Bryan, Jennifer L.; Caraway, Lisa; Neighbors, Clayton

2016-01-01

Objective: Personalized normative feedback (PNF) has been used extensively to reduce alcohol consumption, particularly among heavy drinkers. However, the majority of PNF studies have used only descriptive norms (real or perceived pervasiveness of a given behavior). The purpose of the current study was to explore the efficacy of PNF both with and without an injunctive message indicating approval or disapproval based on the participants’ standing relative to other students’ drinking levels. This randomized trial evaluated two brief web-based alcohol intervention conditions (descriptive-norms-feedback–only condition versus a descriptive-plus-injunctive-message condition relative to an assessment-only control condition). Method: Participants included 176 students who had reported at least one heavy drinking episode in the past month. Participants completed baseline and follow-up assessments of perceived norms and drinking. Follow-up assessments were completed at 2 weeks post-intervention by 165 (94%) participants. Results: Analyses were conducted using zero-inflated negative binomial regression models. As expected, the descriptive-norms–only condition was effective in reducing drinking among heavier baseline drinkers at follow-up relative to the control condition. However, contrary to expectations, the descriptive-plus-injunctive-message condition did not predict less drinking at follow-up. Conclusions: This study was unique in using an injunctive message as an adjunct to descriptive-norms feedback within the context of drinking. Findings highlight the need for additional research into the role of defensiveness, which may serve as an impediment to using injunctive norms/messages in interventions for problematic substance use and other potentially stigmatizing behaviors. PMID:26997192

Adult Literacy: A Study of Community Based Literacy Programs. Revised and Updated. Volume II: Program Profiles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association for Community Based Education, Washington, DC.

This volume accompanies a study of community-based approaches to literacy education for adults. It provides profiles of 26 community-based educational institutions that provided study data. Each profile provides name, address, and telephone number; contact; other project sites; institutional description; mission/purpose; approach; skills…

40 CFR 446.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash paint subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Paint Subcategory § 446.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base... the production of oil-base paint where the tank cleaning is performed using solvents. When a plant is... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Applicability; description of the oil...

40 CFR 446.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash paint subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Paint Subcategory § 446.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base... the production of oil-base paint where the tank cleaning is performed using solvents. When a plant is... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Applicability; description of the oil...

40 CFR 446.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash paint subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Paint Subcategory § 446.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base... the production of oil-base paint where the tank cleaning is performed using solvents. When a plant is... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Applicability; description of the oil...

Regional Military Integration in West Africa: A Case Study of the Multi-National Joint Task Force in the Fight against Boko Haram

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

detailed description of issues surrounding a subject matter. The use of case studies provides the experimental foundation for qualitative analysis. As...The chapter provided a description of the case studies -based QCA methodology, highlighted how the Charles Ragin QCA will be used for data analysis...world. Against this backdrop, a study assessing the challenges and prospects of sub- regional post -conflict peacebuilding efforts will not only be

Disadvantaged Children and Their First School Experiences: ETS-Head Start Longitudinal Study: Structure and Development of Cognitive Competencies and Styles Prior to School Entry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shipman, Virginia C.; And Others

In a continuing description of a Head Start longitudinal study, analyses are presented of the interrelationships among individual measures of the child's performances prior to school entry, accompanied by brief descriptions of the tasks and the scores used. Despite the size and extensiveness of the data base, the findings are considered tentative…

Decomposing phenotype descriptions for the human skeletal phenome.

PubMed

Groza, Tudor; Hunter, Jane; Zankl, Andreas

2013-01-01

Over the course of the last few years there has been a significant amount of research performed on ontology-based formalization of phenotype descriptions. The intrinsic value and knowledge captured within such descriptions can only be expressed by taking advantage of their inner structure that implicitly combines qualities and anatomical entities. We present a meta-model (the Phenotype Fragment Ontology) and a processing pipeline that enable together the automatic decomposition and conceptualization of phenotype descriptions for the human skeletal phenome. We use this approach to showcase the usefulness of the generic concept of phenotype decomposition by performing an experimental study on all skeletal phenotype concepts defined in the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Descriptive psychopathology, phenomenology, and the legacy of Karl Jaspers

PubMed Central

Häfner, Heinz

2015-01-01

With his early publications (1910-1913), Karl Jaspers created a comprehensive methodological arsenal for psychiatry, thus laying the foundation for descriptive psychopathology. Following Edmund Husserl, the founder of philosophical phenomenology, Jaspers introduced phenomenology into psychopathology as “static understanding,” ie, the unprejudiced intuitive reproduction (Vergegenwärtigung) and description of conscious phenomena. In a longitudinal perspective, “genetic understanding” based on empathy reveals how mental phenomena arise from mental phenomena. Severance in understanding of, or alienation from, meaningful connections is seen as indicating illness or transition of a natural development into a somatic process. Jaspers opted for philosophy early. After three terms of law, he switched to studying medicine, came to psychopathology after very little training in psychiatry; to psychology without ever studying psychology; and to a chair in philosophy without ever studying philosophy. In the fourth and subsequent editions of his General Psychopathology, imbued by his existential philosophy, Jaspers partly abandoned the descriptive method. PMID:25987860

Descriptive psychopathology, phenomenology, and the legacy of Karl Jaspers.

PubMed

Häfner, Heinz

2015-03-01

With his early publications (1910-1913), Karl Jaspers created a comprehensive methodological arsenal for psychiatry, thus laying the foundation for descriptive psychopathology. Following Edmund Husserl, the founder of philosophical phenomenology, Jaspers introduced phenomenology into psychopathology as "static understanding," ie, the unprejudiced intuitive reproduction (Vergegenwärtigung) and description of conscious phenomena. In a longitudinal perspective, "genetic understanding" based on empathy reveals how mental phenomena arise from mental phenomena. Severance in understanding of, or alienation from, meaningful connections is seen as indicating illness or transition of a natural development into a somatic process. Jaspers opted for philosophy early. After three terms of law, he switched to studying medicine, came to psychopathology after very little training in psychiatry; to psychology without ever studying psychology; and to a chair in philosophy without ever studying philosophy. In the fourth and subsequent editions of his General Psychopathology, imbued by his existential philosophy, Jaspers partly abandoned the descriptive method.

Studying Students' Science Literacy: Non-Scientific Beliefs and Science Literacy Measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Impey, C.; Buxner, S.

2015-11-01

We have been conducting a study of university students' science literacy for the past 24 years. Based on the work of the National Science Board's ongoing national survey of the US public, we have administered the same survey to undergraduate science students at the University of Arizona almost every year since 1989. Results have shown relatively little change in students' overall science literacy, descriptions of science, and knowledge of basic science topics for almost a quarter of a century despite an increase in education interventions, the rise of the internet, and increased access to knowledge. Several trends do exist in students' science literacy and descriptions of science. Students who exhibit beliefs in non-scientific phenomenon (e.g., lucky numbers, creationism) consistently have lower science literacy scores and less correct descriptions of scientific phenomenon. Although not surprising, our results support ongoing efforts to help students generate evidence based thinking.

VHDL Descriptions for the FPGA Implementation of PWL-Function-Based Multi-Scroll Chaotic Oscillators

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Nowadays, chaos generators are an attractive field for research and the challenge is their realization for the development of engineering applications. From more than three decades ago, chaotic oscillators have been designed using discrete electronic devices, very few with integrated circuit technology, and in this work we propose the use of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) for fast prototyping. FPGA-based applications require that one be expert on programming with very-high-speed integrated circuits hardware description language (VHDL). In this manner, we detail the VHDL descriptions of chaos generators for fast prototyping from high-level programming using Python. The cases of study are three kinds of chaos generators based on piecewise-linear (PWL) functions that can be systematically augmented to generate even and odd number of scrolls. We introduce new algorithms for the VHDL description of PWL functions like saturated functions series, negative slopes and sawtooth. The generated VHDL-code is portable, reusable and open source to be synthesized in an FPGA. Finally, we show experimental results for observing 2, 10 and 30-scroll attractors. PMID:27997930

VHDL Descriptions for the FPGA Implementation of PWL-Function-Based Multi-Scroll Chaotic Oscillators.

PubMed

Tlelo-Cuautle, Esteban; Quintas-Valles, Antonio de Jesus; de la Fraga, Luis Gerardo; Rangel-Magdaleno, Jose de Jesus

2016-01-01

Nowadays, chaos generators are an attractive field for research and the challenge is their realization for the development of engineering applications. From more than three decades ago, chaotic oscillators have been designed using discrete electronic devices, very few with integrated circuit technology, and in this work we propose the use of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) for fast prototyping. FPGA-based applications require that one be expert on programming with very-high-speed integrated circuits hardware description language (VHDL). In this manner, we detail the VHDL descriptions of chaos generators for fast prototyping from high-level programming using Python. The cases of study are three kinds of chaos generators based on piecewise-linear (PWL) functions that can be systematically augmented to generate even and odd number of scrolls. We introduce new algorithms for the VHDL description of PWL functions like saturated functions series, negative slopes and sawtooth. The generated VHDL-code is portable, reusable and open source to be synthesized in an FPGA. Finally, we show experimental results for observing 2, 10 and 30-scroll attractors.

A Collective Case Study of Secondary Students' Model-Based Inquiry on Natural Selection through Programming in an Agent-Based Modeling Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiang, Lin

2011-01-01

This is a collective case study seeking to develop detailed descriptions of how programming an agent-based simulation influences a group of 8th grade students' model-based inquiry (MBI) by examining students' agent-based programmable modeling (ABPM) processes and the learning outcomes. The context of the present study was a biology unit on…

The impact of social and psychological consequences of disease on judgments of disease severity: An experimental study.

PubMed

King, Nicholas B; Harper, Sam; Young, Meredith; Berry, Sarah C; Voigt, Kristin

2018-01-01

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project systematically assesses mortality, healthy life expectancy, and disability across 195 countries and territories, using the disability-adjusted life year (DALY). Disability weights in the DALY are based upon surveys that ask users to rate health states based on lay descriptions. We conducted an experimental study to examine whether the inclusion or removal of psychological, social, or familial implications from a health state description might affect individual judgments about disease severity, and thus relative disability weights. We designed a survey consisting of 36 paired descriptions in which information about plausible psychological, social, or familial implications of a health condition was either present or absent. Using a Web-based platform, we recruited 1,592 participants, who were assigned to one of two experimental groups, each of which were asked to assign a value to the health state description from 0 to 100 using a slider, with 0 as the "worst possible health" and 100 as the "best possible health." We tested five hypotheses: (1) the inclusion of psychological, social, or familial consequences in health state descriptions will reduce the average rating of a health state; (2) the effect will be stronger for diseases with lower disability weights (i.e., less severe diseases); (3) the effect will vary across the type of additional information added to the health state description; (4) the impact of adding information on familial consequences will be stronger for female than male; (5) the effect of additional consequences on ratings of health state descriptions will not differ by levels of completed education and age. On average, adding social, psychological, or familial consequences to the health state description lowered individual ratings of that description by 0.78 points. The impact of adding information had a stronger impact on ratings of the least severe conditions, reducing average ratings in this category by 1.67 points. Addition of information about child-rearing had the strongest impact, reducing average ratings by 2.09 points. We found little evidence that the effect of adding information on ratings of health descriptions varied by gender, education, or age. Including information about health states not directly related to major functional consequences or symptoms, particularly with respect to child-rearing and specifically for descriptions of less severe conditions, can lead to lower ratings of health. However, this impact was not consistent across all conditions or types of information, and was most pronounced for inclusion of information about child-rearing, and among the least severe conditions.

A climatological description of the Savannah River Site

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

Hunter, C.H.

1990-05-22

This report provides a general climatological description of the Savannah River Site. The description provides both regional and local scale climatology. The regional climatology includes a general regional climatic description and presents information on occurrence frequencies of the severe meteorological phenomena that are important considerations in the design and siting of a facility. These phenomena include tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and ice/snow storms. Occurrence probabilities given for extreme tornado and non-tornado winds are based on previous site specific studies. Local climatological conditions that are significant with respect to the impact of facility operations on the environment are described using on-site ormore » near-site meteorological data. Summaries of wind speed, wind direction, and atmospheric stability are primarily based on the most recently generated five-year set of data collected from the onsite meteorological tower network (1982--86). Temperature, humidity, and precipitation summaries include data from SRL's standard meteorological instrument shelter and the Augusta National Weather Service office at Bush Field through 1986. A brief description of the onsite meteorological monitoring program is also provided. 24 refs., 15 figs., 22 tabs.« less

Construct Validation Theory Applied to the Study of Personality Dysfunction

PubMed Central

Zapolski, Tamika C. B.; Guller, Leila; Smith, Gregory T.

2013-01-01

The authors review theory validation and construct validation principles as related to the study of personality dysfunction. Historically, personality disorders have been understood to be syndromes of heterogeneous symptoms. The authors argue that the syndrome approach to description results in diagnoses of unclear meaning and constrained validity. The alternative approach of describing personality dysfunction in terms of homogeneous dimensions of functioning avoids the problems of the syndromal approach and has been shown to provide more valid description and diagnosis. The authors further argue that description based on homogeneous dimensions of personality function/dysfunction is more useful, because it provides direct connections to validated treatments. PMID:22321263

Environmental resources of selected areas of Hawaii: Cultural environment and aesthetic resources

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

Trettin, L.D.; Petrich, C.H.; Saulsbury, J.W.

This report has been prepared to make available and archive the background scientific data and related information collected on the cultural environment and aesthetic resources during the preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for Phases 3 and 4 of the Hawaii Geothermal Project (HGP) as defined by the state of Hawaii in its April 1989 proposal to Congress. The cultural environment in the Geothermal Resource Zone (GRZ) and associated study area consists of Native Hawaiian cultural and religious practices and both Native Hawaiian and non-Native Hawaiian cultural resources. This report consists of three sections: (1) a description of Nativemore » Hawaiian cultural and religious rights, practices, and values; (2) a description of historic, prehistoric, and traditional Native Hawaiian sites; and (3) a description of other (non-native) sites that could be affected by development in the study area. Within each section, the level of descriptive detail varies according to the information currently available. The description of the cultural environment is most specific in its coverage of the Geothermal Resource Subzones in the Puna District of the island of Hawaii and the study area of South Maui. Ethnographic and archaeological reports by Cultural Advocacy Network Developing Options and International Archaeological Research Institute, Inc., respectively, supplement the descriptions of these two areas with new information collected specifically for this study. Less detailed descriptions of additional study areas on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and the island of Hawaii are based on existing archaeological surveys.« less

The Social Profile of Students in Basic General Education in Ecuador: A Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buri, Olga Elizabeth Minchala; Stefos, Efstathios

2017-01-01

The objective of this study is to examine the social profile of students who are enrolled in Basic General Education in Ecuador. Both a descriptive and multidimensional statistical analysis was carried out based on the data provided by the National Survey of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment in 2015. The descriptive analysis shows the…

A Pilot Study of Army Recruiters: Their Job Behaviors and Personal Characteristics

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-04-01

self -dlscription data, few charact-eristics wert, significantly related to * production records. Among the significant findings were the following: (1...Coristiuction of Critetion GrOuLps) Based ors Peer Nomination Data ..... 17 3 Characteristics Related to Recruiter Effectiveness: Self -Description...Master’s Thesis, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, 196 1. 10 ’ . . - , - II Maler’ studied the Recruiter Self -Description Blank (RSDB) as a predictor of per

A Markovian event-based framework for stochastic spiking neural networks.

PubMed

Touboul, Jonathan D; Faugeras, Olivier D

2011-11-01

In spiking neural networks, the information is conveyed by the spike times, that depend on the intrinsic dynamics of each neuron, the input they receive and on the connections between neurons. In this article we study the Markovian nature of the sequence of spike times in stochastic neural networks, and in particular the ability to deduce from a spike train the next spike time, and therefore produce a description of the network activity only based on the spike times regardless of the membrane potential process. To study this question in a rigorous manner, we introduce and study an event-based description of networks of noisy integrate-and-fire neurons, i.e. that is based on the computation of the spike times. We show that the firing times of the neurons in the networks constitute a Markov chain, whose transition probability is related to the probability distribution of the interspike interval of the neurons in the network. In the cases where the Markovian model can be developed, the transition probability is explicitly derived in such classical cases of neural networks as the linear integrate-and-fire neuron models with excitatory and inhibitory interactions, for different types of synapses, possibly featuring noisy synaptic integration, transmission delays and absolute and relative refractory period. This covers most of the cases that have been investigated in the event-based description of spiking deterministic neural networks.

Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) data base reporting software user's guide and system description. Volume 2: Program descriptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The structure and functions of each reporting software program for the Software Engineering Laboratory data base are described. Baseline diagrams, module descriptions, and listings of program generation files are included.

Reporting guidelines for primary research: Saying what you did.

PubMed

O'Connor, Annette

2010-12-01

Reporting guidelines aim to facilitate publication of a full and accurate description of research conducted. The motivations for a full and accurate description of research is to enable reproduction of the study, assessment of bias, extraction of data from the study, and to fulfill an ethical obligation to maximize the utility of research findings. Many reporting guidelines exist and most are based on a specific study design such as randomized controlled trials (CONSORT statement) and observational studies (STROBE statement). The REFLECT statement focuses on randomized control trials in livestock and food safety studies. The REFLECT statement has increased emphasis on conveying information about animal housing, group level allocation and challenge studies. Guidelines can be used by authors, reviewers and editors to provide readers with a full and accurate description of the work conducted. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Findings From a Nursing Care Audit Based on the Nursing Process: A Descriptive Study

PubMed Central

Poortaghi, Sarieh; Salsali, Mahvash; Ebadi, Abbas; Rahnavard, Zahra; Maleki, Farzaneh

2015-01-01

Background: Although using the nursing process improves nursing care quality, few studies have evaluated nursing performance in accordance with nursing process steps either nationally or internationally. Objectives: This study aimed to audit nursing care based on a nursing process model. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which a nursing audit checklist was designed and validated for assessing nurses’ compliance with nursing process. A total of 300 nurses from various clinical settings of Tehran university of medical sciences were selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequencies, Pearson correlation coefficient and independent samples t-tests. Results: The compliance rate of nursing process indicators was 79.71 ± 0.87. Mean compliance scores did not significantly differ by education level and gender. However, overall compliance scores were correlated with nurses’ age (r = 0.26, P = 0.001) and work experience (r = 0.273, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Nursing process indicators can be used to audit nursing care. Such audits can be used as quality assurance tools. PMID:26576448

Development of Clinical Vignettes to Describe Alzheimer's Disease Health States: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Oremus, Mark; Xie, Feng; Gaebel, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Aims To develop clinical descriptions (vignettes) of life with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we conducted focus groups of persons with AD (n = 14), family caregivers of persons with AD (n = 20), and clinicians who see persons with AD in their practices (n = 5). Methods Group participants read existing descriptions of AD and commented on the realism and comprehensibility of the descriptions. We used thematic framework analysis to code the comments into themes and develop three new vignettes to describe mild, moderate, and severe AD. Results Themes included the types of symptoms to mention in the new vignettes, plus the manner in which the vignettes should be written. Since the vignette descriptions were based on focus group participants’ first-hand knowledge of AD, the descriptions can be said to demonstrate content validity. Conclusion Members of the general public can read the vignettes and estimate their health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) as if they had AD based on the vignette descriptions. This is especially important for economic evaluations of new AD medications, which require HRQoL to be assessed in a manner that persons with AD often find difficult to undertake. The vignettes will allow the general public to serve as a proxy and provide HRQoL estimates in place of persons with AD. PMID:27589604

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peariso, Jamon F.

2006-01-01

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

The Impact of Microcomputer-Based Science Labs on Children's Graphing Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokros, Janice R.

Microcomputer-based laboratories (MBL), the use of microcomputers for student-directed data acquisition and analysis, represents a promising new development in science laboratory instruction. This descriptive study determined the impact of MBLs on middle school students' understanding of graphs of distance and velocity. The study was based on the…

Portfolio of Outpatients Attending Centre for Urban Health, Madhya Pradesh, Central India.

PubMed

Gupta, Arti; Reddy, B Venkatashiva; Nagar, Mukesh Kumar; Chandel, Ajeet; Bali, Surya

2015-01-01

Knowledge on distribution and burden of diseases in a community is essential for planning of public health services. In the absence of information on morbidity profile through community-based surveys, facility-based data provide a good alternative. The aim of this study was to describe the morbidity profile of patients attending the Centre for Urban Health All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal (CUHA). A record-based descriptive study was carried out in the CUHA Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Information on age, gender, residence, new case, and principal diagnosis were extracted from the outpatient registers for the period between January 2014 and December 2014. Only newly registered patients for the study year (2014) were included. Descriptive analysis was done. A total of 6685 new episodes of illnesses were treated. Adults (>15 years) constituted about 85.0%. Overall, the respiratory disorders were the most common (27.2%) followed by the digestive disorders (10.9%), circulatory disorders (9.9%), musculoskeletal disorders (8.8%), and infectious and parasitic disorders (7.4%). This study gives a brief description of the morbidity profile of patients attending a primary health care center over a period of 1 year. This knowledge would help in planning health services to meet the patients' needs and help in training health staff.

What's in a Name? The Incorrect Use of Case Series as a Study Design Label in Studies Involving Dogs and Cats.

PubMed

Sargeant, J M; O'Connor, A M; Cullen, J N; Makielski, K M; Jones-Bitton, A

2017-07-01

Study design labels are used to identify relevant literature to address specific clinical and research questions and to aid in evaluating the evidentiary value of research. Evidence from the human healthcare literature indicates that the label "case series" may be used inconsistently and inappropriately. Our primary objective was to determine the proportion of studies in the canine and feline veterinary literature labeled as case series that actually corresponded to descriptive cohort studies, population-based cohort studies, or other study designs. Our secondary objective was to identify the proportion of case series in which potentially inappropriate inferential statements were made. Descriptive evaluation of published literature. One-hundred published studies (from 19 journals) labeled as case series. Studies were identified by a structured literature search, with random selection of 100 studies from the relevant citations. Two reviewers independently characterized each study, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Of the 100 studies, 16 were case series. The remaining studies were descriptive cohort studies (35), population-based cohort studies (36), or other observational or experimental study designs (13). Almost half (48.8%) of the case series or descriptive cohort studies, with no control group and no formal statistical analysis, included inferential statements about the efficacy of treatment or statistical significance of potential risk factors. Authors, peer-reviewers, and editors should carefully consider the design elements of a study to accurately identify and label the study design. Doing so will facilitate an understanding of the evidentiary value of the results. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Teacher Evaluation Models: Compliance or Growth Oriented?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clenchy, Kelly R.

2017-01-01

This research study reviewed literature specific to the evolution of teacher evaluation models and explored the effectiveness of standards-based evaluation models' potential to facilitate professional growth. The researcher employed descriptive phenomenology to conduct a study of teachers' perceptions of a standard-based evaluation model's…

Mobile communications satellite antenna flight experiment definition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeland, Robert E.

1987-01-01

Results of a NASA-sponsored study to determine the technical feasibility and cost of a Shuttle-based flight experiment specifically intended for the MSAT commercial user community are presented. The experiment will include demonstrations of technology in the areas of radio frequency, sensing and control, and structures. The results of the structural subsystem study summarized here include experiment objective and technical approach, experiment structural description, structure/environment interactions, structural characterization, thermal characterization, structural measurement system, and experiment functional description.

Assisting the bereaved: A systematic review of the evidence for grief counselling.

PubMed

Waller, Amy; Turon, Heidi; Mansfield, Elise; Clark, Katherine; Hobden, Bree; Sanson-Fisher, Rob

2016-02-01

Supporting people after bereavement is a priority area for many health services. Investment in bereavement care must be supported by a rigorous evidence-base. To examine the (1) relative proportion of descriptive, measurement and intervention research in grief counselling and (2) quality and effectiveness of intervention studies. Systematic review of studies published in the area of grief counselling. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies published between 2000 and 2013. Eligible papers were categorised into descriptive, measurement, review, commentaries and intervention studies. Intervention studies were assessed against the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care methodological criteria, and papers meeting criteria were assessed for quality. The impact of interventions on grief, psychological morbidity and quality of life was examined. A total of 126 data-based papers, including 47 descriptive, 3 measurement and 76 grief counselling intervention studies were included. Only 59% (n = 45) of intervention studies met Effective Practice and Organisation of Care design criteria. Overall, study quality was poor, with the majority of interventions showing a risk of bias in several key areas. The three studies that met all criteria showed mixed effectiveness. Grief counselling interventions require a strong rationale for design, and a systematic approach to development and evaluation. Descriptive research efforts should inform this process, focusing on homogeneity in sample, identification of risk factors for complicated grief and the impact of extraneous factors on intervention effects. Interventions should include comparisons to usual care, as well as replication to confirm positive findings. © The Author(s) 2015.

Concept for a Satellite-Based Advanced Air Traffic Management System : Volume 2. System Functional Description and System Specification.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-02-01

The volume provides a functional description and specification for the Satellite-Based Advanced Air Traffic Management System. The system description is presented in terms of the surveillance, navigation, and communications functions along with the a...

Concept for a Satellite-Based Advanced Air Traffic Management System : Volume 4. Operational Description and Qualitative Assessment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-02-01

The volume presents a description of how the Satellite-Based Advanced Air Traffic Management System (SAATMS) operates and a qualitative assessment of the system. The operational description includes the services, functions, and tasks performed by the...

The Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database: A Tool to Support Population-Based Interdisciplinary Research

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Amy E.; Khoury, Muin J.; Ioannidis, John P.A.; Brotzman, Michelle; Miller, Amy; Lane, Crystal; Lai, Gabriel Y.; Rogers, Scott D.; Harvey, Chinonye; Elena, Joanne W.; Seminara, Daniela

2017-01-01

Background We report on the establishment of a web-based Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database (CEDCD). The CEDCD’s goals are to enhance awareness of resources, facilitate interdisciplinary research collaborations, and support existing cohorts for the study of cancer-related outcomes. Methods Comprehensive descriptive data were collected from large cohorts established to study cancer as primary outcome using a newly developed questionnaire. These included an inventory of baseline and follow-up data, biospecimens, genomics, policies, and protocols. Additional descriptive data extracted from publicly available sources were also collected. This information was entered in a searchable and publicly accessible database. We summarized the descriptive data across cohorts and reported the characteristics of this resource. Results As of December 2015, the CEDCD includes data from 46 cohorts representing more than 6.5 million individuals (29% ethnic/racial minorities). Overall, 78% of the cohorts have collected blood at least once, 57% at multiple time points, and 46% collected tissue samples. Genotyping has been performed by 67% of the cohorts, while 46% have performed whole-genome or exome sequencing in subsets of enrolled individuals. Information on medical conditions other than cancer has been collected in more than 50% of the cohorts. More than 600,000 incident cancer cases and more than 40,000 prevalent cases are reported, with 24 cancer sites represented. Conclusions The CEDCD assembles detailed descriptive information on a large number of cancer cohorts in a searchable database. Impact Information from the CEDCD may assist the interdisciplinary research community by facilitating identification of well-established population resources and large-scale collaborative and integrative research. PMID:27439404

Classifications of Acute Scaphoid Fractures: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Ten Berg, Paul W; Drijkoningen, Tessa; Strackee, Simon D; Buijze, Geert A

2016-05-01

Background In the lack of consensus, surgeon-based preference determines how acute scaphoid fractures are classified. There is a great variety of classification systems with considerable controversies. Purposes The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of the different classification systems, clarifying their subgroups and analyzing their popularity by comparing citation indexes. The intention was to improve data comparison between studies using heterogeneous fracture descriptions. Methods We performed a systematic review of the literature based on a search of medical literature from 1950 to 2015, and a manual search using the reference lists in relevant book chapters. Only original descriptions of classifications of acute scaphoid fractures in adults were included. Popularity was based on citation index as reported in the databases of Web of Science (WoS) and Google Scholar. Articles that were cited <10 times in WoS were excluded. Results Our literature search resulted in 308 potentially eligible descriptive reports of which 12 reports met the inclusion criteria. We distinguished 13 different (sub) classification systems based on (1) fracture location, (2) fracture plane orientation, and (3) fracture stability/displacement. Based on citations numbers, the Herbert classification was most popular, followed by the Russe and Mayo classifications. All classification systems were based on plain radiography. Conclusions Most classification systems were based on fracture location, displacement, or stability. Based on the controversy and limited reliability of current classification systems, suggested research areas for an updated classification include three-dimensional fracture pattern etiology and fracture fragment mobility assessed by dynamic imaging.

Metaphoric Investigation of the Phonic-Based Sentence Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Birsen

2012-01-01

This study aimed to understand the views of prospective teachers with "phonic-based sentence method" through metaphoric images. In this descriptive study, the participants involve the prospective teachers who take reading-writing instruction courses in Primary School Classroom Teaching Program of the Education Faculty of Pamukkale…

Competency-Based Education: A Quantitative Study of the U.S. Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houser, Bonnie L.

2017-01-01

There are relatively few empirical studies that examine whether using a competency-based education (CBE) approach results in increased student learning or achievement when compared to traditional education approaches. This study uses a quantitative research methodology, a nonexperimental comparative descriptive research design, and a two-group…

Prevalence and Implementation Fidelity of Research-Based Prevention Programs in Public Schools. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosse, Scott; Williams, Barbara; Hagen, Carol A.; Harmon, Michele; Ristow, Liam; DiGaetano, Ralph; Broene, Pamela; Alexander, Debbie; Tseng, Margaret; Derzon, James H.

2011-01-01

This report presents descriptive information about the prevalence and quality of implementation of research-based programs from the Study of the Implementation of Research-Based Programs to Prevent Youth Substance Abuse and School Crime. The study found that, while schools reported implementing a large number of prevention programs during the…

A Descriptive Study of a Building-Based Team Problem-Solving Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Alexander B.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate Building-Based Teams for General Education Intervention or BBT for GEI. BBT for GEI is a team problem-solving process designed to assist schools in conducting research-based interventions in the general education setting. Problem-solving teams are part of general education and provide support…

Numeric promoter description - A comparative view on concepts and general application.

PubMed

Beier, Rico; Labudde, Dirk

2016-01-01

Nucleic acid molecules play a key role in a variety of biological processes. Starting from storage and transfer tasks, this also comprises the triggering of biological processes, regulatory effects and the active influence gained by target binding. Based on the experimental output (in this case promoter sequences), further in silico analyses aid in gaining new insights into these processes and interactions. The numerical description of nucleic acids thereby constitutes a bridge between the concrete biological issues and the analytical methods. Hence, this study compares 26 descriptor sets obtained by applying well-known numerical description concepts to an established dataset of 38 DNA promoter sequences. The suitability of the description sets was evaluated by computing partial least squares regression models and assessing the model accuracy. We conclude that the major importance regarding the descriptive power is attached to positional information rather than to explicitly incorporated physico-chemical information, since a sufficient amount of implicit physico-chemical information is already encoded in the nucleobase classification. The regression models especially benefited from employing the information that is encoded in the sequential and structural neighborhood of the nucleobases. Thus, the analyses of n-grams (short fragments of length n) suggested that they are valuable descriptors for DNA target interactions. A mixed n-gram descriptor set thereby yielded the best description of the promoter sequences. The corresponding regression model was checked and found to be plausible as it was able to reproduce the characteristic binding motifs of promoter sequences in a reasonable degree. As most functional nucleic acids are based on the principle of molecular recognition, the findings are not restricted to promoter sequences, but can rather be transferred to other kinds of functional nucleic acids. Thus, the concepts presented in this study could provide advantages for future nucleic acid-based technologies, like biosensoring, therapeutics and molecular imaging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Registered Nurses' Experiences With Individuals With Low Health Literacy: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Toronto, Coleen E; Weatherford, Barbara

2016-01-01

The nursing profession is charged to provide effective communication and education to patients. A qualitative descriptive study that explored what nurses experience when interacting with patients thought to possess low health literacy was performed. Findings suggest that nurses are promoting health literacy using several evidence-based strategies. Major barriers encountered by nurses were limited cultural and linguistic resources within their healthcare organizations. This study provides nursing professional development specialists information about the educational gaps of nurses in practice related to health literacy and the identification of systems barriers.

Ecological investigations: vegetation studies, preliminary findings

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

Olgeirson, E.R.; Martin, R.B.

1978-09-01

The objective of the vegetation studies conducted on the research site is to produce a descriptive data base that can be applied to determinations of carrying capacity of the site and surrounding area. Additional information obtained about parameters that influence vegetation growth and maintenance of soil nutrients, and moisture and temperature regimes help define dynamic relationships that must be understood to effect successful revegetation and habitat rehabilitation. The descriptive vegetation baseline also provides a point of departure for design of future monitoring programs, and predictive models and strategies to be used in dealing with impact mitigation; in turn, monitoring programsmore » and predictive modeling form the bases for making distinctions between natural trends and man-induced perturbations.« less

The Establishment of a Management Information Systems Research Center at the Naval Postgraduate School

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

Project WP 88-03 GDSS Technology in Practice: A Study D. Straub R. Beauclair WP 88-04 Interaction Analysis in GDSS Research: I. Zigurs Description of an...03 GDSS Technology in Practice: A Study (D. Straub and R. Beauclair ) 4. WP 88-04 Interaction Analysis in GDSS Research: Description of an Experience...Implementing an Information Architecture," Data Base, forthcoming. 25 Straub, D. W. and R. A. Beauclair . "A New Dimension to Decision Support

The Influence of Visual Experience on the Ability to Form Spatial Mental Models Based on Route and Survey Descriptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noordzij, Matthijs L.; Zuidhoek, Sander; Postma, Albert

2006-01-01

The purpose of the present study is twofold: the first objective is to evaluate the importance of visual experience for the ability to form a spatial representation (spatial mental model) of fairly elaborate spatial descriptions. Secondly, we examine whether blind people exhibit the same preferences (i.e. level of performance on spatial tasks) as…

A Descriptive Case Study of Writing Standards-Based Individualized Education Plan Goals via Problem-Based Learning in a Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Peter J.

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine the professional development experiences of two contrastive participants while they were creating standards-based individualized education plan (IEP) goals using a virtual world called TeacherSim. Two specific focuses of the study were on how special educators engaged with the task of creating standards-based…

Injunctive Norms and Alcohol Consumption: A Revised Conceptualization

PubMed Central

Krieger, Heather; Neighbors, Clayton; Lewis, Melissa A.; LaBrie, Joseph W.; Foster, Dawn W.; Larimer, Mary E.

2016-01-01

Background Injunctive norms have been found to be important predictors of behaviors in many disciplines with the exception of alcohol research. This exception is likely due to a misconceptualization of injunctive norms for alcohol consumption. To address this, we outline and test a new conceptualization of injunctive norms and personal approval for alcohol consumption. Traditionally, injunctive norms have been assessed using Likert scale ratings of approval perceptions, whereas descriptive norms and individual behaviors are typically measured with behavioral estimates (i.e., number of drinks consumed per week, frequency of drinking, etc.). This makes comparisons between these constructs difficult because they are not similar conceptualizations of drinking behaviors. The present research evaluated a new representation of injunctive norms with anchors comparable to descriptive norms measures. Methods A study and a replication were conducted including 2,559 and 1,189 undergraduate students from three different universities. Participants reported on their alcohol-related consumption behaviors, personal approval of drinking, and descriptive and injunctive norms. Personal approval and injunctive norms were measured using both traditional measures and a new drink-based measure. Results Results from both studies indicated that drink-based injunctive norms were uniquely and positively associated with drinking whereas traditionally assessed injunctive norms were negatively associated with drinking. Analyses also revealed significant unique associations between drink-based injunctive norms and personal approval when controlling for descriptive norms. Conclusions These findings provide support for a modified conceptualization of personal approval and injunctive norms related to alcohol consumption and, importantly, offers an explanation and practical solution for the small and inconsistent findings related to injunctive norms and drinking in past studies. PMID:27030295

User Interface Models for Multidisciplinary Bibliographic Information Dissemination Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zipperer, W. C.

Two information dissemination centers at University of California at Los Angeles and University of Georgia studied the interactions between computer based search facilities and their users. The study, largely descriptive in nature, investigated the interaction processes between data base users and profile analysis or information specialists in…

A Framework for the Study of Emotions in Organizational Contexts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiebig, Greg V.; Kramer, Michael W.

1998-01-01

Approaches the study of emotions in organizations holistically, based on a proposed framework. Provides descriptive data that suggests the presence of the framework's major elements. States that future examination of emotions based on this framework should assist in understanding emotions, which are frequently ignored in a rational model. (PA)

System Study at SUNY College Bookstore/Oswego

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVita, Richard; And Others

1975-01-01

A system study of the textbook ordering department is presented including systems flow chart, chart of activities, and description of operations and procedures for utilizing the computer system. Changes based on the study are noted. (JT)

Short Descriptions of Selected Distance-Education Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doerfert, F., Ed.; And Others

This report contains short descriptions of about 200 selected distance education institutions throughout the world. Most of the descriptions are based on questionnaires completed by members of the institutions as well as on corrections of and comments on a preliminary version of the descriptions. Descriptions contain some or all of the following…

Specifying Skill-Based Training Strategies and Devices: A Model Description

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

Technical Report 897 Specifying Skill-Based Training N Strategies and Devices: A Model Description I Paui J. Sticha and Mark Schlager Human Resources...unlimied 90 ’ Technical Report 897 Specifying Skill-Based Training Strategies and Devices: A Model Description Paul J. Sticha and Mark Schlager Human...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE Form Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE FMNo o7 ote la. REPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION lb. RESTRICTWE MARKINGS

An Automated Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Based Nowcasting System: Software Description

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

14. ABSTRACT A Web service /Web interface software package has been engineered to address the need for an automated means to run the Weather Research...An Automated Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)- Based Nowcasting System: Software Description by Stephen F. Kirby, Brian P. Reen, and...Based Nowcasting System: Software Description Stephen F. Kirby, Brian P. Reen, and Robert E. Dumais Jr. Computational and Information Sciences

A hydrochemical data base for the Hanford Site, Washington

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

Early, T.O.; Mitchell, M.D.; Spice, G.D.

1986-05-01

This data package contains a revision of the Site Hydrochemical Data Base for water samples associated with the Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP). In addition to the detailed chemical analyses, a summary description of the data base format, detailed descriptions of verification procedures used to check data entries, and detailed descriptions of validation procedures used to evaluate data quality are included. 32 refs., 21 figs., 3 tabs.

Analysis of the possibility of SysML and BPMN application in formal data acquisition system description

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ćwikła, G.; Gwiazda, A.; Banaś, W.; Monica, Z.; Foit, K.

2017-08-01

The article presents the study of possible application of selected methods of complex description, that can be used as a support of the Manufacturing Information Acquisition System (MIAS) methodology, describing how to design a data acquisition system, allowing for collecting and processing real-time data on the functioning of a production system, necessary for management of a company. MIAS can allow conversion into Cyber-Physical Production System. MIAS is gathering and pre-processing data on the state of production system, including e.g. realisation of production orders, state of machines, materials and human resources. Systematised approach and model-based development is proposed for improving the quality of the design of MIAS methodology-based complex systems supporting data acquisition in various types of companies. Graphical specification can be the baseline for any model-based development in specified areas. The possibility of application of SysML and BPMN, both being UML-based languages, representing different approaches to modelling of requirements, architecture and implementation of the data acquisition system, as a tools supporting description of required features of MIAS, were considered.

Relationship between Nursing Students' Views about Web-Based Patient Education Course and Anxiety in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tasocak, Gülsün; Kaya, Hülya; Senyuva, Emine; Isik, Burçin; Bodur, Gönül

2014-01-01

The study was designed as descriptive and cross-sectional to determine the relation between students' views about web-based Patient Education course and anxiety. The study group consisted of all students registered the web-based Patient Education course (N: 148) at 2010-2011 semester at a nursing school. Data were collected using "Information…

Brain Based Learning in Science Education in Turkey: Descriptive Content and Meta Analysis of Dissertations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yasar, M. Diyaddin

2017-01-01

This study aimed at performing content analysis and meta-analysis on dissertations related to brain-based learning in science education to find out the general trend and tendency of brain-based learning in science education and find out the effect of such studies on achievement and attitude of learners with the ultimate aim of raising awareness…

Changes in Teaching Efficacy during a Professional Development School-Based Science Methods Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swars, Susan L.; Dooley, Caitlin McMunn

2010-01-01

This mixed methods study offers a theoretically grounded description of a field-based science methods course within a Professional Development School (PDS) model (i.e., PDS-based course). The preservice teachers' (n = 21) experiences within the PDS-based course prompted significant changes in their personal teaching efficacy, with the…

Involving Employers in Training: Case Studies. Research and Evaluation Report Series 97-J.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isbell, Kellie; Trutko, John W.; Barnow, Burt S.; Nightengale, Demetra; Pindus, Nancy

This document contains in-depth descriptions and assessments of 17 exemplary employer-based training (EBT) programs that were studied as part of an examination of EBT programs. The case studies are based on site visits to each firm, during which interviews were conducted with company management, supervisors of workers in training, individuals…

The Role of Perspective Taking in How Children Connect Reference Frames When Explaining Astronomical Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Julia D.; Bower, Corinne A.; Liben, Lynn S.

2016-01-01

This study investigates the role of perspective-taking skills in how children explain spatially complex astronomical phenomena. Explaining many astronomical phenomena, especially those studied in elementary and middle school, requires shifting between an Earth-based description of the phenomena and a space-based reference frame. We studied 7- to…

Availability and Accessibility of ICT-Based Instructional Tools in Medical Colleges in Ogun State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nwosu, Jonathan Chinaka; John, Henry Chukwudi; Akorede, O. J.

2018-01-01

This study assessed the availability and use of ICT-based Instructional tools in selected medical colleges in Ogun State, Nigeria. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population to be studied is medical lecturers (328), clinical instructors (42) and laboratory technologist (92) from Ben Carson Snr. Medical School, Babcock…

The Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database: A Tool to Support Population-Based Interdisciplinary Research.

PubMed

Kennedy, Amy E; Khoury, Muin J; Ioannidis, John P A; Brotzman, Michelle; Miller, Amy; Lane, Crystal; Lai, Gabriel Y; Rogers, Scott D; Harvey, Chinonye; Elena, Joanne W; Seminara, Daniela

2016-10-01

We report on the establishment of a web-based Cancer Epidemiology Descriptive Cohort Database (CEDCD). The CEDCD's goals are to enhance awareness of resources, facilitate interdisciplinary research collaborations, and support existing cohorts for the study of cancer-related outcomes. Comprehensive descriptive data were collected from large cohorts established to study cancer as primary outcome using a newly developed questionnaire. These included an inventory of baseline and follow-up data, biospecimens, genomics, policies, and protocols. Additional descriptive data extracted from publicly available sources were also collected. This information was entered in a searchable and publicly accessible database. We summarized the descriptive data across cohorts and reported the characteristics of this resource. As of December 2015, the CEDCD includes data from 46 cohorts representing more than 6.5 million individuals (29% ethnic/racial minorities). Overall, 78% of the cohorts have collected blood at least once, 57% at multiple time points, and 46% collected tissue samples. Genotyping has been performed by 67% of the cohorts, while 46% have performed whole-genome or exome sequencing in subsets of enrolled individuals. Information on medical conditions other than cancer has been collected in more than 50% of the cohorts. More than 600,000 incident cancer cases and more than 40,000 prevalent cases are reported, with 24 cancer sites represented. The CEDCD assembles detailed descriptive information on a large number of cancer cohorts in a searchable database. Information from the CEDCD may assist the interdisciplinary research community by facilitating identification of well-established population resources and large-scale collaborative and integrative research. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(10); 1392-401. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Longitudinal Assessment of Self-Reported Recent Back Pain and Combat Deployment in the Millennium Cohort Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-15

participants who were followed for the development of back pain for an average of 3.9 years. Methods. Descriptive statistics and longitudinal...health, military personnel, occupational health, outcome assessment, statistics, survey methodology . Level of Evidence: 3 Spine 2016;41:1754–1763ack...based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.21 Statistical Analysis Descriptive and univariate analyses compared character- istics

Cybernetics - The new Era Arrives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Anil; Sengar, Chitransh; Bisht, Lalit; Sharma, Deepak

2012-12-01

The paper basically deals with the study of Cybernetics I, the history of evolution of this theory of this cyborg technology from the base to planting its roots in the future. The paper also presents a brief description about the use of this cyber technology in various felids known to the human world. Along with this is a description about the evolution of cybernetics as a cure to various medical problems.

The Role of Values, Moral Norms, and Descriptive Norms in Building Occupant Responses to an Energy-Efficiency Pilot Program and to Framing of Related Messages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arpan, Laura M.; Barooah, Prabir; Subramany, Rahul

2015-01-01

This study examined building occupants' responses associated with an occupant-based energy-efficiency pilot in a university building. The influence of occupants' values and norms as well as effects of two educational message frames (descriptive vs. moral norms cues) on program support were tested. Occupants' personal moral norm to conserve energy…

Smoking Cessation among Low-Socioeconomic Status and Disadvantaged Population Groups: A Systematic Review of Research Output.

PubMed

Courtney, Ryan J; Naicker, Sundresan; Shakeshaft, Anthony; Clare, Philip; Martire, Kristy A; Mattick, Richard P

2015-06-08

Smoking cessation research output should move beyond descriptive research of the health problem to testing interventions that can provide causal data and effective evidence-based solutions. This review examined the number and type of published smoking cessation studies conducted in low-socioeconomic status (low-SES) and disadvantaged population groups. A systematic database search was conducted for two time periods: 2000-2004 (TP1) and 2008-2012 (TP2). Publications that examined smoking cessation in a low-SES or disadvantaged population were coded by: population of interest; study type (reviews, non-data based publications, data-based publications (descriptive, measurement and intervention research)); and country. Intervention studies were coded in accordance with the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care data collection checklist and use of biochemical verification of self-reported abstinence was assessed. 278 citations were included. Research output (i.e., all study types) had increased from TP1 27% to TP2 73% (χ²=73.13, p<0.001), however, the proportion of data-based research had not significantly increased from TP1 and TP2: descriptive (TP1=23% vs. TP2=33%) or intervention (TP1=77% vs. TP2=67%). The proportion of intervention studies adopting biochemical verification of self-reported abstinence had significantly decreased from TP1 to TP2 with an increased reliance on self-reported abstinence (TP1=12% vs. TP2=36%). The current research output is not ideal or optimal to decrease smoking rates. Research institutions, scholars and funding organisations should take heed to review findings when developing future research and policy.

Transport Phenomena of Water in Molecular Fluidic Channels

PubMed Central

Vo, Truong Quoc; Kim, BoHung

2016-01-01

In molecular-level fluidic transport, where the discrete characteristics of a molecular system are not negligible (in contrast to a continuum description), the response of the molecular water system might still be similar to the continuum description if the time and ensemble averages satisfy the ergodic hypothesis and the scale of the average is enough to recover the classical thermodynamic properties. However, even in such cases, the continuum description breaks down on the material interfaces. In short, molecular-level liquid flows exhibit substantially different physics from classical fluid transport theories because of (i) the interface/surface force field, (ii) thermal/velocity slip, (iii) the discreteness of fluid molecules at the interface and (iv) local viscosity. Therefore, in this study, we present the result of our investigations using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with continuum-based energy equations and check the validity and limitations of the continuum hypothesis. Our study shows that when the continuum description is subjected to the proper treatment of the interface effects via modified boundary conditions, the so-called continuum-based modified-analytical solutions, they can adequately predict nanoscale fluid transport phenomena. The findings in this work have broad effects in overcoming current limitations in modeling/predicting the fluid behaviors of molecular fluidic devices. PMID:27650138

No smoke without fire: The impact of future friends on adolescent smoking behaviour.

PubMed

Mercken, L; Candel, M; van Osch, L; de Vries, H

2011-02-01

This study examined the impact of future friends and the contribution of different social influence and selection processes in predicting adolescents' smoking behaviour by extending the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). We investigated the impact of previous smoking, direct pressure from friends, descriptive norms of present and future friends, smoking-based selection of future friends, and distinguished between reciprocal and desired friends. A longitudinal design with three measurements was used. METHODSL: The sample consisted of 1,475 Dutch high school students (mean age = 12.7 years) that participated as a control group in the European Smoking prevention Framework Approach study at three measurements. Structural equation modelling revealed that adolescent smoking was influenced by intention, previous smoking, descriptive norms of parents and siblings, and that desired as well as reciprocal friends were selected based on similar smoking behaviour. Future friends indirectly influenced adolescent smoking through intention, as did attitude, subjective norms of parents and siblings, previous smoking, and descriptive norms of reciprocal friends and siblings. The present results suggest that descriptive norms and selection of friends need to be considered as major factors explaining smoking behaviour among adolescents besides the TPB components. These insights contribute to the further refinement of smoking prevention strategies. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

A descriptive review of qualitative studies in first episode psychosis.

PubMed

Boydell, Katherine M; Stasiulis, Elaine; Volpe, Tiziana; Gladstone, Brenda

2010-02-01

The aim of this paper is to provide a descriptive review of published qualitative research studies on first episode psychosis (FEP). A review was undertaken to describe the findings of qualitative studies in early psychosis. Keyword searches in Medline, CINAHL, ASSIA, PsychINFO databases, as well as manual searches of other relevant journals and reference lists of primary papers, were conducted. Thirty-one qualitative papers (representing 27 discrete studies) were identified. The majority reported research concerning young people based in community settings. The research studies were organized according to the following generic social processes: (i) achieving identity; (ii) acquiring perspectives; (iii) doing activity; and, (iv) experiencing relationships. The papers reviewed are based on first-person accounts obtained from individuals who have experienced FEP, their family members and service providers. This descriptive review contributes to our understanding of the complex social processes of achieving identity, acquiring perspectives, doing activities and developing relationships as experienced by young people and the significant others in their world. The cumulative findings highlight the contextually rich and detailed information made possible through qualitative studies of FEP. They begin to account for the active engagement of individuals affected by psychosis in making sense of their experience and suggest that this experience should be understood from within young people's own framework of meaning.

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part J. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: Sales Core Job Description; #36--Sales, Automotive Parts; #37--Sales, Retail; #38--Salesperson, Garden & Housewares; #39--Salesperson, Women's Garments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This seventh of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Salesperson, Automotive Parts; Sales Clerk, Retail; Salesperson, Garden and Housewares; and Salesperson, Women's Garments. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title,…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part M. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #60--Food Assembler; #61--Injection Molder--Machine Operator; #62--Data Entry Typist; #63--Institutional Cook; Office Core Job Description; #64--Clerk Typist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This tenth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Food Assembler, Injection Molder-Machine Operator, Data Entry Typist, Institutional Cook, and Clerk Typist. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part P: ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #77--Secretary; #78--Keypunch Operator; Assembly Worker Core Job Description; #82--Electronics Assembler; #83--Printed Circuit Assembler; #84--Micro Electronics Assembler; #85--Chassis Assembler; #87--Machinist Apprentice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This thirteenth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Secretary, Keypunch Operator, Electronics Assembler, Printed Circuit Assembler, Micro Electronincs Assembler, Chassis Assembler, and Machinist Apprentice. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes…

Minimally inconsistent reasoning in Semantic Web.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaowang

2017-01-01

Reasoning with inconsistencies is an important issue for Semantic Web as imperfect information is unavoidable in real applications. For this, different paraconsistent approaches, due to their capacity to draw as nontrivial conclusions by tolerating inconsistencies, have been proposed to reason with inconsistent description logic knowledge bases. However, existing paraconsistent approaches are often criticized for being too skeptical. To this end, this paper presents a non-monotonic paraconsistent version of description logic reasoning, called minimally inconsistent reasoning, where inconsistencies tolerated in the reasoning are minimized so that more reasonable conclusions can be inferred. Some desirable properties are studied, which shows that the new semantics inherits advantages of both non-monotonic reasoning and paraconsistent reasoning. A complete and sound tableau-based algorithm, called multi-valued tableaux, is developed to capture the minimally inconsistent reasoning. In fact, the tableaux algorithm is designed, as a framework for multi-valued DL, to allow for different underlying paraconsistent semantics, with the mere difference in the clash conditions. Finally, the complexity of minimally inconsistent description logic reasoning is shown on the same level as the (classical) description logic reasoning.

Minimally inconsistent reasoning in Semantic Web

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaowang

2017-01-01

Reasoning with inconsistencies is an important issue for Semantic Web as imperfect information is unavoidable in real applications. For this, different paraconsistent approaches, due to their capacity to draw as nontrivial conclusions by tolerating inconsistencies, have been proposed to reason with inconsistent description logic knowledge bases. However, existing paraconsistent approaches are often criticized for being too skeptical. To this end, this paper presents a non-monotonic paraconsistent version of description logic reasoning, called minimally inconsistent reasoning, where inconsistencies tolerated in the reasoning are minimized so that more reasonable conclusions can be inferred. Some desirable properties are studied, which shows that the new semantics inherits advantages of both non-monotonic reasoning and paraconsistent reasoning. A complete and sound tableau-based algorithm, called multi-valued tableaux, is developed to capture the minimally inconsistent reasoning. In fact, the tableaux algorithm is designed, as a framework for multi-valued DL, to allow for different underlying paraconsistent semantics, with the mere difference in the clash conditions. Finally, the complexity of minimally inconsistent description logic reasoning is shown on the same level as the (classical) description logic reasoning. PMID:28750030

Outcomes-Based Education Integration in Home Economics Program: An Evaluative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limon, Mark Raguindin; Castillo Vallente, John Paul

2016-01-01

This study examined the factors that affect the integration of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) in the Home Economics (HE) education curriculum of the Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) program of a State University in the northern part of the Philippines. Descriptive survey and qualitative design were deployed to gather, analyze, and…

Predicting the Resiliency in Parents with Exceptional Children Based on Their Mindfulness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabbari, Sosan; Firoozabadi, Somayeh Sadati; Rostami, Sedighe

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to predict the resiliency in parents with exceptional children based on their mindfulness. This descriptive correlational study was performed on 260 parents of student (105 male and 159 female) that were selected by cluster sampling method. Family resiliency questionnaire (Sickby, 2005) and five aspect…

Total Quality Management Practices in Turkish Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toremen, Fatih; Karakus, Mehmet; Yasan, Tezcan

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent of total quality management (TQM) practices in primary schools based on teachers' perceptions, and how their perceptions are related to different variables. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, a survey based descriptive scanning model was used. This study was carried out in…

The Evaluation of Teachers' Job Performance Based on Total Quality Management (TQM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahmohammadi, Nayereh

2017-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate teachers' job performance based on total quality management (TQM) model. This was a descriptive survey study. The target population consisted of all primary school teachers in Karaj (N = 2917). Using Cochran formula and simple random sampling, 340 participants were selected as sample. A total quality management…

Students' Critical Thinking Ability: Description Based on Academic Level and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zetriuslita, Hj.; Ariawan, Rezi; Nufus, Hayatun

2016-01-01

This research aims to describe students' critical thinking ability based on the level academic and gender. The populations of this study were 132 students participating in five classes of Calculus course. The research data obtained through technical tests and interview techniques. This study found that the high level of capability, both male…

Inquiry-Based Teaching: Teachers' Conceptions, Impediments and Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pozuelos, Francisco; Trave Gonzalez, Gabriel; Canal de Leon, Pedro

2010-01-01

This paper describes a study into the implementation within two Spanish primary schools of an inquiry-based curricular project entitled "Exploring Our World" (ages 6-12). Taking the form of two case studies, it offers a description of the two participating schools and the development of the project within them. Particular attention is…

Stratification of habitats for identifying habitat selection by Merriam's turkeys

Treesearch

Mark A. Rumble; Stanley H. Anderson

1992-01-01

Habitat selection patterns of Merriam’s Turkeys were compared in hierarchical analyses of three levels of habitat stratification. Habitat descriptions in first-level analyses were based on dominant species of vegetation. Habitat descriptions in second-level analyses were based on dominant species of vegetation and overstory canopy cover. Habitat descriptions in third-...

Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) Data Base Maintenance System (DBAM) user's guide and system description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, P. S.; Card, D.

1983-01-01

The Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) Data Base Maintenance System (DBAM) is explained. The various software facilities of the SEL, DBAM operating procedures, and DBAM system information are described. The relationships among DBAM components (baseline diagrams), component descriptions, overlay descriptions, indirect command file listings, file definitions, and sample data collection forms are provided.

A Structured Process Description of a Pragmatic Implementation Project: Improving Integrated Care for Older Persons in Residential Care Homes

PubMed Central

Poot, Antonius J.; de Waard, Claudia S.; Wind, Annet W.; Caljouw, Monique A. A.; Gussekloo, Jacobijn

2017-01-01

Evaluation of the implementation of integrated care can differ from trial-based research due to complexity. Therefore, we examined whether a theory-based method for process description of implementation can contribute to improvement of evidence-based care. MOVIT, a Dutch project aimed at implementing integrated care for older vulnerable persons in residential care homes, was used as a case study. The project activities were defined according to implementation taxonomy and mapped in a matrix of theoretical levels and domains. Project activities mainly targeted professionals (both individual and group). A few activities targeted the organizational level, whereas none targeted the policy level, or the patient, or the “social, political, and legal” domains. However, the resulting changes in care delivery arrangement had consequences for professionals, patients, organizations, and the social, political, and legal domains. A structured process description of a pragmatic implementation project can help assess the fidelity and quality of the implementation, and identify relevant contextual factors for immediate adaptation and future research. The description showed that, in the MOVIT project, there was a discrepancy between the levels and domains targeted by the implementation activities and those influenced by the resulting changes in delivery arrangement. This could have influenced, in particular, the adoption and sustainability of the project. PMID:29161944

A Structured Process Description of a Pragmatic Implementation Project: Improving Integrated Care for Older Persons in Residential Care Homes.

PubMed

Poot, Antonius J; de Waard, Claudia S; Wind, Annet W; Caljouw, Monique A A; Gussekloo, Jacobijn

2017-01-01

Evaluation of the implementation of integrated care can differ from trial-based research due to complexity. Therefore, we examined whether a theory-based method for process description of implementation can contribute to improvement of evidence-based care. MOVIT, a Dutch project aimed at implementing integrated care for older vulnerable persons in residential care homes, was used as a case study. The project activities were defined according to implementation taxonomy and mapped in a matrix of theoretical levels and domains. Project activities mainly targeted professionals (both individual and group). A few activities targeted the organizational level, whereas none targeted the policy level, or the patient, or the "social, political, and legal" domains. However, the resulting changes in care delivery arrangement had consequences for professionals, patients, organizations, and the social, political, and legal domains. A structured process description of a pragmatic implementation project can help assess the fidelity and quality of the implementation, and identify relevant contextual factors for immediate adaptation and future research. The description showed that, in the MOVIT project, there was a discrepancy between the levels and domains targeted by the implementation activities and those influenced by the resulting changes in delivery arrangement. This could have influenced, in particular, the adoption and sustainability of the project.

Interventions for compassionate nursing care: A systematic review.

PubMed

Blomberg, Karin; Griffiths, Peter; Wengström, Yvonne; May, Carl; Bridges, Jackie

2016-10-01

Compassion has been identified as an essential element of nursing and is increasingly under public scrutiny in the context of demands for high quality health care. While primary research on effectiveness of interventions to support compassionate nursing care has been reported, no rigorous critical overview exists. To systematically identify, describe and analyse research studies that evaluate interventions for compassionate nursing care; assess the descriptions of the interventions for compassionate care, including design and delivery of the intervention and theoretical framework; and to evaluate evidence for the effectiveness of interventions. Published international literature written in English up to June 2015 was identified from CINAHL, Medline and Cochrane Library databases. Primary research studies comparing outcomes of interventions to promote compassionate nursing care with a control condition were included. Studies were graded according to relative strength of methods and quality of description of intervention. Narrative description and analysis was undertaken supported by tabulation of key study data including study design, outcomes, intervention type and results. 25 interventions reported in 24 studies were included in the review. Intervention types included staff training (n=10), care model (n=9) and staff support (n=6). Intervention description was generally weak, especially in relation to describing participants and facilitators, and the proposed mechanisms for change were often unclear. Most interventions were associated with improvements in patient-based, nurse-based and/or quality of care outcomes. However, overall methodological quality was low with most studies (n=16) conducted as uncontrolled before and after studies. The few higher quality studies were less likely to report positive results. No interventions were tested more than once. None of the studies reviewed reported intervention description in sufficient detail or presented sufficiently strong evidence of effectiveness to merit routine implementation of any of these interventions into practice. The positive outcomes reported suggest that further investigation of some interventions may be merited, but high caution must be exercised. Preference should be shown for further investigating interventions reported as effective in studies with a stronger design such as randomised controlled trials. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Linear modeling of steady-state visual evoked response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levison, W. H.; Junker, A. M.; Kenner, K.

1986-01-01

A study is being conducted to explore use of the steady state visual-evoke electrocortical response as an indicator of cognitive task loading. Application of linear descriptive modeling to steady state Visual Evoked Response (VER) data is summarized. Two aspects of linear modeling are reviewed: (1) unwrapping the phase-shift portion of the frequency response, and (2) parsimonious characterization of task-loading effects in terms of changes in model parameters. Model-based phase unwrapping appears to be most reliable in applications, such as manual control, where theoretical models are available. Linear descriptive modeling of the VER has not yet been shown to provide consistent and readily interpretable results.

40 CFR 454.60 - Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory. 454.60 Section 454.60 Protection of Environment... MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Rosin-Based Derivatives Subcategory § 454.60 Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to...

A Description for Rock Joint Roughness Based on Terrestrial Laser Scanner and Image Analysis

PubMed Central

Ge, Yunfeng; Tang, Huiming; Eldin, M. A. M Ez; Chen, Pengyu; Wang, Liangqing; Wang, Jinge

2015-01-01

Shear behavior of rock mass greatly depends upon the rock joint roughness which is generally characterized by anisotropy, scale effect and interval effect. A new index enabling to capture all the three features, namely brightness area percentage (BAP), is presented to express the roughness based on synthetic illumination of a digital terrain model derived from terrestrial laser scanner (TLS). Since only tiny planes facing opposite to shear direction make contribution to resistance during shear failure, therefore these planes are recognized through the image processing technique by taking advantage of the fact that they appear brighter than other ones under the same light source. Comparison with existing roughness indexes and two case studies were illustrated to test the performance of BAP description. The results reveal that the rock joint roughness estimated by the presented description has a good match with existing roughness methods and displays a wider applicability. PMID:26585247

General theoretical description of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of van der Waals structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amorim, B.

2018-04-01

We develop a general theory to model the angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) of commensurate and incommensurate van der Waals (vdW) structures, formed by lattice mismatched and/or misaligned stacked layers of two-dimensional materials. The present theory is based on a tight-binding description of the structure and the concept of generalized umklapp processes, going beyond previous descriptions of ARPES in incommensurate vdW structures, which are based on continuous, low-energy models, being limited to structures with small lattice mismatch/misalignment. As applications of the general formalism, we study the ARPES bands and constant energy maps for two structures: twisted bilayer graphene and twisted bilayer MoS2. The present theory should be useful in correctly interpreting experimental results of ARPES of vdW structures and other systems displaying competition between different periodicities, such as two-dimensional materials weakly coupled to a substrate and materials with density wave phases.

40 CFR 446.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash paint subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-base solvent wash paint subcategory. 446.10 Section 446.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...-Base Solvent Wash Paint Subcategory § 446.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash... production of oil-base paint where the tank cleaning is performed using solvents. When a plant is subject to...

Evidence of Teacher Change after Participating in TRIAD's Learning Trajectories-Based Professional Development and after Implementing Learning Trajectory-Based Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarama, Julie; Clements, Douglas H.; Spitler, Mary Elaine

2017-01-01

Increased attention has been given to learning trajectories (LT) as structural frameworks for educational instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore preschool teachers' descriptions of self-change, seven years after the start of their participation in LT-based professional development and instruction. This study was part of a larger…

Learning to Mean in Spanish Writing: A Case Study of a Genre-Based Pedagogy for Standards-Based Writing Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troyan, Francis J.

2016-01-01

This case study reports the results of a genre-based approach, which was used to explicitly teach the touristic landmark description to fourth-grade students of Spanish as a foreign language. The instructional model and unit of instruction were informed by the pedagogies of the Sydney School of Linguistics and an instructional model for…

A descriptive model of preventability in maternal morbidity and mortality.

PubMed

Geller, S E; Cox, S M; Kilpatrick, S J

2006-02-01

To develop a descriptive model of preventability for maternal morbidity and mortality that can be used in quality assurance and morbidity and mortality review processes. This descriptive study was part of a larger case-control study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago in which maternal deaths were cases and women with severe maternal morbidity served as controls. Morbidities and mortalities were classified by a team of clinicians as preventable or not preventable. Qualitative analysis of data was conducted to identify and categorize different types of preventable events. Of 237 women, there were 79 women with preventable events attributable to provider or system factors. The most common types of preventable events were inadequate diagnosis/recognition of high-risk (54.4%), treatment (38.0%), and documentation (30.7%). A descriptive model was illustrated that can be used to categorize preventable events in maternal morbidity and mortality and can be incorporated into quality assurance and clinical case review to enhance the monitoring of hospital-based obstetric care and to decrease medical error.

Teacher Perceptions of School-Based Evaluation: A Descriptive Analysis Based on Teachers' Wives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bülbül, Tuncer; Tunc, Binali; Ozdem, Güven; Inandi, Yusuf

2013-01-01

This study is about transformation that has been happening in the field of management and in relation to it in inspection that has been recently taking place both in Turkey and all around the World. The transformation as "School Based Administration" (SBA) in educational administration and "School Based Evaluation" (SBE) or…

Learning Strategies for Success in a Web-Based Course: A Descriptive Exploration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Haihong; Gramling, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Web-based distance instruction has become a popular delivery method for education. How are learning strategies helping make the connection between Web-based technologies and educational goals? The purpose of this study was to examine learners' use of self-regulated learning strategies in a Web-based course. Twelve students from an information…

Case Study Analysis of United States Navy Financial Field Activity

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-01

and must be continued in order to keep providing quality base administration. The replacement of ten inch magnetic disk with modem data storage media...Equipment Priority: 3 Total Required Total Funded Shortfall Total Funding: 847K 791K 56K Narrative Description of Requirements: This requirement is...Equipment Priority: 3 Total Required Total Funded Shortfall Total Funding: 847K 791K 56K Narrative Description of Requirements: This deficiency would

40 CFR 447.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash ink subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...-base solvent wash ink subcategory. 447.10 Section 447.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS INK FORMULATING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Ink Subcategory § 447.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash ink...

40 CFR 447.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash ink subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...-base solvent wash ink subcategory. 447.10 Section 447.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) INK FORMULATING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Ink Subcategory § 447.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent...

40 CFR 447.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash ink subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-base solvent wash ink subcategory. 447.10 Section 447.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS INK FORMULATING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Ink Subcategory § 447.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash ink...

40 CFR 447.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash ink subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...-base solvent wash ink subcategory. 447.10 Section 447.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) INK FORMULATING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Ink Subcategory § 447.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent...

40 CFR 447.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash ink subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...-base solvent wash ink subcategory. 447.10 Section 447.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) INK FORMULATING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Ink Subcategory § 447.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent...

Parachuting from fixed objects: descriptive study of 106 fatal events in BASE jumping 1981-2006.

PubMed

Westman, A; Rosén, M; Berggren, P; Björnstig, U

2008-06-01

To analyse the characteristics of fatal incidents in fixed object sport parachuting (building, antenna, span, earth (BASE) jumping) and create a basis for prevention. Descriptive epidemiological study. Data on reported fatal injury events (n = 106) worldwide in 1981-2006 retrieved from the BASE fatality list. Human, equipment and environmental factors. Identification of typical fatal incident and injury mechanisms for each of the four fixed object types of BASE jumping (building, antenna, span, earth). Human factors included parachutist free fall instability (loss of body control before parachute deployment), free fall acrobatics and deployment failure by the parachutist. Equipment factors included pilot chute malfunction and parachute malfunction. In cliff jumping (BASE object type E), parachute opening towards the object jumped was the most frequent equipment factor. Environmental factors included poor visibility, strong or turbulent winds, cold and water. The overall annual fatality risk for all object types during the year 2002 was estimated at about one fatality per 60 participants. Participants in BASE jumping should target risk factors with training and technical interventions. The mechanisms described in this study should be used by rescue units to improve the management of incidents.

The Use of Modeling-Based Text to Improve Students' Modeling Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jong, Jing-Ping; Chiu, Mei-Hung; Chung, Shiao-Lan

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of a modeling-based text on 10th graders' modeling competencies. Fifteen 10th graders read a researcher-developed modeling-based science text on the ideal gas law that included explicit descriptions and representations of modeling processes (i.e., model selection, model construction, model validation, model…

Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Intrapartum Care: A Descriptive Exploratory Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Iravani, Mina; Janghorbani, Mohsen; Zarean, Ellahe; Bahrami, Masod

2016-02-01

Evidence based practice is an effective strategy to improve the quality of obstetric care. Identification of barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care is necessary and crucial to deliver high quality care to parturient women. The current study aimed to explore barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care from the perspective of clinical groups that provide obstetric care in Iran. This descriptive exploratory qualitative research was conducted from 2013 to 2014 in fourteen state medical training centers in Iran. Participants were selected from midwives, specialists, and residents of obstetrics and gynecology, with a purposive sample and snowball method. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Data analysis identified twenty subcategories and four main categories. Main categories included barriers were related to laboring women, persons providing care, the organization environment and health system. The adoption of evidence based intrapartum care is a complex process. In this regard, identifying potential barriers is the first step to determine and apply effective strategies to encourage the compliance evidence based obstetric care and improves maternity care quality.

Description of alpha-nucleus interaction cross sections for cosmic ray shielding studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cucinotta, Francis A.; Townsend, Lawrence W.; Wilson, John W.

1993-01-01

Nuclear interactions of high-energy alpha particles with target nuclei important for cosmic ray studies are discussed. Models for elastic, quasi-elastic, and breakup reactions are presented and compared with experimental data. Energy-dependent interaction cross sections and secondary spectra are presented based on theoretical models and the limited experimental data base.

Definitions and Uses: Case Study of Teachers Implementing Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamim, Suha R.; Grant, Michael M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore inservice teachers' definitions of project-based learning (PjBL) and their accounts on the meaning of their PjBL implementations. A purposive sample of six teachers from grades four through twelve in public and private schools participated. Three themes evolved from inductive analysis: (1)…

Solar power satellite system definition study. Volume 3: Operations and systems synthesis, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The results of the operations analyses are reported. Some of these analyses examined operations aspects of space vehicle in-space maintenance. Many of the analyses explored in great depth operations concerned the LEO Base cargo handling operations. Personnel transportation operations and cargo packaging were also analyzed. These operations analyses were performed to define the operational requirements for all of the SPS system elements so that equipment and facilities could be synthesized, and to make estimates of the manpower requirements. An overall, integrated, end-to-end description of the SPS operations is presented. The detailed operations analyses, upon which this integrated description was based, are included.

Seeing beyond monitors-Critical care nurses' multiple skills in patient observation: Descriptive qualitative study.

PubMed

Alastalo, Mika; Salminen, Leena; Lakanmaa, Riitta-Liisa; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive description of multiple skills in patient observation in critical care nursing. Data from semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Experienced critical care nurses (n=20) from three intensive care units in two university hospitals in Finland. Patient observation skills consist of: information gaining skills, information processing skills, decision-making skills and co-operation skills. The first three skills are integrated in the patient observation process, in which gaining information is a prerequisite for processing information that precedes making decisions. Co-operation has a special role as it occurs throughout the process. This study provided a comprehensive description of patient observation skills related to the three-phased patient observation process. The findings contribute to clarifying this part of the competence. The description of patient observation skills may be applied in both clinical practice and education as it may serve as a framework for orientation, ensuring clinical skills and designing learning environments. Based on this study, patient observation skills can be recommended to be included in critical care nursing education, orientation and as a part of critical care nurses' competence evaluation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Driver/Vehicle Characteristics in Rear-End Precrash Scenarios Based on the General Estimates System (GES).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-03-01

This paper studies different driver and vehicle characteristics as they impact pre-crash scenarios of rear-end collisions. It gives a statistical description of the five most frequently occurring rear-end precrash scenarios based on vehicle and drive...

Structural Acoustic Physics Based Modeling of Curved Composite Shells

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-19

Results show that the finite element computational models accurately match analytical calculations, and that the composite material studied in this...products. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Finite Element Analysis, Structural Acoustics, Fiber-Reinforced Composites, Physics-Based Modeling 16. SECURITY...2 4 FINITE ELEMENT MODEL DESCRIPTION

US EPA Base Study Standard Operating Procedure for Preliminary Visits to Buildings

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The objective of this standard operation procedure is to give the preliminary visit (PV) field investigator a description of how to conduct a BASE PV, as well as to detail the informational requirements that are gathered as part of this investigation.

A semi-analytical bearing model considering outer race flexibility for model based bearing load monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerst, Stijn; Shyrokau, Barys; Holweg, Edward

2018-05-01

This paper proposes a novel semi-analytical bearing model addressing flexibility of the bearing outer race structure. It furthermore presents the application of this model in a bearing load condition monitoring approach. The bearing model is developed as current computational low cost bearing models fail to provide an accurate description of the more and more common flexible size and weight optimized bearing designs due to their assumptions of rigidity. In the proposed bearing model raceway flexibility is described by the use of static deformation shapes. The excitation of the deformation shapes is calculated based on the modelled rolling element loads and a Fourier series based compliance approximation. The resulting model is computational low cost and provides an accurate description of the rolling element loads for flexible outer raceway structures. The latter is validated by a simulation-based comparison study with a well-established bearing simulation software tool. An experimental study finally shows the potential of the proposed model in a bearing load monitoring approach.

Smoking Cessation among Low-Socioeconomic Status and Disadvantaged Population Groups: A Systematic Review of Research Output

PubMed Central

Courtney, Ryan J.; Naicker, Sundresan; Shakeshaft, Anthony; Clare, Philip; Martire, Kristy A.; Mattick, Richard P.

2015-01-01

Background: Smoking cessation research output should move beyond descriptive research of the health problem to testing interventions that can provide causal data and effective evidence-based solutions. This review examined the number and type of published smoking cessation studies conducted in low-socioeconomic status (low-SES) and disadvantaged population groups. Methods: A systematic database search was conducted for two time periods: 2000–2004 (TP1) and 2008–2012 (TP2). Publications that examined smoking cessation in a low-SES or disadvantaged population were coded by: population of interest; study type (reviews, non-data based publications, data-based publications (descriptive, measurement and intervention research)); and country. Intervention studies were coded in accordance with the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care data collection checklist and use of biochemical verification of self-reported abstinence was assessed. Results: 278 citations were included. Research output (i.e., all study types) had increased from TP1 27% to TP2 73% (χ² = 73.13, p < 0.001), however, the proportion of data-based research had not significantly increased from TP1 and TP2: descriptive (TP1 = 23% vs. TP2 = 33%) or intervention (TP1 = 77% vs. TP2 = 67%). The proportion of intervention studies adopting biochemical verification of self-reported abstinence had significantly decreased from TP1 to TP2 with an increased reliance on self-reported abstinence (TP1 = 12% vs. TP2 = 36%). Conclusions: The current research output is not ideal or optimal to decrease smoking rates. Research institutions, scholars and funding organisations should take heed to review findings when developing future research and policy. PMID:26062037

40 CFR 446.10 - Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash paint subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS PAINT FORMULATING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Oil-Base Solvent Wash Paint Subcategory § 446.10 Applicability; description of the oil-base solvent wash... production of oil-base paint where the tank cleaning is performed using solvents. When a plant is subject to...

Methodological considerations for the evaluation of EEG mapping data: a practical example based on a placebo/diazepam crossover trial.

PubMed

Jähnig, P; Jobert, M

1995-01-01

Quantitative EEG is a sensitive method for measuring pharmacological effects on the central nervous system. Nowadays, computers enable EEG data to be stored and spectral parameters to be computed for signals obtained from a large number of electrode locations. However, the statistical analysis of such vast amounts of EEG data is complicated due to the limited number of subjects usually involved in pharmacological studies. In the present study, data from a trial aimed at comparing diazepam and placebo were used to investigate different properties of EEG mapping data and to compare different methods of data analysis. Both the topography and the temporal changes of EEG activity were investigated using descriptive data analysis, which is based on an inspection of patterns of pd values (descriptive p values) assessed for all pair-wise tests for differences in time or treatment. An empirical measure (tri-mean) for the computation of group maps is suggested, allowing a better description of group effects with skewed data of small samples size. Finally, both the investigation of maps based on principal component analysis and the notion of distance between maps are discussed and applied to the analysis of the data collected under diazepam treatment, exemplifying the evaluation of pharmacodynamic drug effects.

Inter-rater Agreement of Clinicians' Treatment Recommendations Based on Modified Barium Swallow Study Reports.

PubMed

Slovarp, Laurie; Danielson, Jennifer; Liss, Julie

2018-06-07

The modified barium swallow study (MBSS) is a commonly used radiographic procedure for diagnosis and treatment of swallowing disorders. Despite attempts by dysphagia specialists to standardize the MBSS, most institutions have not adopted such standardized procedures. High variability of assessment patterns arguably contribute to variability of treatment recommendations made from diagnostic information derived from the MBSS report. An online survey was distributed to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) participating in American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) listservs. Sixty-three SLPs who treat swallowing disorders participated. Participating SLPs reviewed two MBSS reports and chose physiologic treatment targets (e.g., tongue base retraction) based on each report. One report primarily contained symptomatology (e.g., aspiration, pharyngeal residue) with minimal information on impaired physiology (e.g., laryngeal incompetence, reduced hyolaryngeal elevation/excursion). In contrast, the second report contained a clear description of impaired physiology to explain the dysphagia symptoms. Fleiss kappa coefficients were used to analyze inter-rater agreement across the high and low physiology report types. Results revealed significantly higher inter-rater agreement across clinicians when reviewing reports with clear explanation(s) of physiologic impairment relative to reports that primarily focused on symptomatology. Clinicians also reported significantly greater satisfaction and treatment confidence following review of reports with clear description(s) of impaired physiology.

Developing a national role description for medical directors in long-term care: survey-based approach.

PubMed

Rahim-Jamal, Sherin; Quail, Patrick; Bhaloo, Tajudaullah

2010-01-01

To develop a national role description for medical directors in long-term care (LTC) based on role functions drawn from the literature and the LTC industry. A questionnaire about the role functions identified from the literature was mailed or e-mailed to randomly selected medical directors, directors of care or nursing (DOCs), and administrators in LTC facilities. Long-term care facilities in Canada randomly selected from regional clusters. Medical directors, DOCs, and administrators in LTC facilities; a national advisory group of medical directors from the Long Term Care Medical Directors Association of Canada; and a volunteer group of medical directors. Respondents were asked to indicate, from the list of identified functions, 1) whether medical directors spent any time on each activity; 2) whether medical directors should spend time on each activity; and 3) if medical directors should spend time on an activity, whether the activity was "essential" or "desirable." An overall response rate of 37% was obtained. At least 80% of the respondents from all 3 groups (medical directors, DOCs, and administrators) highlighted 24 functions they deemed to be "essential" or "desirable," which were then included in the role description. In addition, the advisory group expanded the role description to include 5 additional responsibilities from the remaining 18 functions originally identified. A volunteer group of medical directors confirmed the resulting role description. The role description developed as a result of this study brings clarity to the medical director's role in Canadian LTC facilities; the functions outlined are considered important for medical directors to undertake. The role description could be a useful tool in negotiations pertaining to time commitment and expectations of a medical director and fair compensation for services rendered.

Local descriptive norms for overweight/obesity and physical inactivity, features of the built environment, and 10-year change in glycosylated haemoglobin in an Australian population-based biomedical cohort.

PubMed

Carroll, Suzanne J; Paquet, Catherine; Howard, Natasha J; Coffee, Neil T; Taylor, Anne W; Niyonsenga, Theo; Daniel, Mark

2016-10-01

Descriptive norms vary between places. Spatial variation in health-related descriptive norms may predict individual-level health outcomes. Such relationships have rarely been investigated. This study assessed 10-year change in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in relation to local descriptive norms for overweight/obesity (n = 1890) and physical inactivity (n = 1906) in models accounting for features of the built environment. HbA1c was measured three times over 10 years for a population-based biomedical cohort of adults in Adelaide, South Australia. Environmental exposures were expressed for cohort participants using 1600 m road-network buffers centred on participants' residential address. Local descriptive norms (prevalence of overweight/obesity [body mass index ≥25 kg/m(2)] and of physical inactivity [<150 min/week]) were aggregated from responses to a separate geocoded population survey. Built environment measures were public open space (POS) availability (proportion of buffer area) and walkability. Separate sets of multilevel models analysed different predictors of 10-year change in HbA1c. Each model featured one local descriptive norm and one built environment variable with area-level education and individual-level covariates (age, sex, employment status, education, marital status, and smoking status). Interactions between local descriptive norms and built environment measures were assessed. HbA1c increased over time. POS availability and local descriptive norms for overweight/obesity and physical inactivity were each associated with greater rates of HbA1c increase. Greater walkability was associated with a reduced rate of HbA1c increase, and reduced the influence of the overweight/obesity norm on the rate of increase in HbA1c. Local descriptive health-related norms and features of the built environment predict 10-year change in HbA1c. The impact of local descriptive norms can vary according to built environment features. Little researched thus far, local descriptive norms may play an important role in the evolution of HbA1c and thus cardiometabolic risk, over time. Further empirical research on local descriptive norms is necessary to understand how residential environments shape chronic disease risk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mutual information-based facial expression recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazar, Mliki; Hammami, Mohamed; Hanêne, Ben-Abdallah

2013-12-01

This paper introduces a novel low-computation discriminative regions representation for expression analysis task. The proposed approach relies on interesting studies in psychology which show that most of the descriptive and responsible regions for facial expression are located around some face parts. The contributions of this work lie in the proposition of new approach which supports automatic facial expression recognition based on automatic regions selection. The regions selection step aims to select the descriptive regions responsible or facial expression and was performed using Mutual Information (MI) technique. For facial feature extraction, we have applied Local Binary Patterns Pattern (LBP) on Gradient image to encode salient micro-patterns of facial expressions. Experimental studies have shown that using discriminative regions provide better results than using the whole face regions whilst reducing features vector dimension.

Promoting the Utilization of Science in Healthcare (PUSH) Project: A Description of the Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Research Utilization Among Pediatric Nurses.

PubMed

Cline, Genieveve J; Burger, Kristina J; Amankwah, Ernest K; Goldenberg, Neil A; Ghazarian, Sharon R

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the perceived barriers and facilitators to research utilization and evidence-based practice among nurses employed in a tertiary care children's hospital. Results revealed seven facilitator and six barrier themes that contribute to the understanding of the problem. The themes can be utilized by nursing professional development specialists to customize organizational infrastructure and educational programs.

A study of discrete control signal fault conditions in the shuttle DPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reddi, S. S.; Retter, C. T.

1976-01-01

An analysis of the effects of discrete failures on the data processing subsystem is presented. A functional description of each discrete together with a list of software modules that use this discrete are included. A qualitative description of the consequences that may ensue due to discrete failures is given followed by a probabilistic reliability analysis of the data processing subsystem. Based on the investigation conducted, recommendations were made to improve the reliability of the subsystem.

Beliefs and implementation of evidence-based practice among community health nurses: A cross-sectional descriptive study.

PubMed

Pereira, Filipa; Pellaux, Victoria; Verloo, Henk

2018-03-08

To describe beliefs about evidence-based practice and record levels of implementation among community health nurses working independently and in community healthcare centres in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. In many settings, evidence-based practice is considered a key means of delivering better and secure health care. However, there is a paucity of published studies on the implementation of evidence-based practice in community health care. Cross-sectional descriptive study (n = 100). Beliefs about evidence-based practice and levels of implementation were measured using validated scales developed by Melnyk et al. (Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 5, 2008, 208). Information on respondents' sociodemographic and professional characteristics was collected. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The final response rate was 32.3% (n = 100). More than half of respondents had previously heard about evidence-based practice; most believed in the value of using evidence to guide their practice and were prepared to improve their skills to be able to do so. However, the rate of implementation of evidence-based practice in daily practice in the 8 weeks before the survey was poor. Statistically significant positive associations were found between beliefs about evidence-based practice and how respondents had heard about it and between implementation rates and whether they had heard about evidence-based practice and how they had done so. Evidence-based practices requiring scientific knowledge and skills were implemented less frequently. Greater professional community healthcare experience and management roles did not increase implementation of evidence-based practice. The systematic implementation of evidence-based practice by community health nurses working independently and in healthcare centres in Valais was rare, despite their positive beliefs about it. These results revealed the level of implementation of evidence-based practice by nurses in community healthcare settings in Valais. Further research is required to better understand their needs and expectations and to develop suitable strategies that will allow the integration of evidence-based practice into nurses' daily practice. © 2018 The Authors Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mathematical Description of the Uptake of Hydrocarbons in Jet Fuel into the Stratum Corneum of Human Volunteers

PubMed Central

Kim, David; Farthing, Matthew W.; Miller, Cass T.; Nylander-French, Leena A.

2008-01-01

The objective of this research was to develop a mathematical description of uptake of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons into the stratum corneum of human skin in vivo. A simple description based on Fick’s Laws of diffusion was used to predict the spatiotemporal variation of naphthalene, 1- and 2-methylnaphthalene, undecane, and dodecane in the stratum corneum of human volunteers. The estimated values of the diffusion coefficients for each chemical were comparable to values predicted using in vitro skin systems and biomonitoring studies. These results demonstrate the value of measuring dermal exposure using the tape-strip technique and the importance of quantifying of dermal uptake. PMID:18423910

Perceptions on Gender-Based Differences in Educational Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aziz, Fakhra; Kalsoom, Qudsia; Quraishi, Uzma; Hasan, Sibte

2017-01-01

This descriptive, qualitative study aimed at identifying disparities in perceptions of males and females regarding gender-based differences in educational leadership. Data were gathered purposively from 20 renowned male and female educationists having a long experience of leadership in various institutes of Pakistan. An open-ended questionnaire…

A Descriptive Assessment of Instruction-Based Interactions in the Preschool Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndoro, Virginia W.; Hanley, Gregory P.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.; Heal, Nicole A.

2006-01-01

The current study describes preschool teacher-child interactions during several commonly scheduled classroom activities in which teachers deliver instructions. An observation system was developed that incorporated measurement of evidence-based compliance strategies and included the types of instructions delivered (e.g., integral or deficient…

College and University Curricula in Ecotourism and Nature-Based Tourism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Robert A.; And Others

1996-01-01

Provides the results of a study designed to inventory and collect descriptive information about ecotourism and those institutions that offer such courses in the United States. Twenty-one programs that currently offer at least one ecotourism or nature-based tourism course are identified. (DDR)

Corpus-Based Approaches to Language Description for Specialized Academic Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowerdew, John

2017-01-01

Language description is a fundamental requirement for second language (L2) syllabus design. The greatest advances in language description in recent decades have been done with the help of electronic corpora. Such language description is the theme of this article. The article first introduces some basic concepts and principles in corpus research.…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part G. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #22--Refrigerator Mechanic; #24--Motorcycle Repairperson.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This fourth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Refrigerator Mechanic and Motorcycle Repairperson. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T. general educational…

A Comparison of Student Views on Web-Based and Face-to-Face Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sad, Suleyman Nihat; Goktas, Ozlem; Bayrak, Ilhami

2014-01-01

The study aimed to describe and compare the perceptions of web-based distance education students and campus-based face-to-face students about the quality of education provided in their programs with regard to variables including gender, marital status, and employment status. A baseline descriptive survey design and complementary "ex post…

The Impact of Competency-Based Teacher Education and Certification Programs in Utah.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mouritsen, Roger C.

Utah is a member of a nine-state consortium to study competency-based teacher education and certification programs. This paper presents an overview of the nationwide movement for competency-based teacher education, followed by a description of the situation in Utah. The State Board of Education is making an effort through the Teacher Education and…

Do Undergraduate Paramedic Students Embrace Case Based Learning Using a Blended Teaching Approach? A 3-Year Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Brett

2009-01-01

This paper presents the results of a descriptive longitudinal study which aimed to identify student paramedic perceptions of case based learning used in the clinical curriculum of the Bachelor of Emergency Health (BEH) degree at Monash University, Victoria, Australia. Case based learning and its integration within clinical curriculum is an…

Introducing Explorer of Taxon Concepts with a case study on spider measurement matrix building.

PubMed

Cui, Hong; Xu, Dongfang; Chong, Steven S; Ramirez, Martin; Rodenhausen, Thomas; Macklin, James A; Ludäscher, Bertram; Morris, Robert A; Soto, Eduardo M; Koch, Nicolás Mongiardino

2016-11-17

Taxonomic descriptions are traditionally composed in natural language and published in a format that cannot be directly used by computers. The Exploring Taxon Concepts (ETC) project has been developing a set of web-based software tools that convert morphological descriptions published in telegraphic style to character data that can be reused and repurposed. This paper introduces the first semi-automated pipeline, to our knowledge, that converts morphological descriptions into taxon-character matrices to support systematics and evolutionary biology research. We then demonstrate and evaluate the use of the ETC Input Creation - Text Capture - Matrix Generation pipeline to generate body part measurement matrices from a set of 188 spider morphological descriptions and report the findings. From the given set of spider taxonomic publications, two versions of input (original and normalized) were generated and used by the ETC Text Capture and ETC Matrix Generation tools. The tools produced two corresponding spider body part measurement matrices, and the matrix from the normalized input was found to be much more similar to a gold standard matrix hand-curated by the scientist co-authors. Special conventions utilized in the original descriptions (e.g., the omission of measurement units) were attributed to the lower performance of using the original input. The results show that simple normalization of the description text greatly increased the quality of the machine-generated matrix and reduced edit effort. The machine-generated matrix also helped identify issues in the gold standard matrix. ETC Text Capture and ETC Matrix Generation are low-barrier and effective tools for extracting measurement values from spider taxonomic descriptions and are more effective when the descriptions are self-contained. Special conventions that make the description text less self-contained challenge automated extraction of data from biodiversity descriptions and hinder the automated reuse of the published knowledge. The tools will be updated to support new requirements revealed in this case study.

Space station systems analysis study. Part 3: Documentation. Volume 4: Supporting research and technology report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A brief description of recommended supporting research and technology items resulting from the space station analysis study is provided. Descriptions include the title; the status with respect to the state of the art; the justification; the technical plan including objectives and technical approach; resource requirements categorized by manpower, specialized facilities, and funding in 1977 dollars; and also the target schedule. The goal is to provide high confidence in the solutions for the various functional system development problems, and to do so within a time period compatible with the overall evolutionary space construction base schedule.

Trichodinids (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) of Mugil platanus (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) and Micropogonias furnieri (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) from Samborombón Bay, Argentina, with the description of a new species.

PubMed

Marcotegui, Paula S; Martorelli, Sergio R

2009-09-01

During surveys of parasites of the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest) and the mullet Mugil platanus Günther from Samborombón Bay, Argentina, Trichodina puytoraci, T. lepsii, T. jadranica, T. murmanica, Diparitella simplex and Trichodina scalensis sp. n. were morphologically studied. Taxonomic and morphometric data for these trichodinids based on dry silver nitrate-impregnated specimens are presented. This study is the first formal report of these trichodinids from the southwest Atlantic Ocean, and the description of a new species from M. platanus.

Two-step rating-based 'double-faced applicability' test for sensory analysis of spread products as an alternative to descriptive analysis with trained panel.

PubMed

Kim, In-Ah; den-Hollander, Elyn; Lee, Hye-Seong

2018-03-01

Descriptive analysis with a trained sensory panel has thus far been the most well defined methodology to characterize various products. However, in practical terms, intensive training in descriptive analysis has been recognized as a serious defect. To overcome this limitation, various novel rapid sensory profiling methodologies have been suggested in the literature. Among these, attribute-based methodologies such as check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions showed results comparable to those of conventional sensory descriptive analysis. Kim, Hopkinson, van Hout, and Lee (2017a, 2017b) have proposed a novel attribute-based methodology termed the two-step rating-based 'double-faced applicability' test with a novel output measure of applicability magnitude (d' A ) for measuring consumers' product usage experience throughout various product usage stages. In this paper, the potential of the two-step rating-based 'double-faced applicability' test with d' A was investigated as an alternative to conventional sensory descriptive analysis in terms of sensory characterization and product discrimination. Twelve commercial spread products were evaluated using both conventional sensory descriptive analysis with a trained sensory panel and two-step rating-based 'double-faced applicability' test with an untrained sensory panel. The results demonstrated that the 'double-faced applicability' test can be used to provide a direct measure of the applicability magnitude of sensory attributes of the samples tested in terms of d' A for sensory characterization of individual samples and multiple sample comparisons. This suggests that when the appropriate list of attributes to be used in the questionnaire is already available, the two-step rating-based 'double-faced applicability' test with d' A can be used as a more efficient alternative to conventional descriptive analysis, without requiring any intensive training process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"It's Me. I'm Fixin' to Know the Hard Words": Children's Perceptions of "Good Readers" as Portrayed in Their Representational Drawings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobb, Jeanne B.

2012-01-01

This study utilized a qualitative, interpretative, analytic technique based on image-based research. This descriptive study was designed to investigate children's perceptions of "good readers" as portrayed in their representational drawings. Children in grades kindergarten through 6, 156 total, in 14 schools in a small, rural school…

An Investigative Study of the Perceptions of Nationally Certified Massage Practitioners toward Entry Level Web Based Massage Therapy Curriculum Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlahos, Efthimios

2011-01-01

This descriptive study examines the current status of online education in massage therapy with respect to the development of web based curriculums. Participants are drawn from the public listing of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). The Online Curriculum Survey in Massage Therapy is used as an…

Evaluating the Effects of Function-Based Interventions with Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gann, Candace J.; Gaines, Sarah E.; Antia, Shirin D.; Umbreit, John; Liaupsin, Carl J.

2015-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of function-based interventions with students who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). The participants were 3 elementary-aged males attending a center school for the deaf who exhibited chronic off-task behaviors throughout the school day. This study was conducted across 2 phases: (a) a descriptive functional…

Deontic Modals in RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA): A Corpus-Based Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dela Rosa, John Paul Obillos

2017-01-01

The marriage between language and the law is apparent in any legal document of whatever purpose. Hence, at present, studies on the language of the law are definitely in vogue. Grounded on Quirk et al. (1985) and Matulewska's (2010) description of deontic modality, this corpus-based linguistic study aimed at analyzing the use of deontic modals in…

An Evaluation of High School Curricula Employing Using the Element-Based Curriculum Development Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan, Dolgun; Günay, Rafet

2016-01-01

This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the curricula that constitute the basis of education provision at high schools in Turkey from the perspective of the teachers involved. A descriptive survey model, a quantitative research method was employed in this study. An item-based curriculum evaluation model was employed as part of the…

Characterizations of Social-Based and Self-Based Contexts Associated with Students' Awareness, Evaluation, and Regulation of Their Thinking during Small-Group Mathematical Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magiera, Marta T.; Zawojewski, Judith S.

2011-01-01

This exploratory study focused on characterizing problem-solving situations associated with spontaneous metacognitive activity. The results came from connected case studies of a group of 3 purposefully selected 9th-grade students working collaboratively on a series of 5 modeling problems. Students' descriptions of their own thinking during…

Neo-Taylorism in Educational Administration?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gronn, Peter C.

1982-01-01

Reviews eight recent observational studies of school administrators and criticizes the studies' use of "time and motion" assumptions drawn from Frederick Winslow Taylor's ideas. Outlines an alternate approach based on "thick" description of administrators' work, including their talk, as exemplified in James Boswell's biography…

A computer-based information system for epilepsy and electroencephalography.

PubMed

Finnerup, N B; Fuglsang-Frederiksen, A; Røssel, P; Jennum, P

1999-08-01

This paper describes a standardised computer-based information system for electroencephalography (EEG) focusing on epilepsy. The system was developed using a prototyping approach. It is based on international recommendations for EEG examination, interpretation and terminology, international guidelines for epidemiological studies on epilepsy and classification of epileptic seizures and syndromes and international classification of diseases. It is divided into: (1) clinical information and epilepsy relevant data; and (2) EEG data, which is hierarchically structured including description and interpretation of EEG. Data is coded but is supplemented with unrestricted text. The resulting patient database can be integrated with other clinical databases and with the patient record system and may facilitate clinical and epidemiological research and development of standards and guidelines for EEG description and interpretation. The system is currently used for teleconsultation between Gentofte and Lisbon.

Health literacy profile of high school students based on knowledge, attitude and behavior to health of respiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiyawati, W.; Fitriani, A.; Priyandoko, D.

2018-05-01

This research aims to describe the high school student’s health literacy profile based on their knowledge, attitude, and behavior to health of respiration. This descriptive study involved 65 participants of senior high school students of Ciamis city. Research instruments for collecting data are test and questionnaires sheets. The data were analyzed using quantitative descriptive analysis. The results showed that student’s health literacy of respiration get mean 109.94, moderate category. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that student’s health literacy of respiration is enough because student’s health literacy are in the moderate category, but it needs to be improved by the classroom learning in accompanied by changing some of the lesser habits in maintaining respiratory health.

Relationship between nurses' leadership styles and power bases.

PubMed

García García, Inmaculada; Santa-Bárbara, Emilio Sánchez

2009-01-01

This quantitative study aimed to empirically evidence the relationship between the power bases of the leader and the leadership styles of nurses. The random sample consisted of 204 nursing professionals from a public hospital. The following measurement instruments were used: the SBDQ (Supervisory Behavior Description Questionnaire) to identify leadership styles and the Power Perception Profile to determine the types of power used by leaders. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were used. Based on the results, two relationships proposed by the SLT (Situational Leadership Theory) were verified: between coercive power and S1 leadership style (telling), and between referent power and S3 leadership style (participating). In other cases, results have been opposite to expectations: the use of power proposed by the model decreases the probability of performing the prescribed leadership style.

Research Participants' Understanding of and Reactions to Certificates of Confidentiality.

PubMed

Beskow, Laura M; Check, Devon K; Ammarell, Natalie

2014-01-01

Certificates of Confidentiality are intended to facilitate participation in critical public health research by protecting against forced disclosure of identifying data in legal proceedings, but little is known about the effect of Certificate descriptions in consent forms. To gain preliminary insights, we conducted qualitative interviews with 50 HIV-positive individuals in Durham, North Carolina to explore their subjective understanding of Certificate descriptions and whether their reactions differed based on receiving a standard versus simplified description. Most interviewees were neither reassured nor alarmed by Certificate information, and most said it would not influence their willingness to participate or provide truthful information. However, compared with those receiving the simplified description, more who read the standard description said it raised new concerns, that their likelihood of participating would be lower, and that they might be less forthcoming. Most interviewees said they found the Certificate description clear, but standard-group participants often found particular words and phrases confusing, while simplified-group participants more often questioned the information's substance. Valid informed consent requires comprehension and voluntariness. Our findings highlight the importance of developing consent descriptions of Certificates and other confidentiality protections that are simple and accurate. These qualitative results provide rich detail to inform a larger, quantitative study that would permit further rigorous comparisons.

Research Participants’ Understanding of and Reactions to Certificates of Confidentiality

PubMed Central

Check, Devon K.; Ammarell, Natalie

2013-01-01

Background Certificates of Confidentiality are intended to facilitate participation in critical public health research by protecting against forced disclosure of identifying data in legal proceedings, but little is known about the effect of Certificate descriptions in consent forms. Methods To gain preliminary insights, we conducted qualitative interviews with 50 HIV-positive individuals in Durham, North Carolina to explore their subjective understanding of Certificate descriptions and whether their reactions differed based on receiving a standard versus simplified description. Results Most interviewees were neither reassured nor alarmed by Certificate information, and most said it would not influence their willingness to participate or provide truthful information. However, compared with those receiving the simplified description, more who read the standard description said it raised new concerns, that their likelihood of participating would be lower, and that they might be less forthcoming. Most interviewees said they found the Certificate description clear, but standard-group participants often found particular words and phrases confusing, while simplified-group participants more often questioned the information’s substance. Conclusions Valid informed consent requires comprehension and voluntariness. Our findings highlight the importance of developing consent descriptions of Certificates and other confidentiality protections that are simple and accurate. These qualitative results provide rich detail to inform a larger, quantitative study that would permit further rigorous comparisons. PMID:24563806

Interpretive versus didactic learning approach towards oral biology: a student's perspective.

PubMed

Farooq, Imran

2014-10-01

This study analyzed the preference of dental students for oral biology questions that require either an interpretive or a descriptive approach to answer and to compare the preferences with their final examination result retrospectively. A questionnaire requiring student academic number and containing two questions (one asked with an interpretive approach/the other asked with a descriptive approach) from random topics of oral biology course was distributed among students who have already appeared in the final examination. Majority of the students who had achieved good grades (A+, A, B+, B) preferred interpretive questions whereas majority of the students with average grades (C+, C, D+, D) selected descriptive questions. Common reason for picking interpretive question was that it enhances critical thinking. The descriptive questions were argued to provide students with a chance to explain more. Hence, students should be encouraged to learn interpretively to promote enquiry based learning (EBL) and critical thinking.

Computer-Based Feedback and Goal Intervention: Learning Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdez, Alfred

2012-01-01

This study investigated how a goal intervention influences the learning effects gained from feedback when acquiring concepts and rules pertaining to the topic of descriptive statistics. Three feedback conditions; knowledge of correct response feedback (KCRF), principle-based feedback (PBF), and no-feedback (NF), were crossed with two goal…

The Impact of School-Based Management on School Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nir, Adam E.

2002-01-01

Three-year study examines the effects of school-based management (SBM) on the organizational health of 28 elementary schools in Jerusalem using 7 indicators from the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire and the Organizational Health Inventory. Finds no significant impact of SBM on the schools' organizational health, but finds…

FLAX: Flexible and Open Corpus-Based Language Collections Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Alannah; Wu, Shaoqun; Marín, María José

2015-01-01

In this case study we present innovative work in building open corpus-based language collections by focusing on a description of the opensource multilingual Flexible Language Acquisition (FLAX) language project, which is an ongoing example of open materials development practices for language teaching and learning. We present language-learning…

Computer-Game-Based Tutoring of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ke, Fengfeng

2013-01-01

This in-situ, descriptive case study examined the potential of implementing computer mathematics games as an anchor for tutoring of mathematics. Data were collected from middle school students at a rural pueblo school and an urban Hispanic-serving school, through in-field observation, content analysis of game-based tutoring-learning interactions,…

Study of the Oriental genus Alishania Vilbaste (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from China with description of one new species.

PubMed

Lu, Lin; Zhang, Yalin

2016-11-23

The Oriental leafhopper genus Alishania Vilbaste, is reviewed and includes A. formosana, A. fodingensis, A. attenuata and a new species, A. quadrilamina sp. nov., found during a survey of leafhoppers in Xizang and described here. A key to males of Alishania species, together with descriptions, a checklist and figures are provided. Based on the structure of the aedeagus, Alishania is here transferred from subtribe Opsiina to subtribe Circuliferina of tribe Opsiini.

Vakonomic Constraints in Higher-Order Classical Field Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos, Cédric M.

2010-07-01

We propose a differential-geometric setting for the dynamics of a higher-order field theory, based on the Skinner and Rusk formalism for mechanics. This approach incorporates aspects of both, the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian description, since the field equations are formulated using the Lagrangian on a higher-order jet bundle and the canonical multisymplectic form on its affine dual. The result is that we obtain a unique and global intrinsic description of the dynamics. The case of vakonomic constraints is also studied within this formalism.

Long-wavelength instabilities in a system of interacting active particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fazli, Zahra; Najafi, Ali

2018-02-01

Based on a microscopic model, we develop a continuum description for a suspension of microscopic self-propelled particles. With this continuum description we study the role of long-range interactions in destabilizing macroscopic ordered phases that are developed by short-range interactions. Long-wavelength fluctuations can destabilize both isotropic and symmetry-broken polar phases in a suspension of dipolar particles. The instabilities in a suspension of pullers (pushers) arise from splay (bend) fluctuations. Such instabilities are not seen in a suspension of quadrupolar particles.

Application of computational thermodynamics in the study of magnsium alloys and bulk metallic glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Hongbo

In this thesis, the application of the computational thermodynamics has been explored on two subjects, the study of magnesium alloys (Chapter 1-5) and bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) (Chapter 6-9). For the former case, a strategy of experiments coupled with the CALPHAD approach was employed to establish a thermodynamic description of the quaternary system Mg-Al-Ca-Sr focusing on the Mg-rich phase equilibria. Multicomponent Mg-rich alloys based on the MgAl-Ca-Sr system are one of the most promising candidates for the high temperature applications in the transportation industry. The Mg-Al-Ca-Sr quaternary consists of four ternaries and six binaries. Thermodynamic descriptions of all constituent binaries are available in the literature. Thermodynamic descriptions of the two key ternaries, Mg-Al-Sr and Mg-Al-Ca, were obtained by an efficient and reliable methodology, combining computational thermodynamics with key experiments. The obtained thermodynamic descriptions were validated by performing extensive comparisons between the calculations and experimental information. Thermodynamic descriptions of the other two ternaries, MgCa-Sr and Al-Ca-Sr, were obtained by extrapolation. For the later case, a computational thermodynamic strategy was formulated to obtain a minor but optimum amount of additional element into a base alloy to improve its glass forming ability (GFA). This was done through thermodynamically calculating the maximum liquidus depressions caused by various alloying addition (or replacement) schemes. The success of this approach has been examined in two multicomponent systems, Zr-based Zr-Cu-Ni-Al-Ti and Cu-rich Cu-Zr-Ti-Y. For both cases, experimental results showed conclusively that the GFA increases more than 100% from the base alloy to the one with minor but optimal elemental addition. Furthermore, a thermodynamic computational approach was employed to identify the compositions of Zr-Ti-Ni-Cu-Al alloys exhibiting low-lying liquidus surfaces, which tend to favor the BMG formation. Guided by these calculations, several series of new Zr-based alloys with excellent GFA were synthesized. The approach using the thermodynamically calculated liquidus temperatures was proved to be robust in locating BMGs and can be considered as a universal method to predict novel BMGs not only of scientific interest but also potential technological applications.

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part D. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #2--Child Care Attendent; #4--Guard; #8--Medical Assistant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This first of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Child Care Attendent, Guard, and Medical Assistant. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T. general educational developmental…

Teaching Statistics Using Classic Psychology Research: An Activities-Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Karen Y.; Dodd, Brett A.

2012-01-01

In this article, we discuss a collection of active learning activities derived from classic psychology studies that illustrate the appropriate use of descriptive and inferential statistics. (Contains 2 tables.)

Complex networks as a unified framework for descriptive analysis and predictive modeling in climate

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

Steinhaeuser, Karsten J K; Chawla, Nitesh; Ganguly, Auroop R

The analysis of climate data has relied heavily on hypothesis-driven statistical methods, while projections of future climate are based primarily on physics-based computational models. However, in recent years a wealth of new datasets has become available. Therefore, we take a more data-centric approach and propose a unified framework for studying climate, with an aim towards characterizing observed phenomena as well as discovering new knowledge in the climate domain. Specifically, we posit that complex networks are well-suited for both descriptive analysis and predictive modeling tasks. We show that the structural properties of climate networks have useful interpretation within the domain. Further,more » we extract clusters from these networks and demonstrate their predictive power as climate indices. Our experimental results establish that the network clusters are statistically significantly better predictors than clusters derived using a more traditional clustering approach. Using complex networks as data representation thus enables the unique opportunity for descriptive and predictive modeling to inform each other.« less

Univers: The construction of an internet-wide descriptive naming system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowman, C. Mic

1990-01-01

Descriptive naming systems allow clients to identify a set of objects by description. Described here is the construction of a descriptive naming system, called Univers, based on a model in which clients provide both an object description and some meta-information. The meta-information describes beliefs about the query and the naming system. Specifically, it is an ordering on a set of perfect world approximations, and it describes the preferred methods for accommodating imperfect information. The description is then resolved in a way that respects the preferred approximations.

A curricula-based comparison of biomedical and health informatics programs in the USA

PubMed Central

Hemminger, Bradley M

2011-01-01

Objective The field of Biomedical and Health Informatics (BMHI) continues to define itself, and there are many educational programs offering ‘informatics’ degrees with varied foci. The goal of this study was to develop a scheme for systematic comparison of programs across the entire BMHI spectrum and to identify commonalities among informatics curricula. Design Guided by several published competency sets, a grounded theory approach was used to develop a program/curricula categorization scheme based on the descriptions of 636 courses offered by 73 public health, nursing, health, medical, and bioinformatics programs in the USA. The scheme was then used to compare the programs in the aforementioned five informatics disciplines. Results The authors developed a Course-Based Informatics Program Categorization (CBIPC) scheme that can be used both to classify coursework for any BMHI educational program and to compare programs from the same or related disciplines. The application of CBIPC scheme to the analysis of public health, nursing, health, medical, and bioinformatics programs reveals distinct intradisciplinary curricular patterns and a common core of courses across the entire BMHI education domain. Limitations The study is based on descriptions of courses from the university's webpages. Thus, it is limited to sampling courses at one moment in time, and classification for the coding scheme is based primarily on course titles and course descriptions. Conclusion The CBIPC scheme combines empirical data about educational curricula from diverse informatics programs and several published competency sets. It also provides a foundation for discussion of BMHI education as a whole and can help define subdisciplinary competencies. PMID:21292707

Adherence to evidence-based guidelines among diabetes self-management apps.

PubMed

Breland, Jessica Y; Yeh, Vivian M; Yu, Jessica

2013-09-01

Smartphone apps can provide real-time, interactive self-management aid to individuals with diabetes. It is currently unclear whether existing diabetes self-management apps follow evidence-based guidelines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which existing diabetes self-management apps address the seven self-management behaviors recommended by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (the AADE7™). The term "diabetes" identified relevant self-management apps via the Apple App Store search engine in March 2012. Ratings were based on app descriptions and downloads. Chi-square analyses assessed differences in apps based on developer type. Apps promoted a median of two AADE7™ skills. Overall reliability between description and download ratings was good (kappa = .66). Reliability of individual skills was variable (kappa = .25 to .91). Most diabetes apps do not conform to evidence-based recommendations, and future app reviews would benefit from testing app performance. Future apps may also benefit from theory-based designs.

Understanding protein evolution: from protein physics to Darwinian selection.

PubMed

Zeldovich, Konstantin B; Shakhnovich, Eugene I

2008-01-01

Efforts in whole-genome sequencing and structural proteomics start to provide a global view of the protein universe, the set of existing protein structures and sequences. However, approaches based on the selection of individual sequences have not been entirely successful at the quantitative description of the distribution of structures and sequences in the protein universe because evolutionary pressure acts on the entire organism, rather than on a particular molecule. In parallel to this line of study, studies in population genetics and phenomenological molecular evolution established a mathematical framework to describe the changes in genome sequences in populations of organisms over time. Here, we review both microscopic (physics-based) and macroscopic (organism-level) models of protein-sequence evolution and demonstrate that bridging the two scales provides the most complete description of the protein universe starting from clearly defined, testable, and physiologically relevant assumptions.

Concept for a Satellite-Based Advanced Air Traffic Management System : Volume 3. Subsystem Functional Description.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-02-01

The volume presents a detailed description of the subsystems that comprise the Satellite-Based Advanced Air Traffic Management System. Described in detail are the surveillance, navigation, communications, data processing, and airport subsystems. The ...

24 CFR 582.100 - Program component descriptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Development (Continued) OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY FACILITIES SHELTER PLUS CARE Assistance Provided § 582.100 Program component descriptions. (a) Tenant-based rental assistance (TRA). Tenant-based rental assistance provides...

Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Intrapartum Care: A Descriptive Exploratory Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Iravani, Mina; Janghorbani, Mohsen; Zarean, Ellahe; Bahrami, Masod

2016-01-01

Background: Evidence based practice is an effective strategy to improve the quality of obstetric care. Identification of barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care is necessary and crucial to deliver high quality care to parturient women. Objectives: The current study aimed to explore barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care from the perspective of clinical groups that provide obstetric care in Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive exploratory qualitative research was conducted from 2013 to 2014 in fourteen state medical training centers in Iran. Participants were selected from midwives, specialists, and residents of obstetrics and gynecology, with a purposive sample and snowball method. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Results: Data analysis identified twenty subcategories and four main categories. Main categories included barriers were related to laboring women, persons providing care, the organization environment and health system. Conclusions: The adoption of evidence based intrapartum care is a complex process. In this regard, identifying potential barriers is the first step to determine and apply effective strategies to encourage the compliance evidence based obstetric care and improves maternity care quality. PMID:27175303

Ethnomathematics in Perspective of Sundanese Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdullah, Atje Setiawan

2017-01-01

This study is an exploratory research aims to find and know about a phenomenon by exploration. Therefore, the approach used in this study is ethnographic approach, an empirical and theoretical approach to get description and deep analysis about a culture based on field study. From the sustainable interviews and confirmation about field research…

A Descriptive Correlational Study of Teacher Participation in Professional Development and Teacher Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tupou, Samuel F.

2013-01-01

This study examines teacher efficacy within the context of professional development to understand the relationship between teacher efficacy and teacher collaboration. Two theoretical frameworks framed this teacher efficacy study based on "locus of control" and "social cognitive theory." A 29-item questionnaire was e-mailed to…

Curriculum Orientations and Educational Philosophies of High School Arabic Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsalem, Abeer Saleh

2018-01-01

This study aims to investigate the curriculum orientations of High school Arabic teacher in Riyadh city and to examine the relationship between curriculum orientation and their educational philosophies. The quantitative method (descriptive study) was adopted in this questionnaire survey-based study. Mean and standard deviation for the overall of…

The Woman in the Principal's Office.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casanova, Ursula

This paper is based on a descriptive study of six elementary school secretaries. The study was undertaken to gain an understanding of the work of the school secretary and how this work might contribute to school effectiveness. Several research methods were combined in this study: onsite observations, interviews with secretaries and their…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part R. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #95--Bus Driver; #98--General Loader; #99--Forklift Operator; #100--Material Handler.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This fifteenth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Bus Driver, General Loader, Forklift Operator, and Material Handler. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T.…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part F. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #20--Body Fender Mechanic; #21--New Car Get-Ready Person.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This third of sixteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Body Fender Mechanic and New Car Get-Ready Person. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T. general educational developmental…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part H. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #25--Household Appliance Mechanic; #26--Lineworker; #27--Painter Helper, Spray; #28--Painter, Brush; #29--Carpenter Apprentice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This fifth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Household Appliance Mechanic; Lineworker; Painter Helper, Spray; Painter, Brush; and Carpenter Apprentice. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE…

Teacher as the Instrument of Evaluation: A Descriptive Case Study of Connoisseurship and Educational Criticism's Role in Project-Based Learning, Technology Arts Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro, Edward Anthony

2010-01-01

Purpose: The study's purpose was to determine the degree to which connoisseurship and educational criticism exists in student work evaluation; to identify master teachers' methods utilizing verbal feedback; and to determine the degree that project-based learning (PBL) principles serve as a "model of practice" for selected PBL technology…

Technology-based counseling in the management of weight and lifestyles of obese or overweight children and adolescents: A descriptive systematic literature review.

PubMed

Kaakinen, Pirjo; Kyngäs, Helvi; Kääriäinen, Maria

2018-03-01

The number of overweight and obese children and adolescents has increased worldwide. Obese children and adolescents need counseling interventions, including technology-based methods, to help them manage their weight by changing their lifestyles. To describe technology-based counseling interventions in supporting obese or overweight children and adolescents to change their weight/lifestyle. Descriptive systematic literature review. A literature search was conducted using Cinahl, Medline, PsycINFO, and Medic databases in September 2010 and updated in January 2015. Predefined inclusion criteria were used for the search. After a quality assessment, 28 studies were included in the data extraction. No statistically significant difference in BMI was detected between the intervention and control groups. However, in some studies, it was found that BMI decreases and there were statistically significant differences in fruit and vegetable consumption. In two studies, differences in physical activity were detected between the intervention and control groups, but in eight studies, the difference was not significant. Goal setting and feedback on progress support physical activity and changes in diet. This study identifies available technology interventions for obese or overweight children and adolescents. It seems that using technology-based counseling intervention may encourage obese and overweight children and adolescents to pursue a healthier lifestyle.

Toward an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health clinical data collection tool: the Italian experience of developing simple, intuitive descriptions of the Rehabilitation Set categories.

PubMed

Selb, Melissa; Gimigliano, Francesca; Prodinger, Birgit; Stucki, Gerold; Pestelli, Germano; Iocco, Maurizio; Boldrini, Paolo

2017-04-01

As part of international efforts to develop and implement national models including the specification of ICF-based clinical data collection tools, the Italian rehabilitation community initiated a project to develop simple, intuitive descriptions of the ICF Rehabilitation Set, highlighting the core concept of each category in user-friendly language. This paper outlines the Italian experience in developing simple, intuitive descriptions of the ICF Rehabilitation Set as an ICF-based clinical data collection tool for Italy. Consensus process. Expert conference. Multidisciplinary group of rehabilitation professionals. The first of a two-stage consensus process involved developing an initial proposal for simple, intuitive descriptions of each ICF Rehabilitation Set category based on descriptions generated in a similar process in China. Stage two involved a consensus conference. Divided into three working groups, participants discussed and voted (vote A) whether the initially proposed descriptions of each ICF Rehabilitation Set category was simple and intuitive enough for use in daily practice. Afterwards the categories with descriptions considered ambiguous i.e. not simple and intuitive enough, were divided among the working groups, who were asked to propose a new description for the allocated categories. These proposals were then voted (vote B) on in a plenary session. The last step of the consensus conference required each working group to develop a new proposal for each and the same categories with descriptions still considered ambiguous. Participants then voted (final vote) for which of the three proposed descriptions they preferred. Nineteen clinicians from diverse rehabilitation disciplines from various regions of Italy participated in the consensus process. Three ICF categories already achieved consensus in vote A, while 20 ICF categories were accepted in vote B. The remaining 7 categories were decided in the final vote. The findings were discussed in light of current efforts toward developing strategies for ICF implementation, specifically for the application of an ICF-based clinical data collection tool, not only for Italy but also for the rest of Europe. Promising as minimal standards for monitoring the impact of interventions and for standardized reporting of functioning as a relevant outcome in rehabilitation.

Contribution to the taxonomy of Paracloeodes Day 1955 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from South America.

PubMed

Cruz, Paulo Vilela; Salles, Frederico falcÃo; Hamada, Neusa

2018-04-03

In recent decades, major advances in the systematics of the Western Hemisphere genus Paracloeodes Day have been made in South America. Despite the taxonomic progress, uncertainties in identification remain due to the morphological similarities among some nymphs and due to the general lack of knowledge of the imago stages (only 4 of 20 are described from throughout the range of the genus). This study addresses these impediments in part through description of the male imagoes of six species (P. atroari Nieto Salles, P. binodulus Lugo-Ortiz McCafferty, P. ibicui Lugo-Ortiz McCafferty, P. pacawara Nieto Salles, P. peri Nieto Salles, P. waimiri Nieto Salles), description of two new species based on morphologically distinct nymphs (P. aristotelesi sp. n. and P. carolinae sp. n.), description of one new species based on morphologically distinct nymph and male imago (P. prismatobranchus sp. n.); redescription of three species based on type material (P. ibicui Lugo-Ortiz McCafferty, P. leptobranchus Lugo-Ortiz McCafferty and P. eurybranchus Lugo-Ortiz McCafferty); proposal of one new synonym based on morphological analyses of specimens from Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay, including type specimens (P. pacawara = P. morellii Emmerich Nieto); and the presentation of a new key to identify nymphs from South America to the species level.

Who Supports the Successful Implementation and Sustainability of Evidence-Based Practices? Defining and Understanding the Roles of Intermediary and Purveyor Organizations.

PubMed

Franks, Robert P; Bory, Christopher T

2015-01-01

Research on implementation science has increased significantly over the past decade. In particular, psychologists have looked closely at the value and importance of bridging the gap between science and practice. As evidence-based practices (EBPs) become more prevalent, concrete mechanisms are needed to bring these scientifically supported treatments and interventions to community-based settings. Intermediary and purveyor organizations (IPOs) have emerged in recent years that specialize in bringing research to practice. Using a framework developed by Franks (), this descriptive study surveyed respondents that self-identified as IPOs and focused on identifying shared definitions, functions, and activities. Results indicated that seven descriptive roles previously identified were supported by this survey and many common shared activities, goals, and functions across these organizations were observed. Further, these organizations appear to be influenced by the growing field of implementation science. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identifying the drivers of liking by investigating the reasons for (dis)liking using CATA in cross-cultural context: a case study on barbecue sauce.

PubMed

Choi, Ji-Hye; Gwak, Mi-Jin; Chung, Seo-Jin; Kim, Kwang-Ok; O'Mahony, Michael; Ishii, Rie; Bae, Ye-Won

2015-06-01

The present study cross-culturally investigated the drivers of liking for traditional and ethnic chicken marinades using descriptive analysis and consumer taste tests incorporating the check-all-that-apply (CATA) method. Seventy-three Koreans and 86 US consumers participated. The tested sauces comprised three tomato-based sauces, a teriyaki-based sauce and a Korean spicy seasoning-based sauce. Chicken breasts were marinated with each of the five barbecue sauces, grilled and served for evaluation. Descriptive analysis and consumer taste tests were conducted. Consumers rated the acceptance on a hedonic scale and checked the reasons for (dis)liking by the CATA method for each sauce. A general linear model, multiple factor analysis and chi-square analysis were conducted using the data. The results showed that the preference orders of the samples between Koreans and US consumers were strikingly similar to each other. However, the reasons for (dis)liking the samples differed cross-culturally. The drivers of liking of two sauces sharing relatively similar sensory profiles but differing significantly in hedonic ratings were effectively delineated by reasons of (dis)liking CATA results. Reasons for (dis)liking CATA proved to be a powerful supporting method to understand the internal drivers of liking which can be overlooked by generic descriptive analysis. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Counseling Skills Pre-Practicum Training at Guidance and Counseling Undergraduate Programs: A Qualitative Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aladag, Mine

2013-01-01

This study was aimed to describe counseling skills pre-practicum training at guidance and counseling undergraduate programs in Turkey. A descriptive study was conducted based upon qualitative data. The research group of this study consisted of 11 guidance and counseling undergraduate programs voluntarily participate into study. The Survey Form…

Description of Drinking Water Bacterial Communities Using 16S rRNA Gene Sequence Analyses

EPA Science Inventory

Descriptions of bacterial communities inhabiting water distribution systems (WDS) have mainly been accomplished using culture-based approaches. Due to the inherent selective nature of culture-based approaches, the majority of bacteria inhabiting WDS remain uncharacterized. The go...

Statistical analysis of vehicle crashes in Mississippi based on crash data from 2010 to 2014.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-08-15

Traffic crash data from 2010 to 2014 were collected by Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) and extracted for the study. Three tasks were conducted in this study: (1) geographic distribution of crashes; (2) descriptive statistics of crash ...

Instructional Technologies in the Workforce: Case Studies from the Nuclear Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widen, William C.; Roth, Gene L.

1992-01-01

Describes six types of instructional technology used in the nuclear industry: Study Pacs, computerized test banks, computer-based training, interactive videodisc, artificial intelligence, and full-scope simulation. Each description presents the need, training device, outcomes, and limitations or constraints on use. (SK)

School-based peer-related social competence interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis and descriptive review of single case research design studies.

PubMed

Whalon, Kelly J; Conroy, Maureen A; Martinez, Jose R; Werch, Brittany L

2015-06-01

The purpose of this review was to critically examine and summarize the impact of school-based interventions designed to facilitate the peer-related social competence of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Reviewed studies employed a single-case experimental design, targeted peer-related social competence, included children 3-12 years old with an ASD, and took place in school settings. Articles were analyzed descriptively and using the evaluative method to determine study quality. Additionally, effect size estimates were calculated using nonoverlap of all pairs method and Tau-U. A total of 37 studies including 105 children were reviewed. Overall, ES estimates ranged from weak to strong, but on average, the reviewed interventions produced a moderate to strong effect, and quality ratings were generally in the acceptable to high range. Findings suggest that children with ASD can benefit from social skill interventions implemented with peers in school settings.

A descriptive analysis of oral health systematic reviews published 1991-2012: cross sectional study.

PubMed

Saltaji, Humam; Cummings, Greta G; Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Major, Michael P; Amin, Maryam; Major, Paul W; Hartling, Lisa; Flores-Mir, Carlos

2013-01-01

To identify all systematic reviews (SRs) published in the domain of oral health research and describe them in terms of their epidemiological and descriptive characteristics. Cross sectional, descriptive study. An electronic search of seven databases was performed from inception through May 2012; bibliographies of relevant publications were also reviewed. Studies were considered for inclusion if they were oral health SRs defined as therapeutic or non-therapeutic investigations that studied a topic or an intervention related to dental, oral or craniofacial diseases/disorders. Data were extracted from all the SRs based on a number of epidemiological and descriptive characteristics. Data were analysed descriptively for all the SRs, within each of the nine dental specialities, and for Cochrane and non-Cochrane SRs separately. 1,188 oral health (126 Cochrane and 1062 non-Cochrane) SRs published from 1991 through May 2012 were identified, encompassing the nine dental specialties. Over half (n = 676; 56.9%) of the SRs were published in specialty oral health journals, with almost all (n = 1,178; 99.2%) of the SRs published in English and almost none of the non-Cochrane SRs (n = 11; 0.9%) consisting of updates of previously published SRs. 75.3% of the SRs were categorized as therapeutic, with 64.5% examining non-drug interventions, while approximately half (n = 150/294; 51%) of the non-therapeutic SRs were classified as epidemiological SRs. The SRs included a median of 15 studies, with a meta-analysis conducted in 43.6%, in which a median of 9 studies/1 randomized trial were included in the largest meta-analysis conducted. Funding was received for 25.1% of the SRs, including nearly three-quarters (n = 96; 76.2%) of the Cochrane SRs. Epidemiological and descriptive characteristics of the 1,188 oral health SRs varied across the nine dental specialties and by SR category (Cochrane vs. non-Cochrane). There is a clear need for more updates of SRs in all the dental specialties.

Enhancing the Standard of Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century via Qualitative School-Based Supervision in Secondary Schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebele, Uju F.; Olofu, Paul A.

2017-01-01

The study focused on enhancing the standard of teaching and learning in the 21st century via qualitative school-based supervision in secondary schools in Abuja municipal area council. To guide the study, two null hypotheses were formulated. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The sample of the study constituted of 270 secondary…

Usual and Virtual Reality Video Game-Based Physiotherapy for Children and Youth with Acquired Brain Injuries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levac, Danielle; Miller, Patricia; Missiuna, Cheryl

2012-01-01

Little is known about how therapists promote learning of functional motor skills for children with acquired brain injuries. This study explores physiotherapists' description of these interventions in comparison to virtual reality (VR) video game-based therapy. Six physiotherapists employed at a children's rehabilitation center participated in…

A Community-Based Activities Survey: Systematically Determining the Impact on and of Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Lane; Farmer, Betty; Onder, David; Tanner, Benjamin; Burton, Carol

2015-01-01

As a descriptive case study from Western Carolina University (WCU), this article describes the development of a measuring, monitoring, and tracking system (the WCU Community-based Activities Survey) for faculty engagement in, adoption of, and impact through community engagement practices both internal and external to their courses. This paper will…

A Descriptive, Multiyear Examination of Positive Behavior Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlap, Glen; Carr, Edward G.; Horner, Robert H.; Koegel, Robert L.; Sailor, Wayne; Clarke, Shelley; Koegel, Lynn Kern; Albin, Richard W.; Vaughn, Bobbie J.; McLaughlin, Darlene Magito; James, Kim Mullen; Todd, Anne W.; Newton, J. Stephen; Lucyshyn, Joseph; Griggs, Peter; Bohanon, Hank; Choi, Jeong Hoon; Vismara, Laurie; Minjarez, Mendy Boettcher; Buschbacher, Pamelazita; Fox, Lise

2010-01-01

A major goal of positive behavior support (PBS) is to produce broad-based, long-term improvements in adaptive behavior; however, the empirical base, at present, is mainly composed of relatively short-term studies carried out in circumscribed contexts. Therefore, a need exists for reliable data that can inform the field regarding the comprehensive…

Not Funding the Evidence-Based Model in Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edlefson, Carla

2010-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive case study was to describe the implementation of Ohio's version of the Evidence-Based Model (OEBM) state school finance system in 2009. Data sources included state budget documents and analyses as well as interviews with local school officials. The new system was responsive to three policy objectives ordered by the…

Implementing Curriculum-Based Learning Portfolio: A Case Study in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Shu-Chin Susan; Cheng, Yu-Pay

2011-01-01

The main purpose of this descriptive research is to examine and document the development of a curriculum-based learning portfolio model for children in a preschool for three-six-year-olds in Taiwan. Data collection methods adopted include classroom observation, in-depth interviews, questionnaires and documentation. Participants include a preschool…

Coupling Changing Student Demographics with Evidence-Based Leadership Practices: Leading Hispanic Friendly Learning Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Tod Allen

2012-01-01

The study assessed the need for learning organizations to implement evidence-based policies and practices designed to enhance the academic and social success of Hispanic learners. Descriptive statistics and longitudinal data from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) and the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition…

Teachers' Knowledge and Understanding of the Malaysian School-Based Oral English Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sidhu, Gurnam Kaur; Fook, Chan Yuen; Mohamad, Azleena

2011-01-01

Purpose: The paper sought to investigate TESL teachers' knowledge and understanding of the Malaysian School Based Oral English Assessment (SBOEA) after five years into its implementation in upper secondary ESL classrooms in Malaysian public schools Method: The descriptive study involved a total of 80 TESL trained teachers from the 19 schools…

A Comparison of Two Function-Based Interventions: NCR vs. DRO in Preschool Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaBrot, Zachary C.; Dufrene, Brad; Pasqua, Jamie; Radley, Keith C., III; Olmi, Joe; Bates-Brantley, Kayla; Helbig, Kate; Melendez, Marian; Murphy, Ashley

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative efficacy of non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) after behavioral functions were identified through indirect, descriptive, and experimental assessment. Participants included three preschool-age children in three center-based classrooms in a…

Learning from Student Retrospective Reports: Implications for the College Developmental Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perin, Dolores; Grant, Geremy; Raufman, Julia; Kalamkarian, Hoori Santikian

2017-01-01

Retrospective reports gathered from developmental education students as part of a learning assessment revealed the use of several strategies for writing a summary based on a text. Participants were selected for the study based on the richness and variety of their verbal descriptions of task performance in structured, individualized interviews.…

Graduate Medical Education Training in Clinical Epidemiology, Critical Appraisal, and Evidence-Based Medicine: A Critical Review of Curricula.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Michael L.

1999-01-01

A study systematically reviewed published literature on graduate medical-education curricula in clinical epidemiology, critical appraisal, and evidence-based medicine (EBM). The 18 reports found in the search provide useful guidelines for medical educators but many suffer from incomplete descriptions and inadequate curriculum evaluations.…

Does Sexual Self-Concept Ambiguity Moderate Relations Among Perceived Peer Norms for Alcohol Use, Alcohol-Dependence Symptomatology, and HIV Risk-Taking Behavior?

PubMed Central

Talley, Amelia E; Brown, Jennifer L; Stevens, Angela K; Littlefield, Andrew K

2014-01-01

Objective: The current study examines the relation between peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement and alcohol-dependence symptomatology and whether this relation differs as a function of sexual self-concept ambiguity (SSA). This study also examines the associations among peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement, alcohol-dependence symptomatology, and lifetime HIV risk-taking behavior and how these relations are influenced by SSA. Method: Women between ages 18 and 30 years (N = 351; M = 20.96, SD = 2.92) completed an online survey assessing sexual self-concept, peer descriptive norms, alcohol-dependence symptomatology, and HIV risk-taking behaviors. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses of interest. Results: There was a significant latent variable interaction between SSA and descriptive norms for peer alcohol use. There was a stronger positive relationship between peer descriptive norms for alcohol and alcohol-dependence symptomatology when SSA was higher compared with when SSA was lower. Both latent variables exhibited positive simple associations with alcohol-dependence symptoms. Peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement directly and indirectly influenced HIV risk-taking behaviors, and the indirect influence was conditional based on SSA. Conclusions: The current findings illustrate complex, nuanced associations between perceived norms, identity-related self-concepts, and risky health behaviors from various domains. Future intervention efforts may be warranted to address both problem alcohol use and HIV-risk engagement among individuals with greater sexual self-concept ambiguity. PMID:25343661

Does sexual self-concept ambiguity moderate relations among perceived peer norms for alcohol use, alcohol-dependence symptomatology, and HIV risk-taking behavior?

PubMed

Talley, Amelia E; Brown, Jennifer L; Stevens, Angela K; Littlefield, Andrew K

2014-11-01

The current study examines the relation between peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement and alcohol-dependence symptomatology and whether this relation differs as a function of sexual self-concept ambiguity (SSA). This study also examines the associations among peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement, alcohol-dependence symptomatology, and lifetime HIV risk-taking behavior and how these relations are influenced by SSA. Women between ages 18 and 30 years (N = 351; M = 20.96, SD = 2.92) completed an online survey assessing sexual self-concept, peer descriptive norms, alcohol-dependence symptomatology, and HIV risk-taking behaviors. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses of interest. There was a significant latent variable interaction between SSA and descriptive norms for peer alcohol use. There was a stronger positive relationship between peer descriptive norms for alcohol and alcohol-dependence symptomatology when SSA was higher compared with when SSA was lower. Both latent variables exhibited positive simple associations with alcohol-dependence symptoms. Peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement directly and indirectly influenced HIV risk-taking behaviors, and the indirect influence was conditional based on SSA. The current findings illustrate complex, nuanced associations between perceived norms, identity-related self-concepts, and risky health behaviors from various domains. Future intervention efforts may be warranted to address both problem alcohol use and HIV-risk engagement among individuals with greater sexual self-concept ambiguity.

Exploration of consumer perception of Sauvignon Blanc wines with enhanced aroma properties using two different descriptive methods.

PubMed

Lezaeta, Alvaro; Bordeu, Edmundo; Næs, Tormod; Varela, Paula

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate consumers' perception of a complex set of stimuli as aromatically enriched wines. For that, two consumer based profiling methods were compared, concurrently run with overall liking measurements: projective mapping based on choice or preference (PM-C), a newly proposed method, and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions with an ideal sample, a more established, consumer-based method for product optimization. Reserve bottling and regular bottling of Sauvignon Blanc wines from three wineries were aromatically enriched with natural aromas collected by condensation during wine fermentation. A total of 144 consumers were enrolled in the study. The results revealed that both consumer-based highlighted the positive effect of aromatic enrichment on consumer perception and acceptance. However, PM-C generated a very detailed description, in which consumers focused less on the sensory aspects and more on the usage, attitudes, and reasons behind their choices. Providing a deeper understanding of the drivers of liking/disliking of enriched Sauvignon Blanc wines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The malleability of injunctive norms among college students.

PubMed

Prince, Mark A; Carey, Kate B

2010-11-01

Alcohol use among college students has been associated with injunctive norms, which refer to the perceived acceptability of excessive drinking, and descriptive norms, which refer to perceptions of actual drinking. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a brief injunctive norms manipulation on both injunctive and descriptive norms about drinking alcohol and to explore differences in the malleability of norms across referent groups, sex, and gender role. Participants were 265 undergraduates (43% male, 70% freshmen) who completed a web-based survey for course credit. A randomly selected half was exposed to a page of information-based feedback about typical student injunctive norms. Relative to the control condition, the manipulation produced lower injunctive and descriptive norms related to typical students' drinking but no change in either type of norm related to close friends. Femininity was associated with less permissive normative beliefs about the acceptability of excessive drinking whereas masculinity was associated with elevated perceptions of peer drinking, but neither sex nor gender role moderated the manipulation effect. We conclude that perceptions of peer approval of drinking are malleable with a very brief information-based manipulation. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of smokers influence nonsmoker attitudes and preferences for interactions

PubMed Central

Dillard, Amanda J.; Magnan, Renee E.; Köblitz, Amber R.; McCaul, Kevin D.

2012-01-01

In two studies, we examined nonsmokers’ perceptions of smokers and consequences of the perceptions. In Study 1, smokers answered questions about their sense of self, dependence on smoking, and motivation to quit. Nonsmokers answered questions about their perceptions of these characteristics. Differences between smokers’ self-descriptions and nonsmokers’ perceptions were observed. Study 2 asked nonsmokers to judge two types of smokers for which the descriptions were based on Study 1 findings. Results showed that nonsmokers held a more negative attitude about and were less willing to engage in different close relationships with the smoker who was described in terms of nonsmokers’ perceptions rather than smokers’ reports. Attitude mediated the relationship between type of smoker and willingness to date a smoker. PMID:23734065

Problems and challenges in patient information retrieval: a descriptive study.

PubMed Central

Kogan, S.; Zeng, Q.; Ash, N.; Greenes, R. A.

2001-01-01

Many patients now turn to the Web for health care information. However, a lack of domain knowledge and unfamiliarity with medical vocabulary and concepts restrict their ability to successfully obtain information they seek. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify and classify the problems a patient encounters while performing information retrieval tasks on the Web, and the challenges it poses to informatics research. In this study, we observed patients performing various retrieval tasks, and measured the effectiveness of, satisfaction with, and usefulness of the results. Our study showed that patient information retrieval often failed to produce successful results due to a variety of problems. We propose a classification of patient IR problems based on our observations. PMID:11825205

High quality draft genome of Nakamurella lactea type strain, a rock actinobacterium, and emended description of Nakamurella lactea

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

Nouioui, Imen; Göker, Markus; Carro, Lorena

Nakamurella lactea DLS-10 T , isolated from rock in Korea, is one of the four type strains of the genus Nakamurella. In this study, we describe the high quality draft genome of N. lactea DLS-10 T and its annotation. A summary of phenotypic data collected from previously published studies was also included. The genome of strain DLS-10 T presents a size of 5.82 Mpb, 5100 protein coding genes, and a C + G content of 68.9%. Based on the genome analysis, emended description of N. lactea in terms of G + C content was also proposed.

Home health nurse decision-making regarding visit intensity planning for newly admitted patients: a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Irani, Elliane; Hirschman, Karen B; Cacchione, Pamela Z; Bowles, Kathryn H

2018-04-13

Despite patients referred to home health having diverse and complex needs, it is unknown how nurses develop personalized visit plans. In this qualitative descriptive study, we interviewed 26 nurses from three agencies about their decision-making process to determine visit intensity and analyzed data using directed content analysis. Following a multifactorial assessment of the patient, nurses relied on their experience and their agency's protocols to develop the personalized visit plan. They revised the plan based on changes in the patient's clinical condition, engagement, and caregiver availability. Findings suggest strategies to improve visit planning and positively influence outcomes of home health patients.

Using the Abstraction Network in Complement to Description Logics for Quality Assurance in Biomedical Terminologies - A Case Study in SNOMED CT

PubMed Central

Wei, Duo; Bodenreider, Olivier

2015-01-01

Objectives To investigate errors identified in SNOMED CT by human reviewers with help from the Abstraction Network methodology and examine why they had escaped detection by the Description Logic (DL) classifier. Case study; Two examples of errors are presented in detail (one missing IS-A relation and one duplicate concept). After correction, SNOMED CT is reclassified to ensure that no new inconsistency was introduced. Conclusions DL-based auditing techniques built in terminology development environments ensure the logical consistency of the terminology. However, complementary approaches are needed for identifying and addressing other types of errors. PMID:20841848

Using the abstraction network in complement to description logics for quality assurance in biomedical terminologies - a case study in SNOMED CT.

PubMed

Wei, Duo; Bodenreider, Olivier

2010-01-01

To investigate errors identified in SNOMED CT by human reviewers with help from the Abstraction Network methodology and examine why they had escaped detection by the Description Logic (DL) classifier. Case study; Two examples of errors are presented in detail (one missing IS-A relation and one duplicate concept). After correction, SNOMED CT is reclassified to ensure that no new inconsistency was introduced. DL-based auditing techniques built in terminology development environments ensure the logical consistency of the terminology. However, complementary approaches are needed for identifying and addressing other types of errors.

High quality draft genome of Nakamurella lactea type strain, a rock actinobacterium, and emended description of Nakamurella lactea

DOE PAGES

Nouioui, Imen; Göker, Markus; Carro, Lorena; ...

2017-01-06

Nakamurella lactea DLS-10 T , isolated from rock in Korea, is one of the four type strains of the genus Nakamurella. In this study, we describe the high quality draft genome of N. lactea DLS-10 T and its annotation. A summary of phenotypic data collected from previously published studies was also included. The genome of strain DLS-10 T presents a size of 5.82 Mpb, 5100 protein coding genes, and a C + G content of 68.9%. Based on the genome analysis, emended description of N. lactea in terms of G + C content was also proposed.

48 CFR 47.305-9 - Commodity description and freight classification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... freight classification. 47.305-9 Section 47.305-9 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Commodity description and freight classification. (a) Generally, the freight rate for supplies is based on the rating applicable to the freight classification description published in the National Motor...

48 CFR 5416.203-1 - Description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Description. 5416.203-1 Section 5416.203-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TYPES OF CONTRACTS Fixed Price Contracts 5416.203-1 Description. (a)(S-90) Adjustments based on...

Variation and Linguistic Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Charles-James N.

This volume presents principles and models for describing language variation, and introduces a time-based, dynamic framework for linguistic description. The book first summarizes some of the problems of grammatical description encountered from Saussure through the present and then outlines possibilities for new descriptions of language which take…

48 CFR 5416.203-1 - Description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Description. 5416.203-1 Section 5416.203-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TYPES OF CONTRACTS Fixed Price Contracts 5416.203-1 Description. (a)(S-90) Adjustments based on...

48 CFR 5416.203-1 - Description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Description. 5416.203-1 Section 5416.203-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TYPES OF CONTRACTS Fixed Price Contracts 5416.203-1 Description. (a)(S-90) Adjustments based on...

48 CFR 5416.203-1 - Description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Description. 5416.203-1 Section 5416.203-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TYPES OF CONTRACTS Fixed Price Contracts 5416.203-1 Description. (a)(S-90) Adjustments based on...

48 CFR 5416.203-1 - Description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2013-10-01 2012-10-01 true Description. 5416.203-1 Section 5416.203-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TYPES OF CONTRACTS Fixed Price Contracts 5416.203-1 Description. (a)(S-90) Adjustments based on...

77 FR 44607 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-30

...-000. Applicants: Evergreen Wind Power, LLC. Description: Revisions to Market-Based Rate Tariff to be.... Docket Numbers: ER12-2268-000. Applicants: Evergreen Wind Power III, LLC. Description: Revisions to.... Applicants: Canadian Hills Wind, LLC. Description: Amendment to MBR Application and Tariff Revision to be...

Simulation-Based Abdominal Ultrasound Training - A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Østergaard, M L; Ewertsen, C; Konge, L; Albrecht-Beste, E; Bachmann Nielsen, M

2016-06-01

The aim is to provide a complete overview of the different simulation-based training options for abdominal ultrasound and to explore the evidence of their effect. This systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines and Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library was searched. Articles were divided into three categories based on study design (randomized controlled trials, before-and-after studies and descriptive studies) and assessed for level of evidence using the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (OCEBM) system and for bias using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias assessment tool. Seventeen studies were included in the analysis: four randomized controlled trials, eight before-and-after studies with pre- and post-test evaluations, and five descriptive studies. No studies scored the highest level of evidence, and 14 had the lowest level. Bias was high for 11 studies, low for four, and unclear for two. No studies used a test with established evidence of validity or examined the correlation between obtained skills on the simulators and real-life clinical skills. Only one study used blinded assessors. The included studies were heterogeneous in the choice of simulator, study design, participants, and outcome measures, and the level of evidence for effect was inadequate. In all studies simulation training was equally or more beneficial than other instructions or no instructions. Study designs had significant built-in bias and confounding issues; therefore, further research should be based on randomized controlled trials using tests with validity evidence and blinded assessors. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part N. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #65--Typist I; #67--Grocery Checker; #68--File Clerk; #69--Receptionist; #70--Bank Teller; #71--Clerk, General Office.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This eleventh of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Typist I, Grocery Checker, File Clerk, Receptionist; Bank Teller; and Clerk, General Office. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number,…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part O. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #72--Ward Clerk; #73--Account Clerk; #74--Mail Handler (Messenger); #75--Payroll Clerk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This twelfth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Ward Clerk, Account Clerk, Mail Handler (Messenger), and Payroll Clerk. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T. general…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part Q. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #91--Meat Cutter; #92--Shipping Clerk; #93--Long Haul Truck Driver; #94--Truck Driver--Light.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This fourteenth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Meat Cutter, Shipping Clerk, Long Haul Truck Driver, and Truck Driver--Light. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T.…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part K. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #40--Salesperson, Automobile; #41--Salesperson, Men's Wear; #42--Waiter/Waitress; #45--Janitor; #46--Porter; #48--Pressing Machine Operator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This eighth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Salesperson, Automotive; Salesperson, Men's Wear; Waiter/Waitress; Janitor; Porter; and Pressing Machine Operator. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part I. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #30--Roofer Apprentice; #31--Pipefitter; #32--Medical Supply Clerk; #33--Stock Clerk; #35--Warehouseman (Laborer, Stores).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This sixth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Roofer Apprentice, Pipefitter, Medical Supply Clerk, Stock Clerk, and Warehouseperson. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T.…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part E. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #11--Groundskeeper; #12--Animal Keeper; #15--Tire Repairperson; #16--Muffler Installer; #17--Garage Mechanic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This second of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Groundskeeper, Animal Keeper, Tire Repairperson, Muffler Installer, and Garage Mechanic. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder, D.O.T.…

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part L. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #52--Maid; #54--Ticket Agent; #55--Cosmetologist; #57--Counterperson; #58--Cook's Helper; #59--Kitchen Helper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This ninth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Maid, Ticket Agent, Cosmetologist, Counterperson, Cook's Helper, and Kitchen Helper. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE number, career ladder,…

Truth and probability in evolutionary games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, Jeffrey A.

2017-01-01

This paper concerns two composite Lewis-Skyrms signalling games. Each consists in a base game that evolves a language descriptive of nature and a metagame that coevolves a language descriptive of the base game and its evolving language. The first composite game shows how a pragmatic notion of truth might coevolve with a simple descriptive language. The second shows how a pragmatic notion of probability might similarly coevolve. Each of these pragmatic notions is characterised by the particular game and role that it comes to play in the game.

MPEG-7-based description infrastructure for an audiovisual content analysis and retrieval system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailer, Werner; Schallauer, Peter; Hausenblas, Michael; Thallinger, Georg

2005-01-01

We present a case study of establishing a description infrastructure for an audiovisual content-analysis and retrieval system. The description infrastructure consists of an internal metadata model and access tool for using it. Based on an analysis of requirements, we have selected, out of a set of candidates, MPEG-7 as the basis of our metadata model. The openness and generality of MPEG-7 allow using it in broad range of applications, but increase complexity and hinder interoperability. Profiling has been proposed as a solution, with the focus on selecting and constraining description tools. Semantic constraints are currently only described in textual form. Conformance in terms of semantics can thus not be evaluated automatically and mappings between different profiles can only be defined manually. As a solution, we propose an approach to formalize the semantic constraints of an MPEG-7 profile using a formal vocabulary expressed in OWL, which allows automated processing of semantic constraints. We have defined the Detailed Audiovisual Profile as the profile to be used in our metadata model and we show how some of the semantic constraints of this profile can be formulated using ontologies. To work practically with the metadata model, we have implemented a MPEG-7 library and a client/server document access infrastructure.

A Content Analysis Concerning the Studies on Challenges Faced by Novice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozikoglu, Ishak

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to analyze the studies concerning challenges faced by novice teachers in terms of various aspects and compare challenges according to location of the studies conducted in Turkey and abroad. A total of 30 research studies were included in detailed analysis. This is a descriptive study based on qualitative research…

The Role of Evidence-Based Research in the Decision-Making Process as Perceived by Local Board of Education Policymakers in West Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoylman, Elizabeth Anne

2017-01-01

This non-experimental, descriptive study explored the perceptions of PK-12 policymakers in West Virginia regarding the sources of information they use in the decision-making process; whether and how evidence-based research is relied upon; whether evidence-based research is considered credible and usable; and what barriers, facilitators, and…

Automatic classification of written descriptions by healthy adults: An overview of the application of natural language processing and machine learning techniques to clinical discourse analysis.

PubMed

Toledo, Cíntia Matsuda; Cunha, Andre; Scarton, Carolina; Aluísio, Sandra

2014-01-01

Discourse production is an important aspect in the evaluation of brain-injured individuals. We believe that studies comparing the performance of brain-injured subjects with that of healthy controls must use groups with compatible education. A pioneering application of machine learning methods using Brazilian Portuguese for clinical purposes is described, highlighting education as an important variable in the Brazilian scenario. The aims were to describe how to:(i) develop machine learning classifiers using features generated by natural language processing tools to distinguish descriptions produced by healthy individuals into classes based on their years of education; and(ii) automatically identify the features that best distinguish the groups. The approach proposed here extracts linguistic features automatically from the written descriptions with the aid of two Natural Language Processing tools: Coh-Metrix-Port and AIC. It also includes nine task-specific features (three new ones, two extracted manually, besides description time; type of scene described - simple or complex; presentation order - which type of picture was described first; and age). In this study, the descriptions by 144 of the subjects studied in Toledo 18 were used,which included 200 healthy Brazilians of both genders. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) with a radial basis function (RBF) kernel is the most recommended approach for the binary classification of our data, classifying three of the four initial classes. CfsSubsetEval (CFS) is a strong candidate to replace manual feature selection methods.

77 FR 29627 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-18

...-002. Applicants: Bounce Energy PA, LLC. Description: Market-Based Rate Application Deficiency Filing.... ET 6/1/12. Docket Numbers: ER12-1153-002. Applicants: Bounce Energy NY, LLC. Description: Market...: International Transmission Company. Description: Notice of Succession to be effective 7/13/2012. Filed Date: 5...

77 FR 34372 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-11

.... Applicants: Evergreen Wind Power III, LLC. Description: Compliance Market-Based Rate Tariff Filing to be...: ER12-1865-000. Applicants: Alta Wind VI, LLC. Description: Notice of Succession and Updated MBR Tariff... Independent System Operator, Inc., Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. Description: LGIA among NYISO, NiMo...

School-Based Peer-Related Social Competence Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis and Descriptive Review of Single Case Research Design Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalon, Kelly J.; Conroy, Maureen A.; Martinez, Jose R.; Werch, Brittany L.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this review was to critically examine and summarize the impact of school-based interventions designed to facilitate the peer-related social competence of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Reviewed studies employed a single-case experimental design, targeted peer-related social competence, included children 3-12 years old…

[Advance on genome research of Yersinia pestis bacteriophage].

PubMed

Tan, H L; Wang, P; Li, W

2017-04-10

Completion of the genome sequences on Yersinia pestis bacteriophage offered unprecedented opportunity for researchers to carry out related genomic studies. This review was based on the genomic sequences and provided a genomic perspective in describing the essential features of genome on Yersinia pestis bacteriophage. Based on the comparative genomics, genetic evolutionary relationship was discussed. Description of functions from the gene prediction and protein annotation provided evidence for further related studies.

Drawing/Writing: A Brain Research-Based Writing Program Designed to Develop Descriptive, Analytical and Inferential Thinking Skills at the Elementary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheridan, Susan Rich

1990-01-01

The research and the study focus on the problem of dissociated learning. Why do students fail to connect with knowledge? The purposes of the study are: to summarize research pertaining to brain growth; to describe educational approaches and tactics consistent with this research; to test a brain research-based program designed to connect children…

High incorrect use of the standard error of the mean (SEM) in original articles in three cardiovascular journals evaluated for 2012.

PubMed

Wullschleger, Marcel; Aghlmandi, Soheila; Egger, Marcel; Zwahlen, Marcel

2014-01-01

In biomedical journals authors sometimes use the standard error of the mean (SEM) for data description, which has been called inappropriate or incorrect. To assess the frequency of incorrect use of SEM in articles in three selected cardiovascular journals. All original journal articles published in 2012 in Cardiovascular Research, Circulation: Heart Failure and Circulation Research were assessed by two assessors for inappropriate use of SEM when providing descriptive information of empirical data. We also assessed whether the authors state in the methods section that the SEM will be used for data description. Of 441 articles included in this survey, 64% (282 articles) contained at least one instance of incorrect use of the SEM, with two journals having a prevalence above 70% and "Circulation: Heart Failure" having the lowest value (27%). In 81% of articles with incorrect use of SEM, the authors had explicitly stated that they use the SEM for data description and in 89% SEM bars were also used instead of 95% confidence intervals. Basic science studies had a 7.4-fold higher level of inappropriate SEM use (74%) than clinical studies (10%). The selection of the three cardiovascular journals was based on a subjective initial impression of observing inappropriate SEM use. The observed results are not representative for all cardiovascular journals. In three selected cardiovascular journals we found a high level of inappropriate SEM use and explicit methods statements to use it for data description, especially in basic science studies. To improve on this situation, these and other journals should provide clear instructions to authors on how to report descriptive information of empirical data.

Intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care: a descriptive qualitative study.

PubMed

Ballangrud, Randi; Hall-Lord, Marie Louise; Persenius, Mona; Hedelin, Birgitta

2014-08-01

To describe intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care. Failures in team processes are found to be contributory factors to incidents in an intensive care environment. Simulation-based training is recommended as a method to make health-care personnel aware of the importance of team working and to improve their competencies. The study uses a qualitative descriptive design. Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 intensive care nurses from May to December 2009, all of which had attended a simulation-based team training programme. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. One main category emerged to illuminate the intensive care nurse perception: "training increases awareness of clinical practice and acknowledges the importance of structured work in teams". Three generic categories were found: "realistic training contributes to safe care", "reflection and openness motivates learning" and "finding a common understanding of team performance". Simulation-based team training makes intensive care nurses more prepared to care for severely ill patients. Team training creates a common understanding of how to work in teams with regard to patient safety. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 454.60 - Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory. 454.60 Section 454.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) GUM AND WOOD CHEMICALS...

40 CFR 454.60 - Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory. 454.60 Section 454.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) GUM AND WOOD CHEMICALS...

40 CFR 454.60 - Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Applicability; description of manufacture of rosin-based derivatives subcategory. 454.60 Section 454.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) GUM AND WOOD CHEMICALS...

Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology preliminary requirements for space science and applications platform studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Needs and requirements for a free flying space science and applications platform to host groupings of compatible, extended mission experiments in earth orbit are discussed. A payload model which serves to define a typical set of mission requirements in the form of a descriptive data base is presented along with experiment leval and group level data summarizations and flight schedules. The payload descriptions are grouped by technology into the following categories: communications, materials (long term effect upon), materials technology development, power, sensors, and thermal control.

Taxonomic and faunistic studies on the genus Harutaeographa (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Orthosiini) with description of a new species

PubMed Central

Benedek, Balázs; Saldaitis, Aidas; Rimsaite, Jolanta

2012-01-01

Abstract Description of anew Harutaeographa Yoshimoto, 1993 species, Harutaeographa shui sp. n. from China’s Sichuan province, is given. Harutaeographa yangzisherpani transformis Hreblay & Ronkay, 1999 is combined as a synonym of Harutaeographa yangzisherpani yangzisherpani Hreblay & Ronkay, 1999. Additional distributional data for Harutaeographa pallida Yoshimoto, 1993, and Harutaeographa cinerea Hreblay & Ronkay, 1998 are provided. A checklist of the genus Harutaeographa and a key to the Harutaeographa fasciculata (Hampson, 1894) species-group, based on external characters and genitalia, are presented. PMID:23378797

Ergonomics and patient handling.

PubMed

McCoskey, Kelsey L

2007-11-01

This study aimed to describe patient-handling demands in inpatient units during a 24-hour period at a military health care facility. A 1-day total population survey described the diverse nature and impact of patient-handling tasks relative to a variety of nursing care units, patient characteristics, and transfer equipment. Productivity baselines were established based on patient dependency, physical exertion, type of transfer, and time spent performing the transfer. Descriptions of the physiological effect of transfers on staff based on patient, transfer, and staff characteristics were developed. Nursing staff response to surveys demonstrated how patient-handling demands are impacted by the staff's physical exertion and level of patient dependency. The findings of this study describe the types of transfers occurring in these inpatient units and the physical exertion and time requirements for these transfers. This description may guide selection of the most appropriate and cost-effective patient-handling equipment required for specific units and patients.

A zonal computational procedure adapted to the optimization of two-dimensional thrust augmentor inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lund, T. S.; Tavella, D. A.; Roberts, L.

1985-01-01

A viscous-inviscid interaction methodology based on a zonal description of the flowfield is developed as a mean of predicting the performance of two-dimensional thrust augmenting ejectors. An inviscid zone comprising the irrotational flow about the device is patched together with a viscous zone containing the turbulent mixing flow. The inviscid region is computed by a higher order panel method, while an integral method is used for the description of the viscous part. A non-linear, constrained optimization study is undertaken for the design of the inlet region. In this study, the viscous-inviscid analysis is complemented with a boundary layer calculation to account for flow separation from the walls of the inlet region. The thrust-based Reynolds number as well as the free stream velocity are shown to be important parameters in the design of a thrust augmentor inlet.

Effects of tunnelling and asymmetry for system-bath models of electron transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattiat, Johann; Richardson, Jeremy O.

2018-03-01

We apply the newly derived nonadiabatic golden-rule instanton theory to asymmetric models describing electron-transfer in solution. The models go beyond the usual spin-boson description and have anharmonic free-energy surfaces with different values for the reactant and product reorganization energies. The instanton method gives an excellent description of the behaviour of the rate constant with respect to asymmetry for the whole range studied. We derive a general formula for an asymmetric version of the Marcus theory based on the classical limit of the instanton and find that this gives significant corrections to the standard Marcus theory. A scheme is given to compute this rate based only on equilibrium simulations. We also compare the rate constants obtained by the instanton method with its classical limit to study the effect of tunnelling and other quantum nuclear effects. These quantum effects can increase the rate constant by orders of magnitude.

The Social Life of a Data Base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linde, Charlotte; Wales, Roxana; Clancy, Dan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper presents the complex social life of a large data base. The topics include: 1) Social Construction of Mechanisms of Memory; 2) Data Bases: The Invisible Memory Mechanism; 3) The Human in the Machine; 4) Data of the Study: A Large-Scale Problem Reporting Data Base; 5) The PRACA Study; 6) Description of PRACA; 7) PRACA and Paper; 8) Multiple Uses of PRACA; 9) The Work of PRACA; 10) Multiple Forms of Invisibility; 11) Such Systems are Everywhere; and 12) Two Morals to the Story. This paper is in viewgraph form.

Evaluating Mixed Research Studies: A Mixed Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leech, Nancy L.; Dellinger, Amy B.; Brannagan, Kim B.; Tanaka, Hideyuki

2010-01-01

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate application of a new framework, the validation framework (VF), to assist researchers in evaluating mixed research studies. Based on an earlier work by Dellinger and Leech, a description of the VF is delineated. Using the VF, three studies from education, health care, and counseling fields are…

Patterns of Practice: Case Studies of Early Childhood Education & Family Engagement in Community Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda; Rollins, S. Kwesi; Brown, Janet; Naviasky, Heather

2016-01-01

This "Patterns of Practice: Case Studies of Early Childhood Education & Family Engagement in Community Schools" report updates the community school case studies through a description of ongoing developments in Cincinnati, OH; Evansville, IN; Multnomah County, OR; and Tulsa, OK and adds to that knowledge base of early learning and…

Examining Study Habits in Undergraduate STEM Courses from a Situative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hora, Matthew T.; Oleson, Amanda K.

2017-01-01

Background: A growing body of research in cognitive psychology and education research is illuminating which study strategies are effective for optimal learning, but little descriptive research focuses on how undergraduate students in STEM courses actually study in real-world settings. Using a practice-based approach informed by situated cognition…

Demographic Influence on Emotional Intelligence of Science Technology and Engineering Teachers in Region 1 Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Llego, Jordan Hso

2017-01-01

This study investigated the Emotional Intelligence (EI) of Science, Technology and Engineering (STE) science teachers based on their demographic profile. Total enumeration was used and 113 STE science teachers in Region 1 Philippines participated in this study. The study adopted descriptive- quantitative research design, frequency count and…

Symbolic Leadership and Leadership Culture in One Unified Comprehensive School in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lahtero, Tapio Juhani; Risku, Mika

2012-01-01

The research presented in this article is a description of the symbolic leadership and leadership culture in one unified comprehensive school in Finland. The study is a phenomenological qualitative case study based on triangulation. Leadership is studied through its functional, verbal and material dimensions. Leadership culture is regarded as one…

Building Vietnamese Herbal Database Towards Big Data Science in Nature-Based Medicine

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-04

metabolites, diseases, and geography in order to convey a composite description of each individual species. VHO consists of 2881 species, 10887 metabolites...plants, metabolites, diseases, and geography in order to convey a composite description of each individual species. VHO consists of 2881 species...feature description are extremely diverse and highly redundant. Besides the original words or the key words for description , there are millions of

Teachers' ideas versus experts' descriptions of 'the good teacher' in postgraduate medical education: implications for implementation. A qualitative study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background When innovations are introduced in medical education, teachers often have to adapt to a new concept of what being a good teacher includes. These new concepts do not necessarily match medical teachers' own, often strong beliefs about what it means to be a good teacher. Recently, a new competency-based description of the good teacher was developed and introduced in all the Departments of Postgraduate Medical Education for Family Physicians in the Netherlands. We compared the views reflected in the new description with the views of teachers who were required to adopt the new framework. Methods Qualitative study. We interviewed teachers in two Departments of Postgraduate Medical Education for Family Physicians in the Netherlands. The transcripts of the interviews were analysed independently by two researchers, who coded and categorised relevant fragments until consensus was reached on six themes. We investigated to what extent these themes matched the new description. Results Comparing the teachers' views with the concepts described in the new competency-based framework is like looking into two mirrors that reflect clearly dissimilar images. At least two of the themes we found are important in relation to the implementation of new educational methods: the teachers' identification and organisational culture. The latter plays an important role in the development of teachers' ideas about good teaching. Conclusions The main finding of this study is the key role played by the teachers' feelings regarding their professional identity and by the local teaching culture in shaping teachers' views and expectations regarding their work. This suggests that in implementing a new teaching framework and in faculty development programmes, careful attention should be paid to teachers' existing identification model and the culture that fostered it. PMID:21711507

10 CFR 1002.21 - Description of distinguishing flag.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Description of distinguishing flag. 1002.21 Section 1002.21 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (GENERAL PROVISIONS) OFFICIAL SEAL AND DISTINGUISHING FLAG Distinguishing Flag § 1002.21 Description of distinguishing flag. (a) The base or field of the flag shall be...

Increased Content Knowledge of Students with Visual Impairments as a Result of Extended Descriptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ely, Richard; Emerson, Robert Wall; Maggiore, Theresa; Rothberg, Madeleine; O'Connell, Trisha; Hudson, Laurel

2006-01-01

The National Center for Accessible Media has developed a technology and protocol for inserting extended, enhanced descriptions of visually based concepts into artificially paused digital video. These "eDescriptions" describe material not fully explained by a narrator and provide analogies and explanation specifically designed for…

Local descriptive body weight and dietary norms, food availability, and 10-year change in glycosylated haemoglobin in an Australian population-based biomedical cohort.

PubMed

Carroll, Suzanne J; Paquet, Catherine; Howard, Natasha J; Coffee, Neil T; Adams, Robert J; Taylor, Anne W; Niyonsenga, Theo; Daniel, Mark

2017-02-02

Individual-level health outcomes are shaped by environmental risk conditions. Norms figure prominently in socio-behavioural theories yet spatial variations in health-related norms have rarely been investigated as environmental risk conditions. This study assessed: 1) the contributions of local descriptive norms for overweight/obesity and dietary behaviour to 10-year change in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA 1c ), accounting for food resource availability; and 2) whether associations between local descriptive norms and HbA 1c were moderated by food resource availability. HbA 1c , representing cardiometabolic risk, was measured three times over 10 years for a population-based biomedical cohort of adults in Adelaide, South Australia. Residential environmental exposures were defined using 1600 m participant-centred road-network buffers. Local descriptive norms for overweight/obesity and insufficient fruit intake (proportion of residents with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 [n = 1890] or fruit intake of <2 serves/day [n = 1945], respectively) were aggregated from responses to a separate geocoded population survey. Fast-food and healthful food resource availability (counts) were extracted from a retail database. Separate sets of multilevel models included different predictors, one local descriptive norm and either fast-food or healthful food resource availability, with area-level education and individual-level covariates (age, sex, employment status, education, marital status, and smoking status). Interactions between local descriptive norms and food resource availability were tested. HbA 1c concentration rose over time. Local descriptive norms for overweight/obesity and insufficient fruit intake predicted greater rates of increase in HbA 1c . Neither fast-food nor healthful food resource availability were associated with change in HbA 1c . Greater healthful food resource availability reduced the rate of increase in HbA 1c concentration attributed to the overweight/obesity norm. Local descriptive health-related norms, not food resource availability, predicted 10-year change in HbA 1c . Null findings for food resource availability may reflect a sufficiency or minimum threshold level of resources such that availability poses no barrier to obtaining healthful or unhealthful foods for this region. However, the influence of local descriptive norms varied according to food resource availability in effects on HbA 1c . Local descriptive health-related norms have received little attention thus far but are important influences on individual cardiometabolic risk. Further research is needed to explore how local descriptive norms contribute to chronic disease risk and outcomes.

Biostatistics primer: part I.

PubMed

Overholser, Brian R; Sowinski, Kevin M

2007-12-01

Biostatistics is the application of statistics to biologic data. The field of statistics can be broken down into 2 fundamental parts: descriptive and inferential. Descriptive statistics are commonly used to categorize, display, and summarize data. Inferential statistics can be used to make predictions based on a sample obtained from a population or some large body of information. It is these inferences that are used to test specific research hypotheses. This 2-part review will outline important features of descriptive and inferential statistics as they apply to commonly conducted research studies in the biomedical literature. Part 1 in this issue will discuss fundamental topics of statistics and data analysis. Additionally, some of the most commonly used statistical tests found in the biomedical literature will be reviewed in Part 2 in the February 2008 issue.

77 FR 46431 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-03

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings 1 Take notice.... Description: FCW Market-Based Rate Tariff--Revised to be effective 8/1/2012. Filed Date: 7/26/12. Accession...: Wisconsin Power and Light Company. Description: WPL Market-Based Rate Tariff--Revised to be effective 8/1...

Incorporating hydrologic data and ecohydrologic relationships into ecological site descriptions

Treesearch

C. Jason Williams; Frederick B. Pierson; Kenneth E. Spaeth; Joel R. Brown; Osama Z. Al-Hamdan; Mark A. Weltz; Mark A. Nearing; Jeffrey E. Herrick; Jan Boll; Pete Robichaud; David C. Goodrich; Phillip Heilman; D. Phillip Guertin; Mariano Hernandez; Haiyan Wei; Stuart P. Hardegree; Eva K. Strand; Jonathan D. Bates; Loretta J. Metz; Mary H. Nichols

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to recommend a framework and methodology for incorporating hydrologic data and ecohydrologic relationships in Ecological Site Descriptions (ESDs) and thereby enhance the utility of ESDs for assessing rangelands and guiding resilience-based management strategies. Resilience-based strategies assess and manage ecological state...

Chiral electroweak currents in nuclei

DOE PAGES

Riska, D. O.; Schiavilla, R.

2017-01-10

Here, the development of the chiral dynamics based description of nuclear electroweak currents is reviewed. Gerald E. (Gerry) Brown’s role in basing theoretical nuclear physics on chiral Lagrangians is emphasized. Illustrative examples of the successful description of electroweak observables of light nuclei obtained from chiral effective field theory are presented.

Redescription of three species of Anastrepha (Diptera, Tephritidae) rediscovered in Brazil with the establishment of a new synonym

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The descriptions of Anastrepha matertela Zucchi and A. tenella Zucchi were based exclusively on the holotypes (female). Based on additional specimens collected in Brazil since their original descriptions, both species are redescribed and illustrated. A lectotype is designated for Anastrepha bivittat...

Instructional Development Report. Outstanding Teachers: How Do UND Students Describe Them?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Carol R.

Characteristics of outstanding faculty are considered, based on descriptions provided by 46 University of North Dakota students who were nominated for the university's 1982 Outstanding Teacher Awards. Based on descriptions in the students' own words, 124 separate characteristics were identified, and categorized as follows: teacher-student…

Characteristics of Part-Time Online Instructors: A Comparison of For-Profit to Nonprofit Faith-Based Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starcher, Keith O.

2017-01-01

As the for-profit business model and a reliance on adjunct faculty continues to grow among faith-based institutions, little research exists on the differences in the characteristics of part-time online faculty in for-profit versus nonprofit environments that could provide guidance to administrators. This study utilized a descriptive,…

Using Facial Recognition Technology in the Exploration of Student Responses to Conceptual Conflict Phenomenon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liaw, Hongming Leonard; Chiu, Mei-Hung; Chou, Chin-Cheng

2014-01-01

It has been shown that facial expression states of learners are related to their learning. As part of a continuing research project, the current study delved further for a more detailed description of the relation between facial microexpression state (FMES) changes and learning in conceptual conflict-based instructions. Based on the data gathered…

Developing Tools for Community-Based Environmental Education for Migrant Children and Youth in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Elaine T.; Gordon, Christopher; Mensah, Adelina; Atipoe, Esinam

2015-01-01

This case study presents a detailed description of how community-based environmental education can be used to increase environment awareness and knowledge among migrant children and youth. Data was collected primarily from interviews and learning activities with 454 participants aged 11 to 19 years. The results show that children and youth are…

First Steps to Endangered Language Documentation: The Kalasha Language, a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mela-Athanasopoulou, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

The present paper based on extensive fieldwork D conducted on Kalasha, an endangered language spoken in the three small valleys in Chitral District of Northwestern Pakistan, exposes a spontaneous dialogue-based elicitation of linguistic material used for the description and documentation of the language. After a brief display of the basic typology…

Mandated Change Gone Wrong? A Case Study of Law-Based School Reform in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisschoff, Tom

2009-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore and describe the limits of recent law-based school reform in South Africa from an education management perspective. Design/methodology/approach: The research design consists of a qualitative, investigative, descriptive and contextual design which Merriam would classify as a basic or generic design type.…

Political Involvement. Community Involvement/Career Education: An Experience-based Social Studies Program, Volume III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyle, James; And Others

This collection of materials and ideas is designed for the high school student who wants to try to influence society. The guide provides background information and descriptions of experience-based learning activities for use by students as they explore political involvement opportunities in their communities. The purposes of the materials are to…

Task-Based Language Teaching with Smartphones: A Case Study in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rashid, Shaista; Cunningham, Una; Watson, Kevin

2017-01-01

Integration of technology in task-based language teaching (TBLT) has long been a source of attraction for language teachers (Pierson, 2015). In the case of developing countries, such as Pakistan, mobile phones are the modern form of technology commonly available at low cost to individuals as well as institutions. The present descriptive case study…

Internet-Based Sources of Information Which Can Be Used to Study the Internationalization Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danford, Gerard L.

2008-01-01

This review shows how the Internet can support learning about the process of internationalization. A description of how Internet-based sources of information can be used by students when investigating internationalization has not been made. However, the Internet and its role during a corporation's foreign market expansion has not been investigated…

School-Based Job Placement Service Model: Phase I, Planning. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gingerich, Garland E.

To assist school administrators and guidance personnel in providing job placement services, a study was conducted to: (1) develop a model design for a school-based job placement system, (2) identify students to be served by the model, (3) list specific services provided to students, and (4) develop job descriptions for each individual responsible…

Current Practices and Future Directions in Reporting Disability in School-Based Physical Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haegele, Justin Anthony; Hodge, Samuel

2017-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to determine what trends exist in the identification and description of participants with disabilities used in school-based physical education research. A total of 60 research articles published in the "Journal of Teaching in Physical Education" from 2010-2014 which included school-aged individuals…

COTS-based OO-component approach for software inter-operability and reuse (software systems engineering methodology)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yin, J.; Oyaki, A.; Hwang, C.; Hung, C.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this research and study paper is to provide a summary description and results of rapid development accomplishments at NASA/JPL in the area of advanced distributed computing technology using a Commercial-Off--The-Shelf (COTS)-based object oriented component approach to open inter-operable software development and software reuse.

The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Fourth-Grade Students' Understanding in Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Dana L.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive study was to determine if participation in project-based learning developed the understanding students need to transfer their knowledge and skills to achieve higher composite and reading scores, as well as demonstrate the ability to read increasingly complex texts on the ACT Aspire as…

The Pros and Cons of Problem-Based Learning from the Teacher's Standpoint

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribeiro, Luis Roberto C.

2011-01-01

This article focuses on a teacher's evaluation of an experiment with problem-based learning (PBL) and its effects on his professional development. This case study, of a descriptive-analytical nature, involved the collaboration between the researcher and teacher in the planning, implementation of PBL and, to some extent, analysis of results.…

Students' Misconceptions about the Ozone Layer and the Effect of Internet-Based Media on It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gungordu, Nahide; Yalcin-Celik, Ayse; Kilic, Ziya

2017-01-01

In this study, students' misconceptions about the ozone layer were investigated, looking specifically at the effect internet-based media has on the formation of these misconceptions. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used to perform the research. As part of the quantitative portion of the research, the descriptive survey…

Visualising the Health of Communities: Using Photovoice as a Pedagogical Tool in the College Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Cheryl; Sorensen, William; Yarbrough, Susan

2017-01-01

Objective: To describe the use of Photovoice as a pedagogical tool to promote experiential learning and critical dialogue among participants on an undergraduate community health course. Design: A descriptive study of the use of the pedagogical tool Photovoice, based on three foundational education theories. Results: Based on teachers' reflective…

Brief Report: Non-Right-Handedness within the Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rysstad, Anne Langseth; Pedersen, Arve Vorland

2016-01-01

A larger distribution of left-handedness in the population of Autism Spectrum Disorder has been repeatedly reported. Despite of this, the sample sizes in the individual study's are too small for any generalization to be made. Using both description-based and citation-based searches, the present review combines the individual results in order to…

Inquiry-Based Learning in Higher Education: Principal Forms, Educational Objectives, and Disciplinary Variations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aditomo, Anindito; Goodyear, Peter; Bliuc, Ana-Maria; Ellis, Robert A.

2013-01-01

Learning through inquiry is a widely advocated pedagogical approach. However, there is currently little systematic knowledge about the practice of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in higher education. This study examined descriptions of learning tasks that were put forward as examples of IBL by 224 university teachers from various disciplines in three…

Violence against General Practitioners in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Berna; Kartal, Mehtap; Midik, Ozlem; Buyukakkus, Alper

2009-01-01

We aimed to determine the violence against general practitioners (GPs) through their suggestions on its cause and prevention. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study based on self-administered questionnaire answered by a convenience study population consisting of 522 GPs between November and December 2006. Of the participating GPs, 82.8%…

Determination of Instructional Leadership Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Öznacar, Behcet; Osma, Elif

2016-01-01

This research, based on observations of teacher candidates in prep school educations and secondary schools the instructional leaders of executive managers who aim at investigating a research study descriptive nature. General screening model is used for the study. The research population in the Near East University in the Faculty of Education,…

A Self-Report Measure of Cognitive Processes Associated with Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Angie L.

2014-01-01

This study sought to explore creative cognitive processes and the similarities and differences in how descriptions of these processes group together in various self-report subscales. Based on empirical evidence from numerous studies involving the cognitive components of creativity training, the Cognitive Processes Associated with Creativity (CPAC)…

Internal Transfer and Articulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prager, Carolyn

In 1989, a descriptive study was conducted of internal transfer and articulation within the context of two-year branch campuses of four-year institutions. Data were gathered from a survey sent to the chief executive officers (CEO's) of 408 campuses delivering two-year tracks within a four-year college or university. Study findings, based on…

Occupational Therapy in the Context of Head Start: A Preliminary Survey Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowyer, Patricia; Moore, Cary C.; Thom, Carly

2016-01-01

This preliminary, descriptive study yields information on the utilization of occupational therapy services within Head Start programs. Participants completed an Internet-based survey of 25 questions pertaining to the understanding, scope, and utilization of occupational therapy services. Surveys were completed by 35 respondents nationwide. A total…

A Multivariate Descriptive Model of Motivation for Orthodontic Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackett, Paul M. W.; And Others

1993-01-01

Motivation for receiving orthodontic treatment was studied among 109 young adults, and a multivariate model of the process is proposed. The combination of smallest scale analysis and Partial Order Scalogram Analysis by base Coordinates (POSAC) illustrates an interesting methodology for health treatment studies and explores motivation for dental…

The Correlation of Multiple Intelligences for the Achievements of Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahvan, Yaghoob Raissi; Pour, Hossein Zainali

2016-01-01

The present study attempts to investigate the relationship between the multiple intelligences and the academic performance achievement levels of high school students based on Gardner's multiple intelligences theory. This was a descriptive correlation study. To accomplish this purpose, 270 students of high school of Bandar Abbas selected by…

Software quality and process improvement in scientific simulation codes

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

Ambrosiano, J.; Webster, R.

1997-11-01

This report contains viewgraphs on the quest to develope better simulation code quality through process modeling and improvement. This study is based on the experience of the authors and interviews with ten subjects chosen from simulation code development teams at LANL. This study is descriptive rather than scientific.

Rhode Island School Terrorist Attack Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dube, Michael W. M.

2012-01-01

This study examined the state of safety and terrorist attack preparedness in Rhode Island Schools as determined by Rhode Island school leader perceptions. The study is descriptive in nature as it gathers data to describe a particular event or situation. Using a researcher generated survey based on terrorist preparedness guidelines and suggestions…

Learning through Participatory Resource Management Programs: Case Studies from Costa Rica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Laura; Sinclair, A. John

2008-01-01

Based on an ongoing qualitative case study in Costa Rica, this article presents the participatory work that the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) is doing with farmers to protect watersheds from erosion and contamination. Specifically, it includes a description of ICE's Watershed Management Agricultural Programme and how farmers…

Asian-American Parents: Are They Really Different?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Fang; Qi, Sen

2004-01-01

Using the base year data of parent interviews (n=15,376) conducted by the U. S. Department of Education for the national Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K), this study examined patterns of parenting style of Asian-American parents (n=536) in six domains. Descriptive and ANOVA analyses revealed significant differences between…

A Study of Moral Reasoning Development of Teacher Education Students in Northern Louisiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wade, April Mitchell

2015-01-01

This quantitative descriptive study identified the differences in the moral reasoning development levels between undergraduate teacher education students enrolled in methods courses and graduate teacher education students enrolled in an alternative certification education program using the Defining Issues Test-2 instrument. Based on Kohlberg's…

On the effectiveness of vocal imitations and verbal descriptions of sounds.

PubMed

Lemaitre, Guillaume; Rocchesso, Davide

2014-02-01

Describing unidentified sounds with words is a frustrating task and vocally imitating them is often a convenient way to address the issue. This article reports on a study that compared the effectiveness of vocal imitations and verbalizations to communicate different referent sounds. The stimuli included mechanical and synthesized sounds and were selected on the basis of participants' confidence in identifying the cause of the sounds, ranging from easy-to-identify to unidentifiable sounds. The study used a selection of vocal imitations and verbalizations deemed adequate descriptions of the referent sounds. These descriptions were used in a nine-alternative forced-choice experiment: Participants listened to a description and picked one sound from a list of nine possible referent sounds. Results showed that recognition based on verbalizations was maximally effective when the referent sounds were identifiable. Recognition accuracy with verbalizations dropped when identifiability of the sounds decreased. Conversely, recognition accuracy with vocal imitations did not depend on the identifiability of the referent sounds and was as high as with the best verbalizations. This shows that vocal imitations are an effective means of representing and communicating sounds and suggests that they could be used in a number of applications.

An investigation into the description of patients' problems by nurses using two different needs-based nursing models.

PubMed

Griffiths, P

1998-11-01

This paper describes an investigation into how nurses describe patients' problems and the possible effects of an espoused nursing model on these descriptions. A descriptive study was conducted on two medical wards in a Welsh District General Hospital. Data collected were subjected to content analysis using Gordon's Functional Health Patterns to order the data. The two wards investigated, whilst being very similar in many ways, utilized different nursing models. Findings showed that the nurses studied, when describing patients' problems, most commonly used medical diagnoses or the medical reasons for admission. Patients' problems identified predominately addressed bio-physical needs with scant attention given to psycho-social needs. Despite the use of two different nursing models the language and emphasis of problem description were very similar and there was no evidence of the application of the conceptual underpinnings of the two models. It is suggested that although the use of a ready-made nursing language may have drawbacks, the British nurse should understand and assess the value of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association's (NANDA) nursing diagnoses. Without such involvement this system may be implemented in the United Kingdom (UK) without the input and influence of practising nurses.

Part of the job? Workplace violence in Massachusetts social service agencies.

PubMed

Zelnick, Jennifer R; Slayter, Elspeth; Flanzbaum, Beth; Butler, Nanci Ginty; Domingo, Beryl; Perlstein, Judith; Trust, Carol

2013-05-01

Workplace violence is a serious and surprisingly understudied occupational hazard in social service settings. The authors of this study conducted an anonymous, Internet-based survey of Massachusetts social service agencies to estimate the incidence of physical assault and verbal threat of violence in social service agencies, understand how social service agencies collect data on workplace violence, and identify disparities in who is at risk in terms of staff education and training level and the work setting. The study gathered general descriptions of each agency and compiled incidence data on workplace violence that were collected by agencies in fiscal year 2009. The key findings of this descriptive study showed high rates of workplace violence against social services providers and a pattern of risk disparity, with significantly more risk for direct care versus clinical staff. These results are based on data routinely collected by social service agencies that typically remain unexamined. A research agenda that is sensitive to potential occupational health disparities and focuses on maximizing workplace safety in social services is needed.

Descriptive analysis of toothbrushing used as an aid for primary prevention: a population-based study in Sebha, Libya.

PubMed

Peeran, Syed Wali; Singh, A J A Ranjith; Alagamuthu, G; Abdalla, Khaled Awidat; Naveen Kumar, P G

2013-01-01

This study aimed to assess toothbrushing behavior and descriptively analyze the effect of age and gender. Two thousand and six people from the city of Sebha, Libya, aged 1 to 64 years (mean age 26.9 ± 11.6 years, 1,463 females and 543 males) constituted the study sample. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Overall, 85.3% were using a toothbrush and toothpaste as a cleaning aid, whereas 6.3% never brushed their teeth. Only 36.1% brushed twice daily. Age and gender were significantly associated with use of a toothbrush and frequency of toothbrushing. This data serves as a baseline to implement a "preventive self-care instruction program."

Raiders of the Latest Art: American Treasure Trove.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Mary Jo

1986-01-01

Lists writing exercises based on observations students can make in a shopping mall. Notes that the exercises are intended to become a springboard for study, description, conjecture, evidence, example, and innovation, and can be combined, expanded, or shortened. (EL)

Description of alternating-parity bands within the dinuclear-system model

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

Shneidman, T. M.; Adamian, G. G., E-mail: adamian@theor.jinr.ru; Antonenko, N. V.

2016-11-15

A cluster approach is used to describe ground-state-based alternating-parity bands in even–even nuclei and to study the band-termination mechanism. A method is proposed for testing the cluster nature of alternating-parity bands.

Determining similarity in histological images using graph-theoretic description and matching methods for content-based image retrieval in medical diagnostics.

PubMed

Sharma, Harshita; Alekseychuk, Alexander; Leskovsky, Peter; Hellwich, Olaf; Anand, R S; Zerbe, Norman; Hufnagl, Peter

2012-10-04

Computer-based analysis of digitalized histological images has been gaining increasing attention, due to their extensive use in research and routine practice. The article aims to contribute towards the description and retrieval of histological images by employing a structural method using graphs. Due to their expressive ability, graphs are considered as a powerful and versatile representation formalism and have obtained a growing consideration especially by the image processing and computer vision community. The article describes a novel method for determining similarity between histological images through graph-theoretic description and matching, for the purpose of content-based retrieval. A higher order (region-based) graph-based representation of breast biopsy images has been attained and a tree-search based inexact graph matching technique has been employed that facilitates the automatic retrieval of images structurally similar to a given image from large databases. The results obtained and evaluation performed demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of graph-based image retrieval over a common histogram-based technique. The employed graph matching complexity has been reduced compared to the state-of-the-art optimal inexact matching methods by applying a pre-requisite criterion for matching of nodes and a sophisticated design of the estimation function, especially the prognosis function. The proposed method is suitable for the retrieval of similar histological images, as suggested by the experimental and evaluation results obtained in the study. It is intended for the use in Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR)-requiring applications in the areas of medical diagnostics and research, and can also be generalized for retrieval of different types of complex images. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1224798882787923.

Determining similarity in histological images using graph-theoretic description and matching methods for content-based image retrieval in medical diagnostics

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Computer-based analysis of digitalized histological images has been gaining increasing attention, due to their extensive use in research and routine practice. The article aims to contribute towards the description and retrieval of histological images by employing a structural method using graphs. Due to their expressive ability, graphs are considered as a powerful and versatile representation formalism and have obtained a growing consideration especially by the image processing and computer vision community. Methods The article describes a novel method for determining similarity between histological images through graph-theoretic description and matching, for the purpose of content-based retrieval. A higher order (region-based) graph-based representation of breast biopsy images has been attained and a tree-search based inexact graph matching technique has been employed that facilitates the automatic retrieval of images structurally similar to a given image from large databases. Results The results obtained and evaluation performed demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of graph-based image retrieval over a common histogram-based technique. The employed graph matching complexity has been reduced compared to the state-of-the-art optimal inexact matching methods by applying a pre-requisite criterion for matching of nodes and a sophisticated design of the estimation function, especially the prognosis function. Conclusion The proposed method is suitable for the retrieval of similar histological images, as suggested by the experimental and evaluation results obtained in the study. It is intended for the use in Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR)-requiring applications in the areas of medical diagnostics and research, and can also be generalized for retrieval of different types of complex images. Virtual Slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1224798882787923. PMID:23035717

Frequency Response Function Expansion for Unmeasured Translation and Rotation Dofs for Impedance Modelling Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avitabile, P.; O'Callahan, J.

2003-07-01

Inclusion of rotational effects is critical for the accuracy of the predicted system characteristics, in almost all system modelling studies. However, experimentally derived information for the description of one or more of the components for the system will generally not have any rotational effects included in the description of the component. The lack of rotational effects has long affected the results from any system model development whether using a modal-based approach or an impedance-based approach. Several new expansion processes are described herein for the development of FRFs needed for impedance-based system models. These techniques expand experimentally derived mode shapes, residual modes from the modal parameter estimation process and FRFs directly to allow for the inclusion of the necessary rotational dof. The FRFs involving translational to rotational dofs are developed as well as the rotational to rotational dof. Examples are provided to show the use of these techniques.

Case-based ethics instruction: the influence of contextual and individual factors in case content on ethical decision-making.

PubMed

Bagdasarov, Zhanna; Thiel, Chase E; Johnson, James F; Connelly, Shane; Harkrider, Lauren N; Devenport, Lynn D; Mumford, Michael D

2013-09-01

Cases have been employed across multiple disciplines, including ethics education, as effective pedagogical tools. However, the benefit of case-based learning in the ethics domain varies across cases, suggesting that not all cases are equal in terms of pedagogical value. Indeed, case content appears to influence the extent to which cases promote learning and transfer. Consistent with this argument, the current study explored the influences of contextual and personal factors embedded in case content on ethical decision-making. Cases were manipulated to include a clear description of the social context and the goals of the characters involved. Results indicated that social context, specifically the description of an autonomy-supportive environment, facilitated execution of sense making processes and resulted in greater decision ethicality. Implications for designing optimal cases and case-based training programs are discussed.

Temporal abstraction for the analysis of intensive care information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadad, Alejandro J.; Evin, Diego A.; Drozdowicz, Bartolomé; Chiotti, Omar

2007-11-01

This paper proposes a scheme for the analysis of time-stamped series data from multiple monitoring devices of intensive care units, using Temporal Abstraction concepts. This scheme is oriented to obtain a description of the patient state evolution in an unsupervised way. The case of study is based on a dataset clinically classified with Pulmonary Edema. For this dataset a trends based Temporal Abstraction mechanism is proposed, by means of a Behaviours Base of time-stamped series and then used in a classification step. Combining this approach with the introduction of expert knowledge, using Fuzzy Logic, and multivariate analysis by means of Self-Organizing Maps, a states characterization model is obtained. This model is feasible of being extended to different patients groups and states. The proposed scheme allows to obtain intermediate states descriptions through which it is passing the patient and that could be used to anticipate alert situations.

Classical Dynamics of Fullerenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sławianowski, Jan J.; Kotowski, Romuald K.

2017-06-01

The classical mechanics of large molecules and fullerenes is studied. The approach is based on the model of collective motion of these objects. The mixed Lagrangian (material) and Eulerian (space) description of motion is used. In particular, the Green and Cauchy deformation tensors are geometrically defined. The important issue is the group-theoretical approach to describing the affine deformations of the body. The Hamiltonian description of motion based on the Poisson brackets methodology is used. The Lagrange and Hamilton approaches allow us to formulate the mechanics in the canonical form. The method of discretization in analytical continuum theory and in classical dynamics of large molecules and fullerenes enable us to formulate their dynamics in terms of the polynomial expansions of configurations. Another approach is based on the theory of analytical functions and on their approximations by finite-order polynomials. We concentrate on the extremely simplified model of affine deformations or on their higher-order polynomial perturbations.

Social problem-solving in Chinese baccalaureate nursing students.

PubMed

Fang, Jinbo; Luo, Ying; Li, Yanhua; Huang, Wenxia

2016-11-01

To describe social problem solving in Chinese baccalaureate nursing students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with a cluster sample of 681 Chinese baccalaureate nursing students. The Chinese version of the Social Problem-Solving scale was used. Descriptive analyses, independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance were applied to analyze the data. The final year nursing students presented the highest scores of positive social problem-solving skills. Students with experiences of self-directed and problem-based learning presented significantly higher scores in Positive Problem Orientation subscale. The group with Critical thinking training experience, however, displayed higher negative problem solving scores compared with nonexperience group. Social problem solving abilities varied based upon teaching-learning strategies. Self-directed and problem-based learning may be recommended as effective way to improve social problem-solving ability. © 2016 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

[Evidence based practice of nurses working in university hospitals in the French speaking part of Switzerland: a descriptive and correlational study

PubMed

Gentizon, Jenny; Borrero, Patricia; Vincent-Suter, Sonja; Ballabeni, Pierluigi; Morin, Diane; Eicher, Manuela

2016-12-01

Introduction : evidence-based practice (EBP) is too scarcely applied in nursing and is a key contemporary challenge for the discipline. Method and objective : This descriptive and correlational study invited 221 nurses working in three different clinical settings of university hospitals in Switzerland. The objective of this study was to describe their level of knowledge, beliefs and implementation of EBP. Results : of the 221 nurses in this study, only 67 were familiar EBP (30%). These demonstrate favorable beliefs and attitudes towards EBP, but indicate a lack of skills and knowledge to implement it. Compared to both internal medicine and geriatric nurses clinical nurse specialists (ISC) were significantly more familiar with EBP and its implementation. Results also indicate that positive nurses’ beliefs and attitudes toward EBP are predictive of better implementation in clinical practice. Discussion and Conclusion : as demonstrated in other studies, our results show that knowledge about EBP is not that widespread and its implementation remains a challenge even in university hospitals. Future work could include testing EBP implementation strategies to overcome the barriers identified.

Nurses' readiness for evidence-based practice at Finnish university hospitals: a national survey.

PubMed

Saunders, Hannele; Stevens, Kathleen R; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine nurses' readiness for evidence-based practice at Finnish university hospitals. Although systematic implementation of evidence-based practice is essential to effectively improving patient outcomes and value of care, nurses do not consistently use evidence in practice. Uptake is hampered by lack of nurses' individual and organizational readiness for evidence-based practice. Although nurses' evidence-based practice competencies have been widely studied in countries leading the evidence-based practice movement, less is known about nurses' readiness for evidence-based practice in the non-English-speaking world. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design. The study was conducted in November-December 2014 in every university hospital in Finland with a convenience sample (n = 943) of practicing nurses. The electronic survey data were collected using the Stevens' Evidence-Based Practice Readiness Inventory, which was translated into Finnish according to standardized guidelines for translation of research instruments. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Nurses reported low to moderate levels of self-efficacy and low levels of evidence-based practice knowledge. A statistically significant, direct correlation was found between nurses' self-efficacy in employing evidence-based practice and their actual evidence-based practice knowledge level. Several statistically significant differences were found between nurses' socio-demographic variables and nurses' self-efficacy in employing evidence-based practice, and actual and perceived evidence-based practice knowledge. Finnish nurses at university hospitals are not ready for evidence-based practice. Although nurses are familiar with the concept of evidence-based practice, they lack the evidence-based practice knowledge and self-efficacy in employing evidence-based practice required for integrating best evidence into clinical care delivery. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Does the Sole Description of a Tax Authority Affect Tax Evasion? - The Impact of Described Coercive and Legitimate Power

PubMed Central

Hartl, Barbara; Hofmann, Eva; Gangl, Katharina; Hartner-Tiefenthaler, Martina; Kirchler, Erich

2015-01-01

Following the classic economic model of tax evasion, taxpayers base their tax decisions on economic determinants, like fine rate and audit probability. Empirical findings on the relationship between economic key determinants and tax evasion are inconsistent and suggest that taxpayers may rather rely on their beliefs about tax authority’s power. Descriptions of the tax authority’s power may affect taxpayers’ beliefs and as such tax evasion. Experiment 1 investigates the impact of fines and beliefs regarding tax authority’s power on tax evasion. Experiments 2-4 are conducted to examine the effect of varying descriptions about a tax authority’s power on participants’ beliefs and respective tax evasion. It is investigated whether tax evasion is influenced by the description of an authority wielding coercive power (Experiment 2), legitimate power (Experiment 3), and coercive and legitimate power combined (Experiment 4). Further, it is examined whether a contrast of the description of power (low to high power; high to low power) impacts tax evasion (Experiments 2-4). Results show that the amount of fine does not impact tax payments, whereas participants’ beliefs regarding tax authority’s power significantly shape compliance decisions. Descriptions of high coercive power as well as high legitimate power affect beliefs about tax authority’s power and positively impact tax honesty. This effect still holds if both qualities of power are applied simultaneously. The contrast of descriptions has little impact on tax evasion. The current study indicates that descriptions of the tax authority, e.g., in information brochures and media reports, have more influence on beliefs and tax payments than information on fine rates. Methodically, these considerations become particularly important when descriptions or vignettes are used besides objective information. PMID:25923770

Does the sole description of a tax authority affect tax evasion?--the impact of described coercive and legitimate power.

PubMed

Hartl, Barbara; Hofmann, Eva; Gangl, Katharina; Hartner-Tiefenthaler, Martina; Kirchler, Erich

2015-01-01

Following the classic economic model of tax evasion, taxpayers base their tax decisions on economic determinants, like fine rate and audit probability. Empirical findings on the relationship between economic key determinants and tax evasion are inconsistent and suggest that taxpayers may rather rely on their beliefs about tax authority's power. Descriptions of the tax authority's power may affect taxpayers' beliefs and as such tax evasion. Experiment 1 investigates the impact of fines and beliefs regarding tax authority's power on tax evasion. Experiments 2-4 are conducted to examine the effect of varying descriptions about a tax authority's power on participants' beliefs and respective tax evasion. It is investigated whether tax evasion is influenced by the description of an authority wielding coercive power (Experiment 2), legitimate power (Experiment 3), and coercive and legitimate power combined (Experiment 4). Further, it is examined whether a contrast of the description of power (low to high power; high to low power) impacts tax evasion (Experiments 2-4). Results show that the amount of fine does not impact tax payments, whereas participants' beliefs regarding tax authority's power significantly shape compliance decisions. Descriptions of high coercive power as well as high legitimate power affect beliefs about tax authority's power and positively impact tax honesty. This effect still holds if both qualities of power are applied simultaneously. The contrast of descriptions has little impact on tax evasion. The current study indicates that descriptions of the tax authority, e.g., in information brochures and media reports, have more influence on beliefs and tax payments than information on fine rates. Methodically, these considerations become particularly important when descriptions or vignettes are used besides objective information.

X-Ray microtomography for ant taxonomy: An exploration and case study with two new Terataner (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) species from Madagascar

PubMed Central

Fischer, Georg; Liu, Cong; Audisio, Tracy L.; Alpert, Gary D.; Fisher, Brian L.; Economo, Evan P.

2017-01-01

We explore the potential of x-ray micro computed tomography (μCT) for the field of ant taxonomy by using it to enhance the descriptions of two remarkable new species of the ant genus Terataner: T. balrog sp. n. and T. nymeria sp. n.. We provide an illustrated worker-based species identification key for all species found on Madagascar, as well as detailed taxonomic descriptions, which include diagnoses, discussions, measurements, natural history data, high-quality montage images and distribution maps for both new species. In addition to conventional morphological examination, we have used virtual reconstructions based on volumetric μCT scanning data for the species descriptions. We also include 3D PDFs, still images of virtual reconstructions, and 3D rotation videos for both holotype workers and one paratype queen. The complete μCT datasets have been made available online (Dryad, https://datadryad.org) and represent the first cybertypes in ants (and insects). We discuss the potential of μCT scanning and critically assess the usefulness of cybertypes for ant taxonomy. PMID:28328931

Redescription of Mehdiella microstoma and description of Mehdiella petterae sp. n., with a new definition of the genus Mehdiella Seurat, 1918 (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae).

PubMed

Bouamer, S; Morand, S; Bourgat, R

2001-01-01

The generic diagnosis of Mehdiella Seurat, 1918 is emended based on study and redescription of Mehdiella microstoma (Drasche, 1884) from the caecum of Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758 collected in Settat, Morocco and on study and description of a new species, Mehdiella petterae sp. n., from the large intestine of Testudo hermanni (Gmelin, 1789) collected in Catalonia, Spain. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed substantial differences in the structure of the mouth and the caudal end, and made possible to differentiate the new species from the others. SEM studies showed the real and sound characteristics of the genus Mehdiella, namely number of anal papillae 2 instead of 3, post-anal papillae pedunculate or sessile instead sessile.

The child and adolescent trichotillomania impact project: descriptive psychopathology, comorbidity, functional impairment, and treatment utilization.

PubMed

Franklin, Martin E; Flessner, Christopher A; Woods, Douglas W; Keuthen, Nancy J; Piacentini, John C; Moore, Phoebe; Stein, Dan J; Cohen, Sara B; Wilson, Michelle A

2008-12-01

Trichotillomania (TTM) is associated with significant morbidity, comorbidity, and functional impairment in adults. Despite the fact that TTM is typically a pediatric onset disorder, important questions remain about its phenomenology, comorbid symptoms, functional impact, and treatment utilization in youth. The current study was designed to provide an initial description of these factors using a convenience sample. An internet-based survey. Surveys completed by 133 youth ages 10 to 17 were analyzed. Scalp hair was the most common pulling site, followed by eyelashes and eyebrows. The majority reported tension before pulling and gratification/relief immediately after pulling. Severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms were somewhat elevated, as measured by standard instruments, and correlated positively with the severity of TTM symptoms. Moderate impairment in social and academic functioning was reported. For those who had received treatment specifically for TTM, parent ratings indicated that few (17%) children and adolescents were either very much improved or much improved after intervention. This study represents the largest survey of youth with TTM conducted thus far, and thus provides the most comprehensive description of TTM in youth to date. Data was obtained from an anonymous, Internet-based sample, and thus may not be generalizable to all youth with TTM.

The Effect of Social Network "Snapchat" on the Emergence of Some Negative Social Values (Social Hatred) Based on the Perspectives of Qassim Female Students: A Survey Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein, lawaheth M. T.

2016-01-01

The present study aims at detecting the effect of social media "Snapchat" on the emergence of some negative social values (social hatred ) based on the perspectives of female students enrolling at Qassim University, College of Science and Arts at ArRass, the academic year 2015/2016. The researcher has utilized the Descriptive Method…

77 FR 6102 - Combined Notice of Filings #3

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-07

... Docket Numbers: ER12-948-000 Applicants: Accent Energy Midwest II LLC Description: Baseline new Market...: 5 p.m. ET 2/21/12 Docket Numbers: ER12-949-000 Applicants: PacifiCorp Description: Black Hills NITSA... Description: Application for Market-Based Rate Authority to be effective 4/1/2012. Filed Date: 1/31/12...

Forest Service research natural areas in California

Treesearch

Sheauchi Cheng

2004-01-01

Ecological descriptions of 98 research natural areas (of various statuses) in the Pacific Southwest Region of the USDA Forest Service are summarized in this report. These descriptions, basically based on ecological surveys conducted from 1975 through 2000, provide important but largely unknown information on the ecology of California. For each area, descriptions of...

Selecting foils for identification lineups: matching suspects or descriptions?

PubMed

Tunnicliff, J L; Clark, S E

2000-04-01

Two experiments directly compare two methods of selecting foils for identification lineups. The suspect-matched method selects foils based on their match to the suspect, whereas the description-matched method selects foils based on their match to the witness's description of the perpetrator. Theoretical analyses and previous results predict an advantage for description-matched lineups both in terms of correctly identifying the perpetrator and minimizing false identification of innocent suspects. The advantage for description-matched lineups should be particularly pronounced if the foils selected in suspect-matched lineups are too similar to the suspect. In Experiment 1, the lineups were created by trained police officers, and in Experiment 2, the lineups were constructed by undergraduate college students. The results of both experiments showed higher suspect-to-foil similarity for suspect-matched lineups than for description-matched lineups. However, neither experiment showed a difference in correct or false identification rates. Both experiments did, however, show that there may be an advantage for suspect-matched lineups in terms of no-pick and rejection responses. From these results, the endorsement of one method over the other seems premature.

Semantic closure demonstrated by the evolution of a universal constructor architecture in an artificial chemistry.

PubMed

Clark, Edward B; Hickinbotham, Simon J; Stepney, Susan

2017-05-01

We present a novel stringmol-based artificial chemistry system modelled on the universal constructor architecture (UCA) first explored by von Neumann. In a UCA, machines interact with an abstract description of themselves to replicate by copying the abstract description and constructing the machines that the abstract description encodes. DNA-based replication follows this architecture, with DNA being the abstract description, the polymerase being the copier, and the ribosome being the principal machine in expressing what is encoded on the DNA. This architecture is semantically closed as the machine that defines what the abstract description means is itself encoded on that abstract description. We present a series of experiments with the stringmol UCA that show the evolution of the meaning of genomic material, allowing the concept of semantic closure and transitions between semantically closed states to be elucidated in the light of concrete examples. We present results where, for the first time in an in silico system, simultaneous evolution of the genomic material, copier and constructor of a UCA, giving rise to viable offspring. © 2017 The Author(s).

Comparing conventional Descriptive Analysis and Napping®-UFP against physiochemical measurements: a case study using apples.

PubMed

Pickup, William; Bremer, Phil; Peng, Mei

2018-03-01

The extensive time and cost associated with conventional sensory profiling methods has spurred sensory researchers to develop rapid method alternatives, such as Napping® with Ultra-Flash Profiling (UFP). Napping®-UFP generates sensory maps by requiring untrained panellists to separate samples based on perceived sensory similarities. Evaluations of this method have been restrained to manufactured/formulated food models, and predominantly structured on comparisons against the conventional descriptive method. The present study aims to extend the validation of Napping®-UFP (N = 72) to natural biological products; and to evaluate this method against Descriptive Analysis (DA; N = 8) with physiochemical measurements as an additional evaluative criterion. The results revealed that sample configurations generated by DA and Napping®-UFP were not significantly correlated (RV = 0.425, P = 0.077); however, they were both correlated with the product map generated based on the instrumental measures (P < 0.05). The finding also noted that sample characterisations from DA and Napping®-UFP were driven by different sensory attributes, indicating potential structural differences between these two methods in configuring samples. Overall, these findings lent support for the extended use of Napping®-UFP for evaluations of natural biological products. Although DA was shown to be a better method for establishing sensory-instrumental relationships, Napping®-UFP exhibited strengths in generating informative sample configurations based on holistic perception of products. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Attachment behaviors in mothers of premature infants: a descriptive study in Thai mothers.

PubMed

Tilokskulchai, Fongcum; Phatthanasiriwethin, Sopida; Vichitsukon, Kannikar; Serisathien, Yaowalak

2002-12-01

Prematurity and the associated maternal-infant separation after birth can affect the attachment process. The role of nurses in facilitating the process of attachment should be based on an understanding of these behaviors. This descriptive study explored the attachment behaviors demonstrated by mothers during their first visit with their premature infant in the neonatal care unit. The results revealed that all mothers demonstrated most attachment behaviors (ie, inspection, facial expression, touching, verbal expression, and eye-to-eye contact) except holding during their first visit. However, some mothers spent little time with their infant. The findings suggest that nurses should encourage mothers to interact with their infants in order to enhance maternal-infant attachment.

Strategies for human-driven robot comprehension of spatial descriptions by older adults in a robot fetch task.

PubMed

Carlson, Laura; Skubic, Marjorie; Miller, Jared; Huo, Zhiyu; Alexenko, Tatiana

2014-07-01

This contribution presents a corpus of spatial descriptions and describes the development of a human-driven spatial language robot system for their comprehension. The domain of application is an eldercare setting in which an assistive robot is asked to "fetch" an object for an elderly resident based on a natural language spatial description given by the resident. In Part One, we describe a corpus of naturally occurring descriptions elicited from a group of older adults within a virtual 3D home that simulates the eldercare setting. We contrast descriptions elicited when participants offered descriptions to a human versus robot avatar, and under instructions to tell the addressee how to find the target versus where the target is. We summarize the key features of the spatial descriptions, including their dynamic versus static nature and the perspective adopted by the speaker. In Part Two, we discuss critical cognitive and perceptual processing capabilities necessary for the robot to establish a common ground with the human user and perform the "fetch" task. Based on the collected corpus, we focus here on resolving the perspective ambiguity and recognizing furniture items used as landmarks in the descriptions. Taken together, the work presented here offers the key building blocks of a robust system that takes as input natural spatial language descriptions and produces commands that drive the robot to successfully fetch objects within our eldercare scenario. Copyright © 2014 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

A Physiologically-Based Description of the Inhalation Pharmacokinetics of Styrene in Rats and Humans

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

model for rat were scaled to give a description of human kinetics and the predictions agreed closely with available data from the literature (Fig. 4...for predicting human kinetics from a data base in other mammalian species. The ability to anticipate kinetic behavior in humans could very much improve

78 FR 36763 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-19

...: Novo Biopower, LLC Market-Based Rate Tariff Initial Filing to be effective 7/1/2013. Filed Date: 6/11.... Description: Application for Market-Based Rate Authorization to be effective 8/11/2013. Filed Date: 6/11/13...-000. Applicants: CES Marketing V, LLC. Description: Notice of Succession to be effective 6/12/2013...

77 FR 56830 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-14

... Tariff Revisions Regarding Black Start and System Restoration Service to be effective 11/1/2012. Filed.... Description: Market-Based Rate Tariff to be effective 10/17/2012. Filed Date: 8/31/12. Accession Number... Power, L.L.C. Description: Market-Based Rate Service Agreement to be effective 9/ 1/2012. [[Page 56831...

78 FR 49503 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

.... Docket Numbers: ER13-2102-000. Applicants: ReEnergy Black River LLC. Description: ReEnergy Black River... 47 LLC. Description: Petition of ORNI 47 LLC For Approval of Initial Market-Based Rate Tariff to be... for Market-Based Rate Authority to be effective 10/1/2013. Filed Date: 8/2/13. Accession Number...

Industrial Arts Instructional Tasks/Competencies for Energy and Power. Competency-Based Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George Mason Univ., Fairfax, VA.

This instructional task/competency package is designed to help teachers and administrators in developing competency-based instructional materials for an energy and power course. Part 1 contains a description of the industrial arts program and a course description, instructional task/competency list, and content outline for energy and power. The…

Inquiry-Based Teaching: An Example of Descriptive Science in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehorek, Susan J.

2004-01-01

Inquiry-based learning is more work than passive learning, and there is a body of students who prefer to take the easier route. But there is also a body of students who wish to explore science. Two descriptive evolutionary experiments conducted by university freshman/sophomore biology majors, enrolled in General Zoology are described.

Instructional Leadership Behaviors of School Administrators on the Implementation of Secondary School Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zorlu, Hizir; Arseven, Ayla

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine instructional leadership behaviors of secondary school administrators based on the perceptions of administrators and teachers. The study was carried out with 309 teachers and 68 school administrators working in 25 secondary schools in Turkey. The study was carried out with the descriptive survey research. The…

Progressing from Identification and Functional Analysis of Precursor Behavior to Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dracobly, Joseph D.; Smith, Richard G.

2012-01-01

This multiple-study experiment evaluated the utility of assessing and treating severe self-injurious behavior (SIB) based on the outcomes of a functional analysis of precursor behavior. In Study 1, a precursor to SIB was identified using descriptive assessment and conditional probability analyses. In Study 2, a functional analysis of precursor…

A Descriptive Study of Teachers' Instructional Use of Student Assessment Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoover, Nancy R.

2009-01-01

The overarching question for this study is: to what extent are teachers using summative assessment data in a formative way? A survey research design study was implemented to address this question. A web-based survey was administered to elementary, middle, and high school teachers in a large, suburban school division in central Virginia. The survey…

Automatic Decision Support for Clinical Diagnostic Literature Using Link Analysis in a Weighted Keyword Network.

PubMed

Li, Shuqing; Sun, Ying; Soergel, Dagobert

2017-12-23

We present a novel approach to recommending articles from the medical literature that support clinical diagnostic decision-making, giving detailed descriptions of the associated ideas and principles. The specific goal is to retrieve biomedical articles that help answer questions of a specified type about a particular case. Based on the filtered keywords, MeSH(Medical Subject Headings) lexicon and the automatically extracted acronyms, the relationship between keywords and articles was built. The paper gives a detailed description of the process of by which keywords were measured and relevant articles identified based on link analysis in a weighted keywords network. Some important challenges identified in this study include the extraction of diagnosis-related keywords and a collection of valid sentences based on the keyword co-occurrence analysis and existing descriptions of symptoms. All data were taken from medical articles provided in the TREC (Text Retrieval Conference) clinical decision support track 2015. Ten standard topics and one demonstration topic were tested. In each case, a maximum of five articles with the highest relevance were returned. The total user satisfaction of 3.98 was 33% higher than average. The results also suggested that the smaller the number of results, the higher the average satisfaction. However, a few shortcomings were also revealed since medical literature recommendation for clinical diagnostic decision support is so complex a topic that it cannot be fully addressed through the semantic information carried solely by keywords in existing descriptions of symptoms. Nevertheless, the fact that these articles are actually relevant will no doubt inspire future research.

Space station/base food system study. Volume 1: Systems design handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

A description is given of the approach used in a study to identify and define engineering data for a spectrum of possible items and equipment comprising potential food systems. In addition, the material presented includes: (1) the study results containing the candidate concepts considered and technical data, performance characteristics, and sketches for each of the concepts by functional area; (2) human factors considerations for crew tasks; (3) shuttle supply interface requirements; (4) special food system study areas; and (5) recommendations and conclusions based on the study results.

Accurate color synthesis of three-dimensional objects in an image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, John H.; Shen, Hui-Liang

2004-05-01

Our study deals with color synthesis of a three-dimensional object in an image; i.e., given a single image, a target color can be accurately mapped onto the object such that the color appearance of the synthesized object closely resembles that of the actual one. As it is almost impossible to acquire the complete geometric description of the surfaces of an object in an image, this study attempted to recover the implicit description of geometry for the color synthesis. The description was obtained from either a series of spectral reflectances or the RGB signals at different surface positions on the basis of the dichromatic reflection model. The experimental results showed that this implicit image-based representation is related to the object geometry and is sufficient for accurate color synthesis of three-dimensional objects in an image. The method established is applicable to the color synthesis of both rigid and deformable objects and should contribute to color fidelity in virtual design, manufacturing, and retailing.

Modelling Technique for Demonstrating Gravity Collapse Structures in Jointed Rock.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stimpson, B.

1979-01-01

Described is a base-friction modeling technique for studying the development of collapse structures in jointed rocks. A moving belt beneath weak material is designed to simulate gravity. A description is given of the model frame construction. (Author/SA)

A new earthworm species within a controversial genus: Eiseniona gerardoi sp. n. (Annelida, Lumbricidae) - description based on morphological and molecular data

PubMed Central

Díaz Cosín, Darío J.; Novo, Marta; Fernández, Rosa; Fernández Marchán, Daniel; Gutiérrez, Mónica

2014-01-01

Abstract The morphological and anatomical simplicity of soil dwelling animals, such as earthworms, has limited the establishment of a robust taxonomy making it sometimes subjective to authors’ criteria. Within this context, integrative approaches including molecular information are becoming more popular to solve the phylogenetic positioning of conflictive taxa. Here we present the description of a new lumbricid species from the region of Extremadura (Spain), Eiseniona gerardoi sp. n. The assignment to this genus is based on both a morphological and a phylogenetic study. The validity of the genus Eiseniona, one of the most controversial within Lumbricidae, is discussed. A synopsis of the differences between the type species and the west-European members of the genus is provided. PMID:24843253

The Tools of the Web Assisted Foreign Language Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzunboylu, Huseyin

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to review the asynchronous and synchronous tools of the Web assisted foreign language instruction. This study was conducted on the base of literature survey, so the findings was interpreted and evaluated for the purpose of the study. In the study, firstly, we were preferred to give a brief description of the each Web…

Evidence-based librarianship: an overview.

PubMed

Eldredge, J D

2000-10-01

To demonstrate how the core characteristics of both evidence-based medicine (EBM) and evidence-based health care (EBHC) can be adapted to health sciences librarianship. Narrative review essay involving development of a conceptual framework. The author describes the central features of EBM and EBHC. Following each description of a central feature, the author then suggests ways that this feature applies to health sciences librarianship. First, the decision-making processes of EBM and EBHC are compatible with health sciences librarianship. Second, the EBM and EBHC values of favoring rigorously produced scientific evidence in decision making are congruent with the core values of librarianship. Third, the hierarchical levels of evidence can be applied to librarianship with some modifications. Library researchers currently favor descriptive-survey and case-study methods over systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, or other higher levels of evidence. The library literature nevertheless contains diverse examples of randomized controlled trials, controlled-comparison studies, and cohort studies conducted by health sciences librarians. Health sciences librarians are confronted with making many practical decisions. Evidence-based librarianship offers a decision-making framework, which integrates the best available research evidence. By employing this framework and the higher levels of research evidence it promotes, health sciences librarians can lay the foundation for more collaborative and scientific endeavors.

Evidence-based librarianship: an overview

PubMed Central

Eldredge, Jonathan D.

2000-01-01

Objective: To demonstrate how the core characteristics of both evidence-based medicine (EBM) and evidence-based health care (EBHC) can be adapted to health sciences librarianship. Method: Narrative review essay involving development of a conceptual framework. The author describes the central features of EBM and EBHC. Following each description of a central feature, the author then suggests ways that this feature applies to health sciences librarianship. Results: First, the decision-making processes of EBM and EBHC are compatible with health sciences librarianship. Second, the EBM and EBHC values of favoring rigorously produced scientific evidence in decision making are congruent with the core values of librarianship. Third, the hierarchical levels of evidence can be applied to librarianship with some modifications. Library researchers currently favor descriptive-survey and case-study methods over systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, or other higher levels of evidence. The library literature nevertheless contains diverse examples of randomized controlled trials, controlled-comparison studies, and cohort studies conducted by health sciences librarians. Conclusions: Health sciences librarians are confronted with making many practical decisions. Evidence-based librarianship offers a decision-making framework, which integrates the best available research evidence. By employing this framework and the higher levels of research evidence it promotes, health sciences librarians can lay the foundation for more collaborative and scientific endeavors. PMID:11055296

Modeling Of Object- And Scene-Prototypes With Hierarchically Structured Classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Z.; Jensch, P.; Ameling, W.

1989-03-01

The success of knowledge-based image analysis methodology and implementation tools depends largely on an appropriately and efficiently built model wherein the domain-specific context information about and the inherent structure of the observed image scene have been encoded. For identifying an object in an application environment a computer vision system needs to know firstly the description of the object to be found in an image or in an image sequence, secondly the corresponding relationships between object descriptions within the image sequence. This paper presents models of image objects scenes by means of hierarchically structured classes. Using the topovisual formalism of graph and higraph, we are currently studying principally the relational aspect and data abstraction of the modeling in order to visualize the structural nature resident in image objects and scenes, and to formalize. their descriptions. The goal is to expose the structure of image scene and the correspondence of image objects in the low level image interpretation. process. The object-based system design approach has been applied to build the model base. We utilize the object-oriented programming language C + + for designing, testing and implementing the abstracted entity classes and the operation structures which have been modeled topovisually. The reference images used for modeling prototypes of objects and scenes are from industrial environments as'well as medical applications.

Evidence-Based Advances in Reptile Medicine.

PubMed

Mitchell, Mark A; Perry, Sean M

2017-09-01

Evidence-based medicine allows veterinarians to practice high-quality medicine, because the basis for all decision making is quantitative, objective, and reproducible. Case reports and case series are limited in their scope and application. Cross-sectional studies, likewise, cannot provide answers to specific variable testing with a temporal application. It is essential for the reptile specialty to expand into case-control studies, cohort studies, and experimental/intervention studies. Unfortunately, much of the reptile literature remains limited to descriptive studies. This article reviews current evidence-based topics in reptile medicine and shares how everyone practicing in the field can contribute to improving this specialty. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A phenomenological study of living with a partner affected with dementia.

PubMed

Meyer, Jennie; Mc Cullough, Joanne; Berggren, Ingela

2016-01-01

Caring for people affected by dementia is a collective effort that involves public health, primary care, and informal care. The third mainly comprises the efforts of spouses. This study aimed to describe spouses' experiences of living with a partner affected with dementia. The study has a descriptive phenomenological approach based on a reflective life-world perspective. Seven in-depth interviews were conducted with spouses of persons affected with dementia. The interviews were audiotaped and analysed using the procedures described by Giorgi (2009) . The essence of living with a partner affected by dementia formed a comprehensive theme: from togetherness to loneliness, which along with three descriptive categories-changes in their partner's behaviour, changes in everyday life, and a changed future-describes the phenomenon. The theme 'From togetherness to loneliness' reflects the spouses' descriptions of their life-world. Daily life changed gradually in line with their partners' personality, and their role became that of a care provider rather than a spouse. Information and knowledge about dementia should be provided at an early stage. Health care has a major responsibility to meet their needs, thus ensuring that all parties are satisfied.

The Development, Description and Appraisal of an Emergent Multimethod Research Design to Study Workforce Changes in Integrated Care Interventions.

PubMed

Busetto, Loraine; Luijkx, Katrien; Calciolari, Stefano; González-Ortiz, Laura G; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2017-03-08

In this paper, we provide a detailed and explicit description of the processes and decisions underlying and shaping the emergent multimethod research design of our study on workforce changes in integrated chronic care. The study was originally planned as mixed method research consisting of a preliminary literature review and quantitative check of these findings via a Delphi panel. However, when the findings of the literature review were not appropriate for quantitative confirmation, we chose to continue our qualitative exploration of the topic via qualitative questionnaires and secondary analysis of two best practice case reports. The resulting research design is schematically described as an emergent and interactive multimethod design with multiphase combination timing. In doing so, we provide other researchers with a set of theory- and experience-based options to develop their own multimethod research and provide an example for more detailed and structured reporting of emergent designs. We argue that the terminology developed for the description of mixed methods designs should also be used for multimethod designs such as the one presented here.

Reliability and convergence of three concepts of narcissistic personality.

PubMed

Perry, J D; Perry, J C

1996-01-01

UNTIL recent years, the personality disorders have been relatively unexplored compared to other psychiatric diagnoses. Over 15 years ago, there was little agreement on the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (Perry and Klerman 1978), but efforts to specify the constructs and respective criteria for the borderline diagnosis spurred a plethora of systematic research. The result is that, next to antisocial personality disorder, borderline has become one of the best-documented and validated personality disorders (Perry and Vaillant 1989). One important shift has been that good descriptive studies have gradually led to studies of etiological factors, such as childhood physical and sexual abuse, and severe neglect (Herman et al. 1989; Perry and Herman 1992), which in turn have led to empirically based treatment approaches (Herman 1992; Perry et al. 1990). Despite inclusion in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III and DSM-III-R), narcissistic personality is still at the beginning of this process of description, empirical testing, and validation (Gunderson et al. 1991). This study empirically examines three descriptions of narcissistic personality in order to look for common underlying dimensions that may have etiological and treatment significance.

Multimedia content description framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergman, Lawrence David (Inventor); Mohan, Rakesh (Inventor); Li, Chung-Sheng (Inventor); Smith, John Richard (Inventor); Kim, Michelle Yoonk Yung (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A framework is provided for describing multimedia content and a system in which a plurality of multimedia storage devices employing the content description methods of the present invention can interoperate. In accordance with one form of the present invention, the content description framework is a description scheme (DS) for describing streams or aggregations of multimedia objects, which may comprise audio, images, video, text, time series, and various other modalities. This description scheme can accommodate an essentially limitless number of descriptors in terms of features, semantics or metadata, and facilitate content-based search, index, and retrieval, among other capabilities, for both streamed or aggregated multimedia objects.

Automatic classification of written descriptions by healthy adults: An overview of the application of natural language processing and machine learning techniques to clinical discourse analysis

PubMed Central

Toledo, Cíntia Matsuda; Cunha, Andre; Scarton, Carolina; Aluísio, Sandra

2014-01-01

Discourse production is an important aspect in the evaluation of brain-injured individuals. We believe that studies comparing the performance of brain-injured subjects with that of healthy controls must use groups with compatible education. A pioneering application of machine learning methods using Brazilian Portuguese for clinical purposes is described, highlighting education as an important variable in the Brazilian scenario. Objective The aims were to describe how to: (i) develop machine learning classifiers using features generated by natural language processing tools to distinguish descriptions produced by healthy individuals into classes based on their years of education; and (ii) automatically identify the features that best distinguish the groups. Methods The approach proposed here extracts linguistic features automatically from the written descriptions with the aid of two Natural Language Processing tools: Coh-Metrix-Port and AIC. It also includes nine task-specific features (three new ones, two extracted manually, besides description time; type of scene described – simple or complex; presentation order – which type of picture was described first; and age). In this study, the descriptions by 144 of the subjects studied in Toledo18 were used,which included 200 healthy Brazilians of both genders. Results and Conclusion A Support Vector Machine (SVM) with a radial basis function (RBF) kernel is the most recommended approach for the binary classification of our data, classifying three of the four initial classes. CfsSubsetEval (CFS) is a strong candidate to replace manual feature selection methods. PMID:29213908

Practice-based research networks, part II: a descriptive analysis of the athletic training practice-based research network in the secondary school setting.

PubMed

Valovich McLeod, Tamara C; Lam, Kenneth C; Bay, R Curtis; Sauers, Eric L; Snyder Valier, Alison R

2012-01-01

Analysis of health care service models requires the collection and evaluation of basic practice characterization data. Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) provide a framework for gathering data useful in characterizing clinical practice. To describe preliminary secondary school setting practice data from the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network (AT-PBRN). Descriptive study. Secondary school athletic training facilities within the AT-PBRN. Clinicians (n = 22) and their patients (n = 2523) from the AT-PBRN. A Web-based survey was used to obtain data on clinical practice site and clinician characteristics. Patient and practice characteristics were obtained via deidentified electronic medical record data collected between September 1, 2009, and April 1, 2011. Descriptive data regarding the clinician and CPS practice characteristics are reported as percentages and frequencies. Descriptive analysis of patient encounters and practice characteristic data was performed, with the percentages and frequencies of the type of injuries recorded at initial evaluation, type of treatment received at initial evaluation, daily treatment, and daily sign-in procedures. The AT-PBRN had secondary school sites in 7 states, and most athletic trainers at those sites (78.2%) had less than 5 years of experience. The secondary school sites within the AT-PBRN documented 2523 patients treated across 3140 encounters. Patients most frequently sought care for a current injury (61.3%), followed by preventive services (24.0%), and new injuries (14.7%). The most common diagnoses were ankle sprain/strain (17.9%), hip sprain/strain (12.5%), concussion (12.0%), and knee pain (2.5%). The most frequent procedures were athletic trainer evaluation (53.9%), hot- or cold-pack application (26.0%), strapping (10.3%), and therapeutic exercise (5.7%). The median number of treatments per injury was 3 (interquartile range = 2, 4; range = 2-19). These preliminary data describe services provided by clinicians within the AT-PBRN and demonstrate the usefulness of the PBRN model for obtaining such data.

Levels of Participation of the School Stakeholders to the Different School-Initiated Activities and the Implementation of School-Based Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabardo, Jimmy Rey Opong

2016-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the levels of participation of the school stakeholders to the different school-initiated activities and the implementation of school-based management (SBM) in selected schools in the Division of Davao del Sur for the school year 2014-2015 using a descriptive-correlational survey research design. A…

Effects of Problem-Based Learning on a Fifth Grade Language Arts Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackwell, Deborah

2013-01-01

The main purpose of this qualitative research was to discover the effects of problem-based learning on a fifth grade language arts classroom. The secondary purpose was to examine how receptive fifth grade students were to a new way of learning. In this descriptive study, a group of nine students created an alternate reality game as part of a…

The Most Frequently Used Spoken American English Idioms: A Corpus Analysis and Its Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Dilin

2003-01-01

Most teaching and reference materials on English idioms are primarily intuition based. As such, they often include seldom-used idioms and incorrect descriptions of the meaning and use of some idioms, hence limiting their usefulness to ESOL students. This article demonstrates how this problem can be addressed through a corpus-based study of the…

Analysis of Open Education Service Quality with the Descriptive-Quantitative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Priyogi, Bilih; Santoso, Harry B.; Berliyanto; Hasibuan, Zainal A.

2017-01-01

The concept of Open Education (OE) is based on the philosophy of e-Learning which aims to provide learning environment anywhere, anytime, and for anyone. One of the main issue in the development of OE services is the availability of the quality assurance mechanism. This study proposes a metric for measuring the quality of OE service. Based on…

Conditioning Factors and Opportunities for Teamwork. A Case Study from a Catalan University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galtés, Ruth; Tomás, Marina

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is to analyse the conditioning factors and opportunities that influence teamwork among teachers at a Catalan university. The creation of new academic identities based on a culture of mutual and continuing learning are essential if teacher teams are to be encouraged. A descriptive methodology was used, based on a case study…

A State Survey of Child Advocacy Center Therapists' Attitudes toward Treatment Manuals and Evidence-Based Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staudt, Marlys; Williams-Hayes, Mona

2011-01-01

The objective of this descriptive study was to examine Child Advocacy Center therapists' attitudes toward treatment manuals and evidence-based practices and to gather information about the treatments they use most frequently. An online survey was sent to 30 therapists employed by 15 Child Advocacy Centers in a southeastern state. The response rate…

Oncology nurses and the experience of participation in an evidence-based practice project.

PubMed

Fridman, Mary; Frederickson, Keville

2014-07-01

To illuminate the experiences of oncology nurses who participated in an evidence-based practice (EBP) project in an institution with an EBP organizational structure. A descriptive phenomenologic approach and in-depth interviews with each participant. An oncology-focused academic medical center with an established organizational infrastructure for EBP. 12 RNs working in an oncology setting who participated in an EBP project. Descriptive, qualitative phenomenologic approach through use of interviews and analysis of interview text. Four essential themes (i.e., support, challenges, evolution, and empowerment) and 11 subthemes emerged that reflected nurses' professional and personal growth, as well as the creation of a culture of EBP in the workplace. The participants described the EBP project as a positive, empowering personal and professional evolutionary experience with supports and challenges that resulted in improvements in patient care. To the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first qualitative study to demonstrate improved nursing outcomes (e.g., professional growth, improved nursing performance) and nurses' perception of improved patient outcomes (e.g., ongoing healthcare collaboration, evidence-based changes in practice).

A Descriptive and Interpretative Information System for the IODP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, P.; Foster, P. A.; Mateo, Z.

2006-12-01

The ODP/IODP has a long and rich history of collecting descriptive and interpretative information (DESCINFO) from rock and sediment cores from the world's oceans. Unlike instrumental data, DESCINFO generated by subject experts is biased by the scientific and cultural background of the observers and their choices of classification schemes. As a result, global searches of DESCINFO and its integration with other data are problematical. To address this issue, the IODP-USIO is in the process of designing and implementing a DESCINFO system for IODP Phase 2 (2007-2013) that meets the user expectations expressed over the past decade. The requirements include support of (1) detailed, material property-based descriptions as well as classification-based descriptions; (2) global searches by physical sample and digital data sources as well as any of the descriptive parameters; (3) user-friendly data capture tools for a variety of workflows; and (4) extensive visualization of DESCINFO data along with instrumental data and images; and (5) portability/interoperability such that the system can work with database schemas of other organizations - a specific challenge given the schema and semantic heterogeneity not only among the three IODP operators but within the geosciences in general. The DESCINFO approach is based on the definition of a set of generic observable parameters that are populated with numeric or text values. Text values are derived from controlled, extensible hierarchical value lists that allow descriptions at the appropriate level of detail and ensure successful data searches. Material descriptions can be completed independently of domain-specific classifications, genetic concepts, and interpretative frameworks.

Ontology-based, Tissue MicroArray oriented, image centered tissue bank

PubMed Central

Viti, Federica; Merelli, Ivan; Caprera, Andrea; Lazzari, Barbara; Stella, Alessandra; Milanesi, Luciano

2008-01-01

Background Tissue MicroArray technique is becoming increasingly important in pathology for the validation of experimental data from transcriptomic analysis. This approach produces many images which need to be properly managed, if possible with an infrastructure able to support tissue sharing between institutes. Moreover, the available frameworks oriented to Tissue MicroArray provide good storage for clinical patient, sample treatment and block construction information, but their utility is limited by the lack of data integration with biomolecular information. Results In this work we propose a Tissue MicroArray web oriented system to support researchers in managing bio-samples and, through the use of ontologies, enables tissue sharing aimed at the design of Tissue MicroArray experiments and results evaluation. Indeed, our system provides ontological description both for pre-analysis tissue images and for post-process analysis image results, which is crucial for information exchange. Moreover, working on well-defined terms it is then possible to query web resources for literature articles to integrate both pathology and bioinformatics data. Conclusions Using this system, users associate an ontology-based description to each image uploaded into the database and also integrate results with the ontological description of biosequences identified in every tissue. Moreover, it is possible to integrate the ontological description provided by the user with a full compliant gene ontology definition, enabling statistical studies about correlation between the analyzed pathology and the most commonly related biological processes. PMID:18460177

Mental Health Services in Public Schools: A Preliminary Study of School Counselor Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Laurie A.; Kees, Nathalie L.

2013-01-01

This descriptive survey research study (N = 120) examined the self-reported comfort level of school counselors in addressing the mental health needs of their students and school counselor perceptions regarding working relationships with school-based therapists. Survey results indicated that school counselors are generally confident in their…

Impact of Electronic Portfolios on Prospective Teachers' Participation, Motivation, and Autonomous Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gámiz-Sánchez, Vanesa-María; Gallego-Arrufat, María-Jesús; Crisol-Moya, Emilio

2016-01-01

This study explores the impact of electronic portfolios on undergraduate learning in higher education. Based on a descriptive study, it analyses the prospective teacher's perception of use of these tools (electronic portfolio in Moodle-Mahara, in the institutional environment of a university in southern Europe), examining the variables…

Exploring Post-Program Psychological Adjustment for Adult Staff Facilitating a Wilderness Adventure Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence-Wood, Ellie; Raymond, Ivan

2011-01-01

This paper outlines a pilot study of the post-program psychological adjustment outcomes of adult staff facilitating an Australian-based wilderness adventure program for youth at risk. The descriptive and correlational survey study (N = 62) examined the psychological adjustment processes staff underwent following program completion, and the factors…

Effect of Case-Based Video Support on Cyberbullying Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akbulut, Yavuz

2014-01-01

When it comes to safe and ethical information technology use, cyberbullying stands out. Indeed, it is seen to be a prevalent and complex problem. Prevention suggestions tend to rely on implications of descriptive and correlational studies rather than true experimental works. In this regard, the current study investigated the effect of case-based…

Three Cases of Adolescent Childbearing Decision-Making: The Importance of Ambivalence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bender, Soley S.

2008-01-01

Limited information is available about the childbearing decision-making experience by the pregnant adolescent. The purpose of this case study was to explore this experience with three pregnant teenagers. The study is based on nine qualitative interviews. Within-case descriptions applying the theoretical model of decision-making regarding unwanted…

Reading Authentic EFL Text Using Visualization and Advance Organizers in a Multimedia Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Huifen; Chen, Tsuiping

2007-01-01

The purpose of this experimental study was to compare the effects of different types of computer-generated visuals (static versus animated) and advance organizers (descriptive versus question) in enhancing comprehension and retention of a content-based lesson for learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Additionally, the study investigated…

A Survey of Current and Projected Ethical Dilemmas of Rehabilitation Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Michael T.; Cartwright, Brenda Y.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study surveyed current and projected ethical dilemmas of rehabilitation counselors. Method: As a mixed-methods approach, the study used both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results: Of the 211 participants who completed the survey, 116 (55.0%) reported an ethical dilemma. Based on the descriptions, common themes involved roles…

Improving the Quality of Services in Residential Treatment Facilities: A Strength-Based Consultative Review Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavkov, Thomas W.; Lourie, Ira S.; Hug, Richard W.; Negash, Sesen

2010-01-01

This descriptive case study reports on the positive impact of a consultative review methodology used to conduct quality assurance reviews as part of the Residential Treatment Center Evaluation Project. The study details improvement in the quality of services provided to youth in unmonitored residential treatment facilities. Improvements were…

Pedagogical Implications on Medical Students' Linguistic Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Yanling

2011-01-01

In this paper, an extended teaching implication is performed based on the study of medical students' linguistic needs in Tawian (Hwang, Lin, 2010). The aims of previous study were to provide a description of the linguistic needs and perceptions of medical students and faculty members in Taiwan. However, this paper put more thoughts on the…

Student Teachers' Views about Assessment and Evaluation Methods in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Mustafa

2011-01-01

This study aimed to find out assessment and evaluation approaches in a Mathematics Teacher Training Department based on the views and experiences of student teachers. The study used a descriptive survey method, with the research sample consisting of 150 third- and fourth-year Primary Mathematics student teachers. Data were collected using a…

Studying Faculty Members' and Students' Perspective in an Affiliated Undergraduate Engineering Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumari, Neeraj

2015-01-01

The study aims to examine the relationship between parameters affecting the quality of Education in affiliated Under Graduate Engineering institution from the faculty members' and students' perspective. It is a descriptive research. The data has been collected with the help of "Questionnaire Based Survey". The sample size for the study…

78 FR 9695 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-11

... Brief Description The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking a 1-year OMB approval... interventions. This information is needed to complete a research study of the costs and costs savings to society of implementing evidence-based interventions. The main product of the study is an online tool that...

Developing Ethical Knowledge in the Spirit of Judaism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapira-Lishchinsky, Orly

2012-01-01

This study attempts to describe Jewish teachers' perceptions about their ethical dilemmas based on stories derived from the Bible. Sixty teachers were asked to submit descriptions of their ethical dilemmas to the study website; submissions were then discussed in focus groups. The findings were grouped by the ATLAS.ti into five categories: Telling…

Meaningful Use of Simulation as an Educational Method in Nursing Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Teri L.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the use of simulation technology within nursing programs leading to licensure as registered nurses. In preparation for this study the Use of Simulation Technology Inventory (USTI) was developed and based in the structure, processes, outcomes model and the current literature on simulation. The…

Effects of the Saluda Prevention Program: A Review of Controlled Evaluation Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espada-Sánchez, José P.; Hernández-Serrano, Olga

2015-01-01

The objective of the present study is to review the evidence on the effectiveness concerning the Saluda program, a school-based substance use prevention protocol used amongst adolescents. We provide a description of the program content and the results from nine controlled trials evaluating the program effectiveness. Participants were Spanish…

Managing Information and Communication Technology in Sudanese Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Abdelrahman

2015-01-01

This research article is based on a larger study whose purpose was to investigate the current status and implementation of ICT in Khartoum State secondary schools. The study, adopted a descriptive survey design. Two instruments questionnaires and a structured interview schedule were used to collect data. The target population comprised of 320…

The Role of Qualitative Research in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devetak, Iztok; Glazar, Sasa A.; Vogrinc, Janez

2010-01-01

In the paper the qualitative research in which the researcher has been directly involved, and has himself been examining the research phenomenon in the studied environment, is presented. The aim of this qualitative study is to gather data in the form of rich content-based descriptions of people, events, and situations by using different,…

Examining Mindfulness as a Conceptual Framework for Teaching and Learning: A Descriptive Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Christopher J.

2008-01-01

Mindfulness is ongoing scrutiny of existing expectations, continuous refinement of those expectations based on new experiences, appreciation of the subtleties of context, and identification of novel aspects of context that can improve foresight and functioning. This concept of mindfulness has been studied in the domain of business and in relation…

Semiclassical description of hyperfine interaction in calculating chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization in weak magnetic fields

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

Purtov, P.A.; Salikhov, K.M.

1987-09-01

Semiclassical HFI description is applicable to calculating the integral CIDNP effect in weak fields. The HFI has been calculated for radicals with sufficiently numerous magnetically equivalent nuclei (n greater than or equal to 5) in satisfactory agreement with CIDNP calculations based on quantum-mechanical description of radical-pair spin dynamics.

Class size as related to the use of technology, educational practices, and outcomes in Web-based nursing courses.

PubMed

Burruss, Nancy M; Billings, Diane M; Brownrigg, Vicki; Skiba, Diane J; Connors, Helen R

2009-01-01

With the expanding numbers of nursing students enrolled in Web-based courses and the shortage of faculty, class sizes are increasing. This exploratory descriptive study examined class size in relation to the use of technology and to particular educational practices and outcomes. The sample consisted of undergraduate (n = 265) and graduate (n = 863) students enrolled in fully Web-based nursing courses. The Evaluating Educational Uses of Web-based Courses in Nursing survey (Billings, D., Connors, H., Skiba, D. (2001). Benchmarking best practices in Web-based nursing courses. Advances in Nursing Science, 23, 41--52) and the Social Presence Scale (Gunawardena, C. N., Zittle, F. J. (1997). Social presence as a predictor of satisfaction within a computer-mediated conferencing environment. The American Journal of Distance Education, 11, 9-26.) were used to gather data about the study variables. Class sizes were defined as very small (1 to 10 students), small (11 to 20 students), medium (21 to 30 students), large (31 to 40 students), and very large (41 students and above). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. There were significant differences by class size in students' perceptions of active participation in learning, student-faculty interaction, peer interaction, and connectedness. Some differences by class size between undergraduate and graduate students were also found, and these require further study.

The Genus Coccidella Hambleton (Hemiptera: Rhizoecidae) with Description of Two New Species.

PubMed

Kaydan, M B; Konczné Benedicty, Z; Kondo, D T; Ramos-Portilla, A A; Szita, É

2018-06-01

A study was conducted on the Neotropical scale insect genus Coccidella Hambleton (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) based on soil sample material deposited at the Hungarian Natural History Museum. Descriptions of the adult females of two new Coccidella species, i.e., Coccidella hexapora Kaydan & Konczné Benedicty, sp. n. and Coccidella kozari Kaydan & Szita, sp. n., are provided, plus a redescription and illustration of adult female of Coccidella kissbalazsi Konczné Benedicty & Kozár. An identification key and new additional locality records for the currently known Coccidella species are provided and the affinities of the new species are discussed.

Unified Description of Inelastic Propensity Rules for Electron Transport through Nanoscale Junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulsson, Magnus; Frederiksen, Thomas; Ueba, Hiromu; Lorente, Nicolás; Brandbyge, Mads

2008-06-01

We present a method to analyze the results of first-principles based calculations of electronic currents including inelastic electron-phonon effects. This method allows us to determine the electronic and vibrational symmetries in play, and hence to obtain the so-called propensity rules for the studied systems. We show that only a few scattering states—namely those belonging to the most transmitting eigenchannels—need to be considered for a complete description of the electron transport. We apply the method on first-principles calculations of four different systems and obtain the propensity rules in each case.

A Descriptive Analysis of Oral Health Systematic Reviews Published 1991–2012: Cross Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Saltaji, Humam; Cummings, Greta G.; Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Major, Michael P.; Amin, Maryam; Major, Paul W.; Hartling, Lisa; Flores-Mir, Carlos

2013-01-01

Objectives To identify all systematic reviews (SRs) published in the domain of oral health research and describe them in terms of their epidemiological and descriptive characteristics. Design Cross sectional, descriptive study. Methods An electronic search of seven databases was performed from inception through May 2012; bibliographies of relevant publications were also reviewed. Studies were considered for inclusion if they were oral health SRs defined as therapeutic or non-therapeutic investigations that studied a topic or an intervention related to dental, oral or craniofacial diseases/disorders. Data were extracted from all the SRs based on a number of epidemiological and descriptive characteristics. Data were analysed descriptively for all the SRs, within each of the nine dental specialities, and for Cochrane and non-Cochrane SRs separately. Results 1,188 oral health (126 Cochrane and 1062 non-Cochrane) SRs published from 1991 through May 2012 were identified, encompassing the nine dental specialties. Over half (n = 676; 56.9%) of the SRs were published in specialty oral health journals, with almost all (n = 1,178; 99.2%) of the SRs published in English and almost none of the non-Cochrane SRs (n = 11; 0.9%) consisting of updates of previously published SRs. 75.3% of the SRs were categorized as therapeutic, with 64.5% examining non-drug interventions, while approximately half (n = 150/294; 51%) of the non-therapeutic SRs were classified as epidemiological SRs. The SRs included a median of 15 studies, with a meta-analysis conducted in 43.6%, in which a median of 9 studies/1 randomized trial were included in the largest meta-analysis conducted. Funding was received for 25.1% of the SRs, including nearly three-quarters (n = 96; 76.2%) of the Cochrane SRs. Conclusion Epidemiological and descriptive characteristics of the 1,188 oral health SRs varied across the nine dental specialties and by SR category (Cochrane vs. non-Cochrane). There is a clear need for more updates of SRs in all the dental specialties. PMID:24098657

On some approaches to model reversible magnetization processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chwastek, K.; Baghel, A. P. S.; Sai Ram, B.; Borowik, B.; Daniel, L.; Kulkarni, S. V.

2018-04-01

This paper focuses on the problem of how reversible magnetization processes are taken into account in contemporary descriptions of hysteresis curves. For comparison, three versions of the phenomenological T(x) model based on hyperbolic tangent mapping are considered. Two of them are based on summing the output of the hysteresis operator with a linear or nonlinear mapping. The third description is inspired by the concept of the product Preisach model. Total susceptibility is modulated with a magnetization-dependent function. The models are verified using measurement data for grain-oriented electrical steel. The proposed third description represents minor loops most accurately.

Optimal bit allocation for hybrid scalable/multiple-description video transmission over wireless channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jubran, Mohammad K.; Bansal, Manu; Kondi, Lisimachos P.

2006-01-01

In this paper, we consider the problem of optimal bit allocation for wireless video transmission over fading channels. We use a newly developed hybrid scalable/multiple-description codec that combines the functionality of both scalable and multiple-description codecs. It produces a base layer and multiple-description enhancement layers. Any of the enhancement layers can be decoded (in a non-hierarchical manner) with the base layer to improve the reconstructed video quality. Two different channel coding schemes (Rate-Compatible Punctured Convolutional (RCPC)/Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) coding and, product code Reed Solomon (RS)+RCPC/CRC coding) are used for unequal error protection of the layered bitstream. Optimal allocation of the bitrate between source and channel coding is performed for discrete sets of source coding rates and channel coding rates. Experimental results are presented for a wide range of channel conditions. Also, comparisons with classical scalable coding show the effectiveness of using hybrid scalable/multiple-description coding for wireless transmission.

Creating Body Shapes From Verbal Descriptions by Linking Similarity Spaces.

PubMed

Hill, Matthew Q; Streuber, Stephan; Hahn, Carina A; Black, Michael J; O'Toole, Alice J

2016-11-01

Brief verbal descriptions of people's bodies (e.g., "curvy," "long-legged") can elicit vivid mental images. The ease with which these mental images are created belies the complexity of three-dimensional body shapes. We explored the relationship between body shapes and body descriptions and showed that a small number of words can be used to generate categorically accurate representations of three-dimensional bodies. The dimensions of body-shape variation that emerged in a language-based similarity space were related to major dimensions of variation computed directly from three-dimensional laser scans of 2,094 bodies. This relationship allowed us to generate three-dimensional models of people in the shape space using only their coordinates on analogous dimensions in the language-based description space. Human descriptions of photographed bodies and their corresponding models matched closely. The natural mapping between the spaces illustrates the role of language as a concise code for body shape that captures perceptually salient global and local body features. © The Author(s) 2016.

An objective and reproducible landform and topography description approach based on digital terrain analysis used for soil profile site characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruber, Fabian E.; Baruck, Jasmin; Hastik, Richard; Geitner, Clemens

2015-04-01

All major soil description and classification systems, including the World Reference Base (WRB) and the German Soil description guidelines (KA5), require the characterization of landform and topography for soil profile sites. This is commonly done at more than one scale, for instance at macro-, meso- and micro scale. However, inherent when humans perform such a task, different surveyors will reach different conclusions due to their subjective perception of landscape structure, based on their individual mind-model of soil-landscape structure, emphasizing different aspects and scales of the landscape. In this study we apply a work-flow using the GRASS GIS extension module r.geomorphon to make use of high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) to characterize the landform elements and topography of soil profile sites at different scales, and compare the results with a large number of soil profile site descriptions performed during the course of forestry surveys in South and North Tyrol (Italy and Austria, respectively). The r.geomorphon extension module for the open source geographic information system GRASS GIS applies a pattern recognition algorithm to delineate landform elements based on an input DEM. For each raster cell it computes and characterizes the visible neighborhood using line-of-sight calculations and then applies a lookup-table to classify the raster cell into one of ten landform elements (flat, peak, ridge, shoulder, slope, spur, hollow, footslope, valley and pit). The input parameter search radius (L) represents the maximum number of pixels for line-of-sight calculation, resulting in landforms larger than L to be split into landform components. The use of these visibility calculations makes this landform delineation approach suitable for comparison with the landform descriptions of soil surveyors, as their spatial perception of the landscape surrounding a soil profile site certainly influences their classification of the landform on which the profile is situated (aided by additional information such as topographic maps and aerial images). Variation of the L-value furthermore presents the opportunity to mimic the different scales at which surveyors describe soil profile locations. We first illustrate the use of r.geomorphon for site descriptions using exemplary artificial elevation profiles resembling typic catenas at different scales (L-values). We then compare the results of a landform element map computed with r.geomorphon to the relief descriptions in the test dataset. We link the surveyors' landform classification to the computed landform elements. Using a multi-scale approach we characterize raster cell locations in a way similar to the micro-, meso- and macroscale definitions used in soil survey, resulting in so-called geomorphon-signatures, such as "pit (meso-scale) located on a ridge (macro-scale)". We investigate which ranges of L-values best represent the different observation-scales as noted by soil surveyors and discuss the impacts of using a large dataset of profile location descriptions performed by different surveyors. Issues that arise are possible individual differences in landscape structure perception, but also questions regarding the accuracy of position and resulting topographic measurements in soil profile site description.

Technology-based self-care methods of improving antiretroviral adherence: a systematic review.

PubMed

Saberi, Parya; Johnson, Mallory O

2011-01-01

As HIV infection has shifted to a chronic condition, self-care practices have emerged as an important topic for HIV-positive individuals in maintaining an optimal level of health. Self-care refers to activities that patients undertake to maintain and improve health, such as strategies to achieve and maintain high levels of antiretroviral adherence. Technology-based methods are increasingly used to enhance antiretroviral adherence; therefore, we systematically reviewed the literature to examine technology-based self-care methods that HIV-positive individuals utilize to improve adherence. Seven electronic databases were searched from 1/1/1980 through 12/31/2010. We included quantitative and qualitative studies. Among quantitative studies, the primary outcomes included ARV adherence, viral load, and CD4+ cell count and secondary outcomes consisted of quality of life, adverse effects, and feasibility/acceptability data. For qualitative/descriptive studies, interview themes, reports of use, and perceptions of use were summarized. Thirty-six publications were included (24 quantitative and 12 qualitative/descriptive). Studies with exclusive utilization of medication reminder devices demonstrated less evidence of enhancing adherence in comparison to multi-component methods. This systematic review offers support for self-care technology-based approaches that may result in improved antiretroviral adherence. There was a clear pattern of results that favored individually-tailored, multi-function technologies, which allowed for periodic communication with health care providers rather than sole reliance on electronic reminder devices.

A Report of the Home Based Working Conference, Learning Institute of North Carolina (LINC) (March 12-15, 1973).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning Inst. of North Carolina, Durham.

The primary objective of this conference was to provide Head Start program representatives with information and descriptive materials on approaches to home-based education for preschool children with the parent as the focal point. Descriptions of six different programs outline objectives, services, advantages, and disadvantages, cost, evaluation…

Learning in Structured Connectionist Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

the structure is too rigid and learning too difficult for cognitive modeling. Two algorithms for learning simple, feature-based concept descriptions...and learning too difficult for cognitive model- ing. Two algorithms for learning simple, feature-based concept descriptions were also implemented. The...Term Goals Recent progress in connectionist research has been encouraging; networks have success- fully modeled human performance for various cognitive

77 FR 23483 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-19

... for Emotion and Social skill promotion (CARES) project: Impact and Implementation Studies. OMB No. 0970-0364. Description: The Head Start Classroom-based Approaches and Resource for Emotion and Social skill promotion (CARES) project is evaluating social emotional program enhancements within Head Start...

77 FR 6565 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-08

... and Resources for Emotion and Social skill promotion (CARES) project: Impact and Implementation Studies--Extension. OMB No.: 0970-0364. Description: The Head Start Classroom-based Approaches and Resources for Emotion and Social skill promotion (CARES) project is evaluating social emotional program...

Special Education Paraprofessionals in District Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howley, Craig; Howley, Aimee; Telfer, Deborah

2017-01-01

This survey research investigated the experience of Ohio districts using paraprofessionals assigned to special education students. This study provides a unique statewide description of district experience. Based on themes from the literature and preliminary conversations with educational practitioners in Ohio, the survey conceptualized district…

Biology Curriculum Support Document.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

This biology curriculum supplement includes the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Goals, helpful resources, and suggested activities supported by inquiry-based laboratory activities. Contents include a detailed description of content which provides the goals and standards being sough), a materials list for inquiry support labs and…

Comparison of rapid descriptive sensory methodologies: Free-Choice Profiling, Flash Profile and modified Flash Profile.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Bredie, Wender L P; Sherman, Emma; Harbertson, James F; Heymann, Hildegarde

2018-04-01

Rapid sensory methods have been developed as alternatives to traditional sensory descriptive analysis methods. Among them, Free-Choice Profiling (FCP) and Flash Profile (FP) are two that have been known for many years. The objectives of this work were to compare the rating-based FCP and ranking-based FP method; to evaluate the impact of adding adjustments to FP approach; to investigate the influence of the number of assessors on the outcome of modified FP. To achieve these aims, a conventional descriptive analysis (DA), FCP, FP and a modified version of FP were carried out. Red wines made by different grape maturity and ethanol concentration were used for sensory testing. This study showed that DA provided a more detailed and accurate information on products through a quantitative measure of the intensity of sensory attributes than FCP and FP. However, the panel hours for conducting DA were higher than that for rapid methods, and FP was even able to separate the samples to a higher degree than DA. When comparing FCP and FP, this study showed that the ranking-based FP provided a clearer separation of samples than rating-based FCP, but the latter was an easier task for most assessors. When restricting assessors on their use of attributes in FP, the sample space became clearer and the ranking task was simplified. The FP protocol with restricted attribute sets seems to be a promising approach for efficient screening of sensory properties in wine. When increasing the number of assessors from 10 to 20 for conducting the modified FP, the outcome tended to be slightly more stable, however, one should consider the degree of panel training when deciding the optimal number of assessors for conducting FP. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The First Organ-Based Ontology for Arthropods (Ontology of Arthropod Circulatory Systems - OArCS) and its Integration into a Novel Formalization Scheme for Morphological Descriptions.

PubMed

Wirkner, Christian S; Göpel, Torben; Runge, Jens; Keiler, Jonas; Klussmann-Fricke, Bastian-Jesper; Huckstorf, Katarina; Scholz, Stephan; Mikó, István; J Yoder, Matthew; Richter, Stefan

2017-09-01

Morphology, the oldest discipline in the biosciences, is currently experiencing a renaissance in the field of comparative phenomics. However, morphological/phenotypic research still suffers on various levels from a lack of standards. This shortcoming, first highlighted as the "linguistic problem of morphology", concerns the usage of terminology and also the need for formalization of morphological descriptions themselves, something of paramount importance not only to the field of morphology but also when it comes to the use of phenotypic data in systematics and evolutionary biology. We therefore argue, that for morphological descriptions, the basis of all systematic and evolutionary interpretations, ontologies need to be utilized which are based exclusively on structural qualities/properties and which in no case include statements about homology and/or function. Statements about homology and function constitute interpretations on a different or higher level. Based on these "anatomy ontologies", further ontological dimensions (e.g., referring to functional properties or homology) may be exerted for a broad use in evolutionary phenomics. To this end we present the first organ-based ontology for the most species-rich animal group, the Arthropoda. Our Ontology of Arthropod Circulatory Systems (OArCS) contains a comprehensive collection of 383 terms (i.e., labels) tied to 296 concepts (i.e., definitions) collected from the literature on phenotypic aspects of circulatory organ features in arthropods. All of the concepts used in OArCS are based exclusively on structural features, and in the context of the ontology are independent of homology and functional assumptions. We cannot rule out that in some cases, terms are used which in traditional usage and previous accounts might have implied homology and/or function (e.g. heart, sternal artery). Concepts are composed of descriptive elements that are used to classify observed instances into the organizational framework of the ontology. That is, descriptions in ontologies are only descriptions of individuals if they are necessary/and or sufficient representations of attributes (independently) observed and recorded for an individual. In addition, we here present for the first time an entirely new approach to formalizing phenotypic research, a semantic model for the description of a complex organ system in a highly disparate taxon, the arthropods. We demonstrate this with a formalized morphological description of the hemolymph vascular system in one specimen of the European garden spider Araneus diadematus. Our description targets five categories of descriptive statement: "position", "spatial relationships", "shape", "constituents", and "connections", as the corresponding formalizations constitute exemplary patterns useful not only when talking about the circulatory system, but also in descriptions in general. The downstream applications of computer-parsable morphological descriptions are widespread, with their core utility being the fact that they make it possible to compare collective description sets in computational time, that is, very quickly. Among other things, this facilitates the identification of phenotypic plasticity and variation when single individuals are compared, the identification of those traits which correlate between and within taxa, and the identification of links between morphological traits and genetic (using GO, Gene Ontology) or environmental (using ENVO, Environmental Ontology) factors. [Arthropoda; concept; function; hemolymph vascular system; homology; terminology.]. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Differential Geometry Based Multiscale Models

PubMed Central

Wei, Guo-Wei

2010-01-01

Large chemical and biological systems such as fuel cells, ion channels, molecular motors, and viruses are of great importance to the scientific community and public health. Typically, these complex systems in conjunction with their aquatic environment pose a fabulous challenge to theoretical description, simulation, and prediction. In this work, we propose a differential geometry based multiscale paradigm to model complex macromolecular systems, and to put macroscopic and microscopic descriptions on an equal footing. In our approach, the differential geometry theory of surfaces and geometric measure theory are employed as a natural means to couple the macroscopic continuum mechanical description of the aquatic environment with the microscopic discrete atom-istic description of the macromolecule. Multiscale free energy functionals, or multiscale action functionals are constructed as a unified framework to derive the governing equations for the dynamics of different scales and different descriptions. Two types of aqueous macromolecular complexes, ones that are near equilibrium and others that are far from equilibrium, are considered in our formulations. We show that generalized Navier–Stokes equations for the fluid dynamics, generalized Poisson equations or generalized Poisson–Boltzmann equations for electrostatic interactions, and Newton's equation for the molecular dynamics can be derived by the least action principle. These equations are coupled through the continuum-discrete interface whose dynamics is governed by potential driven geometric flows. Comparison is given to classical descriptions of the fluid and electrostatic interactions without geometric flow based micro-macro interfaces. The detailed balance of forces is emphasized in the present work. We further extend the proposed multiscale paradigm to micro-macro analysis of electrohydrodynamics, electrophoresis, fuel cells, and ion channels. We derive generalized Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations that are coupled to generalized Navier–Stokes equations for fluid dynamics, Newton's equation for molecular dynamics, and potential and surface driving geometric flows for the micro-macro interface. For excessively large aqueous macromolecular complexes in chemistry and biology, we further develop differential geometry based multiscale fluid-electro-elastic models to replace the expensive molecular dynamics description with an alternative elasticity formulation. PMID:20169418

How should children with speech sound disorders be classified? A review and critical evaluation of current classification systems.

PubMed

Waring, R; Knight, R

2013-01-01

Children with speech sound disorders (SSD) form a heterogeneous group who differ in terms of the severity of their condition, underlying cause, speech errors, involvement of other aspects of the linguistic system and treatment response. To date there is no universal and agreed-upon classification system. Instead, a number of theoretically differing classification systems have been proposed based on either an aetiological (medical) approach, a descriptive-linguistic approach or a processing approach. To describe and review the supporting evidence, and to provide a critical evaluation of the current childhood SSD classification systems. Descriptions of the major specific approaches to classification are reviewed and research papers supporting the reliability and validity of the systems are evaluated. Three specific paediatric SSD classification systems; the aetiologic-based Speech Disorders Classification System, the descriptive-linguistic Differential Diagnosis system, and the processing-based Psycholinguistic Framework are identified as potentially useful in classifying children with SSD into homogeneous subgroups. The Differential Diagnosis system has a growing body of empirical support from clinical population studies, across language error pattern studies and treatment efficacy studies. The Speech Disorders Classification System is currently a research tool with eight proposed subgroups. The Psycholinguistic Framework is a potential bridge to linking cause and surface level speech errors. There is a need for a universally agreed-upon classification system that is useful to clinicians and researchers. The resulting classification system needs to be robust, reliable and valid. A universal classification system would allow for improved tailoring of treatments to subgroups of SSD which may, in turn, lead to improved treatment efficacy. © 2012 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Faculty of Education Students' Computer Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Their Attitudes towards Computers and Implementing Computer Supported Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkant, Hasan Güner

2016-01-01

This study investigates faculty of education students' computer self-efficacy beliefs and their attitudes towards computers and implementing computer supported education. This study is descriptive and based on a correlational survey model. The final sample consisted of 414 students studying in the faculty of education of a Turkish university. The…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yego, Helen J. C.

2016-01-01

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

Level of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Usage among ESL Teachers in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendehjan, Niyosha Morshedi; Noordin, Nooreen

2013-01-01

The current study attempted to identify the level of (ICT) usage among ESL teachers, the difference between the level of ICT usage based on gender and age, the teachers' perception towards ICT usage and the barriers faced by teachers. This study was a quantitative study using the descriptive survey approach. The total number of participants was 90…

Effective Home-School Partnership: Some Strategies to Help Strengthen Parental Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okeke, Chinedu I.

2014-01-01

The primary aim of the study from which this paper derives was to investigate the level of parental involvement in the schooling of their children. The study employed a descriptive case study research design. All data were based on unstructured interviews with the 30 parents whose children attended one of the primary schools located in the London…

Transforming a High School Media Center into a Library Learning Commons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiara, Nancy A.

2014-01-01

This study outlines a planned action based research project focused on studying the transformation of an urban high school media center to a learning commons model. This study includes a descriptive account as well as the impact of steps taken to match the media center to the needs of the 21st century learner. The research focuses on shifting…

Report on Legislative and Funding Recommendations, DoDDS Comprehensive Study [of Dependents Schools].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartell, Ted; LeBlanc, Linda

The final volume of a comprehensive study of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS), this report consists of a brief background description of the DoDDS system, followed by 10 legislative and funding recommendations based on the findings of the study: (1) increase funding in fiscal year 1984 and beyond to accommodate anticipated…

Determining the Views and Adequacy of the Preschool Teachers Related to Science Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akçay, Nilüfer Okur

2016-01-01

In this study, it is aimed to determine the views and adequacy of the preschool teachers related to science activities. The study is based on descriptive survey model. The sample of the study consists of 47 preschool teachers working in Agri city center. Personal information form, semi-structured interview form to determine the views of the…

Pedagogical Factors Affecting Integration of Computers in Mathematics Instruction in Secondary Schools in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wanjala, Martin M. S.; Aurah, Catherine M.; Symon, Koros C.

2015-01-01

The paper reports findings of a study which sought to examine the pedagogical factors that affect the integration of computers in mathematics instruction as perceived by teachers in secondary schools in Kenya. This study was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A descriptive survey design was used for this study. Stratified and simple…

A Study of Global Citizenship Levels of Turkish University Students According to Different Variables (Youth Camp Leaders Sample)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temel, Cenk

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate different variables of university students' (Youth Camp Leaders) global citizenship levels from different universities, who participated in the youth camp leadership meeting organized in March 2016, by the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports. The present research is a descriptive study based on the survey…

Contaminant Flux Reduction Barriers for Managing Difficult to Treat Source Zones in Unconsolidated Media

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-20

39  Table 7.4:  Description of Case Study Site... Research Flux Reduction Materials: Several novel silica gel/vegetable oil- formulations were developed and tested in lab-scale batch and column studies by...Demonstration Results The project demonstration had these results:  Two grout mixtures were selected based on gel tests and a treatability study by

A Descriptive Study on the Neonatal Morbidity Profile of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Including a Comparison with Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atladóttir, H. Ó.; Schendel, D. E.; Parner, E. T.; Henriksen, T. B.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe the profile of specific neonatal morbidities in children later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to compare this profile with the profile of children with hyperkinetic disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy or intellectual disability. This is a Danish population based cohort study, including all…

Sensory and rheological characteristics of thickened liquids differing concentrations of a xanthan gum-based thickener.

PubMed

Kim, Hyeri; Hwang, Han-Im; Song, Ki-Won; Lee, Jeehyun

2017-12-01

The objectives of this study were to develop and compare sensory characteristics of beverages and soups thickened with different concentrations of a xanthan gum-based thickener, and to examine, using rheological measurement, whether the viscosity of the thickened liquids conformed to the recommendations of the National Dysphagia Diet (NDD) Task Force. Beverages tested included water, apple juice, orange juice, soymilk, and Yakult. The thickening agent was added to samples at concentrations of 1, 2, or 3%. Addition of the thickening agent had a significant effect on the appearance, texture, and starchy flavor, which were evaluated by descriptive sensory evaluation. The reference standards of viscosity used in sensory descriptive analysis could be useful to practitioners who have to make dysphagia diets and need to learn to make them properly. In rheological measurement, viscosity of thickened liquids in stationary state would be perceived as higher compared to that while swallowing, because of the shear thinning property. This could lead to noncompliance of the medical advice or malnutrition. It is necessary to determine optimal proportion of xanthan gum-based thickener or uncover alternatives, which have shear thinning properties lower than those of xanthan gum, for the acceptance of dysphagia patients. There was no pudding-like viscosity as classified by NDD, when prepared following instructions. Future studies should include higher concentrations of thickener to find out the concentration of the thickener resulting in pudding-like viscosity as recommended by NDD. When a manufacturer modifies or develops a xanthan gum-based thickener, findings from this study can be utilized to understand sensory and rheological characteristics of thickened liquid. For practitioners who have to make dysphagia diets, the reference standards of viscosity used in sensory descriptive analysis could be helpful for deciding the viscosity level of thickened liquids based only on visual evaluation. This study suggests manufacturers should provide clear direction for viscosity range and thickener concentration. Medical doctors should pay close attention to the risk of aspiration when prescribing pudding-like viscosity. Dietitians should understand the variability in achieving different levels of viscosity and should educate preparers who are responsible for making dysphagia meals. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Implementation of Web- Based Distance Education in Nursing Education in Turkey: A Sample Lesson in Patient Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senyuva, Emine; Tasocak, Gülsün

2014-01-01

The research was carried out in 2005-2006 as a descriptive and methodological study. It aimed to obtain students' feedback and to serve as a source for future relevant studies. The setting of the study was Istanbul University Florence Nightingale Nursing College and at Istanbul University Bakirköy Health College. The sample of the study included…

A Social Studies Curriculum for a Modern World. The Marin Social Studies Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lester, G. Sidney; And Others

The major portion of this report provides a narrative summary and description of the work of the project, its context, evaluation, and recommendations. The major objectives of this three-year project were to: 1) field test and evaluate new K-12 social studies curriculum project materials, and 2) design a new K-12 social studies framework based on…

Equation-oriented specification of neural models for simulations

PubMed Central

Stimberg, Marcel; Goodman, Dan F. M.; Benichoux, Victor; Brette, Romain

2013-01-01

Simulating biological neuronal networks is a core method of research in computational neuroscience. A full specification of such a network model includes a description of the dynamics and state changes of neurons and synapses, as well as the synaptic connectivity patterns and the initial values of all parameters. A standard approach in neuronal modeling software is to build network models based on a library of pre-defined components and mechanisms; if a model component does not yet exist, it has to be defined in a special-purpose or general low-level language and potentially be compiled and linked with the simulator. Here we propose an alternative approach that allows flexible definition of models by writing textual descriptions based on mathematical notation. We demonstrate that this approach allows the definition of a wide range of models with minimal syntax. Furthermore, such explicit model descriptions allow the generation of executable code for various target languages and devices, since the description is not tied to an implementation. Finally, this approach also has advantages for readability and reproducibility, because the model description is fully explicit, and because it can be automatically parsed and transformed into formatted descriptions. The presented approach has been implemented in the Brian2 simulator. PMID:24550820

Characteristics of the Japanese Diet Described in Epidemiologic Publications: A Qualitative Systematic Review.

PubMed

Suzuki, Nozomu; Goto, Yoshihito; Ota, Haruka; Kito, Kumiko; Mano, Fumika; Joo, Erina; Ikeda, Kaori; Inagaki, Nobuya; Nakayama, Takeo

2018-01-01

International interest in the Japanese diet has grown in recent years. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate and organize the Japanese diet and dietary characteristics from an epidemiological perspective, mainly focusing on the nutritional and dietary elements. PubMed, Web of Science, Japan Medical Abstracts Society, JDream III, and CiNii databases were searched. The eligibility criteria included research with an epidemiological study design that was either cross-sectional, cohort, or case-control-based that defined the dietary patterns of the Japanese diet using dietary pattern analysis. A total of 39 research articles that described the Japanese diet were included. The data that were extracted included the following: implementing country, location, study design, participant characteristics, key outcomes, methods used in the analysis of dietary patterns, and descriptions of the Japanese diet. As a result of the systematic review analyzing the descriptions of the Japanese diet from 39 selected articles, we were able to aggregate the descriptions into 16 categories from 33 factors. After performing a content analysis using a further aggregation of categories, we found that the top three applicable categories were soybeans/soybean-derived products, seafood, and vegetables; these were followed by rice and miso soup. The Japanese dietary content was found to be diverse based on an examination of epidemiological studies; however, we were able to aggregate the content into 16 categories. The Japanese diet is considered to be a dietary pattern that contains a combination of factors: the dietary staple, side dishes, and soup.

Awareness of Christian College Professors Concerning English Language Learners in the Content-Based Classroom and Implementation of Effective Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roedding, Amy L.

2013-01-01

In an effort to understand Christian college professors' levels of awareness to the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) in content-based classrooms and to identify effective practices for language learning that are being implemented, a quantitative study using descriptive research was carried out. A survey was used to collect data to…

Children's Negotiations of Visualization Skills during a Design-Based Learning Experience Using Nondigital and Digital Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Shaunna

2018-01-01

In the context of a 10-day summer camp makerspace experience that employed design-based learning (DBL) strategies, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to better understand the ways in which children use visualization skills to negotiate design as they move back and forth between the world of nondigital design techniques (i.e., drawing,…

Parent-Child Relationships and Family Functioning of Children and Youth Discharged from Residential Mental Health Treatment or a Home-Based Alternative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preyde, Michele; Cameron, Gary; Frensch, Karen; Adams, Gerald

2011-01-01

This report stems from a larger study on the outcomes of children and youth who accessed residential treatment or a home-based alternative. In this report an analysis of family descriptive information, the nature of family relationships, and indicators of family functioning for children and youth who have participated in children's mental health…

Web Design Curriculum and Syllabus Based on Web Design Practice and Students' Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krunic, Tanja; Ruzic-Dimitrijevic, Ljiljana; Petrovic, Branka; Farkas, Robert

2006-01-01

The Advanced Technical School from Novi Sad set up a completely new study group for web design in 2004. The main goals of the paper are to explain the steps that were taken in starting this group, and to present the educational program based on our own research through the organization of the group and course descriptions. Since there is a…

Opinions of Turkish Language and Literature Teachers on the Curriculum of Turkish Literature Course Based on the Constructivist Learning Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epcacan, Cahit

2013-01-01

The main objective of this study is to collect the opinions of Turkish Language and Literature teachers at secondary schools about the Curriculum of the Turkish Literature Course based on the constructivist learning theory. To this end, the descriptive method was employed to collect teacher opinions. Structured interview was used as a data…

The Common Vision: Parenting and Educating for Wholeness. Counterpoints: Studies in the Postmodern Theory of Education, Volume 48.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshak, David

This book describes the needs and potentials of children and youth from birth to age 21, based on a holistic understanding of what human beings are and can become. The description is based on the insights of three early twentieth-century spiritual teachers--Rudolf Steiner, Aurobindo Ghose, and Inayat Khan--whose works, the book claims, articulate…

Gaps in the existing public health informatics training programs: a challenge to the development of a skilled global workforce.

PubMed

Joshi, Ashish; Perin, Douglas Marcel Puricelli

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore public health informatics (PHI) training programs that currently exist to meet the growing demand for a trained global workforce. We used several search engines, scientific databases, and the websites of informatics organizations; sources included PubMed, Google, the American Medical Informatics Organization, and the International Medical Informatics Organization. The search was conducted from May to July 2011 and from January to February 2012 using key words such as informatics, public health informatics, or biomedical informatics along with academic programs, training, certificate, graduate programs, or postgraduate programs. Course titles and catalog descriptions were gathered from the program or institution websites. Variables included PHI program categories, location and mode of delivery, program credits, and costs. Each course was then categorized based on its title and description as available on the Internet. Finally, we matched course titles and descriptions with the competencies for PHIs determined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Descriptive analysis was performed to report means and frequency distributions for continuous and categorical variables. Stratified analysis was performed to explore average credits and cost per credit among both the public and private institutions. Fifteen PHI programs were identified across 13 different institutions, the majority of which were US-based. The average number of credits and the associated costs required to obtain PHI training were much higher in private as compared to public institutions. The study results suggest that a need for online contextual and cost-effective PHI training programs exists to address the growing needs of professionals worldwide who are using technology to improve public health in their respective countries.

A screening approach for classroom acoustics using web-based listening tests and subjective ratings.

PubMed

Persson Waye, Kerstin; Magnusson, Lennart; Fredriksson, Sofie; Croy, Ilona

2015-01-01

Perception of speech is crucial in school where speech is the main mode of communication. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a web based approach including listening tests and questionnaires could be used as a screening tool for poor classroom acoustics. The prime focus was the relation between pupils' comprehension of speech, the classroom acoustics and their description of the acoustic qualities of the classroom. In total, 1106 pupils aged 13-19, from 59 classes and 38 schools in Sweden participated in a listening study using Hagerman's sentences administered via Internet. Four listening conditions were applied: high and low background noise level and positions close and far away from the loudspeaker. The pupils described the acoustic quality of the classroom and teachers provided information on the physical features of the classroom using questionnaires. In 69% of the classes, at least three pupils described the sound environment as adverse and in 88% of the classes one or more pupil reported often having difficulties concentrating due to noise. The pupils' comprehension of speech was strongly influenced by the background noise level (p<0.001) and distance to the loudspeakers (p<0.001). Of the physical classroom features, presence of suspended acoustic panels (p<0.05) and length of the classroom (p<0.01) predicted speech comprehension. Of the pupils' descriptions of acoustic qualities, clattery significantly (p<0.05) predicted speech comprehension. Clattery was furthermore associated to difficulties understanding each other, while the description noisy was associated to concentration difficulties. The majority of classrooms do not seem to have an optimal sound environment. The pupil's descriptions of acoustic qualities and listening tests can be one way of predicting sound conditions in the classroom.

Longitudinal Relationships Among Perceived Injunctive and Descriptive Norms and Marijuana Use

PubMed Central

Napper, Lucy E.; Kenney, Shannon R.; Hummer, Justin F.; Fiorot, Sara; LaBrie, Joseph W.

2016-01-01

Objective: The current study uses longitudinal data to examine the relative influence of perceived descriptive and injunctive norms for proximal and distal referents on marijuana use. Method: Participants were 740 undergraduate students (67% female) who completed web-based surveys at two time points 12 months apart. Time 1 measures included reports of marijuana use, approval, perceived descriptive norms, and perceived injunctive norms for the typical student, close friends, and parents. At Time 2, students reported on their marijuana use. Results: Results of a path analysis suggest that, after we controlled for Time 1 marijuana use, greater perceived friend approval indirectly predicted Time 2 marijuana use as mediated by personal approval. Greater perceived parental approval was both indirectly and directly associated with greater marijuana use at follow-up. Perceived typical-student descriptive norms were neither directly nor indirectly related to Time 2 marijuana use. Conclusions: The findings support the role of proximal injunctive norms in predicting college student marijuana use up to 12 months later. The results indicate the potential importance of developing normative interventions that incorporate the social influences of proximal referents. PMID:27172578

The Therapeutic Stage Encounters the Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imholz, Susan

2008-01-01

Clinical research in expressive therapies, psychodrama in particular, offer education researchers and software designers descriptive analyses and evidence-based impact studies on attitudinal shifts and enhanced problem solving abilities for patients and students who participate in psychodrama role-play. Gaming environments and virtual worlds that…

Tracking Concept Development through Semiotic Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronen, Ilana

2015-01-01

A qualitative research focused on a case study aiming to monitor emergent knowledge in a discourse group by tracking the development of the concept "goal." The analysis, based on "Semiotic Evolution" methodology facilitates the description of interactions between personal perceptions in the group discourse, illustrating the…

Successful Innovations in Educational Leadership Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Stephen P.; Oliver, John; Solis, Rachel

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe successful innovations in educational leadership preparation programs. Professors of educational leadership from across the nation nominated innovations of 12 programs. Based on review of descriptions of the innovations provided by nominees, further documentation on the innovations was…

Predicting Abandonment of School-Wide Behavior Support Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nese, Rhonda N. T.; McIntosh, Kent; Nese, Joseph F. T.; Ghemraoui, Adam; Bloom, Jerry; Johnson, Nanci W.; Phillips, Danielle; Richter, Mary F.; Hoselton, Robert

2016-01-01

This study examines predictors of abandonment of evidence-based practices through descriptive analyses of extant state-level training data, fidelity of implementation data, and nationally reported school demographic data across 915 schools in 3 states implementing school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS). Schools…

Microbial genomic taxonomy

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

A need for a genomic species definition is emerging from several independent studies worldwide. In this commentary paper, we discuss recent studies on the genomic taxonomy of diverse microbial groups and a unified species definition based on genomics. Accordingly, strains from the same microbial species share >95% Average Amino Acid Identity (AAI) and Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI), >95% identity based on multiple alignment genes, <10 in Karlin genomic signature, and > 70% in silico Genome-to-Genome Hybridization similarity (GGDH). Species of the same genus will form monophyletic groups on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, Multilocus Sequence Analysis (MLSA) and supertree analysis. In addition to the established requirements for species descriptions, we propose that new taxa descriptions should also include at least a draft genome sequence of the type strain in order to obtain a clear outlook on the genomic landscape of the novel microbe. The application of the new genomic species definition put forward here will allow researchers to use genome sequences to define simultaneously coherent phenotypic and genomic groups. PMID:24365132

Artificial intelligence techniques used in respiratory sound analysis--a systematic review.

PubMed

Palaniappan, Rajkumar; Sundaraj, Kenneth; Sundaraj, Sebastian

2014-02-01

Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently been established as an alternative method to many conventional methods. The implementation of AI techniques for respiratory sound analysis can assist medical professionals in the diagnosis of lung pathologies. This article highlights the importance of AI techniques in the implementation of computer-based respiratory sound analysis. Articles on computer-based respiratory sound analysis using AI techniques were identified by searches conducted on various electronic resources, such as the IEEE, Springer, Elsevier, PubMed, and ACM digital library databases. Brief descriptions of the types of respiratory sounds and their respective characteristics are provided. We then analyzed each of the previous studies to determine the specific respiratory sounds/pathology analyzed, the number of subjects, the signal processing method used, the AI techniques used, and the performance of the AI technique used in the analysis of respiratory sounds. A detailed description of each of these studies is provided. In conclusion, this article provides recommendations for further advancements in respiratory sound analysis.

Of black swans and tossed coins: is the description-experience gap in risky choice limited to rare events?

PubMed

Ludvig, Elliot A; Spetch, Marcia L

2011-01-01

When faced with risky decisions, people tend to be risk averse for gains and risk seeking for losses (the reflection effect). Studies examining this risk-sensitive decision making, however, typically ask people directly what they would do in hypothetical choice scenarios. A recent flurry of studies has shown that when these risky decisions include rare outcomes, people make different choices for explicitly described probabilities than for experienced probabilistic outcomes. Specifically, rare outcomes are overweighted when described and underweighted when experienced. In two experiments, we examined risk-sensitive decision making when the risky option had two equally probable (50%) outcomes. For experience-based decisions, there was a reversal of the reflection effect with greater risk seeking for gains than for losses, as compared to description-based decisions. This fundamental difference in experienced and described choices cannot be explained by the weighting of rare events and suggests a separate subjective utility curve for experience.

Of Black Swans and Tossed Coins: Is the Description-Experience Gap in Risky Choice Limited to Rare Events?

PubMed Central

Ludvig, Elliot A.; Spetch, Marcia L.

2011-01-01

When faced with risky decisions, people tend to be risk averse for gains and risk seeking for losses (the reflection effect). Studies examining this risk-sensitive decision making, however, typically ask people directly what they would do in hypothetical choice scenarios. A recent flurry of studies has shown that when these risky decisions include rare outcomes, people make different choices for explicitly described probabilities than for experienced probabilistic outcomes. Specifically, rare outcomes are overweighted when described and underweighted when experienced. In two experiments, we examined risk-sensitive decision making when the risky option had two equally probable (50%) outcomes. For experience-based decisions, there was a reversal of the reflection effect with greater risk seeking for gains than for losses, as compared to description-based decisions. This fundamental difference in experienced and described choices cannot be explained by the weighting of rare events and suggests a separate subjective utility curve for experience. PMID:21673807

Context-based automated defect classification system using multiple morphological masks

DOEpatents

Gleason, Shaun S.; Hunt, Martin A.; Sari-Sarraf, Hamed

2002-01-01

Automatic detection of defects during the fabrication of semiconductor wafers is largely automated, but the classification of those defects is still performed manually by technicians. This invention includes novel digital image analysis techniques that generate unique feature vector descriptions of semiconductor defects as well as classifiers that use these descriptions to automatically categorize the defects into one of a set of pre-defined classes. Feature extraction techniques based on multiple-focus images, multiple-defect mask images, and segmented semiconductor wafer images are used to create unique feature-based descriptions of the semiconductor defects. These feature-based defect descriptions are subsequently classified by a defect classifier into categories that depend on defect characteristics and defect contextual information, that is, the semiconductor process layer(s) with which the defect comes in contact. At the heart of the system is a knowledge database that stores and distributes historical semiconductor wafer and defect data to guide the feature extraction and classification processes. In summary, this invention takes as its input a set of images containing semiconductor defect information, and generates as its output a classification for the defect that describes not only the defect itself, but also the location of that defect with respect to the semiconductor process layers.

Is mind-mindedness trait-like or a quality of close relationships? Evidence from descriptions of significant others, famous people, and works of art.

PubMed

Meins, Elizabeth; Fernyhough, Charles; Harris-Waller, Jayne

2014-03-01

The four studies reported here sought to explore the nature of the construct of mind-mindedness. In Study 1, involving 37 mothers of 5- to 8-year-old children, mothers' verbal mind-minded descriptions of their children were positively correlated with their mind-minded descriptions of their current romantic partner. Participants in Studies 2 (N=114), 3 (N=173), and 4 (N=153) were young adults who provided written descriptions of: a close friend and their current romantic partner (Study 2); two specified famous people, two works of art, and a close friend (Study 3); a specified famous person, a famous person of the participant's choice, and a close friend (Study 4). Study 2 obtained paper-and-pen written descriptions, whereas participants completed descriptions in electronic format in Studies 3 and 4. Mind-minded descriptions of friends and partners were positively correlated, but there was no relation between mind-minded descriptions of a friend and the tendency to describe famous people or works of art in mind-minded terms. Levels of mind-mindedness were higher in descriptions of friends compared with descriptions of famous people or works of art. Administration format was unrelated to individuals' mind-mindedness scores. The results suggest that mind-mindedness is a facet of personal relationships rather than a trait-like quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Establishing a culturally specific nursing home for Finnish-speaking older persons in Sweden: A case study.

PubMed

Hadziabdic, Emina; Hjelm, Katarina

2018-04-01

The study aims to describe the establishment of a culturally specific nursing home for Finnish-speaking older persons in Sweden. A descriptive qualitative study. A descriptive case study based on a review of 14 public documents and individual interviews with two experts in the area, analysed with qualitative content analysis. This study found that shared language, preservation of customs and habits and collaboration between the representatives of the municipality, Finnish-speaking migrant associations and staff at the nursing home influenced the development of the culturally specific nursing home for older Finnish-speaking people intended to avoid loneliness, isolation and misunderstandings among older Finnish-speaking. Collaboration between healthcare service for older persons and minority people resulted in an optimal culturally specific nursing home, simultaneously encountering the majority culture. Nursing and healthcare services need to be aware of positive effects of collaboration with stakeholders to achieve optimal culturally specific nursing homes.

Influence of Managers' Empathic Skills on School Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toremen, Fatih; Ekinci, Abdurrahman; Karakus, Mehmet

2006-01-01

Purpose: The main purpose of this investigation is to find out the influence of empathic skills of managers on the success of schools. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, survey based descriptive scanning model was used. This study was fulfilled in Batman city on teachers working at public and private primary schools in 2003-2004 education…

Primary School Students' Parents' Level of Involvement into Their Children's Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sad, Suleyman Nihat; Gurbuzturk, Oguz

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which parents of elementary students (1st to 5th) participate in their children's education with regard to some variables. The study was designed based on descriptive survey model and comparative and correlational associative models. The sample of the research comprised 1252 parents whose…

Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences (COSIA): Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inverness Research, 2010

2010-01-01

The three case studies presented in this paper are descriptive and evaluative in nature, and are designed to describe, explain, and portray in some detail three examples of COSIA partnerships. These cases are context bound; the place-based aspect of these cases is critical to the phenomenon being explored. Consistent with the goal for employing a…

Creating an Institutional Identity out of "Differences": A Case Study of Multicultural Organizational Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bensimon, Estela Mara

This case study examines the efforts of one small private liberal arts college to exchange a monocultural organizational structure for one that is grounded in the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body. The paper is based on interviews with faculty, administrators, students, and trustees and provides a detailed description of…

Grammar School Students' Opinions on the Art Curriculum: An Estonian, Portuguese and Slovenian Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zupancic, Tomaž; Köster, Annely; Torres de Eça, Teresa

2015-01-01

The article presents the attitude of grammar school students towards the art curriculum. It first provides an overview of the characteristics of contemporary art education, with an emphasis on the postmodern art curriculum and on linking course content with students' interests. The study is based on the descriptive and causal non-experimental…

The Micropolitics of School Principals' Decision Making in Nigeria: Principals' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olayiwola, Shina; Alabi, Kingsley

2015-01-01

This study depicted a micropolitical analysis of school principals' decision making as regards the influence of formal and informal groups on school administrative processes from the point of view of principals. It was based on descriptive survey study of all 24 public secondary schools within Ile-Ife community, Osun State, Nigeria, out of which a…

"Seeing It on the Screen Isn't Really Seeing It": Reading Problems of Writers Using Word Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haas, Christina

An observational study examined computer writers' use of hard copy for reading. The study begins with a description, based on interviews, of four kinds of reading problems encountered by writers using word processing; formatting, proofreading, reorganizing, and critical reading ("getting a sense of the text"). Subjects, six freshmen…

Digital Storytelling in ESL Instruction: Identity Negotiation through a Pedagogy of Multiliteracies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vinogradova, Polina

2011-01-01

This qualitative descriptive exploratory study investigated how a pedagogy of multiliteracies can be introduced to the ESL curriculum using digital stories and explored the ways ESL learners negotiate their identities through the multimodality of this narrative genre. The study was based on the premise that in language education it is crucial to…

Open and Distance Education Accreditation Standards Scale: Validity and Reliability Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Can, Ertug

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop, and test the validity and reliability of a scale for the use of researchers to determine the accreditation standards of open and distance education based on the views of administrators, teachers, staff and students. This research was designed according to the general descriptive survey model since it aims…

Reducing Risk through a Supplementary Reading Intervention: A Case Study of First- and Second-Grade Urban Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council, Morris R., III; Cartledge, Gwendolyn; Green, DeLayna; Barber, Mariah; Gardner, Ralph, III

2016-01-01

This descriptive study examined whether a computer-based, repeated reading intervention (i.e., Reading Relevant and Culturally Engaging Stories) is associated with improved reading and social behavior for three primary-aged urban black girls who each showed both academic and behavioral risk. The Reading Relevant and Culturally Engaging Stories…

Attitudes of Preschool Teachers towards Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konca, Ahmet Sami; Ozel, Erdogan; Zelyurt, Hikmet

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to determine the attitudes of preschool teachers towards using technological tools and to analyze it in terms of different variables. The research was conducted based on descriptive study model. Working group was consisted of 103 teachers working at kindergartens in city center of Kirsehir and Malatya in the fall semester…

"BELTEK" Project for the Training and Employability of Women in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz, Erisen; Nadir, Celikoz; Mehmet, Sahin; Kurtkan, Kapicioglu M. Osman; Sait, Atas; Cemal, Akyol; Cagla, Girgin

2010-01-01

This is a case study based on BELTEK, which is a training organisation under Ankara metropolitan Municipality in Turkey. BELTEK is one of the initiatives aiming to train women and help to boost their employability. In this descriptive study, the goals, structure, training activities for the training and employability of women are put under…

Operationalization of a Frame of Reference for Studying Organizational Culture in Middle Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Larry G.

A frame of reference for studying culture in middle schools was developed. Items for the Middle School Description Survey (MSDS), which was designed to test elements of the ideal middle school culture, were created based on middle school advocacy literature. The items were conceptually categorized according to E. H. Schein's (1985) cultural…

Pathways to College for Former Foster Youth: Understanding Factors that Contribute to Educational Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merdinger, Joan M.; Hines, Alice M.; Osterling, Kathy Lemon; Wyatt, Paige

2005-01-01

This article presents early descriptive findings from the Pathways to College study, a multimethod and multiphase study of emancipated foster youth. Results based on a sample of 216 emancipated foster youth attending a four-year university indicate that many of their experiences are characteristic of individuals manifesting resilience in the face…

A Needs Analysis Study for Preparatory Class ELT Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulum, Ömer Gökhan

2015-01-01

With this study, to have a general understanding of academic needs for the development of speaking skill, the needs of preparatory class university students at an English Language Teaching Department were assessed. Based upon a descriptive research design, an adapted questionnaire with open-ended questions was administered to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th…

Research and Practice on College English Oral Test--A Case Study of Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Jiaolan; Zhang, Weiran; Yu, Yuan; Chang, Jie; Ding, Guangwei

2015-01-01

Based on the description of implementation of College English oral test from the points of the necessity, feasibility, and implementation process, this study analyzed the current situation of university students' oral English, oral English ability, the college entrance examination results, and a band-4 written test and established their…

Information and Communication Technology Integration into Teaching and Learning: Opportunities and Challenges for Commerce Educators in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assan, Thomas; Thomas, Raju

2012-01-01

The study examined the opportunities available and challenges experienced by Commerce subjects' educators using ICT. Quantitative and qualitative descriptive research was used. Six high schools were purposely selected for the study because they are all equipped with computer laboratories. A purposive sample consisted of 138 school-based commerce…

A Case Study Showing Parameters Affecting the Quality of Education: Faculty Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumari, Neeraj

2014-01-01

The study aims to examine the faculty members' perspective (age Wise, Gender Wise and Work Experience wise) of parameters affecting the quality of education in an affiliated Undergraduate Engineering Institution in Haryana. It is a descriptive type of research. The data has been collected with the help of 'Questionnaire Based Survey'. The sample…

A Qualitative Study of Information Technology Students' Learning Outcomes during a Cooperative Education Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krejci, Katherine T.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the learning outcomes of the cooperative-education experience from an Information Technology student's perspective at a large Fortune 500 manufacturing/sales company located in the Midwest United States. Open-ended interview questions were developed based on the four-component model…

Opportunities and Challenges: Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning Mathematics in Secondary Schools, Nairobi, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amuko, Sheila; Miheso, Marguerite; Ndeuthi, Sophie

2015-01-01

This presentation is based on a larger study whose purpose was to explore the various opportunities and challenges influencing integration of ICT in teaching and learning Mathematics in secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study, adopted a descriptive survey design. Three instruments questionnaires', a structured interview schedule and an…

Turkish Pre-Service History Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Motivations on the Teaching Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akçali, Asli Avci

2017-01-01

This study aims to identify the self-efficacy beliefs and motivations of Turkish pre-service history teachers, with respect to "the teaching profession in general", as well as "the history teaching profession specifically". With a descriptive aim, the study will be based on survey research. The research uses an explanatory…

Moral Courage from the Perspective of Arab Teachers in Jewish Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baratz, Lea

2016-01-01

The current study aims to call attention to the phenomenon of female Muslim Arab teachers teaching in Israeli Jewish schools. The study examined the manner in which these female Muslim Arab teachers perceived their integration into the milieu of the Jewish schools, based on their descriptions of the various processes they experience when dealing…

Technologies and Second Language: Nigerian Students' Adaptive Strategies to Cope with Language Barrier in Northern Cyprus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elega, Adeola Abdulateef; Özad, Bahire Efe

2017-01-01

This study sought to investigate how Nigerian students in Northern Cyprus cope with language barrier and increase interactions with people of the host community beyond the classroom via utilizing technological adaptive strategies. In order to complete this study, a descriptive design based on a survey conducted among 238 Nigerian students studying…