Structures performance, benefit, cost-study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woike, O. G.; Salemme, C.; Stearns, E.; Oritz, P.; Roberts, M. L.; Baughman, J. L.; Johnston, R. P.; Demel, H. F.; Stabrylla, R. G.; Coffinberry, G. A.

1981-01-01

New technology concepts and structural analysis development needs which could lead to improved life cycle cost for future high-bypass turbofans were studied. The NASA-GE energy efficient engine technology is used as a base to assess the concept benefits. Recommended programs are identified for attaining these generic structural and other beneficial technologies.

What are the benefits of a commercial exergaming platform for college students? Examining physical activity, enjoyment, and future intentions.

PubMed

Garn, Alex C; Baker, Birgitta L; Beasley, Emily K; Solmon, Melinda A

2012-02-01

Traditional videogames contribute to sedentary behaviors; in contrast, exergaming is a relatively new concept that uses videogames to promote exercise during game play. Nintendo Wii Fit is a commercially popular exergaming platform geared toward improving fitness, however, limited empirical evidence related to the physical and mental benefits of the Wii Fit platform currently exist. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate possible physical and motivational benefits of Nintendo Wii Fit. A repeated measures design was used with 30 college-aged students to explore physical activity, enjoyment, and future intentions of physical activity associated with Wii Fit exergames. Data supported the efficacy of Wii Fit Basic Run to consistently produce moderate to vigorous physical activity across participants. Future intentions were higher for exergaming compared with generic exercise and obese individuals enjoyed exergaming more than generic physical activity. The Basic Run Wii Fit game provided opportunities for accumulating moderate to vigorous physical activity that provided motivational benefits to these participants, especially those classified as obese. Future research should examine the ability of Wii Fit exergames to produce physical activity and motivation over time.

The balance sheet of benefits and harms of breast cancer population-based screening in Europe: outcome research, practice and future challenges.

PubMed

Broeders, Mireille; Paci, Eugenio

2015-11-01

Breast cancer screening programs are still object of harsh debate. In 2012, the Independent UK Panel reviewed the benefits and harms of mammography screening based on randomized trials and the EUROSCREEN Working Group reviewed European observational outcome studies. The conclusion was that screening programs should continue, while acknowledging that harms, such as the occurrence of false-positive results and overdiagnosis, can have a negative impact on a woman's life. Information on the balance sheet of the benefits and harms of breast cancer screening should help women and their physicians to make an informed choice. The future challenge for breast screening programs is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and impact of risk-based screening in order to maximize benefit-to-harm ratios.

Employment-based health benefits: recent trends and future outlook.

PubMed

Fronstin, Paul

2012-01-01

The employment-based health benefits system established its roots many years ago. It was during World War II that many more employers began to offer health benefits. Recently, however, both the percentage of workers with employment-based health benefits and the comprehensiveness of such coverage have been declining. This paper examines recent trends in employment-based health benefits. It also considers the likely future of this important workplace benefit in light of shifts from defined benefit to defined contribution models of employee benefits and with regard to the implementation of health reform.

An Attempt to Quantify the Economic Benefits of Scientific Research, Science Policy Studies No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byatt, I. C. R.; Cohen, A. V.

This paper presents a possible methodology for measuring and predicting the future course of the long-range economic benefits of "curiosity-oriented" research. The basic premise is that much pure research tends to give rise to major industries in about one generation. Each industry will have some total economic benefit which can be…

Energy Efficient Engine Program: Technology Benefit/Cost Study, Volume II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gray, D. E.; Gardner, W. B.

1983-01-01

The Benefit/Cost Study portion of the NASA-sponsored Energy Efficient Engine Component Development and Integration program was successful in achieving its objectives: identification of air transport propulsion system technology requirements for the years 2000 and 2010, and formulation of programs for developing these technologies. It is projected that the advanced technologies identified, when developed to a state of readiness, will provide future commercial and military turbofan engines with significant savings in fuel consumption and related operating costs. These benefits are significant and far from exhausted. The potential savings translate into billions of dollars in annual savings for the airlines. Analyses indicate that a significant portion of the overall savings is attributed to aerodynamic and structure advancements. Another important consideration in acquiring these benefits is developing a viable reference technology base that will permit engines to operate at substantially higher overall pressure ratios and bypass ratios. Results have pointed the direction for future research and a comprehensive program plan for achieving this was formulated. The next major step is initiating the program effort that will convert the advanced technologies into the expected benefits.

28 CFR 104.47 - Collateral sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... determining the appropriate collateral source offset for future benefit payments, the Special Master may employ an appropriate methodology for determining the present value of such future benefits. In... compensation, including life insurance, pension funds, death benefits programs, and payments by Federal, State...

Benefits and Limitations of Real Options Analysis for the Practice of River Flood Risk Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kind, Jarl M.; Baayen, Jorn H.; Botzen, W. J. Wouter

2018-04-01

Decisions on long-lived flood risk management (FRM) investments are complex because the future is uncertain. Flexibility and robustness can be used to deal with future uncertainty. Real options analysis (ROA) provides a welfare-economics framework to design and evaluate robust and flexible FRM strategies under risk or uncertainty. Although its potential benefits are large, ROA is hardly used in todays' FRM practice. In this paper, we investigate benefits and limitations of a ROA, by applying it to a realistic FRM case study for an entire river branch. We illustrate how ROA identifies optimal short-term investments and values future options. We develop robust dike investment strategies and value the flexibility offered by additional room for the river measures. We benchmark the results of ROA against those of a standard cost-benefit analysis and show ROA's potential policy implications. The ROA for a realistic case requires a high level of geographical detail, a large ensemble of scenarios, and the inclusion of stakeholders' preferences. We found several limitations of applying the ROA. It is complex. In particular, relevant sources of uncertainty need to be recognized, quantified, integrated, and discretized in scenarios, requiring subjective choices and expert judgment. Decision trees have to be generated and stakeholders' preferences have to be translated into decision rules. On basis of this study, we give general recommendations to use high discharge scenarios for the design of measures with high fixed costs and few alternatives. Lower scenarios may be used when alternatives offer future flexibility.

Reservoir adaptive operating rules based on both of historical streamflow and future projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Liu, Pan; Wang, Hao; Chen, Jie; Lei, Xiaohui; Feng, Maoyuan

2017-10-01

Climate change is affecting hydrological variables and consequently is impacting water resources management. Historical strategies are no longer applicable under climate change. Therefore, adaptive management, especially adaptive operating rules for reservoirs, has been developed to mitigate the possible adverse effects of climate change. However, to date, adaptive operating rules are generally based on future projections involving uncertainties under climate change, yet ignoring historical information. To address this, we propose an approach for deriving adaptive operating rules considering both historical information and future projections, namely historical and future operating rules (HAFOR). A robustness index was developed by comparing benefits from HAFOR with benefits from conventional operating rules (COR). For both historical and future streamflow series, maximizations of both average benefits and the robustness index were employed as objectives, and four trade-offs were implemented to solve the multi-objective problem. Based on the integrated objective, the simulation-based optimization method was used to optimize the parameters of HAFOR. Using the Dongwushi Reservoir in China as a case study, HAFOR was demonstrated to be an effective and robust method for developing adaptive operating rules under the uncertain changing environment. Compared with historical or projected future operating rules (HOR or FPOR), HAFOR can reduce the uncertainty and increase the robustness for future projections, especially regarding results of reservoir releases and volumes. HAFOR, therefore, facilitates adaptive management in the context that climate change is difficult to predict accurately.

The benefits associated with volunteering among seniors: a critical review and recommendations for future research.

PubMed

Anderson, Nicole D; Damianakis, Thecla; Kröger, Edeltraut; Wagner, Laura M; Dawson, Deirdre R; Binns, Malcolm A; Bernstein, Syrelle; Caspi, Eilon; Cook, Suzanne L

2014-11-01

There is an urgent need to identify lifestyle activities that reduce functional decline and dementia associated with population aging. The goals of this article are to review critically the evidence on the benefits associated with formal volunteering among older adults, propose a theoretical model of how volunteering may reduce functional limitations and dementia risk, and offer recommendations for future research. Database searches identified 113 papers on volunteering benefits in older adults, of which 73 were included. Data from descriptive, cross-sectional, and prospective cohort studies, along with 1 randomized controlled trial, most consistently reveal that volunteering is associated with reduced symptoms of depression, better self-reported health, fewer functional limitations, and lower mortality. The extant evidence provides the basis for a model proposing that volunteering increases social, physical, and cognitive activity (to varying degrees depending on characteristics of the volunteer placement) which, through biological and psychological mechanisms, leads to improved functioning; we further propose that these volunteering-related functional improvements should be associated with reduced dementia risk. Recommendations for future research are that studies (a) include more objective measures of psychosocial, physical, and cognitive functioning; (b) integrate qualitative and quantitative methods in prospective study designs; (c) explore further individual differences in the benefits associated with volunteering; (d) include occupational analyses of volunteers' specific jobs in order to identify their social, physical, and cognitive complexity; (e) investigate the independent versus interactive health benefits associated with volunteering relative to engagement in other forms of activity; and (f) examine the relationship between volunteering and dementia risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between an orientation to the future and an orientation to the past: The role of future clarity.

PubMed

Moss, Simon A; Wilson, Samuel G; Irons, Melanie; Naivalu, Carmen

2017-12-01

Some research shows that people who often contemplate their future tend to be healthier. Yet the burgeoning literature on mindfulness demonstrates that people who are more attuned to their immediate experiences also enjoy many benefits. To reconcile these principles, many scholars recommend that people should distribute their attention, somewhat evenly, across the past, present, and future-but have not clarified how people should achieve this goal. We test the possibility that people who perceive their future as vivid and certain, called future clarity, might be able to both orient their attention to the future as well as experience mindfulness. Specifically, future clarity could diminish the inclination of people to reach decisions prematurely and dismiss information that contradicts these decisions, called need for closure-tendencies that diminish consideration of future consequences and mindfulness, respectively. In this cross-sectional study, 194 participants completed measures of mindfulness, consideration of future consequences, need for closure, and future clarity. Consistent with hypotheses, future clarity was positively associated with both mindfulness and consideration of future consequences. Need for closure partly mediated these relationships. Accordingly, interventions that empower people to shape and to clarify their future might generate the benefits of both mindfulness and a future orientation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Individual and social discounting in a viscous population.

PubMed

Sozou, Peter D

2009-08-22

Social discounting in economics involves applying a diminishing weight to community-wide benefits or costs into the future. It impacts on public policy decisions involving future positive or negative effects, but there is no consensus on the correct basis for determining the social discount rate. This study presents an evolutionary biological framework for social discounting. How an organism should value future benefits to its local community is governed by the extent to which members of the community in the future are likely to be its kin. Trade-offs between immediate and delayed benefits to an individual or to its community are analysed for a modelled patch-structured iteroparous population with limited dispersal. It is shown that the social discount rate is generally lower than the individual (private) discount rate. The difference in the two rates is most pronounced, in ratio terms, when the dispersal level is low and the hazard rate for patch destruction is much smaller than the individual mortality rate. When decisions involve enforced collective action rather than individuals acting independently, social investment increases but the social discount rate remains the same.

The Use of E-supervision to Support Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students during Student Teaching Practica

PubMed Central

Carlin, Charles H.; Boarman, Katie; Carlin, Emily; Inselmann, Karissa

2013-01-01

In the present feasibility study, e-supervision was used to provide university liaison supervision to speech-language pathology (SLP) graduate students enrolled in student teaching practica. Utilizing a mixed methodology approach, interview and survey data were compared in order to identify similarities and differences between in-person and e-supervision, and guide future practice. Results showed e-supervised graduate students perceived that they received adequate supervision, feedback, support, and communication. Further, e-supervision provided additional benefits to supervisors, children on the caseload, and universities. Despite the benefits, disadvantages emerged. Implications for future practice and limitations of the study were identified. PMID:25945215

SEASAT economic assessment. Volume 7: Marine transporation case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The studies conducted of the potential use of SEASAT ocean condition data and resulting forecasts by dry cargo ships and tankers reached the following conclusions. The SEASAT ocean condition data and resulting forecasts could be usefully employed to route ships around storms, thereby resulting in reduced adverse weather damage, time loss and the related operating costs, and occasional catastrophic losses. These benefits are incremental benefits beyond those which present and future conventional ship routing procedures can supply. The values of the benefits are listed.

Conducting a Multisite Education Research Project: Strategies to Overcome the Barriers to Achieve the Benefits.

PubMed

Beischel, Kelly P; Hart, Julie; Turkelson, Sandra L

2016-01-01

Multisite education research projects have many benefits as well as perceived barriers. In this article, we share our experiences with a multisite education research project and the barriers we overcame to reap the benefits. The outcome of our research resulted in increased rigor, role-modeling professional collaboration, and promotion of future multisite education studies. The strategies presented in this article will help alleviate perceived barriers and ameliorate the process of conducting multisite education research studies.

Asthma pharmacogenetics and the development of genetic profiles for personalized medicine

PubMed Central

Ortega, Victor E; Meyers, Deborah A; Bleecker, Eugene R

2015-01-01

Human genetics research will be critical to the development of genetic profiles for personalized or precision medicine in asthma. Genetic profiles will consist of gene variants that predict individual disease susceptibility and risk for progression, predict which pharmacologic therapies will result in a maximal therapeutic benefit, and predict whether a therapy will result in an adverse response and should be avoided in a given individual. Pharmacogenetic studies of the glucocorticoid, leukotriene, and β2-adrenergic receptor pathways have focused on candidate genes within these pathways and, in addition to a small number of genome-wide association studies, have identified genetic loci associated with therapeutic responsiveness. This review summarizes these pharmacogenetic discoveries and the future of genetic profiles for personalized medicine in asthma. The benefit of a personalized, tailored approach to health care delivery is needed in the development of expensive biologic drugs directed at a specific biologic pathway. Prior pharmacogenetic discoveries, in combination with additional variants identified in future studies, will form the basis for future genetic profiles for personalized tailored approaches to maximize therapeutic benefit for an individual asthmatic while minimizing the risk for adverse events. PMID:25691813

Test Expectation Enhances Memory Consolidation across Both Sleep and Wake

PubMed Central

Wamsley, Erin J.; Hamilton, Kelly; Graveline, Yvette; Manceor, Stephanie; Parr, Elaine

2016-01-01

Memory consolidation benefits from post-training sleep. However, recent studies suggest that sleep does not uniformly benefit all memory, but instead prioritizes information that is important to the individual. Here, we examined the effect of test expectation on memory consolidation across sleep and wakefulness. Following reports that information with strong “future relevance” is preferentially consolidated during sleep, we hypothesized that test expectation would enhance memory consolidation across a period of sleep, but not across wakefulness. To the contrary, we found that expectation of a future test enhanced memory for both spatial and motor learning, but that this effect was equivalent across both wake and sleep retention intervals. These observations differ from those of least two prior studies, and fail to support the hypothesis that the “future relevance” of learned material moderates its consolidation selectively during sleep. PMID:27760193

Closing the Education Gap: Benefits and Costs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernez, Georges; Krop, Richard A.; Rydell, C. Peter

This study explored the implications of demographic trends on the quality of the future labor force and on public social expenditures. It also focused on the educational costs and social benefits of educational and immigration policy alternatives designed to close the gap in educational attainment between non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics and…

A Questionnaire-Based Study on the Perceptions of Canadian Seniors About Cognitive, Social, and Psychological Benefits of Digital Games.

PubMed

Duplàa, Emmanuel; Kaufman, David; Sauvé, Louise; Renaud, Lise

2017-06-01

This study explored the perceptions of seniors who play digital games on the potential benefits of these games and on the factors associated with these perceptions. We developed and administered a questionnaire to a sample of 590 Canadian seniors in British Columbia and Quebec that addressed demographics, digital game practices, and perceived benefits. Results of administering the questionnaire showed that cognitive benefits were reported more frequently than social or psychological benefits. First language and gender were associated with the benefits reported, with fewer Francophones and women reporting benefits. The most important factor found was whether or not they played online, as playing online was associated with greater perceptions of social, as well as cognitive, benefits. Social and cognitive benefits are reported by seniors from playing digital games and should be investigated through future experimental and quasi-experimental research.

Benefit-cost assessment programs: Costa Rica case study

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

Clark, A.L.; Trocki, L.K.

An assessment of mineral potential, in terms of types and numbers of deposits, approximate location and associated tonnage and grades, is a valuable input to a nation's economic planning and mineral policy development. This study provides a methodology for applying benefit-cost analysis to mineral resource assessment programs, both to determine the cost effectiveness of resource assessments and to ascertain future benefits to the nation. In a case study of Costa Rica, the benefit-cost ratio of a resource assessment program was computed to be a minimum of 4:1 ($10.6 million to $2.5 million), not including the economic benefits accuring from themore » creation of 800 mining sector and 1,200 support services jobs. The benefit-cost ratio would be considerably higher if presently proposed revisions of mineral policy were implemented and benefits could be defined for Costa Rica.« less

Value of information analysis optimizing future trial design from a pilot study on catheter securement devices.

PubMed

Tuffaha, Haitham W; Reynolds, Heather; Gordon, Louisa G; Rickard, Claire M; Scuffham, Paul A

2014-12-01

Value of information analysis has been proposed as an alternative to the standard hypothesis testing approach, which is based on type I and type II errors, in determining sample sizes for randomized clinical trials. However, in addition to sample size calculation, value of information analysis can optimize other aspects of research design such as possible comparator arms and alternative follow-up times, by considering trial designs that maximize the expected net benefit of research, which is the difference between the expected cost of the trial and the expected value of additional information. To apply value of information methods to the results of a pilot study on catheter securement devices to determine the optimal design of a future larger clinical trial. An economic evaluation was performed using data from a multi-arm randomized controlled pilot study comparing the efficacy of four types of catheter securement devices: standard polyurethane, tissue adhesive, bordered polyurethane and sutureless securement device. Probabilistic Monte Carlo simulation was used to characterize uncertainty surrounding the study results and to calculate the expected value of additional information. To guide the optimal future trial design, the expected costs and benefits of the alternative trial designs were estimated and compared. Analysis of the value of further information indicated that a randomized controlled trial on catheter securement devices is potentially worthwhile. Among the possible designs for the future trial, a four-arm study with 220 patients/arm would provide the highest expected net benefit corresponding to 130% return-on-investment. The initially considered design of 388 patients/arm, based on hypothesis testing calculations, would provide lower net benefit with return-on-investment of 79%. Cost-effectiveness and value of information analyses were based on the data from a single pilot trial which might affect the accuracy of our uncertainty estimation. Another limitation was that different follow-up durations for the larger trial were not evaluated. The value of information approach allows efficient trial design by maximizing the expected net benefit of additional research. This approach should be considered early in the design of randomized clinical trials. © The Author(s) 2014.

SETI in the future - Toward other possible searches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rummel, John D.

1992-01-01

The future prospects of SETI as a scientific endeavor, both in its own right and with respect to the side benefits to science and society, are discussed. Specifically, the consequences of a successful detection and the prospects for follow-on studies in exobiology are addressed.

Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-10

iss052e013081 (7/10/2017) --- The Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures) investigation studies a new method using structures of specific shapes to manage fluid and gas mixtures. The investigation studies water recycling and carbon dioxide removal, benefiting future efforts to design lightweight, more reliable life support systems for future space missions.

Forecasting the Economic Impact of Future Space Station Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summer, R. A.; Smolensky, S. M.; Muir, A. H.

1967-01-01

Recent manned and unmanned Earth-orbital operations have suggested great promise of improved knowledge and of substantial economic and associated benefits to be derived from services offered by a space station. Proposed application areas include agriculture, forestry, hydrology, public health, oceanography, natural disaster warning, and search/rescue operations. The need for reliable estimates of economic and related Earth-oriented benefits to be realized from Earth-orbital operations is discussed and recent work in this area is reviewed. Emphasis is given to those services based on remote sensing. Requirements for a uniform, comprehensive and flexible methodology are discussed. A brief review of the suggested methodology is presented. This methodology will be exercised through five case studies which were chosen from a gross inventory of almost 400 user candidates. The relationship of case study results to benefits in broader application areas is discussed, Some management implications of possible future program implementation are included.

Benefit-cost analysis of addiction treatment: methodological guidelines and empirical application using the DATCAP and ASI.

PubMed

French, Michael T; Salomé, Helena J; Sindelar, Jody L; McLellan, A Thomas

2002-04-01

To provide detailed methodological guidelines for using the Drug Abuse Treatment Cost Analysis Program (DATCAP) and Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in a benefit-cost analysis of addiction treatment. A representative benefit-cost analysis of three outpatient programs was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and value of the methodological guidelines. Procedures are outlined for using resource use and cost data collected with the DATCAP. Techniques are described for converting outcome measures from the ASI to economic (dollar) benefits of treatment. Finally, principles are advanced for conducting a benefit-cost analysis and a sensitivity analysis of the estimates. The DATCAP was administered at three outpatient drug-free programs in Philadelphia, PA, for 2 consecutive fiscal years (1996 and 1997). The ASI was administered to a sample of 178 treatment clients at treatment entry and at 7-months postadmission. The DATCAP and ASI appear to have significant potential for contributing to an economic evaluation of addiction treatment. The benefit-cost analysis and subsequent sensitivity analysis all showed that total economic benefit was greater than total economic cost at the three outpatient programs, but this representative application is meant to stimulate future economic research rather than justifying treatment per se. This study used previously validated, research-proven instruments and methods to perform a practical benefit-cost analysis of real-world treatment programs. The study demonstrates one way to combine economic and clinical data and offers a methodological foundation for future economic evaluations of addiction treatment.

Perceived benefit and mental health after three types of disaster.

PubMed

McMillen, J C; Smith, E M; Fisher, R H

1997-10-01

The study of growth and perceived benefit after traumatic events has been hailed as one of the most promising directions for stress research. This research, however, has been limited by several methodological limitations. These limitations are addressed in this prospective study, which examines perceived benefit and mental health adjustment after 3 different types of disaster. Survivors of a tornado in Madison, Florida, had the highest rates of perceived benefit, followed by survivors of a mass killing in Killeen, Texas, and survivors of a plane crash in Indianapolis, Indiana. Perceived benefit 4-6 weeks postdisaster predicted posttraumatic stress disorder 3 years later. Perceived benefit moderated the effect of severity of disaster exposure on mental health diagnosis change over time. Without perceived benefit, as exposure severity increased, the amount of recovery decreased. If benefit was perceived, as exposure severity increased, the amount of recovery increased. Implications for clinical interventions and future research are discussed.

Episodic Future Thinking: Mechanisms and Functions.

PubMed

Schacter, Daniel L; Benoit, Roland G; Szpunar, Karl K

2017-10-01

Episodic future thinking refers to the capacity to imagine or simulate experiences that might occur in one's personal future. Cognitive, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging research concerning episodic future thinking has accelerated during recent years. This article discusses research that has delineated cognitive and neural mechanisms that support episodic future thinking as well as the functions that episodic future thinking serves. Studies focused on mechanisms have identified a core brain network that underlies episodic future thinking and have begun to tease apart the relative contributions of particular regions in this network, and the specific cognitive processes that they support. Studies concerned with functions have identified several domains in which episodic future thinking produces performance benefits, including decision making, emotion regulation, prospective memory, and spatial navigation.

Investigation of Insulation Materials for Future Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornell, Peggy A.; Hurwitz, Frances I.; Ellis, David L.; Schmitz, Paul C.

2013-01-01

NASA's Radioisotope Power System (RPS) Technology Advancement Project is developing next generation high temperature insulation materials that directly benefit thermal management and improve performance of RPS for future science missions. Preliminary studies on the use of multilayer insulation (MLI) for Stirling convertors used on the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) have shown the potential benefits of MLI for space vacuum applications in reducing generator size and increasing specific power (W/kg) as compared to the baseline Microtherm HT (Microtherm, Inc.) insulation. Further studies are currently being conducted at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) on candidate MLI foils and aerogel composite spacers. This paper presents the method of testing of foils and spacers and experimental results to date.

Investigation of Insulation Materials for Future Radioisotope Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornell, Peggy A.; Hurwitz, Frances I.; Ellis, David L.; Schmitz, Paul C.

2013-01-01

NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Technology Advancement Project is developing next generation high-temperature insulation materials that directly benefit thermal management and improve performance of RPS for future science missions. Preliminary studies on the use of multilayer insulation (MLI) for Stirling convertors used on the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) have shown the potential benefits of MLI for space vacuum applications in reducing generator size and increasing specific power (W/kg) as compared to the baseline Microtherm HT (Microtherm, Inc.) insulation. Further studies are currently being conducted at NASA Glenn Research Center on candidate MLI foils and aerogel composite spacers. This paper presents the method of testing of foils and spacers and experimental results to date.

Nuclear power: Unexpected health benefits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shellenberger, Michael

2017-04-01

Public fears of nuclear power are widespread, especially in the aftermath of accidents, yet their benefits are rarely fully considered. A new study shows how the closure of two nuclear power plants in the 1980s increased air pollution and led to a measurable reduction in birth weights, a key indicator of future health outcomes.

How we value the future affects our desire to learn.

PubMed

Moore, Alana L; Hauser, Cindy E; McCarthy, Michael A

2008-06-01

Active adaptive management is increasingly advocated in natural resource management and conservation biology. Active adaptive management looks at the benefit of employing strategies that may be suboptimal in the near term but which may provide additional information that will facilitate better management in future years. However, when comparing management policies it is traditional to weigh future rewards geometrically (at a constant discount rate) which results in far-distant rewards making a negligible contribution to the total benefit. Under such a discounting scheme active adaptive management is rarely of much benefit, especially if learning is slow. A growing number of authors advocate the use of alternative forms of discounting when evaluating optimal strategies for long-term decisions which have a social component. We consider a theoretical harvested population for which the recovery rate from an unharvestably small population size is unknown and look at the effects on the benefit of experimental management when three different forms of discounting are employed. Under geometric discounting, with a discount rate of 5% per annum, managing to learn actively had little benefit. This study demonstrates that discount functions which weigh future rewards more heavily result in more conservative harvesting strategies, but do not necessarily encourage active learning. Furthermore, the optimal management strategy is not equivalent to employing geometric discounting at a lower rate. If alternative discount functions are made mandatory in calculating optimal management strategies for environmental management then this will affect the structure of optimal management regimes and change when and how much we are willing to invest in learning.

A Systems Analysis View of the Vietnam War: 1965-1972. Volume 4. Allied Ground and Naval Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-02-18

ciated and benefited from the studies analyses )F this .ublicat.on." (State Department/fhite House, 2L Januar-6 "Congratulations on your January 4-zue. lhe... benefits most from border lights. Only the cummander in the field can make the final docision. We hope to cast more light on the subject in the future. At...pacifica- tion and that the question of who benefits most from combat at the frontier urgently requiv.es more study. 27R. Micheial Per., !,ivolution or a Vh

SCENARIO ANALYSIS FOR THE SAN PEDRO RIVER, ANALYZING HYDROLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES FOR A FUTURE ENVIRONMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Studies of future management and policy options based on different assumptions provide a mechanism to examine possible outcomes and especially their likely benefits and consequences. The San Pedro River in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico is an area that has undergone rapid changes in ...

Effects of future space vehicle operations on a single day in the National Airspace System : a fast-time computer simulation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-04-01

This document describes the objectives, methods, analyses, and results of a study used to quantify the effects of future space operations : on the National Airspace System (NAS), and to demonstrate the possible benefits of one proposed strategy to mi...

Discounting the distant future-Data on Australian discount rates estimated by a stochastic interest rate model.

PubMed

Truong, Chi; Trück, Stefan

2017-04-01

Data on certainty equivalent discount factors and discount rates for stochastic interest rates in Australia are provided in this paper. The data has been used for the analysis of investments into climate adaptation projects in ׳It׳s not now or never: Implications of investment timing and risk aversion on climate adaptation to extreme events ׳ (Truong and Trück, 2016) [3] and can be used for other cost-benefit analysis studies in Australia. The data is of particular interest for the discounting of projects that create monetary costs and benefits in the distant future.

Regenerative Chemical Biology: Current Challenges and Future Potential

PubMed Central

Ao, Ada; Hao, Jijun; Hong, Charles C.

2011-01-01

The enthusiasm surrounding the clinical potential of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is tempered by the fact that key issues regarding their safety, efficacy, and long-term benefits have thus far been suboptimal. Small molecules can potentially relieve these problems at major junctions of stem cell biology and regenerative therapy. In this review, we will introduce recent advances in these important areas and the first-generation of small molecules used in the regenerative context. Current chemical biology studies will provide the archetype for future interdisciplinary collaborations, and improve clinical benefits of cell-based therapies. PMID:21513877

A Retrospective Analysis of the Benefits and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards

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

Wiser, Ryan; Barbose, Galen; Heeter, Jenny

This is the second in a series of reports exploring the costs, benefits, and other impacts of state renewable portfolio standards (RPS), both retrospectively and prospectively. This report focuses on the benefits and impacts of all state RPS programs, in aggregate, for the year 2013 (the most-recent year for which the requisite data were available). Relying on a well-vetted set of methods, the study evaluates a number of important benefits and impacts in both physical and monetary terms, where possible, and characterizes key uncertainties. The prior study in this series focused on historical RPS compliance costs, and future work willmore » evaluate costs, benefits, and other impacts of RPS policies prospectively.« less

Looking toward the Future: A Case Study of Open Source Software in the Humanities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quamen, Harvey

2006-01-01

In this article Harvey Quamen examines how the philosophy of open source software might be of particular benefit to humanities scholars in the near future--particularly for academic journals with limited financial resources. To this end he provides a case study in which he describes his use of open source technology (MySQL database software and…

Proceedings of the Acquisition Research Symposium: Acquisition for the Future, Imagination, Innovation, and Implementation, 1991. Volume 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

Estimates, in support force structure, and identifying of cost- effectiveness studies , other system characteristics. system analysis efforts, and trade- A...mission effectiveness studies , used to justify technology evaluate the results in terms funding. These technology of benefit vs. cost, and marketers often...the formal studies serve on mission effectiveness and to rubber stamp these prede- ultimately, benefit vs. cost termined solutions. In an 101 attempt to

The Role of Health Co-Benefits in the Development of Australian Climate Change Mitigation Policies

PubMed Central

Workman, Annabelle; Blashki, Grant; Karoly, David; Wiseman, John

2016-01-01

Reducing domestic carbon dioxide and other associated emissions can lead to short-term, localized health benefits. Quantifying and incorporating these health co-benefits into the development of national climate change mitigation policies may facilitate the adoption of stronger policies. There is, however, a dearth of research exploring the role of health co-benefits on the development of such policies. To address this knowledge gap, research was conducted in Australia involving the analysis of several data sources, including interviews carried out with Australian federal government employees directly involved in the development of mitigation policies. The resulting case study determined that, in Australia, health co-benefits play a minimal role in the development of climate change mitigation policies. Several factors influence the extent to which health co-benefits inform the development of mitigation policies. Understanding these factors may help to increase the political utility of future health co-benefits studies. PMID:27657098

The Role of Health Co-Benefits in the Development of Australian Climate Change Mitigation Policies.

PubMed

Workman, Annabelle; Blashki, Grant; Karoly, David; Wiseman, John

2016-09-20

Reducing domestic carbon dioxide and other associated emissions can lead to short-term, localized health benefits. Quantifying and incorporating these health co-benefits into the development of national climate change mitigation policies may facilitate the adoption of stronger policies. There is, however, a dearth of research exploring the role of health co-benefits on the development of such policies. To address this knowledge gap, research was conducted in Australia involving the analysis of several data sources, including interviews carried out with Australian federal government employees directly involved in the development of mitigation policies. The resulting case study determined that, in Australia, health co-benefits play a minimal role in the development of climate change mitigation policies. Several factors influence the extent to which health co-benefits inform the development of mitigation policies. Understanding these factors may help to increase the political utility of future health co-benefits studies.

Aerocapture Benefits to Future Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Artis, Gwen; James, Bonnie

2006-01-01

NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) Program is investing in technologies to revolutionize the robotic exploration of deep space. One of these technologies is Aerocapture, the most promising of the "aeroassist" techniques used to maneuver a space vehicle within an atmosphere, using aerodynamic forces in lieu of propellant. (Other aeroassist techniques include aeroentry and aerobraking.) Aerocapture relies on drag atmospheric drag to decelerate an incoming spacecraft and capture it into orbit. This technique is very attractive since it permits spacecraft to be launched from Earth at higher velocities, providing shorter trip times and saving mass and overall cost on future missions. Recent aerocapture systems analysis studies quantify the benefits of aerocapture to future exploration. The 2002 Titan aerocapture study showed that using aerocapture at Titan instead of conventional propulsive capture results in over twice as much payload delivered to Titan. Aerocapture at Venus results in almost twice the payload delivered to Venus as with aerobraking, and over six times more mass delivered into orbit than all-propulsive capture. Aerocapture at Mars shows significant benefits as the payload sizes increase and as missions become more complex. Recent Neptune aerocapture studies show that aerocapture opens up entirely new classes of missions at Neptune. Current aerocapture technology development is advancing the maturity of each subsystem technology needed for successful implementation of aerocapture on future missions. Recent development has focused on both rigid aeroshell and inflatable aerocapture systems. Rigid aeroshell systems development includes new ablative and non-ablative thermal protection systems, advanced aeroshell performance sensors, lightweight structures and higher temperature adhesives. Inflatable systems such as trailing tethered and clamped "ballutes" and inflatable aeroshells are also under development. Computational tools required to support future aerocapture missions are an integral part of aerocapture development. Tools include engineering reference atmosphere models, guidance and navigation algorithms, aerothermodynamic modeling, and flight simulation.

An Analysis of AAFES and Its Relevance to the Future of the Army and Air Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-12

benefits of this organization and are there any viable alternatives? Background and Significance AAFES provides retail goods and services to a select...relative to cost, benefit , and alternative options. Assumptions This study is based on the assumptions that AAFES and the MWR programs of the Army...AAFES is a joint Army and Air Force non-appropriated fund instrumentality (NAFI) charged with operating retail and service activities for the benefit

Value of the future: Discounting in random environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmer, J. Doyne; Geanakoplos, John; Masoliver, Jaume; Montero, Miquel; Perelló, Josep

2015-05-01

We analyze how to value future costs and benefits when they must be discounted relative to the present. We introduce the subject for the nonspecialist and take into account the randomness of the economic evolution by studying the discount function of three widely used processes for the dynamics of interest rates: Ornstein-Uhlenbeck, Feller, and log-normal. Besides obtaining exact expressions for the discount function and simple asymptotic approximations, we show that historical average interest rates overestimate long-run discount rates and that this effect can be large. In other words, long-run discount rates should be substantially less than the average rate observed in the past, otherwise any cost-benefit calculation would be biased in favor of the present and against interventions that may protect the future.

Value of the future: Discounting in random environments.

PubMed

Farmer, J Doyne; Geanakoplos, John; Masoliver, Jaume; Montero, Miquel; Perelló, Josep

2015-05-01

We analyze how to value future costs and benefits when they must be discounted relative to the present. We introduce the subject for the nonspecialist and take into account the randomness of the economic evolution by studying the discount function of three widely used processes for the dynamics of interest rates: Ornstein-Uhlenbeck, Feller, and log-normal. Besides obtaining exact expressions for the discount function and simple asymptotic approximations, we show that historical average interest rates overestimate long-run discount rates and that this effect can be large. In other words, long-run discount rates should be substantially less than the average rate observed in the past, otherwise any cost-benefit calculation would be biased in favor of the present and against interventions that may protect the future.

Altruism and Indirect Reciprocity: The Interaction of Person and Situation in Prosocial Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Brent; Willer, Robb

2008-01-01

A persistent puzzle in the social and biological sciences is the existence of prosocial behavior, actions that benefit others, often at a cost to oneself. Recent theoretical models and empirical studies of indirect reciprocity show that actors behave prosocially in order to develop an altruistic reputation and receive future benefits from third…

Learning from the Learners: Preparing Future Teachers to Leverage the Benefits of Laptop Computers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grundmeyer, Trent; Peters, Randal

2016-01-01

Technology is changing the teaching and learning landscape. Teacher preparation programs must produce teachers who have new skills and strategies to leverage the benefits of laptop computers in their classrooms. This study used a phenomenological strategy to explain first-year college students' perceptions of the effects of a 1:1 laptop experience…

Environmental benefits vs. costs of geologic mapping

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bhagwat, S.B.; Berg, R.C.

1992-01-01

Boone and Winnebago Counties, Illinois, U.S.A., were selected for this study, required by the Illinois State Senate, because mapping and environmental interpretations were completed there in 1981. Costs of geologic mapping in these counties in 1990 dollars were $290,000. Two estimates of costs of statewide mapping were made, one extrapolated from Boone and Winnebago Counties ($21 million), the other estimated on the basis of differences between the Boone/Winnebago program and proposed mapping program for the State of Illinois ($55 million). Benefits of geologic information come in the form of future avoided costs for environmental cleanup. Only the quantifiable data, available from a few sites, were included. Data collection, based on 55 personal interviews in Boone and Winnebago Counties, were grouped into four cumulative categories with increasing variability. Geologic maps alone cannot account for all avoided costs of future cleanup. Therefore, estimated benefits were reduced by 50, 75, and 90 percent in three scenarios. To account for delays in proper utilization of knowledge gained from a mapping program, a 10-yr delay in benefit realization was assumed. All benefits were converted to 1990 dollars. In benefit category 4, benefit-cost ratios for Boone/Winnebago Counties ranged between 5 and 55. Statewide projection of benefits was based on county areas and an aquifer contamination potential score for each county. Statewide benefit-cost ratio in benefit category 4 ranged from 1.2 to 14 ($21 million mapping costs) and from 0.5 to 5.4 ($55 million mapping costs). ?? 1992 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

The Immediate Effects of Deep Pressure on Young People with Autism and Severe Intellectual Difficulties: Demonstrating Individual Differences

PubMed Central

Bestbier, Lana

2017-01-01

Background Deep pressure is widely used by occupational therapists for people with autism spectrum disorders. There is limited research evaluating deep pressure. Objective To evaluate the immediate effects of deep pressure on young people with autism and severe intellectual disabilities. Methods Mood and behaviour were rated for 13 pupils with ASD and severe ID before and after deep pressure sessions. Results Sufficient data was available from 8 participants to be analysed using Tau-U, a nonparametric technique that allows for serial dependence in data. Six showed benefits statistically. Five of these showed benefits across all domains, and one showed benefits on three out of five domains. Relevance to Clinical Practice Deep pressure appears to be of immediate benefit to this population with autism and severe ID, but the heterogeneity of response suggests that careful monitoring of response should be used and deep pressure discontinued when it is no longer of benefit. Limitations This is an open label evaluation study using rating scales. Recommendations for Future Research Future studies of the use of deep pressure should use physiological response measures, in addition to blinded raters for aspects of behaviours such as attitude to learning psychological health not captured physiologically. PMID:29097980

A Cost Benefit Analysis of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Implementation at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Dudley Knox Library

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

anecdotal. Even a study of California libraries conducted by Engel, which aimed primarily at providing guidance to future users by surveying the...only. This study has both quantitative and qualitative analyses. A Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) was conducted using data gathered from research which...included personal interviews, site visits, and a survey questionnaire. Time and motion studies of selected library processes were conducted at DKL

Understanding the impact of genetic testing for inherited retinal dystrophy

PubMed Central

Combs, Ryan; McAllister, Marion; Payne, Katherine; Lowndes, Jo; Devery, Sophie; Webster, Andrew R; Downes, Susan M; Moore, Anthony T; Ramsden, Simon; Black, Graeme; Hall, Georgina

2013-01-01

The capability of genetic technologies is expanding rapidly in the field of inherited eye disease. New genetic testing approaches will deliver a step change in the ability to diagnose and extend the possibility of targeted treatments. However, evidence is lacking about the benefits of genetic testing to support service planning. Here, we report qualitative data about retinal dystrophy families' experiences of genetic testing in United Kingdom. The data were part of a wider study examining genetic eye service provision. Twenty interviewees from families in which a causative mutation had been identified by a genetic eye clinic were recruited to the study. Fourteen interviewees had chosen to have a genetic test and five had not; one was uncertain. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted allowing a thorough exploration of interviewees' views and experiences of the benefits of genetic counselling and testing. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Both affected and unaffected interviewees expressed mainly positive views about genetic testing, highlighting benefits such as diagnostic confirmation, risk information, and better preparation for the future. Negative consequences included the burden of knowledge, moral dilemmas around reproduction, and potential impact on insurance. The offer of genetic testing was often taken up, but was felt unnecessary in some cases. Interviewees in the study reported many benefits, suggesting genetic testing should be available to this patient group. The benefits and risks identified will inform future evaluation of models of service delivery. This research was part of a wider study exploring experiences of families with retinal dystrophy. PMID:23403902

Understanding the impact of genetic testing for inherited retinal dystrophy.

PubMed

Combs, Ryan; McAllister, Marion; Payne, Katherine; Lowndes, Jo; Devery, Sophie; Webster, Andrew R; Downes, Susan M; Moore, Anthony T; Ramsden, Simon; Black, Graeme; Hall, Georgina

2013-11-01

The capability of genetic technologies is expanding rapidly in the field of inherited eye disease. New genetic testing approaches will deliver a step change in the ability to diagnose and extend the possibility of targeted treatments. However, evidence is lacking about the benefits of genetic testing to support service planning. Here, we report qualitative data about retinal dystrophy families' experiences of genetic testing in United Kingdom. The data were part of a wider study examining genetic eye service provision. Twenty interviewees from families in which a causative mutation had been identified by a genetic eye clinic were recruited to the study. Fourteen interviewees had chosen to have a genetic test and five had not; one was uncertain. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted allowing a thorough exploration of interviewees' views and experiences of the benefits of genetic counselling and testing. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Both affected and unaffected interviewees expressed mainly positive views about genetic testing, highlighting benefits such as diagnostic confirmation, risk information, and better preparation for the future. Negative consequences included the burden of knowledge, moral dilemmas around reproduction, and potential impact on insurance. The offer of genetic testing was often taken up, but was felt unnecessary in some cases. Interviewees in the study reported many benefits, suggesting genetic testing should be available to this patient group. The benefits and risks identified will inform future evaluation of models of service delivery. This research was part of a wider study exploring experiences of families with retinal dystrophy.

Economic Effects of Legislations and Policies to Expand Mental Health and Substance Abuse Benefits in Health Insurance Plans: A Community Guide Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Jacob, Verughese; Qu, Shuli; Chattopadhyay, Sajal; Sipe, Theresa Ann; Knopf, John A.; Goetzel, Ron Z.; Finnie, Ramona; Thota, Anilkrishna B.

2015-01-01

Background Health insurance plans have historically limited the benefits for mental health and substance abuse (MH/SA) services compared to benefits for physical health services. In recent years, legislative and policy initiatives in the U.S. have been taken to expand MH/SA health insurance benefits and achieve parity with physical health benefits. The relevance of these legislations for international audiences is also explored, particularly for the European context. Aims of the Study This paper reviews the evidence of costs and economic benefits of legislative or policy interventions to expand MH/SA health insurance benefits in the U.S. The objectives are to assess the economic value of the interventions by comparing societal cost to societal benefits, and to determine impact on costs to insurance plans resulting from expansion of these benefits. Methods The search for economic evidence covered literature published from January 1950 to March 2011 and included evaluations of federal and state laws or rules that expanded MH/SA benefits as well as voluntary actions by large employers. Two economists screened and abstracted the economic evidence of MH/SA benefits legislation based on standard economic and actuarial concepts and methods. Results The economic review included 12 studies: eleven provided evidence on cost impact to health plans, and one estimated the effect on suicides. There was insufficient evidence to determine if the intervention was cost-effective or cost-saving. However, the evidence indicates that MH/SA benefits expansion did not lead to any substantial increase in costs to insurance plans, measured as a percentage of insurance premiums. Discussion and Limitations This review is unable to determine the overall economic value of policies that expand MH/SA insurance benefits due to lack of cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit studies, predominantly due to the lack of evaluations of morbidity and mortality outcomes. This may be remedied in time when long-term MH/SA patient-level data becomes available to researchers. A limitation of this review is that legislations considered here have been superseded by recent legislations that have stronger and broader impacts on MH/SA benefits within private and public insurance: Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). Implications for Future Research Economic assessments over the long term such as cost per QALY saved and cost-benefit will be feasible as more data becomes available from plans that implemented recent expansions of MH/SA benefits. Results from these evaluations will allow a better estimate of the economic impact of the interventions from a societal perspective. Future research should also evaluate the more downstream effects on business decisions about labor, such as effects on hiring, retention, and the offer of health benefits as part of an employee compensation package. Finally, the economic effect of the far reaching ACA of 2010 on mental health and substance abuse prevalence and care is also a subject of future research. PMID:25862203

Adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer: Current evidence and future challenges

PubMed Central

Miceli, Rosalba; Tomasello, Gianluca; Bregni, Giacomo; Di Bartolomeo, Maria; Pietrantonio, Filippo

2014-01-01

Gastric cancer still represents one of the major causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Patients survival is mainly related to stage, with a high proportion of patients with metastatic disease at presentation. Thus, the cure rate largely depend upon surgical resection. Despite the additional, albeit small, benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy has been clearly demonstrated, no general consensus has been reached on the best treatment option. Moreover, the narrow therapeutic index of adjuvant chemotherapy (i.e., limited survival benefit with considerable toxicity) requires a careful assessment of expected risks and benefits for individual patients. Treatment choices vary widely based on the different geographic areas, with chemotherapy alone more often preferred in Europe or Asia and chemoradiotherapy in the United States. In the present review we discuss the current evidence and future challenges regarding adjuvant chemotherapy in curatively resected gastric cancer with particular emphasis on the recently completed landmark studies and meta-analyses. The most recent patient-level meta-analysis demonstrated the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy over curative surgery; the same Authors also showed that disease-free survival may be used as a surrogate end-point for overall survival. We finally discuss future research issues such as the need of economic evaluations, development of prognostic or predictive biomarkers, and the unmet clinical need of trials comparing perioperative chemotherapy with adjuvant treatment. PMID:24782604

An Exploratory Study of the Restorative Benefits of Hiking in Wilderness Solitude and Its Relationship to Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellison, Mark Andrew

2010-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research was to examine the relationship between the restorative benefits of hiking in wilderness solitude (RBHWS) and job satisfaction. This research is a jumping off point, intended to guide future research on the RBHWS, and the practical utilization of this in human resource development. This research sought to…

Gender Segregation in Fields of Study at Community Colleges and Implications for Future Earnings. Fact Sheet #C395

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moughari, Layla; Gunn-Wright, Rhiana; Gault, Barbara

2012-01-01

Postsecondary education yields myriad benefits, including increased earnings potential, higher lifetime wages, and access to quality jobs. But postsecondary degrees are not all equal in the benefits they bring to students, and women tend to obtain degrees in fields with lower earnings. Women with associate degrees earn approximately 75 percent of…

The Benefits of Peer Collaboration: A Replication with a Delayed Posttest.

PubMed

Fleming, Victoria Manion; Alexander, Joyce M.

2001-10-01

The benefits of peer collaboration on strategy use, metacognitive causal attribution, and recall were supported in an earlier study (Manion & Alexander, 1997). Following that study two primary questions remained: Would the observed benefits last beyond an immediate posttest, and would they last regardless of which strategy the children chose to use? The current investigation explores those questions. Thirty-one fourth-grade students from two public schools in Sydney, Australia, experienced either a peer-collaborative treatment condition or an individual task (control condition). A posttest was conducted 5.5 weeks later. As was the case in the original study, children in the treatment condition outperformed children in the control condition in strategy use, metacognitive understanding of strategy chosen, and recall gain. Benefits also sustained regardless of the strategy children chose to implement on the task. Most importantly, the benefits lasted after a period of over a month. Implications for future research are discussed. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Carlos Grodsinsky, Vice Presiden of Technology, Zin Technologies, talks during the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Transferring and Commercializing Technology to Benefit Our Lives and Our Economy" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Neal Seater, President, Greenfield Solar, holds up a small solar chip during the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Transferring and Commercializing Technology to Benefit Our Lives and Our Economy" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Fayette Collier, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters talks during the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Transferring and Commercializing Technology to Benefit Our Lives and Our Economy" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

NASA Technology Transfer Program Executive Daniel Lockney moderates the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Transferring and Commercializing Technology to Benefit Our Lives and Our Economy" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The Present and Future State of Blended Learning in Workplace Learning Settings in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonk, Curtis J.; Kim, Kyong-Jee; Oh, Eun Jung; Teng, Ya-Ting; Son, Su Jin

2007-01-01

This paper reports survey findings related to the present and future state of blended learning in workplace learning settings across the U.S. Surveyed in this study are 118 practitioners in corporate training or elearning in various workplace settings. The findings reveal interesting perceptions by respondents regarding the benefits of and…

Views of HR Specialists on Formal Mentoring: Current Situation and Prospects for the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laiho, Maarit; Brandt, Tiina

2012-01-01

Purpose: The article aims to report the findings of quantitative and qualitative analysis of the benefits, drawbacks and future prospects of formal mentoring in medium-sized and large organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical data for the study were collected via an online survey, and consist of responses from 152 human resource…

Applications for Freeforms Optics at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, Garrett J.; Howard, Joseph M.

2017-01-01

Review freeform optic applications as NASA. Describe design study results showing benefits of freeform optics to the instrument size, image quality, and field of view. Review areas of study and improvements needed to freeform manufacturing for future applications.

Cost benefit analysis: applications and future opportunities.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA or Benefit Cost Analysis BCA) is an evaluation tool that state transportation agencies can : use to compare infrastructure project options across transportation modes and gauge if the discounted value of benefits : exce...

The economics (or lack thereof) of aerosol geoengineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goes, M.; Keller, K.; Tuana, N.

2009-04-01

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are changing the Earth's climate and impose substantial risks for current and future generations. What are scientifically sound, economically viable, and ethically defendable strategies to manage these climate risks? Ratified international agreements call for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Recent proposals, however, call for the deployment of a different approach: to geoengineer climate by injecting aerosol precursors into the stratosphere. Published economic studies typically suggest that substituting aerosol geoengineering for abatement of carbon dioxide emissions results in large net monetary benefits. However, these studies neglect the risks of aerosol geoengineering due to (i) the potential for future geoengineering failures and (ii) the negative impacts associated with the aerosol forcing. Here we use a simple integrated assessment model of climate change to analyze potential economic impacts of aerosol geoengineering strategies over a wide range of uncertain parameters such as climate sensitivity, the economic damages due to climate change, and the economic damages due to aerosol geoengineering forcing. The simplicity of the model provides the advantages of parsimony and transparency, but it also imposes severe caveats on the interpretation of the results. For example, the analysis is based on a globally aggregated model and is hence silent on the question of intragenerational distribution of costs and benefits. In addition, the analysis neglects the effects of endogenous learning about the climate system. We show that the risks associated with a future geoengineering failure and negative impacts of aerosol forcings can cause geoenginering strategies to fail an economic cost-benefit test. One key to this finding is that a geoengineering failure would lead to dramatic and abrupt climatic changes. The monetary damages due to this failure can dominate the cost-benefit analysis because the monetary damages of climate change are expected to increase with the rate of change. Substituting aerosol geoengineering for greenhouse gas emission abatement might fail not only an economic cost-benefit test but also an ethical test of distributional justice. Substituting aerosol geoengineering for greenhouse gas emissions abatements constitutes a conscious risk transfer to future generations. Intergenerational justice demands distributional justice, namely that present generations may not create benefits for themselves in exchange for burdens on future generations. We use the economic model to quantify this risk transfer to better inform the judgment of whether substituting aerosol geoengineering for carbon dioxide emission abatement fails this ethical test.

Univariate time series modeling and an application to future claims amount in SOCSO's invalidity pension scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chek, Mohd Zaki Awang; Ahmad, Abu Bakar; Ridzwan, Ahmad Nur Azam Ahmad; Jelas, Imran Md.; Jamal, Nur Faezah; Ismail, Isma Liana; Zulkifli, Faiz; Noor, Syamsul Ikram Mohd

2012-09-01

The main objective of this study is to forecast the future claims amount of Invalidity Pension Scheme (IPS). All data were derived from SOCSO annual reports from year 1972 - 2010. These claims consist of all claims amount from 7 benefits offered by SOCSO such as Invalidity Pension, Invalidity Grant, Survivors Pension, Constant Attendance Allowance, Rehabilitation, Funeral and Education. Prediction of future claims of Invalidity Pension Scheme will be made using Univariate Forecasting Models to predict the future claims among workforce in Malaysia.

Neural stimulation for Parkinson's disease: current therapies and future directions.

PubMed

Neimat, Joseph S; Hamani, Clement; Lozano, Andres M

2006-01-01

Neural stimulation has rapidly become an integral tool in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. Today it serves as an important adjunct to medical therapy that continues to gain applicability to patients in whom the disease has progressed significantly. Studies have demonstrated efficacy in several deep-brain targets, with prolonged benefit exceeding 5-year follow-up times. Continuing study is teaching us more about the mechanism of deep-brain stimulation effect. New targets, which may treat the disease more successfully, are being examined. In this review, the history of deep-brain stimulation, the rationale for the known targets of stimulation; the clinical evidence demonstrating their benefit and, finally, future perspectives on new treatments that are being investigated and may have an impact on the field are discussed.

Structures, performance, benefit, cost study. [gas turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feder, E.

1981-01-01

Aircraft engine structures were studied to identify the advanced structural technologies that would provide the most benefits to future aircraft operations. A series of studies identified engine systems with the greatest potential for improvements. Based on these studies, six advanced generic structural concepts were selected and conceptually designed. The benefits of each concept were quantitatively assessed in terms of thrust specific fuel consumption, weight, cost, maintenance cost, fuel burned and direct operating cost plus interest. The probability of success of each concept was also determined. The concepts were ranked and the three most promising were selected for further study which consisted of identifying and comprehensively outlining the advanced technologies required to develop these concepts for aircraft engine application. Analytic, fabrication, and test technology developments are required. The technology programs outlined emphasize the need to provide basic, fundamental understanding of technology to obtain the benefit goals.

Economic effects of ocean acidification: Publication patterns and directions for future research.

PubMed

Falkenberg, Laura J; Tubb, Adeline

2017-09-01

Human societies derive economic benefit from marine systems, yet these benefits may be modified as humans drive environmental change. Here, we conducted the first systematic review of literature on the potential economic effects of ocean acidification. We identified that while there is a growing literature discussing this topic, assessments of the direction and magnitude of anticipated economic change remain limited. The few assessments which have been conducted indicate largely negative economic effects of ocean acidification. Insights are, however, limited as the scope of the studies remains restricted. We propose that understanding of this topic will benefit from using standard approaches (e.g. timescales and emissions scenarios) to consider an increasing range of species/habitats and ecosystem services over a range of spatial scales. The resulting understanding could inform decisions such that we maintain, or enhance, economic services obtained from future marine environments.

Territory inheritance in clownfish.

PubMed Central

Buston, Peter M

2004-01-01

Animal societies composed of breeders and non-breeders present a challenge to evolutionary theory because it is not immediately apparent how natural selection can preserve the genes that underlie non-breeding strategies. The clownfish Amphiprion percula forms groups composed of a breeding pair and 0-4 non-breeders. Non-breeders gain neither present direct, nor present indirect benefits from the association. To determine whether non-breeders obtain future direct benefits, I investigated the pattern of territory inheritance. I show that non-breeders stand to inherit the territory within which they reside. Moreover, they form a perfect queue for breeding positions; a queue from which nobody disperses and within which nobody contests. I suggest that queuing might be favoured by selection because it confers a higher probability of attaining breeding status than either dispersing or contesting. This study illustrates that, within animal societies, individuals may tolerate non-breeding positions solely because of their potential to realize benefits in the future. PMID:15252999

Should patients be allowed to veto their participation in clinical research?

PubMed Central

Evans, H

2004-01-01

Patients participating in the shared benefits of publicly funded health care enjoy the benefits of treatments tested on previous patients. Future patients similarly depend on treatments tested on present patients. Since properly designed research assumes that the treatments being studied are—so far as is known at the outset—equivalent in therapeutic value, no one is clinically disadvantaged merely by taking part in research, provided the research involves administering active treatments to all participants. This paper argues that, because no other practical or moral considerations count decisively against so doing, we could and should oblige patients to agree to receive indicated treatment within the terms of any concurrent research protocols. This ensures their treatment will benefit not only themselves but also future patients through contributing to new knowledge. By analogy with the paying of income tax, patients should not be allowed to "veto" their social responsibility to take part in clinical research. PMID:15082818

Territory inheritance in clownfish.

PubMed

Buston, Peter M

2004-05-07

Animal societies composed of breeders and non-breeders present a challenge to evolutionary theory because it is not immediately apparent how natural selection can preserve the genes that underlie non-breeding strategies. The clownfish Amphiprion percula forms groups composed of a breeding pair and 0-4 non-breeders. Non-breeders gain neither present direct, nor present indirect benefits from the association. To determine whether non-breeders obtain future direct benefits, I investigated the pattern of territory inheritance. I show that non-breeders stand to inherit the territory within which they reside. Moreover, they form a perfect queue for breeding positions; a queue from which nobody disperses and within which nobody contests. I suggest that queuing might be favoured by selection because it confers a higher probability of attaining breeding status than either dispersing or contesting. This study illustrates that, within animal societies, individuals may tolerate non-breeding positions solely because of their potential to realize benefits in the future.

A robust impact assessment that informs actionable climate change adaptation: future sunburn browning risk in apple

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, Leanne; Darbyshire, Rebecca; Erwin, Tim; Goodwin, Ian

2017-05-01

Climate change impact assessments are predominantly undertaken for the purpose of informing future adaptation decisions. Often, the complexity of the methodology hinders the actionable outcomes. The approach used here illustrates the importance of considering uncertainty in future climate projections, at the same time providing robust and simple to interpret information for decision-makers. By quantifying current and future exposure of Royal Gala apple to damaging temperature extremes across ten important pome fruit-growing locations in Australia, differences in impact to ripening fruit are highlighted, with, by the end of the twenty-first century, some locations maintaining no sunburn browning risk, while others potentially experiencing the risk for the majority of the January ripening period. Installation of over-tree netting can reduce the impact of sunburn browning. The benefits from employing this management option varied across the ten study locations. The two approaches explored to assist decision-makers assess this information (a) using sunburn browning risk analogues and (b) through identifying hypothetical sunburn browning risk thresholds, resulted in varying recommendations for introducing over-tree netting. These recommendations were location and future time period dependent with some sites showing no benefit for sunburn protection from nets even by the end of the twenty-first century and others already deriving benefits from employing this adaptation option. Potential best and worst cases of sunburn browning risk and its potential reduction through introduction of over-tree nets were explored. The range of results presented highlights the importance of addressing uncertainty in climate projections that result from different global climate models and possible future emission pathways.

A robust impact assessment that informs actionable climate change adaptation: future sunburn browning risk in apple.

PubMed

Webb, Leanne; Darbyshire, Rebecca; Erwin, Tim; Goodwin, Ian

2017-05-01

Climate change impact assessments are predominantly undertaken for the purpose of informing future adaptation decisions. Often, the complexity of the methodology hinders the actionable outcomes. The approach used here illustrates the importance of considering uncertainty in future climate projections, at the same time providing robust and simple to interpret information for decision-makers. By quantifying current and future exposure of Royal Gala apple to damaging temperature extremes across ten important pome fruit-growing locations in Australia, differences in impact to ripening fruit are highlighted, with, by the end of the twenty-first century, some locations maintaining no sunburn browning risk, while others potentially experiencing the risk for the majority of the January ripening period. Installation of over-tree netting can reduce the impact of sunburn browning. The benefits from employing this management option varied across the ten study locations. The two approaches explored to assist decision-makers assess this information (a) using sunburn browning risk analogues and (b) through identifying hypothetical sunburn browning risk thresholds, resulted in varying recommendations for introducing over-tree netting. These recommendations were location and future time period dependent with some sites showing no benefit for sunburn protection from nets even by the end of the twenty-first century and others already deriving benefits from employing this adaptation option. Potential best and worst cases of sunburn browning risk and its potential reduction through introduction of over-tree nets were explored. The range of results presented highlights the importance of addressing uncertainty in climate projections that result from different global climate models and possible future emission pathways.

Aircraft System Analysis of Technology Benefits to Civil Transport Rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkerson, Joseph B.; Smith, Roger L.

2008-01-01

An aircraft systems analysis was conducted to evaluate the net benefits of advanced technologies on two conceptual civil transport rotorcraft, to quantify the potential of future civil rotorcraft to become operationally viable and economically competitive, with the ultimate goal of alleviating congestion in our airways, runways and terminals. These questions are three of many that must be resolved for the successful introduction of civil transport rotorcraft: 1) Can civil transport rotorcraft actually relieve current airport congestion and improve overall air traffic and passenger throughput at busy hub airports? What is that operational scenario? 2) Can advanced technology make future civil rotorcraft economically competitive in scheduled passenger transport? What are those enabling technologies? 3) What level of investment is necessary to mature the key enabling technologies? This study addresses the first two questions, and several others, by applying a systems analysis approach to a broad spectrum of potential advanced technologies at a conceptual level of design. The method was to identify those advanced technologies that showed the most promise and to quantify their benefits to the design, development, production, and operation of future civil rotorcraft. Adjustments are made to sizing data by subject matter experts to reflect the introduction of new technologies that offer improved performance, reduced weight, reduced maintenance, or reduced cost. This study used projected benefits from new, advanced technologies, generally based on research results, analysis, or small-scale test data. The technologies are identified, categorized and quantified in the report. The net benefit of selected advanced technologies is quantified for two civil transport rotorcraft concepts, a Single Main Rotor Compound (SMRC) helicopter designed for 250 ktas cruise airspeed and a Civil Tilt Rotor (CTR) designed for 350 ktas cruise airspeed. A baseline design of each concept was sized for a representative civil passenger transport mission, using current technology. Individual advanced technologies are quantified and applied to resize the aircraft, thereby quantifying the net benefit of that technology to the rotorcraft. Estimates of development cost, production cost and operating and support costs are made with a commercial cost estimating program, calibrated to Boeing products with adjustments for future civil production processes. A cost metric of cash direct operating cost per available seat-mile (DOC ASM) is used to compare the cost benefit of the technologies. The same metric is used to compare results with turboprop operating costs. Reduced engine SFC was the most advantageous advanced technology for both rotorcraft concepts. Structural weight reduction was the second most beneficial technology, followed by advanced drive systems and then by technology for rotorcraft performance. Most of the technologies evaluated in this report should apply similarly to conventional helicopters. The implicit assumption is that resources will become available to mature the technologies for fullscale production aircraft. That assumption is certainly the weak link in any forecast of future possibilities. The analysis serves the purpose of identifying which technologies offer the most potential benefit, and thus the ones that should receive the highest priority for continued development. This study directly addressed the following NASA Subsonic Rotary Wing (SRW) subtopics: SR W.4.8.I.J Establish capability for rotorcraft system analysis and SRW. 4.8.I.4 Conduct limited technology benefit assessment on baseline rotorcraft configurations.

Future Costs, Benefits, and Impacts of Renewables Used to Meet U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards

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

This brochure provides a brief overview of the report titled 'A Prospective Analysis of the Costs, Benefits, and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards.' The report evaluates the future costs, benefits, and other impacts of renewable energy used to meet current state renewable portfolio standards (RPSs). It also examines a future scenario where RPSs are expanded. The analysis examines changes in electric system costs and retail electricity prices, which include all fixed and operating costs, including capital costs for all renewable, non-renewable, and supporting (e.g., transmission and storage) electric sector infrastructure; fossil fuel, uranium, and biomass fuel costs; and plantmore » operations and maintenance expenditures. The analysis evaluates three specific benefits: air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use. It also analyzes two other impacts, renewable energy workforce and economic development, and natural gas price suppression. The analysis finds that the benefits or renewable energy used to meet RPS polices exceed the costs, even when considering the highest cost and lowest benefit outcomes.« less

Million trees Los Angeles canopy cover and benefit assessment

Treesearch

E.G. McPherson; J.R. Simpson; Q. Xiao; C. Wu

2011-01-01

The Million Trees LA initiative intends to improve Los Angeles’s environment through planting and stewardship of 1 million trees. The purpose of this study was to measure Los Angeles’s existing tree canopy cover (TCC), determine if space exists for 1 million additional trees, and estimate future benefits from the planting. High-resolution QuickBird remote sensing data...

Integrating model abstraction into monitoring strategies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study was designed and performed to investigate the opportunities and benefits of integrating model abstraction techniques into monitoring strategies. The study focused on future applications of modeling to contingency planning and management of potential and actual contaminant release sites wi...

Future orientation: a construct with implications for adolescent health and wellbeing.

PubMed

Johnson, Sarah R Lindstrom; Blum, Robert W; Cheng, Tina L

2014-01-01

Multidisciplinary research has supported a relationship between adolescent future orientation (the ability to set future goals and plans) and positive adolescent health and development outcomes. Many preventive strategies - for example, contracepting, exercising - are based on taking actions in the present to avoid unwanted or negative future consequences. However, research has been hampered by unclear and often divergent conceptualizations of the future orientation construct. The present paper aims to integrate previous conceptual and operational definitions into a conceptual framework that can inform programs and services for youth and efforts to evaluate future orientation as a target for intervention. Recommendations focus on furthering the study of the construct through measurement synthesis as well as studies of the normative development of future orientation. Also suggested is the need to pair environmental intervention strategies with individual level efforts to improve future orientation in order to maximize benefits.

Future Orientation: A Construct with Implications for Adolescent Health and Wellbeing

PubMed Central

Lindstrom Johnson, Sarah; Blum, Robert W; Cheng, Tina L.

2016-01-01

Multi-disciplinary research has supported a relationship between adolescent future orientation (the ability to set future goals and plans) and positive adolescent health and development outcomes. Many preventive strategies—for example contracepting, exercising—are based on taking actions in the present to avoid unwanted or negative future consequences. However, research has been hampered by unclear and often divergent conceptualizations of the future orientation construct. The present paper aims to integrate previous conceptual and operational definitions into a conceptual framework that can inform programs and services for youth and efforts to evaluate future orientation as a target for intervention. Recommendations focus on furthering the study of the construct through measurement synthesis as well as studies of the normative development of future orientation. Also suggested is the need to pair environmental intervention strategies with individual level efforts to improve future orientation in order to maximize benefits. PMID:24523304

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Yael Vodovotz, Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, Ohio State University, talks during the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Transferring and Commercializing Technology to Benefit Our Lives and Our Economy" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Cost/benefit analysis of advanced materials technologies for future aircraft turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, G. E.

1980-01-01

The materials technologies studied included thermal barrier coatings for turbine airfoils, turbine disks, cases, turbine vanes and engine and nacelle composite materials. The cost/benefit of each technology was determined in terms of Relative Value defined as change in return on investment times probability of success divided by development cost. A recommended final ranking of technologies was based primarily on consideration of Relative Values with secondary consideration given to changes in other economic parameters. Technologies showing the most promising cost/benefits were thermal barrier coated temperature nacelle/engine system composites.

Assessing the attitudes and understanding of participants in Nugene: Impacts on informed consent for a large-scale DNA research and banking project

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

Ormond, Kelly E

2005-01-20

Genetic databases are generally created with the long-term goal of establishing genotype-phenotype correlations, and are explicitly NOT intended for participant benefit through the personal receipt of genetic information. In fact, most well-known genetic databases are set up to preclude the recontact of participants, both to protect confidentiality and because any genetic discoveries will likely have unclear implications in the near future. Issues of recontact and sample use raise significant issues around the informed consent process for such genetic databases. The NUgene study is a longitudinal genetic database at Northwestern University created to assess the genetic components of common diseases. Inmore » summer 2001, prior to the start of NUgene recruitment, a planning committee met for over one year to discuss the project's format, including ethical aspects. The project's advisory committee felt strongly that recontact of study participants was not warranted. However, because of the broad and longitudinal nature of the project, the IRB requested a modified consent process for recontacting subjects. This consent allowed participants to opt for recontact under either of the following circumstances: (1) if more information was required for a future study or to participate in future research and (2) if ''clinically significant results'' were discovered through research examination. During the first year of the study, 808 participants were enrolled in NUgene. 92% opted for recontact regarding more information or future research and 96% opted for recontact for ''medically significant'' findings. The current DOE funded study of NUgene participants examined informed consent, including recontact options. In November 2002, the NUgene project began recruiting for a large, longitudinal genetic database; concurrent with NUgene enrollment, we solicited 200 participants for interviews to address attitudes about participation in NUgene in both a quantitative and qualitative manner. Demographic data on these subjects was representative of the participants in the overall NUgene project. 200 subjects underwent the quantitative measure QuIC to measure the knowledge and understanding of participants using a previously validated measure. The summary knowledge score was 69.3 (on a scale of 0-100, being the highest possible score) and the summary self-assessment score was 89.6. The best understood domains included: the nature of the study (100), benefit to future patients (99.8), and the voluntary nature of participation (93.2). Domains with the lowest knowledge scores included: potential risks and discomforts (17.5), experimental nature of the research (24.0), procedures in the event of study-related injury (35.7), and confidentiality issues (42.9).In addition to this quantitative data, 109 semi-structured interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Themes focused on reasons for participation, beliefs regarding the risks and benefits of the study, expectations regarding results and ways in which participants would prefer to be recontacted if future studies or results become available. Most enrolled in NUgene in order to help mankind or the ''general population'' in some manner (>75%), to help find disease genes, treatments or cures, and/or to contribute to the overall medical knowledge. Many participants ({approx}30%) clearly expressed a hope for personal benefit and often named specific disorders or family members. Confidentiality protections of the study were described as good by most (>50%), and almost half specifically described one or more of the privacy protections. While many were able to articulate the general privacy concerns, and several cited concerns with employer (12%) or insurance discrimination (25%), most considered the risks to privacy low (25%) or none ({approx}60%). Only 10% of participants explicitly stated they had no expectation for personal benefit, and when asked whether they expected to be contacted with study results, respondents were split between having no expectation (39%), being hopeful for results (37%) and expecting to be contacted with results (12%). Over 75% of study participants felt that if a genetic test became available for their family they would wish to undertake it, and few caveats were mentioned. Overall, our study demonstrated that participants had a good understanding of the purposes of the study and that the benefit was for future patients; however, participants had difficulty understanding the potential risks and discomforts and confidentiality issues. The data show that participants in population-based studies may be less likely to harbor the ''therapeutic misconception'', often reported in clinical studies, but further study is needed to assess whether patients perceive personal benefits not revealed by this measure. These findings are informative to those providing informed consent and to the IRBs reviewing such studies.« less

Benefits of Imperfect Conflict Resolution Advisory Aids for Future Air Traffic Control.

PubMed

Trapsilawati, Fitri; Wickens, Christopher D; Qu, Xingda; Chen, Chun-Hsien

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to examine the human-automation interaction issues and the interacting factors in the context of conflict detection and resolution advisory (CRA) systems. The issues of imperfect automation in air traffic control (ATC) have been well documented in previous studies, particularly in conflict-alerting systems. The extent to which the prior findings can be applied to an integrated conflict detection and resolution system in future ATC remains unknown. Twenty-four participants were evenly divided into two groups corresponding to a medium- and a high-traffic density condition, respectively. In each traffic density condition, participants were instructed to perform simulated ATC tasks under four automation conditions, including reliable, unreliable with short time allowance to secondary conflict (TAS), unreliable with long TAS, and manual conditions. Dependent variables accounted for conflict resolution performance, workload, situation awareness, and trust in and dependence on the CRA aid, respectively. Imposing the CRA automation did increase performance and reduce workload as compared with manual performance. The CRA aid did not decrease situation awareness. The benefits of the CRA aid were manifest even when it was imperfectly reliable and were apparent across traffic loads. In the unreliable blocks, trust in the CRA aid was degraded but dependence was not influenced, yet the performance was not adversely affected. The use of CRA aid would benefit ATC operations across traffic densities. CRA aid offers benefits across traffic densities, regardless of its imperfection, as long as its reliability level is set above the threshold of assistance, suggesting its application for future ATC. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Familiar real-world spatial cues provide memory benefits in older and younger adults.

PubMed

Robin, Jessica; Moscovitch, Morris

2017-05-01

Episodic memory, future thinking, and memory for scenes have all been proposed to rely on the hippocampus, and evidence suggests that these all decline in healthy aging. Despite this age-related memory decline, studies examining the effects of context reinstatement on episodic memory have demonstrated that reinstating elements of the encoding context of an event leads to better memory retrieval in both younger and older adults. The current study was designed to test whether more familiar, real-world contexts, such as locations that participants visited often, would improve the detail richness and vividness of memory for scenes, autobiographical events, and imagination of future events in young and older adults. The predicted age-related decline in internal details across all 3 conditions was accompanied by persistent effects of contextual familiarity, in which a more familiar spatial context led to increased detail and vividness of remembered scenes, autobiographical events, and, to some extent, imagined future events. This study demonstrates that autobiographical memory, imagination of the future, and scene memory are similarly affected by aging, and all benefit from being associated with more familiar (real-world) contexts, illustrating the stability of contextual reinstatement effects on memory throughout the life span. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Costs and benefits of adapting to river floods at the global scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Philip; Aerts, Jeroen; Botzen, Wouter; Hallegatte, Stephane; Jongman, Brenden; Kind, Jarl; Scussolini, Paolo; Winsemius, Hessel

2015-04-01

It is well known that the economic losses associated with flooding are huge; for example in 2012 alone the economic losses from flooding exceeded 19 billion. As a result, different models have been developed to assess global scale flood risk. Recently, these have been used in several studies to assess current flood risk at the global scale, and to project how risk may increase as a result of climate change and/or socioeconomic development. In most regions, these studies show rapid increases in risk into the future, and therefore call for urgent adaptation. However, to date no studies have attempted to assess the costs of carrying out such adaptation, nor the benefits. In this paper, we therefore present the first global scale estimate of the costs and benefits of adapting to increased river flood risk caused by factors such as climate change and socioeconomic development. For this study, we concentrate on structural adaptation measures, such as dikes, designed to prevent flood hazard up to a certain design standard. We address two questions: 1. What would be the costs and benefits of maintaining current flood protection standards, accounting for future climate and socioeconomic change until 2100? 2. What flood protection standards would be required by 2100 to keep future flood risk constant at today's levels? And what would be the costs and benefits associated with this? In this paper, we will present our first global estimates of the costs and benefits of adaptation to increased flood risk, as well as maps of these findings per country and river basin. We present the results under 4 emission scenarios (RCPs), 5 socioeconomic scenarios (SSPs), and under several assumptions relating to total potential flood damages, discount rates, construction costs, maintenance costs, and so forth. The research was carried out using the GLOFRIS modelling cascade. This global flood risk model calculates flood risk in terms of annual expected damage, and has been developed and validated over the past few years. For this study we have extended GLOFRIS by developing a module that calculates the costs and benefits of adaptation by increasing dike flood protection standards. In brief, this is carried out by calculating, per cell, the length of dikes that would be required to provide flood protection, multiplying this with the change in dike height that would be required to offer a certain flood protection standard, and multiplying this with data on the costs of dike construction and maintenance.

A method of decision analysis quantifying the effects of age and comorbidities on the probability of deriving significant benefit from medical treatments

PubMed Central

Bean, Nigel G.; Ruberu, Ravi P.

2017-01-01

Background The external validity, or generalizability, of trials and guidelines has been considered poor in the context of multiple morbidity. How multiple morbidity might affect the magnitude of benefit of a given treatment, and thereby external validity, has had little study. Objective To provide a method of decision analysis to quantify the effects of age and comorbidity on the probability of deriving a given magnitude of treatment benefit. Design We developed a method to calculate probabilistically the effect of all of a patient’s comorbidities on their underlying utility, or well-being, at a future time point. From this, we derived a distribution of possible magnitudes of treatment benefit at that future time point. We then expressed this distribution as the probability of deriving at least a given magnitude of treatment benefit. To demonstrate the applicability of this method of decision analysis, we applied it to the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia in a geriatric population of 50 individuals. We highlighted the results of four of these individuals. Results This method of analysis provided individualized quantifications of the effect of age and comorbidity on the probability of treatment benefit. The average probability of deriving a benefit, of at least 50% of the magnitude of benefit available to an individual without comorbidity, was only 0.8%. Conclusion The effects of age and comorbidity on the probability of deriving significant treatment benefits can be quantified for any individual. Even without consideration of other factors affecting external validity, these effects may be sufficient to guide decision-making. PMID:29090189

Do we care about sustainability? An analysis of time sensitivity of social preferences under environmental time-persistent effects.

PubMed

Faccioli, Michela; Hanley, Nick; Torres, Cati; Font, Antoni Riera

2016-07-15

Environmental cost-benefit analysis has traditionally assumed that the value of benefits is sensitive to their timing and that outcomes are valued higher, the sooner in time they occur following implementation of a project or policy. Though, this assumption might have important implications especially for the social desirability of interventions aiming at counteracting time-persistent environmental problems, whose impacts occur in the long- and very long-term, respectively involving the present and future generations. This study analyzes the time sensitivity of social preferences for preservation policies of adaptation to climate change stresses. Results show that stated preferences are time insensitive, due to sustainability issues: individuals show insignificant differences in benefits they can experience within their own lifetimes compared to those which occur in the longer term, and which will instead be enjoyed by future generations. Whilst these results may be specific to the experimental design employed here, they do raise interesting questions regarding choices over time-persistent environmental problems, particularly in terms of the desirability of interventions which produce longer-term benefits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline Study Methodology for Future Phases of Research on Nuclear Power Plant Control Room Technologies

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

Le Blanc, Katya Lee; Bower, Gordon Ross; Hill, Rachael Ann

In order to provide a basis for industry adoption of advanced technologies, the Control Room Upgrades Benefits Research Project will investigate the benefits of including advanced technologies as part of control room modernization This report describes the background, methodology, and research plan for the first in a series of full-scale studies to test the effects of advanced technology in NPP control rooms. This study will test the effect of Advanced Overview Displays in the partner Utility’s control room simulator

Artificial pancreas (AP) clinical trial participants' acceptance of future AP technology.

PubMed

Bevier, Wendy C; Fuller, Serena M; Fuller, Ryan P; Rubin, Richard R; Dassau, Eyal; Doyle, Francis J; Jovanovič, Lois; Zisser, Howard C

2014-09-01

Artificial pancreas (AP) systems are currently an active field of diabetes research. This pilot study examined the attitudes of AP clinical trial participants toward future acceptance of the technology, having gained firsthand experience. After possible influencers of AP technology adoption were considered, a 34-question questionnaire was developed. The survey assessed current treatment satisfaction, dimensions of clinical trial participant motivation, and variables of the technology acceptance model (TAM). Forty-seven subjects were contacted to complete the survey. The reliability of the survey scales was tested using Cronbach's α. The relationship of the factors to the likelihood of AP technology adoption was explored using regression analysis. Thirty-six subjects (76.6%) completed the survey. Of the respondents, 86.1% were either highly likely or likely to adopt the technology once available. Reliability analysis of the survey dimensions revealed good internal consistency, with scores of >0.7 for current treatment satisfaction, convenience (motivation), personal health benefit (motivation), perceived ease of use (TAM), and perceived usefulness (TAM). Linear modeling showed that future acceptance of the AP was significantly associated with TAM and the motivation variables of convenience plus the individual item benefit to others (R(2)=0.26, P=0.05). When insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor use were added, the model significance improved (R(2)=0.37, P=0.02). This pilot study demonstrated that individuals with direct AP technology experience expressed high likelihood of future acceptance. Results support the factors of personal benefit, convenience, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use as reliable scales that suggest system adoption in this highly motivated patient population.

Cost-benefit analysis of a preventive intervention for divorced families: reduction in mental health and justice system service use costs 15 years later.

PubMed

Herman, Patricia M; Mahrer, Nicole E; Wolchik, Sharlene A; Porter, Michele M; Jones, Sarah; Sandler, Irwin N

2015-05-01

This cost-benefit analysis compared the costs of implementing the New Beginnings Program (NBP), a preventive intervention for divorced families to monetary benefits saved in mental healthcare service use and criminal justice system costs. NBP was delivered when the offspring were 9-12 years old. Benefits were assessed 15 years later when the offspring were young adults (ages 24-27). This study estimated the costs of delivering two versions of NBP, a single-component parenting-after-divorce program (Mother Program, MP) and a two-component parenting-after-divorce and child-coping program (Mother-Plus-Child Program, MPCP), to costs of a literature control (LC). Long-term monetary benefits were determined from actual expenditures from past-year mental healthcare service use for mothers and their young adult (YA) offspring and criminal justice system involvement for YAs. Data were gathered from 202 YAs and 194 mothers (75.4 % of families randomly assigned to condition). The benefits, as assessed in the 15th year after program completion, were $1630/family (discounted benefits $1077/family). These 1-year benefits, based on conservative assumptions, more than paid for the cost of MP and covered the majority of the cost of MPCP. Because the effects of MP versus MPCP on mental health and substance use problems have not been significantly different at short-term or long-term follow-up assessments, program managers would likely choose the lower-cost option. Given that this evaluation only calculated economic benefit at year 15 and not the previous 14 (nor future years), these findings suggest that, from a societal perspective, NBP more than pays for itself in future benefits.

Dynamically Hedging Oil and Currency Futures Using Receding Horizontal Control and Stochastic Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cottrell, Paul Edward

There is a lack of research in the area of hedging future contracts, especially in illiquid or very volatile market conditions. It is important to understand the volatility of the oil and currency markets because reduced fluctuations in these markets could lead to better hedging performance. This study compared different hedging methods by using a hedging error metric, supplementing the Receding Horizontal Control and Stochastic Programming (RHCSP) method by utilizing the London Interbank Offered Rate with the Levy process. The RHCSP hedging method was investigated to determine if improved hedging error was accomplished compared to the Black-Scholes, Leland, and Whalley and Wilmott methods when applied on simulated, oil, and currency futures markets. A modified RHCSP method was also investigated to determine if this method could significantly reduce hedging error under extreme market illiquidity conditions when applied on simulated, oil, and currency futures markets. This quantitative study used chaos theory and emergence for its theoretical foundation. An experimental research method was utilized for this study with a sample size of 506 hedging errors pertaining to historical and simulation data. The historical data were from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2012. The modified RHCSP method was found to significantly reduce hedging error for the oil and currency market futures by the use of a 2-way ANOVA with a t test and post hoc Tukey test. This study promotes positive social change by identifying better risk controls for investment portfolios and illustrating how to benefit from high volatility in markets. Economists, professional investment managers, and independent investors could benefit from the findings of this study.

Down-to-Earth Benefits of Space Exploration: Past, Present, Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neumann, Benjamin

2005-01-01

A ventricular device that helps a weakened heart keep pumping while awaiting a transplant. A rescue tool for extracting victims from dangerous situations such as car wrecks. A video analysis tool used to investigate the bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. A sound-differentiation tool for safer air traffic control. A refrigerator that run without electricity or batteries. These are just a few of the spin-offs of NASA technology that have benefited society in recent years. Now, as NASA sets its vision on space exploration, particularly of the moon and Mars, even more benefits to society are possible. This expansion of societal benefits is tied to a new emphasis on technology infusion or spin-in. NASA is seeking partners with industry, universities, and other government laboratories to help the Agency address its specific space exploration needs in five areas: (1) advanced studies, concepts, and tools; (2) advanced materials; (3) communications, computing, electronics, and imaging; (4) software, intelligent systems, and modeling; and (5) power, propulsion, and chemical systems. These spin-in partnerships will offer benefits to U.S. economic development as well as new products for the global market. As a complement to these spin-in benefits, NASA also is examining the possible future spin-outs of the innovations related to its new space exploration mission. A matrix that charts NASA's needs against various business sectors is being developed to fully understand the implications for society and industry of spin-in and spin-out. This matrix already has been used to help guide NASA s efforts to secure spin-in partnerships. This paper presents examples of NASA spin-offs, discusses NASA s present spin-in/spin-out projects for pursuing partnerships, and considers some of the future societal benefits to be reaped from these partnerships. This paper will complement the proposed paper by Frank Schowengerdt on the Innovative Partnerships Program structure and how to work with the PP.

Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-10

iss052e013146 (July 10, 2017) --- Astronaut Jack Fischer is photographed during setup of hardware for the Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures) two sorbent demonstrations. The Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures) investigation studies a new method using structures of specific shapes to manage fluid and gas mixtures. The investigation studies water recycling and carbon dioxide removal, benefiting future efforts to design lightweight, more reliable life support systems for future space missions.

Research participation registers can increase opportunities for patients and the public to participate in health services research.

PubMed

Leach, Verity; Redwood, Sabi; Lasseter, Gemma; Walther, Axel; Reid, Colette; Blazeby, Jane; Martin, Richard; Donovan, Jenny

2016-07-01

Members of the public and patients repeatedly indicate their willingness to take part in research, but current United Kingdom research governance involves complex rules about gaining consent. Research participation registers that seek consent from participants to be approached about future studies have several potential benefits, including: increased research participation across clinical and healthy populations; simplified recruitment to health care research; support for people's autonomy in decision making; and improved efficiency and generalizability of research. These potential benefits have to be balanced against ethical and governance considerations. With appropriate processes in place, seeking prospective consent from patients and members of the public to be approached about future studies could potentially increase public participation in health research without compromising informed consent and other ethical principles. © The Author(s) 2016.

Future prospects of health management systems using cellular phones.

PubMed

Kim, Hun-Sung; Hwang, Yunji; Lee, Jae-Ho; Oh, Hye Young; Kim, Yi-Jun; Kwon, Hyeon Yoon; Kang, Hyoseung; Kim, Hyunah; Park, Rae Woong; Kim, Ju Han

2014-06-01

Cellular phones enable communication between healthcare providers and patients for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. However, few studies have examined the user-friendliness or effectiveness of cellular phone-based medical informatics (CPBMI) for healthcare. This study investigated the use of CPBMI to identify its current status within the medical field, advantages and disadvantages, practicability, clinical effectiveness, costs, and cost-saving potential. CPBMI was validated in terms of practicality and provision of medical benefits. It is critical to use CPBMI in accordance with the different features of each disease and condition. Use of CPBMI is expected to be especially useful for patients with chronic disease. We discussed the current status of the clinical use, benefits, and risks of CPBMI. CPBMI and information technology-based health management tools are anticipated to become useful and effective components of healthcare management in the future.

Factors influencing public risk-benefit considerations of nanotechnology: Assessing the effects of mass media, interpersonal communication, and elaborative processing.

PubMed

Ho, Shirley S; Scheufele, Dietram A; Corley, Elizabeth A

2013-07-01

This study examines the influence of mass media, interpersonal communication, and elaborative processing on public perception of benefits and risks of nanotechnology, based on a large-scale nationally representative telephone survey of U.S. adult citizens. Results indicate that cognitive processes in the form of news elaboration had a significant positive main effect on benefits outweigh risks perception. The influences of attention to science in newspapers, attention to science news on television, and interpersonal communication about science on public perception of benefits outweigh risks were moderated by elaborative processing, after controlling for socio-demographic variables, religious beliefs, trust in scientists, and scientific knowledge. The findings highlight the importance of elaborative processing when it comes to understanding how the mass media differentially influence public benefits outweigh risks perception of emerging technologies. Specifically, high elaborative processing emphasizes higher levels of perceived benefits outweigh risks than low elaborative processing. This study explores explanations for this phenomenon and offers implications for future research and policy.

Analysing Enterprise Returns on Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moy, Janelle; McDonald, Rod

Recent Australian and overseas studies on evaluation of enterprises' return on training investment (ROTI) were reviewed to identify key issues in encouraging increased evaluation of training benefits by enterprises and successful approaches that may inform future "enterprise-friendly" studies of ROTI. It was concluded that more…

The Effect of Psychological Distance on Children's Reasoning about Future Preferences.

PubMed

Lee, Wendy S C; Atance, Cristina M

2016-01-01

Young preschool-aged children often have difficulty thinking about the future, but tend to reason better about another person's future than their own. This benefit may reflect psychological distance from one's own emotions, beliefs, and states that may bias thinking. In adults, reasoning for others who are more socially distant (i.e., dissimilar, unfamiliar other) is associated with wiser and more adaptive reasoning. The current studies examined whether this effect of social distance could be demonstrated in young children's future thinking. In a future preferences task, 3- and 4-year-olds were shown 5 pairs of child and adult items and selected which ones they would prefer when grown-up. Children answered for themselves, a socially close peer, or a socially distant peer. Social distance was manipulated by varying similarity in Study 1 and familiarity in Study 2. In Study 1, reasoning for similar and dissimilar peers was significantly more accurate than reasoning for the self, but reasoning for similar and dissimilar peers did not differ. In Study 2, scores showed a step-wise increase from self, familiar peer, to unfamiliar peer, but only reasoning for an unfamiliar peer was significantly better more accurate than reasoning for the self. Reasoning for a familiar peer did not differ from reasoning for the self or for an unfamiliar peer. These results suggest that, like adults, children benefit from psychological distance when reasoning for others, but are less sensitive to degrees of social distance, showing no graded effects on performance in Study 1 and weak effects in Study 2. Stronger adult-like effects may only emerge with increasing age and development of other socio-cognitive skills.

The Effect of Psychological Distance on Children’s Reasoning about Future Preferences

PubMed Central

Lee, Wendy S. C.; Atance, Cristina M.

2016-01-01

Young preschool-aged children often have difficulty thinking about the future, but tend to reason better about another person’s future than their own. This benefit may reflect psychological distance from one’s own emotions, beliefs, and states that may bias thinking. In adults, reasoning for others who are more socially distant (i.e., dissimilar, unfamiliar other) is associated with wiser and more adaptive reasoning. The current studies examined whether this effect of social distance could be demonstrated in young children’s future thinking. In a future preferences task, 3- and 4-year-olds were shown 5 pairs of child and adult items and selected which ones they would prefer when grown-up. Children answered for themselves, a socially close peer, or a socially distant peer. Social distance was manipulated by varying similarity in Study 1 and familiarity in Study 2. In Study 1, reasoning for similar and dissimilar peers was significantly more accurate than reasoning for the self, but reasoning for similar and dissimilar peers did not differ. In Study 2, scores showed a step-wise increase from self, familiar peer, to unfamiliar peer, but only reasoning for an unfamiliar peer was significantly better more accurate than reasoning for the self. Reasoning for a familiar peer did not differ from reasoning for the self or for an unfamiliar peer. These results suggest that, like adults, children benefit from psychological distance when reasoning for others, but are less sensitive to degrees of social distance, showing no graded effects on performance in Study 1 and weak effects in Study 2. Stronger adult-like effects may only emerge with increasing age and development of other socio-cognitive skills. PMID:27741264

Risk management for optimal land use planning integrating ecosystem services values: A case study in Changsha, Middle China.

PubMed

Liang, Jie; Zhong, Minzhou; Zeng, Guangming; Chen, Gaojie; Hua, Shanshan; Li, Xiaodong; Yuan, Yujie; Wu, Haipeng; Gao, Xiang

2017-02-01

Land-use change has direct impact on ecosystem services and alters ecosystem services values (ESVs). Ecosystem services analysis is beneficial for land management and decisions. However, the application of ESVs for decision-making in land use decisions is scarce. In this paper, a method, integrating ESVs to balance future ecosystem-service benefit and risk, is developed to optimize investment in land for ecological conservation in land use planning. Using ecological conservation in land use planning in Changsha as an example, ESVs is regarded as the expected ecosystem-service benefit. And uncertainty of land use change is regarded as risk. This method can optimize allocation of investment in land to improve ecological benefit. The result shows that investment should be partial to Liuyang City to get higher benefit. The investment should also be shifted from Liuyang City to other regions to reduce risk. In practice, lower limit and upper limit for weight distribution, which affects optimal outcome and selection of investment allocation, should be set in investment. This method can reveal the optimal spatial allocation of investment to maximize the expected ecosystem-service benefit at a given level of risk or minimize risk at a given level of expected ecosystem-service benefit. Our results of optimal analyses highlight tradeoffs between future ecosystem-service benefit and uncertainty of land use change in land use decisions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Benefits, challenges and critical factors of success for Zero Waste: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Pietzsch, Natália; Ribeiro, José Luis Duarte; de Medeiros, Janine Fleith

2017-09-01

Considering the growing concern with solid wastes problems and the pressing need for a holistic approach to their management, this study developed a literature review about the subject "Zero Waste". To that end, a systematic literature review was executed, through which 102 published articles were analyzed with the aim to, initially, comprehend the concept of Zero Waste, and, then, map its benefits, challenges, and critical success factors. The results show that scholars have not reached a consensus regarding the concept of ZW. While some studies fully address this philosophy, other studies are based on just one or on some of its topics. The benefits were grouped and organized into four dimensions: benefits to the community, financial-economic benefits, benefits to the environment and benefits to the industry and stakeholders. As to the challenges, barriers were identified both in the macro environment (mainly political and cultural) and in the meso and micro environments (stakeholders, industries, and municipalities). The analysis of the articles enabled listing critical success factors, supported by a set of activities that must be carried out. Regarding future studies, it is worth noting that more empirical studies about ZW implementation are necessary, particularly with regard to educational practices designed to promote changes in user behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Policy Analysis: Valuation of Ecosystem Services in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

PubMed

Banzhaf, H Spencer; Burtraw, Dallas; Criscimagna, Susie Chung; Cosby, Bernard J; Evans, David A; Krupnick, Alan J; Siikamäki, Juha V

2016-03-15

This study estimates the economic value of an increase in ecosystem services attributable to the reduced acidification expected from more stringent air pollution policy. By integrating a detailed biogeochemical model that projects future ecological recovery with economic methods that measure preferences for specific ecological improvements, we estimate the economic value of ecological benefits from new air pollution policies in the Southern Appalachian ecosystem. Our results indicate that these policies generate aggregate benefits of about $3.7 billion, or about $16 per year per household in the region. The study provides currently missing information about the ecological benefits from air pollution policies that is needed to evaluate such policies comprehensively. More broadly, the study also illustrates how integrated biogeochemical and economic assessments of multidimensional ecosystems can evaluate the relative benefits of different policy options that vary by scale and across ecosystem attributes.

Planning for a Nondriving Future: Behaviors and Beliefs Among Middle-Aged and Older Drivers.

PubMed

Harmon, Annie C; Babulal, Ganesh; Vivoda, Jonathon M; Zikmund-Fisher, Brian J; Carr, David B

2018-01-01

Despite the reality of older adults living many years after driving cessation, few prepare for the eventuality; empirically, planning for a nondriving future has not been directly quantified or explored. The following study quantifies 1) the extent of current drivers' planning, 2) specific planning behaviors, 3) beliefs about benefits of planning, 4) drivers' intention to plan more for future transportation needs, and 5) group differences associated with planning. In a predominantly female, black, urban sample of current drivers ages 53-92, fewer than half (42.1%) had planned at all for a nondriving future, with correspondingly low levels of planning behaviors reported. However, over 80% believed planning would help them meet their needs post-cessation and transition emotionally to being a nondriver. Most (85%) intended to plan more in the future as well, indicating further potential openness to the topic. Drivers who planned were older, drove less frequently, limited their driving to nearby places, reported less difficulty believing they would become a nondriver, and expected to continue driving three years less than non-planners. These findings suggest that drivers' perceived nearness to driving cessation impacts planning for future transportation needs, and existing perceived benefits of planning may provide leverage to motivate action.

Potential subjects' responses to an ethics questionnaire in a phase I study of deep brain stimulation in early Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Finder, Stuart G; Bliton, Mark J; Gill, Chandler E; Davis, Thomas L; Konrad, Peter E; Charles, P David

2012-01-01

Central to ethically justified clinical trial design is the need for an informed consent process responsive to how potential subjects actually comprehend study participation, especially study goals, risks, and potential benefits. This will be particularly challenging when studying deep brain stimulation and whether it impedes symptom progression in Parkinson's disease, since potential subjects will be Parkinson's patients for whom deep brain stimulation will likely have therapeutic value in the future as their disease progresses. As part of an expanded informed consent process for a pilot Phase I study of deep brain stimulation in early stage Parkinson's disease, an ethics questionnaire composed of 13 open-ended questions was distributed to potential subjects. The questionnaire was designed to guide potential subjects in thinking about their potential participation. While the purpose of the study (safety and tolerability) was extensively presented during the informed consent process, in returned responses 70 percent focused on effectiveness and 91 percent included personal benefit as poten- tial benefit from enrolling. However, 91 percent also indicated helping other Parkinson's patients as motivation when considering whether or not to enroll. This combination of responses highlights two issues to which investigators need to pay close attention in future trial designs: (1) how, and in what ways, informed consent processes reinforce potential subjects' preconceived understandings of benefit, and (2) that potential subjects see themselves as part of a community of Parkinson's sufferers with responsibilities extending beyond self-interest. More importantly, it invites speculation that a different paradigm for informed consent may be needed.

Valuing the Future: Should Educational Benefits Be Discounted?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilead, Tal

2015-01-01

The practice of assigning a lesser value to benefits the further they are into the future, or, in economic terms, discounting, has long played a significant role in shaping public policy. Recently, due to the growing influence of economic modes of thinking on the educational realm, the concept of discounting is also starting to have an influence…

Characteristics of sustainable forest management

Treesearch

Stephen R. Shifley; Francisco X. Aguilar; Nianfu Song; Susan I. Stewart; David J. Nowak; Dale D. Gormanson; W. Keith Moser; Sherri Wormstead; Eric J. Greenfield

2012-01-01

Forests can provide numerous benefits to society today, tomorrow, and far into the future. Many in society seek sustainable forest management to ensure that future generations enjoy those benefits. The foundation of professional forest management is “the use of the natural resources for the greatest good of the greatest number for the longest time” (Gifford Pinchot...

NORTHWEST OREGON PILOT STUDY AREA (USA): A WATERSHED ASSESSMENT OF LANDSCAPE CHANGE AND IMPACTS TO AQUATIC RESOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

Studies of future management and policy options based on different assumptions provide a mechanism to examine possible outcomes and especially their likely benefits and consequences. The Northwest Oregon Pilot Study Area encompasses approximately 59,167 km2 and comprises a mixtur...

Policy analysis for prenatal genetic diagnosis.

PubMed

Thompson, M; Milunsky, A

1979-01-01

Consideration of the analytic difficulties faced in estimating the benefits and costs of prenatal genetic diagnosis, coupled with a brief review of existing benefit-cost studies, leads to the conclusion that public subsidy of prenatal testing can yield benefits substantially in excess of costs. The practical obstacles to such programs include the attitudes of prospective parents, a lack of knowledge, monetary barriers, inadequately organized medical resources, and the political issue of abortion. Policy analysis can now nevertheless formulate principles and guide immediate actions to improve present utilization of prenatal testing and to facilitate possible future expansion of these diagnostic techniques.

Transforming Training: A Perspective on the Need and Payoffs from Common Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

position the training research community on the eve of a scientific breakthrough. In the near future, the scientific community will likely benefit from...is likely to benefit from this ability to routinely cross-compare training technologies and techniques from laboratory training study results...concluding with a logical end such as " Bingo " (nearly out of fuel), all threats killed, or multiple friendly losses. While these training sessions

[Benefit Assessment for Examination and Treatment Methods with Medical Devices of High Hisk: Trade-off between Patient Benefit, Evidence and Access].

PubMed

Mühlbacher, Axel C; Juhnke, Christin

2018-03-01

The lately inured § 137 h SGB V aims to assess the benefit of new examination and treatment methods with medical devices of class IIb and III. In the future, the decision on the reimbursement eligibility will be marked by high requirements in terms of documentation of benefits and harm. The objective of benefit assessment is the operationalization of benefit to patients. A comparative determination of benefit enables rational decision by regulatory authorities. The process of benefit assessment should guarantee transparent decision-making, and the underlying medical and health economic fundamentals should be documented. In principle, benefit assessment can be divided into 3 phases: measuring causal effects of an intervention, assessment of the measured effects and decision on reimbursement based on the aggregation of an overall benefit. To address the peculiarities of medical devices in this process, adaptive study designs, MCDA and adaptive benefit assessment provide a sustainable concept for rapid access by patients to innovative treatments of high quality and safety. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

An Assessment of Future Demands for and Benefits of Public Transit Services in Tennessee

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-03-01

This report documents results from a study carried out by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for the Office of Public Transportation, Tennessee Department of Transportation. The study team was tasked with devel...

Conditional risk assessment of adolescents’ electronic cigarette perceptions

PubMed Central

Chaffee, Benjamin W.; Gansky, Stuart A.; Halpern-Felsher, Bonnie; Couch, Elizabeth T.; Essex, Gwen; Walsh, Margaret M.

2015-01-01

Objectives Adapt an established instrument for measuring adolescents’ cigarette-related perceptions for new application with electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Methods In this exploratory study, 104 male high school students (40% tobacco ever-users) estimated the probability of potential e-cigarette risks (eg, lung cancer) or benefits (eg, look cool). We calculated associations between risk/benefit composite scores, ever-use, and use intention for e-cigarettes and analogously for combustible cigarettes. Results E-cigarette ever-use was associated with lower perceived risks, with adjusted differences versus never-users greater for e-cigarettes than cigarettes. Risk composite score was inversely associated, and benefit score positively associated, with e-cigarette ever-use and use intention. Conclusion Conditional risk assessment characterized adolescents’ perceived e-cigarette risk/benefit profile, with potential utility for risk-perception measurement in larger future studies. PMID:25741686

Quantifying the costs and benefits of occupational health and safety interventions at a Bangladesh shipbuilding company

PubMed Central

Thiede, Irene; Thiede, Michael

2015-01-01

Background: This study is the first cost–benefit analysis (CBA) of occupational health and safety (OHS) in a low-income country. It focuses on one of the largest shipbuilding companies in Bangladesh, where globally recognised Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Services (OHSAS) 18001 certification was achieved in 2012. Objectives: The study examines the relative costs of implementing OHS measures against qualitative and quantifiable benefits of implementation in order to determine whether OHSAS measures are economically advantageous. Methods: Quantifying past costs and benefits and discounting future ones, this study looks at the returns of OHS measures at Western Marine Shipbuilding Company Ltd. Results: Costs included investments in workplace and environmental safety, a new clinic that also serves the community, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and training. The results are impressive: previously high injury statistics dropped to close to zero. Conclusions: OHS measures decrease injuries, increase efficiency, and bring income security to workers’ families. Certification has proven a competitive edge for the shipyard, resulting in access to greater markets. Intangible benefits such as trust, motivation and security are deemed crucial in the CBA, and this study finds the high investments made are difficult to offset with quantifiable benefits alone. PMID:25589369

Quantifying the costs and benefits of occupational health and safety interventions at a Bangladesh shipbuilding company.

PubMed

Thiede, Irene; Thiede, Michael

2015-01-01

This study is the first cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of occupational health and safety (OHS) in a low-income country. It focuses on one of the largest shipbuilding companies in Bangladesh, where globally recognised Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Services (OHSAS) 18001 certification was achieved in 2012. The study examines the relative costs of implementing OHS measures against qualitative and quantifiable benefits of implementation in order to determine whether OHSAS measures are economically advantageous. Quantifying past costs and benefits and discounting future ones, this study looks at the returns of OHS measures at Western Marine Shipbuilding Company Ltd. Costs included investments in workplace and environmental safety, a new clinic that also serves the community, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and training. The results are impressive: previously high injury statistics dropped to close to zero. OHS measures decrease injuries, increase efficiency, and bring income security to workers' families. Certification has proven a competitive edge for the shipyard, resulting in access to greater markets. Intangible benefits such as trust, motivation and security are deemed crucial in the CBA, and this study finds the high investments made are difficult to offset with quantifiable benefits alone.

Health benefits of different sport disciplines for adults: systematic review of observational and intervention studies with meta-analysis.

PubMed

Oja, Pekka; Titze, Sylvia; Kokko, Sami; Kujala, Urho M; Heinonen, Ari; Kelly, Paul; Koski, Pasi; Foster, Charlie

2015-04-01

The aim was to assess the quality and strength of evidence for the health benefits of specific sport disciplines. Electronic search yielded 2194 records and the selection resulted in 69 eligible studies (47 cross-sectional, 9 cohort, 13 intervention studies). 105 comparisons between participation and non-participation groups in 26 different sport disciplines were reported. Moderately strong evidence showed that both running and football improve aerobic fitness and cardiovascular function at rest, and football reduces adiposity. Conditional evidence showed that running benefits metabolic fitness, adiposity and postural balance, and football improves metabolic fitness, muscular performance, postural balance, and cardiac function. Evidence for health benefits of other sport disciplines was either inconclusive or tenuous. The evidence base for the health benefits of specific sports disciplines is generally compromised by weak study design and quality. Future research should address the health effects of different sport disciplines using rigorous research designs. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Is the Belief in Meritocracy Palliative for Members of Low Status Groups? Evidence for a Benefit for Self-Esteem and Physical Health via Perceived Control

PubMed Central

McCoy, Shannon K.; Wellman, Joseph D.; Cosley, Brandon; Saslow, Laura; Epel, Elissa

2013-01-01

Consensually held ideologies may serve as the cultural “glue” that justifies hierarchical status differences in society (e.g. Augustinos, 1998). Yet to be effective these beliefs need to be embraced by low-status groups. Why would members of low-status groups endorse beliefs that justify their relative disadvantage? We propose that members of low-status groups in the United States may benefit from some system-justifying beliefs (such as the belief in meritocracy) to the extent that these beliefs emphasize the perception of control over future outcomes. In 2 studies, among women, lower-SES women, and women of color, we found a positive relationship between the belief in meritocracy and well-being (self-esteem and physical health) that was mediated by perceived control. Members of low-status groups may benefit from some system-justifying beliefs to the extent that these beliefs, like the belief in meritocracy, emphasize the perception of control over future outcomes. PMID:24039310

Gratitude depends on the relational model of communal sharing.

PubMed

Simão, Cláudia; Seibt, Beate

2014-01-01

We studied the relation between benefits, perception of social relationships and gratitude. Across three studies, we provide evidence that benefits increase gratitude to the extent to which one applies a mental model of a communal relationship. In Study 1, the communal sharing relational model, and no other relational models, predicted the amount of gratitude participants felt after imagining receiving a benefit from a new acquaintance. In Study 2, participants recalled a large benefit they had received. Applying a communal sharing relational model increased feelings of gratitude for the benefit. In Study 3, we manipulated whether the participant or another person received a benefit from an unknown other. Again, we found that the extent of communal sharing perceived in the relationship with the stranger predicted gratitude. An additional finding of Study 2 was that communal sharing predicted future gratitude regarding the relational partner in a longitudinal design. To conclude, applying a communal sharing model predicts gratitude regarding concrete benefits and regarding the relational partner, presumably because one perceives the communal partner as motivated to meet one's needs. Finally, in Study 3, we found in addition that being the recipient of a benefit without opportunity to repay directly increased communal sharing, and indirectly increased gratitude. These circumstances thus seem to favor the attribution of communal norms, leading to a communal sharing representation and in turn to gratitude. We discuss the importance of relational models as mental representations of relationships for feelings of gratitude.

Gratitude Depends on the Relational Model of Communal Sharing

PubMed Central

Simão, Cláudia; Seibt, Beate

2014-01-01

We studied the relation between benefits, perception of social relationships and gratitude. Across three studies, we provide evidence that benefits increase gratitude to the extent to which one applies a mental model of a communal relationship. In Study 1, the communal sharing relational model, and no other relational models, predicted the amount of gratitude participants felt after imagining receiving a benefit from a new acquaintance. In Study 2, participants recalled a large benefit they had received. Applying a communal sharing relational model increased feelings of gratitude for the benefit. In Study 3, we manipulated whether the participant or another person received a benefit from an unknown other. Again, we found that the extent of communal sharing perceived in the relationship with the stranger predicted gratitude. An additional finding of Study 2 was that communal sharing predicted future gratitude regarding the relational partner in a longitudinal design. To conclude, applying a communal sharing model predicts gratitude regarding concrete benefits and regarding the relational partner, presumably because one perceives the communal partner as motivated to meet one's needs. Finally, in Study 3, we found in addition that being the recipient of a benefit without opportunity to repay directly increased communal sharing, and indirectly increased gratitude. These circumstances thus seem to favor the attribution of communal norms, leading to a communal sharing representation and in turn to gratitude. We discuss the importance of relational models as mental representations of relationships for feelings of gratitude. PMID:24465933

Impacts of future climate change on urban flood volumes in Hohhot in northern China: benefits of climate change mitigation and adaptations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Qianqian; Leng, Guoyong; Huang, Maoyi

2018-01-01

As China becomes increasingly urbanised, flooding has become a regular occurrence in its major cities. Assessing the effects of future climate change on urban flood volumes is crucial to informing better management of such disasters given the severity of the devastating impacts of flooding (e.g. the 2016 flooding events across China). Although recent studies have investigated the impacts of future climate change on urban flooding, the effects of both climate change mitigation and adaptation have rarely been accounted for together in a consistent framework. In this study, we assess the benefits of mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and locally adapting to climate change by modifying drainage systems to reduce urban flooding under various climate change scenarios through a case study conducted in northern China. The urban drainage model - Storm Water Management Model - was used to simulate urban flood volumes using current and two adapted drainage systems (i.e. pipe enlargement and low-impact development, LID), driven by bias-corrected meteorological forcing from five general circulation models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 archive. Results indicate that urban flood volume is projected to increase by 52 % over 2020-2040 compared to the volume in 1971-2000 under the business-as-usual scenario (i.e. Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5). The magnitudes of urban flood volumes are found to increase nonlinearly with changes in precipitation intensity. On average, the projected flood volume under RCP 2.6 is 13 % less than that under RCP 8.5, demonstrating the benefits of global-scale climate change mitigation efforts in reducing local urban flood volumes. Comparison of reduced flood volumes between climate change mitigation and local adaptation (by improving drainage systems) scenarios suggests that local adaptation is more effective than climate change mitigation in reducing future flood volumes. This has broad implications for the research community relative to drainage system design and modelling in a changing environment. This study highlights the importance of accounting for local adaptation when coping with future urban floods.

Impacts of future climate change on urban flood volumes in Hohhot in northern China: benefits of climate change mitigation and adaptations

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Qianqian; Leng, Guoyong; Huang, Maoyi

2018-01-15

As China becomes increasingly urbanised, flooding has become a regular occurrence in its major cities. Assessing the effects of future climate change on urban flood volumes is crucial to informing better management of such disasters given the severity of the devastating impacts of flooding (e.g. the 2016 flooding events across China). Although recent studies have investigated the impacts of future climate change on urban flooding, the effects of both climate change mitigation and adaptation have rarely been accounted for together in a consistent framework. In this study, we assess the benefits of mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG)more » emissions and locally adapting to climate change by modifying drainage systems to reduce urban flooding under various climate change scenarios through a case study conducted in northern China. The urban drainage model – Storm Water Management Model – was used to simulate urban flood volumes using current and two adapted drainage systems (i.e. pipe enlargement and low-impact development, LID), driven by bias-corrected meteorological forcing from five general circulation models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 archive. Results indicate that urban flood volume is projected to increase by 52 % over 2020–2040 compared to the volume in 1971–2000 under the business-as-usual scenario (i.e. Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5). The magnitudes of urban flood volumes are found to increase nonlinearly with changes in precipitation intensity. On average, the projected flood volume under RCP 2.6 is 13 % less than that under RCP 8.5, demonstrating the benefits of global-scale climate change mitigation efforts in reducing local urban flood volumes. Comparison of reduced flood volumes between climate change mitigation and local adaptation (by improving drainage systems) scenarios suggests that local adaptation is more effective than climate change mitigation in reducing future flood volumes. This has broad implications for the research community relative to drainage system design and modelling in a changing environment. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of accounting for local adaptation when coping with future urban floods.« less

Impacts of future climate change on urban flood volumes in Hohhot in northern China: benefits of climate change mitigation and adaptations

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

Zhou, Qianqian; Leng, Guoyong; Huang, Maoyi

As China becomes increasingly urbanised, flooding has become a regular occurrence in its major cities. Assessing the effects of future climate change on urban flood volumes is crucial to informing better management of such disasters given the severity of the devastating impacts of flooding (e.g. the 2016 flooding events across China). Although recent studies have investigated the impacts of future climate change on urban flooding, the effects of both climate change mitigation and adaptation have rarely been accounted for together in a consistent framework. In this study, we assess the benefits of mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG)more » emissions and locally adapting to climate change by modifying drainage systems to reduce urban flooding under various climate change scenarios through a case study conducted in northern China. The urban drainage model – Storm Water Management Model – was used to simulate urban flood volumes using current and two adapted drainage systems (i.e. pipe enlargement and low-impact development, LID), driven by bias-corrected meteorological forcing from five general circulation models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 archive. Results indicate that urban flood volume is projected to increase by 52 % over 2020–2040 compared to the volume in 1971–2000 under the business-as-usual scenario (i.e. Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5). The magnitudes of urban flood volumes are found to increase nonlinearly with changes in precipitation intensity. On average, the projected flood volume under RCP 2.6 is 13 % less than that under RCP 8.5, demonstrating the benefits of global-scale climate change mitigation efforts in reducing local urban flood volumes. Comparison of reduced flood volumes between climate change mitigation and local adaptation (by improving drainage systems) scenarios suggests that local adaptation is more effective than climate change mitigation in reducing future flood volumes. This has broad implications for the research community relative to drainage system design and modelling in a changing environment. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of accounting for local adaptation when coping with future urban floods.« less

Young adults on disability benefits in 7 countries.

PubMed

Kaltenbrunner Bernitz, Brita; Grees, Nadja; Jakobsson Randers, Marie; Gerner, Ulla; Bergendorff, Sisko

2013-11-01

This article, based on a study by the Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate, describes the development of young adults receiving disability benefits due to reduced working capability, and the disability benefit systems in seven European countries; Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK. This comparative study mainly uses Sweden as a benchmark. Apart from a documentary and legal data collection and analysis, 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of the responsible ministries and authorities in the studied countries. In addition, national and European data was collected. There is an increasing trend of young adults, aged 19-29, on disability benefits in all studied countries. The most common diagnosis group among young adults on disability benefits is mental and behavioural disorders, ranging from 58% in the UK to 80% in Denmark. The comparison of the different disability benefit systems shows that there are relatively large national differences in terms of rules and regulations, the handling of disability benefit cases, and offered rehabilitation activities and other measures to support young adults on disability benefits to strengthen their working capability, and hence enable them to approach the labour market in the future. However, it is clear that these countries face similar challenges, and therefore there could be a lot to learn from European exchange of experiences and expertise in this area. This article identifies a number of measures of special interest to study and discusses further with regard to the further development of the Swedish system for disability benefits for young adults.

Sport Activity for Health!! The Effects of Karate Participants' Involvement, Perceived Value, and Leisure Benefits on Recommendation Intention.

PubMed

Chang, Ying-Chih; Yeh, Tsu-Ming; Pai, Fan-Yun; Huang, Tai-Peng

2018-05-10

This study intends to discuss the effects of participants’ involvement, perceived value, and leisure benefits on recommendation intention in the sport of karate. The questionnaires were collected online by karate clubs on Facebook and included 369 valid participants. The research findings show that karate participants from different places of residence do not display significant differences in involvement, perceived value, leisure benefits, and recommendation intention. Furthermore, “attraction” in the involvement category reveals the highest mean, “paid spirit and energy being worthy” in perceived value appears as the highest mean, and “physiological benefits” in leisure benefits shows the highest mean. The Pearson correlation analysis result presents significant strong positive correlations between involvement, perceived value, leisure benefits, and recommendation intention. Finally, multiple regression analysis reveals that leisure benefits, except “physiological benefits”, show notably positive effects on recommendation intention. According to the research results, suggestions are proposed for the reference of karate teaching business managers, participants, and future research.

Self-Reported Benefits and Adverse Outcomes of Hot Yoga Participation.

PubMed

Mace, Casey; Eggleston, Brandon

2016-01-01

There is little to no scientific data about the health benefits or risks to participating in hot yoga, in particular distinguishing it from the practice of non-hot yoga. This study aims to provide some preliminary evidence about the risks and benefits of participating in hot yoga. Future studies will be able to build off the findings herein. This study utilized online survey software (Qualtrics) and recruited participants through convenience sampling (n = 157) by targeting yoga websites and online forums. As there is currently no known questionnaire that has been developed to assess the risks and benefits of hot yoga participation, an exploratory measure was designed to gain more detailed responses from participants. Descriptive epidemiological analyses we re conducted. Participants of hot yoga had a number of pre-existing health conditions. Both benefits and adverse outcomes were reported. The most frequently reported health benefits of hot yoga in this sample included increased flexibility (63%), improved mood (58%), increased fitness (43%), and improved stamina (42%). Just over half of the participants reported some sort of adverse event during a hot yoga session (n = 82). The most commonly reported adverse events included dizziness (60%), feeling light headed (61%), nausea (35%), and dehydration (34%), amongst others. Further study on the risks and benefits of hot yoga participation is required.

Self-Reported Benefits and Adverse Outcomes of Hot Yoga Participation.

PubMed

Mace, Casey; Eggleston, Brandon

2016-08-15

There is little to no scientific data about the health benefits or risks to participating in hot yoga, in particular distinguishing it from the practice of non-hot yoga. This study aims to provide some preliminary evidence about the risks and benefits of participating in hot yoga. Future studies will be able to build off the findings herein. This study utilized online survey software (Qualtrics) and recruited participants through convenience sampling (n = 157) by targeting yoga websites and online forums. As there is currently no known questionnaire that has been developed to assess the risks and benefits of hot yoga participation, an exploratory measure was designed to gain more detailed responses from participants. Descriptive epidemiological analyses we re conducted. Participants of hot yoga had a number of pre-existing health conditions. Both benefits and adverse outcomes were reported. The most frequently reported health benefits of hot yoga in this sample included increased flexibility (63%), improved mood (58%), increased fitness (43%), and improved stamina (42%). Just over half of the participants reported some sort of adverse event during a hot yoga session (n = 82). The most commonly reported adverse events included dizziness (60%), feeling light headed (61%), nausea (35%), and dehydration (34%), amongst others. Further study on the risks and benefits of hot yoga participation is required.

Satellite telemetry and wildlife studies in India: Advantages, options and challenges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Javed, Sàlim; Higuchi, Hiroyoshi; Nagendran, Meenakshi; Takekawa, John Y.

2003-01-01

Greater spatial coverage, accuracy and non-invasiveness of satellite technology make it one of the best tools to track long-distance migrants, which is otherwise difficult using conventional radio telemetry. In this article, we review the evolution of satellite telemetry and its application. We provide examples of three recent studies in India that have demonstrated and created a widespread appreciation of the use and benefits of satellite telemetry among biologists and managers. We also discuss the future prospects of this technology vis-a-vis benefits and challenges in the Indian subcontinent.

A Parametric Study on Using Active Debris Removal to Stabilize the Future LEO Debris Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liou, J.C.

2010-01-01

Recent analyses of the instability of the orbital debris population in the low Earth orbit (LEO) region and the collision between Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 have reignited the interest in using active debris removal (ADR) to remediate the environment. There are; however, monumental technical, resources, operational, legal, and political challenges in making economically viable ADR a reality. Before a consensus on the need for ADR can be reached, a careful analysis of the effectiveness of ADR must be conducted. The goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of using ADR to preserve the future environment and to guide its implementation to maximize the benefit-cost ratio. This paper describes a comprehensive sensitivity study on using ADR to stabilize the future LEO debris environment. The NASA long-term, orbital debris evolutionary model, LEGEND, is used to quantify the effects of many key parameters. These parameters include (1) the starting epoch of ADR implementation, (2) various target selection criteria, (3) the benefits of collision avoidance maneuvers, (4) the consequence of targeting specific inclination or altitude regimes, (5) the consequence of targeting specific classes of vehicles, and (6) the timescale of removal. Additional analyses on the importance of postmission disposal and how future launches might affect the requirements to stabilize the environment are also included.

Future Prospects of Health Management Systems Using Cellular Phones

PubMed Central

Kim, Hun-Sung; Hwang, Yunji; Lee, Jae-Ho; Oh, Hye Young; Kim, Yi-Jun; Kwon, Hyeon Yoon; Kang, Hyoseung; Kim, Hyunah; Park, Rae Woong

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Cellular phones enable communication between healthcare providers and patients for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. However, few studies have examined the user-friendliness or effectiveness of cellular phone-based medical informatics (CPBMI) for healthcare. Materials and Methods: This study investigated the use of CPBMI to identify its current status within the medical field, advantages and disadvantages, practicability, clinical effectiveness, costs, and cost-saving potential. Results: CPBMI was validated in terms of practicality and provision of medical benefits. It is critical to use CPBMI in accordance with the different features of each disease and condition. Use of CPBMI is expected to be especially useful for patients with chronic disease. Conclusions: We discussed the current status of the clinical use, benefits, and risks of CPBMI. CPBMI and information technology–based health management tools are anticipated to become useful and effective components of healthcare management in the future. PMID:24693986

CANTOS: A breakthrough that proves the inflammatory hypothesis of atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Atherosclerosis is no longer considered solely a disorder of subintimal deposition of modified low-density lipoprotein particles in the arterial wall. Rather, it is known to be a chronic inflammatory disorder. No evidence has shown that reducing vascular inflammation in the absence of concomitant lowering of lipoproteins levels reduces the rates of adverse cardiovascular (CV) events. Canakinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes interleukin (IL)-1β, significantly reduced the rate of recurrent CV events in patients with prior myocardial infarction in the Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcome Study (CANTOS). Canakinumab has no effect on CV or all-cause mortality, however it was associated with high incidence of fatal infections. Thus, the net benefit needs to be properly addressed in future studies that evaluate the potential benefit of the anti-inflammatory therapies and whether it can change clinical practice in the near future. PMID:29644229

Cost-Effectiveness of a Home Based Intervention for Secondary Prevention of Readmission with Chronic Heart Disease

PubMed Central

Byrnes, Joshua; Carrington, Melinda; Chan, Yih-Kai; Pollicino, Christine; Dubrowin, Natalie; Stewart, Simon; Scuffham, Paul A.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to consider the cost-effectiveness of a nurse-led, home-based intervention (HBI) in cardiac patients with private health insurance compared to usual post-discharge care. A within trial analysis of the Young @ Heart multicentre, randomized controlled trial along with a micro-simulation decision analytical model was conducted to estimate the incremental costs and quality adjusted life years associated with the home based intervention compared to usual care. For the micro-simulation model, future costs, from the perspective of the funder, and effects are estimated over a twenty-year time horizon. An Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio, along with Incremental Net Monetary Benefit, is evaluated using a willingness to pay threshold of $50,000 per quality adjusted life year. Sub-group analyses are conducted for men and women across three age groups separately. Costs and benefits that arise in the future are discounted at five percent per annum. Overall, home based intervention for secondary prevention in patients with chronic heart disease identified in the Australian private health care sector is not cost-effective. The estimated within trial incremental net monetary benefit is -$3,116 [95%CI: -11,145, $4,914]; indicating that the costs outweigh the benefits. However, for males and in particular males aged 75 years and above, home based intervention indicated a potential to reduce health care costs when compared to usual care (within trial: -$10,416 [95%CI: -$26,745, $5,913]; modelled analysis: -$1,980 [95%CI: -$22,843, $14,863]). This work provides a crucial impetus for future research to understand for whom disease management programs are likely to benefit most. PMID:26657844

Economic Benefits of Improved Water Quality: Public Perceptions of Option and Preservation Values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouwes, Nicolaas W., Sr.

The primary objective of this book is to report the authors‧ research approach to the estimation of benefits of water quality improvements in the South Platte River of northeastern Colorado. Benefits included a “consumer surplus” from enhanced enjoyment of water-based recreation, an “option value” of assured choice of future recreation use, and a “preservation value” of the ecosystem and its bequest to future generations. Concepts such as preservation and option value benefits have been often mentioned but seldom estimated in natural resources research. The authors have met their objective by providing the reader with a detailed description of their research without being tedious.

‘Not taken in by media hype’: how potential donors, recipients and members of the general public perceive stem cell research

PubMed Central

Peddie, V.L.; Porter, M.; Counsell, C.; Caie, L.; Pearson, D.; Bhattacharya, S.

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND Views of embryo donors, scientists and members of the general public on embryonic stem cell research (eSCR) have been widely reported. Less is known about views of potential beneficiaries of stem cell therapy and the influence of media ‘hype’ on perceptions of eSCR among different groups of stakeholders. This study aimed to examine the perceptions of members of the general public as well as two patient groups likely to benefit from eSCR and to explore the role of the media in shaping these views. METHODS A qualitative study carried out in Aberdeen, Scotland included 15 people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), 15 people living with diabetes mellitus (DM), 15 couples with infertility and 21 members of the general public who volunteered for the study. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically using grounded theory. RESULTS The two patient groups likely to benefit from eSCR in the future differed in their knowledge (mainly gained from the media) and understanding of eSCR. Those living with PD were older, more debilitated and better informed than those with DM who showed limited interest in potential future benefits of eSCR. Infertile couples learnt about eSCR from health professionals who explained the process of embryo donation to them, and had sought no further information. Most of the general public had accessed information on eSCR and believed themselves to be more discerning than others because of their objectivity, intelligence and ‘scientific awareness’. Although, the media and internet were primary sources of information for all except couples with infertility, members of all four groups claimed not to be taken in by the media ‘hype’ surrounding eSCR. CONCLUSIONS Those who expected to benefit from eSCR in the future as well as members of the general public differ in their susceptibility to media ‘hype’, while believing that they are not taken in by exaggerated claims of benefits. As respondents were a selected group who were not drawn from a representative sample, the findings cannot be generalized to a wider population. PMID:19168873

VALUATION OF NATURAL RESOURCE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ADIRONDACKS

EPA Science Inventory

The benefits of improving natural resources in the Adirondacks are estimated to be between $336 million and $1.1 billion per year (2003$), according to a new study by Resources for the Future. The five-year study, supported by an EPA grant, estimates New Yorkers willingness-to-...

A comprehensive study of Superfund program benefits in the Denver and Tampa Bay metropolitan areas

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

Held, K.; Casper, B.; Siddhanti, S.K.

1995-12-31

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the benefits of the Superfund program in selected geographic areas. The study demonstrates how the cleanup of Superfund sites has improved the overall quality of life of those in the affected communities. The study presents findings on the benefits of Superfund cleanup activity in the Denver, Colorado and Tampa Bay, Florida metropolitan areas. Denver and Tampa Bay were chosen from several areas that the EPA evaluated and screened during the initial phase of the study. These locations were chosen because of a substantial presence of Superfund activities, making it possible to assessmore » the efficacy of the program. Several features make this study unique in terms of its overall goal. The study examines a broad range of benefit categories related to human health, environmental, and socioeconomic effects of Superfund cleanup activities. The study is also designed to assess benefits due to completed, current, and future planned activity at Superfund sites. This assessment covers Federal remedial activities at National Priorities List (NPL) sites, as well as relevant Federal removal actions in the study areas. These benefits are investigated from an area-wide perspective, as opposed to site-by-site, to determine Superfund`s overall effect on the communities in each area. The study consists of two major phases: Phase 1: Screening and ranking 16 prospective geographic areas and selecting Denver and Tampa Bay as the most appropriate areas for in-depth analysis; and Phase 2: Developing methodologies for assessing benefits, collecting relevant data, and analyzing the benefits from Superfund cleanup activity.« less

The projected public health and economic impact of vitamin D fortified dairy products for fracture prevention in France.

PubMed

Hiligsmann, Mickael; Reginster, Jean-Yves

2018-04-01

There is a paucity of research that projects the public health and economic impact of healthcare interventions in the future. In this study, we aimed to estimate the public health and economic impact of vitamin D fortified dairy products for the years 2020, 2030, 2040, 2050 and 2060. We used a previously validated Markov microsimulation model that was designed to assess the public health and economic impact of dairy products for fracture prevention in the French general population aged over 60 years in the year 2015. The expected benefit (in terms of fractures prevented) of the recommended intake of dairy products compared to the absence of appropriate intake is expected to increase by 63% in 2040 and by 85% in 2060. The cost per quality-adjusted life years gained of the appropriate intake of dairy products is expected to decrease from €58,244 in 2015 to €42,616 in 2060. The potential public health and economic benefits of vitamin D fortified dairy products is expected to substantially increase in the future, especially in the population aged over 80 years. Decision makers should be aware of the current and future potential benefits of dairy products to protect bone fractures.

Perceived Benefits of Yoga among Urban School Students: A Qualitative Analysis

PubMed Central

Wang, Donna; Hagins, Marshall

2016-01-01

This study reports on the findings of a qualitative evaluation of a yoga intervention program for urban middle and high school youth in New York City public and charter schools. Six focus groups were conducted with students who participated in a year-long yoga program to determine their perceptions of mental and physical benefits as well as barriers and challenges. Results show that students perceived the benefits of yoga as increased self-regulation, mindfulness, self-esteem, physical conditioning, academic performance, and stress reduction. Barriers and challenges for a yoga practice include lack of time and space. The extent to which the benefits experienced are interrelated to one another is discussed. Suggestions for future research and school-based programming are also offered. PMID:26884797

Seismic retrofit benefit considering statewide transportation assessment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and demonstrate a methodology to prioritize bridges for : retrofit in the State of Oregon. Given the limited resources available, retrofitting all vulnerable bridges in the foreseeable : future would not be i...

Cognitive Development and Learning in the Pediatric Organ Transplant Recipient.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbs, Steven A.; Sexson, Sandra B.

1993-01-01

This article reviews studies evaluating neurocognitive changes following organ transplantation in pediatric end-stage renal and liver disease. Findings suggest possible neurocognitive benefits associated with organ transplantation. Recommendations are made for methodological improvements in future research. (DB)

Consequences of 'load-lightening' for future indirect fitness gains by helpers in a cooperatively breeding bird.

PubMed

Meade, Jessica; Nam, Ki-Baek; Beckerman, Andrew P; Hatchwell, Ben J

2010-05-01

1. Helpers that invest energy in provisioning the offspring of related individuals stand to gain indirect fitness benefits from doing so. First, if the helper's effort is additional to that of the parents (additive) the productivity of the current breeding attempt can be increased. Secondly, if the parents reduce their workload (compensation) this can result in future indirect fitness gains to the helper via increased breeder survival; termed 'load-lightening'. 2. Long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus) have a cooperative breeding system in which helpers assist kin and parents exhibit both additive and compensatory reactions in the presence of helpers. Offspring from helped nests are heavier and more likely to recruit into the breeding population, thus helpers gain indirect fitness benefits from increasing the productivity of the current breeding attempt. Despite breeders' reduction of feeding effort in the presence of helpers, previous investigations found no subsequent increase in breeder survival. 3. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that load-lightening resulted in indirect fitness benefits for helpers. We used data from a 14-year study to investigate the provisioning rate, survival and future fecundity of male and female long-tailed tits that did and did not receive help at the nest. 4. We found an asymmetrical response to the presence of helpers at large brood sizes. Males reduced their feeding rate more than females, and this differential response was reflected in a significant increase in male survival when provisioning large broods assisted by helpers. We found no evidence of any increase in future fecundity for helped breeders. 5. The finding that males reduce their provisioning rate in the presence of helpers (at large brood sizes) to a greater degree than females, and that this is reflected in an increase in survival rate for males only, implies that the survival increase is caused by the reduction in work-rate rather than a non-specific benefit of a larger group size. 6. The marginal benefits of help for breeder survival are likely to be more difficult to identify than the increased productivity at helped nests, but should not be overlooked when investigating the potential indirect fitness gains that supernumeraries can accrue by helping.

A Multifunctional Hot Structure Heatshield Concept for Planetary Entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Sandra P.; Daryabeigi, Kamran; Samareh, Jamshid A.; Wagner, Robert; Waters, Allen

2015-01-01

A multifunctional hot structure heatshield concept is being developed to provide technology enhancements with significant benefits compared to the current state-of-the-art heatshield technology. These benefits can potentially enable future planetary missions. The concept is unique in integrating the function of the thermal protection system with the primary load carrying structural component. An advanced carbon-carbon material system has been evaluated for the load carrying structure, which will be utilized on the outer surface of the heatshield, and thus will operate as a hot structure exposed to the severe aerodynamic heating associated with planetary entry. Flexible, highly efficient blanket insulation is sized for use underneath the hot structure to maintain required operational internal temperatures. The approach followed includes developing preliminary designs to demonstrate feasibility of the concept and benefits over a traditional, baseline design. Where prior work focused on a concept for an Earth entry vehicle, the current efforts presented here are focused on developing a generic heatshield model and performing a trade study for a Mars entry application. This trade study includes both structural and thermal evaluation. The results indicate that a hot structure concept is a feasible alternative to traditional heatshields and may offer advantages that can enable future entry missions.

The Significance of Benefit Perceptions for the Ethics of HIV Research Involving Adolescents in Kenya.

PubMed

Rennie, Stuart; Groves, Allison K; Hallfors, Denise Dion; Iritani, Bonita J; Odongo, Fredrick S; Luseno, Winnie K

2017-10-01

Assessment of benefits is traditionally regarded as crucial to the ethical evaluation of research involving human participants. We conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with health and other professionals engaged with adolescents, caregivers/parents, and adolescents in Siaya County, Kenya, to solicit opinions about appropriate ways of conducting HIV research with adolescents. Our data revealed that many focus group participants have a profoundly positive conception of participation in health research, including studies conferring seemingly few benefits. In this article, we identify and analyze five different but interrelated types of benefits as perceived by Kenyan adolescent and adult stakeholders in HIV research, and discuss their ethical significance. Our findings suggest that future empirical and conceptual research should concentrate on factors that may trigger researcher obligations to improve benefit perceptions among research participants.

75 FR 34179 - Prohibited Transaction Exemptions: Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc. and Its Current and Future...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-16

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employee Benefits Security Administration Prohibited Transaction Exemptions... Fund; Correction AGENCY: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor (the Department... of Exemption Determinations, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor...

Clinical decision making and the expected value of information.

PubMed

Willan, Andrew R

2007-01-01

The results of the HOPE study, a randomized clinical trial, provide strong evidence that 1) ramipril prevents the composite outcome of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction or stroke in patients who are at high risk of a cardiovascular event and 2) ramipril is cost-effective at a threshold willingness-to-pay of $10,000 to prevent an event of the composite outcome. In this report the concept of the expected value of information is used to determine if the information provided by the HOPE study is sufficient for decision making in the US and Canada. and results Using the cost-effectiveness data from a clinical trial, or from a meta-analysis of several trials, one can determine, based on the number of future patients that would benefit from the health technology under investigation, the expected value of sample information (EVSI) of a future trial as a function of proposed sample size. If the EVSI exceeds the cost for any particular sample size then the current information is insufficient for decision making and a future trial is indicated. If, on the other hand, there is no sample size for which the EVSI exceeds the cost, then there is sufficient information for decision making and no future trial is required. Using the data from the HOPE study these concepts are applied for various assumptions regarding the fixed and variable cost of a future trial and the number of patients who would benefit from ramipril. Expected value of information methods provide a decision-analytic alternative to the standard likelihood methods for assessing the evidence provided by cost-effectiveness data from randomized clinical trials.

How Advertising History Helps Explain Current Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lanfranco, Leonard W.

Students majoring in advertising can benefit from a study of that field in its historical context because such study helps them to understand current practices and to foresee future developments. One model of teaching advertising history within a required course about advertising and society begins with some basic definitions of the advertising…

Goal Clarity and Financial Planning Activities as Determinants of Retirement Savings Contributions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stawski, Robert S.; Hershey, Douglas A.; Jacobs-Lawson, Joy M.

2007-01-01

Retirement counselors, financial service professionals, and retirement intervention specialists routinely emphasize the importance of developing clear goals for the future; however, few empirical studies have focused on the benefits of retirement goal setting. In the present study, the extent to which goal clarity and financial planning activities…

“It’s my blood”: ethical complexities in the use, storage and export of biological samples: perspectives from South African research participants

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The use of biological samples in research raises a number of ethical issues in relation to consent, storage, export, benefit sharing and re-use of samples. Participant perspectives have been explored in North America and Europe, with only a few studies reported in Africa. The amount of research being conducted in Africa is growing exponentially with volumes of biological samples being exported from the African continent. In order to investigate the perspectives of African research participants, we conducted a study at research sites in the Western Cape and Gauteng, South Africa. Methods Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire that captured both quantitative and qualitative information at 6 research sites in South Africa. Interviews were conducted in English and Afrikaans. Data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Results Our study indicates that while the majority of participants were supportive of providing samples for research, serious concerns were voiced about future use, benefit sharing and export of samples. While researchers view the provision of biosamples as a donation, participants believe that they still have ownership rights and are therefore in favour of benefit sharing. Almost half of the participants expressed a desire to be re-contacted for consent for future use of their samples. Interesting opinions were expressed with respect to export of samples. Conclusions Eliciting participant perspectives is an important part of community engagement in research involving biological sample collection, export, storage and future use. A tiered consent process appears to be more acceptable to participants in this study. Eliciting opinions of researchers and research ethics committee (REC) members would contribute multiple perspectives. Further research is required to interrogate the concept of ownership and the consent process in research involving biological samples. PMID:24447822

Benefits of napping in healthy adults: impact of nap length, time of day, age, and experience with napping.

PubMed

Milner, Catherine E; Cote, Kimberly A

2009-06-01

Napping is a cross-cultural phenomenon which occurs across the lifespan. People vary widely in the frequency with which they nap as well as the improvements in alertness and well-being experienced. The systematic study of daytime napping is important to understand the benefits in alertness and performance that may be accrued from napping. This review paper investigates factors that affect the benefits of napping such as duration and temporal placement of the nap. In addition, the influence of subject characteristics such as age and experience with napping is examined. The focus of the review is on benefits for healthy individuals with regular sleep/wake schedules rather than for people with sleep or medical disorders. The goal of the review is to summarize the type of performance improvements that result from napping, critique the existing studies, and make recommendations for future research.

Consideration of Cosmetic Surgery As Part of Women's Benefit-Provisioning Mate Retention Strategy.

PubMed

Atari, Mohammad; Barbaro, Nicole; Sela, Yael; Shackelford, Todd K; Chegeni, Razieh

2017-01-01

Individuals perform mate retention behaviors to minimize the risk of partner infidelity and relationship dissolution. The current study investigates whether consideration of cosmetic surgery can be conceptualized as part of a broader strategy of mate retention for women, but not men. We hypothesized that women's consideration of cosmetic surgery would be positively associated with performance frequencies of Benefit-Provisioning and Cost-Inflicting mate retention behaviors. We recruited 203 individuals (54% women) in committed heterosexual relationships from Tehran, Iran. Results indicate a positive association between consideration of cosmetic surgery and Benefit-Provisioning mate retention behaviors for women, but not men. There was no association between consideration of cosmetic surgery and Cost-Inflicting mate retention behaviors. Women therefore may consider cosmetic surgery to improve their physical attractiveness as part of a Benefit-Provisioning strategy to retain a long-term mate. We discuss limitations of the study and highlight future directions for research from an evolutionary perspective.

Health-Promoting Nature Access for People with Mobility Impairments: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Zhang, Gaochao; Poulsen, Dorthe V; Lygum, Victoria L; Corazon, Sus S; Gramkow, Marie C; Stigsdotter, Ulrika K

2017-06-29

This study systematically evaluated the scientific evidence for health benefits of natural environments for people with mobility impairments. Literature searches based on five categories of terms-target group, nature type, health-related impacts, nature-related activities and accessibility issues-were conducted in four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, CAB ABSTRACT and Medline). Twenty-seven articles from 4196 hits were included in the systematic reviews. We concluded that people with mobility disabilities could gain different health benefits, including physical health benefits, mental health benefits and social health benefits from nature in different kinds of nature contacts ranging from passive contact, active involvement to rehabilitative interventions. Several issues related to the accessibility and use of nature for people with mobility impairments need attention from professionals such as landscape architects, rehabilitative therapists, caregivers and policy makers. The overall quality of methodology of the included studies is not high based on assessment of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Moreover, more randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies that focus specifically on evidence-based health design of nature for people with mobility impairments in the future are needed.

Health-Promoting Nature Access for People with Mobility Impairments: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Zhang, Gaochao; Poulsen, Dorthe V.; Lygum, Victoria L.; Corazon, Sus S.; Gramkow, Marie C.; Stigsdotter, Ulrika K.

2017-01-01

This study systematically evaluated the scientific evidence for health benefits of natural environments for people with mobility impairments. Literature searches based on five categories of terms—target group, nature type, health-related impacts, nature-related activities and accessibility issues—were conducted in four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, CAB ABSTRACT and Medline). Twenty-seven articles from 4196 hits were included in the systematic reviews. We concluded that people with mobility disabilities could gain different health benefits, including physical health benefits, mental health benefits and social health benefits from nature in different kinds of nature contacts ranging from passive contact, active involvement to rehabilitative interventions. Several issues related to the accessibility and use of nature for people with mobility impairments need attention from professionals such as landscape architects, rehabilitative therapists, caregivers and policy makers. The overall quality of methodology of the included studies is not high based on assessment of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Moreover, more randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies that focus specifically on evidence-based health design of nature for people with mobility impairments in the future are needed. PMID:28661433

Early Claiming of Social Security Benefits and Labor Supply Behavior of Older Americans.

PubMed

Benítez-Silva, Hugo; Heiland, Frank

2008-12-01

The labor supply incentives provided by the early retirement rules of the United States Social Security Old Age benefits program are of growing importance as the Normal Retirement Age (NRA) increases to 67, and the labor force participation of Older Americans starts to increase. These incentives allow individuals who claim benefits before the NRA but continue to work, or return to the labor force, to increase their future rate of benefit pay by having benefits withheld. Since the adjustment of the benefit rate takes place only after the NRA is reached, benefits received before the NRA can become actuarially unfair for those who continue to work after claiming. Consistent with these incentives, estimates from bivariate models of the monthly labor force exit and claiming hazards using data from the Health and Retirement Study indicate that early claimers who do not withdraw from the labor force around the time they claim are increasingly likely to stay in the labor force.

Early Claiming of Social Security Benefits and Labor Supply Behavior of Older Americans†

PubMed Central

Benítez-Silva, Hugo; Heiland, Frank

2010-01-01

The labor supply incentives provided by the early retirement rules of the United States Social Security Old Age benefits program are of growing importance as the Normal Retirement Age (NRA) increases to 67, and the labor force participation of Older Americans starts to increase. These incentives allow individuals who claim benefits before the NRA but continue to work, or return to the labor force, to increase their future rate of benefit pay by having benefits withheld. Since the adjustment of the benefit rate takes place only after the NRA is reached, benefits received before the NRA can become actuarially unfair for those who continue to work after claiming. Consistent with these incentives, estimates from bivariate models of the monthly labor force exit and claiming hazards using data from the Health and Retirement Study indicate that early claimers who do not withdraw from the labor force around the time they claim are increasingly likely to stay in the labor force. PMID:20811509

Methods, History, Selected Findings, and Recommendations from the Louisiana School Effectiveness Study, 1980-85

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teddlie, Charles; Stringfield, Samuel; Desselle, Stephanie

2017-01-01

An overview of the first five years of the Louisiana School Effectiveness Study (LSES) is described. The longitudinal nature of the study has allowed the research team to develop an evolving methodology, one benefiting from prior external studies as well as prior phases of LSES. Practical implications and recommendations for future research are…

General Reevaluation Report, Upper Skunk River Basin, Iowa (Ames Lake).

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

the beneficial effects of land enhance- ment are analyzed as location benefits. Computations of the effects of future growth as related to...relationships needed to compute benefits. c. Computations of the effects of future growth as related to resi- dential and commercial properties were based... effects of increased amounts of soil conservation land treatment practices upon: - soil erosion by water - sediment yields to potential reservoir

Evaluating the Investment Potential of HSAs in Benefit Programs.

PubMed

LaFleur, James; Magner, Liana; Domaszewicz, Sander

Despite its complexities, the health savings account (HSA) is a powerful and growing element of the U.S. financial landscape. In the future, employers will likely be expected to provide tax-advantaged savings programs for employees' current and future medical expenses. This article discusses investment lineup issues that must be addressed in order to optimize HSAs to help participants achieve successful outcomes. Plan sponsors at the forefront of addressing these issues (and perhaps others) will be in a better position to help their employees maximize both the health benefits and the wealth benefits provided for a secure retirement.

Securing a Stop to the Summer Setback: Policy Considerations in the Future Expansion of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children.

PubMed

Hopkins, Laura C; Hooker, Neal H; Gunther, Carolyn

2017-09-01

The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (SEBTC) has been proposed as a solution to address the problem of child food security during the summer. Initial SEBTC findings from a demonstration project show promise and the federal government has approved substantial funding for its continuation. This report reviews empirical assessments of SEBTC and Electronic Benefits Transfer research, and presents policy considerations in the program's future expansion. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting Positive Future Expectations During Adolescence: The Role of Assets.

PubMed

Stoddard, Sarah A; Pierce, Jennifer

2015-12-01

Positive future expectations can facilitate optimal development and contribute to healthier outcomes for youth. Researchers suggest that internal resources and community-level factors may influence adolescent future expectations, yet little is known about the processes through which these benefits are conferred. The present study examined the relationship between contribution to community, neighborhood collective efficacy, purpose, hope and future expectations, and tested a mediation model that linked contribution to community and collective efficacy with future expectations through purpose and hope in a sample of 7th grade youth (N = 196; Mage = 12.39; 60 % female; 40 % African American; 71 % economically disadvantaged). Greater collective efficacy and contribution to community predicted higher levels of hope and purpose. Higher levels of hope and purpose predicted more positive future expectations. Contribution to community and neighborhood collective efficacy indirectly predicted future expectations via hope. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Promoting Positive Future Expectations during Adolescence: The Role of Assets

PubMed Central

Stoddard, Sarah A.; Pierce, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Positive future expectations can facilitate optimal development and contribute to healthier outcomes for youth. Researchers suggest that internal resources and community-level factors may influence adolescent future expectations, yet little is known about the processes through which these benefits are conferred. The present study examined the relationship between contribution to community, neighborhood collective efficacy, purpose, hope and future expectations, and tested a mediation model that linked contribution to community and collective efficacy with future expectations through purpose and hope in a sample of 7th grade youth (N = 196; Mage = 12.39; 60% female; 40% African American; 71% economically disadvantaged). Greater collective efficacy and contribution to community predicted higher levels of hope and purpose. Higher levels of hope and purpose predicted more positive future expectations. Contribution to community and neighborhood collective efficacy indirectly predicted future expectations via hope. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. PMID:26385095

Helicopter technology benefits and needs. Volume 1: Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuk, J.; Adams, R. J.

1980-01-01

Present public service helicopter benefits and the potential benefits of an advanced public service rotorcraft (200 knots to 300 knots) are summarized. Past and future public service growth is quantified and assessed and needs, problem areas, and desired vehicle characteristics are defined. Research and technology recommendations are formulated and the costs and benefits of research options are assessed.

What are the health benefits of active travel? A systematic review of trials and cohort studies.

PubMed

Saunders, Lucinda E; Green, Judith M; Petticrew, Mark P; Steinbach, Rebecca; Roberts, Helen

2013-01-01

Increasing active travel (primarily walking and cycling) has been widely advocated for reducing obesity levels and achieving other population health benefits. However, the strength of evidence underpinning this strategy is unclear. This study aimed to assess the evidence that active travel has significant health benefits. The study design was a systematic review of (i) non-randomised and randomised controlled trials, and (ii) prospective observational studies examining either (a) the effects of interventions to promote active travel or (b) the association between active travel and health outcomes. Reports of studies were identified by searching 11 electronic databases, websites, reference lists and papers identified by experts in the field. Prospective observational and intervention studies measuring any health outcome of active travel in the general population were included. Studies of patient groups were excluded. Twenty-four studies from 12 countries were included, of which six were studies conducted with children. Five studies evaluated active travel interventions. Nineteen were prospective cohort studies which did not evaluate the impact of a specific intervention. No studies were identified with obesity as an outcome in adults; one of five prospective cohort studies in children found an association between obesity and active travel. Small positive effects on other health outcomes were found in five intervention studies, but these were all at risk of selection bias. Modest benefits for other health outcomes were identified in five prospective studies. There is suggestive evidence that active travel may have a positive effect on diabetes prevention, which may be an important area for future research. Active travel may have positive effects on health outcomes, but there is little robust evidence to date of the effectiveness of active transport interventions for reducing obesity. Future evaluations of such interventions should include an assessment of their impacts on obesity and other health outcomes.

What Are the Health Benefits of Active Travel? A Systematic Review of Trials and Cohort Studies

PubMed Central

Saunders, Lucinda E.; Green, Judith M.; Petticrew, Mark P.; Steinbach, Rebecca; Roberts, Helen

2013-01-01

Background Increasing active travel (primarily walking and cycling) has been widely advocated for reducing obesity levels and achieving other population health benefits. However, the strength of evidence underpinning this strategy is unclear. This study aimed to assess the evidence that active travel has significant health benefits. Methods The study design was a systematic review of (i) non-randomised and randomised controlled trials, and (ii) prospective observational studies examining either (a) the effects of interventions to promote active travel or (b) the association between active travel and health outcomes. Reports of studies were identified by searching 11 electronic databases, websites, reference lists and papers identified by experts in the field. Prospective observational and intervention studies measuring any health outcome of active travel in the general population were included. Studies of patient groups were excluded. Results Twenty-four studies from 12 countries were included, of which six were studies conducted with children. Five studies evaluated active travel interventions. Nineteen were prospective cohort studies which did not evaluate the impact of a specific intervention. No studies were identified with obesity as an outcome in adults; one of five prospective cohort studies in children found an association between obesity and active travel. Small positive effects on other health outcomes were found in five intervention studies, but these were all at risk of selection bias. Modest benefits for other health outcomes were identified in five prospective studies. There is suggestive evidence that active travel may have a positive effect on diabetes prevention, which may be an important area for future research. Conclusions Active travel may have positive effects on health outcomes, but there is little robust evidence to date of the effectiveness of active transport interventions for reducing obesity. Future evaluations of such interventions should include an assessment of their impacts on obesity and other health outcomes. PMID:23967064

Hospital affiliations, co-branding, and consumer impact.

PubMed

Gombeski, William R; Claypool, Joe O; Karpf, Michael; Britt, Jason; Birdwhistell, Mark; Riggs, Karen; Wray, Tanya; Taylor, Jan

2014-01-01

Alliances, affiliations, and partnerships continue to grow as one way for health care organizations to better serve their customers and compete with other organizations and networks. These organizational relationships are often promoted through co-branding joint programs and services. A study of consumers was conducted and shows that these organizational relationships positively affect consumer future behavior and benefit the organizations involved. Most importantly, the benefits of these organizational relationships grow as familiarity and understanding of the "new" partner in the market increases.

Economics of a reduction in smoking: case study from Heartbeat Wales.

PubMed Central

Phillips, C J; Prowle, M J

1993-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE--This study aims to apply economic principles and techniques in evaluating a health promotion programme. DESIGN--This study is an economic appraisal of the Heartbeat Wales no smoking intervention programme. The costs incurred over the four year period 1985-89 have been identified and estimates have been made of the likely future impact of the reduced smoking prevalence within Wales in terms of reduced morbidity and displaced mortality in three disease groups--coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic bronchitis. SETTING--Wales, UK. RESULTS--The net present value of benefits is considerably greater than costs in terms of both the NHS and the economy as a whole in Wales. In addition, the net costs per life year saved shows that the programme generates additional working life years at relatively low cost. Because not all the benefits can be fully attributed to the programme 'impact rates' ranging from 100 to 10% have been applied to the level of benefits. The evidence suggests that even if only 10% of the benefits could be attributed to the programme there is still a positive net present value of benefits. The relative efficiency of this programme has not been considered here. CONCLUSION--Large scale benefits to the NHS and the economy as a whole can be derived from reductions in smoking. PMID:8350035

Pesticides and health: a review of evidence on health effects, valuation of risks, and benefit-cost analysis.

PubMed

Tago, Damian; Andersson, Henrik; Treich, Nicolas

2014-01-01

This study presents literature reviews for the period 2000-2013 on (i) the health effects of pesticides and on (ii) preference valuation of health risks related to pesticides, as well as a discussion of the role of benefit-cost analysis applied to pesticide regulatory measures. This study indicates that the health literature has focused on individuals with direct exposure to pesticides, i.e. farmers, while the literature on preference valuation has focused on those with indirect exposure, i.e. consumers. The discussion highlights the need to clarify the rationale for regulating pesticides, the role of risk perceptions in benefit-cost analysis, and the importance of inter-disciplinary research in this area. This study relates findings of different disciplines (health, economics, public policy) regarding pesticides, and identifies gaps for future research.

Mutual support groups for long-term recipients of TANF.

PubMed

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

2004-01-01

This study examined the effect of involvement in mutual support groups on long-term recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other vulnerable individuals. From qualitative interviews with nine group members, the study identified key themes, benefits, and barriers related to involvement in the groups. Content analysis of the data revealed insights about characteristics of effective self-help and mutual support groups, which social workers and other professionals can use to develop effective support groups in the future. Participants discussed benefits for themselves and their families, such as enhanced parenting and social skills, increased knowledge, and enhanced self-esteem.

A Prospective Analysis of the Costs, Benefits, and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards

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

Mai, Trieu; Wiser, Ryan; Barbose, Galen

This report evaluates the future costs, benefits, and other impacts of renewable energy used to meet current state renewable portfolio standards (RPSs). It also examines a future scenario where RPSs are expanded. The analysis examines changes in electric system costs and retail electricity prices, which include all fixed and operating costs, including capital costs for all renewable, non-renewable, and supporting (e.g., transmission and storage) electric sector infrastructure; fossil fuel, uranium, and biomass fuel costs; and plant operations and maintenance expenditures. The analysis evaluates three specific benefits: air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use. It also analyzes two other impacts,more » renewable energy workforce and economic development, and natural gas price suppression. This analysis finds that the benefits or renewable energy used to meet RPS polices exceed the costs, even when considering the highest cost and lowest benefit outcomes.« less

The Human Domain and the Future of Army Warfare: Present as Prelude to 2050

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

ERDC/CERL MP-17-2 ii Abstract Studies on the future of warfare tend to focus on technology and place but largely overlook the actors. Warfare in 2050...will be predominantly urban, utilizing robotics and other advanced technologies , but at the core will re- main an inherently human and political...collaboration for success. Despite the ap- peal of advanced technology , the U.S. Army could greatly benefit by looking beyond strictly technological

I Want Your Sex: The Role of Sexual Exploration in Fostering Positive Sexual Self-Concepts for Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Women

PubMed Central

Parent, Mike C.; Talley, Amelia E.; Schwartz, Esther N.; Hancock, David W.

2015-01-01

Openness and self-exploration have been associated with myriad benefits. Within the realm of sexuality, sexual exploration may be 1 facet of openness and self-exploration that yields benefits. Prior literature suggests that such exploration may have benefits for sexual orientation minority persons, though limited research has investigated the benefits of sexual exploration for heterosexuals. The present study used data from 346 adult women (185 exclusively heterosexual, 161 not exclusively heterosexual) to investigate the role of sexual exploration as a mediator between sexual orientation status and positivity toward sex. Results of a structural equation modeling analysis supported mediation of the relationship between sexual orientation and sexual positivity via sexual exploration. Implications for future research and clinical interventions are presented. PMID:26380352

I Want Your Sex: The Role of Sexual Exploration in Fostering Positive Sexual Self-Concepts for Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Women.

PubMed

Parent, Mike C; Talley, Amelia E; Schwartz, Esther N; Hancock, David W

2015-06-01

Openness and self-exploration have been associated with myriad benefits. Within the realm of sexuality, sexual exploration may be 1 facet of openness and self-exploration that yields benefits. Prior literature suggests that such exploration may have benefits for sexual orientation minority persons, though limited research has investigated the benefits of sexual exploration for heterosexuals. The present study used data from 346 adult women (185 exclusively heterosexual, 161 not exclusively heterosexual) to investigate the role of sexual exploration as a mediator between sexual orientation status and positivity toward sex. Results of a structural equation modeling analysis supported mediation of the relationship between sexual orientation and sexual positivity via sexual exploration. Implications for future research and clinical interventions are presented.

Investigating kleptothermy: a reptile-seabird association with thermal benefits.

PubMed

Corkery, Ilse; Bell, Ben D; Nelson, Nicola J

2014-01-01

Studies on interspecific interactions between vertebrates based on thermal benefits are poorly represented in the literature. Ecologists know little about a category of thermoregulation termed kleptothermy. We provide evidence that a close association between a medium-sized reptile (tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus) and a small seabird (fairy prion, Pachyptila turtur) enables the reptile to maintain higher-than-average body temperatures. This is the first multiyear data set to reveal that the presence of an endotherm within a burrow has direct, transferable thermal benefits to an ectotherm. It is possible that such positive interspecific interactions may alleviate thermal stress across the range of a single species. Currently, we know little about the evolutionary consequences of such interactions, and future work should focus on whether these thermal benefits increase fitness through increased growth rates or reproductive output.

A safety roadmap for future plastics and composites intensive vehicles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-11-01

This report summarizes the approach, activities, and results of a study to evaluate the potential safety benefits of Plastics and Composites Intensive Vehicles (PCIVs) to enable their deployment by 2020. The main goals were to review and assess the s...

Evaluation and justification of clinical pharmacy services.

PubMed

Anderson, Scott V; Schumock, Glen T

2009-12-01

Pharmacy managers often must justify clinical pharmacy services (CPSs). This can be done by generalizing evidence from the literature or by conducting local evaluations. In either case, it is important that the clinical, humanistic or economic benefits of CPSs are considered, and limitations of the studies recognized. The basic model for the evaluation of CPSs includes the consideration of costs and outcomes, as well as the inclusion of a comparator group. Recent systematic reviews and individual studies provide good evidence regarding the value of CPSs, and are discussed here. Benefit-to-cost ratios of selected CPSs are also provided. While much of the evidence for CPSs has been conducted in the hospital setting, in the future, CPS expansion will occur in ambulatory care settings and will be benefited by healthcare reform efforts.

Direct Instruction of Metacognition Benefits Adolescent Science Learning, Transfer, and Motivation: An In Vivo Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Cristina D.; Richey, J. Elizabeth; Ronevich, Paul; Nokes-Malach, Timothy J.

2015-01-01

Prior studies have not tested whether an instructional intervention aimed at improving metacognitive skills results in changes to student metacognition, motivation, learning, and future learning in the classroom. We examined whether a 6-hr intervention designed to teach the declarative and procedural components of planning, monitoring, and…

75 FR 17207 - Electronic On-Board Recorders for Hours-of-Service Compliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-05

... to data limitation, FMCSA used outdated studies in the analysis for this rule. For future HOS rulemakings, FMCSA will use updated studies and reports to analyze impacts. \\1\\ Estimates of benefits and... percent of the long-distance drivers in 2005 said there were EOBRs or other on-board computers in their...

The health effects of US unemployment insurance policy: does income from unemployment benefits prevent cardiovascular disease?

PubMed

Walter, Stefan; Glymour, Maria; Avendano, Mauricio

2014-01-01

Previous studies suggest that unemployment predicts increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but whether unemployment insurance programs mitigate this risk has not been assessed. Exploiting US state variations in unemployment insurance benefit programs, we tested the hypothesis that more generous benefits reduce CVD risk. Cohort data came from 16,108 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) aged 50-65 at baseline interviewed from 1992 to 2010. Data on first and recurrent CVD diagnosis assessed through biennial interviews were linked to the generosity of unemployment benefit programmes in each state and year. Using state fixed-effect models, we assessed whether state changes in the generosity of unemployment benefits predicted CVD risk. States with higher unemployment benefits had lower incidence of CVD, so that a 1% increase in benefits was associated with 18% lower odds of CVD (OR:0.82, 95%-CI:0.71-0.94). This association remained after introducing US census regional division fixed effects, but disappeared after introducing state fixed effects (OR:1.02, 95%-CI:0.79-1.31).This was consistent with the fact that unemployment was not associated with CVD risk in state-fixed effect models. Although states with more generous unemployment benefits had lower CVD incidence, this appeared to be due to confounding by state-level characteristics. Possible explanations are the lack of short-term effects of unemployment on CVD risk. Future studies should assess whether benefits at earlier stages of the life-course influence long-term risk of CVD.

Teacher's Guide to the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Elaine M.; Cancellier, Patricia

1982-01-01

A brief introduction to futures education, an annotated listing of resources, and three ready-to-use student activities are provided. The introduction discusses the benefits of futures education; for example, it encourages students to make responsible decisions about the future. Next, it lists a variety of techniques developed by futurists to…

Toward full life cycle control: Adding maintenance measurement to the SEL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rombach, H. Dieter; Ulery, Bradford T.; Valett, Jon D.

1992-01-01

Organization-wide measurement of software products and processes is needed to establish full life cycle control over software products. The Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL)--a joint venture between NASA GSFC, the University of Maryland, and Computer Sciences Corporation--started measurement of software development more than 15 years ago. Recently, the measurement of maintenance was added to the scope of the SEL. In this article, the maintenance measurement program is presented as an addition to the already existing and well-established SEL development measurement program and evaluated in terms of its immediate benefits and long-term improvement potential. Immediate benefits of this program for the SEL include an increased understanding of the maintenance domain, the differences and commonalities between development and maintenance, and the cause-effect relationships between development and maintenance. Initial results from a sample maintenance study are presented to substantiate these benefits. The long-term potential of this program includes the use of maintenance baselines to better plan and manage future projects and to improve development and maintenance practices for future projects wherever warranted.

Effects of implementation of problem-based learning tutorials on fifth-year pharmacy students and future issues.

PubMed

Sato, Atsuko; Morone, Mieko; Azuma, Yutaka

2011-01-01

At Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials were incorporated into "prescription analysis" and "case analysis" for fifth-year students in 2010 with the following objectives: ① application and confirmation of acquired knowledge and skills, and acquisition of ② communication ability, ③ presentation ability, ④ cooperativeness through groupwork, and ⑤ information collecting ability. In the present study, we conducted a questionnaire survey on a total of 158 fifth-year students in order to investigate the educational benefits of PBL tutorials. The results showed that the above five objectives of PBL tutorials were being achieved, and confirmed the educational benefits expected of PBL tutorials. In contrast, it was found to be necessary to improve the contents of scenarios and lectures, time allocation regarding schedules, the learning environment, the role of tutors, and other matters. In order to maximize the educational benefits of PBL tutorials, it will be necessary in the future to continue to conduct surveys on students and make improvements to the curriculum based on survey results.

Risk, Robustness and Water Resources Planning Under Uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgomeo, Edoardo; Mortazavi-Naeini, Mohammad; Hall, Jim W.; Guillod, Benoit P.

2018-03-01

Risk-based water resources planning is based on the premise that water managers should invest up to the point where the marginal benefit of risk reduction equals the marginal cost of achieving that benefit. However, this cost-benefit approach may not guarantee robustness under uncertain future conditions, for instance under climatic changes. In this paper, we expand risk-based decision analysis to explore possible ways of enhancing robustness in engineered water resources systems under different risk attitudes. Risk is measured as the expected annual cost of water use restrictions, while robustness is interpreted in the decision-theoretic sense as the ability of a water resource system to maintain performance—expressed as a tolerable risk of water use restrictions—under a wide range of possible future conditions. Linking risk attitudes with robustness allows stakeholders to explicitly trade-off incremental increases in robustness with investment costs for a given level of risk. We illustrate the framework through a case study of London's water supply system using state-of-the -art regional climate simulations to inform the estimation of risk and robustness.

Well-being and Anticipation for Future Positive Events: Evidences from an fMRI Study.

PubMed

Luo, Yangmei; Chen, Xuhai; Qi, Senqing; You, Xuqun; Huang, Xiting

2017-01-01

Anticipation for future confers great benefits to human well-being and mental health. However, previous work focus on how people's well-being correlate with brain activities during perception of emotional stimuli, rather than anticipation for the future events. Here, the current study investigated how well-being relates to neural circuitry underlying the anticipating process of future desired events. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, 40 participants were scanned while they were performing an emotion anticipation task, in which they were instructed to anticipate the positive or neutral events. The results showed that bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) were activated during anticipation for positive events relative to neutral events, and the enhanced brain activation in MPFC was associated with higher level of well-being. The findings suggest a neural mechanism by which the anticipation process to future desired events correlates to human well-being, which provide a future-oriented view on the neural sources of well-being.

Well-being and Anticipation for Future Positive Events: Evidences from an fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Luo, Yangmei; Chen, Xuhai; Qi, Senqing; You, Xuqun; Huang, Xiting

2018-01-01

Anticipation for future confers great benefits to human well-being and mental health. However, previous work focus on how people’s well-being correlate with brain activities during perception of emotional stimuli, rather than anticipation for the future events. Here, the current study investigated how well-being relates to neural circuitry underlying the anticipating process of future desired events. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, 40 participants were scanned while they were performing an emotion anticipation task, in which they were instructed to anticipate the positive or neutral events. The results showed that bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) were activated during anticipation for positive events relative to neutral events, and the enhanced brain activation in MPFC was associated with higher level of well-being. The findings suggest a neural mechanism by which the anticipation process to future desired events correlates to human well-being, which provide a future-oriented view on the neural sources of well-being. PMID:29375415

Do competence skills moderate the impact of social influences to drink and perceived social benefits of drinking on alcohol use among inner-city adolescents?

PubMed

Epstein, Jennifer A; Zhou, Xi Kathy; Bang, Heejung; Botvin, Gilbert J

2007-03-01

Only a few studies have found competence skills to be a protective factor against adolescent alcohol use; others did not find a direct effect on alcohol. A possible reason for this is that competence skills may moderate the effects of risk factors for alcohol use and that aspect has not been examined often or in a longitudinal design. This study tested whether several competence skills served either as direct protective factors against alcohol use or moderators of the impact of social risk factors on alcohol use. Participants (N = 1318) completed questionnaires that included measures of decision-making skills, refusal skill techniques, resisting media influences, friends' drinking and perceived social benefits of drinking, as well as current drinking amount and future drinking at baseline, one-year follow-up and two-year follow-up. Data analyses were conducted using multi-level mixed effects generalized linear models with random intercept. All the competence skills and the risk factors predicted current and future drinking. Several significant interactions were found between (1) perceived social benefits of drinking and decision-making skills, (2) perceived social benefits of drinking and refusal skill techniques and (3) friends' drinking and refusal skill techniques. Competence skills served as protective factors, as well as moderators. One possible reason that competence enhancement approaches to alcohol prevention are effective may be due to the inclusion of the competence skills component.

Future of Military Health Care Interim Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-31

Under TRICARE for Life , TRICARE becomes the second payer to Medicare for medical care that is a benefit under both Medicare and TRICARE. The relatively...benefits and eliminated most cost shares for Active Duty personnel and their dependents, and also has added a TRICARE for Life benefit and the... Creep , etc. Explicit Benefit Changes to ឱ Price Inflation New Users ឱ Explicit Benefit Changes to 65+, i .e. TFL The DoD health care budget

Sport Activity for Health!! The Effects of Karate Participants’ Involvement, Perceived Value, and Leisure Benefits on Recommendation Intention

PubMed Central

Chang, Ying-Chih; Pai, Fan-Yun; Huang, Tai-Peng

2018-01-01

This study intends to discuss the effects of participants’ involvement, perceived value, and leisure benefits on recommendation intention in the sport of karate. The questionnaires were collected online by karate clubs on Facebook and included 369 valid participants. The research findings show that karate participants from different places of residence do not display significant differences in involvement, perceived value, leisure benefits, and recommendation intention. Furthermore, “attraction” in the involvement category reveals the highest mean, “paid spirit and energy being worthy” in perceived value appears as the highest mean, and “physiological benefits” in leisure benefits shows the highest mean. The Pearson correlation analysis result presents significant strong positive correlations between involvement, perceived value, leisure benefits, and recommendation intention. Finally, multiple regression analysis reveals that leisure benefits, except “physiological benefits”, show notably positive effects on recommendation intention. According to the research results, suggestions are proposed for the reference of karate teaching business managers, participants, and future research. PMID:29748459

Perceived Benefit From Hearing Aid Use and Life-Space Mobility Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

PubMed

Polku, Hannele; Mikkola, Tuija M; Gagné, Jean-Pierre; Rantakokko, Merja; Portegijs, Erja; Rantanen, Taina; Viljanen, Anne

2018-03-01

To examine the association between perceived benefit from hearing aid (HA) use and life-space mobility among older adults. Cross-sectional analysis of 76- to 91-year-old community-dwelling adults ( n = 702). Data on perceived hearing with and without a HA were obtained via postal questionnaire and data on life-space mobility (Life-Space Assessment, range = 0-120) via phone interview. Participants who perceived more benefit from HA use, had a better life-space mobility score ( M = 65, SD = 2.6) than participants who had less benefit from using a HA ( M = 55, SD = 3.2). Participants who benefitted more from HA use did not differ from those who did not have a HA ( M = 63, SD = 0.9) in their life-space mobility score. Perceived benefit from HA use is associated with higher life-space mobility among community-dwelling older adults. Future studies are needed to examine whether use of an appropriate HA promotes life-space mobility among those with difficulties in hearing.

Organizational participatory research: a systematic mixed studies review exposing its extra benefits and the key factors associated with them.

PubMed

Bush, Paula L; Pluye, Pierre; Loignon, Christine; Granikov, Vera; Wright, Michael T; Pelletier, Jean-François; Bartlett-Esquilant, Gillian; Macaulay, Ann C; Haggerty, Jeannie; Parry, Sharon; Repchinsky, Carol

2017-10-10

In health, organizational participatory research (OPR) refers to health organization members participating in research decisions, with university researchers, throughout a study. This non-academic partner contribution to the research may take the form of consultation or co-construction. A drawback of OPR is that it requires more time from all those involved, compared to non-participatory research approaches; thus, understanding the added value of OPR, if any, is important. Thus, we sought to assess whether the OPR approach leads to benefits beyond what could be achieved through traditional research. We identified, selected, and appraised OPR health literature, and at each stage, two team members independently reviewed and coded the literature. We used quantitative content analysis to transform textual data into reliable numerical codes and conducted a logistic regression to test the hypothesis that a co-construction type OPR study yields extra benefits with a greater likelihood than consultation-type OPR studies. From 8873 abstracts and 992 full text papers, we distilled a sample of 107 OPR studies. We found no difference between the type of organization members' participation and the likelihood of exhibiting an extra benefit. However, the likelihood of an OPR study exhibiting at least one extra benefit is quadrupled when the impetus for the study comes from the organization, rather than the university researcher(s), or the organization and the university researcher(s) together (OR = 4.11, CI = 1.12-14.01). We also defined five types of extra benefits. This review describes the types of extra benefits OPR can yield and suggests these benefits may occur if the organization initiates the OPR. Further, this review exposes a need for OPR authors to more clearly describe the type of non-academic partner participation in key research decisions throughout the study. Detailed descriptions will benefit others conducting OPR and allow for a re-examination of the relationship between participation and extra benefits in future reviews.

The DOD Humanitarian and Civic Assistance Program Concepts, Trends, Medical Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

program improvements; measuring program performance and effectiveness; and defining military roles relevant to training, long term benefits, and the...support conclusions relevant to trends, benefits, challenges, suggested improvements, and suggested areas for future research. 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16...a Long Term Medical Benefit ................ 28 CONCLUSION

29 CFR 4022.82 - Method of recoupment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... by the present value of the benefit payable with respect to the participant under title IV of ERISA. The PBGC will determine the present value of the benefit to which a participant or beneficiary is... Underpayments § 4022.82 Method of recoupment. (a) Future benefit reduction. The PBGC will recoup net...

'Benefits cycle' replacing premium cycle as consumerism takes hold.

PubMed

2002-05-01

The traditional premium cycle of ups and downs in rates is giving way to a new phenomenon--driven by the advent of consumerism in health care--termed the "benefits cycle" by one consultant. Rather than shifts in rates, he argues, the future will see shifts in benefits packages.

Is orphan drug status beneficial to tropical disease control? Comparison of the American and future European orphan drug acts.

PubMed

Trouiller, P; Battistella, C; Pinel, J; Pecoul, B

1999-06-01

OBJECTIVES To quantify past outcomes of tropical pharmacology research and development (R & D) and to assess past benefits of the American orphan drug act and potential benefits of the future European orphan drug regulation on tropical diseases. This paper presents two analyses: a 1983-97 retrospective study of the United States Orphan Drug Act concerning rare diseases and a prospective study of the European Proposal for a Regulation Concerning Orphan Drugs and its possible impact on tropical diseases. Different programmes have in the past tried to stimulate R & D in this area, but results remain limited. Of 1450 new chemical entities marketed between 1972 and 1997, 13 were specifically for tropical diseases and considered as essential drugs. Between 1983 & 1997, the US Orphan Drug Act approved 837 drugs and marketing of 152 new molecular entities (NMEs). Three NMEs have been designated for malaria and human African trypanosomiasis. Seven others, already commonly used in tropical diseases, received either orphan designation or an orphan approval for another indication. Pharmaceutical companies benefit from the US framework only when the US market exclusivity clause was applicable. Future European orphan drug regulation appears to be similar to the US Orphan Drug Act. CONCLUSION The orphan drug programmes relating to rare diseases have met with some success. Considering tropical diseases rare diseases seems inadequate to boost pharmaceutical R & D. However, some provisions of the European text may be relevant to tropical diseases, admitting the need for a more specific rule for evaluations of this kind of drug and recognizing the existence of 'diseases of exception'.

Charge Management Optimization for Future TOU Rates: Preprint

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

Zhang, Jiucai; Markel, Tony

2016-07-01

The effectiveness of future time of use (TOU) rates to enable managed charging for providing demand response depends on the vehicle's flexibility and the benefits to owners. This paper adopts opportunity, delayed, and smart charging methods to quantify these impacts, flexibilities, and benefits. Simulation results show that delayed and smart charging methods can shift most charging events to lower TOU rate periods without compromising the charged energy and individual driver mobility needs.

Subjective Numeracy and the Influence of Order and Amount of Audible Information on Perceived Medication Value

PubMed Central

Fraenkel, Liana; Stolar, Marilyn; Swift, Sarah; Street, Richard L.; Chowdhary, Harjinder; Peters, Ellen

2016-01-01

Background Order and amount of information influence patients’ risk perceptions, but most studies have evaluated patients’ reactions to written materials. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of four communication strategies, varying in their order and/or amount of information, on judgments related to an audible description of a new medication and among patients who varied in subjective numeracy. Methods We created five versions of a hypothetical scenario describing a new medication. The versions were composed to elucidate whether order and/or amount of the information describing benefits and adverse events influenced how subjects valued a new medication. After listening to a randomly assigned version, perceived medication value was measured by asking subjects to choose one of the following statements: the risks outweigh the benefits, the risks and benefits are equally balanced, or the benefits outweigh the risks. Results Of the 432 patients contacted, 389 participated in the study. Listening to a brief description of benefits followed by an extended description of adverse events resulted in a greater likelihood of perceiving that the medication’s benefits outweighed the risks compared to: 1) presenting the extended adverse events description before the benefits, 2) giving a greater amount of information related to benefits, and 3) sandwiching the adverse events between benefits. These associations were only observed among subjects with average or higher subjective numeracy. Conclusion If confirmed in future studies, our results suggest that, for patients with average or better subjective numeracy, perceived medication value is highest when a brief presentation of benefits is followed by an extended description of adverse events. PMID:27216580

"I didn't really understand it, I just thought it'd help": exploring the motivations, understandings and experiences of patients with advanced lung cancer participating in a non-placebo clinical IMP trial.

PubMed

Harrop, Emily; Noble, Simon; Edwards, Michelle; Sivell, Stephanie; Moore, Barbara; Nelson, Annmarie

2016-07-20

Few studies have explored in depth the experiences of patients with advanced cancer who are participating in clinical investigational medicinal product trials. However, integrated qualitative studies in such trials are needed to enable a broader evaluation of patient experiences in the trial, with important ethical and practical implications for the design and conduct of similar trials and treatment regimes in the future. Ten participants were recruited from the control and intervention arms of FRAGMATIC: a non-placebo trial for patients with advanced lung cancer. Participants were interviewed at up to three time points during their time in the trial. Interviews were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Patients were motivated to join the trial out of hope of medical benefit and altruism. Understanding of randomisation was mixed and in some cases poor, as was appreciation of trial purpose and equipoise. The trial was acceptable to and evaluated positively by most participants; participants receiving the intervention focused on the potential treatment benefits they hoped they would receive, whilst participants in the control arm found alternative reasons, such as altruism, personal fulfilment and positive attention, to commit to and perceive benefits from the trial. However, whilst experiences were generally very positive, poor understanding, limited engagement with trial information and focus on treatment benefits amongst some participants give cause for concern. By exploring longitudinally the psychological, emotional and cognitive domains of trial participation, we consider potential harms and benefits of participation in non-placebo trials amongst patients with advanced lung cancer and identify several implications for future research with and care for patients with advanced cancer. ISRCTN80812769 . Registered on 8 July 2005.

The future of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in metabolic profiling and metabolomic studies for biomarker discovery

PubMed Central

Metz, Thomas O.; Zhang, Qibin; Page, Jason S.; Shen, Yufeng; Callister, Stephen J.; Jacobs, Jon M.; Smith, Richard D.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY The future utility of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in metabolic profiling and metabolomic studies for biomarker discover will be discussed, beginning with a brief description of the evolution of metabolomics and the utilization of the three most popular analytical platforms in such studies: NMR, GC-MS, and LC-MS. Emphasis is placed on recent developments in high-efficiency LC separations, sensitive electrospray ionization approaches, and the benefits to incorporating both in LC-MS-based approaches. The advantages and disadvantages of various quantitative approaches are reviewed, followed by the current LC-MS-based tools available for candidate biomarker characterization and identification. Finally, a brief prediction on the future path of LC-MS-based methods in metabolic profiling and metabolomic studies is given. PMID:19177179

[Socioeconomic position and duration of disability benefit due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders].

PubMed

Souza, Norma Suely Souto; Santana, Vilma Sousa

2012-02-01

This study estimated the effect of socioeconomic position on the duration of disability benefits due to musculoskeletal disorders affecting the neck and/or upper limbs. A cohort study including 563 insured workers from the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, registered in the General Social Security System and who received temporary disability benefits due to musculoskeletal disorders affecting the neck and/or upper limbs, was performed in 2008 using data from the National Social Security Institute. The results show that among union member workers with high psychosocial demands at work, those with low socioeconomic status are almost twice as likely to receive benefit for a shorter period of time compared to those with a higher socioeconomic position (RR = 1.89; 95%CI: 1.25-2.87). These results reveal an inequitable situation or unnecessary use of insurance for workers with a higher socioeconomic position. Future research aimed at elucidating the differences in the use of benefits are needed so that social insurance system managers may take the appropriate steps to resolve this issue.

Space life sciences: A status report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The scientific research and supporting technology development conducted in the Space Life Sciences Program is described. Accomplishments of the past year are highlighted. Plans for future activities are outlined. Some specific areas of study include the following: Crew health and safety; What happens to humans in space; Gravity, life, and space; Sustenance in space; Life and planet Earth; Life in the Universe; Promoting good science and good will; Building a future for the space life sciences; and Benefits of space life sciences research.

A Benefit-Cost Analysis of the Tulsa Universal Pre-K Program. Upjohn Institute Working Paper 16-261

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartik, Timothy J.; Belford, Jonathan A.; Gormley, William T.; Anderson, Sara

2016-01-01

In this paper, benefits and costs are estimated for a universal pre-K program, provided by Tulsa Public Schools. Benefits are derived from estimated effects of Tulsa pre-K on retention by grade 9. Retention effects are projected to dollar benefits from future earnings increases and crime reductions. Based on these estimates, Tulsa pre-K has…

A model for interprovincial air pollution control based on futures prices.

PubMed

Zhao, Laijun; Xue, Jian; Gao, Huaizhu Oliver; Li, Changmin; Huang, Rongbing

2014-05-01

Based on the current status of research on tradable emission rights futures, this paper introduces basic market-related assumptions for China's interprovincial air pollution control problem. The authors construct an interprovincial air pollution control model based on futures prices: the model calculated the spot price of emission rights using a classic futures pricing formula, and determined the identities of buyers and sellers for various provinces according to a partitioning criterion, thereby revealing five trading markets. To ensure interprovincial cooperation, a rational allocation result for the benefits from this model was achieved using the Shapley value method to construct an optimal reduction program and to determine the optimal annual decisions for each province. Finally, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region was used as a case study, as this region has recently experienced serious pollution. It was found that the model reduced the overall cost of reducing SO2 pollution. Moreover, each province can lower its cost for air pollution reduction, resulting in a win-win solution. Adopting the model would therefore enhance regional cooperation and promote the control of China's air pollution. The authors construct an interprovincial air pollution control model based on futures prices. The Shapley value method is used to rationally allocate the cooperation benefit. Interprovincial pollution control reduces the overall reduction cost of SO2. Each province can lower its cost for air pollution reduction by cooperation.

Evidence of the economic benefit of clinical pharmacy services: 1996-2000.

PubMed

Schumock, Glen T; Butler, Melissa G; Meek, Patrick D; Vermeulen, Lee C; Arondekar, Bhakti V; Bauman, Jerry L

2003-01-01

We sought to summarize and assess original evaluations of the economic impact of clinical pharmacy services published from 1996-2000, and to provide recommendations and methodologic considerations for future research. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify articles that were then blinded and randomly assigned to reviewers who confirmed inclusion and abstracted key information. Results were compared with those of a similar review of literature published from 1988-1995. In the 59 included articles, the studies were conducted across a variety of practice sites that consisted of hospitals (52%), community pharmacies and clinics (41%), health maintenance organizations (3%), and long-term or intermediate care facilities (3%). They focused on a broad range of clinical pharmacy services such as general pharmacotherapeutic monitoring (47%), target drug programs (20%), disease management programs (10%), and patient education or cognitive services (10%). Compared with the studies of the previous review, a greater proportion of evaluations were conducted in community pharmacies or clinics, and the types of services evaluated tended to be more comprehensive rather than specialized. Articles were categorized by type of evaluation: 36% were considered outcome analyses, 24% full economic analyses, 17% outcome descriptions, 15% cost and outcome descriptions, and 8% cost analyses. Compared with the studies of the previous review, a greater proportion of studies in the current review used more rigorous study designs. Most studies reported positive financial benefits of the clinical pharmacy service evaluated. In 16 studies, a benefit:cost ratio was reported by the authors or was able to be calculated by the reviewers (these ranged from 1.7:1-17.0:1, median 4.68:1). The body of literature from this 5-year period provides continued evidence of the economic benefit of clinical pharmacy services. Although the quality of study design has improved, whenever possible, future evaluations of this type should incorporate methodologies that will further enhance the strength of evidence of this literature and the conclusions that may be drawn from it.

The Benefits and Future of Standards: Metadata and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stracke, Christian M.

This article discusses the benefits and future of standards and presents the generic multi-dimensional Reference Model. First the importance and the tasks of interoperability as well as quality development and their relationship are analyzed. Especially in e-Learning their connection and interdependence is evident: Interoperability is one basic requirement for quality development. In this paper, it is shown how standards and specifications are supporting these crucial issues. The upcoming ISO metadata standard MLR (Metadata for Learning Resource) will be introduced and used as example for identifying the requirements and needs for future standardization. In conclusion a vision of the challenges and potentials for e-Learning standardization is outlined.

A "present" for the future: the unexpected value of rediscovery.

PubMed

Zhang, Ting; Kim, Tami; Brooks, Alison Wood; Gino, Francesca; Norton, Michael I

2014-10-01

Although documenting everyday activities may seem trivial, four studies reveal that creating records of the present generates unexpected benefits by allowing future rediscoveries. In Study 1, we used a time-capsule paradigm to show that individuals underestimate the extent to which rediscovering experiences from the past will be curiosity provoking and interesting in the future. In Studies 2 and 3, we found that people are particularly likely to underestimate the pleasure of rediscovering ordinary, mundane experiences, as opposed to extraordinary experiences. Finally, Study 4 demonstrates that underestimating the pleasure of rediscovery leads to time-inconsistent choices: Individuals forgo opportunities to document the present but then prefer rediscovering those moments in the future to engaging in an alternative fun activity. Underestimating the value of rediscovery is linked to people's erroneous faith in their memory of everyday events. By documenting the present, people provide themselves with the opportunity to rediscover mundane moments that may otherwise have been forgotten. © The Author(s) 2014.

Introducing Engineering in Elementary Education: A 5-Year Study of Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diefes-Dux, Heidi A.

2015-01-01

Engineering, when integrated into K-12 education, may offer a number of potential student learning and future success benefits. In a 5-year study, four cohorts of elementary teachers of grades 2 to 4 in a single US school district were provided with teacher professional development with engineering education. Teachers were prepared to teach…

Benefits of a Holistic Group Counseling Model to Promote Wellness for Girls at Risk for Delinquency: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Adcock, Sondra; Webster, Stephanie M.; Leonard, Lindsay G.; Walker, Jennifer L.

2008-01-01

The current study examined a group counseling intervention developed to promote wellness in adolescent girls at an alternative school. Findings indicated that the wellness intervention helped girls to broaden their ideas about wellness and to set personal wellness goals. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are…

A Pilot Study of an Electronic Exam System at an Australian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wibowo, Santoso; Grandhi, Srimannarayana; Chugh, Ritesh; Sawir, Erlenawati

2016-01-01

This study sought academic staff and students' views of electronic exams (e-exams) system and the benefits and challenges of e-exams in general. The respondents provided useful feedback for future adoption of e-exams at an Australian university and elsewhere too. The key findings show that students and academic staff are optimistic about the…

On-Line, Off-Campus but in the Flow: Learning from Peers in Development Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckmann, Elizabeth A.; Kilby, Patrick

2008-01-01

Development workers studying at the graduate level benefit from exposure to the great variety of cultures and worldviews. In the Australian National University's Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development (MAAPD) program, peer learning is giving current and future development workers in the field and in the classroom the chance…

Laptop Lessons: Exploring the Promise of One-to-One Computing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Kim

2001-01-01

Describes benefits of programs where schools provide laptop computers for each student. Topics include results of studies that show positive learning outcomes; funding options; implementation; protecting the equipment; resources for learning about laptop programs; staff training and support; and future possibilities, including the implications of…

An Overview of Stream Ecological Responses to Urban Effects and Management Practices in New England

EPA Science Inventory

Many recent studies have found large changes in ecological conditions related to small increases in watershed development. Future development and restoration practices will benefit from better documenting the effectiveness of management practices. We present (1) a brief summary o...

Legislations and policies to expand mental health and substance abuse benefits in health insurance plans: a community guide systematic economic review.

PubMed

Jacob, Verughese; Qu, Shuli; Chattopadhyay, Sajal; Sipe, Theresa Ann; Knopf, John A; Goetzel, Ron Z; Finnie, Ramona; Thota, Anilkrishna B

2015-03-01

Health insurance plans have historically limited the benefits for mental health and substance abuse (MH/SA) services compared to benefits for physical health services. In recent years, legislative and policy initiatives in the U.S. have been taken to expand MH/SA health insurance benefits and achieve parity with physical health benefits. The relevance of these legislations for international audiences is also explored, particularly for the European context. This paper reviews the evidence of costs and economic benefits of legislative or policy interventions to expand MH/SA health insurance benefits in the U.S. The objectives are to assess the economic value of the interventions by comparing societal cost to societal benefits, and to determine impact on costs to insurance plans resulting from expansion of these benefits. The search for economic evidence covered literature published from January 1950 to March 2011 and included evaluations of federal and state laws or rules that expanded MH/SA benefits as well as voluntary actions by large employers. Two economists screened and abstracted the economic evidence of MH/SA benefits legislation based on standard economic and actuarial concepts and methods. The economic review included 12 studies: eleven provided evidence on cost impact to health plans, and one estimated the effect on suicides. There was insufficient evidence to determine if the intervention was cost-effective or cost-saving. However, the evidence indicates that MH/SA benefits expansion did not lead to any substantial increase in costs to insurance plans, measured as a percentage of insurance premiums. This review is unable to determine the overall economic value of policies that expanded MH/SA insurance benefits due to lack of cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit studies, predominantly due to the lack of evaluations of morbidity and mortality outcomes. This may be remedied in time when long-term MH/SA patient-level data becomes available to researchers. A limitation of this review is that legislations considered here have been superseded by recent legislations that have stronger and broader impacts on MH/SA benefits within private and public insurance: Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). Economic assessments over the long term such as cost per QALY saved and cost-benefit will be feasible as more data becomes available from plans that implemented recent expansions of MH/SA benefits. Results from these evaluations will allow a better estimate of the economic impact of the interventions from a societal perspective. Future research should also evaluate the more downstream effects on business decisions about labor, such as effects on hiring, retention, and the offer of health benefits as part of an employee compensation package. Finally, the economic effect of the far reaching ACA of 2010 on mental health and substance abuse prevalence and care is also a subject for future research.

Why System Safety Professionals Should Read Accident Reports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holloway, C. M.; Johnson, C. W.

2006-01-01

System safety professionals, both researchers and practitioners, who regularly read accident reports reap important benefits. These benefits include an improved ability to separate myths from reality, including both myths about specific accidents and ones concerning accidents in general; an increased understanding of the consequences of unlikely events, which can help inform future designs; a greater recognition of the limits of mathematical models; and guidance on potentially relevant research directions that may contribute to safety improvements in future systems.

Space Internet-Embedded Web Technologies Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foltz, David A.

2001-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center recently demonstrated the ability to securely command and control space-based assets by using the Internet and standard Internet Protocols (IP). This is a significant accomplishment because future NASA missions will benefit by using Internet standards-based protocols. The benefits include reduced mission costs and increased mission efficiency. The Internet-Based Space Command and Control System Architecture demonstrated at the NASA Inspection 2000 event proved that this communications architecture is viable for future NASA missions.

Effect of educational intervention on knowledge, perceived benefits, barriers and self-efficacy regarding AIDS preventive behaviors among drug addicts

PubMed Central

Bastami, Fatemeh; Mostafavi, Firoozeh; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: Addicts account for approximately 68.15% of AIDS cases in Iran and injection drug users are considered as a major factor in the spread of AIDS in Iran. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an educational intervention on the perceived self-efficacy, benefits, and barriers concerning AIDS preventive behaviors among drug addicts in Khorramabad, Iran. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study carried out in 2013 on 88 addicts kept in rehabilitations center in Khorramabad. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire on self-efficacy, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, knowledge and preventive behaviors regarding HIV. Data were analyzed by paired t-test, independent t-test, Chi-square and analysis of covariance. Results: Paired t-test showed that the mean scores for perceived benefits and barriers, knowledge and preventive behaviors significantly increased in the intervention group after the intervention than before the intervention. But the increase in self-efficacy score was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that training and education based on the health belief model led to an increase in knowledge, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, performance and reduction in perceived barriers in addicts. It is recommended that future studies should include strategies for enhancing self-efficacy and perceived benefits as well as strategies for reducing barriers to the adoption of preventive behaviors. PMID:27462632

Value of Seasonal Fuzzy-based Inflow Prediction in the Jucar River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulido-Velazquez, M.; Macian-Sorribes, H.

2016-12-01

The development and application of climate services in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is said to add important benefits in terms of water use efficiency due to an increase ability to foresee future water availability. A method to evaluate the economic impact of these services is presented, based on the use of hydroeconomic modelling techniques (hydroeconomic simulation) to compare the net benefits from water use in the system with and without the inflow forecasting. The Jucar River Basin (Spain) has been used as case study. Operating rules currently applied in the basin were assessed using fuzzy rule-based (FRB) systems via a co-development process involving the system operators. These operating rules use as input variable the hydrological inflows in several sub-basins, which need to be foreseen by the system operators. The inflow forecasting mechanism to preview water availability in the irrigation season (May-September) relied on fuzzy regression in which future inflows were foreseen based on past inflows and rainfall in the basin. This approach was compared with the current use of the two past year inflows for projecting the future inflow. For each irrigation season, the previewed inflows were determined using both methods and their impact on the system operation assessed through a hydroeconomic DSS. Results show that the implementation of the fuzzy inflow forecasting system offers higher economic returns. Another advantage of the fuzzy approach regards to the uncertainty treatment using fuzzy numbers, which allow us to estimate the uncertainty range of the expected benefits. Consequently, we can use the fuzzy approach to estimate the uncertainty associated with both the prediction and the associated benefits.

Intermittent Fasting: Is the Wait Worth the Weight?

PubMed

Stockman, Mary-Catherine; Thomas, Dylan; Burke, Jacquelyn; Apovian, Caroline M

2018-06-01

We review the underlying mechanisms and potential benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) from animal models and recent clinical trials. Numerous variations of IF exist, and study protocols vary greatly in their interpretations of this weight loss trend. Most human IF studies result in minimal weight loss and marginal improvements in metabolic biomarkers, though outcomes vary. Some animal models have found that IF reduces oxidative stress, improves cognition, and delays aging. Additionally, IF has anti-inflammatory effects, promotes autophagy, and benefits the gut microbiome. The benefit-to-harm ratio varies by model, IF protocol, age at initiation, and duration. We provide an integrated perspective on potential benefits of IF as well as key areas for future investigation. In clinical trials, caloric restriction and IF result in similar degrees of weight loss and improvement in insulin sensitivity. Although these data suggest that IF may be a promising weight loss method, IF trials have been of moderate sample size and limited duration. More rigorous research is needed.

Consideration of Cosmetic Surgery As Part of Women’s Benefit-Provisioning Mate Retention Strategy

PubMed Central

Atari, Mohammad; Barbaro, Nicole; Sela, Yael; Shackelford, Todd K.; Chegeni, Razieh

2017-01-01

Individuals perform mate retention behaviors to minimize the risk of partner infidelity and relationship dissolution. The current study investigates whether consideration of cosmetic surgery can be conceptualized as part of a broader strategy of mate retention for women, but not men. We hypothesized that women’s consideration of cosmetic surgery would be positively associated with performance frequencies of Benefit-Provisioning and Cost-Inflicting mate retention behaviors. We recruited 203 individuals (54% women) in committed heterosexual relationships from Tehran, Iran. Results indicate a positive association between consideration of cosmetic surgery and Benefit-Provisioning mate retention behaviors for women, but not men. There was no association between consideration of cosmetic surgery and Cost-Inflicting mate retention behaviors. Women therefore may consider cosmetic surgery to improve their physical attractiveness as part of a Benefit-Provisioning strategy to retain a long-term mate. We discuss limitations of the study and highlight future directions for research from an evolutionary perspective. PMID:28855884

Skylab, Space Shuttle, Space Benefits Today and Tomorrow.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC.

The pamphlet "Skylab" describes very generally the kinds of activities to be conducted with the Skylab, America's first manned space station. "Space Shuttle" is a pamphlet which briefly states the benefits of the Space Shuttle, and a concise review of present and future benefits of space activities is presented in the pamphlet "Space Benefits…

Cost/benefit studies of advanced materials technologies for future aircraft turbine engines: Materials for advanced turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stearns, M.; Wilbers, L.

1982-01-01

Cost benefit studies were conducted on six advanced materials and processes technologies applicable to commercial engines planned for production in the 1985 to 1990 time frame. These technologies consisted of thermal barrier coatings for combustor and high pressure turbine airfoils, directionally solidified eutectic high pressure turbine blades, (both cast and fabricated), and mixers, tail cones, and piping made of titanium-aluminum alloys. A fabricated titanium fan blisk, an advanced turbine disk alloy with improved low cycle fatigue life, and a long-life high pressure turbine blade abrasive tip and ceramic shroud system were also analyzed. Technologies showing considerable promise as to benefits, low development costs, and high probability of success were thermal barrier coating, directionally solidified eutectic turbine blades, and abrasive-tip blades/ceramic-shroud turbine systems.

Adjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer: Is it needed?

PubMed Central

Milinis, Kristijonas; Thornton, Michael; Montazeri, Amir; Rooney, Paul S

2015-01-01

Adjuvant chemotherapy has become a standard treatment of advanced rectal cancer in the West. The benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery alone have been well established. However, controversy surrounds the use adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy, despite it being recommended by a number of international guidelines. Results of recent multicentre randomised control trials showed no benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in terms of survival and rates of distant metastases. However, concerns exist regarding the quality of the studies including inadequate staging modalities, out-dated chemotherapeutic regimens and surgical approaches and small sample sizes. It has become evident that not all the patients respond to adjuvant chemotherapy and more personalised approach should be employed when considering the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy. The present review discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the current evidence-base and suggests improvements for future studies. PMID:26677436

What are the Benefits of Interacting with Nature?

PubMed Central

Keniger, Lucy E.; Gaston, Kevin J.; Irvine, Katherine N.; Fuller, Richard A.

2013-01-01

There is mounting empirical evidence that interacting with nature delivers measurable benefits to people. Reviews of this topic have generally focused on a specific type of benefit, been limited to a single discipline, or covered the benefits delivered from a particular type of interaction. Here we construct novel typologies of the settings, interactions and potential benefits of people-nature experiences, and use these to organise an assessment of the benefits of interacting with nature. We discover that evidence for the benefits of interacting with nature is geographically biased towards high latitudes and Western societies, potentially contributing to a focus on certain types of settings and benefits. Social scientists have been the most active researchers in this field. Contributions from ecologists are few in number, perhaps hindering the identification of key ecological features of the natural environment that deliver human benefits. Although many types of benefits have been studied, benefits to physical health, cognitive performance and psychological well-being have received much more attention than the social or spiritual benefits of interacting with nature, despite the potential for important consequences arising from the latter. The evidence for most benefits is correlational, and although there are several experimental studies, little as yet is known about the mechanisms that are important for delivering these benefits. For example, we do not know which characteristics of natural settings (e.g., biodiversity, level of disturbance, proximity, accessibility) are most important for triggering a beneficial interaction, and how these characteristics vary in importance among cultures, geographic regions and socio-economic groups. These are key directions for future research if we are to design landscapes that promote high quality interactions between people and nature in a rapidly urbanising world. PMID:23466828

What are the benefits of interacting with nature?

PubMed

Keniger, Lucy E; Gaston, Kevin J; Irvine, Katherine N; Fuller, Richard A

2013-03-06

There is mounting empirical evidence that interacting with nature delivers measurable benefits to people. Reviews of this topic have generally focused on a specific type of benefit, been limited to a single discipline, or covered the benefits delivered from a particular type of interaction. Here we construct novel typologies of the settings, interactions and potential benefits of people-nature experiences, and use these to organise an assessment of the benefits of interacting with nature. We discover that evidence for the benefits of interacting with nature is geographically biased towards high latitudes and Western societies, potentially contributing to a focus on certain types of settings and benefits. Social scientists have been the most active researchers in this field. Contributions from ecologists are few in number, perhaps hindering the identification of key ecological features of the natural environment that deliver human benefits. Although many types of benefits have been studied, benefits to physical health, cognitive performance and psychological well-being have received much more attention than the social or spiritual benefits of interacting with nature, despite the potential for important consequences arising from the latter. The evidence for most benefits is correlational, and although there are several experimental studies, little as yet is known about the mechanisms that are important for delivering these benefits. For example, we do not know which characteristics of natural settings (e.g., biodiversity, level of disturbance, proximity, accessibility) are most important for triggering a beneficial interaction, and how these characteristics vary in importance among cultures, geographic regions and socio-economic groups. These are key directions for future research if we are to design landscapes that promote high quality interactions between people and nature in a rapidly urbanising world.

Test Framing Generates a Stability Bias for Predictions of Learning by Causing People to Discount their Learning Beliefs

PubMed Central

Ariel, Robert; Hines, Jarrod C.; Hertzog, Christopher

2014-01-01

People estimate minimal changes in learning when making predictions of learning (POLs) for future study opportunities despite later showing increased performance and an awareness of that increase (Kornell & Bjork, 2009). This phenomenon is conceptualized as a stability bias in judgments about learning. We investigated the malleability of this effect, and whether it reflected people’s underlying beliefs about learning. We manipulated prediction framing to emphasize the role of testing vs. studying on memory and directly measured beliefs about multi-trial study effects on learning by having participants construct predicted learning curves before and after the experiment. Mean POLs were more sensitive to the number of study-test opportunities when performance was framed in terms of study benefits rather than testing benefits and POLs reflected pre-existing beliefs about learning. The stability bias is partially due to framing and reflects discounted beliefs about learning benefits rather than inherent belief in the stability of performance. PMID:25067885

Test Framing Generates a Stability Bias for Predictions of Learning by Causing People to Discount their Learning Beliefs.

PubMed

Ariel, Robert; Hines, Jarrod C; Hertzog, Christopher

2014-08-01

People estimate minimal changes in learning when making predictions of learning (POLs) for future study opportunities despite later showing increased performance and an awareness of that increase (Kornell & Bjork, 2009). This phenomenon is conceptualized as a stability bias in judgments about learning. We investigated the malleability of this effect, and whether it reflected people's underlying beliefs about learning. We manipulated prediction framing to emphasize the role of testing vs. studying on memory and directly measured beliefs about multi-trial study effects on learning by having participants construct predicted learning curves before and after the experiment. Mean POLs were more sensitive to the number of study-test opportunities when performance was framed in terms of study benefits rather than testing benefits and POLs reflected pre-existing beliefs about learning. The stability bias is partially due to framing and reflects discounted beliefs about learning benefits rather than inherent belief in the stability of performance.

The Health Effects of US Unemployment Insurance Policy: Does Income from Unemployment Benefits Prevent Cardiovascular Disease?

PubMed Central

Walter, Stefan; Glymour, Maria; Avendano, Mauricio

2014-01-01

Objective Previous studies suggest that unemployment predicts increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but whether unemployment insurance programs mitigate this risk has not been assessed. Exploiting US state variations in unemployment insurance benefit programs, we tested the hypothesis that more generous benefits reduce CVD risk. Methods Cohort data came from 16,108 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) aged 50–65 at baseline interviewed from 1992 to 2010. Data on first and recurrent CVD diagnosis assessed through biennial interviews were linked to the generosity of unemployment benefit programmes in each state and year. Using state fixed-effect models, we assessed whether state changes in the generosity of unemployment benefits predicted CVD risk. Results States with higher unemployment benefits had lower incidence of CVD, so that a 1% increase in benefits was associated with 18% lower odds of CVD (OR:0.82, 95%-CI:0.71–0.94). This association remained after introducing US census regional division fixed effects, but disappeared after introducing state fixed effects (OR:1.02, 95%-CI:0.79–1.31).This was consistent with the fact that unemployment was not associated with CVD risk in state-fixed effect models. Conclusion Although states with more generous unemployment benefits had lower CVD incidence, this appeared to be due to confounding by state-level characteristics. Possible explanations are the lack of short-term effects of unemployment on CVD risk. Future studies should assess whether benefits at earlier stages of the life-course influence long-term risk of CVD. PMID:25025281

How fast are antidepressants?

PubMed

Gelenberg, A J; Chesen, C L

2000-10-01

For years, investigators have tried to determine the speed of onset of antidepressant drugs. Claims that particular drugs may produce a faster response in patients than other agents have been made, but such claims have never been confirmed. The authors reviewed reports from studies of the speed of onset of antidepressant therapies and other studies that revealed information on this topic. We compiled a list of factors that can affect the results of such studies and interpretations of study results. In addition, we reviewed literature concerned with methods of speeding up antidepressant responses. No antidepressant medication currently available has been shown conclusively to have a more rapid onset of action than any other. However, some methods of augmentation may have the potential to speed responses. Somatic therapies such as electroconvulsive therapy, phototherapy, and therapeutic sleep deprivation may be the fastest options available at this time. All available antidepressant medications are usually taken for several weeks before future responders will display a significant therapeutic benefit. If a patient does not show at least a 20% improvement within the first 2 to 4 weeks of treatment, the treatment regimen should be altered. For patients who do show early benefits from a medication trial, one can expect additional benefits to accrue over an 8- to 12-week period and to improve overall outcome compared with those slower to respond. Future trials need to address methodological confounds, but a truly "faster antidepressant" will probably require new neuroscience technology.

Co-benefits of mitigating global greenhouse gas emissions for future air quality and human health

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

West, Jason; Smith, Steven J.; Silva, Raquel

2013-10-01

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions also influences air quality. We simulate the co-benefits of global GHG reductions on air quality and human health via two mechanisms: a) reducing co-emitted air pollutants, and b) slowing climate change and its effect on air quality. Relative to a reference scenario, global GHG mitigation in the RCP4.5 scenario avoids 0.5±0.2, 1.3±0.6, and 2.2±1.6 million premature deaths in 2030, 2050, and 2100, from changes in fine particulate matter and ozone. Global average marginal co-benefits of avoided mortality are $40-400 (ton CO2)-1, exceeding marginal abatement costs in 2030 and 2050, and within the low range ofmore » costs in 2100. East Asian co-benefits are 10-80 times the marginal cost in 2030. These results indicate that transitioning to a low-carbon future might be justified by air quality and health co-benefits.« less

Prospective Costs, Benefits, and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards

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

Heeter, Jenny S; Mai, Trieu T; Bird, Lori A

These slides were presented at a webinar on January 9, 2017. The slides overview a report that evaluates the future costs, benefits, and other impacts of renewable energy used to meet current state renewable portfolio standards (RPSs). It also examines a future scenario where RPSs are expanded. The analysis examines changes in electric system costs and retail electricity prices, which include all fixed and operating costs, including capital costs for all renewable, non-renewable, and supporting (e.g., transmission and storage) electric sector infrastructure; fossil fuel, uranium, and biomass fuel costs; and plant operations and maintenance expenditures. The analysis evaluates three specificmore » benefits: air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use. It also analyzes two other impacts, renewable energy workforce and economic development, and natural gas price suppression. The analysis finds that the benefits or renewable energy used to meet RPS polices exceed the costs, even when considering the highest cost and lowest benefit outcomes.« less

Economic Evaluation of the Juvenile Drug Court/Reclaiming Futures (JDC/RF) Model.

PubMed

McCollister, Kathryn; Baumer, Pamela; Davis, Monica; Greene, Alison; Stevens, Sally; Dennis, Michael

2018-07-01

Juvenile drug court (JDC) programs are an increasingly popular option for rehabilitating juvenile offenders with substance problems, but research has found inconsistent evidence regarding their effectiveness and economic impact. While assessing client outcomes such as reduced substance use and delinquency is necessary to gauge program effectiveness, a more comprehensive understanding of program success and sustainability can be attained by examining program costs and economic benefits. As part of the National Cross-Site Evaluation of JDC and Reclaiming Futures (RF), an economic analysis of five JDC/RF programs was conducted from a multisystem and multiagency perspective. The study highlights the direct and indirect costs of JDC/RF and the savings generated from reduced health problems, illegal activity, and missed school days. Results include the average (per participant) cost of JDC/RF, the total economic benefits per JDC/RF participant, and the net savings of JDC/RF relative to standard JDC.

Antiangiogenic Therapy for Glioblastoma: Current Status and Future Prospects

PubMed Central

Batchelor, Tracy T.; Reardon, David A.; de Groot, John F.; Wick, Wolfgang; Weller, Michael

2014-01-01

Glioblastoma is characterized by high expression levels of pro-angiogenic cytokines and microvascular proliferation, highlighting the potential value of treatments targeting angiogenesis. Antiangiogenic treatment likely achieves a beneficial impact through multiple mechanisms of action. Ultimately, however, alternative pro-angiogenic signal transduction pathways are activated leading to the development of resistance, even in tumors that initially respond. The identification of biomarkers or imaging parameters to predict response and to herald resistance is of high priority. Despite promising phase 2 clinical trial results and patient benefit in terms of clinical improvement and longer progression-free survival, an overall survival benefit has not been demonstrated in 4 randomized phase 3 trials of bevacizumab or cilengitide in newly diagnosed glioblastoma or cediranib or enzastaurin recurrent glioblastoma. However, future studies are warranted: predictive markers may allow appropriate patient enrichment, combination with chemotherapy may ultimately prove successful in improving overall survival, and novel agents targeting multiple pro-angiogenic pathways may prove effective. PMID:25398844

PET/MRI: Where Might It Replace PET/CT?

PubMed Central

Ehman, Eric C.; Johnson, Geoffrey B.; Villanueva-Meyer, Javier E.; Cha, Soonmee; Leynes, Andrew Palmera; Larson, Peder Eric Zufall; Hope, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

Simultaneous positron emission tomography and MRI (PET/MRI) is a technology that combines the anatomic and quantitative strengths of MR imaging with physiologic information obtained from PET. PET and computed tomography (PET/ CT) performed in a single scanning session is an established technology already in widespread and accepted use worldwide. Given the higher cost and complexity of operating and interpreting the studies obtained on a PET/MRI system, there has been question as to which patients would benefit most from imaging with PET/MRI versus PET/CT. In this article, we compare PET/MRI with PET/CT, detail the applications for which PET/MRI has shown promise and discuss impediments to future adoption. It is our hope that future work will prove the benefit of PET/MRI to specific groups of patients, initially those in which PET/CT and MRI are already performed, leveraging simultaneity and allowing for greater degrees of multiparametric evaluation. PMID:28370695

International attitudes of early adopters to current and future robotic technologies in pediatric surgery.

PubMed

Cundy, Thomas P; Marcus, Hani J; Hughes-Hallett, Archie; Najmaldin, Azad S; Yang, Guang-Zhong; Darzi, Ara

2014-10-01

Perceptions toward surgical innovations are critical to the social processes that drive technology adoption. This study aims to capture attitudes of early adopter pediatric surgeons toward robotic technologies in order to clarify 1) specific features that are driving appeal, 2) limiting factors that are acting as diffusion barriers, and 3) future needs. Electronic surveys were distributed to pediatric surgeons with personal experience or exposure in robotic surgery. Participants were classified as experts or nonexperts for subgroup analysis. Coded Likert scale responses were analyzed using the Friedman or Mann-Whitney test. A total of 48 responses were received (22 experts, 26 nonexperts), with 14 countries represented. The most highly rated benefits of robot assistance were wristed instruments, stereoscopic vision, and magnified view. The most highly rated limitations were capital outlay expense, instrument size, and consumables/maintenance expenses. Future technologies of greatest interest were microbots, image guidance, and flexible snake robots. Putative benefits and limitations of robotic surgery are perceived with widely varied weightings. Insight provided by these responses will inform relevant clinical, engineering, and industry groups such that unambiguous goals and priorities may be assigned for the future. Pediatric surgeons seem most receptive toward technology that is smaller, less expensive, more intelligent and flexible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The state of energy storage in electric utility systems and its effect on renewable energy resources

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

Rau, N S

1994-08-01

This report describes the state of the art of electric energy storage technologies and discusses how adding intermittent renewable energy technologies (IRETs) to a utility network affects the benefits from storage dispatch. Load leveling was the mode of storage dispatch examined in the study. However, the report recommended that other modes be examined in the future for kilowatt and kilowatt-hour optimization of storage. The motivation to install storage with IRET generation can arise from two considerations: reliability and enhancement of the value of energy. Because adding storage increases cost, reliability-related storage is attractive only if the accruing benefits exceed themore » cost of storage installation. The study revealed that the operation of storage should not be guided by the output of the IRET but rather by system marginal costs. Consequently, in planning studies to quantify benefits, storage should not be considered as an entity belonging to the system and not as a component of IRETS. The study also indicted that because the infusion of IRET energy tends to reduce system marginal cost, the benefits from load leveling (value of energy) would be reduced. However, if a system has storage, particularly if the storage is underutilized, its dispatch can be reoriented to enhance the benefits of IRET integration.« less

Parents’ Participation in a Work-Based Anti-Poverty Program Can Enhance Their Children's Future Orientation: Understanding Pathways of Influence

PubMed Central

Purtell, Kelly M.; McLoyd, Vonnie C.

2012-01-01

Planning and preparing for life after high school is a central developmental task of American adolescents, and may be even more critical for low-income youth who are less likely to attend a four year college. This study investigates factors that led to the effects of the New Hope Project, a work-based, anti-poverty program directed at parents on youths’ career-related thoughts and planning. The New Hope project was implemented in Milwaukee, WI, during the mid-1990s. 745 families participated (52% male children; 56% African American; 30% Latino, and 15% White non-Hispanic) and half were randomly selected to receive New Hope benefits, which included earnings supplements, job search assistance, and child and health care subsidies for three years. Importantly, effects on youths’ future orientation were found eight years after the program began (five years after benefits ended). The present study investigates what factors sustained these positive impacts over time. Results indicate that parental perceptions of reading performance mediate the effects of New Hope on youths’ cynicism about work. Additionally, parental perceptions of reading performance and youths’ educational expectations mediate the effects of New Hope on boys’ pessimism about future employment. These findings highlight the importance of youths’ educational development to their career-related thoughts and planning. PMID:22878938

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy and multiple daily insulin injections in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a comparative overview and future horizons.

PubMed

Thabit, Hood; Hovorka, Roman

2016-01-01

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy is currently accepted as a treatment strategy for type 1 diabetes. Transition from multiple daily injection therapy (MDI; including basal-bolus regimens) to CSII is based on expectations of better metabolic control and fewer hypoglycaemic events. Evidence to date has not been always conclusive. Evidence for CSII and MDI in terms of glycaemic control, hypoglycaemia and psychosocial outcomes is reviewed in the adult and paediatric population with type 1 diabetes. Findings from studies on threshold-based insulin pump suspension and predictive low glucose management (PLGM) are outlined. Limitations of current CSII application and future technological developments are discussed. Glycaemic control and quality of life (QOL) may be improved by CSII compared to MDI depending on baseline HbA1c and hypoglycaemia rates. Future studies are expected to provide evidence on clinical and cost effectiveness in those who will benefit the most. Training, structured education and support are important to benefit from CSII. Novel technological approaches linking continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and CSII may help mitigate against frequent hypoglycaemia in those at risk. Development of glucose-responsive automated closed-loop insulin delivery systems may reduce the burden of disease management and improve outcomes in type 1 diabetes.

Parents' participation in a work-based anti-poverty program can enhance their children's future orientation: understanding pathways of influence.

PubMed

Purtell, Kelly M; McLoyd, Vonnie C

2013-06-01

Planning and preparing for life after high school is a central developmental task of American adolescents, and may be even more critical for low-income youth who are less likely to attend a four year college. This study investigates factors that led to the effects of the New Hope Project, a work-based, anti-poverty program directed at parents on youths' career-related thoughts and planning. The New Hope project was implemented in Milwaukee, WI, during the mid-1990s. 745 families participated (52% male children; 56% African American; 30% Latino, and 15% White non-Hispanic) and half were randomly selected to receive New Hope benefits, which included earnings supplements, job search assistance, and child and health care subsidies for 3 years. Importantly, effects on youths' future orientation were found 8 years after the program began (5 years after benefits ended). The present study investigates what factors sustained these positive impacts over time. Results indicate that parental perceptions of reading performance mediate the effects of New Hope on youths' cynicism about work. Additionally, parental perceptions of reading performance and youths' educational expectations mediate the effects of New Hope on boys' pessimism about future employment. These findings highlight the importance of youths' educational development to their career-related thoughts and planning.

Design participation as an insurance: risk-management and end-user participation in the development of information systems in healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Vimarlund, V; Timpka, T

2002-01-01

The aim of this paper is to build a theoretical framework for analysis of when decision-makers should use end-user participation as a form of insurance for unforeseen consequences of implementing information systems in healthcare organizations. Data were collected in a case study of an information system development project in a small clinical setting. During the initial phase, the future end-users of the system were allowed to actively influence the system design and test every new tool that was considered for implementation. The results of the case study suggest that when time and effort are invested in allowing healthcare staff to participate in information system development processes, the benefits can well exceed the costs throughout the life cycle of the project. Risk-averse decision-makers fearing negative secondary consequences of a HIS, with regard to clinical work flow, will always adopt measures to prevent future failures, if they can find a possibility of shifting these risks. Therefore, they calculate the present discounted value of the effects accrued over time to the unit and predict the amount of resources they are willing to pay to acquire on insurance (such as design participation) that will protect the organization from future losses. End-user participation in the design process can be the key positive influence on the quality of the service and, thereby, organizational effectiveness. Investments in broad design participation can, consequently, be a productive activity that transforms potential current income into future benefits.

EVALUATING HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSE TO FORECASTED LAND-USE CHANGE: SCENARIO TESTING WITH THE AUTOMATED GEOSPATIAL WATERSHED ASSESSMENT TOOL

EPA Science Inventory

Studies of future management and policy options based on different assumptions provide a mechanism to examine possible outcomes and especially their likely benefits or consequences. Planning and assessment in land and water resource management are evolving toward complex, spatia...

Executive Values, Executive Functions, and the Humanities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pichler, Joseph A.

The benefits of studying the humanities to the business executive are considered. The humanities can help develop both the values and functional skills that are necessary for executive success. Competence in value analysis helps future executives to understand the full implications of the economic system, especially when it is followed by the…

Diffracting Reflection: A Move beyond Reflective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Veronica Ann

2017-01-01

Reflective practice has become a core component in higher education studies. In the health sciences, reflective tasks are required throughout the undergraduate programmes, yet many students struggle to find value in these tasks for their present and future professional practice. Benefits that can be derived from the process are undermined by this…

Genetic and environmental limitations on crop responses to elevated [CO2

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While the future crop growing environment is likely to be warmer and with more variable water availability, the stimulation of C3 photosynthesis by elevated CO2 concentration provides a potential benefit of global climate change. However, experimental field studies suggest that C3 crops fall short o...

Young School-Aged Children's Behaviour and Their Participation in Extra-Curricular Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simoncini, Kym; Caltabiono, Nerina

2012-01-01

While research has repeatedly shown the benefits of participation in extracurricular activities for adolescents, few studies have focused on very young children. Extra-curricular activities afford children opportunities for development and can also influence their behaviour. Children's behaviour is an important predictor of their future successes…

A survey of stakeholder perspectives on exoskeleton technology.

PubMed

Wolff, Jamie; Parker, Claire; Borisoff, Jaimie; Mortenson, W Ben; Mattie, Johanne

2014-12-19

Exoskeleton technology has potential benefits for wheelchair users' health and mobility. However, there are practical barriers to their everyday use as a mobility device. To further understand potential exoskeleton use, and facilitate the development of new technologies, a study was undertaken to explore perspectives of wheelchair users and healthcare professionals on reasons for use of exoskeleton technology, and the importance of a variety of device characteristics. An online survey with quantitative and qualitative components was conducted with wheelchair users and healthcare professionals working directly with individuals with mobility impairments. Respondents rated whether they would use or recommend an exoskeleton for four potential reasons. Seventeen design features were rated and compared in terms of their importance. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to categorize the 17 design features into meaningful groupings. Content analysis was used to identify themes for the open ended questions regarding reasons for use of an exoskeleton. 481 survey responses were analyzed, 354 from wheelchair users and 127 from healthcare professionals. The most highly rated reason for potential use or recommendation of an exoskeleton was health benefits. Of the design features, 4 had a median rating of very important: minimization of falls risk, comfort, putting on/taking off the device, and purchase cost. Factor analysis identified two main categories of design features: Functional Activities and Technology Characteristics. Qualitative findings indicated that health and physical benefits, use for activity and access reasons, and psychosocial benefits were important considerations in whether to use or recommend an exoskeleton. This study emphasizes the importance of developing future exoskeletons that are comfortable, affordable, minimize fall risk, and enable functional activities. Findings from this study can be utilized to inform the priorities for future development of this technology.

Future thinking instructions improve prospective memory performance in adolescents.

PubMed

Altgassen, Mareike; Kretschmer, Anett; Schnitzspahn, Katharina Marlene

2017-07-01

Studies on prospective memory (PM) development in adolescents point to age-related increases through to adulthood. The goal of the present study was to examine whether instructing adolescents to engage in an episodic prospection of themselves executing future actions (i.e., future thinking) when forming an intention would improve their PM performance and reduce age-related differences. Further, we set out to explore whether future thinking instructions result in stronger memory traces and/or stronger cue-context associations by evaluating retrospective memory for the PM cues after task completion and monitoring costs during PM task processing. Adolescents and young adults were allocated to either the future thinking, repeated-encoding or standard condition. As expected, adolescents had fewer correct PM responses than young adults. Across age groups, PM performance in the standard condition was lower than in the other encoding conditions. Importantly, the results indicate a significant interaction of age by encoding condition. While adolescents benefited most from future thinking instructions, young adults performed best in the repeated-encoding condition. The results also indicate that the beneficial effects of future thinking may result from deeper intention-encoding through the simulation of future task performance.

Medical benefits in young Norwegians and their parents, and the contribution of family health and socioeconomic status. The HUNT Study, Norway.

PubMed

Pape, Kristine; Bjørngaard, Johan Håkon; De Ridder, Karin A A; Westin, Steinar; Holmen, Turid Lingaas; Krokstad, Steinar

2013-07-01

Family and intergenerational perspectives might contribute to a better understanding of why young people in many European countries experience work impairment and end up being dependent on public benefits for life sustenance. The aim of this cohort study was to explore the relationship between the receipt of medical benefits in parents and their young adult offspring and the contributions of family health and family socioeconomic status. Baseline information on the health of 7597 adolescents and their parents who participated in the HUNT Study 1995-1997 was linked to national registers to identify long-term receipt of medical benefits for parents (1992-1997) and adolescents as they entered adulthood (1998-2008). We used logistic regression to explore the association between parent and offspring receipt of medical benefits, adjusting for family health and socioeconomic status. Among adolescents, 13% received medical benefits from age 20-29. Adolescents whose parents had received medical benefits (26%) were more likely to receive such benefits themselves from age 20-29 compared with adolescents without benefit-receiving parents (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.16, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.86-2.49). Adjustment for family health reduced this estimate considerably (to OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.38-1.99), whereas adjustment for family socioeconomic status had less impact. Adolescents whose parents receive medical benefits enter adult working life with an elevated risk of health-related work exclusion. Family health vulnerability appears to be a key to understanding this association, suggesting that more attention to intergenerational continuities of health could be a way to prevent welfare dependence in future generations.

Action Video Game Training for Healthy Adults: A Meta-Analytic Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Ping; Liu, Han-Hui; Zhu, Xing-Ting; Meng, Tian; Li, Hui-Jie; Zuo, Xi-Nian

2016-01-01

Action video game (AVG) has attracted increasing attention from both the public and from researchers. More and more studies found video game training improved a variety of cognitive functions. However, it remains controversial whether healthy adults can benefit from AVG training, and whether young and older adults benefit similarly from AVG training. In the present study, we aimed to quantitatively assess the AVG training effect on the cognitive ability of adults and to compare the training effects on young and older adults by conducting a meta-analysis on previous findings. We systematically searched video game training studies published between January 1986 and July 2015. Twenty studies were included in the present meta-analysis, for a total of 313 participants included in the training group and 323 participants in the control group. The results demonstrate that healthy adults achieve moderate benefit from AVG training in overall cognitive ability and moderate to small benefit in specific cognitive domains. In contrast, young adults gain more benefits from AVG training than older adults in both overall cognition and specific cognitive domains. Age, education, and some methodological factors, such as the session duration, session number, total training duration, and control group type, modulated the training effects. These meta-analytic findings provide evidence that AVG training may serve as an efficient way to improve the cognitive performance of healthy adults. We also discussed several directions for future AVG training studies. PMID:27378996

Action Video Game Training for Healthy Adults: A Meta-Analytic Study.

PubMed

Wang, Ping; Liu, Han-Hui; Zhu, Xing-Ting; Meng, Tian; Li, Hui-Jie; Zuo, Xi-Nian

2016-01-01

Action video game (AVG) has attracted increasing attention from both the public and from researchers. More and more studies found video game training improved a variety of cognitive functions. However, it remains controversial whether healthy adults can benefit from AVG training, and whether young and older adults benefit similarly from AVG training. In the present study, we aimed to quantitatively assess the AVG training effect on the cognitive ability of adults and to compare the training effects on young and older adults by conducting a meta-analysis on previous findings. We systematically searched video game training studies published between January 1986 and July 2015. Twenty studies were included in the present meta-analysis, for a total of 313 participants included in the training group and 323 participants in the control group. The results demonstrate that healthy adults achieve moderate benefit from AVG training in overall cognitive ability and moderate to small benefit in specific cognitive domains. In contrast, young adults gain more benefits from AVG training than older adults in both overall cognition and specific cognitive domains. Age, education, and some methodological factors, such as the session duration, session number, total training duration, and control group type, modulated the training effects. These meta-analytic findings provide evidence that AVG training may serve as an efficient way to improve the cognitive performance of healthy adults. We also discussed several directions for future AVG training studies.

Shipping emission forecasts and cost-benefit analysis of China ports and key regions' control.

PubMed

Liu, Huan; Meng, Zhi-Hang; Shang, Yi; Lv, Zhao-Feng; Jin, Xin-Xin; Fu, Ming-Liang; He, Ke-Bin

2018-05-01

China established Domestic Emission Control Area (DECA) for sulphur since 2015 to constrain the increasing shipping emissions. However, future DECA policy-makings are not supported due to a lack of quantitive evaluations. To investigate the effects of current and possible Chinese DECAs policies, a model is presented for the forecast of shipping emissions and evaluation of potential costs and benefits of an DECA policy package set in 2020. It includes a port-level and regional-level projection accounting for shipping trade volume growth, share of ship types, and fuel consumption. The results show that without control measures, both SO 2 and particulate matter (PM) emissions are expected to increase by 15.3-61.2% in Jing-Jin-Ji, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta from 2013 to 2020. However, most emissions can be reduced annually by the establishment of a DECA that depends on the size of the control area and the fuel sulphur content limit. Costs range from 0.667 to 1.561 billion dollars (control regional shipping emissions) based on current fuel price. A social cost method shows the regional control scenarios benefit-cost ratios vary from 4.3 to 5.1 with large uncertainty. Chemical transportation model combined with health model method is used to get the monetary health benefits and then compared with the results from social cost method. This study suggests that Chinese DECAs will reduce the projected emissions at a favorable benefit-cost ratio, and furthermore proposes policy combinations that provide high cost-effective benefits as a reference for future policy-making. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pediatric resident perceptions of family-friendly benefits.

PubMed

Berkowitz, Carol D; Frintner, Mary Pat; Cull, William L

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the importance of family-friendly features in residency program selection, benefits offered to and used by residents, and importance of benefits in future job selection. A survey of a random, national sample of 1000 graduating pediatric residents in 2008 was mailed and e-mailed. Survey response rate for graduating resident respondents was 59%. Among the respondents, 76% were women. Thirty-seven percent of men and 32% of women were parents. Residents with children were more likely than residents without children to rate family-friendly characteristics as very important in their residency selection (P < .05). Many residents reported that their programs offered maternity leave (88%), paternity leave (59%), individual flexibility with schedule (63%), and lactation rooms (55%), but fewer reported on-site child care (24%), care for ill children (19%), and part-time residency positions (12%). Among residents reporting availability, 77% of women with children used maternity leave and lactation rooms. Few held part-time residency positions (2%), but many expressed interest (23% of women with children). The majority of residents with and without children reported that flexibility with schedule was important in their future job selection. Most women with children (71%) and many women without children (52%) considered part-time work to be very important in their job selection. Family-friendly benefits are important to residents, particularly those with children. The data provides a benchmark for the availability and use of family-friendly features at pediatric training programs. The data also shows that many residents are unaware if benefits are offered, which suggests a need to make available benefits more transparent to residents. Copyright 2010 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical Therapist Students' Perceptions from Performing Strength and Conditioning Training: Academic, Professional, and Clinical Benefits.

PubMed

Meiners, Kelly M; Wisdom, Christina M

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess the perceptions of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students in performing collegiate athletes' strength and conditioning training. Four DPT students with the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) credential voluntarily provided collegiate athletes strength and conditioning training. Students were interviewed to obtain their perceptions of how the experience impacted performance in DPT school and perceptions of anticipated future benefits. Seven themes emerged from interviews: improved communication skills, movement analysis experience, improved time management/organization, increased understanding of exercises, attention to psychosocial aspects, interprofessional experience, and improved performance in coursework. DPT students with the CSCS credential perceived benefits from performing strength and conditioning training outside the standard DPT curriculum.

Cross-platform learning: on the nature of children's learning from multiple media platforms.

PubMed

Fisch, Shalom M

2013-01-01

It is increasingly common for an educational media project to span several media platforms (e.g., TV, Web, hands-on materials), assuming that the benefits of learning from multiple media extend beyond those gained from one medium alone. Yet research typically has investigated learning from a single medium in isolation. This paper reviews several recent studies to explore cross-platform learning (i.e., learning from combined use of multiple media platforms) and how such learning compares to learning from one medium. The paper discusses unique benefits of cross-platform learning, a theoretical mechanism to explain how these benefits might arise, and questions for future research in this emerging field. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Technology options for an enhanced air cargo system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winston, M. M.

1979-01-01

A view of potential enhancements to the air cargo system through technology application is provided. NASA's role in addressing deficiencies of the current civil and military air cargo systems is outlined. The evolution of conventional airfreighter design is traced and projected through the 1990's. Also, several advanced airfreighter concepts incorporating unconventional design features are described to show their potentials benefits. A number of ongoing NASA technology programs are discussed to indicate the wide range of advanced technologies offering potential benefits to the air cargo system. The promise of advanced airfreighters is then viewed in light of the future air cargo infrastructure predicted by extensive systems studies. The derived outlook concludes that the aircraft technology benefits may be offset somewhat by adverse economic, environmental, and institutional constraints.

A Benefit Cost Analysis of the South Carolina MDTA Program. Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina Univ., Columbia. Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

Manpower Development and Training Act (MDTA) programs completed in 1965 were evaluated by benefit-cost ratio and internal rate of return. Initial annual earnings differential figures at $525,650 and $719,629 were projected into the future at various rates of promotion and various rates of discount on the benefit stream. Resulting lifetime benefits…

NEA Retirement and Benefits Forum: Selected Proceedings (Clearwater Beach, Florida, October 18-21, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Association, Washington, DC. Research Div.

The National Education Association (NEA) Retirement and Benefits Forum is an annual event where leaders, lobbyists, researchers, and trustees of retirement and health and welfare plans meet to learn about and discuss current and future retirement and benefits issues. This report of the 1990 forum contains 10 selected papers and a welcoming speech…

Adjuvant therapy in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Serke, Monika

2010-01-01

Evidence clearly supports adjuvant chemotherapy following resection in patients with stage II or III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Based on 3 landmark studies, adjuvant chemotherapy has become standard in completely resected NSCLC stage II and IIIA. Survival benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy is estimated to be between 3% and 15%, depending on stage. Treatment should include 4 cycles of platinum-based combination chemotherapy. There is uncertainty about chemotherapy prescription in those patients with resected stage IB NSCLC, as the risk of recurrence is lower in early NSCLC and the magnitude of benefit of adjuvant therapy is proportional to the risk of relapse according to stage. Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) should not be used for stage I or II NSCLC, and remains controversial in resected stage IIIA (N2) disease. All positive adjuvant trials have utilized a cisplatin-based regimen, usually in combination with vinorelbine, and this should be considered the standard approach. Prognostic factors to select patients who will benefit from adjuvant therapy in general or from platinum-based chemotherapy are under discussion, but not yet established. In future we hope to optimize treatment convenience for the patients by using other combinations with the hope of better efficacy results. Work is currently under way to identify prognostic factors which in future may help to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Developing a performance measurement approach to benefit/cost freight project prioritization.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

Future reauthorizations of the federal transportation bill will require a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the freight benefits : of proposed freight system projects. To prioritize public investments in freight systems and to insure conside...

Should Aerosolized Antibiotics Be Used to Treat Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia?

PubMed

Zhang, Changsheng; Berra, Lorenzo; Klompas, Michael

2016-06-01

In patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, systemic use of antibiotics is the cornerstone of medical management. Supplemental use of aerosolized antibiotics with intravenous antibiotics in both experimental and clinical studies has been shown to have the following pharmacologic benefits: (1) aerosolized antibiotics reach the infected lung parenchyma without crossing the pulmonary alveolar capillary barrier; (2) aerosolized antibiotics increase anti-bacterial efficacy through increased local antibiotic concentration; and (3) aerosolized antibiotics decrease systemic toxicity. These benefits may be particularly beneficial to treat pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. Clinical data on the benefits of aerosolized antibiotics are more limited. Studies to date have not clearly shown improvements in time to extubation, mortality, or other patient-centered outcomes. At present, amikacin, colistin, and ceftazidime are the most frequently used and studied aerosolized antibiotics. This review summarizes the characteristics of aerosolized antibiotics, reviews the advantages and disadvantages of using aerosolized antibiotics, and calls for future investigations based on animal study data. Copyright © 2016 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Contributions of a group-based exercise program for coping with fibromyalgia: a qualitative study giving voice to female patients.

PubMed

Beltrán-Carrillo, Vicente J; Tortosa-Martínez, Juan; Jennings, George; Sánchez, Elena S

2013-01-01

Numerous quantitative studies have illustrated the potential usefulness of exercise programs for women with fibromyalgia. However, a deeper understanding of the physical and especially psychosocial benefits of exercise therapy from the subjective perspective of this population is still needed. This study was conducted with 25 women who had fibromyalgia and were participating in a nine-month, group-based exercise program. The aim was to provide an in-depth description and analysis of the perceived physical and psychosocial benefits of participation. Qualitative data were collected through observation, interviews, and focus groups. The exercise program not only alleviated the physical symptoms of fibromyalgia, but social interactions within the group helped to counteract the isolation, frustration, and depression often associated with this chronic condition. The data from this study may contribute to a deeper understanding of the benefits of exercise for women with fibromyalgia and might be useful for the improvement of future exercise programs for this population.

On discounting of health gains from human papillomavirus vaccination: effects of different approaches.

PubMed

Westra, Tjalke A; Parouty, Mehraj; Brouwer, Werner B; Beutels, Philippe H; Rogoza, Raina M; Rozenbaum, Mark H; Daemen, Toos; Wilschut, Jan C; Boersma, Cornelis; Postma, Maarten J

2012-05-01

Discounting has long been a matter of controversy in the field of health economic evaluations. How to weigh future health effects has resulted in ongoing discussions. These discussions are imminently relevant for health care interventions with current costs but future benefits. Different approaches to discount health effects have been proposed. In this study, we estimated the impact of different approaches for discounting health benefits of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. An HPV model was used to estimate the impact of different discounting approaches on the present value of health effects. For the constant discount approaches, we varied the discount rate for health effects ranging from 0% to 4%. Next, the impact of relevant alternative discounting approaches was estimated, including hyperbolic, proportional, stepwise, and time-shifted discounting. The present value of health effects gained through HPV vaccination varied strongly when varying discount rates and approaches. The application of the current Dutch guidelines resulted in a present value of health effects that was eight or two times higher than that produced when using the proportional discounting approach or when using the internationally more common 4% discount rate for health effects, respectively. Obviously, such differences translate into large variations in corresponding incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. The exact discount rate and approach chosen in an economic evaluation importantly impact the projected value of health benefits of HPV vaccination. Investigating alternative discounting approaches in health-economic analysis is important, especially for vaccination programs yielding health effects far into the future. Our study underlines the relevance of ongoing discussions on how and at what rates to discount. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic valuation of selected direct and indirect use values of the Makgadikgadi wetland system, Botswana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setlhogile, Tshepo; Arntzen, Jaap; Mabiza, Collin; Mano, Reneth

Economic valuation of wetlands aims to investigate public preferences for changes in the state of the wetland and the natural resources it constitutes in monetary terms. It provides a means of quantifying the direct and indirect benefits that people derive from wetlands. In addition, it informs management planning and practice about resource options, optimal allocation and also provides information for conservation of the resource. The Makgadikgadi wetland is a unique system that mostly consists of dry pans during most of the year. This study aimed at estimating the value of groundwater recharge and community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) activities within the Makgadikgadi wetland and how these goods and services contribute to the local and national economy. The study used the Total Economic Valuation approach, which considers both the direct and indirect use values of the resource. In essence, the study concentrated on one direct use value (use of resources through CBNRM) and one indirect use value (groundwater recharge). With regard to CBNRM, three community-based organisations (CBOs) were selected for the study and static and dynamic cost-benefit models for these CBOs were developed. The groundwater recharge value was largely determined through desktop review and interviews with stakeholders. The results indicate a small positive contribution of CBOs towards the economy of Botswana and a high potential for communities to derive substantial benefits from the projects because currently benefits realised by communities are limited. CBOs involved in joint venture partnerships with tourism and hunting enterprises benefit more from utilising the wetland’s resources. Groundwater recharge often occurs in areas away from the physical location of the wetland and may not be easily attributable to the wetland. However, the study assessed the value taking into consideration the various sectors which rely on the groundwater resource. The groundwater recharge value is significant (BWP 9-10 million) but lower when compared with the value generated by the Okavango delta (BWP 16 million). Given future increases in water demands, groundwater abstraction will exceed recharge, thus hampering the availability of the resource for the future generations and maintenance of the environment.

Trajectories of disposable income among people of working ages diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: a nationwide register-based cohort study in Sweden 7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis with a population-based reference group

PubMed Central

Mogard, Olof; Alexanderson, Kristina; Karampampa, Korinna; Friberg, Emilie; Tinghög, Petter

2018-01-01

Objectives To describe how disposable income (DI) and three main components changed, and analyse whether DI development differed from working-aged people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to a reference group from 7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis in Sweden. Design Population-based cohort study, 12-year follow-up (7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis). Setting Swedish working-age population with microdata linked from two nationwide registers. Participants Residents diagnosed with MS in 2009 aged 25–59 years (n=785), and references without MS (n=7847) randomly selected with stratified matching (sex, age, education and country of birth). Primary and secondary outcome measures DI was defined as the annual after tax sum of incomes (earnings and benefits) to measure individual economic welfare. Three main components of DI were analysed as annual sums: earnings, sickness absence benefits and disability pension benefits. Results We found no differences in mean annual DI between people with and without MS by independent t-tests (p values between 0.15 and 0.96). Differences were found for all studied components of DI from diagnosis year by independent t-tests, for example, in the final study year (2013): earnings (−64 867 Swedish Krona (SEK); 95% CI−79 203 to −50 528); sickness absence benefits (13 330 SEK; 95% CI 10 042 to 16 500); and disability pension benefits (21 360 SEK; 95% CI 17 380 to 25 350). A generalised estimating equation evaluated DI trajectory development between people with and without MS to find both trajectories developed in parallel, both before (−4039 SEK; 95% CI −10 536 to 2458) and after (−781 SEK; 95% CI −6988 to 5360) diagnosis. Conclusions The key finding of parallel DI trajectory development between working-aged MS and references suggests minimal economic impact within the first 4 years of diagnosis. The Swedish welfare system was responsive to the observed reductions in earnings around MS diagnosis through balancing DI with morbidity-related benefits. Future decreases in economic welfare may be experienced as the disease progresses, although thorough investigation with future studies of modern cohorts are required. PMID:29743325

Internationalisation in Online Distance Learning Postgraduate Education: A Case Study on Student Views on Learning Alongside Students from Other Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gemmell, Isla; Harrison, Roger; Clegg, Judith; Reed, Katie

2015-01-01

Internationalisation in higher education has been shown to provide both intellectual and cultural benefits to students which can help in their future employment. This case study describes student views on learning alongside students from different countries in an online distance learning environment. Seventy-three students undertaking the online…

International Student Mobility Programs and Effects on Student Teachers' Perceptions and Beliefs about Education and Their Role as Future Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Rachel; Munday, Jennifer

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the value and benefits obtained from a semester length academic exchange for Australian early childhood teacher education students in equivalent programs in selected European sites. The data obtained from interviews conducted in this qualitative study indicate that students involved in the international…

Enhancements to the Behavioral Parent Training Paradigm for Families of Children with ADHD: Review and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chronis, Andrea M.; Chacko, Anil; Fabiano, Gregory A.; Wymbs, Brian T.; Pelham, William E., Jr.

2004-01-01

Behavioral parent training (BPT) is one of the empirically supported psychosocial treatments for ADHD. Over many years and in many studies, BPT has been documented to improve both child ADHD behavior and maladaptive parenting behavior. In some studies, BPT has also been found to result in benefits in additional domains, such as parenting stress…

Benefits of transformational behaviors for leaders: A daily investigation of leader behaviors and need fulfillment.

PubMed

Lanaj, Klodiana; Johnson, Russell E; Lee, Stephanie M

2016-02-01

Although a large body of work has examined the benefits of transformational leadership, this work has predominantly focused on recipients of such behaviors. Recent research and theory, however, suggest that there are also benefits for those performing behaviors reflective of transformational leadership. Across 2 experience-sampling studies, we investigate the effects of such behaviors on actors' daily affective states. Drawing from affective events theory and self-determination theory we hypothesize and find that engaging in behaviors reflective of transformational leadership is associated with improvement in actors' daily affect, more so than engaging in behaviors reflective of transactional, consideration, initiating structure, and participative leadership. Behaviors reflective of transformational leadership improved actors' affect in part by fulfilling their daily needs. Furthermore, extraversion and neuroticism moderated these effects such that extraverts benefitted less whereas neurotics benefitted more from these behaviors in terms of affective changes. We consider the theoretical and practical implications of these findings and offer directions for future research. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Original Research: The Benefits of Rapid Response Teams: Exploring Perceptions of Nurse Leaders, Team Members, and End Users.

PubMed

Stolldorf, Deonni P

2016-03-01

: The perceived benefits of rapid response teams (RRTs) influence whether RRTs are used and sustained. Perceived benefits are particularly important to sustaining RRTs when limited RRT data are shared with organizational members. Nurse leaders' perceptions of the benefits of RRTs likely influence their support, which is crucial for sustained RRT use. The perceptions of RRT members and end users similarly will affect use. But little is known regarding the perceptions of nurse leaders, RRT members, and RRT users in this regard.This study sought to explore and compare the perceptions of nurse leaders, RRT members, and RRT users regarding the benefits of RRTs.A qualitative, multiple-case study design was used. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nurse leaders, RRT members, and RRT users at four community hospitals, as part of a larger mixed-methods study examining RRT sustainability. Purposive and snowball sampling were used. Recruitment strategies included e-mail and listserv announcements, on-site presentations, direct personal contact, and a study flyer.All participants reported perceiving various ways that RRTs benefit the organization, staff members, and patients. Variations in the benefits perceived were observed between the three participant groups. Nurse leaders' perceptions tended to focus on macro-level benefits. RRT members emphasized the teaching and learning opportunities that RRTs offer. RRT users focused on the psychological support that RRTs can provide.Both similarities and differences were found between nurse leaders, RRT members, and RRT users regarding their perceptions of RRT benefits. Differences may be indicative of organizations' information-sharing processes; of variation in the priorities of nurse leaders, RRT members, and RRT users; and of the challenges nurses face daily in their work environments. Future research should investigate whether the perceived benefits of RRTs are borne out in actuality, as well as the relationships between the perceived benefits of RRTs and organizational and RRT characteristics.

Characteristics of Early Work Experiences and Their Association with Future Employment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonnall, Michele Capella; O'Mally, Jamie

2012-01-01

Introduction: Early work experiences are a key predictor of future employment for transition-age youths with visual impairments. We investigated how specific characteristics of early work experiences influence future employment and whether the receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits is associated with early work experiences among…

The clinical benefit and safety of current and future assisted reproductive technology.

PubMed

Brown, Rachel; Harper, Joyce

2012-08-01

Since the first birth by IVF was achieved in 1978, the techniques involved in assisted reproductive technology have grown at an enormous rate. However, new technology has rarely been robustly validated before clinical use and developing scientific understanding of the available techniques has done little to alter their use. Furthermore, there are inconsistencies in the available clinical studies and endpoints. The benefits of some technologies already established for routine use are currently dubious and there are clear ethical concerns with providing them to patients when their scientific basis is not clear. As the uptake of assisted reproductive technology increases and newer technologies continue to push the boundaries of science, it is important to consider the clinical benefits and safety of all assisted reproductive technologies. This review will discuss aspects of some of the more recent techniques, including sperm DNA-damage tests, intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection, amino acid and metabolomics profiling, preimplantation genetic screening and time-lapse imaging, and those that may have substantial impacts on the field of reproductive medicine in the future including artificial gametes, ovarian transplantation and gene therapy. Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Constructing alternative futures

Treesearch

David N. Wear; Robert Huggett; John G. Greis

2013-01-01

The desired product of the Southern Forest Futures Project is a mechanism that will help southerners think about and prepare for future changes in their forests and the benefits they provide. Because any single projection of the world’s (or a region’s) biological, physical, and social systems has a high probability of being incorrect, the Futures Project instead...

Subacute care, Medicare benefits, and nursing home behavior.

PubMed

Aaronson, W E; Zinn, J S; Rosko, M D

1995-09-01

Two policy changes in 1988, one administrative and one legislative, allowed greater Medicare coverage of subacute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act (MCCA) of 1988, in conjunction with an administrative directive, or transmittal, from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), changed the Medicare SNF benefit structure substantially. In this study, we specified a simultaneous equation system to explain the effects of the benefit changes on Medicare use. The results suggest that the two policy changes increased Medicare use in Pennsylvania SNFs substantially; however, the increase was associated with facility and case mix characteristics, which suggest that the increase was largely attributable to reclassification of current patients from other payer categories, Medicaid and self-pay, rather than new admissions. The effects of the MCCA and the HCFA transmittal on increased Medicare use were unanticipated and have important implications for the way in which subacute care is defined and financed in future benefit discussions.

The Translational Science Benefits Model: A New Framework for Assessing the Health and Societal Benefits of Clinical and Translational Sciences

PubMed Central

Sarli, Cathy C.; Suiter, Amy M.; Carothers, Bobbi J.; Combs, Todd B.; Allen, Jae L.; Beers, Courtney E.; Evanoff, Bradley A.

2017-01-01

Abstract We report the development of the Translational Science Benefits Model (TSBM), a framework designed to support institutional assessment of clinical and translational research outcomes to measure clinical and community health impacts beyond bibliometric measures. The TSBM includes 30 specific and potentially measurable indicators that reflect benefits that accrue from clinical and translational science research such as products, system characteristics, or activities. Development of the TSBM was based on literature review, a modified Delphi method, and in‐house expert panel feedback. Three case studies illustrate the feasibility and face validity of the TSBM for identification of clinical and community health impacts that result from translational science activities. Future plans for the TSBM include further pilot testing and a resource library that will be freely available for evaluators, translational scientists, and academic institutions who wish to implement the TSBM framework in their own evaluation efforts. PMID:28887873

Designing augmentative and alternative communication applications: the results of focus groups with speech-language pathologists and parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Boster, Jamie B; McCarthy, John W

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to gain insight from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) regarding appealing features of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) applications. Two separate 1-hour focus groups were conducted with 8 SLPs and 5 parents of children with ASD to identify appealing design features of AAC Apps, their benefits and potential concerns. Participants were shown novel interface designs for communication mode, play mode and incentive systems. Participants responded to poll questions and provided benefits and drawbacks of the features as part of structured discussion. SLPs and parents identified a range of appealing features in communication mode (customization, animation and colour-coding) as well as in play mode (games and videos). SLPs preferred interfaces that supported motor planning and instruction while parents preferred those features such as character assistants that would appeal to their child. Overall SLPs and parents agreed on features for future AAC Apps. SLPs and parents have valuable input in regards to future AAC app design informed by their experiences with children with ASD. Both groups are key stakeholders in the design process and should be included in future design and research endeavors. Implications for Rehabilitation AAC applications for the iPad are often designed based on previous devices without consideration of new features. Ensuring the design of new interfaces are appealing and beneficial for children with ASD can potentially further support their communication. This study demonstrates how key stakeholders in AAC including speech language pathologists and parents can provide information to support the development of future AAC interface designs. Key stakeholders may be an untapped resource in the development of future AAC interfaces for children with ASD.

Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Final Report

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

Rooney, Tim

2013-10-30

The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC or the Community) contracted the ANTARES Group, Inc. (“ANTARES”) to assess the feasibility of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. A solar energy project could provide a number of benefits to the Community in terms of potential future energy savings, increased employment, environmental benefits from renewable energy generation and usage, and increased energy self-sufficiency. The study addresses a number of facets of a solar project’s overall feasibility, including: Technical appropriateness; Solar resource characteristics and expected system performance; Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) economic assessment. The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC or the Community) contracted the ANTARESmore » Group, Inc. (“ANTARES”) to prepare a biomass resource assessment study and evaluate the feasibility of a bioenergy project on Community land. A biomass project could provide a number of benefits to the Community in terms of increased employment, environmental benefits from renewable energy generation and usage, and increased energy self-sufficiency. The study addresses a number of facets of a biomass project’s overall feasibility, including: Resource analysis and costs; Identification of potential bioenergy projects; Technical and economic (levelized cost of energy) modeling for selected project configuration.« less

The futures of climate engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Low, Sean

2017-01-01

This piece examines the need to interrogate the role of the conceptions of the future, as embedded in academic papers, policy documents, climate models, and other artifacts that serve as currencies of the science-society interface, in shaping scientific and policy agendas in climate engineering. Growing bodies of work on framings, metaphors, and models in the past decade serve as valuable starting points, but can benefit from integration with science and technology studies work on the sociology of expectations, imaginaries, and visions. Potentially valuable branches of work to come might be the anticipatory use of the future: the design of experimental spaces for exploring the future of an engineered climate in service of responsible research and innovation, and the integration of this work within the unfolding context of the Paris Agreement.

Producer-level benefits of sustainability certification.

PubMed

Blackman, Allen; Rivera, Jorge

2011-12-01

Initiatives certifying that producers of goods and services adhere to defined environmental and social-welfare production standards are increasingly popular. According to proponents, these initiatives create financial incentives for producers to improve their environmental, social, and economic performance. We reviewed the evidence on whether these initiatives have such benefits. We identified peer-reviewed, ex post, producer-level studies in economic sectors in which certification is particularly prevalent (bananas, coffee, fish products, forest products, and tourism operations), classified these studies on the basis of whether their design and methods likely generated credible results, summarized findings from the studies with credible results, and considered how these findings might guide future research. We found 46 relevant studies, most of which focused on coffee and forest products and examined fair-trade and Forest Stewardship Council certification. The methods used in 11 studies likely generated credible results. Of these 11 studies, nine examined the economic effects and two the environmental effects of certification. The results of four of the 11 studies, all of which examined economic effects, showed that certification has producer-level benefits. Hence, the evidence to support the hypothesis that certification benefits the environment or producers is limited. More evidence could be generated by incorporating rigorous, independent evaluation into the design and implementation of projects promoting certification. ©2011 Society for Conservation Biology.

Stakeholders' Perspectives on Preclinical Testing for Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Arias, Jalayne J; Cummings, Jeffrey; Grant, Alexander Rae; Ford, Paul J

2015-01-01

Progress towards validating amyloid beta as an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) heightens the need for evaluation of stakeholders' perspectives of the benefits and harms of preclinical testing in asymptomatic individuals. Investigators conducted and analyzed 14 semi-structured interviews with family members of patients diagnosed with AD. Participants reported benefits, including the potential to seek treatment, make lifestyle changes, and prepare for cognitive impairment. Participants identified harms, including social harms, adverse life decisions, and psychological harms. Nine participants reported either a "positive global perspective" or a "positive global perspective (qualified)." Results from this study characterized stakeholders' perspectives on the potential benefits and harms of clinical use of preclinical testing for AD. Investigators used data from this study to develop a framework that contributes to ongoing discussions that will evaluate widespread adoption of preclinical testing and will inform future research. Copyright 2015 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

A community-based approach to trials of aerobic exercise in aging and Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Vidoni, Eric D.; Van Sciver, Angela; Johnson, David K.; He, Jinghua; Honea, Robyn; Haines, Brian; Goodwin, Jami; Laubinger, M. Pat; Anderson, Heather S.; Kluding, Patricia M.; Donnelly, Joseph E.; Billinger, Sandra A.; Burns, Jeffrey M.

2012-01-01

The benefits of exercise for aging have received considerable attention in both the popular and academic press. The putative benefits of exercise for maximizing cognitive function and supporting brain health have great potential for combating Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aerobic exercise offers a low-cost, low-risk intervention that is widely available and may have disease modifying effects. Demonstrating aerobic exercise alters the AD process would have enormous public health implications. The purpose of this paper is to a report the protocol of a current, community-based pilot study of aerobic exercise for AD to guide future investigation. This manuscript provides 1) an overview of possible benefits of exercise in those with dementia, 2) a rationale and recommendations for implementation of a community-based approach, 3) recommendation for implementation of similar study protocols, 4) unique challenges in conducting an exercise trial in AD. PMID:22903151

Potential health benefits of simulated laughter: a narrative review of the literature and recommendations for future research.

PubMed

Mora-Ripoll, Ramon

2011-06-01

Scientific research has shown that laughter may have both preventive and therapeutic values. Health-related benefits of laughter are mainly reported from spontaneous laughter interventional studies. While the human mind can make a distinction between simulated and spontaneous laughter, the human body cannot. Either way health-related outcomes are deemed to be produced. Simulated laughter is thus a relatively under-researched treatment modality with potential health benefits. The aim of this review was firstly to identify, critically evaluate and summarize the laughter literature; secondly to assess to which extent simulated laughter health-related benefits are currently sustained by empirical evidence; and lastly to provide recommendations and future directions for further research. A comprehensive laughter literature search was performed. A list of inclusion and exclusion criteria was identified. Thematic analysis was applied to summarize laughter health-related outcomes, relationships, and general robustness. Laughter has shown different physiological and psychological benefits. Adverse effects are very limited and laughter is practically lacking in counter-indications. Despite the limited number of publications, there is some evidence to suggest that simulated laughter has also some effects on certain aspects of health, though further well-designed research is warranted. Simulated laughter techniques can be easily implemented in traditional clinical settings for health and patient care. Their effective use for therapeutic purposes needs to be learned, practiced, and developed as any other medical strategy. Practical guidelines and further research are needed to help health care professionals (and others) implement laughter techniques in their health care portfolio. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Counseling as an Insured Benefit: Perspectives from the Insurance Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulton, Wallace C.

1974-01-01

Article discusses the feasibility of marriage counseling as an insurance benefit in the future. It is suggested that the physician be used as a marriage counselor in that insurance companies will pay for medical services. (EK)

Measuring the benefits of transportation research in Utah.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-09-01

It is important to measure the benefits of transportation research programs on a regular basis to determine if research budgets have been used effectively, and to maintain the support of management. The findings can better channel how future availabl...

An overview of the information management component of RICIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, Peter C.

1987-01-01

Information management is the RICIS (Research Institute for Computing and Information Systems) research area which covers four types of tasks initiated during the first year of research: (1) surveys - a description of the existing state of some area in computing and information systems; (2) forecasts - a description of the alternative future states of some area; (3) plans - an approach to accomplishing some objective in the future; and (4) demonstrations - working prototypes and field trials to study the feasibility and the benefits of a particular information system. The activity in these research areas is described.

The potential impact of MMICs on future satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, Vernon E.

1988-01-01

This is the Final Report representing the results of a 17-month study on the future trends and requirements of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC) for space communication applications. Specifically this report identifies potential space communication applications of MMICs, assesses the impact of MMIC on the classes of systems that were identified, determines the present status and probable 10-year growth in capability of required MMIC and competing technologies, identifies the applications most likely to benefit from further MMIC development and presents recommendations for NASA development activities to address the needs of these applications.

The potential impact of MMICs on future satellite communications: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, Vernon E.

1988-01-01

This Executive Summary presents the results of a 17-month study on the future trends and requirments for Monolithic Microwave Integrated circuits (MMIC) for space communication application. Specifically this report identifies potential space communication applications of MMICs, assesses the impact of MMIC on the classes of systems that were identified, determines the present status and probable 10-year growth in capability of required MMIC and competing technologies, identifies the applications most likely to benefit from further MMIC development, and presents recommendations for NASA development activities to address the needs of these applications.

Promising Fuel Cycle Options for R&D – Results, Insights, and Future Directions

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

Wigeland, Roald Arnold

2015-05-01

The Fuel Cycle Options (FCO) campaign in the U.S. DOE Fuel Cycle Research & Development Program conducted a detailed evaluation and screening of nuclear fuel cycles. The process for this study was described at the 2014 ICAPP meeting. This paper reports on detailed insights and questions from the results of the study. The comprehensive study identified continuous recycle in fast reactors as the most promising option, using either U/Pu or U/TRU recycle, and potentially in combination with thermal reactors, as reported at the ICAPP 2014 meeting. This paper describes the examination of the results in detail that indicated that theremore » was essentially no difference in benefit between U/Pu and U/TRU recycle, prompting questions about the desirability of pursuing the more complex U/TRU approach given that the estimated greater challenges for development and deployment. The results will be reported from the current effort that further explores what, if any, benefits of TRU recycle (minor actinides in addition to plutonium recycle) may be in order to inform decisions on future R&D directions. The study also identified continuous recycle using thorium-based fuel cycles as potentially promising, in either fast or thermal systems, but with lesser benefit. Detailed examination of these results indicated that the lesser benefit was confined to only a few of the evaluation metrics, identifying the conditions under which thorium-based fuel cycles would be promising to pursue. For the most promising fuel cycles, the FCO is also conducting analyses on the potential transition to such fuel cycles to identify the issues, challenges, and the timing for critical decisions that would need to be made to avoid unnecessary delay in deployment, including investigation of issues such as the effects of a temporary lack of plutonium fuel resources or supporting infrastructure. These studies are placed in the context of an overall analysis approach designed to provide comprehensive information to the decision-making process.« less

Insurer and employer views on pediatric obesity treatment: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hampl, S E; Davis, A M; Sampilo, M L; Stephens, K L; Dean, K

2013-04-01

The effectiveness of group-based comprehensive, multidisciplinary (stage 3) pediatric weight management programs is backed by a growing body of literature, yet insurance coverage of these programs is scarce to nonexistent, limiting their reach and long-term survival. The objective of this study was to better understand the perspectives of insurers and large employers on the issue of group-based treatment coverage. The authors performed a qualitative study utilizing structured interviews with these stakeholders, following accepted techniques. Six major themes emerged: cost, program effectiveness, corporate social responsibility, secondary parental (employee) benefits, coverage options and new benefit determination. Future efforts to secure payment for group-based pediatric weight management programs should address these key themes. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

Amniotic therapeutic biomaterials in urology: current and future applications.

PubMed

Oottamasathien, Siam; Hotaling, James M; Craig, James R; Myers, Jeremy B; Brant, William O

2017-10-01

To examine the rationale and applications of amniotic tissue augmentation in urological surgery. Published literature in English-language was reviewed for basic science and clinical use of amniotic or amnion-chorionic tissue in genitourinary tissues. Basic science and animal studies support the likely benefit of clinical applications of amnion-derived tissues in a variety of urologic interventions. The broad number of properties found in amniotic membrane, coupled with its immunologically privileged status presents a number of future applications in the urological surgical realm. These applications are in their clinical infancy and suggest that further studies are warranted to investigate the use of these products in a systematic fashion.

Benefits and payments for research participants: Experiences and views from a research centre on the Kenyan coast

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is general consensus internationally that unfair distribution of the benefits of research is exploitative and should be avoided or reduced. However, what constitutes fair benefits, and the exact nature of the benefits and their mode of provision can be strongly contested. Empirical studies have the potential to contribute viewpoints and experiences to debates and guidelines, but few have been conducted. We conducted a study to support the development of guidelines on benefits and payments for studies conducted by the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust programme in Kilifi, Kenya. Methods Following an initial broad based survey of cash, health services and other items being offered during research by all programme studies (n = 38 studies), interviews were held with research managers (n = 9), and with research staff involved in 8 purposively selected case studies (n = 30 interviewees). Interviews explored how these ‘benefits’ were selected and communicated, experiences with their administration, and recommendations for future guidelines. Data fed into a consultative workshop attended by 48 research staff and health managers, which was facilitated by an external ethicist. Findings The most commonly provided benefits were medical care (for example free care, and strengthened quality of care), and lunch or snacks. Most cash given to participants was reimbursement of transport costs (for example to meet appointments or facilitate use of services when unexpectedly sick), but these payments were often described by research participants as benefits. Challenges included: tensions within households and communities resulting from lack of clarity and agreement on who is eligible for benefits; suspicion regarding motivation for their provision; and confusion caused by differences between studies in types and levels of benefits. Conclusions Research staff differed in their views on how benefits should be approached. Echoing elements of international benefit sharing and ancillary care debates, some research staff saw research as based on goodwill and partnership, and aimed to avoid costs to participants and a commercial relationship; while others sought to maximise participant benefits given the relative wealth of the institution and the multiple community needs. An emerging middle position was to strengthen collateral or indirect medical benefits to communities through collaborations with the Ministry of Health to support sustainability. PMID:22726531

Helpers benefit offspring in both the short and long-term in the cooperatively breeding banded mongoose.

PubMed

Hodge, Sarah J

2005-12-07

Helpers in cooperative and communal breeding species are thought to accrue fitness benefits through improving the condition and survival of the offspring that they care for, yet few studies have shown conclusively that helpers benefit the offspring they rear. Using a novel approach to control for potentially confounding group-specific variables, I compare banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) offspring within the same litter that differ in the amount of time they spend with a helper, and hence the amount of care they receive. I show that pups that spend more time in close proximity to a helper are fed more, grow faster and have a higher probability of survival to independence than their littermates. Moreover, high growth rates during development reduce the age at which females breed for the first time, suggesting that helpers can improve the future fecundity of the offspring for which they care. These results provide strong evidence that it is the amount of investment per se that benefits offspring, rather than some correlate such as territory quality, and validate the assumption that helpers improve the reproductive success of breeders, and hence may gain fitness benefits from their actions. Furthermore, the finding that helpers may benefit offspring in the long-term suggests that current studies underestimate the fitness benefits that helpers gain from rearing the offspring of others.

Indications, benefits, and risks of Pilates exercise for people with chronic low back pain: a Delphi survey of Pilates-trained physical therapists.

PubMed

Wells, Cherie; Kolt, Gregory S; Marshall, Paul; Bialocerkowski, Andrea

2014-06-01

The effectiveness of Pilates exercise for treating people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) is yet to be established. Understanding how to identify people with CLBP who may benefit, or not benefit, from Pilates exercise and the benefits and risks of Pilates exercise will assist in trial design. The purpose of this study was to establish a consensus regarding the indications, contraindications, and precautions of Pilates exercise and the potential benefits and risks of Pilates exercise for people with CLBP. A panel of 30 Australian physical therapists experienced in the use of Pilates exercise were surveyed using the Delphi technique. Three electronic questionnaires were used to collect participant opinions. Answers to open-ended questions were analyzed thematically, combined with research findings, and translated into statements about Pilates exercise. Participants then rated their level of agreement with statements using a 6-point Likert scale. Consensus was achieved when 70% of panel members agreed or disagreed with an item. Thirty physical therapists completed the 3 questionnaires. Consensus was reached on 100% of items related to the benefits, indications, and precautions of Pilates exercise, on 50% of items related to risks, and on 56% of items related to contraindications. Participants agreed that people who have poor body awareness and maladaptive movement patterns may benefit from Pilates exercise, whereas those with pre-eclampsia, unstable spondylolisthesis, or a fracture may not benefit. Participants also agreed that Pilates exercise may improve functional ability, movement confidence, body awareness, posture, and movement control. The findings reflect the opinions of only 30 Australian physical therapists and not all health professionals nationally or internationally. These findings, therefore, need to be verified in future research trials. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the indications, contraindications, and precautions of Pilates exercise and the benefits and risks of Pilates exercise for people with CLBP. This information can assist in design of future trials examining the effectiveness of Pilates exercise. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

Using a patient-centered approach to benefit-harm assessment in treatment decision-making: a case study in uveitis.

PubMed

Yu, Tsung; Holbrook, Janet T; Thorne, Jennifer E; Puhan, Milo A

2016-04-01

Synthesizing evidence from comparative effectiveness trials can be difficult because multiple outcomes of different importance are to be considered. The goal of this study was to demonstrate an approach to conducting quantitative benefit-harm assessment that considers patient preferences. We conducted a benefit-harm assessment using data from the Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial that compared corticosteroid implant versus systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppression in non-infectious intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis. We focused on clinical outcomes considered important to patients, including visual acuity, development of cataracts/glaucoma, need for eye surgery, prescription-requiring hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and infections. Patient preferences elicited in a recent survey were then incorporated into our assessment of the benefit-harm balance. Benefit-harm metrics were calculated for each time point that summarized the numbers of outcomes, caused or prevented by implant therapy versus systemic therapy if 1000 patients were treated. The benefit-harm metric was -129 (95% confidence interval: -242 to -14), -317 (-436 to -196), -390 (-514 to -264), and -526 (-687 to -368) at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months follow up, respectively, suggesting that systemic therapy may have a better benefit-harm balance. However, measures of quality of life for patients treated with implant therapy were found to be better than patients treated with systemic therapy over the same time period. Results of benefit-harm assessment were different from the prospectively collected quality of life data during trial follow up. Future studies should explore the reasons for such discrepancies and the strength and weakness of each method to assess treatment benefits and harms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using a patient-centered approach to benefit-harm assessment in treatment decision-making: a case study in uveitis

PubMed Central

Yu, Tsung; Holbrook, Janet T.; Thorne, Jennifer E.; Puhan, Milo A.

2017-01-01

Background Synthesizing evidence from comparative effectiveness trials can be difficult since multiple outcomes of different importance are to be considered. The goal of this study was to demonstrate an approach to conducting quantitative benefit-harm assessment that considers patient preferences. Methods We conducted a benefit-harm assessment using data from the Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial that compared corticosteroid implant versus systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppression in non-infectious intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis. We focused on clinical outcomes considered important to patients, including visual acuity, development of cataracts/glaucoma, need for eye surgery, prescription-requiring hypertension, hyperlipidemia and infections. Patient preferences elicited in a recent survey were then incorporated into our assessment of the benefit-harm balance. Results Benefit-harm metrics were calculated for each time point that summarized the numbers of outcomes, caused or prevented by implant therapy versus systemic therapy if 1000 patients were treated. The benefit-harm metric was -129 (95% CI: -242 to -14), -317 (-436 to -196), -390 (-514 to -264) and -526 (-687 to -368) at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months follow-up, respectively, suggesting that systemic therapy may have a better benefit-harm balance. However, measures of quality of life for patients treated with implant therapy were found to be better than patients treated with systemic therapy over the same time period. Conclusions Results of benefit-harm assessment were different from the prospectively collected quality of life data during trial follow-up. Future studies should explore the reasons for such discrepancies and the strength and weakness of each method to assess treatment benefits and harms. PMID:26798977

Accounting Rule Targets Benefits in Public Sector. Districts, Others Must Tally Long-Term Obligations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda

2006-01-01

Deadlines are looming for school districts and other public employers to comply with a new financial-reporting rule on the long-term costs for health and other insurance benefits that have been promised to employees. For the first time, local, state, and federal agencies will have to disclose future benefit costs in current budgets, a requirement…

Cost-Benefit Analysis for the Advanced Near Net Shape Technology (ANNST) Method for Fabricating Stiffened Cylinders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoner, Mary Cecilia; Hehir, Austin R.; Ivanco, Marie L.; Domack, Marcia S.

2016-01-01

This cost-benefit analysis assesses the benefits of the Advanced Near Net Shape Technology (ANNST) manufacturing process for fabricating integrally stiffened cylinders. These preliminary, rough order-of-magnitude results report a 46 to 58 percent reduction in production costs and a 7-percent reduction in weight over the conventional metallic manufacturing technique used in this study for comparison. Production cost savings of 35 to 58 percent were reported over the composite manufacturing technique used in this study for comparison; however, the ANNST concept was heavier. In this study, the predicted return on investment of equipment required for the ANNST method was ten cryogenic tank barrels when compared with conventional metallic manufacturing. The ANNST method was compared with the conventional multi-piece metallic construction and composite processes for fabricating integrally stiffened cylinders. A case study compared these three alternatives for manufacturing a cylinder of specified geometry, with particular focus placed on production costs and process complexity, with cost analyses performed by the analogy and parametric methods. Furthermore, a scalability study was conducted for three tank diameters to assess the highest potential payoff of the ANNST process for manufacture of large-diameter cryogenic tanks. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was subsequently used with a group of selected subject matter experts to assess the value of the various benefits achieved by the ANNST method for potential stakeholders. The AHP study results revealed that decreased final cylinder mass and quality assurance were the most valued benefits of cylinder manufacturing methods, therefore emphasizing the relevance of the benefits achieved with the ANNST process for future projects.

New directions in valuing geospatial information - how to value goespatial information for policy and business decisioins in the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smart, A. C.

2014-12-01

Governments are increasingly asking for more evidence of the benefits of investing in geospatial data and infrastructure before investing. They are looking for a clearer articulation of the economic, environmental and social benefits than has been possble in the past. Development of techniques has accelerated in the past five years as governments and industry become more involved in the capture and use of geospatial data. However evaluation practitioners have struggled to answer these emerging questions. The paper explores the types of questions that decision makers are asking and discusses the different approaches and methods that have been used recently to answer them. It explores the need for better buisness case models. The emerging approaches are then discussed and their attributes reviewed. These include methods of analysing tengible economic benefits, intangible benefits and societal benefits. The paper explores the use of value chain analysis and real options analysis to better articulate the impacts on international competitiveness and how to value the potential benefits of innovations enabled by the geospatial data that is produced. The paper concludes by illustrating the potential for these techniques in current and future decision making.

Contract Training: Progress and Policy Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deegan, William L.; Drisko, Ronald

1985-01-01

Provides results of a national survey of community college contract training programs, including data on the extent of the colleges' involvement, centralization/decentralization of contract training, problems and benefits, and future trends. Discusses future policy trends. (HB)

Societal cost-benefit analysis for soil remediation in The Netherlands.

PubMed

van Wezel, Annemarie P; Franken, Ron O G; Drissen, Eric; Versluijs, Kees C W; van den Berg, Reinier

2008-01-01

There is a political demand on the efficiency of environmental policy. Cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) can play a role in answering that demand. This societal CBA for nationwide soil remediation operations in The Netherlands distinguishes 4 alternatives for future investments. In the zero alternative government funding will be terminated. Besides this, 3 policy alternatives are distinguished that are government financed. Soil remediation benefits human health, the drinking water supply, housing, perceptions, and the ecosystem. Soil remediation also answers the concerns of the Dutch population. The benefits to health (exposure to cadmium, lead, and carcinogens), drinking water supply, and housing are expressed in monetary terms. The extent that benefits equal the money spent depends partly on the value-loaded choice for the discount rate. Use of the current discount rate of 4% will mean a slightly negative balance whichever policy alternative is chosen. Focusing on nonmoneterized benefits, such as ecology, can cause the scales to tip in another direction. Using a lower discount rate will make future benefits, such as health and drinking water supply, more important. If the discount rate drops to 2% or less, all policy alternatives lead to a positive balance. Predominantly, the health benefits that are veiled in uncertainty can become a reason for applying a surcharge and, in turn, a higher discount rate. In that case, each of the alternatives will result in a net negative balance.

Performance Logic in Simulation Research at the University of British Columbia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Marcia A.

Advantages of the performance simulation setting are considered, along with what can be studied or developed within this setting. Experiences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and views on future development and research opportunities in the performance simulation setting are also discussed. The benefits of simulating the clinical…

Application of advanced technologies to future military transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Rodney L.; Lange, Roy H.; Wagner, Richard D.

1990-01-01

Long range military transport technologies are addressed with emphasis of defining the potential benefits of the hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) concept currently being flight tested. Results of a 1990's global range transport study are presented showing the expected payoff from application of advanced technologies. Technology forecast for military transports is also presented.

Teach the Partnership: Critical University Studies and the Future of Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fine, David J.

2016-01-01

Students, staff, and faculty ought to engender a culture of civic action and ethical accountability enhanced by rigorous coursework, but this goal necessitates resources: administrators must invest in service-learning to reap its full benefits. Issues arise, however, when one considers this investment in light of the academy's corporatization. As…

Investigating the Mechanisms of Learning from a Constrained Preparation for Future Learning Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siler, Stephanie A.; Klahr, David; Price, Norman

2013-01-01

Many studies have shown benefits associated with engaging students in problem-solving activities prior to administering lessons. These problem-solving activities are assumed to activate relevant knowledge and allow students to develop some initial knowledge structures, which support understanding of the lesson. In this paper we report the results…

Inclusive Leadership Development: Drawing From Pedagogies of Women's and General Leadership Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugiyama, Keimei; Cavanagh, Kevin V.; van Esch, Chantal; Bilimoria, Diana; Brown, Cara

2016-01-01

Trends in extant literature suggest that more relational and identity-based leadership approaches are necessary for leadership that can harness the benefits of the diverse and globalized workforces of today and the future. In this study, we compared general leadership development programs (GLDPs) and women's leadership development programs (WLDPs)…

Chaplains' Perspectives on Their Work in Tasmanian Government Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rayner, Christopher S.; Swabey, Karen J.

2016-01-01

School chaplaincy services aim to promote student and school community well-being. Given the community interest in chaplaincy services in government schools, it is important that research inform future developments to maximize the potential benefits of chaplaincy services to schools. In this study, 68 chaplains in the Australian state of Tasmania…

Promoting Perceived Benefits of Group Projects: The Role of Instructor Contributions and Intragroup Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Sarah; Barber, Larissa K.; Ferguson, Amanda J.

2015-01-01

Group projects are often used in psychology courses to prepare students for future collaborative work. However, psychology alumni report that their education did not adequately prepare them for collaborative work. To better understand these perceptions, this study examined how instructor contributions (involvement and evaluation techniques)…

E-Portfolios in Teacher Development: The Better Option?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xerri, Daniel; Campbell, Caroline

2016-01-01

Following the introduction of print portfolios for teacher development in the ELT sector in Malta, this article discusses the findings of a small-scale study that highlighted teachers' views in relation to the possible future implementation of e-portfolios. It shows that while aware of the benefits of this tool, teachers have concerns about their…

Water quality and nutrient loading in the Klamath River between Keno, Oregon and Seiad Valley, CA from 1996-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, Sharon G.

2001-01-01

Implementing management strategies for reservoir operations to improve water quality and reduce nutrient concentration or loading in the Klamath River study area to benefit anadromous fisheries may be difficult and expensive. However, improving the thermal regime in spring to benefit YOY salmonids may be possible as is short-term relief in late summer for oversummering species. Decreases in nutrient concentration or loading accomplished through best management practices in the water shed may allow general protection of water resources in the Klamath Basin for future needs.

Participants' Voices From Within a Healthy Lifestyle Group.

PubMed

Park, Tanya; Foster, Kim; Usher, Kim

2017-02-01

Weight gain is a serious health concern. People with mental illnesses are at increased risk of weight gain. The primary treatment is lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity and dietary changes. This qualitative study explored the experience of people with schizophrenia who participated in a healthy lifestyle program. Four themes were identified. The findings indicate that benefits of the program were more than physical health improvements and included regular access to a health professional, gaining social relationships, and a sense of belonging. Future recommendations include retaining a group structure in lifestyle interventions to facilitate these additional benefits.

A study of the economic benefits of meteorological satellite data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suchman, D.; Auvine, B. A.; Hinton, B. H.

1980-01-01

Satellite data, while most useful in data poor areas, serves to fine tune forecasts in data rich areas. It consequently has a resulting significant economic benefit because, as previously stated, even one improved forecast per client per year can save each client thousands of dollars. Multiply this by several hundred clients and the dollar savings are sizeable. The great educational value which experience with satellite data gives undoubtedly leads to improved forecasts. Any type of future satellite data delivery system should take into account the needs and facilities of the user community to make it most useful.

A Parametric Study on Using Active Debris Removal for LEO Environment Remediation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2010-01-01

Recent analyses on the instability of the orbital debris population in the low Earth orbit (LEO) region and the collision between Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 have reignited the interest in using active debris removal (ADR) to remediate the environment. There are; however, monumental technical, resource, operational, legal, and political challenges in making economically viable ADR a reality. Before a consensus on the need for ADR can be reached, a careful analysis of its effectiveness must be conducted. The goal is to demonstrate the need and feasibility of using ADR to better preserve the future environment and to guide its implementation to maximize the benefit-to-cost ratio. This paper describes a new sensitivity study on using ADR to stabilize the future LEO debris environment. The NASA long-term orbital debris evolutionary model, LEGEND, is used to quantify the effects of several key parameters, including target selection criteria/constraints and the starting epoch of ADR implementation. Additional analyses on potential ADR targets among the currently existing satellites and the benefits of collision avoidance maneuvers are also included.

Technology Applications that Support Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, Edward M.; Holderman, Mark L.

2011-01-01

Several enabling technologies have been identified that would provide significant benefits for future space exploration. In-Space demonstrations should be chosen so that these technologies will have a timely opportunity to improve efficiencies and reduce risks for future spaceflight. An early window exists to conduct ground and flight demonstrations that make use of existing assets that were developed for the Space Shuttle and the Constellation programs. The work could be mostly performed using residual program civil servants, existing facilities and current commercial launch capabilities. Partnering these abilities with the emerging commercial sector, along with other government agencies, academia and with international partners would provide an affordable and timely approach to get the launch costs down for these payloads, while increasing the derived benefits to a larger community. There is a wide scope of varied technologies that are being considered to help future space exploration. However, the cost and schedule would be prohibitive to demonstrate all these in the near term. Determining which technologies would yield the best return in meeting our future space needs is critical to building an achievable Space Architecture that allows exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit. The best mix of technologies is clearly to be based on our future needs, but also must take into account the availability of existing assets and supporting partners. Selecting those technologies that have complimentary applications will provide the most knowledge, with reasonable cost, for future use The plan is to develop those applications that not only mature the technology but actually perform a useful task or mission. These might include such functions as satellite servicing, a propulsion stage, processing lunar regolith, generating and transmitting solar power, cryogenic fluid transfer and storage and artificial gravity. Applications have been selected for assessment for future consideration and are addressed in this paper. These applications have been made available to the various NASA study groups that are determining the next steps the Agency must take to secure a sound foundation for future space exploration The paper also addresses how follow-on demonstrations, as launch performance grows, can build on the earlier applications to provide increased benefits for both the commercial and scientific communities. The architecture of incrementally building upon previous successes and insights dramatically lowers the overall associated risk for developing and maturing the key enabling technologies. The goal is to establish a potential business case that encourages commercial activity, thereby reducing the cost for the demonstration while using the technology maturation in developing readiness for future space exploration with overall less risk.

Motor Training in Degenerative Spinocerebellar Disease: Ataxia-Specific Improvements by Intensive Physiotherapy and Exergames

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The cerebellum is essentially involved in movement control and plays a critical role in motor learning. It has remained controversial whether patients with degenerative cerebellar disease benefit from high-intensity coordinative training. Moreover, it remains unclear by which training methods and mechanisms these patients might improve their motor performance. Here, we review evidence from different high-intensity training studies in patients with degenerative spinocerebellar disease. These studies demonstrate that high-intensity coordinative training might lead to a significant benefit in patients with degenerative ataxia. This training might be based either on physiotherapy or on whole-body controlled videogames (“exergames”). The benefit shown in these studies is equal to regaining one or more years of natural disease progression. In addition, first case studies indicate that even subjects with advanced neurodegeneration might benefit from such training programs. For both types of training, the observed clinical improvements are paralleled by recoveries in ataxia-specific dysfunctions (e.g., multijoint coordination and dynamic stability). Importantly, for both types of training, the retention of the effects seems to depend on the frequency and continuity of training. Based on these studies, we here present preliminary recommendations for clinical practice, and articulate open questions that might guide future studies on neurorehabilitation in degenerative spinocerebellar disease. PMID:24877117

Health benefits of particle filtration.

PubMed

Fisk, W J

2013-10-01

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also, reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statistically significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percentage improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, for example, 7% to 25%. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Estimating externalities of biomass fuel cycles, Report 7

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

Barnthouse, L.W.; Cada, G.F.; Cheng, M.-D.

1998-01-01

This report documents the analysis of the biomass fuel cycle, in which biomass is combusted to produce electricity. The major objectives of this study were: (1) to implement the methodological concepts which were developed in the Background Document (ORNL/RFF 1992) as a means of estimating the external costs and benefits of fuel cycles, and by so doing, to demonstrate their application to the biomass fuel cycle; (2) to develop, given the time and resources, a range of estimates of marginal (i.e., the additional or incremental) damages and benefits associated with selected impact-pathways from a new wood-fired power plant, using amore » representative benchmark technology, at two reference sites in the US; and (3) to assess the state of the information available to support energy decision making and the estimation of externalities, and by so doing, to assist in identifying gaps in knowledge and in setting future research agendas. The demonstration of methods, modeling procedures, and use of scientific information was the most important objective of this study. It provides an illustrative example for those who will, in the future, undertake studies of actual energy options and sites. As in most studies, a more comprehensive analysis could have been completed had budget constraints not been as severe. Particularly affected were the air and water transport modeling, estimation of ecological impacts, and economic valuation. However, the most important objective of the study was to demonstrate methods, as a detailed example for future studies. Thus, having severe budget constraints was appropriate from the standpoint that these studies could also face similar constraints. Consequently, an important result of this study is an indication of what can be done in such studies, rather than the specific numerical estimates themselves.« less

48 CFR 917.7001 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... expectations that the performer will receive present or future economic benefits beyond the instant contract as... economic benefits to the performer, DOE will consider the technical feasibility, projected economic viability, societal and political acceptability of commercial application, as well as possible effects of...

48 CFR 917.7001 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... expectations that the performer will receive present or future economic benefits beyond the instant contract as... economic benefits to the performer, DOE will consider the technical feasibility, projected economic viability, societal and political acceptability of commercial application, as well as possible effects of...

48 CFR 917.7001 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... expectations that the performer will receive present or future economic benefits beyond the instant contract as... economic benefits to the performer, DOE will consider the technical feasibility, projected economic viability, societal and political acceptability of commercial application, as well as possible effects of...

48 CFR 917.7001 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... expectations that the performer will receive present or future economic benefits beyond the instant contract as... economic benefits to the performer, DOE will consider the technical feasibility, projected economic viability, societal and political acceptability of commercial application, as well as possible effects of...

48 CFR 917.7001 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... expectations that the performer will receive present or future economic benefits beyond the instant contract as... economic benefits to the performer, DOE will consider the technical feasibility, projected economic viability, societal and political acceptability of commercial application, as well as possible effects of...

Discovering Common Ground: How Future Search Conferences Bring People Together To Achieve Breakthrough Innovation, Empowerment, Shared Vision, and Collaborative Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisbord, Marvin R.; And Others

This book contains 35 papers about planning and holding future search conferences, as well as their benefits and likely future directions. The following papers are included: "Applied Common Sense" (Weisbord); "Inventing the Search Conference" (Weisbord); "Building Collaborative Communities" (Schindler-Rainman,…

Do Preschoolers Save to Benefit Their Future Selves?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metcalf, Jennifer L.; Atance, Cristina M.

2011-01-01

Using a new paradigm for measuring children's saving behaviors involving two marble games differing in desirability, we assessed whether 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds saved marbles for future use, saved increasingly on a second trial, saved increasingly with age, and were sensitive to the relative value of future rewards. We also assessed whether…

Social time preferences for health and money elicited with a choice experiment.

PubMed

Meerding, Willem Jan; Bonsel, Gouke J; Brouwer, Werner B F; Stuifbergen, Marja C; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise

2010-01-01

In economic evaluations future health and monetary outcomes are commonly discounted at equal and constant rates. The theoretical foundation of this practice is being debated and appropriate discount rates for costs and health effects are sought. Here, we have derived social discount rates for health, money, and environmental benefits by means of a choice experiment. All choices were framed from a social perspective. We investigated differences in time preference by domain (health, monetary benefits, environmental benefits), time delay (5, 10, and 40 years), and respondent characteristics. Respondents were 173 health-care professionals and 34 health policymakers. Choice titration was used to determine when the respondent was indifferent between future and present benefits. At least two-thirds of respondents preferred an intervention with immediate benefits to delayed benefits in the different domains. The median (mean) yearly discount rates for health benefits were 2.7% (10.7%), 1.3% (3.5%), and 1.1% (2.3%) assuming a 5, 10, and 40 years delay, respectively. Social time preference for monetary benefits was significantly stronger, with median (mean) yearly discount rates of 6.6% (18.7%) and 4.8% (11.2%) assuming a 5 and 10 years delay, respectively. The social time preference with regard to environmental benefits was similar to the monetary benefits. Social time preference for the different domains was significantly correlated at the individual level. The empirically derived social time preference is in line with current theoretical arguments for a lower discount rate for health benefits than for monetary benefits. Moreover, the implied median discount rates for health were lower than those commonly used or advocated in guidelines.

Prospective study of symptom control in 133 cases of palliative care inpatients in Shatin Hospital.

PubMed

Lo, R S; Ding, A; Chung, T K; Woo, J

1999-07-01

We report a prospective study assessing the prevalence and severity of physical and nonphysical symptoms, and the benefits from treatment and intervention, in advanced cancer patients presenting to a local palliative care unit in Hong Kong. Patients were assessed by a modified version of the support team assessment schedule (STAS). The study highlighted some symptoms which needed better control, and also reinforced the team morale by demonstrating aspects where there was definite improvement. In general, the STAS was found to be practicable and acceptable by our patients and staff. The most important benefit gained from the study was the successful dissemination of the concept of audit and quality assurance throughout the unit, which is essential for continuous improvement in the future.

Small Engine Component Technology (SECT) study. Program report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almodovar, E.; Exley, T.; Kaehler, H.; Schneider, W.

1986-01-01

The study was conducted to identify high payoff technologies for year 2000 small gas turbine applications and to provide a technology plan for guiding future research and technology efforts. A regenerative cycle turboprop engine was selected for a 19 passenger commuter aircraft application. A series of engines incorporating eight levels of advanced technologies were studied and their impact on aircraft performance was evaluated. The study indicated a potential reduction in fuel burn of 38.3 percent. At $1.00 per gallon fuel price, a potential DOC benefit of 12.5 percent would be achieved. At $2.00 per gallon, the potential DOC benefit would increase to 17.0 percent. Four advanced technologies are recommended and appropriate research and technology programs were established to reach the year 2000 goals.

Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing and Personal Genomics Services: A Review of Recent Empirical Studies

PubMed Central

Ostergren, Jenny

2013-01-01

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) has sparked much controversy and undergone dramatic changes in its brief history. Debates over appropriate health policies regarding DTC-GT would benefit from empirical research on its benefits, harms, and limitations. We review the recent literature (2011-present) and summarize findings across (1) content analyses of DTC-GT websites, (2) studies of consumer perspectives and experiences, and (3) surveys of relevant health care providers. Findings suggest that neither the health benefits envisioned by DTC-GT proponents (e.g., significant improvements in positive health behaviors) nor the worst fears expressed by its critics (e.g., catastrophic psychological distress and misunderstanding of test results, undue burden on the health care system) have materialized to date. However, research in this area is in its early stages and possesses numerous key limitations. We note needs for future studies to illuminate the impact of DTC-GT and thereby guide practice and policy regarding this rapidly evolving approach to personal genomics. PMID:24058877

Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Bridge to Integrate the Management of Technical Information for Producing Technical Manuals and Training Courses

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

Philadelphia, and all Computer-Based Training (CBT) courses delivered by Navy eLearning (NeL), a part of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC...concentrated exclu- sively on the benefit side—whether the Bridge would save money in producing future technical manuals and training courses. It...of $78.1 million in 10-year costs: a savings of $86.8 million in producing future HM&E manuals and NeL-delivered courses less $8.7 million in

Overview of nanotechnology and its applicability to the Department of Defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Allison; Stevens, Rick; Thorson, Kevin; Whaley, Gregory J.

2005-08-01

Advances in a wide variety of nanotechnologies are expected to substantially benefit future military weapon systems. The technology development cycle for military platforms requires a given technology to reach a defined state of maturity before its use in a deployable system. Nanotechnologies such as quantum dots and carbon nanotubes, while showing great promise of performance benefits, are still considered too immature for immediate use. Defense contractors are in active research of applications of nanoscale engineered materials and devices and are beginning to engage nanotechnology suppliers for future military platforms.

Pharmacoeconomics--an aid to better decision-making.

PubMed

Arenas-Guzman, R; Tosti, A; Hay, R; Haneke, E

2005-09-01

The first aim of this workshop was to define pharmacoeconomic concepts and terminology. Pharmacoeconomics can be defined as the branch of economics that uses cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, cost-minimization, cost-of-illness and cost-utility analyses to compare pharmaceutical products and treatment strategies. Economic evaluations provide healthcare decision-makers with valuable information, allowing optimal allocation of limited resources. However, pharmacoeconomics is based on long-term benefits, whereas physicians are typically forced to seek immediate savings. The second aim was to review pharmacoeconomic studies in the field of onychomycosis and finally to discuss future perspectives. We discussed current pharmacoeconomic issues on the management of onychomycosis. Consensus was reached on the following issues: * Published pharmacoeconomic studies concerning onychomycosis are flawed. Future studies should be based on internationally validated principles and appropriate models. The fact that costs of different drugs, laboratory examinations and physician visits vary worldwide should be considered. Cost-benefit studies are required. * The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommendations are often considered in countries other than the UK, even when not adapted to the country in question. * Generic drugs might reduce costs, but this depends on their effectiveness (bioavailability). * Sampling requests affect the economic cost (dependent on methodology, which depends on country) and physicians often trust their instincts even when tests are repeatedly negative. * The cost of adverse event management is usually considered to be 10%; this may be too high for onychomycosis, as treatments are relatively safe without severe side-effects. * Probability of recurrence for each drug should be determined. * Need for disease severity standardization, definition of diagnostic criteria and successful treatment (mycological and clinical cure).

Review of MSFC SBIR's: Xinetics RB-SiC Mirror Fabrication Study, UltraMet PG Foam Mirror Fabrication Study, Blue Line Eng. AI Enhanced Edge Sensors and Fully Active Subscale Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, Edward E., IV; Brantley, Lott W. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This presentation will briefly review the objectives and anticipated benefits of several Small Business Innovative Research projects in progress under the direction of Marshall Space Flight Center. They all relate to the development of advanced optical systems technologies important to future astronomical missions in space.

Predicting wildfire occurrence distribution with spatial point process models and its uncertainty assessment: a case study in the Lake Tahoe Basin, USA

Treesearch

Jian Yang; Peter J. Weisberg; Thomas E. Dilts; E. Louise Loudermilk; Robert M. Scheller; Alison Stanton; Carl Skinner

2015-01-01

Strategic fire and fuel management planning benefits from detailed understanding of how wildfire occurrences are distributed spatially under current climate, and from predictive models of future wildfire occurrence given climate change scenarios. In this study, we fitted historical wildfire occurrence data from 1986 to 2009 to a suite of spatial point process (SPP)...

Exploring the impact of customer relational benefit on relationship commitment in health service sectors.

PubMed

Weng, Rhay-Hung; Huang, Jin-An; Huang, Ching-Yuan; Huang, Shih-Chang

2010-01-01

An increasing number of health service sectors have begun to implement relationship marketing to try to establish long-term relationship with customers. Customer relational benefit has been an important subject for relationship marketing researchers. This study was conducted to investigate how customer relational benefit might influence relationship commitment in health service sectors. The research used a questionnaire survey that retrieved a total number of 403 valid questionnaires. The data were collected by way of personal visits and investigations of outpatients in three regional hospitals in Taiwan. After the reliability and the validity of the questionnaire sample were examined, the data were verified by using hierarchical regression analysis. Results showed that confidence benefit constituted the most pronounced factor for hospital customers. Confidence benefit, social benefit, and special treatment benefit were perceived by customers as the key factors that have a positive influence on relationship commitment. In particular, customers placing greater emphasis on confidence benefit tended to be less willing to establish relationship commitment. When health service managers develop marketing strategies using customer relational benefit, they will still need to enhance customer confidence benefit as one of the main ways of achieving future improvements. In the event where health service managers seek to install resources for establishing and maintaining a good relationship commitment with customers, the crucial factors of social and special treatment benefits should not be ignored when seeking to enhance the customers' perception of confidence benefit.

Critical challenges in ERP implementation: A qualitative case study in the Canadian oil and gas industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Sreekumar A.

This exploratory qualitative single-case study examines critical challenges encountered during ERP implementation based on individual perspectives in four project roles: senior leaders, project managers, project team members, and business users, all specifically in Canadian oil and gas industry. Data was collected by interviewing participants belonging to these categories, and by analyzing project documentation about ERP implementation. The organization for the case study was a leading multinational oil and gas company having a substantial presence in the energy sector in Canada. The study results were aligned with the six management questions regarding critical challenges in ERP: (a) circumstances to implement ERP, (b) benefits and process improvements achieved, (c) best practices implemented, (d) critical challenges encountered, (e) strategies and mitigating actions used, and (f) recommendations to improve future ERP implementations. The study results highlight six key findings. First, the study provided valid circumstances for implementing ERP systems. Second, the study underscored the importance of benefits and process improvements in ERP implementation. Third, the study highlighted that adoption of best practices is crucial for ERP Implementation. Fourth, the study found that critical challenges are encountered in ERP Implementation and are significant during ERP implementation. Fifth, the study found that strategies and mitigating actions can overcome challenges in ERP implementation. Finally, the study provided ten major recommendations on how to improve future ERP implementations.

Ethical issues in trauma-related research: a review.

PubMed

Newman, Elana; Risch, Elizabeth; Kassam-Adams, Nancy

2006-09-01

ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING ABOUT TRAUMA-RELATED STUDIES requires a flexible approach that counters assumptions and biases about victims, assures a favorable ethical cost-benefit ratio, and promotes advancement of knowledge that can benefit survivors of traumatic stress. This paper reviews several ethical issues in the field of traumatic stress: benefit and risks in trauma-related research, whether trauma-related research poses unique risks and if so what those might be, informed consent and mandatory reporting, and supervision of trauma-related research. For each topic, we review potential ethical issues, summarize the research conducted thus far to inform ethical practice, and recommend future practice, research questions and policies to advance the field so that research on trauma can continue to be a win-win situation for all stakeholders in the research enterprise.

Combining PCI and CABG: the role of hybrid revascularization.

PubMed

Green, Kelly D; Lynch, Donald R; Chen, Tyffany P; Zhao, David

2013-04-01

Hybrid coronary revascularization combines the benefits of both percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) by combining the benefits of the LIMA-to-LAD graft and drug eluting stent (DES) to non-LAD regions. Through this approach, a patient receives the long-term benefit of the LIMA graft and avoids the morbidity of a full sternotomy and saphenous vein grafts. Available data related to outcomes following hybrid revascularization is limited to small studies. In this review we seek to provide an overview of hybrid revascularization in the era of modern drug eluting stent technology, discuss appropriate patient selection, and comment on future trial design. Additionally, we review the recent literature pertaining to the hybrid approach.

Estimation of Airline Benefits from Avionics Upgrade under Preferential Merge Re-sequence Scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kotegawa, Tatsuya; Cayabyab, Charlene Anne; Almog, Noam

2013-01-01

Modernization of the airline fleet avionics is essential to fully enable future technologies and procedures for increasing national airspace system capacity. However in the current national airspace system, system-wide benefits gained by avionics upgrade are not fully directed to aircraft/airlines that upgrade, resulting in slow fleet modernization rate. Preferential merge re-sequence scheduling is a best-equipped-best-served concept designed to incentivize avionics upgrade among airlines by allowing aircraft with new avionics (high-equipped) to be re-sequenced ahead of aircraft without the upgrades (low-equipped) at enroute merge waypoints. The goal of this study is to investigate the potential benefits gained or lost by airlines under a high or low-equipped fleet scenario if preferential merge resequence scheduling is implemented.

Quantify the energy and environmental benefits of implementing energy-efficiency measures in China’s iron and steel production

DOE PAGES

Ma, Ding; Chen, Wenying; Xu, Tengfang

2015-08-21

As one of the most energy-, emission- and pollution-intensive industries, iron and steel production is responsible for significant emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutants. Although many energy-efficiency measures have been proposed by the Chinese government to mitigate GHG emissions and to improve air quality, lacking full understanding of the costs and benefits has created barriers against implementing these measures widely. This paper sets out to advance the understanding by addressing the knowledge gap in costs, benefits, and cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures in iron and steel production. Specifically, we build a new evaluation framework to quantify energy benefits andmore » environmental benefits (i.e., CO 2 emission reduction, air-pollutants emission reduction and water savings) associated with 36 energy-efficiency measures. Results show that inclusion of benefits from CO 2 and air-pollutants emission reduction affects the cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures significantly, while impacts from water-savings benefits are moderate but notable when compared to the effects by considering energy benefits alone. The new information resulted from this study should be used to augment future programs and efforts in reducing energy use and environmental impacts associated with steel production.« less

Perceived Benefits and Barriers of a Community-Based Diabetes Prevention and Management Program.

PubMed

Shawley-Brzoska, Samantha; Misra, Ranjita

2018-03-13

This study examined the perceptions of benefits of and barriers to participating in a community-based diabetes program to improve program effectiveness. The Diabetes Prevention and Management (DPM) program was a twenty-two session, 1-year program, modeled after the evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program and AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors framework. Community-based participatory research approach was used to culturally tailor the curriculum. Participants included overweight or obese adults with dysglycemia. A benefits and barriers survey was developed to gather information on participants' perception of the program, as well as information on demographics and health literacy levels. Eighty-nine adults participated in the DPM program (73% females; 62% diabetic; 77% had adequate health literacy); 79% of participants completed the benefits and barriers survey. Principal component analysis indicated two components representing benefits (Cronbach's α = 0.83) and barriers (α = 0.65). The majority perceived high benefits and low barriers to program participation; benefits included helpful interaction with health coach or program leader (73%), improved lifestyle modification (65%) due to the program, and satisfaction with the program (75%). Open-ended questions confirmed themes related to benefits of program participation, suggestion for programmatic improvements as well as barriers to participation. Participant feedback could be used to guide interventions and tailor future program implementation.

Perceived Benefits and Barriers of a Community-Based Diabetes Prevention and Management Program

PubMed Central

Shawley-Brzoska, Samantha; Misra, Ranjita

2018-01-01

This study examined the perceptions of benefits of and barriers to participating in a community-based diabetes program to improve program effectiveness. The Diabetes Prevention and Management (DPM) program was a twenty-two session, 1-year program, modeled after the evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program and AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors framework. Community-based participatory research approach was used to culturally tailor the curriculum. Participants included overweight or obese adults with dysglycemia. A benefits and barriers survey was developed to gather information on participants’ perception of the program, as well as information on demographics and health literacy levels. Eighty-nine adults participated in the DPM program (73% females; 62% diabetic; 77% had adequate health literacy); 79% of participants completed the benefits and barriers survey. Principal component analysis indicated two components representing benefits (Cronbach’s α = 0.83) and barriers (α = 0.65). The majority perceived high benefits and low barriers to program participation; benefits included helpful interaction with health coach or program leader (73%), improved lifestyle modification (65%) due to the program, and satisfaction with the program (75%). Open-ended questions confirmed themes related to benefits of program participation, suggestion for programmatic improvements as well as barriers to participation. Participant feedback could be used to guide interventions and tailor future program implementation. PMID:29534005

Quantify the energy and environmental benefits of implementing energy-efficiency measures in China’s iron and steel production

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

Ma, Ding; Chen, Wenying; Xu, Tengfang

As one of the most energy-, emission- and pollution-intensive industries, iron and steel production is responsible for significant emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutants. Although many energy-efficiency measures have been proposed by the Chinese government to mitigate GHG emissions and to improve air quality, lacking full understanding of the costs and benefits has created barriers against implementing these measures widely. This paper sets out to advance the understanding by addressing the knowledge gap in costs, benefits, and cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures in iron and steel production. Specifically, we build a new evaluation framework to quantify energy benefits andmore » environmental benefits (i.e., CO 2 emission reduction, air-pollutants emission reduction and water savings) associated with 36 energy-efficiency measures. Results show that inclusion of benefits from CO 2 and air-pollutants emission reduction affects the cost-effectiveness of energy-efficiency measures significantly, while impacts from water-savings benefits are moderate but notable when compared to the effects by considering energy benefits alone. The new information resulted from this study should be used to augment future programs and efforts in reducing energy use and environmental impacts associated with steel production.« less

The Impact of Future Emissions Changes on Air Pollution Concentrations and Related Human Health Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikolajczyk, U.; Suppan, P.; Williams, M.

2015-12-01

Quantification of potential health benefits of reductions in air pollution on the local scale is becoming increasingly important. The aim of this study is to conduct health impact assessment (HIA) by utilizing regionally and spatially specific data in order to assess the influence of future emission scenarios on human health. In the first stage of this investigation, a modeling study was carried out using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with Chemistry to estimate ambient concentrations of air pollutants for the baseline year 2009, and for the future emission scenarios in southern Germany. Anthropogenic emissions for the baseline year 2009 are derived from the emission inventory provided by the Netherlands Organization of Applied Scientific Research (TNO) (Denier van der Gon et al., 2010). For Germany, the TNO emissions were replaced by gridded emission data with a high spatial resolution of 1/64 x 1/64 degrees. Future air quality simulations are carried out under different emission scenarios, which reflect possible energy and climate measures in year 2030. The model set-up included a nesting approach, where three domains with horizontal resolution of 18 km, 6 km and 2 km were defined. The simulation results for the baseline year 2009 are used to quantify present-day health burdens. Concentration-response functions (CRFs) for PM2.5 and NO2 from the WHO Health risks of air Pollution in Europe (HRAPIE) project were applied to population-weighted mean concentrations to estimate relative risks and hence to determine numbers of attributable deaths and associated life-years lost. In the next step, future health impacts of projected concentrations were calculated taking into account different emissions scenarios. The health benefits that we assume with air pollution reductions can be used to provide options for future policy decisions to protect public health.

The economics of mitigation and remediation measures - preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiedemann, Carsten; Flegel, Sven Kevin; Vörsmann, Peter; Gelhaus, Johannes; Moeckel, Marek; Braun, Vitali; Kebschull, Christopher; Metz, Manuel

2012-07-01

Today there exists a high spatial density of orbital debris objects at about 800 km altitude. The control of the debris population in this region is important for the long-term evolution of the debris environment. The future debris population is investigated by simulations using the software tool LUCA (Long-Term Orbit Utilization Collision Analysis). It is likely that in the future there will occur more catastrophic collisions. Debris objects generated during such events may again trigger further catastrophic collisions. Current simulations have revealed that the number of debris objects will increase in the future. In a long-term perspective, catastrophic collisions may become the dominating mechanism in generating orbital debris. In this study it is investigated, when the situation will become unstable. To prevent this instability it is necessary to implement mitigation and maybe even remediation measures. It is investigated how these measures affect the future debris environment. It is simulated if the growth of the number of debris objects can be interrupted and how much this may cost. Different mitigation scenarios are considered. Furthermore also one remediation measure, the active removal of high-risk objects, is simulated. Cost drivers for the different measures are identified. It is investigated how selected measures are associated with costs. The goal is to find out which economic benefits may result from mitigation or remediation. First results of a cost benefit analyses are presented.

Education from a Gender Equality Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Agency for International Development, 2008

2008-01-01

Education is universally acknowledged to benefit individuals and promote national development. Educating females and males produces similar increases in their subsequent earnings and expands future opportunities and choices for both boys and girls. However, educating girls produces many additional socio-economic gains that benefit entire…

The Benefits of Past and Current Regional Hydroclimate Projects to the Third Pole Environment (TPE) Water and Energy Exchanges Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedict, Sam; van Oevelen, Peter

2014-05-01

To improve understanding of the various processes at work on spatial and temporal scales from regional to global the Regional Hydroclimate Projects (RHP's) are established as part of the Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX)Project to link the regional observations and process understanding to the global scale. This is done through exchange of observations, data, modeling, transferability studies etc. In this presentation the series of RHP's that were underway over North and South America, Europe and Asia continuously from the early 1990's up to the present will be examined, the reasons they were established, how they evolved and how they are evolving or are likely to evolve in the future, with an emphasis on where they can and should benefit similar work proposed for the TPE. The results will be presented in the context of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Grand Challenge related to the development of a water strategy that addresses the issue of past and future changes in Water, in general, and the GEWEX science question on global water resource systems, in particular. This material will address issues associated with how changes in land surface and hydrology influence past and future changes in water availability and security, how new observations lead to improvements in water management and how models become better in global and regional climate predictions and projections of precipitation and how these outcomes relate to the TPE Water and Energy Exchanges Studies.

Exercise for the treatment and management of overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Thomson, R L; Buckley, J D; Brinkworth, G D

2011-05-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by the presence of polycystic ovaries, menstrual dysfunction, infertility and biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism and is associated with an increased prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors and psychological problems. Despite the well-established benefits of exercise training and its recommendation as a cornerstone of PCOS management, few well-controlled randomized studies have been conducted evaluating the benefits of exercise training and specific exercise regimes in women with PCOS. From the limited studies there appears to be a beneficial effect of exercise either alone or in combination with energy restriction has shown to improve fitness, cardiovascular, hormonal, reproductive and psychological outcomes. While the addition of regular exercise to energy restriction appears to only have additional benefits for improving body composition, these greater improvements are likely to have long-term implications. While lifestyle modification including regular exercise appears to be an effective strategy for the management of overweight PCOS women, methodological limitations in the studies limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research with rigorous study designs is needed to determine specific exercise guidelines that will provide the greatest benefit for these women. © 2010 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2010 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Re-thinking the health benefits of outstations in remote Indigenous Australia.

PubMed

Senior, Kate; Chenhall, Richard; Hall, Julie; Daniels, Daphne

2018-05-11

The small, decentralised communities, known as outstations which satellite larger Indigenous Australian remote communities have often been conceptualised as places that are beneficial to health and well-being. This paper provides an exploration of the meaning of an outstation for one family and the benefits that this connection brings to them, which are expressed in a deep connection to the land, continuing relationships with ancestors and a safe refuge from the stresses of the larger community. We argue that the outstation provides a place for people to be in control of their lives and form hopes and plans for the future. These benefits are positioned in a context where the future liveability and sustainability of the outstation is both fragile and vulnerable. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Melaina, Marc; Warner, Ethan; Sun, Yongling

The Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technologies Program (ARFVTP) supports a wide range of alternative, low-carbon fuel and vehicle projects in California. This report focuses on two types of ARFVTP benefits. Expected benefits reflect successful deployment of vehicles and fuels supported through program projects. Market transformation benefits represent benefits resulting from project influences on future market conditions to accelerated technology adoption rates. Data collected directly from ARFVTP projects funded from 2009 to first quarter 2014 are used as inputs to the benefits analysis, where possible. Expected benefit estimation methods rely primarily upon project-level data and result in year single-pointmore » estimates within the 2011 to 2025 analysis period. Results suggest that the 178 projects evaluated for expected benefits, representing an investment of $351.3 million in ARFVTP funds, could result in a reduction in petroleum fuel use by 236 million gallons per year and greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 1.7 million metric tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) per year by 2025. Market transformation benefits are described as accruing in addition to expected benefits. They are inherently more uncertain and theoretical than expected benefits, and are therefore reported as high and low ranges, with results suggesting reductions of 1.1 MMTCO2e to 2.5 MMTCO2e per year in GHG reductions and 102 million to 330 million gallons per year in petroleum fuel reductions by 2025. Taking both benefit types into account, results suggest that ARFVTP projects have the potential to make substantial progress toward meeting California's long-term GHG and petroleum fuel use reduction goals. As additional project data become available and market success with alternative and renewable fuels and vehicles grows, the analytic framework relied upon to develop these estimates will become more rigorous and will have a greater capacity to inform future ARFVTP activities.« less

Omega-3 fatty acids: evidence basis for treatment and future research in psychiatry.

PubMed

Freeman, Marlene P; Hibbeln, Joseph R; Wisner, Katherine L; Davis, John M; Mischoulon, David; Peet, Malcolm; Keck, Paul E; Marangell, Lauren B; Richardson, Alexandra J; Lake, James; Stoll, Andrew L

2006-12-01

To determine if the available data support the use of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) for clinical use in the prevention and/or treatment of psychiatric disorders. The authors of this article were invited participants in the Omega-3 Fatty Acids Subcommittee, assembled by the Committee on Research on Psychiatric Treatments of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Published literature and data presented at scientific meetings were reviewed. Specific disorders reviewed included major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, borderline personality disorder and impulsivity, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Meta-analyses were conducted in major depressive and bipolar disorders and schizophrenia, as sufficient data were available to conduct such analyses in these areas of interest. The subcommittee prepared the manuscript, which was reviewed and approved by the following APA committees: the Committee on Research on Psychiatric Treatments, the Council on Research, and the Joint Reference Committee. The preponderance of epidemiologic and tissue compositional studies supports a protective effect of omega-3 EFA intake, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in mood disorders. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials demonstrate a statistically significant benefit in unipolar and bipolar depression (p = .02). The results were highly heterogeneous, indicating that it is important to examine the characteristics of each individual study to note the differences in design and execution. There is less evidence of benefit in schizophrenia. EPA and DHA appear to have negligible risks and some potential benefit in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, but results remain inconclusive in most areas of interest in psychiatry. Treatment recommendations and directions for future research are described. Health benefits of omega-3 EFA may be especially important in patients with psychiatric disorders, due to high prevalence rates of smoking and obesity and the metabolic side effects of some psychotropic medications.

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Sen. John Glenn delivers the closing remarks for NASA's Future Forum at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

NASA Chief Technologist Mason Peck talks during the NASA Future Forum at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver speaks during the NASA Future Forum at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Communication about the Risks and Benefits of Phase I Pediatric Oncology Trials

PubMed Central

Hazen, Rebecca A.; Zyzanski, Stephen; Baker, Justin; Drotar, Dennis; Kodish, Eric

2015-01-01

Introduction Phase 1 pediatric oncology trials offer only a small chance of direct benefit and may have significant risks and an impact on quality of life. To date, research has not examined discussions of risks and benefits during informed consent conferences for phase 1 pediatric oncology trials. The objective of the current study was to examine clinician and family communication about risks, benefits, and quality of life during informed consent conferences for phase 1 pediatric oncology trials. Methods Participants included clinician investigators, parents, and children recruited from 6 sites conducting phase 1 pediatric oncology trials. Eighty-five informed consent conferences were observed and audiotaped. Trained coders assessed discussions of risks, benefits, and quality of life. Types of risks discussed were coded (e.g., unanticipated risks, digestive system risks, death). Types of benefits were categorized as therapeutic (e.g. discussion of how participation may or may not directly benefit child), psychological, bridge to future trial, and altruism. Results Risks and benefits were discussed in 95% and 88% of informed consent conferences, respectively. Therapeutic benefit was the most frequently discussed benefit. The impact of trial participation on quality of life was discussed in the majority (88%) of informed consent conferences. Conclusion Therapeutic benefit, risks, and quality of life were frequently discussed. The range of information discussed during informed consent conferences suggests the need for considering a staged process of informed consent for phase 1 pediatric oncology trials. PMID:25638751

Educating Future Health Care Professionals About Cybercivility: Needs Assessment Study.

PubMed

De Gagne, Jennie C; Conklin, Jamie L; Yamane, Sandra S; Kang, Hee Sun; Hyun, Myung-Sun

2017-12-04

As misbehaviors online in higher education have been widely addressed in recent research, the discourse on cyberincivility has become a contemporary issue in health professions education. However, studies regarding cybercivility, particularly from an interprofessional education standpoint, are few. This study assessed the knowledge, experience, and perceptions about cyberincivility among students in 4 health care disciplines. Their preferred means of learning about cybercivility and the perceived benefits of such education are also discussed.

A Systematic Review of Montessori-Based Activities for Persons With Dementia.

PubMed

Sheppard, Christine L; McArthur, Caitlin; Hitzig, Sander L

2016-02-01

Montessori-based activities are becoming a popular approach for the care of older adults living with dementia. The aim of this study was to systematically assess the quality of the research examining the benefits of Montessori-based activities for persons with dementia. Six peer-reviewed databases were systematically searched for all relevant articles published until April 2015. Included articles were peer-reviewed studies published in English that employed Montessori-based activities with persons with dementia. Methodological quality was assessed by 2 independent raters using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale or the Downs and Black evaluation tool. Levels of evidence were assigned to the study design using a modified Sackett scale. One hundred fifty articles were identified, and 14 were selected for inclusion. Level-2 evidence examining the impact of Montessori-based activities on eating behaviors suggested that difficulties with eating could be reduced with Montessori training. There was limited level-4 evidence for the benefits of Montessori-based activities on cognition, wherein benefits appeared to be specific to lower-level cognitive abilities including memory and attention. Finally, there is level-1 (n = 1), level-2 (n = 3), and level-4 (n = 6) evidence for the benefits of Montessori-based activities on engagement and affect, whereby constructive engagement and positive affect were heightened. Overall, there is a strong level of evidence for the benefits of Montessori-based activities on eating behaviors and weak evidence for the benefits on cognition. Evidence for the benefits of Montessori-based activities on engagement and affect are mixed. Future research is needed to examine the long-term benefits of Montessori-based activities. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can initial perceptions about quitting predict smoking cessation among Malaysian smokers?

PubMed

Yasin, Siti Munira; Masilamani, Retneswari; Ming, Moy Foong; Koh, David; Zaki, Rafdzah Ahmad

2012-03-01

Perceived risks and benefits of quitting smoking may be important factors in successful treatment. This study examined the association between initial perceived risks and benefits of quitting smoking and outcomes during a two month smoking cessation attempt. Participants (n = 185) were treatment-seeking smokers attending two smoking cessation clinics in Klang Valley, Malaysia. They received structured behavioral therapy and free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). Prior to treatment, a 12 item Perceived Risks and Benefits Questionnaire (PRBQ) was administered. This was used to assess the smoker's initial perceptions during their quit attempt. Participants were re-contacted at the end of two months to determine their smoking status. The results show participants intending to quit demonstrated a greater understanding of the benefits of quitting smoking than the risks of quitting. Those with a higher education level had a greater understanding of the benefits of quitting (p = 0.02). PRBQ items, such as perceived risks of quitting (ie weight gain, negative affect, social ostracism, loss of enjoyment and craving) were not associated with abstinence at two months. However, those who perceived a benefit of higher physical attraction post-cessation were less likely to have stopped smoking at two months (OR 0.18; 95% CI 0.08-0.45). Other perceived benefits at baseline, such as health, general well-being, self-esteem, finances and social approval, were not associated with smoking cessation at two months. The results suggest that in our study population, smokers' baseline perceptions of the benefits of cessation of smoking prior to therapy are not associated with quit results at two months. Counseling patients regarding the advantages and disadvantages of quitting may have changed their perceptions during quitting process and should be further explored in future studies.

National differences in environmental concern and performance are predicted by country age.

PubMed

Hershfield, Hal E; Bang, H Min; Weber, Elke U

2014-01-01

There are obvious economic predictors of ability and willingness to invest in environmental sustainability. Yet, given that environmental decisions represent trade-offs between present sacrifices and uncertain future benefits, psychological factors may also play a role in country-level environmental behavior. Gott's principle suggests that citizens may use perceptions of their country's age to predict its future continuation, with longer pasts predicting longer futures. Using country- and individual-level analyses, we examined whether longer perceived pasts result in longer perceived futures, which in turn motivate concern for continued environmental quality. Study 1 found that older countries scored higher on an environmental performance index, even when the analysis controlled for country-level differences in gross domestic product and governance. Study 2 showed that when the United States was framed as an old country (vs. a young one), participants were willing to donate more money to an environmental organization. The findings suggest that framing a country as a long-standing entity may effectively prompt proenvironmental behavior.

Sustainability assessment framework for scenarios – SAFS

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

Arushanyan, Yevgeniya, E-mail: yevgeniya.arushanyan@abe.kth.se; KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Centre for Sustainable Communications; Ekener, Elisabeth

To address current challenges regarding sustainable development and support planning for this form of development, new learning about different possible futures and their potential sustainability implications is needed. One way of facilitating this learning is by combining the futures studies and sustainability assessment (SA) research fields. This paper presents the sustainability assessment framework for scenarios (SAFS), a method developed for assessing the environmental and social risks and opportunities of future scenarios, provides guidelines for its application and demonstrates how the framework can be applied. SAFS suggests assessing environmental and social aspects using a consumption perspective and a life cycle approach,more » and provides qualitative results. SAFS does not suggest any modelling using precise data, but instead offers guidelines on how to carry out a qualitative assessment, where both the process of assessing and the outcome of the assessment are valuable and can be used as a basis for discussion. The benefits, drawbacks and potential challenges of applying SAFS are also discussed in the paper. SAFS uses systems thinking looking at future societies as a whole, considering both environmental and social consequences. This encourages researchers and decision-makers to consider the whole picture, and not just individual elements, when considering different futures. - Highlights: • The paper presents a new methodological framework for qualitative sustainability assessment of future scenarios with transformative changes. • The framework suggests qualitative assessment with consumption perspective and a life cycle approach. • The paper presents the framework and provides guidelines for its application. • The paper demonstrates on an example how the framework can be applied. • The benefits, drawbacks and challenges of the framework application and the need for further development are discussed.« less

Legal Forum: Sex Discrimination in Retirement Benefits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Martha M.

1983-01-01

Reviews recent court cases regarding differential treatment of men and women in pension programs. Predicts that TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association and College Retirement Equities Fund) will soon convert to unisex tables in calculating retirement benefits on future contributions to the fund. (GC)

Examination of value of the future and health beliefs to explain dietary and physical activity behaviors.

PubMed

Garza, Kimberly Bosworth; Harris, Carole V; Bolding, Mark S

2013-01-01

Studies have shown a negative association between value of the future (preference for long-term vs. short-term rewards) and harmful addictive behaviors; however, research in the area of preventive behaviors is limited and has shown conflicting results. The primary objectives were: (1) to examine the association among value of the future and diet and physical activity (PA) behaviors, and (2) to assess whether value of the future explained additional variance in behaviors after controlling for theory-based health beliefs related to coronary heart disease (CHD). An online survey was conducted in adults (N = 172) with no prior history of CHD. A delay discounting task was administered to measure value of the future. Questionnaire items were based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and included CHD knowledge, perceived risk, perceived severity, perceived benefits of and barriers to behavior change, self-efficacy, cues to action, diet and PA behaviors and demographic variables. High value of the future was associated with younger age, lower BMI, more healthful diet, and increased PA. After controlling for HBM components and demographics, value of the future did not explain any additional variance in diet or PA behaviors. Significant predictors of healthful diet included female gender (P = .013), increased age (P = .029), greater than high school education (P = .023), greater diet-related self-efficacy (P = .021), and not having received a healthcare provider recommendation to improve diet (P = .018). Significant predictors of PA level included income between $20,000 and $69,999 (P = .014), greater exercise-related self-efficacy (P < .001) and not having received a healthcare provider recommendation to increase levels of PA (P = .015). Behaviors to prevent CHD may be associated with a person's outlook on the future; however, self-efficacy was a stronger predictor of behavior. These findings support recommendations for enhancement of diet- and PA-related self-efficacy and problem-solving to address myopia in terms of long-term health benefits. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Social security financing.

PubMed

1980-05-01

After nearly 2 years of study, the 1979 Advisory Council on Social Security submitted its findings and recommendations in December. In February the Bulletin published the Executive Summary of the Council's report. Because of the continuing wide public interest in the future of social security financing, the Council's detailed findings and recommendations on that subject are published below. The Council unanimously reports that all current and future beneficiaries can count on receiving the payments to which they are entitled. Among the recommendations it calls for are partial financing with nonpayroll-tax revenues. Suggested changes include hospital insurance (HI) financed through portins of personal and corporate income taxes and a part of the HI insurance payroll tax diverted to cash benefits with the balance of this tax repealed. The Council also recommends that the social security cash benefits program be brought into long-run actuarial balance--with a payroll-tax rate increase in the year 2005. It rejects the idea of a value-added tax as being inflationary. Parenthetical remarks represent additional views of the Council members cited.

Treatment of glioblastoma in elderly patients: an overview of current treatments and future perspective.

PubMed

Lanzetta, Gaetano; Minniti, Giuseppe

2010-01-01

Current treatment of glioblastoma in the elderly includes surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but the prognosis remains extremely poor, and its optimal management is still debated. Longer survival after extensive resection compared with biopsy only has been reported, although the survival advantage remains modest. Radiation in the form of standard (60 Gy in 30 fractions over 6 weeks) and abbreviated courses of radiotherapy (30-50 Gy in 6-20 fractions over 2-4 weeks) has been employed in elderly patients with glioblastoma, showing survival benefits compared with supportive care alone. Temozolomide is an alkylating agent recently employed in older patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The addition of concomitant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide to radiotherapy, which is currently the standard treatment in adults with glioblastoma, is emerging as an effective therapeutic option for older patients with favorable prognostic factors. The potential benefits on survival, improvement in quality of life and toxicity of different schedules of radiotherapy plus temozolomide need to be addressed in future randomized studies.

Development of land use scenarios and estimation of ecosystem services for the Future Midwestern Landscapes Study

EPA Science Inventory

The Midwest is an important supplier of ecosystem services including food, fiber and fuel to the nation and the world, but these benefits of nature have come with trade-offs that include degraded water quality in the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Erie, loss of migratory bird habitat, d...

Los Angeles 1-Million tree canopy cover assessment

Treesearch

Gregory E. McPherson; James R. Simpson; Qingfu Xiao; Wu Chunxia

2008-01-01

The Million Trees LA initiative intends to chart a course for sustainable growth through planting and stewardship of trees. The purpose of this study was to measure Los Angeles's existing tree canopy cover (TCC), determine if space exists for 1 million additional trees, and estimate future benefits from the planting. High resolution QuickBird remote sensing data,...

Change Trajectories for Parent-Child Interaction Sequences during Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Child Physical Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakman, Melissa; Chaffin, Mark; Funderburk, Beverly; Silovsky, Jane F.

2009-01-01

Objective: Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) has been found to reduce future child abuse reports among physically abusive parents. Reductions in observed negative parenting behaviors mediated this benefit. The current study examined session-by-session interaction sequences in order to identify when during treatment these changes occur and…

Measuring the effect of fuel treatments on forest carbon using landscape risk analysis

Treesearch

A.A. Ager; M.A. Finney; A. McMahan; J. Carthcart

2010-01-01

Wildfire simulation modelling was used to examine whether fuel reduction treatments can potentially reduce future wildfire emissions and provide carbon benefits. In contrast to previous reports, the current study modelled landscape scale effects of fuel treatments on fire spread and intensity, and used a probabilistic framework to quantify wildfire effects on carbon...

Science in the Early Years. The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 15, Number 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenneman, Kimberly

2014-01-01

Recent research suggests early math, science, and social studies knowledge may boost achievement for the nation's youngest students and provides a better chance at future reading success--more so even than early reading skills. This issue explores the benefits of including a strong science curriculum in the early years and includes recommendations…

Connecting the Present to the Past: Furthering the Research on Bilingual Education and Bilingualism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Doris Luft; Basaraba, Deni Lee; Polanco, Paul

2016-01-01

The authors of this chapter review empirical studies that have been conducted in bilingual education to propose a future research agenda that incorporates the most recent evidence on the effectiveness of bilingual programs, advances in neuroscience, and the body of evidence of the benefits of being bilingual and biliterate. They first describe the…

Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors' Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Charles N.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Thiry, Heather

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors' perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have…

Cui Bono? On the Relative Merits of Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mykhnenko, Vlad

2016-01-01

This article provides evidence from a 4-year longitudinal study on the comparative use of illustrative video podcasts during Economic Geography lectures vis-à-vis traditional educational methods in order to guide pedagogic practice and future research on the relative merits of technology-enhanced learning in higher education. Key benefits derived…

Teaching Creative Thinking and Transitioning Students to the Workplace in an Academic Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senra, Michael; Fogler, H. Scott

2014-01-01

In their collegiate studies, students are given a wide range of concepts, theories, and equations to assist them in their future endeavors. However, students have not been sufficiently exposed to practical critical thinking methodologies that will benefit them as they encounter open-ended problems. A course developed at the University of Michigan…

The Green Launching Plan for New Hampshire's Environmental and Economic Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gittell, Ross

2010-01-01

Economic vitality and environmental protection have long been linked in New England, and will be again with efforts to address climate change in the region. There is an emerging body of literature to support the potential economic benefits of a so-called "green economy" in the region and the nation. In New Hampshire, economic studies of…

Aircraft surface coatings study: Energy efficient transport program. [sprayed and adhesive bonded coatings for drag reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Surface coating materials for application on transport type aircraft to reduce drag, were investigated. The investigation included two basic types of materials: spray on coatings and adhesively bonded films. A cost/benefits analysis was performed, and recommendations were made for future work toward the application of this technology.

Education and Learning in the Early Middle Ages: New Perspectives and Old Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreni, John J.

1989-01-01

Discusses various scholarly views of education and learning in the early middle ages and identifies some problems confronting scholars investigating this period. Points out new perspectives relative to the role of education during this time. Asserts that future study of early medieval education will benefit from focusing on the minds of masters…

Public Pension Reform and Teacher Turnover: Evidence from Washington State. CEDR Policy Brief. WP #2015-8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Grout, Cyrus; Holden, Kristian

2015-01-01

Traditional defined benefit (DB) pension systems in many states face large funding shortfalls. Movement toward defined contribution (DC) pension structures may reduce the likelihood of future shortfalls, but there is concern that such reforms may have the undesirable effect of increasing employee turnover. In studying patterns of employee turnover…

The Role of Emotion in Decision-Making: Evidence from Neurological Patients with Orbitofrontal Damage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bechara, Antoine

2004-01-01

Most theories of choice assume that decisions derive from an assessment of the future outcomes of various options and alternatives through some type of cost-benefit analyses. The influence of emotions on decision-making is largely ignored. The studies of decision-making in neurological patients who can no longer process emotional information…

The Relationship of Motivation and Multiple Intelligence Preference to Achievement from Instruction Using Webquests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gowen, Deborah C.

2010-01-01

Finding teaching models and strategies that benefit learners while incorporating skills students will need in the future, such as using technology, is important. This study examined the problem of whether Webquests, an inquiry-based teaching strategy where much of the information is found online, are a beneficial way to integrate technology into…

Participation in Prevention Programs for Dating Violence: Beliefs about Relationship Violence and Intention to Participate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelius, Tara L.; Sullivan, Kieran T.; Wyngarden, Nicole; Milliken, Jennifer C.

2009-01-01

This study utilizes the Health Belief Model (HBM) to examine the factors related to the intention to participate in prevention programming for dating violence. Perceptions of susceptibility to future violence and the benefits of prevention programming appear to be the strongest predictors of participation in prevention programs. Perceptions of the…

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Jordan Hansell, chairman and CEO, NetJets Inc. talks during the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Importance of Technology, Science and Innovation for our Economic Future" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Michael Donovan, technology consultant, New Services Development, Hewlett-Packard Company talks during the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Importance of Technology, Science and Innovation for our Economic Future" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

Laurie Leshin, dean of the School of Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, moderates the NASA Future Forum panel titled "Importance of Technology, Science and Innovation for our Economic Future" at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Short-term Exposure to Microgravity and the Associated Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Implications for Commercial Spaceflight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laing, Kevin J. C.; Russamono, Thais

2013-02-01

The likelihood of trained astronauts developing a life threatening cardiac event during spaceflight is relatively rare, whilst the incidence in untrained individuals is unknown. Space tourists who live a sedentary lifestyle have reduced cardiovascular function, but the associated danger of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) during a suborbital spaceflight (SOSF) is unclear. Risk during SOSF was examined by reviewing several microgravity studies and methods of determining poor cardiovascular condition. Accurately assessing cardiovascular function and improving baroreceptor sensitivity through exercise is suggested to reduce the incidence of SCA during future SOSFs. Future studies will benefit from past participants sharing medical history; allowing creation of risk profiles and suitable guidelines.

End user evaluation of a Kneeling Wheelchair with "on the fly" adjustable seating functions.

PubMed

Mattie, Johanne; Wong, Angie; Leland, Danny; Borisoff, Jaimie

2018-04-18

A "kneeling" ultralight wheelchair prototype has been developed that allows users to adjust seat position "on the fly" for different activities throughout the day. The wheelchair includes independent adjustment functions for rear seat height, front seat height ("kneeling") and backrest angle.  Aim: This work aimed to gather feedback about the wheelchair's functionality and performance through end user evaluation trials.  Methods: Eight manual wheelchair users evaluated the prototype Kneeling Wheelchair for a range of activities. User perspectives on parameters such as usability, comfort, stability and effectiveness were obtained through both open-ended and Likert-scale rating questions.  Results: Results indicate several potential benefits of the adjustment functions of the Kneeling Wheelchair. Rear seat height adjustment may facilitate a number of activities of daily living, as well as provide benefits for comfort and social interactions. Back rest adjustment may increase comfort and stability on slopes. Front seat height adjustment may be beneficial for transfers and conducting sustained low-to-the-ground activities. While benefits of this adjustment function were described by many participants, some struggled with usability of the kneeling mechanism and rated this function less favourably than the other two.  Conclusion: The findings of this study will inform future iterations of the Kneeling Wheelchair design and may spur future developments in wheeled mobility. In the long-term, it is anticipated that novel wheelchair solutions, such as the one described in this paper, may support improved health, quality of life and community participation for people with mobility impairments. Implications for rehabilitation Wheelchairs that allow users to easily adjust seat and backrest position "on the fly" to better suit different tasks throughout the day may provide benefits such as facilitating activities of daily living. A front seat height adjustment feature on a new wheelchair prototype may be beneficial for transfers and conducting sustained low-to-the ground activities. End user evaluations can provide valuable insight to direct future design modifications and innovation.

Direct Operational Field Test Evaluation, Simulation And Modeling

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-08-01

THE PURPOSE OF THE SIMULATION EVALUATION IS TO ASSESS THE EXPECTED FUTURE IMPACTS OF THE DIRECT TECHNOLOGIES UNDER SCENARIOS OF FULL DEPLOYMENT. THIS PROVIDED SOME INDICATION OF THE LEVEL OF BENEFITS THAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM DIRECT IN THE FUTURE. BE...

Strategic Model for Future Geospatial Education.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-05-18

There appears to be only one benefit to doing nothing as option one dictates-there are no up front costs to the government for doing nothing. The costs...the government can ensure that US industry and academia benefit from decades of geospatial information expertise. Industry and academia will be...or militarily unique topics. In summary, option two provides more benefits for both the government and the geospatial information community as a

US major crops’ uncertain climate change risks and greenhouse gas mitigation benefits

DOE PAGES

Wing, Ian Sue; Monier, Erwan; Stern, Ari; ...

2015-10-28

In this study, we estimate the costs of climate change to US agriculture, and associated potential benefits of abating greenhouse gas emissions. Five major crops' yield responses to climatic variation are modeled empirically, and the results combined with climate projections for a no-policy, high-warming future, as well as moderate and stringent mitigation scenarios. Unabated warming reduces yields of wheat and soybeans by 2050, and cotton by 2100, but moderate warming increases yields of all crops except wheat. Yield changes are monetized using the results of economic simulations within an integrated climate-economy modeling framework. Uncontrolled warming's economic effects on major cropsmore » are slightly positive—annual benefits <$4 B. These are amplified by emission reductions, but subject to diminishing returns—by 2100 reaching $17 B under moderate mitigation, but only $7 B with stringent mitigation. Costs and benefits are sensitive to irreducible uncertainty about the fertilization effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide, without which unabated warming incurs net costs of up to $18 B, generating benefits to moderate (stringent) mitigation as large as $26 B ($20 B).« less

Reducing the risk of injury from table saw use: the potential benefits and costs of automatic protection.

PubMed

Graham, John D; Chang, Joice

2015-02-01

The use of table saws in the United States is associated with approximately 28,000 emergency department (ED) visits and 2,000 cases of finger amputation per year. This article provides a quantitative estimate of the economic benefits of automatic protection systems that could be designed into new table saw products. Benefits are defined as reduced health-care costs, enhanced production at work, and diminished pain and suffering. The present value of the benefits of automatic protection over the life of the table saw are interpreted as the switch-point cost value, the maximum investment in automatic protection that can be justified by benefit-cost comparison. Using two alternative methods for monetizing pain and suffering, the study finds switch-point cost values of $753 and $561 per saw. These point estimates are sensitive to the values of inputs, especially the average cost of injury. The various switch-point cost values are substantially higher than rough estimates of the incremental cost of automatic protection systems. Uncertainties and future research needs are discussed. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

US major crops’ uncertain climate change risks and greenhouse gas mitigation benefits

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

Wing, Ian Sue; Monier, Erwan; Stern, Ari

In this study, we estimate the costs of climate change to US agriculture, and associated potential benefits of abating greenhouse gas emissions. Five major crops' yield responses to climatic variation are modeled empirically, and the results combined with climate projections for a no-policy, high-warming future, as well as moderate and stringent mitigation scenarios. Unabated warming reduces yields of wheat and soybeans by 2050, and cotton by 2100, but moderate warming increases yields of all crops except wheat. Yield changes are monetized using the results of economic simulations within an integrated climate-economy modeling framework. Uncontrolled warming's economic effects on major cropsmore » are slightly positive—annual benefits <$4 B. These are amplified by emission reductions, but subject to diminishing returns—by 2100 reaching $17 B under moderate mitigation, but only $7 B with stringent mitigation. Costs and benefits are sensitive to irreducible uncertainty about the fertilization effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide, without which unabated warming incurs net costs of up to $18 B, generating benefits to moderate (stringent) mitigation as large as $26 B ($20 B).« less

Study of the application of advanced technologies to long range transport aircraft. Volume 2: Advanced technology program recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The benefits of the application of advanced technology to future transport aircraft were investigated. The noise reduction goals established by the CARD (Civil Aviation Research and Development) study for the 1981-1985 time period can be satisfied. Reduced terminal area and airway congestion can result from use of advanced on-board systems and operating procedures. The use of advanced structural design concepts can result in greatly reduced gross weight and improved operating economics. The full potential of these benefits can be realized in a 1985 airplane by implementing a research and development program that is funded to an average level of approximately $55 million per year over a ten year period.

Technology use as a support tool by secondary students with autism.

PubMed

Hedges, Susan H; Odom, Samuel L; Hume, Kara; Sam, Ann

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how secondary students with autism spectrum disorder use technology in supportive ways. In this self-report survey study, 472 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder enrolled in high school described the forms of technology they use and purposes for which they use it. Students reported the benefits as well as barriers to technology use at school. They reported using technology in school and home settings in a variety of supportive ways such as increasing their independence, reducing their anxiety, and increasing their social opportunities. Findings suggest that practitioners may benefit from learning how to integrate technology as an instructional and support tool for their students with autism spectrum disorder. Recommendations for future research are provided.

Vascular legacy: HOPE ADVANCEs to EMPA-REG and LEADER: A Surprising similarity.

PubMed

Kalra, Sanjay; Sahay, Rakesh

2017-01-01

Recently reported cardiovascular outcome studies on empagliflozin (EMPA-REG) and liraglutide (LEADER) have spurred interest in this field of diabetology. This commentary compares and contrasts these studies with two equally important outcome trials conducted using blood pressure lowering agents. A comparison with MICROHOPE (using ramipril) and ADVANCE (using perindopril + indapamide) blood pressure arms throws up interesting facts. The degree of blood pressure lowering, dissociation between cardiovascular and cerebrovascular benefits, and discordance between renal and retinal outcomes are surprisingly similar in these trials, conducted using disparate molecules. The time taken to achieve such benefits is similar for all drugs except empagliflozin. Such discussion helps inform rational and evidence-based choice of therapy and forms the framework for future research.

Advanced space power requirements and techniques. Task 1: Mission projections and requirements. Volume 1: Technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolfe, M. G.

1978-01-01

The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop projections of the NASA, DoD, and civil space power requirements for the 1980-1995 time period; (2) identify specific areas of application and space power subsystem type needs for each prospective user; (3) document the supporting and historical base, including relevant cost related measures of performance; and (4) quantify the benefits of specific technology projection advancements. The initial scope of the study included: (1) construction of likely models for NASA, DoD, and civil space systems; (2) generation of a number of future scenarios; (3) extraction of time phased technology requirements based on the scenarios; and (4) cost/benefit analyses of some of the technologies identified.

Costs and benefits of bicycling investments in Portland, Oregon.

PubMed

Gotschi, Thomas

2011-01-01

Promoting bicycling has great potential to increase overall physical activity; however, significant uncertainty exists with regard to the amount and effectiveness of investment needed for infrastructure. The objective of this study is to assess how costs of Portland's past and planned investments in bicycling relate to health and other benefits. Costs of investment plans are compared with 2 types of monetized health benefits, health care cost savings and value of statistical life savings. Levels of bicycling are estimated using past trends, future mode share goals, and a traffic demand model. By 2040, investments in the range of $138 to $605 million will result in health care cost savings of $388 to $594 million, fuel savings of $143 to $218 million, and savings in value of statistical lives of $7 to $12 billion. The benefit-cost ratios for health care and fuel savings are between 3.8 and 1.2 to 1, and an order of magnitude larger when value of statistical lives is used. This first of its kind cost-benefit analysis of investments in bicycling in a US city shows that such efforts are cost-effective, even when only a limited selection of benefits is considered.

Identification of Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma Who May Benefit from Combined Bevacizumab and CCNU Therapy: A Report from the BELOB Trial.

PubMed

Erdem-Eraslan, Lale; van den Bent, Martin J; Hoogstrate, Youri; Naz-Khan, Hina; Stubbs, Andrew; van der Spek, Peter; Böttcher, René; Gao, Ya; de Wit, Maurice; Taal, Walter; Oosterkamp, Hendrika M; Walenkamp, Annemiek; Beerepoot, Laurens V; Hanse, Monique C J; Buter, Jan; Honkoop, Aafke H; van der Holt, Bronno; Vernhout, René M; Sillevis Smitt, Peter A E; Kros, Johan M; French, Pim J

2016-02-01

The results from the randomized phase II BELOB trial provided evidence for a potential benefit of bevacizumab (beva), a humanized monoclonal antibody against circulating VEGF-A, when added to CCNU chemotherapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). In this study, we performed gene expression profiling (DASL and RNA-seq) of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor material from participants of the BELOB trial to identify patients with recurrent GBM who benefitted most from beva+CCNU treatment. We demonstrate that tumors assigned to the IGS-18 or "classical" subtype and treated with beva+CCNU showed a significant benefit in progression-free survival and a trend toward benefit in overall survival, whereas other subtypes did not exhibit such benefit. In particular, expression of FMO4 and OSBPL3 was associated with treatment response. Importantly, the improved outcome in the beva+CCNU treatment arm was not explained by an uneven distribution of prognostically favorable subtypes as all molecular glioma subtypes were evenly distributed along the different study arms. The RNA-seq analysis also highlighted genetic alterations, including mutations, gene fusions, and copy number changes, within this well-defined cohort of tumors that may serve as useful predictive or prognostic biomarkers of patient outcome. Further validation of the identified molecular markers may enable the future stratification of recurrent GBM patients into appropriate treatment regimens. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Effect of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle adoption on gas tax revenue, local pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) are likely to increase in popularity in the near future. However, the : environmental benefits of PHEVs involve tradeoffs between the benefits of reduced tailpipe emissions : against the drawbacks of increased ...

The use of methylphenidate to relieve fatigue.

PubMed

Rojí, Rocío; Centeno, Carlos

2017-12-01

To review recent evidence on the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate as a symptomatic treatment of patients with cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Five clinical trials published since 2011 were identified. Two of these concluded that methylphenidate is more efficacious than placebo in providing relief from CRF, but the remaining three showed no difference in favour of methylphenidate. The studies were heterogeneous as per the dosage, scales used for evaluating fatigue and the target group studied. None of the studies detected serious reactions, and only mild and infrequent side-effects of methylphenidate were reported. Three new metanalyses show the slightly superior effect of methylphenidate compared to placebo in CRF. Overall, literature supports the existence of moderate benefit of methylphenidate in CRF, backed up by weak evidence. Future studies should aim at better identifying the profile of patients who would benefit most from this pharmacological intervention.

Ginseng and Anticancer Drug Combination to Improve Cancer Chemotherapy: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Chen, Shihong; Huang, Ying; O'Barr, Stephen A.; Wong, Rebecca A.; Chow, Moses Sing Sum

2014-01-01

Ginseng, a well-known herb, is often used in combination with anticancer drugs to enhance chemotherapy. Its wide usage as well as many documentations are often cited to support its clinical benefit of such combination therapy. However the literature based on objective evidence to make such recommendation is still lacking. The present review critically evaluated relevant studies reported in English and Chinese literature on such combination. Based on our review, we found good evidence from in vitro and in vivo animal studies showing enhanced antitumor effect when ginseng is used in combination with some anticancer drugs. However, there is insufficient clinical evidence of such benefit as very few clinical studies are available. Future research should focus on clinically relevant studies of such combination to validate the utility of ginseng in cancer. PMID:24876866

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

The Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee speaks during the NASA Future Forum at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Columbus Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-20

Metro High School Student Anthony Springer talks during the NASA Future Forum Inspiration and Education Panel at The Ohio State University on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Columbus Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-20

Dayton Regional STEM student Cheyenne Benson talks during the NASA Future Forum Inspiration and Education Panel at The Ohio State University on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-21

NASA Public Affairs Officer Lauren Worley kicks off the second day of the NASA Future Forum at The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Psychometric investigation of benefit finding among long-term cancer survivors using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

PubMed

Jones, Salene M W; Ziebell, Rebecca; Walker, Rod; Nekhlyudov, Larissa; Rabin, Borsika A; Nutt, Stephanie; Fujii, Monica; Chubak, Jessica

2016-02-01

Benefit finding has been shown to be beneficial for people with cancer and may be an indication that one is coping adequately with the stress of cancer. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a four-item benefit finding measure from the cancer survivorship supplement of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Long-term survivors (5-10 years post-diagnosis) of breast, prostate, colorectal or lung cancer or melanoma (n = 594) completed the MEPS cancer supplement survey in 2013. Four items asked about benefit finding after the cancer: stronger person, coping better, positive changes and having healthier habits. Information on sociodemographics, disease and activity limitations after the cancer was also collected. We examined factor structure, reliability (Kuder-Richardson 20) and validity. The four benefit finding items did not appear to measure one factor. Three of the benefit finding items (stronger person, coping better, positive changes) were related to gender, receipt of chemotherapy and activity limitations but not cancer stage, time since diagnosis or income. Having healthier habits was unrelated to any sociodemographic or disease variable. Three of the items (stronger person, coping better, positive changes) appeared to have validity as they were related to variables that literature has shown are related to benefit finding. However, having healthier habits is likely measuring a separate but related construct. This short instrument may be used in future studies assessing benefit finding post cancer; however, the four items should be analyzed separately. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived benefits and barriers to joint protection among people with rheumatoid arthritis and occupational therapists. A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Niedermann, K; Hammond, A; Forster, A; de Bie, R

2010-09-01

Deciding whether or not to perform a health behaviour is an active decision-making process which has an impact on current and future behaviour and can be influenced by the beliefs both of patients and their healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to explore rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients' and occupational therapists' (OTs) perceptions of the benefits of and barriers to performing joint protection (JP). A mixed methods design was used. Questionnaires applied a theoretical framework of key themes to assess the relevance of JP benefits and barriers both to people with RA and OTs. Focused interviews with people with RA then enabled data triangulation. Investigator triangulation was used to check the validity of data interpretation. Ten people with RA and nine OTs participated. From the questionnaires, both groups agreed that highly relevant key themes for JP benefits were physical well-being, potential benefit and personal control. By contrast, the three key themes for JP barriers - negative attitude of others, negative impact on others and taking time from other things - were relevant for the majority of the OTs but not patients. The interviews enabled an understanding of the meaning behind RA patients' ratings, particularly their differences from OTs. People with RA explained JP benefits, and disease acceptance had altered some initial barriers into perceived benefits over time. Emphasizing benefits and identifying individually relevant barriers could be an important communication strategy for OTs in understanding patients' rationale for whether or not to adopt JP methods. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Comparison of Willingness to Pay to Prevent Child Maltreatment Deaths in Ecuador and the United States

PubMed Central

Corso, Phaedra S.; Ingels, Justin B.; Roldos, M. Isabel

2013-01-01

Estimating the benefits of preventing child maltreatment (CM) is essential for policy makers to determine whether there are significant returns on investment from interventions to prevent CM. The aim of this study was to estimate the benefits of preventing CM deaths in an Ecuadorian population, and to compare the results to a similar study in a US population. The study used the contingent valuation method to elicit respondents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a 1 in 100,000 reduction in the risk of CM mortality. After adjusting for differences in purchasing power, the WTP to prevent the CM mortality risk reduction in the Ecuador population was $237 and the WTP for the same risk reduction in the US population was $175. In the pooled analysis, WTP for a reduction in CM mortality was significantly impacted by country (p = 0.03), history of CM (p = 0.007), payment mechanism (p < 0.001), confidence in response (p = 0.014), and appropriateness of the payment mechanism (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that estimating benefits from one culture may not be transferable to another, and that low- and middle-income countries, such as Ecuador, may be better served by developing their own benefits estimates for use in future benefit-cost analyses of interventions designed to prevent CM. PMID:23538730

Program Benefits Guidance: Analysis of Benefits Associated with Projects and Technologies Supported by the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program

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

Melaina, Marc; Warner, Ethan; Sun, Yongling

The Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technologies Program (ARFVTP) supports a wide range of alternative, low-carbon fuel and vehicle projects in California. This report focuses on two types of ARFVTP benefits. Expected benefits reflect successful deployment of vehicles and fuels supported through program projects. Market transformation benefits represent benefits resulting from project influences on future market conditions to accelerated technology adoption rates. Data collected directly from ARFVTP projects funded from 2009 to first quarter 2014 are used as inputs to the benefits analysis, where possible. Expected benefit estimation methods rely primarily upon project-level data and result in year single-pointmore » estimates within the 2011 to 2025 analysis period. Results suggest that the 178 projects evaluated for expected benefits, representing an investment of $351.3 million in ARFVTP funds, could result in a reduction in petroleum fuel use by 236 million gallons per year and greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 1.7 million metric tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) per year by 2025. Market transformation benefits are described as accruing in addition to expected benefits. They are inherently more uncertain and theoretical than expected benefits, and are therefore reported as high and low ranges, with results suggesting reductions of 1.1 MMTCO2e to 2.5 MMTCO2e per year in GHG reductions and 102 million to 330 million gallons per year in petroleum fuel reductions by 2025. Taking both benefit types into account, results suggest that ARFVTP projects have the potential to make substantial progress toward meeting California's long-term GHG and petroleum fuel use reduction goals. As additional project data become available and market success with alternative and renewable fuels and vehicles grows, the analytic framework relied upon to develop these estimates will become more rigorous and will have a greater capacity to inform future ARFVTP activities.« less

The tough decisions that no one wants to make.

PubMed

Taylor, Joe; Jacobs, Michael

2003-01-01

This article examines prescription drug benefit plan trends: past, current, short-term future and long-term future. It includes a brief discussion of each cost trend and its drivers, then asks the question, "What can be done to protect the pharmacy benefit budget, yet provide what is needed?" from three perspectives: (1) business, (2) stakeholders (management, human resource groups, physicians, employees) and (3) patients (employees and dependents). The article discusses therapeutic guidelines, physician education, reimbursement issues, distribution channels and the impact of business decisions on employees, dependents, stockholders, shareholder value, management, human resources and decision makers' own careers.

Trajectories of disposable income among people of working ages diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: a nationwide register-based cohort study in Sweden 7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis with a population-based reference group.

PubMed

Murley, Chantelle; Mogard, Olof; Wiberg, Michael; Alexanderson, Kristina; Karampampa, Korinna; Friberg, Emilie; Tinghög, Petter

2018-05-09

To describe how disposable income (DI) and three main components changed, and analyse whether DI development differed from working-aged people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to a reference group from 7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis in Sweden. Population-based cohort study, 12-year follow-up (7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis). Swedish working-age population with microdata linked from two nationwide registers. Residents diagnosed with MS in 2009 aged 25-59 years (n=785), and references without MS (n=7847) randomly selected with stratified matching (sex, age, education and country of birth). DI was defined as the annual after tax sum of incomes (earnings and benefits) to measure individual economic welfare. Three main components of DI were analysed as annual sums: earnings, sickness absence benefits and disability pension benefits. We found no differences in mean annual DI between people with and without MS by independent t-tests (p values between 0.15 and 0.96). Differences were found for all studied components of DI from diagnosis year by independent t-tests, for example, in the final study year (2013): earnings (-64 867 Swedish Krona (SEK); 95% CI-79 203 to -50 528); sickness absence benefits (13 330 SEK; 95% CI 10 042 to 16 500); and disability pension benefits (21 360 SEK; 95% CI 17 380 to 25 350). A generalised estimating equation evaluated DI trajectory development between people with and without MS to find both trajectories developed in parallel, both before (-4039 SEK; 95% CI -10 536 to 2458) and after (-781 SEK; 95% CI -6988 to 5360) diagnosis. The key finding of parallel DI trajectory development between working-aged MS and references suggests minimal economic impact within the first 4 years of diagnosis. The Swedish welfare system was responsive to the observed reductions in earnings around MS diagnosis through balancing DI with morbidity-related benefits. Future decreases in economic welfare may be experienced as the disease progresses, although thorough investigation with future studies of modern cohorts are required. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The Limits of Exercise Physiology: From Performance to Health.

PubMed

Gabriel, Brendan M; Zierath, Juleen R

2017-05-02

Many of the established positive health benefits of exercise have been documented by historical discoveries in the field of exercise physiology. These investigations often assess limits: the limits of performance, or the limits of exercise-induced health benefits. Indeed, several key findings have been informed by studying highly trained athletes, in addition to healthy or unhealthy people. Recent progress has been made in regard to skeletal muscle metabolism and personalized exercise regimes. In this perspective, we review some of the historical milestones of exercise physiology, discuss how these inform contemporary knowledge, and speculate on future questions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The costs of saving nature: Does it make "cents"?

PubMed

Tanentzap, Andrew J

2017-07-01

Clearing wild forests to grow food, fibre, and fuel products can deliver large financial gains. However, the benefits that people obtain from forests-known as ecosystem services-are rarely considered in economic calculations, partly because there are few markets onto which they can be traded. In some regions, the benefits delivered by nature might be more economically valuable. A new study maps where it is profitable to replace tropical forests with cropland and how this might change under future agricultural production and carbon prices. The findings address a major applied challenge by helping to identify sites where forest conservation can be economically viable.

Assessing the costs and benefits of US renewable portfolio standards

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

Wiser, Ryan; Mai, Trieu T.; Millstein, Dev

In this study, renewable portfolio standards (RPS) exist in 29 US states and the District of Columbia. This article summarizes the first national-level, integrated assessment of the future costs and benefits of existing RPS policies; the same metrics are evaluated under a second scenario in which widespread expansion of these policies is assumed to occur. Depending on assumptions about renewable energy technology advancement and natural gas prices, existing RPS policies increase electric system costs by as much as 31 billion dollars, on a present-value basis over 2015-2050. The expanded renewable deployment scenario yields incremental costs that range from 23 billionmore » to 194 billion dollars, depending on the assumptions employed. The monetized value of improved air quality and reduced climate damages exceed these costs. Using central assumptions, existing RPS policies yield 97 billion dollars in air-pollution health benefits and 161 billion dollars in climate damage reductions. Under the expanded RPS case, health benefits total 558 billion dollars and climate benefits equal 599 billion dollars. These scenarios also yield benefits in the form of reduced water use. RPS programs are not likely to represent the most cost effective path towards achieving air quality and climate benefits. Nonetheless, the findings suggest that US RPS programs are, on a national basis, cost effective when considering externalities.« less

Assessing the costs and benefits of US renewable portfolio standards

DOE PAGES

Wiser, Ryan; Mai, Trieu T.; Millstein, Dev; ...

2017-09-26

In this study, renewable portfolio standards (RPS) exist in 29 US states and the District of Columbia. This article summarizes the first national-level, integrated assessment of the future costs and benefits of existing RPS policies; the same metrics are evaluated under a second scenario in which widespread expansion of these policies is assumed to occur. Depending on assumptions about renewable energy technology advancement and natural gas prices, existing RPS policies increase electric system costs by as much as 31 billion dollars, on a present-value basis over 2015-2050. The expanded renewable deployment scenario yields incremental costs that range from 23 billionmore » to 194 billion dollars, depending on the assumptions employed. The monetized value of improved air quality and reduced climate damages exceed these costs. Using central assumptions, existing RPS policies yield 97 billion dollars in air-pollution health benefits and 161 billion dollars in climate damage reductions. Under the expanded RPS case, health benefits total 558 billion dollars and climate benefits equal 599 billion dollars. These scenarios also yield benefits in the form of reduced water use. RPS programs are not likely to represent the most cost effective path towards achieving air quality and climate benefits. Nonetheless, the findings suggest that US RPS programs are, on a national basis, cost effective when considering externalities.« less

Does debulking of enlarged positive lymph nodes improve survival in different gynaecological cancers?

PubMed

Somashekhar, S P

2015-08-01

Lymph-node-positive gynaecological cancers remain a pharmacotherapeutic challenge, and patients with lymph-node-positive gynaecological cancers have poor survival. The purpose of this review is to determine whether a survival advantage arises from surgical debulking of enlarged positive lymph nodes in different types of gynaecological cancers. Information from studies published on the survival benefits from debulking lymph nodes in gynaecological cancers was investigated. Pertaining to therapeutic lymphadenectomy, survival benefit can be analysed in two ways, direct survival benefit following therapeutic lymphadenectomy of bulky positive metastatic lymph nodes and indirect survival benefit, which results after a sequela of systematic lymphadenectomy, proper, accurate staging of disease and stage migration and tailor-made adjuvant treatment. The direct hypothesis of therapeutic lymphadenectomy and survival benefit has been prospected in cervical cancers and vulval cancers and in post-chemotherapy residual paraarotic nodal mass in germ cell ovarian cancer. The indirect survival benefit of therapeutic paraarotic lymphadenectomy in high-risk endometrial cancers and advanced epithelial ovarian cancers needs to be tested in randomized controlled trials. More randomized controlled trials are required to investigate this research question. Further, indirect benefit due to tailor-made adjuvant treatment, secondary to accurate staging achieved as a sequela of systematic lymphadenectomy, needs to be analysed in future trials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

College Students' Reactions to Participating in Relational Trauma Research: A Mixed Methodological Study.

PubMed

Edwards, Katie M; Neal, Angela M; Dardis, Christina M; Kelley, Erika L; Gidycz, Christine A; Ellis, Gary

2015-08-24

Using a mixed methodology, the present study compared men's and women's perceived benefits and emotional reactions with participating in research that inquired about child maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration. Participants consisted of 703 college students (357 women, 346 men), ages 18 to 25 who reported on their childhood maltreatment, adolescent and adult IPV victimization and perpetration, and their reactions (perceived benefits and emotional effects) to participating. Participants' reactions to participating were assessed using quantitative scales, as well as open-ended written responses that were content coded by researchers. Women reported more personal benefits from research, whereas men and women reported similar levels of emotional reactions to research participation. Furthermore, greater frequencies of child maltreatment and IPV victimization were related to higher levels of emotional reactions. Common self-identified reasons for emotional reactions (e.g., not liking to think about abuse in general, personal victimization experiences) and benefits (e.g., reflection and awareness about oneself, learning about IPV) were also presented and analyzed. These data underscore the importance of future research that examines the behavioral impact of research participation utilizing longitudinal and in-depth qualitative methodologies. Findings also highlight the potential psychoeducational value of research on understanding the reasons underlying participants' benefits and emotional effects. © The Author(s) 2015.

Anticipating the perceived risk of nanotechnologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satterfield, Terre; Kandlikar, Milind; Beaudrie, Christian E. H.; Conti, Joseph; Herr Harthorn, Barbara

2009-11-01

Understanding emerging trends in public perceptions of nanomaterials is critically important for those who regulate risks. A number of surveys have explored public perceptions of their risks and benefits. In this paper we meta-analyse these surveys to assess the extent to which the following four hypotheses derived from previous studies of new technologies might be said to be valid for nanotechnologies: risk aversion will prevail over benefit appreciation; an increase in knowledge will not result in reduced aversion to risks; judgements will be malleable and subject to persuasion given risk-centric information; and contextual, psychometric and attitudinal predictors of perceived risk from prior studies can help anticipate future perceptions of nanotechnologies. We find that half the public has at least some familiarity with nanotechnology, and those who perceive greater benefits outnumber those who perceive greater risks by 3 to 1. However, a large minority of those surveyed (44%) is unsure, suggesting that risk judgements are highly malleable. Nanotechnology risk perceptions also appear to contradict some long-standing findings. In particular, unfamiliarity with nanotechnology is, contrary to expectations, not strongly associated with risk aversion and reduced `knowledge deficits' are correlated with positive perceptions in this early and controversy-free period. Psychometric variables, trust and affect continue to drive risk perceptions in this new context, although the influence of both trust and affect is mediated, even reversed, by demographic and cultural variables. Given the potential malleability of perceptions, novel methods for understanding future public responses to nanotechnologies will need to be developed.

Global economic trade-offs between wild nature and tropical agriculture.

PubMed

Carrasco, Luis R; Webb, Edward L; Symes, William S; Koh, Lian P; Sodhi, Navjot S

2017-07-01

Global demands for agricultural and forestry products provide economic incentives for deforestation across the tropics. Much of this deforestation occurs with a lack of information on the spatial distribution of benefits and costs of deforestation. To inform global sustainable land-use policies, we combine geographic information systems (GIS) with a meta-analysis of ecosystem services (ES) studies to perform a spatially explicit analysis of the trade-offs between agricultural benefits, carbon emissions, and losses of multiple ecosystem services because of tropical deforestation from 2000 to 2012. Even though the value of ecosystem services presents large inherent uncertainties, we find a pattern supporting the argument that the externalities of destroying tropical forests are greater than the current direct economic benefits derived from agriculture in all cases bar one: when yield and rent potentials of high-value crops could be realized in the future. Our analysis identifies the Atlantic Forest, areas around the Gulf of Guinea, and Thailand as areas where agricultural conversion appears economically efficient, indicating a major impediment to the long-term financial sustainability of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) schemes in those countries. By contrast, Latin America, insular Southeast Asia, and Madagascar present areas with low agricultural rents (ARs) and high values in carbon stocks and ES, suggesting that they are economically viable conservation targets. Our study helps identify optimal areas for conservation and agriculture together with their associated uncertainties, which could enhance the efficiency and sustainability of pantropical land-use policies and help direct future research efforts.

New Millenium Program Serving Earth and Space Sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fuk

1999-01-01

A cross-Enterprise program is to identify and validate flight breakthrough technologies that will significantly benefit future space science and earth science missions. The breakthrough technologies are: enable new capabilities to meet earth and space science needs and reducing costs of future missions. The flight validation are: mitigates risks to first users and enables rapid technology infusion into future missions.

Ethical considerations in umbilical cord blood banking.

PubMed

Fox, Nathan S; Chervenak, Frank A; McCullough, Laurence B

2008-01-01

Pregnant patients have the option at delivery of having their cord blood collected and stored for future use. At many hospitals, they have the option of donating their cord blood to the public banking system for future use by anyone who is an appropriate match (public banking). Patients also have the option of having their cord blood stored for a fee with a commercial/private company for future use within their family (private banking). Currently, private banking is not recommended by major obstetric and pediatric professional organizations. We applied current evidence of the risks and benefits of private and public cord blood banking and accepted ethical principles to answer the following two related questions: 1) Do obstetricians have an ethical obligation to comply with a request for private banking? and 2) Do obstetricians have an ethical obligation to routinely offer private banking to women who do not request it? The only situation where there is a known benefit to private banking is when public banking is not available and the patient currently has an affected family member who may benefit from cord blood therapy. We conclude that when presented with a request for private banking, obstetricians have an ethical obligation to explain the lack of proven benefit of this procedure. If the patient still requests private banking, it would be appropriate to comply, because there is minimal or no risk to the procedure. However, obstetricians are not ethically obligated to offer private banking, even when public banking is not available, except in the limited circumstance when the patient currently has an affected family member who may benefit from cord blood therapy.

Cost-benefit analysis of drug treatment services: review of the literature*

PubMed

Cartwright, William S.

2000-03-01

BACKGROUND: How valuable is public investment in treatment for drug abuse and dependency in the real world of everyday practice? Does drug abuse treatment provide benefits and how are they valued? What are the costs of obtaining outcomes and benefits? Cost-benefit analysis attempts to answer these questions in a standard analytic framework. AIMS: This paper reviews cost-benefit analyses with scientific merit so that analysts will have a current picture of the state of the research. It will also give public decision-makers information with regards to the available evidence for policy purposes. METHOD: Bibliographic searches were performed. Studies were obtained through the assistance of the Parklawn Health Library system, a component of the US Public Health Service. Selected studies were from the scientific literature with the exception of eight studies published as governmental reports. RESULTS: Cost-benefit studies have fallen into the following categories: (i) planning models for delivery systems in states and cities; (ii) short-term follow-up studies of individuals, (iii) single individual programs and (iv) state system's monitoring of outcomes. In 18 cost-benefit studies, a persistent finding is that benefits exceed costs, even when not all benefits are accounted for in the analysis. Much variation is found in the implementation of cost-benefit methods, and this is detailed across discussions of effectiveness, benefits and costs. Studies have emphasized the cost savings to society from the reduction in external costs created by the behavioral consequences of addiction and drug use. DISCUSSION: Economic analysis of drug treatment requires sophisticated conceptualization and measurement. Cost-benefit analysis of drug treatment has been a significant analytical exercise since the early 1970s when the public drug treatment system was founded in the United States. CONCLUSION: Drug abuse treatment services may be considered as contributing positive economic returns to society. However, considerable work needs to be done to standardize methods used in the studies. A striking area of omission is the absence of studies for adolescents and only one for women in treatment. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION AND USE: Finding a positive net social benefit should assist policy-makers with decisions related to drug abuse treatment expenditures. Additional work on allocation of budget dollars across various drug treatment services will be needed. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICY FORMULATION: Government agencies and other stakeholders in national health care systems must realize that cost-benefit studies are an important tool for decision-making. Rational strategies can only be addressed by examining alternatives for the efficient allocation and equitable distribution of scarce resources. IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Future research should focus on standardizing the methods used in the cost-benefit analysis. Extensions should examine methods related to the willingness-to-pay approach. Studies are needed for drug abuse treatment targeted to adolescents and women. More studies should be published in the scientific literature.

Mindfulness meditation practice and executive functioning: Breaking down the benefit.

PubMed

Gallant, Sara N

2016-02-01

This paper focuses on evidence for mindfulness meditation-related benefits to executive functioning, processes important for much of human volitional behaviour. Miyake et al. (2000) have shown that executive functions can be fractionated into three distinct domains including inhibition, working memory updating, and mental set shifting. Considering these separable domains, it is important to determine whether the effects of mindfulness can generalize to all three sub-functions or are specific to certain domains. To address this, the current review applied Miyake et al.'s (2000) fractionated model of executive functioning to the mindfulness literature. Empirical studies assessing the benefits of mindfulness to measures tapping the inhibition, updating, and shifting components of executive functioning were examined. Results suggest a relatively specific as opposed to general benefit resulting from mindfulness, with consistent inhibitory improvement, but more variable advantages to the updating and shifting domains. Recommendations surrounding application of mindfulness practice and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits and problems of health-care robots in aged care settings: A comparison trial.

PubMed

Broadbent, Elizabeth; Kerse, Ngaire; Peri, Kathryn; Robinson, Hayley; Jayawardena, Chandimal; Kuo, Tony; Datta, Chandan; Stafford, Rebecca; Butler, Haley; Jawalkar, Pratyusha; Amor, Maddy; Robins, Ben; MacDonald, Bruce

2016-03-01

This study investigated whether multiple health-care robots could have any benefits or cause any problems in an aged care facility. Fifty-three residents and 53 staff participated in a non-randomised controlled trial over 12 weeks. Six robots provided entertainment, communication and health-monitoring functions in staff rooms and activity lounges. These settings were compared to control settings without robots. There were no significant differences between groups in resident or staff outcomes, except a significant increase in job satisfaction in the control group only. The intervention group perceived the robots had more agency and experience than the control group did. Perceived agency of the robots decreased over time in both groups. Overall, we received very mixed responses with positive, neutral and negative comments. The robots had no major benefits or problems. Future research could give robots stronger operational roles, use more specific outcome measures, and perform cost-benefit analyses. © 2015 AJA Inc.

Who We Are Today is Who We Were When

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cepollina, Frank John

2015-01-01

This talk presents the past, present, and future of satellite servicing. The presentation will also explain the resulting spin-­-off benefits of the past servicing missions. This presentation hopes to inspire the attendees about the exciting new work of the future.

Integration of Mobile Health Technology in the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Sundararaman, Lalitha V; Edwards, Robert R; Ross, Edgar L; Jamison, Robert N

This article provides a critical overview and best-evidence synthesis of the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology among persons with chronic pain and their health care providers and examines the future benefits and barriers of implementing mHealth technology in clinical care. We critically review articles about electronic pain diaries, pain assessment programs, text messaging, and smartphone pain apps for management of persons with pain. Also presented are findings on the utility of activity trackers and use of telehealth to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy. Finally, barriers, study gaps, and future challenges of incorporating mobile technology for chronic pain are discussed. Although the future of mHealth technology and telemedicine in clinical practice is promising, this critical review highlights the need for rigorous studies to establish an association of the use of mHealth technology with improved quality of life, functional autonomy, and decreased hospital use.

44 CFR 1.4 - Policy and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... chosen to maximize the net benefits to society; (4) Among alternative approaches to any given regulatory... regulatory priorities with the aim of maximizing the aggregate net benefits to society, taking into account... economy, and other regulatory actions contemplated for the future. (b) It is the policy of FEMA to provide...

44 CFR 1.4 - Policy and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... chosen to maximize the net benefits to society; (4) Among alternative approaches to any given regulatory... regulatory priorities with the aim of maximizing the aggregate net benefits to society, taking into account... economy, and other regulatory actions contemplated for the future. (b) It is the policy of FEMA to provide...

20 CFR 655.620 - Civil money penalties and other remedies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Civil money penalties and other remedies. 655.620 Section 655.620 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... violation or violations; (6) The violator's commitment to future compliance; and/or (7) The extent to which...

20 CFR 655.620 - Civil money penalties and other remedies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Civil money penalties and other remedies. 655.620 Section 655.620 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... violation or violations; (6) The violator's commitment to future compliance; and/or (7) The extent to which...

20 CFR 655.620 - Civil money penalties and other remedies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Civil money penalties and other remedies. 655.620 Section 655.620 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... violation or violations; (6) The violator's commitment to future compliance; and/or (7) The extent to which...

20 CFR 655.620 - Civil money penalties and other remedies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Civil money penalties and other remedies. 655.620 Section 655.620 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... violation or violations; (6) The violator's commitment to future compliance; and/or (7) The extent to which...

20 CFR 655.620 - Civil money penalties and other remedies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Civil money penalties and other remedies. 655.620 Section 655.620 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... violation or violations; (6) The violator's commitment to future compliance; and/or (7) The extent to which...

Assessing the benefits and economic values of trees

Treesearch

David J. Nowak

2017-01-01

Understanding the environmental, economic, and social/community benefits of nature, in particular trees and forests, can lead to better vegetation management and designs to optimize environmental quality and human health for current and future generations. Computer models have been developed to assess forest composition and its associated effects on environmental...

Variables Affecting Readiness to Benefit from Career Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, James P., Jr.; McClain, Mary-Catherine; Musch, Elisabeth; Reardon, Robert C.

2013-01-01

This article identifies and briefly describes the broad range of variables that may influence clients' readiness to benefit from career interventions. The article also discusses consequences of low readiness for effective use of career interventions and addresses implications for practice as well as for future research. Variables contributing to…

42 CFR 403.253 - Calculation of benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... the gross premiums are computed to provide coverage. (iv) Reserve for future contingent benefits means... the loss ratio calculation period. (iii) Net premium means the level portion of the gross premium used... period, to— (B) The total policy reserve at the last day of the loss ratio calculation period: and (ii...

Speech Perception in Noise in Normally Hearing Children: Does Binaural Frequency Modulated Fitting Provide More Benefit than Monaural Frequency Modulated Fitting?

PubMed

Mukari, Siti Zamratol-Mai Sarah; Umat, Cila; Razak, Ummu Athiyah Abdul

2011-07-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the benefit of monaural versus binaural ear-level frequency modulated (FM) fitting on speech perception in noise in children with normal hearing. Reception threshold for sentences (RTS) was measured in no-FM, monaural FM, and binaural FM conditions in 22 normally developing children with bilateral normal hearing, aged 8 to 9 years old. Data were gathered using the Pediatric Malay Hearing in Noise Test (P-MyHINT) with speech presented from front and multi-talker babble presented from 90°, 180°, 270° azimuths in a sound treated booth. The results revealed that the use of either monaural or binaural ear level FM receivers provided significantly better mean RTSs than the no-FM condition (P<0.001). However, binaural FM did not produce a significantly greater benefit in mean RTS than monaural fitting. The benefit of binaural over monaural FM varies across individuals; while binaural fitting provided better RTSs in about 50% of study subjects, there were those in whom binaural fitting resulted in either deterioration or no additional improvement compared to monaural FM fitting. The present study suggests that the use of monaural ear-level FM receivers in children with normal hearing might provide similar benefit as binaural use. Individual subjects' variations of binaural FM benefit over monaural FM suggests that the decision to employ monaural or binaural fitting should be individualized. It should be noted however, that the current study recruits typically developing normal hearing children. Future studies involving normal hearing children with high risk of having difficulty listening in noise is indicated to see if similar findings are obtained.

Effect of Climate Change and Transaction Costs on Performance of a Groundwater Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, H. F.; Brown, C.

2017-12-01

With surface water resources becoming increasingly stressed, groundwater extraction, much of it unmanaged, has increased globally. Incentive-based policies, such as the cap-and-trade system, have been shown to be useful in the context of groundwater management. Previous research has shown that optimal groundwater markets (i.e. incentives-based policy) outperforms water quotas (command and control policy) with regards to both economic and environmental outcomes. In this work, we investigate whether these advantages of a water market over water quotas hold when assumptions of perfect information are violated due to climate change and hydrogeologic heterogeneity. We also assess whether the benefits of a cap-and-trade system outweigh the costs of implementing it, and how changes in future climate affect the performance a cap-and trade system. We use a sub-basin of the Republican River Basin, overlying the Ogallala aquifer in the High Plains of the United States, as a case study. We develop a multi-agent system model where individual benefits of each self-interested agent are maximized subject to bounds on irrigation requirements and water use permits. This economic model is coupled with a calibrated physically based groundwater model for the study region. Results show that permitting farmers to trade results in increased economic benefits and reduced environmental violations. However, the benefits of trading are dependent on the total allocations and the resulting level of water demand. We quantify third party impacts and environmental externalities for different water allocations, and highlight the unequal distributional effects of uniform water allocations resulting in `winners' and `losers'. The study reveals that high transaction costs can reduce the efficiency of the cap-and-trade system even below that of water quotas. Future changes in climate are shown to significantly influence the dynamics of the water market, and emphasize the need to address climate sensitivity in the setup of water markets.

Primary Care Providers’ Views of Patient Portals: Interview Study of Perceived Benefits and Consequences

PubMed Central

Latulipe, Celine; Melius, Kathryn A; Quandt, Sara A; Arcury, Thomas A

2016-01-01

Background The United States government is encouraging physicians to adopt patient portals—secure websites that allow patients to access their health information. For patient portals to recognize their full potential and improve patient care, health care providers’ acceptance and encouragement of their use will be essential. However, little is known about provider concerns or views of patient portals. Objective We conducted this qualitative study to determine how administrators, clinic staff, and health care providers at practices serving a lower income adult population viewed patient portals in terms of their potential benefit, areas of concern, and hopes for the future. Methods We performed in-depth interviews between October 2013 and June 2014 with 20 clinic personnel recruited from health centers in four North Carolina counties. Trained study personnel conducted individual interviews following an interviewer guide to elicit perceptions of the benefits and disadvantages of patient portals. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Research team members reviewed transcribed interviews for major themes to construct a coding dictionary. Two researchers then coded each transcript with any coding discrepancies resolved through discussion. Results The interviews revealed that clinic personnel viewed patient portals as a mandated product that had potential to improve communication and enhance information sharing. However, they expressed many concerns including portals’ potential to generate more work, confuse patients, alienate non-users, and increase health disparities. Clinic personnel expected few older and disadvantaged patients to use a portal. Conclusions Given that clinic personnel have significant concerns about portals’ unintended consequences, their uptake and impact on care may be limited. Future studies should examine ways portals can be implemented in practices to address providers’ concerns and meet the needs of vulnerable populations. PMID:26772771

Enhancement of cognitive and neural functions through complex reasoning training: evidence from normal and clinical populations

PubMed Central

Chapman, Sandra B.; Mudar, Raksha A.

2014-01-01

Public awareness of cognitive health is fairly recent compared to physical health. Growing evidence suggests that cognitive training offers promise in augmenting cognitive brain performance in normal and clinical populations. Targeting higher-order cognitive functions, such as reasoning in particular, may promote generalized cognitive changes necessary for supporting the complexities of daily life. This data-driven perspective highlights cognitive and brain changes measured in randomized clinical trials that trained gist reasoning strategies in populations ranging from teenagers to healthy older adults, individuals with brain injury to those at-risk for Alzheimer's disease. The evidence presented across studies support the potential for Gist reasoning training to strengthen cognitive performance in trained and untrained domains and to engage more efficient communication across widespread neural networks that support higher-order cognition. The meaningful benefits of Gist training provide compelling motivation to examine optimal dose for sustained benefits as well as to explore additive benefits of meditation, physical exercise, and/or improved sleep in future studies. PMID:24808834

Framing medical tourism: an analysis of persuasive appeals, risks and benefits, and new media features of medical tourism broker websites.

PubMed

Lee, Hyunmin; Wright, Kevin B; O'Connor, Michaela; Wombacher, Kevin

2014-01-01

This study explores the benefits and risks featured in medical tourism broker websites, as well as the types of persuasive appeals that these websites use to attract potential customers, from a framing theory perspective. In addition, it examines relationships among types of appeals and specific types of health-related services offered by medical facilities abroad and the role of new media modalities within medical tourism broker sites. A content analysis of 91 medical tourism broker websites was conducted. The results indicate that the websites highly emphasized benefits while downplaying the risks. Specifically, despite offering consumers complicated and risky medical procedures, the websites failed to report any procedural, postoperative, or legal concerns associated with them. Moreover, the results indicated that the websites relied on heavy use of new media features to enhance the appeal of the medical services that were offered. The implications of these findings, future directions for research, and limitations of the study are discussed.

Effect assessment of Future Climate Change on Water Resource and Snow Quality in cold snowy regions in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taniguchi, Y.; Nakatsugawa, M.; Kudo, K.

2017-12-01

It is predicted that the effects of global warming on everyday life will be clearly seen in cold, snowy regions such as Hokkaido. In relation to climate change, there is the concern that the warmer climate will affect not only water resources, but also local economies, in snowy areas, when air temperature increases and snowfall decreases become more marked in the future. Communities whose economies are greatly dependent on snow as a tourism resource, such as for winter sports and snow events, will lose large numbers of visitors because of the shortened winter season. This study was done as a basic study to provide basic ideas for planning adaptation strategies against climate change based on the local characteristics of a cold, snowy region. By taking dam catchment basins in Hokkaido as the subject areas and by using the climate change prediction data that correspond to IPCCAR5, the local-level influence of future climate change on snowfall and snow quality in relation to water resources and winter sports was quantitatively assessed. The water budget was examined for a dam catchment basin in Hokkaido under the present climate (September 1984 to August 2004) and under the future climate (September 2080 to August 2100) by using rainfall, snowfall and evapotranspiration estimated by the LoHAS heat and water balance analysis model.The examination found that, under the future climate, the net annual precipitation will decrease by up to 200 mm because of decreases in precipitation and in runoff height that will result from increased evapotranspiration. The predicted decrease in annual hydro potential of snowfall was considered to greatly affect the dam reservoir operation during the snowmelt season. The snow quality analysis by SNOWPACK revealed that the future snow would become granular earlier than it does at present. Most skiers' snow preferences, from best to worst, are light dry snow (i.e., fresh snow), lightly compacted snow, compacted snow and, finally, granular snow. If the late-season snow on the slope becomes granular earlier than it has in previous years, then the ski resort's snow conditions will deteriorate. Businesses that receive economic benefits from snow have developed in cold, snowy areas. This study demonstrates that the economic benefits of snow are expected to be greatly reduced by future climate change.

Toward Efficient Military Retirement Accrual Charges

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

benefited from reviews provided by Al Robbert of RAND and David Rodney of the CNA Corporation. 1 CHAPTER ONE Introduction Primary elements of the costs ...leaving the military. This report focuses on retirement benefits . Public Law (PL) 98–94, enacted in 1984 and implemented in fiscal year (FY) 1985...in the current budget the cost of future retirement benefits asso- ciated with current manning decisions. Under PL 98–94, DoD includes an accrual

Evaluation of Student Injuries at the Sergeants Major Course (SMC), Fort Bliss, Texas, August 2013-May 2014

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-24

benefit from collection of process metrics, additional factors influencing injury incidence, and additional outcomes of interest. 15. SUBJECT TERMS...therapist at the SMC. Future evaluations would benefit from pre- and post-implementation measurement of additional factors contributing to injury...increased during the SMC. The incorporation of cross-training is likely beneficial, as noted above. Cross-training has also been shown to have benefits

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

Fisk, William J.

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also, reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statisticallymore » significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percent age improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, for example, 7percent to 25percent. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air.« less

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

Fisk, William J.

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statisticallymore » significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percentage improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, e.g., 7percent to 25percent. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air.« less

NASA Columbus Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-20

Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and NASA Astronaut, moderates the NASA Future Forum Inspiration and Education Panel at The Ohio State University on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA Columbus Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-20

Ohio Space Grant Consortium (OSGC) Director Gary Slater talks during the NASA Future Forum Inspiration and Education Panel at The Ohio State University on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. The NASA Future Forum features panel discussions on the importance of education to our nation's future in space, the benefit of commercialized space technology to our economy and lives here on Earth, and the shifting roles for the public, commercial and international communities in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Hybrid Airships: Intratheater Operations Cost-Benefit Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

airships (HA) in an intratheater humanitarian assistance scenario. A linear programming model was used to study various mixes of hybrid airships...i.e. 200 tons) must be moved as quickly as possible (or during sealift transit), then HA operating costs of $3,000 per hour or less also make them a ...for Future Research ................................................................................ 52 Appendix A : Examples of HA Concepts/Prototypes

Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The techniques, processes, and equipment required for automatic fabrication and assembly of structural elements in using Shuttle as a launch vehicle, and construction were defined. Additional construction systems operational techniques, processes, and equipment which can be developed and demonstrated in the same program to provide further risk reduction benefits to future large space systems were identified and examined.

Social Capital and Educational Aspiration of Students: Does Family Social Capital Affect More Compared to School Social Capital?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahidul, S. M.; Karim, A. H. M. Zehadul; Mustari, S.

2015-01-01

Resources from multiple social contexts influence students' educational aspiration. In the field of social capital a neglected issue is how students obtain social capital from varying contexts and which contexts benefit them more to shape their future educational plan which consequently affects their level of aspiration. In this study, we aim to…

Multicore Considerations for Legacy Flight Software Migration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vines, Kenneth; Day, Len

2013-01-01

In this paper we will discuss potential benefits and pitfalls when considering a migration from an existing single core code base to a multicore processor implementation. The results of this study present options that should be considered before migrating fault managers, device handlers and tasks with time-constrained requirements to a multicore flight software environment. Possible future multicore test bed demonstrations are also discussed.

Commentary: Study of Gene-Environment Interplay--A Lesson in How to Keep Oneself Busy for the Foreseeable Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viding, Essi

2013-01-01

Psychologists and psychiatrists have long been aware that individuals differ in their response to environmental stressors. It is equally apparent that whilst positive or corrective environmental factors help some individuals, others seem to benefit little, if at all. To make the matters even more interesting (at least for a researcher who is…

National forests of Wisconsin : demographics and recreation participation

Treesearch

J. T. Alig; P. R. Voss

The primary benefit of this research was to lay a foundation for examining and predicting future participation in recreation on a specific national forest. We explain some of the obstacles involved in site-specific projections and note that this is an area in need of additional research.This study used data from the 1990 U.S. Census to examine changes in the human...

Forest carbon benefits, costs and leakage effects of carbon reserve scenarios in the United States

Treesearch

Prakash Nepal; Peter J. Ince; Kenneth E. Skog; Sun J. Chang

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the potential effectiveness of future carbon reserve scenarios, where U.S. forest landowners would hypothetically be paid to sequester carbon on their timberland and forego timber harvests for 100 years. Scenarios featured direct payments to landowners of $0 (baseline), $5, $10, or $15 per metric ton of additional forest carbon sequestered on the...

The Future of the State Partnership Program: Benefits, Policy and Leveraging

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-06

of partnerships to assist three post-Soviet bloc countries in their democratic transition. The importance of establishing partnerships has been...future because the costs and responsibilities of global leadership will be spread among the U.S. and its partners.23 The

Trade Publishing: A Report from the Front.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fister, Barbara

2001-01-01

Reports on the current condition of trade publishing and its future prospects based on interviews with editors, publishers, agents, and others. Discusses academic libraries and the future of trade publishing, including questions relating to electronic books, intellectual property, and social and economic benefits of sharing information…

Robotic technology in surgery: past, present, and future.

PubMed

Camarillo, David B; Krummel, Thomas M; Salisbury, J Kenneth

2004-10-01

It has been nearly 20 years since the first appearance of robotics in the operating room. In that time, much progress has been made in integrating robotic technologies with surgical instrumentation, as evidenced by the many thousands of successful robot-assisted cases. However, to build on past success and to fully leverage the potential of surgical robotics in the future, it is essential to maximize a shared understanding and communication among surgeons, engineers, entrepreneurs, and healthcare administrators. This article provides an introduction to medical robotic technologies, develops a possible taxonomy, reviews the evolution of a surgical robot, and discusses future prospects for innovation. Robotic surgery has demonstrated some clear benefits. It remains to be seen where these benefits will outweigh the associated costs over the long term. In the future, surgical robots should be smaller, less expensive, easier to operate, and should seamlessly integrate emerging technologies from a number of different fields. Such advances will enable continued progress in surgical instrumentation and, ultimately, surgical care.

Epigenetics: origins and implications for cancer epidemiology.

PubMed

Nise, Melissa S; Falaturi, Puran; Erren, Thomas C

2010-02-01

This paper provides information on the evolution of the 'epigenetics' concept since Aristotle and draws attention to the importance of epigenetic implications for cancer epidemiology in the years to come. Clearly, to understand origins of the concept of epigenetics, it is worthwhile to consider historical arguments associated with evolution. Equally clearly, in the last half of the 20th century, great advances in the understanding of epigenetics and, more specifically, great advances in the understanding of epigenetics in cancer have been made. However, reaping the full benefits of epigenetics lies beyond the predominant experimental studies of today. In general, epigenetics opens many doors in the field of cancer, but it also adds another level of complex, inter-related, and multi-dimensional information to research, and to its interpretation. Overall, future cancer studies should consider, or at least be sensitive to, epigenetic effects and mechanisms. Moving the focus beyond 'pristine' inheritance via DNA alone, cancer epidemiology investigating epigenetic exposures such as environmental factors (exposure to heavy metals, air pollution, arsenic and other toxins), dietary patterns (starvation, famine, contamination), and lifestyle habits (smoking, level of physical activity, and BMI) in populations has the prospect to significantly benefit future cancer prevention and treatment schemes.

Study on feasible technical potential of coal to electricity in china

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Dexiang; Tan, Xiandong

2017-01-01

The control of bulk coal is one of the important work of air pollution control in China’s future. Existing research mainly focuses on the adaptability, economy, construction and renovation plan, and operation optimization of specific energy substitution utilization, and lacks the strategy research of long-term layout of energy substitution utilization in large area. This paper puts forward a technical potential prediction method of coal to electricity based on the thermal equivalent method, which is based on the characteristics of regional coal consumption, and combined with the trend of adaptability and economy of energy substitution utilization. Also, the paper calculates the comprehensive benefit of coal to electricity according to the varieties of energy consumption and pollutant emission level of unit energy consumption in China’s future. The research result shows that the development technical potential of coal to electricity in China is huge, about 1.8 trillion kWh, including distributed electric heating, heat pump and electric heating boiler, mainly located in North China, East China, and Northeast China. The implementation of coal to electricity has remarkable comprehensive benefits in energy conservation and emission reduction, and improvement of energy consumption safety level. Case study shows the rationality of the proposed method.

Using photography in 'The Restaurant of the Future'. A useful way to assess portion selection and plate cleaning?

PubMed

Hinton, Elanor C; Brunstrom, Jeffery M; Fay, Stephanie H; Wilkinson, Laura L; Ferriday, Danielle; Rogers, Peter J; de Wijk, Rene

2013-04-01

Laboratory-based studies of human dietary behaviour benefit from highly controlled conditions; however, this approach can lack ecological validity. Identifying a reliable method to capture and quantify natural dietary behaviours represents an important challenge for researchers. In this study, we scrutinised cafeteria-style meals in the 'Restaurant of the Future.' Self-selected meals were weighed and photographed, both before and after consumption. Using standard portions of the same foods, these images were independently coded to produce accurate and reliable estimates of (i) initial self-served portions, and (ii) food remaining at the end of the meal. Plate cleaning was extremely common; in 86% of meals at least 90% of self-selected calories were consumed. Males ate a greater proportion of their self-selected meals than did females. Finally, when participants visited the restaurant more than once, the correspondence between selected portions was better predicted by the weight of the meal than by its energy content. These findings illustrate the potential benefits of meal photography in this context. However, they also highlight significant limitations, in particular, the need to exclude large amounts of data when one food obscures another. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of dynamics in climate risk and vulnerability assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurgilevich, Alexandra; Räsänen, Aleksi; Groundstroem, Fanny; Juhola, Sirkku

2017-01-01

Understanding climate risk is crucial for effective adaptation action, and a number of assessment methodologies have emerged. We argue that the dynamics of the individual components in climate risk and vulnerability assessments has received little attention. In order to highlight this, we systematically reviewed 42 sub-national climate risk and vulnerability assessments. We analysed the assessments using an analytical framework with which we evaluated (1) the conceptual approaches to vulnerability and exposure used, (2) if current or future risks were assessed, and (3) if and how changes over time (i.e. dynamics) were considered. Of the reviewed assessments, over half addressed future risks or vulnerability; and of these future-oriented studies, less than 1/3 considered both vulnerability and exposure dynamics. While the number of studies that include dynamics is growing, and while all studies included socio-economic aspects, often only biophysical dynamics was taken into account. We discuss the challenges of assessing socio-economic and spatial dynamics, particularly the poor availability of data and methods. We suggest that future-oriented studies assessing risk dynamics would benefit from larger stakeholder involvement, discussion of the assessment purpose, the use of multiple methods, inclusion of uncertainty/sensitivity analyses and pathway approaches.

The future water environment--using scenarios to explore the significant water management challenges in England and Wales to 2050.

PubMed

Henriques, C; Garnett, K; Weatherhead, E K; Lickorish, F A; Forrow, D; Delgado, J

2015-04-15

Society gets numerous benefits from the water environment. It is crucial to ensure that water management practices deliver these benefits over the long-term in a sustainable and cost-effective way. Currently, hydromorphological alterations and nutrient enrichment pose the greatest challenges in European water bodies. The rapidly changing climatic and socio-economic boundary conditions pose further challenges to water management decisions and the achievement of policy goals. Scenarios are a strategic tool useful in conducting systematic investigations of future uncertainties pertaining to water management. In this study, the use of scenarios revealed water management challenges for England and Wales to 2050. A set of existing scenarios relevant to river basin management were elaborated through stakeholder workshops and interviews, relying on expert knowledge to identify drivers of change, their interdependencies, and influence on system dynamics. In a set of four plausible alternative futures, the causal chain from driving forces through pressures to states, impacts and responses (DPSIR framework) was explored. The findings suggest that scenarios driven by short-term economic growth and competitiveness undermine current environmental legislative requirements and exacerbate the negative impacts of climate change, producing a general deterioration of water quality and physical habitats, as well as reduced water availability with adverse implications for the environment, society and economy. Conversely, there are substantial environmental improvements under the scenarios characterised by long-term sustainability, though achieving currently desired environmental outcomes still poses challenges. The impacts vary across contrasting generic catchment types that exhibit distinct future water management challenges. The findings suggest the need to address hydromorphological alterations, nutrient enrichment and nitrates in drinking water, which are all likely to be exacerbated in the future. Future-proofing river basin management measures that deal with these challenges is crucial moving forward. The use of scenarios to future-proof strategy, policy and delivery mechanisms is discussed to inform next steps. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Widening perspectives: the intellectual and social benefits of astrobiology (regardless of whether extraterrestrial life is discovered or not)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, I. A.

2018-01-01

Astrobiology is usually defined as the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the Universe. As such it is inherently interdisciplinary and cannot help but engender a worldview infused by cosmic and evolutionary perspectives. Both these attributes of the study of astrobiology are, and will increasingly prove to be, beneficial to society regardless of whether extraterrestrial life is discovered or not.

Computerizing Audit Studies

PubMed Central

Lahey, Joanna N.; Beasley, Ryan A.

2014-01-01

This paper briefly discusses the history, benefits, and shortcomings of traditional audit field experiments to study market discrimination. Specifically it identifies template bias and experimenter bias as major concerns in the traditional audit method, and demonstrates through an empirical example that computerization of a resume or correspondence audit can efficiently increase sample size and greatly mitigate these concerns. Finally, it presents a useful meta-tool that future researchers can use to create their own resume audits. PMID:24904189

NASA's Advanced Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology Development Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David J.; Sankovic, John; Wilt, David; Abelson, Robert D.; Fleurial, Jean-Pierre

2007-01-01

NASA's Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems (ARPS) project is developing the next generation of radioisotope power conversion technologies that will enable future missions that have requirements that cannot be met by either photovoltaic systems or by current radioisotope power systems (RPSs). Requirements of advanced RPSs include high efficiency and high specific power (watts/kilogram) in order to meet future mission requirements with less radioisotope fuel and lower mass so that these systems can meet requirements for a variety of future space applications, including continual operation surface missions, outer-planetary missions, and solar probe. These advances would enable a factor of 2 to 4 decrease in the amount of fuel required to generate electrical power. Advanced RPS development goals also include long-life, reliability, and scalability. This paper provides an update on the contractual efforts under the Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology (RPCT) NASA Research Announcement (NRA) for research and development of Stirling, thermoelectric, and thermophotovoltaic power conversion technologies. The paper summarizes the current RPCT NRA efforts with a brief description of the effort, a status and/or summary of the contractor's key accomplishments, a discussion of upcoming plans, and a discussion of relevant system-level benefits and implications. The paper also provides a general discussion of the benefits from the development of these advanced power conversion technologies and the eventual payoffs to future missions (discussing system benefits due to overall improvements in efficiency, specific power, etc.).

ESTIMATING A DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LENGTH OF STAY AND FUTURE RECIDIVISM IN SERIOUS JUVENILE OFFENDERS*

PubMed Central

Loughran, Thomas A.; Mulvey, Edward P.; Schubert, Carol A.; Fagan, Jeffrey; Piquero, Alex R.; Losoya, Sandra H.

2009-01-01

The effect of sanctions on subsequent criminal activity is of central theoretical importance in criminology. A key question for juvenile justice policy is the degree to which serious juvenile offenders respond to sanctions and/or treatment administered by the juvenile court. The policy question germane to this debate is finding the level of confinement within the juvenile justice system that maximizes the public safety and therapeutic benefits of institutional confinement. Unfortunately, research on this issue has been limited with regard to serious juvenile offenders. We use longitudinal data from a large sample of serious juvenile offenders from two large cities to 1) estimate a causal treatment effect of institutional placement, as opposed to probation, on future rate of rearrest and 2) investigate the existence of a marginal effect (i.e., benefit) for longer length of stay once the institutional placement decision had been made. We accomplish the latter by determining a dose-response relationship between the length of stay and future rates of rearrest and self-reported offending. The results suggest that an overall null effect of placement exists on future rates of rearrest or self-reported offending for serious juvenile offenders. We also find that, for the group placed out of the community, it is apparent that little or no marginal benefit exists for longer lengths of stay. Theoretical, empirical, and policy issues are outlined. PMID:20052309

Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Winter Tourism: Challenges for Ski Area Operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damm, A.; Köberl, J.; Prettenthaler, F.; Töglhofer, C.

2012-04-01

Increasing temperatures and snow scarce winter seasons pose a big challenge for the winter tourism industry. Changing natural snow reliability influences tourism demand and ski area operators are faced with an enhanced need of technical snow production. The goal of the present research work is to analyze the economic effects of technical snow production under future climate conditions. Snowmaking as an adaptation strategy to climate change impacts on the ski tourism industry is already taken into consideration in several studies from a scientific perspective concerning snowmaking potentials under future climate conditions and the impacts on ski season length (e.g. Scott et al. 2003; Scott & McBoyle 2007; Hennessy et al. 2008; Steiger 2010). A few studies considered economic aspects of technical snowmaking (e.g. Teich et al. 2007; Gonseth 2008). However, a detailed analysis of the costs and benefits of snowmaking under future climate and snow conditions based on sophisticated climate and snow models has not been carried out yet. The present study addresses the gap of knowledge concerning the economic profitability of prospective snowmaking requirements under future climate scenarios. We carry out a detailed cost-revenue analysis of snowmaking under current and future climate conditions for a case study site in Styria (Austria) using dynamic investment models. The starting point of all economic calculations is the daily demand for artificial snow that determines the requirements for additional snowmaking investments and additional operating costs. The demand for artificial snow is delivered by the snow cover model AMUNDSEN (see Strasser et al. 2011) and is driven by four climate scenarios. Apart from future climate conditions the profitability of snowmaking depends on changes in costs and visitor numbers. The results of a ski tourism demand model analyzing daily visitor numbers and their dependencies of prevailing weather conditions enter the cost-revenue analysis of snowmaking and enable the determination of the immediate benefits in terms of additional revenues of ski ticket sales. Furthermore, we conduct an econometric analysis of how snowmaking investments changed ski ticket prices in previous years, as the positive effects of snowmaking on snow reliability could be offset in the longer term by the effects of higher prices for skiing, possibly resulting in lower demand.

The Growing Legacy of Spinoffs from the International Space Station and Prospects for Future Benefits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comstock, D.; Lockney, D.

A multinational effort involving NASA employees and contractors across the United States and space agencies in 15 countries, the International Space Station (ISS) is humanity's home in space and has captured the world's imagination since its first component launched into orbit in 1998. While the ISS provides invaluable information about living in space--essential for future long-duration missions and colonies on the Moon and Mars--everything from the station's construction to biological experiments conducted onboard have led to spinoffs that are improving life on Earth. As the ISS nears completion, this paper highlights ISS-influenced technologies that are advancing fitness and medicine, purifying air and water, enhancing safety, and improving daily life in many other ways. This paper also examines several other promising future benefits derived from the ISS.

The malleability of gender stereotypes: influence of population size on perceptions of men and women in the past, present, and future.

PubMed

Garcia-Retamero, Rocio; Müller, Stephanie M; López-Zafra, Esther

2011-01-01

Recent studies on the malleability of gender stereotypes show that they are flexible, dynamic structures that change with the passage of time. In a study, we examined perceptions about men and women of the past, present, and future in Spain and focused on the influence of an important demographic variable on these perceptions: the population size of people's location of residence. Results showed that people perceived an increase in similarity of men and women from the past to the present and from the present to the future. In less-populated locations, however, men and women were more gender stereotyped and, consequently, still perceived to be further from equality than those in more populated areas. We concluded that the study of dynamic gender stereotypes benefits from extensive research in populations that vary in their demographic characteristics and shows the importance of recent movements in rural areas supporting women's participation in the modernization process.

Exploring possible selves in a first-year physics foundation class: Engaging students by establishing relevance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Dawn; Roberts, Lynne; Creagh, Christine

2016-06-01

Students often complain that they cannot see the relevance of what they are being taught in foundation physics classes. While revising and adjusting the curriculum and teaching are important, this study suggests it might also be useful to help students view their learning in relation to their future career aspirations. This paper reports on a study conducted with first-year students enrolled in a compulsory foundation physics unit with a history of low pass rates. Working within a "possible selves" framework, activities were designed to help students position their learning in relation to possible future lives and careers. Two cohorts of students (N =93 ) engaged in an intensive workshop comprising multiple activities relating to self and career. Self-reflection worksheets were analyzed using content analysis. The results indicate that students experience immediate benefits from these activities through self-reflection on the current self, future possible professional selves, and the role of current studies in narrowing the gap between the two.

Benefits of economic criteria for water scarcity management under global changes: insights from a large-scale hydroeconomic framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neverre, Noémie; Dumas, Patrice; Nassopoulos, Hypatia

2016-04-01

Global changes are expected to exacerbate water scarcity issues in the Mediterranean region in the next decades. In this work, we investigate the impacts of reservoirs operation rules based on an economic criterion. We examine whether can they help reduce the costs of water scarcity, and whether they become more relevant under future climatic and socioeconomic conditions. We develop an original hydroeconomic model able to compare future water supply and demand on a large scale, while representing river basin heterogeneity. On the demand side, we focus on the two main sectors of water use: the irrigation and domestic sectors. Demands are projected in terms of both quantity and economic value. Irrigation requirements are computed for 12 types of crops, at the 0.5° spatial resolution, under future climatic conditions (A1B scenario). The computation of the economic benefits of irrigation water is based on a yield comparison approach between rainfed and irrigated crops. For the domestic sector, we project the combined effects of demographic growth, economic development and water cost evolution on future demands. The economic value of domestic water is defined as the economic surplus. On the supply side, we evaluate the impacts of climate change on water inflows to the reservoirs. Operating rules of the reservoirs are set up using a parameterisation-simulation-optimisation approach. The objective is to maximise water benefits. We introduce prudential parametric rules in order to take into account spatial and temporal trade-offs. The methodology is applied to Algeria at the 2050 horizon. Overall, our results show that the supply-demand imbalance and its costs will increase in most basins under future climatic and socioeconomic conditions. Our results suggest that the benefits of operating rules based on economic criteria are not unequivocally increased with global changes: in some basins the positive impact of economic prioritisation is higher under future conditions, but in other basins it is higher under historical conditions. Global changes may be an incentive to use valuation in operating rules in some basins. In other basins, the benefits of reservoirs management based on economic criteria are less pronounced; in this case, trade-offs could arise between implementing economic based operation policies or not. Given its generic nature and low data requirements, the framework developed could be implemented in other regions concerned with water scarcity and its cost, or extended to a global coverage. Water policies at the country or regional level could be assessed.

Intensive Home Hemodialysis: An Eye at the Past Looking for the Hemodialysis of the Future.

PubMed

Naso, Agostino; Scaparrotta, Giuseppe; Naso, Elena; Calò, Lorenzo A

2015-09-01

Multiple observational studies along with a limited number of randomized clinical trials suggest that intensive hemodialysis (IHD) not only improves outcomes for uremic patients undergoing chronic dialysis but does so with a more favorable cost/benefit ratio compared with conventional hemodialysis. As a result of this, there has been a rapid increase in the interest in home hemodialysis (HHD) as HHD represents the easiest means of implementing IHD. While HHD has generated increased interest given its association with better outcomes/reduced hospitalizations, there are very few randomized controlled trials comparing HHD with other hemodialysis methods. Reported HHD-associated increased survival benefits compared with in-center hemodialysis are from uncontrolled studies, which raise patient selection bias as underlying the differences found. Thus, while HHD draws increasing attention, studies that pay careful attention to the psychosocial, demographic, and clinical factors associated with patients selected to undergo HHD will be needed to ultimately demonstrate its benefits, clarify the clinical applications, and determine the limits of IHD use in dialysis patients. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of Turbofan Design Options for an Advanced Single-Aisle Transport Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guynn, Mark D.; Berton, Jeffrey J.; Fisher, Kenneth L.; Haller, William J.; Tong, Michael T.; Thurman, Douglas R.

2009-01-01

The desire for higher engine efficiency has resulted in the evolution of aircraft gas turbine engines from turbojets, to low bypass ratio, first generation turbofans, to today's high bypass ratio turbofans. It is possible that future designs will continue this trend, leading to very-high or ultra-high bypass ratio (UHB) engines. Although increased bypass ratio has clear benefits in terms of propulsion system metrics such as specific fuel consumption, these benefits may not translate into aircraft system level benefits due to integration penalties. In this study, the design trade space for advanced turbofan engines applied to a single-aisle transport (737/A320 class aircraft) is explored. The benefits of increased bypass ratio and associated enabling technologies such as geared fan drive are found to depend on the primary metrics of interest. For example, bypass ratios at which fuel consumption is minimized may not require geared fan technology. However, geared fan drive does enable higher bypass ratio designs which result in lower noise. Regardless of the engine architecture chosen, the results of this study indicate the potential for the advanced aircraft to realize substantial improvements in fuel efficiency, emissions, and noise compared to the current vehicles in this size class.

Superfruits: Phytochemicals, antioxidant efficacies, and health effects - A comprehensive review.

PubMed

Chang, Sui Kiat; Alasalvar, Cesarettin; Shahidi, Fereidoon

2018-01-23

The term "superfruit" has gained increasing usage and attention recently with the marketing strategy to promote the extraordinary health benefits of some exotic fruits, which may not have worldwide popularity. This has led to many studies with the identification and quantification of various groups of phytochemicals. This contribution discusses phytochemical compositions, antioxidant efficacies, and potential health benefits of the main superfruits such as açai, acerola, camu-camu, goji berry, jaboticaba, jambolão, maqui, noni, and pitanga. Novel product formulations, safety aspects, and future perspectives of these superfruits have also been covered. Research findings from the existing literature published within the last 10 years have been compiled and summarized. These superfruits having numerous phytochemicals (phenolic acids, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, iridoids, coumarins, hydrolysable tannins, carotenoids, and anthocyanins) together with their corresponding antioxidant activities, have increasingly been utilized. Hence, these superfruits can be considered as a valuable source of functional foods due to the phytochemical compositions and their corresponding antioxidant activities. The phytochemicals from superfruits are bioaccessible and bioavailable in humans with promising health benefits. More well-designed human explorative studies are needed to validate the health benefits of these superfruits.

A method for the inclusion of physical activity-related health benefits in cost-benefit analysis of built environment initiatives.

PubMed

Zapata-Diomedi, Belen; Gunn, Lucy; Giles-Corti, Billie; Shiell, Alan; Lennert Veerman, J

2018-01-01

The built environment has a significant influence on population levels of physical activity (PA) and therefore health. However, PA-related health benefits are seldom considered in transport and urban planning (i.e. built environment interventions) cost-benefit analysis. Cost-benefit analysis implies that the benefits of any initiative are valued in monetary terms to make them commensurable with costs. This leads to the need for monetised values of the health benefits of PA. The aim of this study was to explore a method for the incorporation of monetised PA-related health benefits in cost-benefit analysis of built environment interventions. Firstly, we estimated the change in population level of PA attributable to a change in the built environment due to the intervention. Then, changes in population levels of PA were translated into monetary values. For the first step we used estimates from the literature for the association of built environment features with physical activity outcomes. For the second step we used the multi-cohort proportional multi-state life table model to predict changes in health-adjusted life years and health care costs as a function of changes in PA. Finally, we monetised health-adjusted life years using the value of a statistical life year. Future research could adapt these methods to assess the health and economic impacts of specific urban development scenarios by working in collaboration with urban planners. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exercise and the Prevention of Depression: Results of the HUNT Cohort Study.

PubMed

Harvey, Samuel B; Øverland, Simon; Hatch, Stephani L; Wessely, Simon; Mykletun, Arnstein; Hotopf, Matthew

2018-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to address 1) whether exercise provides protection against new-onset depression and anxiety and 2) if so, the intensity and amount of exercise required to gain protection and, lastly, 3) the mechanisms that underlie any association. A "healthy" cohort of 33,908 adults, selected on the basis of having no symptoms of common mental disorder or limiting physical health conditions, was prospectively followed for 11 years. Validated measures of exercise, depression, anxiety, and a range of potential confounding and mediating factors were collected. Undertaking regular leisure-time exercise was associated with reduced incidence of future depression but not anxiety. The majority of this protective effect occurred at low levels of exercise and was observed regardless of intensity. After adjustment for confounders, the population attributable fraction suggests that, assuming the relationship is causal, 12% of future cases of depression could have been prevented if all participants had engaged in at least 1 hour of physical activity each week. The social and physical health benefits of exercise explained a small proportion of the protective effect. Previously proposed biological mechanisms, such as alterations in parasympathetic vagal tone, did not appear to have a role in explaining the protection against depression. Regular leisure-time exercise of any intensity provides protection against future depression but not anxiety. Relatively modest changes in population levels of exercise may have important public mental health benefits and prevent a substantial number of new cases of depression.

Key Gaps for Enabling Plant Growth in Future Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Molly; Motil, Brian; Barta, Dan; Fritsche, Ralph; Massa, Gioia; Quincy, Charlie; Romeyn, Matthew; Wheeler, Ray; Hanford, Anthony

2017-01-01

Growing plants to provide food or psychological benefits to crewmembers is a common vision for the future of human spaceflight, often represented in media and in serious concept studies. The complexity of controlled environment agriculture, and plant growth in microgravity have and continue to be the subject of dedicated scientific research. However, actually implementing these systems in a way that will be cost effective, efficient, and sustainable for future space missions is a complex, multi-disciplinary problem. Key questions exist in many areas: human medical research in nutrition and psychology, horticulture, plant physiology and microbiology, multi-phase microgravity fluid physics, hardware design and technology development, and system design, operations and mission planning. This paper describes key knowledge gaps identified by a multi-disciplinary working group within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It also begins to identify solutions to the simpler questions identified by the group based on work initiated in 2017. Growing plants to provide food or psychological benefits to crewmembers is a common vision for the future of human spaceflight, often represented in media and in serious concept studies. The complexity of controlled environment agriculture, and plant growth in microgravity have and continue to be the subject of dedicated scientific research. However, actually implementing these systems in a way that will be cost effective, efficient, and sustainable for future space missions is a complex, multi-disciplinary problem. Key questions exist in many areas: human medical research in nutrition and psychology, horticulture, plant physiology and microbiology, multi-phase microgravity fluid physics, hardware design and technology development, and system design, operations and mission planning. This paper describes key knowledge gaps identified by a multi-disciplinary working group within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It also begins to identify solutions to the simpler questions identified by the group based on work initiated in 2017.

Can CanMEDS competencies be developed in medical school anatomy laboratories? A literature review.

PubMed

Hefler, Joshua; Ramnanan, Christopher J

2017-06-16

The purpose of this literature review was to identify potential ways in which undergraduate medical anatomy education may be relevant to the CanMEDS Roles, a competency-based framework used throughout Canadian medical training. A scoping review of medical education literature was conducted in March 2017 for English language publications that included key words related to anatomy education and to key competencies formally described for each of the Roles in the CanMEDS 2015 framework. Indicated benefits were then collated, characterized, and synthesized for each CanMEDS Role. There were 71 studies identified describing original findings. Perceived benefits of anatomy education were most often identified for competencies related to the Medical Expert Role. Multiple studies also cited benefits related to the Scholar, Professional and Collaborator Roles. There was a lack of literature related to the Health Advocate, Communicator, and Leader Roles. The majority of benefits defined in the literature were limited to student perceptions rather than objectively measured outcomes. There is some evidence to suggest that anatomy education can facilitate the development of core competencies related to several CanMEDS Roles, outside of simply developing medical knowledge in the Medical Expert Role. Future studies need to develop methods to objectively assess outcomes related to these competencies.

Can CanMEDS competencies be developed in medical school anatomy laboratories? A literature review

PubMed Central

Ramnanan, Christopher J.

2017-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this literature review was to identify potential ways in which undergraduate medical anatomy education may be relevant to the CanMEDS Roles, a competency-based framework used throughout Canadian medical training. Methods A scoping review of medical education literature was conducted in March 2017 for English language publications that included key words related to anatomy education and to key competencies formally described for each of the Roles in the CanMEDS 2015 framework. Indicated benefits were then collated, characterized, and synthesized for each CanMEDS Role. Results There were 71 studies identified describing original findings. Perceived benefits of anatomy education were most often identified for competencies related to the Medical Expert Role. Multiple studies also cited benefits related to the Scholar, Professional and Collaborator Roles. There was a lack of literature related to the Health Advocate, Communicator, and Leader Roles. The majority of benefits defined in the literature were limited to student perceptions rather than objectively measured outcomes. Conclusions There is some evidence to suggest that anatomy education can facilitate the development of core competencies related to several CanMEDS Roles, outside of simply developing medical knowledge in the Medical Expert Role. Future studies need to develop methods to objectively assess outcomes related to these competencies. PMID:28650843

Higher-hazard, no benefit research involving children: parental perspectives.

PubMed

Sachdeva, Tanya; Morris, Marilyn C

2013-11-01

US regulations allow local institutional review boards to approve greater than minimal risk, no-benefit research when the research enrolls children with the condition under study but not when it enrolls healthy children. We aim to describe the opinions of parents regarding higher-hazard, no-benefit research Quantitative and qualitative interviews with parents of children without heart disease or chronic medical conditions (no heart disease [noHD], n = 30), children with fully correctable heart disease (FCHD, n = 30), and children with life-altering heart disease (LAHD, n = 30). Parents of children with heart disease endorse higher-hazard, no-benefit heart disease research more strongly than noHD parents. Eight of 30 noHD parents, 19 of 30 FCHD parents, and 26 of 30 LAHD parents reported willingness to enroll their children in a heart disease research study involving an otherwise unnecessary chest radiograph (P < .01). There was no difference among groups in willingness to enroll their children in a similar study focused on childhood cancer. Twenty-two of 30 FCHD and 30 of 30 LAHD parents reported that parents have a responsibility to enroll their children in medical research to help future children with heart disease. Twenty-one of 30 noHD parents, 29 of 30 FCHD parents, and 30 of 30 LAHD parents feel able to evaluate the risks of medical research (P = .01). Parental opinions regarding higher-hazard, no-benefit research align with federal regulations. Parental willingness to enroll their children in higher-hazard, no-benefit research is driven in part by a sense of obligation to a community of families affected by childhood heart disease.

Reducing Wind Curtailment through Transmission Expansion in a Wind Vision Future

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

Jorgensen, Jennie; Mai, Trieu; Brinkman, Greg

The Department of Energy's 2015 Wind Vision study, which analyzed an ambitious scenario where wind power served 35% of U.S. electricity consumption in 2050, showed the potential for wind energy to provide substantial health, environmental, and economic benefits. Using a commercial unit commitment and economic dispatch model, we build on this research by assessing the hourly operational feasibility of a similar high wind future in the Western United States. Our detailed simulations found no hours of unmet load or reserve violations with more than 35% potential wind (and 12% potential solar) available on the system, which highlights the technical possibilitymore » of integrating large amounts of wind energy. However, absent significant changes to the western grid, we find that substantial wind curtailment could be an issue, as it could degrade the potential for wind power to reduce fuel costs and lowering the emission benefits. To assess the value of transmission to mitigate wind curtailment, we model a suite of transmission expansion scenarios. We find that wind curtailment could be reduced by approximately half under a scenario where new transmission is based only on proposed projects. This avoided wind curtailment could lower annual production costs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions substantially. Greater transmission expansion was found to yield further benefits, although the marginal benefits of these new lines were found to decline. Overall, these results suggest that power systems operation can be realized with more than 35% wind penetration, but that transmission expansion is likely to play a vital role.« less

NASA Future Forum

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-11

Dr. Henry Hertzfeld, from George Washington University, speaks about technology investments and their benefits during a panel discussion at the 2011 NASA Future Forum held at the Riggs Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Maryland, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011, in College Park, Md. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Linking the oceans to public health: current efforts and future directions

PubMed Central

Kite-Powell, Hauke L; Fleming, Lora E; Backer, Lorraine C; Faustman, Elaine M; Hoagland, Porter; Tsuchiya, Ami; Younglove, Lisa R; Wilcox, Bruce A; Gast, Rebecca J

2008-01-01

We review the major linkages between the oceans and public health, focusing on exposures and potential health effects due to anthropogenic and natural factors including: harmful algal blooms, microbes, and chemical pollutants in the oceans; consumption of seafood; and flooding events. We summarize briefly the current state of knowledge about public health effects and their economic consequences; and we discuss priorities for future research. We find that: • There are numerous connections between the oceans, human activities, and human health that result in both positive and negative exposures and health effects (risks and benefits); and the study of these connections comprises a new interdisciplinary area, "oceans and human health." • The state of present knowledge about the linkages between oceans and public health varies. Some risks, such as the acute health effects caused by toxins associated with shellfish poisoning and red tide, are relatively well understood. Other risks, such as those posed by chronic exposure to many anthropogenic chemicals, pathogens, and naturally occurring toxins in coastal waters, are less well quantified. Even where there is a good understanding of the mechanism for health effects, good epidemiological data are often lacking. Solid data on economic and social consequences of these linkages are also lacking in most cases. • The design of management measures to address these risks must take into account the complexities of human response to warnings and other guidance, and the economic tradeoffs among different risks and benefits. Future research in oceans and human health to address public health risks associated with marine pathogens and toxins, and with marine dimensions of global change, should include epidemiological, behavioral, and economic components to ensure that resulting management measures incorporate effective economic and risk/benefit tradeoffs. PMID:19025677

Linking the oceans to public health: current efforts and future directions.

PubMed

Kite-Powell, Hauke L; Fleming, Lora E; Backer, Lorraine C; Faustman, Elaine M; Hoagland, Porter; Tsuchiya, Ami; Younglove, Lisa R; Wilcox, Bruce A; Gast, Rebecca J

2008-11-07

We review the major linkages between the oceans and public health, focusing on exposures and potential health effects due to anthropogenic and natural factors including: harmful algal blooms, microbes, and chemical pollutants in the oceans; consumption of seafood; and flooding events. We summarize briefly the current state of knowledge about public health effects and their economic consequences; and we discuss priorities for future research.We find that:* There are numerous connections between the oceans, human activities, and human health that result in both positive and negative exposures and health effects (risks and benefits); and the study of these connections comprises a new interdisciplinary area, "oceans and human health."* The state of present knowledge about the linkages between oceans and public health varies. Some risks, such as the acute health effects caused by toxins associated with shellfish poisoning and red tide, are relatively well understood. Other risks, such as those posed by chronic exposure to many anthropogenic chemicals, pathogens, and naturally occurring toxins in coastal waters, are less well quantified. Even where there is a good understanding of the mechanism for health effects, good epidemiological data are often lacking. Solid data on economic and social consequences of these linkages are also lacking in most cases.* The design of management measures to address these risks must take into account the complexities of human response to warnings and other guidance, and the economic tradeoffs among different risks and benefits. Future research in oceans and human health to address public health risks associated with marine pathogens and toxins, and with marine dimensions of global change, should include epidemiological, behavioral, and economic components to ensure that resulting management measures incorporate effective economic and risk/benefit tradeoffs.

Economic analysis of the first 20 years of universal hepatitis B vaccination program in Italy: an a posteriori evaluation and forecast of future benefits.

PubMed

Boccalini, Sara; Taddei, Cristina; Ceccherini, Vega; Bechini, Angela; Levi, Miriam; Bartolozzi, Dario; Bonanni, Paolo

2013-05-01

Italy was one of the first countries in the world to introduce a routine vaccination program against HBV for newborns and 12-y-old children. From a clinical point of view, such strategy was clearly successful. The objective of our study was to verify whether, at 20 y from its implementation, hepatitis B universal vaccination had positive effects also from an economic point of view. An a posteriori analysis evaluated the impact that the hepatitis B immunization program had up to the present day. The implementation of vaccination brought an extensive reduction of the burden of hepatitis B-related diseases in the Italian population. As a consequence, the past and future savings due to clinical costs avoided are particularly high. We obtained a return on investment nearly equal to 1 from the National Health Service perspective, and a benefit-to-cost ratio slightly less than 1 for the Societal perspective, considering only the first 20 y from the start of the program. In the longer-time horizon, ROI and BCR values were positive (2.78 and 2.46, respectively). The break-even point was already achieved few years ago for the NHS and for the Society, and since then more and more money is progressively saved. The implementation of universal hepatitis B vaccination was very favorable during the first 20 y of adoption, and further benefits will be increasingly evident in the future. The hepatitis B vaccination program in Italy is a clear example of the great impact that universal immunization is able to provide in the medium-long-term when health care authorities are so wise as to invest in prevention.

Bayesian statistical inference enhances the interpretation of contemporary randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Wijeysundera, Duminda N; Austin, Peter C; Hux, Janet E; Beattie, W Scott; Laupacis, Andreas

2009-01-01

Randomized trials generally use "frequentist" statistics based on P-values and 95% confidence intervals. Frequentist methods have limitations that might be overcome, in part, by Bayesian inference. To illustrate these advantages, we re-analyzed randomized trials published in four general medical journals during 2004. We used Medline to identify randomized superiority trials with two parallel arms, individual-level randomization and dichotomous or time-to-event primary outcomes. Studies with P<0.05 in favor of the intervention were deemed "positive"; otherwise, they were "negative." We used several prior distributions and exact conjugate analyses to calculate Bayesian posterior probabilities for clinically relevant effects. Of 88 included studies, 39 were positive using a frequentist analysis. Although the Bayesian posterior probabilities of any benefit (relative risk or hazard ratio<1) were high in positive studies, these probabilities were lower and variable for larger benefits. The positive studies had only moderate probabilities for exceeding the effects that were assumed for calculating the sample size. By comparison, there were moderate probabilities of any benefit in negative studies. Bayesian and frequentist analyses complement each other when interpreting the results of randomized trials. Future reports of randomized trials should include both.

Benefits of the use of ICT in school activities by students with motor, speech, visual, and hearing impairment: a literature review.

PubMed

Lidström, Helene; Hemmingsson, Helena

2014-07-01

Information and communication technology (ICT) has the potential to enhance participation in educational activities for students with physical disabilities. Even though incorporating ICTs into teaching and learning in education has become an important issue, it is unclear what evidence research has provided. The aim of this study was to investigate types of ICT items and how ICT is being used by students with physical disabilities, and describe the benefits of ICT use in school activities. A systematic literature search, covering the period 2000-May 2012, was performed in the databases AMED, CINAHL, Eric, OTseeker, Psych Info, PubMed, and Scopus. Data analysis entailed extracting, editing, grouping, and abstracting findings. A total of 32 articles were included, 16 of which were intervention studies. More than half of the studies concerned students with motor impairments. Type of ICT used differed among impairment groups, and ICT seemed to be especially beneficial for writing, spelling, and communication. Even though the review found heterogeneity across the studies students seemed to benefit from ICT use regardless of the type. For future research it is important to highlight intervention studies, especially for students with visual, hearing, and communication impairments.