A Case Study: Feeling Safe and Comfortable at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Rose A.

2016-01-01

During the 2013-2014 school year, a case study on parent involvement was conducted at an elementary school in Florida's Broward County, the 9th largest school district in our nation. The study's goal was to identify a systematic schema for evaluating parent involvement in the school lives of students that would allow researchers to examine the…

The "UIC German" Game App for the Enhancement of Foreign Language Learning--Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryder, Robert; Machajewski, Szymon

2017-01-01

This qualitative case study reports the adoption of gamification in a college level foreign language courses. An exploratory approach allows the authors to describe how gamification was applied and what results were documented. A custom mobile app was adopted to increase engagement and interest of students in the specific field of study. External…

Single-case research design in pediatric psychology: considerations regarding data analysis.

PubMed

Cohen, Lindsey L; Feinstein, Amanda; Masuda, Akihiko; Vowles, Kevin E

2014-03-01

Single-case research allows for an examination of behavior and can demonstrate the functional relation between intervention and outcome in pediatric psychology. This review highlights key assumptions, methodological and design considerations, and options for data analysis. Single-case methodology and guidelines are reviewed with an in-depth focus on visual and statistical analyses. Guidelines allow for the careful evaluation of design quality and visual analysis. A number of statistical techniques have been introduced to supplement visual analysis, but to date, there is no consensus on their recommended use in single-case research design. Single-case methodology is invaluable for advancing pediatric psychology science and practice, and guidelines have been introduced to enhance the consistency, validity, and reliability of these studies. Experts generally agree that visual inspection is the optimal method of analysis in single-case design; however, statistical approaches are becoming increasingly evaluated and used to augment data interpretation.

a Study on Satellite Diagnostic Expert Systems Using Case-Based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Young-Tack; Kim, Jae-Hoon; Park, Hyun-Soo

1997-06-01

Many research works are on going to monitor and diagnose diverse malfunctions of satellite systems as the complexity and number of satellites increase. Currently, many works on monitoring and diagnosis are carried out by human experts but there are needs to automate much of the routine works of them. Hence, it is necessary to study on using expert systems which can assist human experts routine work by doing automatically, thereby allow human experts devote their expertise more critical and important areas of monitoring and diagnosis. In this paper, we are employing artificial intelligence techniques to model human experts' knowledge and inference the constructed knowledge. Especially, case-based approaches are used to construct a knowledge base to model human expert capabilities which use previous typical exemplars. We have designed and implemented a prototype case-based system for diagnosing satellite malfunctions using cases. Our system remembers typical failure cases and diagnoses a current malfunction by indexing the case base. Diverse methods are used to build a more user friendly interface which allows human experts can build a knowledge base in as easy way.

The Nevada Family: Political Crisis Leadership and Resilience Narratives in the Silver State

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

incidents. The analysis in the case studies focuses primarily on the actions of political leaders. Through the actions of political leaders during...which are all applied to and examined through case studies from recent crises within the state of Nevada. These incidents are both man-made and natural...disasters, and they occur over long and short time periods. These case studies allow for the actions and decisions of political leaders during

Undergraduate Labs for Biological Physics: Brownian Motion and Optical Trapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Kelvin; Laughney, A.; Williams, J.

2006-12-01

We describe a set of case-study driven labs for an upper-division biological physics course. These labs are motivated by case-studies and consist of inquiry-driven investigations of Brownian motion and optical-trapping experiments. Each lab incorporates two innovative educational techniques to drive the process and application aspects of scientific learning. Case studies are used to encourage students to think independently and apply the scientific method to a novel lab situation. Student input from this case study is then used to decide how to best do the measurement, guide the project and ultimately evaluate the success of the program. Where appropriate, visualization and simulation using VPython is used. Direct visualization of Brownian motion allows students to directly calculate Avogadro's number or the Boltzmann constant. Following case-study driven discussion, students use video microscopy to measure the motion of latex spheres in different viscosity fluids arrive at a good approximation of NA or kB. Optical trapping (laser tweezer) experiments allow students to investigate the consequences of 100-pN forces on small particles. The case study consists of a discussion of the Boltzmann distribution and equipartition theorem followed by a consideration of the shape of the potential. Students can then use video capture to measure the distribution of bead positions to determine the shape and depth of the trap. This work supported by NSF DUE-0536773.

The Gift of Time: Today's Academic Acceleration Case Study Voices of Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheibel, Susan Riley

2010-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine today's academic acceleration from the lived experience and perspectives of two young adults whose education was shortened, thereby allowing them the gift of time. Through personal interviews, parent interviews, and physical artifacts, the researcher gained a complex, holistic understanding…

Distributed Leadership with the Aim of "Reculturing": A Departmental Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melville, Wayne; Jones, Doug; Campbell, Todd

2014-01-01

This article considers a secondary science department that has, since 2000, developed distributed leadership as a form of human capacity building. Using a longitudinal ethnographic case study allowed us to consider how distributed leadership can be nurtured and developed in a department. Our analysis centres on two key issues: the nature and…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2017-01-01

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

[Duodeno-pancreatic trauma. About 14 cases].

PubMed

Beyrouti, Mohamed Issam; Beyrouti, Ramez; Kchaou, Issam; Gharbi, Walid; Elleuch, Slim; Tafech, Issam; Frikha, Foued; Ben Amar, Mohamed; Ghorbel, Ali; Bouaziz, Mounir; Karoui, Abdelhamid; Sellami, Abdelhafidh

2005-02-01

Through a series of 14 cases brought over a period of 12 years, we realized a retrospective, analytical and descriptive study of these traumatisms. We aimed to release recommendations to improve their management. It was 2 women and 12 men, whom mean age was 24.4 years (extremes: 50 and 60 years), divided into 10 pancreatic injuries, 2 duodenal injuries and 2 duodeno-pancreatic injuries. Etiology was dominated by traffic accidents 7 cases (50%). Trauma was closed in 13 cases (92%). Associated lesions were present among 13 patients (92%). The traumatism appeared by an urgent surgical abdomen among 9 patients, secondarily in 3 cases, tardily in 2 cases: a case of deep suppuration 3 months after a traumatism treated into ambulatory and a case of persistent ascites after a past unperceived traumatism. Abdominal ultrasonography was made among 4 patients. It allowed diagnosing only a case. Scanner was made among 4 patients. It allowed diagnosing all the cases. Only a patient was treated medically, it was a post-traumatic acute pancreatitis. Surgical treatment was made in 13 cases: conservative in 7 cases and radical in 6 cases. Follow-up was complicated in 11 cases (78%) and non-complicated in 3 cases. Mortality rate was 7.1%.

Custom Residential Housing Construction: A Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

Medicine Cabinets Allowance: 0 Vacuum System: Shower Door Allowance: Mailbox Allowance: Grab Ban Allowa a__: Skylights Allowance: Wet Bar Allowance: Bar-B...20030 IRONING BOARD 20040 SKYLIGHTS 20050 SHOWER DOORS/ITUB 21000 SECURITY SYSTEM 21010 PREWIREfTELF/CABLE 21020 INTERCOM 22000 CABINETS/VANITIES 44 JS...25FEB94 24FEB94 25FEB94 0 570 1 1 0 A/C PONS 23FEB94 28FE994 28FEB94 28FEB94 0 54 UUMm. WILOMS. In. PREWVUA PROJEC P1.411U TYPICAL MOMi CPM 41 DUll

A comparative study of the costliness of Manitoba hospitals.

PubMed

Shanahan, M; Loyd, M; Roos, N P; Brownell, M

1999-06-01

In light of ongoing discussions about health care policy, this study offered a method of calculating costs at Manitoba hospitals that compared relative costliness of inpatient care provided in each hospital. This methodology also allowed comparisons across types of hospitals-teaching, community, major rural, intermediate and small rural, as well as northern isolated facilities. Data used in this project include basic hospital information, both financial and statistical, for each of the Manitoba hospitals, hospital charge information by case from the State of Maryland, and hospital discharge abstract information for Manitoba. The data from Maryland were used to create relative cost weights (RCWs) for refined diagnostic related groups (RDRGs) and were subsequently adjusted for Manitoba length of stay. These case weights were then applied to cases in Manitoba hospitals, and several other adjustments were made for nontypical cases. This case mix system allows cost comparisons across hospitals. In general, hospital case mix costing demonstrated variability in hospital costliness, not only across types of hospitals but also within hospitals of the same type and size. Costs at the teaching hospitals were found to be considerably higher than the average, even after accounting for acuity and case mix.

Unethical Leadership in Higher Education and the Precarious Journey to Recovery: A Case Study of the Alabama Community College System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Donald L.

2009-01-01

Recent events of the Alabama Community College System are examined as an historical organizational case study. Critical events are noted along with associated professional literature related to those events and actions. While the study attempts to explain the organizational culture that allowed the rise of unethical leadership, the primary focus…

Evaluation of an Interactive Case-Based Online Network (ICON) in a Problem Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathoo, Arif N.; Goldhoff, Patricia; Quattrochi, James J.

2005-01-01

Purpose: This study sought to assess the introduction of a web-based innovation in medical education that complements traditional problem-based learning curricula. Utilizing the case method as its fundamental educational approach, the Interactive Case-based Online Network (ICON) allows students to interact with each other, faculty and a virtual…

Reciprocal-space mapping of epitaxic thin films with crystallite size and shape polydispersity.

PubMed

Boulle, A; Conchon, F; Guinebretière, R

2006-01-01

A development is presented that allows the simulation of reciprocal-space maps (RSMs) of epitaxic thin films exhibiting fluctuations in the size and shape of the crystalline domains over which diffraction is coherent (crystallites). Three different crystallite shapes are studied, namely parallelepipeds, trigonal prisms and hexagonal prisms. For each shape, two cases are considered. Firstly, the overall size is allowed to vary but with a fixed thickness/width ratio. Secondly, the thickness and width are allowed to vary independently. The calculations are performed assuming three different size probability density functions: the normal distribution, the lognormal distribution and a general histogram distribution. In all cases considered, the computation of the RSM only requires a two-dimensional Fourier integral and the integrand has a simple analytical expression, i.e. there is no significant increase in computing times by taking size and shape fluctuations into account. The approach presented is compatible with most lattice disorder models (dislocations, inclusions, mosaicity, ...) and allows a straightforward account of the instrumental resolution. The applicability of the model is illustrated with the case of an yttria-stabilized zirconia film grown on sapphire.

Students' Research Experiences during Consulting Projects: Three Themes Emerging from Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Carissa M. Holler

2010-01-01

Student consulting projects, an advanced form of problem-based learning, allow students to apply the skills developed in their classes on behalf of client organizations. A review of selected case studies in business education and other management education literature shows that research is an integral part of this consulting process. More than…

Case studies in corporate compliance: putting the rubber to the road.

PubMed

Shah, Udayan K; Schmidt, Richard J; Hussain, S S Musheer; Cook, Steven P; Smith, Gina M; Ziv, Barbara E; Reilly, James S

2009-08-01

An interdisciplinary, proactive perspective allows providers to engage in productive, long-term collaborative relationships with corporations, while 1) maintaining patient care improvements; 2) maintaining legality; 3) enhancing technical and clinical innovation; and 4) providing fair compensation for work done. The case study approach is used to demonstrate an effective approach to compliant behavior.

System Learning in an Urban School District: A Case Study of Intra-District Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redding, Christopher; Cannata, Marisa; Miller, Jason

2017-01-01

This paper presents evidence from a unique reform model that allowed teachers and other educators in a large urban district to collaborate with one another in the development of an innovation meant to improve student ownership and responsibility. In this longitudinal case study, we describe school stakeholders' learning about the design, the…

System Learning in an Urban School District: A Case Study of Intra-District Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redding, Christopher; Cannata, Marisa; Miller, Jason M.

2018-01-01

This paper presents evidence from a unique reform model that allowed teachers and other educators in a large urban district to collaborate with one another in the development of an innovation meant to improve student ownership and responsibility. In this longitudinal case study, we describe school stakeholders' learning about the design, the…

The Value of Play for Conflict Management: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snodgrass, Lyn; Blunt, Richard

2009-01-01

This is a case study of a conflict management intervention in two secondary schools in post-apartheid South Africa. The feature of the intervention that we examine is the use of play as an educational strategy. The literature attests that play can facilitate change by allowing learners freedom to change their behaviour and opportunities to explore…

Introduction to Command, Control and Communications (C3) Through Comparative Case Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

enhancing the process of learning from experience. Case study allows the student to apply concepts , theories, and techniques to an actual incident within...part of the thesis describes selected principles and concepts of 33 related to cormruication management, interoperability, command structure and...The solutions to the cases require applying the principles and concepts presented in the first rart. The four cases are: (1) the Iran hostage rescue

Arterial hypertension and skin allergy are risk factors for progression from dengue to dengue hemorrhagic fever: a case control study.

PubMed

Teixeira, Maria Glória; Paixão, Enny S; Costa, Maria da Conceição N; Cunha, Rivaldo V; Pamplona, Luciano; Dias, Juarez P; Figueiredo, Camila A; Figueiredo, Maria Aparecida A; Blanton, Ronald; Morato, Vanessa; Barreto, Maurício L; Rodrigues, Laura C

2015-05-01

Currently, knowledge does not allow early prediction of which cases of dengue fever (DF) will progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), to allow early intervention to prevent progression or to limit severity. The objective of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that some specific comorbidities increase the likelihood of a DF case progressing to DHF. A concurrent case-control study, conducted during dengue epidemics, from 2009 to 2012. Cases were patients with dengue fever that progressed to DHF, and controls were patients of dengue fever who did not progress to DHF. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between DHF and comorbidities. There were 490 cases of DHF and 1,316 controls. Among adults, progression to DHF was associated with self-reported hypertension (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.1) and skin allergy (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.1-3.2) with DHF after adjusting for ethnicity and socio-economic variables. There was no statistically significant association between any chronic disease and progression to DHF in those younger than 15 years. Physicians attending patients with dengue fever should keep those with hypertension or skin allergies in health units to monitor progression for early intervention. This would reduce mortality by dengue.

Estimating risk and rate levels, ratios and differences in case-control studies.

PubMed

King, Gary; Zeng, Langche

2002-05-30

Classic (or 'cumulative') case-control sampling designs do not admit inferences about quantities of interest other than risk ratios, and then only by making the rare events assumption. Probabilities, risk differences and other quantities cannot be computed without knowledge of the population incidence fraction. Similarly, density (or 'risk set') case-control sampling designs do not allow inferences about quantities other than the rate ratio. Rates, rate differences, cumulative rates, risks, and other quantities cannot be estimated unless auxiliary information about the underlying cohort such as the number of controls in each full risk set is available. Most scholars who have considered the issue recommend reporting more than just risk and rate ratios, but auxiliary population information needed to do this is not usually available. We address this problem by developing methods that allow valid inferences about all relevant quantities of interest from either type of case-control study when completely ignorant of or only partially knowledgeable about relevant auxiliary population information.

Trust of Population within Social Relations System of the Population: A Case Study of Nasleg Administration in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikhaylova, Anna; Popova, Liudmila

2016-01-01

The research consists in studying the level of population's trust in nasleg administration (in the administrative-territorial unit) of MS "Khatyryksky nasleg" of Namsky ulus using the case study. The leading research methods for the problem are empirical methods that allow revealing the level of population's trust in administration. The…

Assessment of severe malaria in a multicenter, phase III, RTS, S/AS01 malaria candidate vaccine trial: case definition, standardization of data collection and patient care.

PubMed

Vekemans, Johan; Marsh, Kevin; Greenwood, Brian; Leach, Amanda; Kabore, William; Soulanoudjingar, Solange; Asante, Kwaku Poku; Ansong, Daniel; Evans, Jennifer; Sacarlal, Jahit; Bejon, Philip; Kamthunzi, Portia; Salim, Nahya; Njuguna, Patricia; Hamel, Mary J; Otieno, Walter; Gesase, Samwel; Schellenberg, David

2011-08-04

An effective malaria vaccine, deployed in conjunction with other malaria interventions, is likely to substantially reduce the malaria burden. Efficacy against severe malaria will be a key driver for decisions on implementation. An initial study of an RTS, S vaccine candidate showed promising efficacy against severe malaria in children in Mozambique. Further evidence of its protective efficacy will be gained in a pivotal, multi-centre, phase III study. This paper describes the case definitions of severe malaria used in this study and the programme for standardized assessment of severe malaria according to the case definition. Case definitions of severe malaria were developed from a literature review and a consensus meeting of expert consultants and the RTS, S Clinical Trial Partnership Committee, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance. The same groups, with input from an Independent Data Monitoring Committee, developed and implemented a programme for standardized data collection.The case definitions developed reflect the typical presentations of severe malaria in African hospitals. Markers of disease severity were chosen on the basis of their association with poor outcome, occurrence in a significant proportion of cases and on an ability to standardize their measurement across research centres. For the primary case definition, one or more clinical and/or laboratory markers of disease severity have to be present, four major co-morbidities (pneumonia, meningitis, bacteraemia or gastroenteritis with severe dehydration) are excluded, and a Plasmodium falciparum parasite density threshold is introduced, in order to maximize the specificity of the case definition. Secondary case definitions allow inclusion of co-morbidities and/or allow for the presence of parasitaemia at any density. The programmatic implementation of standardized case assessment included a clinical algorithm for evaluating seriously sick children, improvements to care delivery and a robust training and evaluation programme for clinicians. The case definition developed for the pivotal phase III RTS, S vaccine study is consistent with WHO recommendations, is locally applicable and appropriately balances sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of severe malaria. Processes set up to standardize severe malaria data collection will allow robust assessment of the efficacy of the RTS, S vaccine against severe malaria, strengthen local capacity and benefit patient care for subjects in the trial. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00866619.

Semi-automatic knee cartilage segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dam, Erik B.; Folkesson, Jenny; Pettersen, Paola C.; Christiansen, Claus

2006-03-01

Osteo-Arthritis (OA) is a very common age-related cause of pain and reduced range of motion. A central effect of OA is wear-down of the articular cartilage that otherwise ensures smooth joint motion. Quantification of the cartilage breakdown is central in monitoring disease progression and therefore cartilage segmentation is required. Recent advances allow automatic cartilage segmentation with high accuracy in most cases. However, the automatic methods still fail in some problematic cases. For clinical studies, even if a few failing cases will be averaged out in the overall results, this reduces the mean accuracy and precision and thereby necessitates larger/longer studies. Since the severe OA cases are often most problematic for the automatic methods, there is even a risk that the quantification will introduce a bias in the results. Therefore, interactive inspection and correction of these problematic cases is desirable. For diagnosis on individuals, this is even more crucial since the diagnosis will otherwise simply fail. We introduce and evaluate a semi-automatic cartilage segmentation method combining an automatic pre-segmentation with an interactive step that allows inspection and correction. The automatic step consists of voxel classification based on supervised learning. The interactive step combines a watershed transformation of the original scan with the posterior probability map from the classification step at sub-voxel precision. We evaluate the method for the task of segmenting the tibial cartilage sheet from low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of knees. The evaluation shows that the combined method allows accurate and highly reproducible correction of the segmentation of even the worst cases in approximately ten minutes of interaction.

Addressing the Local in Localization: A Case Study of Open Textbook Adoption by Three South African Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jimes, Cynthia; Weiss, Shenandoah; Keep, Renae

2013-01-01

This article presents a case study of the adoption and use of open textbooks by three high school teachers in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The textbooks, collaboratively authored and distributed through the South African initiative, Siyavula, are available online and are openly licensed, allowing teachers to freely use, modify,…

Measures of progress for collaboration: case study of the Applegate Partnership.

Treesearch

Su. Rolle

2002-01-01

Using the Applegate Partnership as a case study, this paper proposes a number of ways to measure the success of collaborative groups. These measures allow for providing evaluation and feedback, engaging needed participants, and responding to groups critical of the collaborative process. Arguing for the concept of progress in place of success, this paper points out that...

A Case Study on the Perceptions of Educators on the Penetration of Personal Learning Environments in Typical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armakolas, Stefanos; Mikroyannidis, Alexander; Panagiotakopoulos, Christos; Panousopoulou, Theofania

2016-01-01

Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) help students manage and take control of their own learning. As such, the PLE promotes self-regulation in learning and allows learners to aggregate, manipulate and share digital artefacts within a flexible and versatile online space. This paper presents a case study in Greece, concerning an investigation about…

Blogs, Tweets, and Protests: Learning Movement Theory through Online Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muñoz, José A.; Culton, Kenneth R.

2016-01-01

This article takes the practical inquiry model as an approach to designing a course on social movements that combines self-directed investigation and group discussion as an avenue for deep learning. For the purpose of developing a case study, a guided approach is provided that allows the students to explore theory on their own and make connections…

Effect of Picture Archiving and Communication System Image Manipulation on the Agreement of Chest Radiograph Interpretation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Castro, Denise A; Naqvi, Asad Ahmed; Vandenkerkhof, Elizabeth; Flavin, Michael P; Manson, David; Soboleski, Donald

2016-01-01

Variability in image interpretation has been attributed to differences in the interpreters' knowledge base, experience level, and access to the clinical scenario. Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) has allowed the user to manipulate the images while developing their impression of the radiograph. The aim of this study was to determine the agreement of chest radiograph (CXR) impressions among radiologists and neonatologists and help determine the effect of image manipulation with PACS on report impression. Prospective cohort study included 60 patients from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit undergoing CXRs. Three radiologists and three neonatologists reviewed two consecutive frontal CXRs of each patient. Each physician was allowed manipulation of images as needed to provide a decision of "improved," "unchanged," or "disease progression" lung disease for each patient. Each physician repeated the process once more; this time, they were not allowed to individually manipulate the images, but an independent radiologist presets the image brightness and contrast to best optimize the CXR appearance. Percent agreement and opposing reporting views were calculated between all six physicians for each of the two methods (allowing and not allowing image manipulation). One hundred percent agreement in image impression between all six observers was only seen in 5% of cases when allowing image manipulation; 100% agreement was seen in 13% of the cases when there was no manipulation of the images. Agreement in CXR interpretation is poor; the ability to manipulate the images on PACS results in a decrease in agreement in the interpretation of these studies. New methods to standardize image appearance and allow improved comparison with previous studies should be sought to improve clinician agreement in interpretation consistency and advance patient care.

A comprehensive grid to evaluate case management's expected effectiveness for community-dwelling frail older people: results from a multiple, embedded case study.

PubMed

Van Durme, Thérèse; Schmitz, Olivier; Cès, Sophie; Anthierens, Sibyl; Maggi, Patrick; Delye, Sam; De Almeida Mello, Johanna; Declercq, Anja; Macq, Jean; Remmen, Roy; Aujoulat, Isabelle

2015-06-18

Case management is a type of intervention expected to improve the quality of care and therefore the quality of life of frail, community-dwelling older people while delaying institutionalisation in nursing homes. However, the heterogeneity, multidimensionality and complexity of these interventions make their evaluation by the means of classical approaches inadequate. Our objective was twofold: (i) to propose a tool allowing for the identification of the key components that explain the success of case management for this population and (ii) to propose a typology based on the results of this tool. The process started with a multiple embedded case study design in order to identify the key components of case management. Based on the results of this first step, data were collected among 22 case management interventions, in order to evaluate their expected effectiveness. Finally, multiple correspondence analyses was conducted to propose a typology of case management. The overall approach was informed by Wagner's Chronic Care Model and the theory of complexity. The study identified a total of 23 interacting key components. Based on the clustering of response patterns of the 22 case management projects included in our study, three types of case management programmes were evidenced, situated on a continuum from a more "socially-oriented" type towards a more "clinically-oriented" type of case management. The type of feedback provided to the general practitioner about both the global geriatric assessment and the result of the intervention turned out to be the most discriminant component between the types. The study design allowed to produce a tool that can be used to distinguish between different types of case management interventions and further evaluate their effect on frail older people in terms of the delaying institutionalisation, functional and cognitive status, quality of life and societal costs.

40 CFR 270.14 - Contents of part B: General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the extent required, the Director may make allowance for submission of such information on a case-by-case basis. Information required in part B shall be submitted to the Director and signed in accordance..., and engineering studies shall be certified by a qualified Professional Engineer. For post-closure...

40 CFR 270.14 - Contents of part B: General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the extent required, the Director may make allowance for submission of such information on a case-by-case basis. Information required in part B shall be submitted to the Director and signed in accordance..., and engineering studies shall be certified by a qualified Professional Engineer. For post-closure...

40 CFR 270.14 - Contents of part B: General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the extent required, the Director may make allowance for submission of such information on a case-by-case basis. Information required in part B shall be submitted to the Director and signed in accordance..., and engineering studies shall be certified by a qualified Professional Engineer. For post-closure...

40 CFR 270.14 - Contents of part B: General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the extent required, the Director may make allowance for submission of such information on a case-by-case basis. Information required in part B shall be submitted to the Director and signed in accordance..., and engineering studies shall be certified by a qualified Professional Engineer. For post-closure...

Classification and Framing in the Case Method: Discussion Leaders' Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badger, James

2010-01-01

Basil Bernstein's classification and framing was adopted as a theoretical model to analyse the instruction of two university professors who incorporated case studies into their graduate business and education courses. Classification and framing allows for a meaningful analysis of the discussion leader's questions that facilitate students'…

Assessing team performance in the operating room: development and use of a "black-box" recorder and other tools for the intraoperative environment.

PubMed

Guerlain, Stephanie; Adams, Reid B; Turrentine, F Beth; Shin, Thomas; Guo, Hui; Collins, Stephen R; Calland, J Forrest

2005-01-01

The objective of this research was to develop a digital system to archive the complete operative environment along with the assessment tools for analysis of this data, allowing prospective studies of operative performance, intraoperative errors, team performance, and communication. Ability to study this environment will yield new insights, allowing design of systems to avoid preventable errors that contribute to perioperative complications. A multitrack, synchronized, digital audio-visual recording system (RATE tool) was developed to monitor intraoperative performance, including software to synchronize data and allow assignment of independent observational scores. Cases were scored for technical performance, participants' situational awareness (knowledge of critical information), and their comfort and satisfaction with the conduct of the procedure. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (n = 10) was studied. Technical performance of the RATE tool was excellent. The RATE tool allowed real time, multitrack data collection of all aspects of the operative environment, while permitting digital recording of the objective assessment data in a time synchronized and annotated fashion during the procedure. The mean technical performance score was 73% +/- 28% of maximum (perfect) performance. Situational awareness varied widely among team members, with the attending surgeon typically the only team member having comprehensive knowledge of critical case information. The RATE tool allows prospective analysis of performance measures such as technical judgments, team performance, and communication patterns, offers the opportunity to conduct prospective intraoperative studies of human performance, and allows for postoperative discussion, review, and teaching. This study also suggests that gaps in situational awareness might be an underappreciated source of operative adverse events. Future uses of this system will aid teaching, failure or adverse event analysis, and intervention research.

Risking a Debate--Redefining Risk and Risk Management: A New Zealand Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zink, Robyn; Leberman, Sarah

2001-01-01

Interviews with 12 New Zealand outdoor instructors found that they viewed risk as an opportunity to gain something of value, as opposed to losing something of value. Repositioning risk in this manner could allow the debate around adventure education to move away from being dominated by risk management, allowing consideration of adventure…

"Physics and the Girly Girl--There Is a Contradiction Somewhere": Doctoral Students' Positioning around Discourses of Gender and Competence in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonsalves, Allison J.

2014-01-01

Doctoral physics students have stories about what kinds of actions, behaviours and ways of doing physics allow individuals to be recognized as physicists. Viewing a physics department as a case study, and individual participants as embedded cases, this study used a sociocultural approach to examine the ways doctoral students construct these…

An Exploratory Use of the Stakeholder Approach to Defining and Measuring Quality: The Case of a Cypriot Higher Education Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iacovidou, Melpo; Gibbs, Paul; Zopiatis, Anastasios

2009-01-01

Cyprus has recently adopted laws to allow for the provision of private higher education. This case study concerns one such institution that is developing its understanding of quality through the eyes of two of its key stakeholders, staff and students. This empirical study is nested within the literature that advocates community-wide acceptance of…

A Case Study in Software Adaptation

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

1 A Case Study in Software Adaptation Giuseppe Valetto Telecom Italia Lab Via Reiss Romoli 274 10148, Turin, Italy +39 011 2288788...configuration of the service; monitoring of database connectivity from within the service; monitoring of crashes and shutdowns of IM servers; monitoring of...of the IM server all share a relational database and a common runtime state repository, which make up the backend tier, and allow replicas to

Using Significant Geologic Hazards and Disasters to Focus Geoethics Case Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cronin, V. S.

2015-12-01

Ethics education since classical times has involved the consideration of stories, parables, myths, fables, allegories and histories. These are the ancient equivalents of case studies. Modern case studies are used in applied-ethics courses in law, engineering, business, and science. When used in a geoscience course, geoethical case studies can enrich a student's understanding of the relationships between issues of geoscience, engineering, sociology, business, public policy and law - all with an ethical dimension. Perhaps more importantly, real cases affected real people. Students develop a strong empathetic connection to the people involved, enhancing students' drive to understand the interconnected layers of the cases. Students might begin to appreciate that geoscientists can help to avoid or alleviate human suffering -- that their careers can have meaning and purpose beyond simply earning a paycheck. Geologic disasters in which losses could have been predicted, avoided or minimized are quite effective as cases. Coupling a "disaster" case with a comparable "hazard" case is particularly effective. For example, there are many places along the San Andreas Fault in California where [1] significant coseismic displacement has occurred during historical times, [2] structures that are still inhabited were built along or across active traces prior to the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act in 1971, and [3] inhabited structures have been built legally since 1971 within a few tens of feet of active traces. The question students confront is whether society ought to allow habitable structures to be built very near to a major active fault. This topic allows students to work with issues of law, history, seismology, seismic site response, crustal deformation adjacent to active faults, building codes and, ultimately, ethics. Similar progressions can be developed for other major geologic hazards, both natural and man-made, such as floods, landslides, erosion along rivers and coastlines, subsidence caused by fluid/gas withdrawal, induced seismicity, and pollution due to extractive industries. Case study sources are available via http://CroninProjects.org/Vince/GeoEthics/ and SERC has a growing collection of useful case studies (e.g., http://serc.carleton.edu/geoethics/case_studies.html).

Rethinking Case Study Methodology in Poststructural Research.

PubMed

Mohammed, Shan; Peter, Elizabeth; Gastaldo, Denise; Howell, Doris

2015-03-01

Little consideration has been given to how case study might be used in poststructural research to explore power relations that constitute a phenomenon. Many case study scholars, most notably Robert Yin, adopt a postpositivist perspective that assumes the "truth" can be accessed through applying prescriptive and rigid research techniques. Using a discussion of Michel Foucault's key theoretical ideas and the insights gained through a Foucauldian case study of people with advanced cancer who continue to receive curative treatment, the authors argue for the expansion of case study in poststructural inquiry. They propose that the use of poststructuralist case study is valuable because of the flexibility and comprehensiveness of the methodology, which allows for the exploration of a deeper understanding of the broader discourses that shape a phenomenon, as well as how power/knowledge relations shape the behaviours and perceptions of people. They also introduce the reflexive implications of poststructural case study research. Copyright© by Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University.

Evidence-Based Advances in Reptile Medicine.

PubMed

Mitchell, Mark A; Perry, Sean M

2017-09-01

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

The Effect of a Case-Based Reasoning Instructional Model on Korean High School Students' Awareness in Climate Change Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeong, Jinwoo; Kim, Hyoungbum; Chae, Dong-hyun; Kim, Eunjeong

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the case-based reasoning instructional model on learning about climate change unit. Results suggest that students showed interest because it allowed them to find the solution to the problem and solve the problem for themselves by analogy from other cases such as crossword puzzles in an…

Navigating Change with a Flexible Portfolio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyksinski, Deborah J.

2009-01-01

This case study demonstrates how building a flexible portfolio of services allowed a continuing education (CE) unit to thrive during frequent leadership changes. The case is set in a small state college, State Technology Institute at Mohawk (STIM), which experienced nine leadership changes in as many years. The names of the institution and its…

Utilizing the Peer Group Method with Case Studies to Teach Pharmacokinetics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Pamela J.

1994-01-01

A pharmacy school large-group (110 students) course in pharmacokinetics was designed to incorporate small-group team-based problem solving. The method allows students to learn material through traditional lecture, research the topic further, discuss the information gained, and apply the learning to specific cases in a manner that promotes…

78 FR 58328 - Change-1 to Navigation and Inspection Circular 04-08

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-23

...-simplified the process to a ``go/no-go'' decision that would not allow all factors to be considered. In... by immersion in sea simulation and video electronystagmography to study their vestibular systems. The... stricter standards on a case-by-case basis as needed. The Coast Guard disagrees that sea simulation and...

A Comparison of Mean Phase Difference and Generalized Least Squares for Analyzing Single-Case Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manolov, Rumen; Solanas, Antonio

2013-01-01

The present study focuses on single-case data analysis specifically on two procedures for quantifying differences between baseline and treatment measurements. The first technique tested is based on generalized least square regression analysis and is compared to a proposed non-regression technique, which allows obtaining similar information. The…

Bias reduction in repeated-measures observational studies by the use of propensity score: the case of enteral sedation for critically ill patients.

PubMed

Umbrello, Michele; Mistraletti, Giovanni; Corbella, Davide; Cigada, Marco; Salini, Silvia; Morabito, Alberto; Iapichino, Gaetano

2012-12-01

Within the evidence-based medicine paradigm, randomized controlled trials represent the "gold standard" to produce reliable evidence. Indeed, planning and implementing randomized controlled trials in critical care medicine presents limitations because of intrinsic and structural problems. As a consequence, observational studies still occur frequently. In these cases, propensity score (PS) (probability of receiving a treatment conditional on observed covariates) is an increasingly used technique to adjust the results. Few studies addressed the specific issue of a PS correction of repeated-measures designs. Three techniques for correcting the analysis of nonrandomized designs (matching, stratification, regression adjustment) are presented in a tutorial form and applied to a real case study: the comparison between intravenous and enteral sedative therapy in the intensive care unit setting. After showing the results before and after the use of PS, we suggest that such a tool allows to partially overcoming the bias associated with the observational nature of the study. It permits to correct the estimates for any observed covariate, while unobserved confounders cannot be controlled for. Propensity score represents a useful additional tool to estimate the effects of treatments in nonrandomized studies. In the case study, an enteral sedation approach was equally effective to an intravenous regime, allowing for a lower level of sedation and spare of resources. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

sourceR: Classification and source attribution of infectious agents among heterogeneous populations

PubMed Central

French, Nigel

2017-01-01

Zoonotic diseases are a major cause of morbidity, and productivity losses in both human and animal populations. Identifying the source of food-borne zoonoses (e.g. an animal reservoir or food product) is crucial for the identification and prioritisation of food safety interventions. For many zoonotic diseases it is difficult to attribute human cases to sources of infection because there is little epidemiological information on the cases. However, microbial strain typing allows zoonotic pathogens to be categorised, and the relative frequencies of the strain types among the sources and in human cases allows inference on the likely source of each infection. We introduce sourceR, an R package for quantitative source attribution, aimed at food-borne diseases. It implements a Bayesian model using strain-typed surveillance data from both human cases and source samples, capable of identifying important sources of infection. The model measures the force of infection from each source, allowing for varying survivability, pathogenicity and virulence of pathogen strains, and varying abilities of the sources to act as vehicles of infection. A Bayesian non-parametric (Dirichlet process) approach is used to cluster pathogen strain types by epidemiological behaviour, avoiding model overfitting and allowing detection of strain types associated with potentially high “virulence”. sourceR is demonstrated using Campylobacter jejuni isolate data collected in New Zealand between 2005 and 2008. Chicken from a particular poultry supplier was identified as the major source of campylobacteriosis, which is qualitatively similar to results of previous studies using the same dataset. Additionally, the software identifies a cluster of 9 multilocus sequence types with abnormally high ‘virulence’ in humans. sourceR enables straightforward attribution of cases of zoonotic infection to putative sources of infection. As sourceR develops, we intend it to become an important and flexible resource for food-borne disease attribution studies. PMID:28558033

Assessment of severe malaria in a multicenter, phase III, RTS, S/AS01 malaria candidate vaccine trial: case definition, standardization of data collection and patient care

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background An effective malaria vaccine, deployed in conjunction with other malaria interventions, is likely to substantially reduce the malaria burden. Efficacy against severe malaria will be a key driver for decisions on implementation. An initial study of an RTS, S vaccine candidate showed promising efficacy against severe malaria in children in Mozambique. Further evidence of its protective efficacy will be gained in a pivotal, multi-centre, phase III study. This paper describes the case definitions of severe malaria used in this study and the programme for standardized assessment of severe malaria according to the case definition. Methods Case definitions of severe malaria were developed from a literature review and a consensus meeting of expert consultants and the RTS, S Clinical Trial Partnership Committee, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance. The same groups, with input from an Independent Data Monitoring Committee, developed and implemented a programme for standardized data collection. The case definitions developed reflect the typical presentations of severe malaria in African hospitals. Markers of disease severity were chosen on the basis of their association with poor outcome, occurrence in a significant proportion of cases and on an ability to standardize their measurement across research centres. For the primary case definition, one or more clinical and/or laboratory markers of disease severity have to be present, four major co-morbidities (pneumonia, meningitis, bacteraemia or gastroenteritis with severe dehydration) are excluded, and a Plasmodium falciparum parasite density threshold is introduced, in order to maximize the specificity of the case definition. Secondary case definitions allow inclusion of co-morbidities and/or allow for the presence of parasitaemia at any density. The programmatic implementation of standardized case assessment included a clinical algorithm for evaluating seriously sick children, improvements to care delivery and a robust training and evaluation programme for clinicians. Conclusions The case definition developed for the pivotal phase III RTS, S vaccine study is consistent with WHO recommendations, is locally applicable and appropriately balances sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of severe malaria. Processes set up to standardize severe malaria data collection will allow robust assessment of the efficacy of the RTS, S vaccine against severe malaria, strengthen local capacity and benefit patient care for subjects in the trial. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00866619 PMID:21816031

An ergonomic study on the navigation structure and information units of websites with multimedia content. A case study of the Xbox 360 promotional website.

PubMed

Ariel, Eduardo; de Moraes, Anamaria

2012-01-01

This paper presents an ergonomic study on the navigation structures and information units of entertainment sites with multimedia content. This research is a case study on the XBOX 360 promotional website. It analyzes the presentation of the content on a grid that simulates the spatial displacement of the screen's elements and evaluates the interaction that the page allows for, from the users' point of view.

A Study of False-Positive and False-Negative Error Rates in Cartridge Case Comparisons

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-07

materials for the study, in particular Vicki Sieve. 3 Abstract: This report provides the details for a study designed to...participate in ASCLD were provided with 15 sets of 3 known + 1 unknown cartridge cases fired from a collection of 25 new Ruger SR9 handguns . The...answer sheet allowing for the AFTE range of conclusions, and return shipping materials . They were also asked to assess how many of the 3 knowns were

Cost minimization analysis of low back pain claims data for chiropractic vs medicine in a managed care organization.

PubMed

Grieves, Brian; Menke, J Michael; Pursel, Kevin J

2009-01-01

A managed care organization (MCO) examined differences in allowed cost for managing low back pain by medical providers vs chiropractors in an integrated care environment. The purpose of this study is to provide a retrospective cost analysis of administrative data of chiropractic vs medical management of low back pain in a managed care setting. All patients with a low back pain-related diagnosis presenting for health care from January 2004 to June 2004 who were insured by an MCO in northeast Wisconsin were tracked. The cumulative health care costs incurred by this MCO during the 2-year period from January 2004 to December 2005 related to these back pain diagnoses were collected. Allowed costs of chiropractic treatment were 12% greater than medical primary care and 60% less per case than other types of medical care combined, on a per-case basis: median cost of medical primary care was $365.00, chiropractic care was $417.00, and medical nonprimary care was $669.00. This study of an MCO's low back pain allowed costs may be better redirected to primary care or chiropractic, given equivalent levels of case complexity. This study suggests chiropractic management as less expensive compared with medical management of back pain when care extends beyond primary care. Primary care management alone is virtually indistinguishable from chiropractic management in terms of costs.

26 CFR 1.612-2 - Allowable capital additions in case of mines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2011-04-01 2009-04-01 true Allowable capital additions in case of mines. 1.612-2 Section 1.612-2 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Natural Resources § 1.612-2 Allowable capital additions...

Value of syndromic surveillance within the Armed Forces for early warning during a dengue fever outbreak in French Guiana in 2006

PubMed Central

Meynard, Jean-Baptiste; Chaudet, Hervé; Texier, Gaetan; Ardillon, Vanessa; Ravachol, Françoise; Deparis, Xavier; Jefferson, Henry; Dussart, Philippe; Morvan, Jacques; Boutin, Jean-Paul

2008-01-01

Background A dengue fever outbreak occured in French Guiana in 2006. The objectives were to study the value of a syndromic surveillance system set up within the armed forces, compared to the traditional clinical surveillance system during this outbreak, to highlight issues involved in comparing military and civilian surveillance systems and to discuss the interest of syndromic surveillance for public health response. Methods Military syndromic surveillance allows the surveillance of suspected dengue fever cases among the 3,000 armed forces personnel. Within the same population, clinical surveillance uses several definition criteria for dengue fever cases, depending on the epidemiological situation. Civilian laboratory surveillance allows the surveillance of biologically confirmed cases, within the 200,000 inhabitants. Results It was shown that syndromic surveillance detected the dengue fever outbreak several weeks before clinical surveillance, allowing quick and effective enhancement of vector control within the armed forces. Syndromic surveillance was also found to have detected the outbreak before civilian laboratory surveillance. Conclusion Military syndromic surveillance allowed an early warning for this outbreak to be issued, enabling a quicker public health response by the armed forces. Civilian surveillance system has since introduced syndromic surveillance as part of its surveillance strategy. This should enable quicker public health responses in the future. PMID:18597694

[Contribution of echogradient magnetic resonance imaging in the study of subacromial diseases. Surgical and arthrographic correlations].

PubMed

Touzard, R C; Pigeau, I; Doursounian, L; Maigne, J Y; Vadrot, D

1991-01-01

Fifteen asymptomatic volunteers and 300 patients with suspected lesions of the rotator cuff were examined with T2*- and proton density-weighted gradient echo (T2*-Rho-GEI) MRI sequences (500-700 ms/30 ms/30 degrees) with a 0.5 T (GE-CGR) system and an adapted surface coil. For the patients, the findings were compared with those of arthrography in 130 cases and of surgery in 42 cases. For the operated patients, T2*-Rho-GEI and arthrography allowed correctly diagnosing 31 complete ruptures (CR). However, surgical exploration of the ruptures showed that T2*-Rho-GEI showed the actual extent of the rupture and the degree of tendon retraction better than arthrography. T2*-Rho-GEI also provides information about the thickness and trophicity of the remaining cuff and on local muscle trophicity. T2*-Rho-GEI allows directly evaluating the tendon of the long head of the biceps both in its extra-articular and its intra-articular parts. In 3 cases of complete cuff rupture, MRI allowed detecting 3 associated lesions of the anterior labrum, which had not been suspected on the clinical examination and had not been demonstrated by conventional arthrography. Lastly, out of 12 cases of deep incomplete rupture (n = 12) correctly diagnosed with MRI, 5 had been undetected on arthrography. Similarly, 8 cases of inflammatory alterations suspected with T2*-Rho-GEI and confirmed by surgery had not been recognized with arthrography. For the non-operated patients, T2*-Rho-GEI and arthrography had corresponding results for the diagnosis of CR (8 cases), of DIR (6 cases) and of intact cuff (6 cases).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Do transportation subsidies and living allowances improve tuberculosis control outcomes among internal migrants in urban Shanghai, China?

PubMed

Lu, Hui; Yan, Fei; Wang, Wei; Wu, Laiwa; Ma, Weiping; Chen, Jing; Shen, Xin; Mei, Jian

2013-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) in internal migrants is one of three threats for TB control in China. To address this threat, a project was launched in eight of the 19 districts of Shanghai in 2007 to provide transportation subsidies and living allowances for all migrant TB cases. This study aims to determine if this project contributed to improved TB control outcomes among migrants in urban Shanghai. This was a community intervention study. The data were derived from the TB Management Information System in three project districts and three non-project districts in Shanghai between 2006 and 2010. The impact of the project was estimated in a difference-in-difference (DID) analysis framework, and a multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. A total of 1872 pulmonary TB (PTB) cases in internal migrants were included in the study. The treatment success rate (TSR) for migrant smear-positive cases in project districts increased from 59.9% in 2006 to 87.6% in 2010 (P < 0.001). The crude DID improvement of TSR was 18.9%. There was an increased probability of TSR in the project group before and after the project intervention period (coefficient = 1.156, odds ratio = 3.178, 95% confidence interval: 1.305-7.736, P = 0.011). The study showed the project could improve treatment success in migrant PTB cases. This was a short-term programme using special financial subsidies for all migrant PTB cases. It is recommended that project funds be continuously invested by governments with particular focus on the more vulnerable PTB cases among migrants.

Developing Sampling Frame for Case Study: Challenges and Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ishak, Noriah Mohd; Abu Bakar, Abu Yazid

2014-01-01

Due to statistical analysis, the issue of random sampling is pertinent to any quantitative study. Unlike quantitative study, the elimination of inferential statistical analysis, allows qualitative researchers to be more creative in dealing with sampling issue. Since results from qualitative study cannot be generalized to the bigger population,…

Using case study within a sequential explanatory design to evaluate the impact of specialist and advanced practice roles on clinical outcomes: the SCAPE study.

PubMed

Lalor, Joan G; Casey, Dympna; Elliott, Naomi; Coyne, Imelda; Comiskey, Catherine; Higgins, Agnes; Murphy, Kathy; Devane, Declan; Begley, Cecily

2013-04-08

The role of the clinical nurse/midwife specialist and advanced nurse/midwife practitioner is complex not least because of the diversity in how the roles are operationalised across health settings and within multidisciplinary teams. This aim of this paper is to use The SCAPE Study: Specialist Clinical and Advanced Practitioner Evaluation in Ireland to illustrate how case study was used to strengthen a Sequential Explanatory Design. In Phase 1, clinicians identified indicators of specialist and advanced practice which were then used to guide the instrumental case study design which formed the second phase of the larger study. Phase 2 used matched case studies to evaluate the effectiveness of specialist and advanced practitioners on clinical outcomes for service users. Data were collected through observation, documentary analysis, and interviews. Observations were made of 23 Clinical Specialists or Advanced Practitioners, and 23 matched clinicians in similar matched non-postholding sites, while they delivered care. Forty-one service users, 41 clinicians, and 23 Directors of Nursing or Midwifery were interviewed, and 279 service users completed a survey based on the components of CS and AP practice identified in Phase 1. A coding framework, and the generation of cross tabulation matrices in NVivo, was used to make explicit how the outcome measures were confirmed and validated from multiple sources. This strengthened the potential to examine single cases that seemed 'different', and allowed for cases to be redefined. Phase 3 involved interviews with policy-makers to set the findings in context. Case study is a powerful research strategy to use within sequential explanatory mixed method designs, and adds completeness to the exploration of complex issues in clinical practice. The design is flexible, allowing the use of multiple data collection methods from both qualitative and quantitative paradigms. Multiple approaches to data collection are needed to evaluate the impact of complex roles and interventions in health care outcomes and service delivery. Case study design is an appropriate methodology to use when study outcomes relate to clinical practice.

Physiologic study of the terminal digestive tract in chronic painful constipation.

PubMed Central

Meunier, P

1986-01-01

A manometric study of the sigmoid colon and of the anorectum was undertaken in 65 chronically constipated patients complaining of abdominal pain, and in a control group of 23 healthy volunteers. Rectal compliance was tested in both groups. The sigmoid motility study allowed for the segregation of the constipated patients into three groups: hypokinesia (12 cases), normokinesia (34 cases), hyperkinesia (19 cases). Rectal manometry showed anal hypertony in 24 patients, impaired rectal conscious sensitivity in 12 subjects, and normal functions in the remaining cases. The rectal compliance study disclosed a decreased compliance in 15 cases and increased compliance in 13 other patients. In 12 cases disordered sigmoid motility was the only abnormality; in 10 cases only a rectoanal abnormality was found. Most of the patients (52%) exhibited miscellaneous disorders. In contrast, all parameters were normal in nine subjects. No consistent pattern of motility disorders was thus demonstrated in this clinically homogeneous group of patients with chronic, painful, constipation. PMID:3758814

Mobile phones as a new memory aid: a preliminary investigation using case studies.

PubMed

Wade, T K; Troy, J C

2001-04-01

Memory impairment is one of the most common concerns following a brain injury of any severity. The use of effective external memory aids can help minimize the devastating effects such memory impairment can have on an individual's everyday life. Reviewed in this report are case studies of five individuals suffering significant everyday memory problems that were given a new memory aid that utilizes standard mobile phones. Measurements included diary-format observations and qualitative feedback. The results of the study show promising outcomes for all of the cases, and have led to recent adaptations to allow for wider and more effective use of this memory aid.

[MR cholangiopancreatography in choledochal cysts].

PubMed

Frampas, E; Moussaly, F; Léauté, F; Heloury, Y; Le Neel, J C; Dupas, B

1999-12-01

To assess the value of MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in the diagnosis and preoperative evaluation of choledochal cysts. Five patients (aged between 6 days and 28 years) were investigated by MRCP, referred for ultrasonographic detection of a bile duct dilatation or a cystic structure, of antenatal diagnosis (1 case), for jaundice or abdominal pain (3 cases) or in late follow-up of a choledochal cyst surgery. Two endoscopic-ultrasonographic studies were performed. The five patients underwent surgery without preoperative biliary cholangiography. MRCP was performed using a HASTE sequence in frontal, oblique, axial planes (1,5 Tesla MR unit). MRCP allowed to confirm choledochal cyst, helps to specify the anatomical type (2 type I, 3 type II), detects choledocholithiasis (3 cases). Anatomic correlation was perfect. MRCP allowed to exclude gastrointestinal duplication. Anomalous junction of the pancreaticobiliary duct was found in one case. MRCP diagnoses choledochal cysts, specifies type, helps surgery and can avoid endoscopic retrograde cholangiography or endoscopic sonographic examinations especially for children. It may find an anomalous junction of the pancreaticobiliary duct.

WHO Dengue Case Classification 2009 and its usefulness in practice: an expert consensus in the Americas

PubMed Central

Horstick, Olaf; Martinez, Eric; Guzman, Maria Guadalupe; Martin, Jose Luis San; Ranzinger, Silvia Runge

2015-01-01

Introduction: In 2009, the new World Health Organization (WHO) dengue case classification – dengue/severe dengue (D/SD) – was introduced, replacing the 1997 WHO dengue case classification: dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DF/DHF/DSS). Methods: A 2-day expert consensus meeting in La Habana/Cuba aimed to (1) share the experiences from Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) member states when applying D/SD, (2) present national and local data using D/SD, and (3) agree with the presented evidence on a list of recommendations for or against the use of D/SD for PAHO, and also globally. Results: Eight key questions were discussed, concluding: (1) D/SD is useful describing disease progression because it considers the dynamic nature of the disease, (2) D/SD helps defining dengue cases correctly for clinical studies, because it defines more precisely disease severity and allows evaluating dynamically the progression of cases, (3) D/SD describes correctly all clinical forms of severe dengue. Further standards need to be developed regionally, especially related to severe organ involvement, (4) D/SD allows for pathophysiological research identifying – in a sequential manner – the clinical manifestations of dengue related to pathophysiological events, (5) the warning signs help identifying early cases at risk of shock (children and adults), pathophysiology of the warning signs deserves further studies, (6) D/SD helps treating individual dengue cases and also the reorganization of health-care services for outbreak management, (7) D/SD helps diagnosing dengue, in presumptive diagnosis and follow-up of the disease, because of its high sensitivity and high negative predictive value (NPV), and (8) there is currently no update of the International Disease Classification10 (ICD10) to include the new classification of dengue (D/SD); therefore, there are not enough experiences of epidemiological reporting. Once D/SD has been implemented in epidemiological surveillance, D/SD allows to (1) identify severity of dengue cases in real time, for any decision-making on actions, (2) measure and compare morbidity and mortality in countries, and also globally, and (3) trigger contingency plans early, not only based on the number of reported cases but also on the reported severity of cases. Conclusion: The expert panel recommends to (1) update ICD10, (2) include D/SD in country epidemiological reports, and (3) implement studies improving sensitivity/specificity of the dengue case definition. PMID:25630344

Cultural specificity in food choice - The case of ethnography in Japan.

PubMed

Freedman, Irith

2016-01-01

Previous studies examining food choice from a cross-cultural perspective were based primarily on quantitative research using the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ). This study suggests ethnography as a complementary research method in cross-cultural food choice studies. While use of the FCQ resulted in findings of cultural differences in food choice processes, within a preliminary motive list, ethnography allows the exploration of new, possibly culture-specific motives for food choice. Moreover, ethnography allows a deeper understanding of the cultural background of food choice processes in a studied culture. Using Japan as a case study, this research demonstrates the use of ethnography to argue that variety is a primary motive for food choice in contemporary Japanese culture. Variety is hence regarded here as a part of a larger food culture attribute, an "adventurous palate," which can also provide a background for previous FCQ findings (Prescott, Young, O'neill, Yau, & Stevens, 2002). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environment And Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology (EAGLE) study: an integrative population-based case-control study of lung cancer.

PubMed

Landi, Maria Teresa; Consonni, Dario; Rotunno, Melissa; Bergen, Andrew W; Goldstein, Alisa M; Lubin, Jay H; Goldin, Lynn; Alavanja, Michael; Morgan, Glen; Subar, Amy F; Linnoila, Ilona; Previdi, Fabrizio; Corno, Massimo; Rubagotti, Maurizia; Marinelli, Barbara; Albetti, Benedetta; Colombi, Antonio; Tucker, Margaret; Wacholder, Sholom; Pesatori, Angela C; Caporaso, Neil E; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto

2008-06-06

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Tobacco smoking is its primary cause, and yet the precise molecular alterations induced by smoking in lung tissue that lead to lung cancer and impact survival have remained obscure. A new framework of research is needed to address the challenges offered by this complex disease. We designed a large population-based case-control study that combines a traditional molecular epidemiology design with a more integrative approach to investigate the dynamic process that begins with smoking initiation, proceeds through dependency/smoking persistence, continues with lung cancer development and ends with progression to disseminated disease or response to therapy and survival. The study allows the integration of data from multiple sources in the same subjects (risk factors, germline variation, genomic alterations in tumors, and clinical endpoints) to tackle the disease etiology from different angles. Before beginning the study, we conducted a phone survey and pilot investigations to identify the best approach to ensure an acceptable participation in the study from cases and controls. Between 2002 and 2005, we enrolled 2101 incident primary lung cancer cases and 2120 population controls, with 86.6% and 72.4% participation rate, respectively, from a catchment area including 216 municipalities in the Lombardy region of Italy. Lung cancer cases were enrolled in 13 hospitals and population controls were randomly sampled from the area to match the cases by age, gender and residence. Detailed epidemiological information and biospecimens were collected from each participant, and clinical data and tissue specimens from the cases. Collection of follow-up data on treatment and survival is ongoing. EAGLE is a new population-based case-control study that explores the full spectrum of lung cancer etiology, from smoking addiction to lung cancer outcome, through examination of epidemiological, molecular, and clinical data. We have provided a detailed description of the study design, field activities, management, and opportunities for research following this integrative approach, which allows a sharper and more comprehensive vision of the complex nature of this disease. The study is poised to accelerate the emergence of new preventive and therapeutic strategies with potentially enormous impact on public health.

Intraoperative utilization of advanced imaging modalities in a complex kidney stone case: a pilot case study.

PubMed

Christiansen, Andrew R; Shorti, Rami M; Smith, Cory D; Prows, William C; Bishoff, Jay T

2018-05-01

Despite the increasing use of advanced 3D imaging techniques and 3D printing, these techniques have not yet been comprehensively compared in a surgical setting. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of five different advanced imaging modalities during a complex renal surgical procedure. A patient with a horseshoe kidney and multiple large, symptomatic stones that had failed Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) and ureteroscopy treatment was used for this evaluation. CT data were used to generate five different imaging modalities, including a 3D printed model, three different volume rendered models, and a geometric CAD model. A survey was used to evaluate the quality and breadth of the imaging modalities during four different phases of the laparoscopic procedure. In the case of a complex kidney procedure, the CAD model, 3D print, volume render on an autostereoscopic 3D display, interactive and basic volume render models demonstrated added insight and complemented the surgical procedure. CAD manual segmentation allowed tissue layers and/or kidney stones to be made colorful and semi-transparent, allowing easier navigation through abnormal vasculature. The 3D print allowed for simultaneous visualization of renal pelvis and surrounding vasculature. Our preliminary exploration indicates that various advanced imaging modalities, when properly utilized and supported during surgery, can be useful in complementing the CT data and laparoscopic display. This study suggests that various imaging modalities, such as ones utilized in this case, can be beneficial intraoperatively depending on the surgical step involved and may be more helpful than 3D printed models. We also present factors to consider when evaluating advanced imaging modalities during complex surgery.

[Deeply infiltrating endometriosis and infertility: CNGOF-HAS Endometriosis Guidelines].

PubMed

Mathieu d'Argent, E; Cohen, J; Chauffour, C; Pouly, J L; Boujenah, J; Poncelet, C; Decanter, C; Santulli, P

2018-03-01

Deeply infiltrating endometriosis is a severe form of the disease, defined by endometriotic tissue peritoneal infiltration. The disease may involve the rectovaginal septum, uterosacral ligaments, digestive tract or bladder. Deeply infiltrating endometriosis is responsible for disabling pain and infertility. The purpose of these recommendations is to answer the following question: in case of deeply infiltrating endometriosis associated infertility, what is the best therapeutic strategy? First-line surgery and then in vitro fertilization (IVF) in case of persistent infertility or first-line IVF, without surgery? After exhaustive literature analysis, we suggest the following recommendations: studies focusing on spontaneous fertility of infertile patients with deeply infiltrating endometriosis found spontaneous pregnancy rates about 10%. Treatment should be considered in infertile women with deeply infiltrating endometriosis when they wish to conceive. First-line IVF is a good option in case of no operated deeply infiltrating endometriosis associated infertility. Pregnancy rates (spontaneous and following assisted reproductive techniques) after surgery (deep lesions without colorectal involvement) varie from 40 to 85%. After colorectal endometriosis resection, pregnancy rates vary from 47 to 59%. The studies comparing the pregnancy rates after IVF, whether or not preceded by surgery, are contradictory and do not allow, to date, to conclude on the interest of any surgical management of deep lesions before IVF. In case of alteration of ovarian reserve parameters (age, AMH, antral follicle count), there is no argument to recommend first-line surgery or IVF. The study of the literature does not identify any prognostic factors, allowing to chose between surgical management or IVF. The use of IVF in the indication "deep infiltrating endometriosis" allows satisfactory pregnancy rates without significant risk, regarding disease progression or oocyte retrieval procedure morbidity. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Does gender discrimination exist in a gynecology training program in a private hospital?

PubMed

Geisler, J P; Mernitz, C S; Geisler, M J; Harsha, C G; Eskew, P N

1999-01-01

Does gender discrimination by attending physicians exists in a residency in regard to residents' opportunities to perform complete/operative management of hysterectomies versus just being surgical assistants? The program studied is a 4-year program in obstetrics and gynecology residency with 3 residents per year. All cases involving a resident were recorded in a computer program designed by one of the authors (C.S.M.) to collect data for Residency Review Committee reports. Data were able to be sorted in a variety of methods including level of management, date of procedure, Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology codes, and attending physician name or resident name. Only intrafascial and extrafascial hysterectomies for benign disease were included in the study. Data were collected from July 1, 1996 to March 31, 1997. Five hundred and forty-nine hysterectomies with residents participating as primary surgeon (complete/operative management) or surgical assistant were performed during the study period. Complete/operative management was performed by the resident in 82.5% of cases while the resident was surgical assistant in 17.5%. Male residents were responsible for complete/operative management in 81.6% of cases and female residents in 83.2% of cases (P = 0.33). Male attending physicians were more likely to allow residents (male or female) to participate as the primary surgeon in abdominal hysterectomies (95.3%) and vaginal hysterectomies (68.5%) than female attending physicians (abdominal, 87.0% and vaginal, 57.3%) (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). Although male attending physicians were more likely than female attending physicians to allow residents to perform complete/operative management, there was no discrimination as to whether the resident in question was male or female. When determining the level of management private gynecologists will allow residents to perform they do not practice gender discrimination.

26 CFR 1.612-2 - Allowable capital additions in case of mines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Allowable capital additions in case of mines. 1... in case of mines. (a) In general. Expenditures for improvements and for replacements, not including... the recession of the working faces of the mine and which: (1) Do not increase the value of the mine...

Site-Based Management versus Systems-Based Thinking: The Impact of Data-Driven Accountability and Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mette, Ian M.; Bengtson, Ed

2015-01-01

This case was written to help prepare building-level and central office administrators who are expected to effectively lead schools and systems in an often tumultuous world of educational accountability and reform. The intent of this case study is to allow educators to examine the impact data management has on the types of thinking required when…

Design and Development of an Online Video Enhanced Case-Based Learning Environment for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltan, Fatih; Özden, M. Yasar; Kiraz, Ercan

2016-01-01

People generally prefer to use stories in order to provide context when expressing a point. Spreading a message without context is unlikely to be meaningful. Like stories, cases have contextual meaning and allow learners to see a situation from multiple perspectives. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate how to design and…

Flow cytometry of duodenal intraepithelial lymphocytes improves diagnosis of celiac disease in difficult cases.

PubMed

Valle, Julio; Morgado, José Mario T; Ruiz-Martín, Juan; Guardiola, Antonio; Lopes-Nogueras, Miriam; García-Vela, Almudena; Martín-Sacristán, Beatriz; Sánchez-Muñoz, Laura

2017-10-01

Diagnosis of celiac disease is difficult when the combined results of serology and histology are inconclusive. Studies using flow cytometry of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) have found that celiac patients have increased numbers of γδ IELs, along with a decrease in CD3-CD103 + IELs. The objective of this article is to assess the role of flow cytometric analysis of IELs in the diagnosis of celiac disease in difficult cases. A total of 312 patients with suspicion of celiac disease were included in the study. Duodenal biopsy samples were used for histological assessment and for flow cytometric analysis of IELs. In 46 out of 312 cases (14.7%) the combination of serology and histology did not allow the confirmation or exclusion of celiac disease. HLA typing had been performed in 42 of these difficult cases. Taking into account HLA typing and the response to a gluten-free diet, celiac disease was excluded in 30 of these cases and confirmed in the remaining 12. Flow cytometric analysis of IELs allowed a correct diagnosis in 39 out of 42 difficult cases (92.8%) and had a sensitivity of 91.7% (95% CI: 61.5% to 99.8%) and a specificity of 93.3% (95% CI: 77.9% to 99.2%) for the diagnosis of celiac disease in this setting. Flow cytometric analysis of IELs is useful for the diagnosis of celiac disease in difficult cases.

Flow cytometry of duodenal intraepithelial lymphocytes improves diagnosis of celiac disease in difficult cases

PubMed Central

Morgado, José Mario T; Ruiz-Martín, Juan; Guardiola, Antonio; Lopes-Nogueras, Miriam; García-Vela, Almudena; Martín-Sacristán, Beatriz; Sánchez-Muñoz, Laura

2016-01-01

Background Diagnosis of celiac disease is difficult when the combined results of serology and histology are inconclusive. Studies using flow cytometry of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) have found that celiac patients have increased numbers of γδ IELs, along with a decrease in CD3-CD103 + IELs. Objective The objective of this article is to assess the role of flow cytometric analysis of IELs in the diagnosis of celiac disease in difficult cases. Methods A total of 312 patients with suspicion of celiac disease were included in the study. Duodenal biopsy samples were used for histological assessment and for flow cytometric analysis of IELs. Results In 46 out of 312 cases (14.7%) the combination of serology and histology did not allow the confirmation or exclusion of celiac disease. HLA typing had been performed in 42 of these difficult cases. Taking into account HLA typing and the response to a gluten-free diet, celiac disease was excluded in 30 of these cases and confirmed in the remaining 12. Flow cytometric analysis of IELs allowed a correct diagnosis in 39 out of 42 difficult cases (92.8%) and had a sensitivity of 91.7% (95% CI: 61.5% to 99.8%) and a specificity of 93.3% (95% CI: 77.9% to 99.2%) for the diagnosis of celiac disease in this setting. Conclusion Flow cytometric analysis of IELs is useful for the diagnosis of celiac disease in difficult cases. PMID:29026596

A hybrid Dantzig-Wolfe, Benders decomposition and column generation procedure for multiple diet production planning under uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udomsungworagul, A.; Charnsethikul, P.

2018-03-01

This article introduces methodology to solve large scale two-phase linear programming with a case of multiple time period animal diet problems under both nutrients in raw materials and finished product demand uncertainties. Assumption of allowing to manufacture multiple product formulas in the same time period and assumption of allowing to hold raw materials and finished products inventory have been added. Dantzig-Wolfe decompositions, Benders decomposition and Column generations technique has been combined and applied to solve the problem. The proposed procedure was programmed using VBA and Solver tool in Microsoft Excel. A case study was used and tested in term of efficiency and effectiveness trade-offs.

Combining network analysis with Cognitive Work Analysis: insights into social organisational and cooperation analysis.

PubMed

Houghton, Robert J; Baber, Chris; Stanton, Neville A; Jenkins, Daniel P; Revell, Kirsten

2015-01-01

Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) allows complex, sociotechnical systems to be explored in terms of their potential configurations. However, CWA does not explicitly analyse the manner in which person-to-person communication is performed in these configurations. Consequently, the combination of CWA with Social Network Analysis provides a means by which CWA output can be analysed to consider communication structure. The approach is illustrated through a case study of a military planning team. The case study shows how actor-to-actor and actor-to-function mapping can be analysed, in terms of centrality, to produce metrics of system structure under different operating conditions. In this paper, a technique for building social network diagrams from CWA is demonstrated.The approach allows analysts to appreciate the potential impact of organisational structure on a command system.

ERDC MSRC Resource. Fall 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

the ERDC XT3. On Sapphire, once a user submits a job, it is generally run on any available... the alpha version available to the DoD user community. This framework allows the user to prepare, submit, monitor, and manage a large number of CFD...input allows the user to enter multiple values or a range of values. This is useful for doing a parametric study. When generating jobs, CaseMan

Can the caged bird sing? Reflections on the application of qualitative research methods to case study design in homeopathic medicine

PubMed Central

Thompson, Trevor DB

2004-01-01

Background Two main pathways exist for the development of knowledge in clinical homeopathy. These comprise clinical trials conducted primarily by university-based researchers and cases reports and homeopathic "provings" compiled by engaged homeopathic practitioners. In this paper the relative merits of these methods are examined and a middle way proposed. This consists of the "Formal Case Study" (FCS) in which qualitative methods are used to increase the rigour and sophistication with which homeopathic cases are studied. Before going into design issues this paper places the FCS in an historical and academic context and describes the relative merits of the method. Discussion Like any research, the FCS should have a clear focus. This focus can be both "internal", grounded in the discourse of homeopathy and also encompass issues of wider appeal. A selection of possible "internal" and "external" research questions is introduced. Data generation should be from multiple sources to ensure adequate triangulation. This could include the recording and transcription of actual consultations. Analysis is built around existing theory, involves cross-case comparison and the search for deviant cases. The trustworthiness of conclusions is ensured by the application of concepts from qualitative research including triangulation, groundedness, respondent validation and reflexivity. Though homeopathic case studies have been reported in mainstream literature, none has used formal qualitative methods – though some such studies are in progress. Summary This paper introduces the reader to a new strategy for homeopathic research. This strategy, termed the "formal case study", allows for a naturalistic enquiry into the players, processes and outcomes of homeopathic practice. Using ideas from qualitative research, it allows a rigorous approach to types of research question that cannot typically be addressed through clinical trials and numeric outcome studies. The FCS provides an opportunity for the practitioner-researcher to contribute to the evidence-base in homeopathy in a systematic fashion. The FCS can also be used to inform the design of clinical trials through holistic study of the "active ingredients" of the therapeutic process and its clinical outcomes. PMID:15018637

[Neurosurgical planning using osirix software].

PubMed

Jaimovich, Sebastián Gastón; Guevara, Martin; Pampin, Sergio; Jaimovich, Roberto; Gardella, Javier Luis

2014-01-01

Anatomical individuality is key to reduce surgical trauma and obtain a better outcome. Nowadays, the advances in neuroimaging has allowed us to analyze this anatomical individuality and to plan the surgery. With this objective, we present our experience with the OsiriX software. We present three different applications as example of forty procedures performed. Case 1: Patient with a premotor cortex convexity parasagittal meningioma; Case 2: Patient with a nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenoma operated on 2 years ago in another institution, achieving a partial resection by a transsphenoidal approach; Case 3: Patient with bilateral middle cerebellar peduncles lesions. OsiriX Software was used for surgical planning. Volumetric CT and MRI images were fused and 3D reconstruction images obtained, to analyze anatomical relationships, measure distances, coordinates and trajectories, among other features. OsiriX software is a useful, open-source and free software tool that provides the surgeon with valuable information. It allows to study individual patient's anatomy and plan a surgical approach in a fast, simple, inexpensive and safety way. In Case 1 the software let us analyze the relationship of the tumor with the surrounding structures in order to minimize the approach's morbidity. In Case 2, to understand the unique anatomic characteristics of an already operated patient giving us important information regarding pathways and need for extra bone removal, achieving a complete tumor resection by an endoscopic transnasal approach. In Case 3, allowed us to obtain the stereotactic coordinates and trajectory for a not visualizable CT scan lesion. When expensive neuronavigation systems are not available, OsiriX is an alternative for neurosurgical planning, with the aim of reducing trauma and surgical morbidity.

[Clinical decision making: Fostering critical thinking in the nursing diagnostic process through case studies].

PubMed

Müller-Staub, Maria; Stuker-Studer, Ursula

2006-10-01

Case studies, based on actual patients' situations, provide a method of clinical decision making to foster critical thinking in nurses. This paper describes the method and process of group case studies applied in continuous education settings. This method bases on Balints' case supervision and was further developed and combined with the nursing diagnostic process. A case study contains different phases: Pre-phase, selection phase, case delineation and case work. The case provider narratively tells the situation of a patient. This allows the group to analyze and cluster signs and symptoms, to state nursing diagnoses and to derive nursing interventions. Results of the case study are validated by applying the theoretical background and critical appraisal of the case provider. Learning effects of the case studies were evaluated by means of qualitative questionnaires and analyzed according to Mayring. Findings revealed the following categories: a) Patients' problems are perceived in a patient centred way, accurate nursing diagnoses are stated and effective nursing interventions implemented. b) Professional nursing tasks are more purposefully perceived and named more precise. c) Professional nursing relationship, communication and respectful behaviour with patients were perceived in differentiated ways. The theoretical framework is described in the paper "Clinical decision making and critical thinking in the nursing diagnostic process". (Müller-Staub, 2006).

A preliminary case-mix classification system for Medicare home health clients.

PubMed

Branch, L G; Goldberg, H B

1993-04-01

In this study, a hierarchical case-mix model was developed for grouping Medicare home health beneficiaries homogeneously, based on the allowed charges for their home care. Based on information from a two-page form from 2,830 clients from ten states and using the classification and regression trees method, a four-component model was developed that yielded 11 case-mix groups and explained 22% of the variance for the test sample of 1,929 clients. The four components are rehabilitation, special care, skilled-nurse monitoring, and paralysis; each are categorized as present or absent. The range of mean-allowed charges for the 11 groups in the total sample was $473 to $2,562 with a mean of $847. Of the six groups with mean charges above $1,000, none exceeded 5.2% of clients; thus, the high-cost groups are relatively rare.

Interactive Visualization of Dependencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreno, Camilo Arango; Bischof, Walter F.; Hoover, H. James

2012-01-01

We present an interactive tool for browsing course requisites as a case study of dependency visualization. This tool uses multiple interactive visualizations to allow the user to explore the dependencies between courses. A usability study revealed that the proposed browser provides significant advantages over traditional methods, in terms of…

Direct peroral cholangioscopy using an ultrathin endoscope: making technique easier.

PubMed

Sola-Vera, Javier; Uceda, Francisco; Cuesta, Rubén; Vázquez, Narcís

2014-01-01

Cholangioscopy is a useful tool for the study and treatment of biliary pathology. Ultrathin upper endoscopes allow direct peroral cholangioscopy (DPC) but have some drawbacks. The aim of the study was to evaluate the success rate of DPC with an ultrathin endoscope using a balloon catheter to reach the biliary confluence. Prospective observational study. An ultrathin endoscope (Olympus XP180N, outer diameter 5.5 mm, working channel 2 mm) was used. To access the biliary tree, free-hand technique was used. To reach the biliary confluence an intraductal balloon catheter (Olympus B5-2Q diameter 1.9 mm) and a 0.025 inch guide wire was used. In all cases sphincterotomy and/or sphincteroplasty was performed. The success rate was defined as the percentage of cases in which the biliary confluence could be reached with the ultrathin endoscope. Fifteen patients (8 men/7 women) were included. Mean age was 77.7 + or - 10.8 years (range 45-91). The indications for cholangioscopy were suspected bile duct stones (n = 9), electrohydraulic lithotripsy for the treatment of difficult choledocholithiasis (n = 5) and evaluation of biliary stricture (n = 1). Access to the bile duct was achieved in 14/15 cases (93.3%). Biliary confluence was reached in 13/15 cases (86.7%). One complication was observed in one patient (oxigen desaturation). DPC with an ultrathin endoscope can be done with the free-hand technique. Intraductal balloon-guided DPC allows full examination of the common bile duct in most cases.

Modalities of Generalization Through Single Case Studies.

PubMed

Zittoun, Tania

2017-06-01

The value of case studies for theory building is still doubted in psychology. The paper argues for the importance of case studies and the possibility of generalizing from these for a specific sociocultural understanding of human development. The paper first clarifies the notion of abduction within case studies, drawing on pragmatists James and Peirce and expanding it with the work of Lewin, and argues that it is the core mechanism that allows generalization from case studies. The second section presents the possibility of generalizing from individual single case studies, for which not only the subjective perspective, but also the dynamics by which the social and cultural environment guide and enable the person's development, have to be accounted for. The third section elaborates the question of institutional case studies, where the challenge is to account both for institutional dynamics, and for persons' trajectories within; this is exemplified with an ongoing study on the process of obtaining citizenship in Switzerland. The paper briefly concludes by highlighting two possible implications of the paper, one concerning the process of theoretical reasoning, the other, the fact that sociocultural psychology could itself be seen as an institution in-the-making.

Feasibility of simultaneous sodium fluorescein and indocyanine green injection in neurosurgical procedures.

PubMed

Acerbi, F; Restelli, F; Broggi, M; Schiariti, M; Ferroli, P

2016-07-01

The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of simultaneous Sodium Fluorescein (SF) and Indocyanine Green (ICG) injection during neurosurgical procedures. Three patients harboring a high-grade glioma (HGG) were retrospectively identified in the surgical database of the Neurosurgical Unit 2 at the Foundation IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta in Milan, by having received intraoperatively both SF for tumor resection and ICG for vasculature angiographic studies in the same surgical procedure. We identified 2 males and 1 female (age range 25-60). Lesions were located in the left temporo-polar area and hippocampus (1 case), right superior frontal gyrus (1 case), left supplementary motor area (1 case). All the three lesions showed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) characteristics of HGG and, for this reason, in all patients a fluorescein-guided tumor removal was proposed. In the same surgical procedure ICG videoangiography was considered necessary in order to study arterial and venous vasculature, given by the strict relation of the tumor with an unexpected Posterior Communicating Artery (PComA) aneurysm in one case and with cortical drainage veins complexes in the other two cases. In all cases a microscope equipped with both YELLOW560 and IR800 integrated filters (Pentero 900, Carl Zeiss, Oberkorchen, Germany) was used. Fluorescein was i.v. injected at a dose of 5mg/kg immediately after patient intubation. ICG was i.v. injected in bolus on demand of the operating surgeon at a dose of 12.5mg. No side-effects related to simultaneous injection of SF and ICG were identified. In all three cases, the use of SF allowed to better visualize the tumor areas during surgical removal, thus leading to a radical resection until no macroscopic appearance of residual tumor mass and no fluorescence was visible in the surgical cavity. ICG videoangiography confirmed the patency of branches of internal carotid artery after clipping of an unexpected small PComA aneurysm found intraoperatively during tumor removal in one case, while in patient 2 and 3 it allowed to evaluate patency and study flow pattern in cortical drainage veins that were intimately related to the tumors and the way of the surgical approach. Postoperative MRI showed a Gross Total Resection of the tumors in all cases. This study showed for the first time the feasibility of intravenous SF injection and ICG videoangiography in the same surgical procedure. The presence of different fluorescence filters on the same surgical microscope allows the surgeon to recognize and safely resect the tumor and simultaneously evaluate local brain vascularization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shuttle Case Study Collection Website Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ransom, Khadijah S.; Johnson, Grace K.

2012-01-01

As a continuation from summer 2012, the Shuttle Case Study Collection has been developed using lessons learned documented by NASA engineers, analysts, and contractors. Decades of information related to processing and launching the Space Shuttle is gathered into a single database to provide educators with an alternative means to teach real-world engineering processes. The goal is to provide additional engineering materials that enhance critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving skills. During this second phase of the project, the Shuttle Case Study Collection website was developed. Extensive HTML coding to link downloadable documents, videos, and images was required, as was training to learn NASA's Content Management System (CMS) for website design. As the final stage of the collection development, the website is designed to allow for distribution of information to the public as well as for case study report submissions from other educators online.

FLAME: A platform for high performance computing of complex systems, applied for three case studies

DOE PAGES

Kiran, Mariam; Bicak, Mesude; Maleki-Dizaji, Saeedeh; ...

2011-01-01

FLAME allows complex models to be automatically parallelised on High Performance Computing (HPC) grids enabling large number of agents to be simulated over short periods of time. Modellers are hindered by complexities of porting models on parallel platforms and time taken to run large simulations on a single machine, which FLAME overcomes. Three case studies from different disciplines were modelled using FLAME, and are presented along with their performance results on a grid.

When Does FDAMA Section 114 Apply? Ten Case Studies.

PubMed

Neumann, Peter J; Saret, Cayla J

2015-07-01

Section 114 of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 regulates the promotion of health economic information by pharmaceutical companies to US health plans. Greater clarity is important given demands by payers and other stakeholders for evidence of value. To develop hypothetical case studies of health economic promotions to examine legal and policy implications. We constructed for pedagogical purposes 10 categories of potential health economic promotions. We generated hypothetical case studies for each category, including questions about whether each might be allowable under Section 114. The case studies were developed around the following categories: 1) costing out on-label clinical end points; 2) promotion of a costing exercise to physicians working in an accountable care organization setting; 3) burden-of-illness claims; 4) economic analysis of a formulary restriction policy; 5) extrapolations to doses, populations, or settings not covered in trials; 6) adherence claims; 7) "utilization of care" as a secondary end point in randomized clinical trials; 8) costing out a competitor drug's adverse event; 9) economic analysis of comparative effectiveness claims using an indirect treatment comparison; and 10) extrapolating from surrogate to long-term outcomes in an economic model. Most cases seem to fall into a gray zone given haziness around what constitutes "competent and reliable evidence" and "directly relate[d]" to an approved indication. In practice, it is difficult to know what the section allows given the imprecision of the statute and lack of guidance about its scope. Ideally, future guidance will provide clarity and flexibility. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A GIS-based methodology for selecting stormwater disconnection opportunities.

PubMed

Moore, S L; Stovin, V R; Wall, M; Ashley, R M

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a geographic information system (GIS)-based decision support tool that assists the user to select not only areas where (retrofit) sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) could be implemented within a large catchment (>100 ha), but also to allow discrimination between suitable SuDS techniques based on their likely feasibility and effectiveness. The tool is applied to a case study catchment within London, UK, with the aim of increasing receiving water quality by reducing combined sewer overflow (CSO) spill frequency and volume. The key benefit of the tool presented is to allow rapid assessment of the retrofit SuDS potential of large catchments. It is not intended to replace detailed site investigations, but may help to direct attention to sites that have the greatest potential for retrofit SuDS implementation. Preliminary InfoWorks CS modelling of 'global disconnections' within the case study catchment, e.g. the removal of 50% of the total impervious area, showed that CSO spill volume could be reduced by 55 to 78% during a typical year. Using the disconnection hierarchy developed by the authors, the feasibility of retrofit SuDS deployment within the case study catchment is assessed, and the implications discussed.

Real-time compound sonography of the rotator-cuff: evaluation of artefact reduction and image definition.

PubMed

De Candia, Alessandro; Doratiotto, Stefsano; Paschina, Elio; Segatto, Enrica; Pelizzo, Francesco; Bazzocchi, Massimo

2003-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare real time compound sonography with conventional sonography in the evaluation of rotator cuff tears. A prospective study was performed on 50 supraspinatus tendons in 101 patients treated by surgical acromioplasty. The surgeon described 33 (66%) full-thickness tears and 17 (34%) partial-thickness tears. All tendons were examined by conventional sonography and real time compound sonography on the day before surgery. The techniques were compared by evaluating the images for freedom from artefacts, contrast resolution and overall image definition. Real time compound sonography proved to be superior to conventional sonography as regards freedom from artefacts in 50 cases out of 50 (100%). It was superior to conventional sonography in evaluating the image contrast resolution in 45 cases out of 50 (90%), and superior to conventional sonography in overall image definition in 45 out of 50 cases (90%). Real-time compound sonography reduces the intrinsic artefacts of conventional sonography and allows better overall image definition. In particular, the digital technique allowed us to study the rotator cuff with better contrast resolution and sharper and more detailed images than did conventional sonography.

Bird mortality during nocturnal migration over Lake Michigan: A case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diehl, Robert H.; Bates, John M.; Willard, David E.; Gnoske, Thomas P.

2014-01-01

Millions of birds die each year during migration. Most of this mortality goes unobserved and conditions surrounding the actual events are often not thoroughly documented. We present a case study of substantial migrant casualties along the shores of southwestern Lake Michigan during May 1996 when we found 2,981 dead birds of 114 species, mostly migrant passerines. An unusual sequence of events allowed us to document the circumstances surrounding this migratory bird kill. Bird carcasses appeared on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan in the days following storm systems that produced high rain and in one case, hail. Encounters between birds and precipitation over open water were recorded by weather radar, and were followed by winds that drifted dead birds toward highly populated shorelines where the kill was observed and documented. Climatologically, May 1996 was exceptional for producing weather conditions that both killed birds en masse and allowed the mortality to be documented. As a result, this is one of the more thoroughly documented instances of a weather-related mass mortality event during migration.

Developing Clade-Specific Microsatellite Markers: A Case Study in the Filamentous Fungal Genus Aspergillus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microsatellite markers are highly variable and very commonly used in population genetics studies. However, microsatellite loci are typically poorly conserved and cannot be used in distant related species. Thus, development of clade-specific microsatellite markers would increase efficiency and allow ...

Students' Voices: A Report of the Student View of Dyslexia Study Skills Tuition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirwan, Bernadette; Leather, Carol

2011-01-01

This article reports research using case studies of 22 university students receiving study skills development funded by the Disabled Student's Allowance at an independent dyslexia consultancy. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. The students identify the primary benefits of the tuition as: developing an understanding of dyslexia…

Importance of relationship context in HIV transmission: results from a qualitative case-control study in Rakai, Uganda.

PubMed

Higgins, Jenny A; Mathur, Sanyukta; Eckel, Elizabeth; Kelley, Laura; Kelly, Laura; Nakyanjo, Neema; Sekamwa, Richard; Namatovu, Josephine; Ddaaki, William; Nakubulwa, Rosette; Namakula, Sylvia; Nalugoda, Fred; Santelli, John S

2014-04-01

We present results from life history interviews with 60 young adults from southern Uganda. Using a novel qualitative case-control design, we compared newly HIV-positive cases with HIV-negative controls matched on age, gender, marital status, and place of residence. Relationship context was the most salient theme differentiating cases from controls. Compared with HIV-negative respondents, recent seroconverters described relationships marked by poorer communication, greater suspicion and mistrust, and larger and more transitory sexual networks. Results highlight the importance of dyadic approaches to HIV and possibly of couple-based interventions. Using HIV-matched pairs allowed additional understanding of the factors influencing transmission. This hybrid methodological approach holds promise for future studies of sexual health.

Importance of Relationship Context in HIV Transmission: Results From a Qualitative Case-Control Study in Rakai, Uganda

PubMed Central

Mathur, Sanyukta; Eckel, Elizabeth; Kelly, Laura; Nakyanjo, Neema; Sekamwa, Richard; Namatovu, Josephine; Ddaaki, William; Nakubulwa, Rosette; Namakula, Sylvia; Nalugoda, Fred; Santelli, John S.

2014-01-01

We present results from life history interviews with 60 young adults from southern Uganda. Using a novel qualitative case-control design, we compared newly HIV-positive cases with HIV-negative controls matched on age, gender, marital status, and place of residence. Relationship context was the most salient theme differentiating cases from controls. Compared with HIV-negative respondents, recent seroconverters described relationships marked by poorer communication, greater suspicion and mistrust, and larger and more transitory sexual networks. Results highlight the importance of dyadic approaches to HIV and possibly of couple-based interventions. Using HIV-matched pairs allowed additional understanding of the factors influencing transmission. This hybrid methodological approach holds promise for future studies of sexual health. PMID:24524490

Students' Interpretations of Writing Tasks: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirsch, Gesa

1988-01-01

Argues that successful interpretation of writing tasks demands writers' authority, confidence, and knowledge of rhetorical choices, allowing them to take charge of their own writing rather than catering to the imagined demands of a teacher. (RS)

Evaluation of the rate of decompression in anterior cervical corpectomy using an intra-operative computerized tomography scan (O-Arm system).

PubMed

Costa, Francesco; Tomei, Massimo; Sassi, Marco; Cardia, Andrea; Ortolina, Alessandro; Servello, Domenico; Fornari, Maurizio

2012-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intra-operative computerized tomography (CT) scanning in the analysis of bone removal accuracy during anterior cervical corpectomy, in order to allow any necessary immediate correction in the event of inadequate bone removal. From September 2009 to December 2010 we performed an intra-operative (CT) scan using the O-Arm(™) Image system to assess the rate of central and lateral decompression in all patients treated for cervical spondylotic myelopathy by anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion. Out of a population of 187 patients admitted to our department, with a diagnosis of myelopathy due to spondylotic degenerative cervical stenosis, 15 patients underwent a surgical treatment with anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion. There were nine males (60%) and six females (40%); the mean age was 52.4 years, ranging from 41 to 57 years. The pre-operative radiologic investigations (MRI and CT scans) revealed in the nine patients (60%) the extent of the compression to one vertebral body (C4 one case, C5 four cases, C6 four cases), while in the six cases (40%) the compression regarded two vertebral body (C3 and C4 one case, C4 and C5 two cases, C5 and C6 three cases). During surgery, when the decompression was judged completely, a CT scan was performed: in 11 cases (73.3%) the decompression was considered adequate, while in four cases (26.7%) it was deemed insufficient and the surgical strategy was changed in order to optimize the bone removal. In these cases an additional scan was taken to prove the efficacy of decompression, achieved in all patients. Intra-operative CT scan performed during cervical corpectomy is a really useful tool in helping to ensure complete bone removal and the adequacy of surgery. The O-arm(™) Image system grants optimal image quality, allowing correctly assessing the rate of decompression and, in any case of doubt, allows an intra-operative evaluation of the final correct positioning of the graft.

Confocal laser endomicroscopy and ultrasound endoscopy during the same endoscopic session for diagnosis and staging of gastric neoplastic lesions.

PubMed

Gheorghe, C; Iacob, R; Dumbrava, Mona; Becheanu, G; Ionescu, M

2009-01-01

Confocal LASER endomicroscopy (CLE) is a newly developed endoscopic technique which allows subsurface in vivo histological assessment during ongoing endoscopy and targeted biopsies. Ultrasound endoscopy (EUS) is a useful tool in staging upper GI malignant lesions. We describe for the first time the use of both techniques during the same endoscopic session, in a pilot study, in order to increase the diagnostic yield of histological assessment and provide the staging of the gastric neoplastic lesions thus decreasing the time to therapeutic decision. CLE has been performed with the Pentax EG-3870CIK confocal endomicroscope after a 5 ml intravenous 10% fluorescein injection; EUS has been performed subsequently, during the same endoscopic Propofol sedation session, using a standard radial EUS-scope. Eleven patients have been investigated, 4 females, 7 males, mean age 59.7 +/- 12.3 years. The indication of CLE/EUS exploration was the presence of a gastric polypoid lesion in 37% of cases, atypical gastric ulcer in 27% of patients, gastric lymphoma 18%, suspicion of gastric cancer recurrence after resection 9% and infiltrating type gastric cancer 9%. Histological assessment after targeted biopsy has established the diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma in 55% of cases, gastric lymphoma in 18% of cases, gastric adenoma, gastric GIST and gastric foveolar hyperplasia in 9% of cases respectively. CLE has allowed targeted biopsies in 81.8% of cases. In 2 patients - one case with suspected recurrent gastric cancer after surgery and one case of gastric lymphoma, CLE has indicated normal gastric mucosa. The EUS evaluation has shown TO lesion in two cases, T1 in 3 cases, T2 in 3 cases, T3 in one case. The EUS evaluation showed in one gastric lymphoma patient a lesion interesting the mucosa and submucosa with regional adenopathy and a submucosal lesion with regional adenopathy in the other gastric lymphoma case. The therapeutic decision was surgery in 73% of cases, chemotherapy and follow-up in 18% of cases and follow-up in 9% of cases. No complications were registered during the CLE/EUS explorations. CLE and EUS can be successfully associated during the same endoscopic session, for upper GI neoplastic lesions allowing targeted biopsies for histological assessment and disease staging for optimal therapeutic decision.

Economic Valuation of Air Force Environmental Resources: A Contingent Valuation Case Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-12-01

Empirical Measures of Welfare Change: A Comparison of Non-market Techniques," Land Economics: 156-175 (Vol. 61, No. 2, 1985). Sen , Amartya K...shackles of the traditional [observed] approach" ( Sen , 1977). The flexibility of a properly designed contingent valuation study allows CVM to measure

Assessing the Cultural Proficiency of Teachers: A Critical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennie, Deborah A. G.

2013-01-01

This critical case study addressed how the achievement gap reflects the culture gap between teachers and historically underrepresented students. This study allows educators to consider how attitudes on culture and diversity impact student achievement. It makes visible existing teacher and student relationships in a rural school system through the…

The Environment: Issues and Choices for Society. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ReVelle, Penelope; ReVelle, Charles

This textbook is recommended for use in introductory level Environmental Studies courses. The content and format are designed to accommodate students with various academic backgrounds and to allow for a variety of teaching approaches (such as lectures, discussions, and case studies). Generally, each chapter provides background information, a…

Patients with Learning Disabilities Who Lack Capacity Detained under the Mental Health Act in the UK: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawhney, Indermeet; Zia, Asif; Gates, Bob

2017-01-01

In the UK, the Mental Health Tribunal is a long-established safeguard for patients detained under the Mental Health Act. This gives such patients an effective appeal mechanism to ensure legal protection of their liberty. This act contains sections that allow for civil detention in the case of mental disorder. The right to apply to the tribunal…

Neonatal case studies using active leptospermum honey.

PubMed

Mohr, Lynn D; Reyna, Roxana; Amaya, Rene

2014-01-01

Treatment of the neonatal patient with clinically complex wounds creates a challenge due to the safety and efficacy issues associated with the use of many advanced wound care products. The purpose of this case series was to present outcomes of 3 neonates with wounds of differing etiologies managed by Active Leptospermum Honey (ALH). Clinical case series. Clinical experiences with 3 neonates, 1 male and 2 females, are described. These premature infants received care at Rush University Medical Center, Houston, Texas, or Driscoll Children's Hospital, Corpus Christi, Texas. Each neonate presented with dissimilar wounds and differing treatment goals. For a premature infant with left foot ischemia, ALH dressings allowed for removal of nonviable tissue and facilitated the granulation of the open wounds. This removal of nonviable tissue coupled with the facilitation of granulation tissue enabled the premature infant's toe tips to be salvaged without requiring aggressive surgical intervention. For the 2 preterm infants with extravasation of intravenous solutions, ALH dressings allowed healing and increased tissue granulation without any noted toxicity to the wound bed. Further, the method of action of ALH includes an osmotic pull effect that reduced periwound erythema and edema. Although the use of ALH has been well documented in adult care, these case studies demonstrate its potential use in different wound etiologies in 3 neonatal patients.

Acute triventricular hydrocephalus caused by choroid plexus cysts: a diagnostic and neurosurgical challenge.

PubMed

Spennato, Pietro; Chiaramonte, Carmela; Cicala, Domenico; Donofrio, Vittoria; Barbarisi, Manlio; Nastro, Anna; Mirone, Giuseppe; Trischitta, Vincenzo; Cinalli, Giuseppe

2016-11-01

OBJECTIVE Intraventricular choroid plexus cysts are unusual causes of acute hydrocephalus in children. Radiological diagnosis of intraventricular choroid plexus cysts is difficult because they have very thin walls and fluid contents similar to CSF and can go undetected on routine CT studies. METHODS This study reports the authors' experience with 5 patients affected by intraventricular cysts originating from the choroid plexus. All patients experienced acute presentation with rapid neurological deterioration, sometimes associated with hypothalamic dysfunction, and required urgent surgery. In 2 cases the symptoms were intermittent, with spontaneous remission and sudden clinical deteriorations, reflecting an intermittent obstruction of the CSF pathway. RESULTS Radiological diagnosis was difficult in these cases because a nonenhanced CT scan revealed only triventricular hydrocephalus, with slight lateral ventricle asymmetry in all cases. MRI with driven-equilibrium sequences and CT ventriculography (in 1 case) allowed the authors to accurately diagnose the intraventricular cysts that typically occupied the posterior part of the third ventricle, occluding the aqueduct and at least 1 foramen of Monro. The patients were managed by urgent implantation of an external ventricular drain in 1 case (followed by endoscopic surgery, after completing a diagnostic workup) and by urgent endoscopic surgery in 4 cases. Endoscopic surgery allowed the shrinkage and near-complete removal of the cysts in all cases. Use of neuronavigation and a laser were indispensable. All procedures were uneventful, resulting in restoration of normal neurological conditions. Long-term follow-up (> 2 years) was available for 2 patients, and no complications or recurrences occurred. CONCLUSIONS This case series emphasizes the necessity of an accurate and precise identification of the possible causes of triventricular hydrocephalus. Endoscopic surgery can be considered the ideal treatment of choroid plexus cysts in children.

On the identifiability of inertia parameters of planar Multi-Body Space Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabavi-Chashmi, Seyed Yaser; Malaek, Seyed Mohammad-Bagher

2018-04-01

This work describes a new formulation to study the identifiability characteristics of Serially Linked Multi-body Space Systems (SLMBSS). The process exploits the so called "Lagrange Formulation" to develop a linear form of Equations of Motion w.r.t the system Inertia Parameters (IPs). Having developed a specific form of regressor matrix, we aim to expedite the identification process. The new approach allows analytical as well as numerical identification and identifiability analysis for different SLMBSSs' configurations. Moreover, the explicit forms of SLMBSSs identifiable parameters are derived by analyzing the identifiability characteristics of the robot. We further show that any SLMBSS designed with Variable Configurations Joint allows all IPs to be identifiable through comparing two successive identification outcomes. This feature paves the way to design new class of SLMBSS for which accurate identification of all IPs is at hand. Different case studies reveal that proposed formulation provides fast and accurate results, as required by the space applications. Further studies might be necessary for cases where planar-body assumption becomes inaccurate.

Case Histories of Six Consumers and Their Families in Cash and Counseling

PubMed Central

San Antonio, Patricia M; Simon-Rusinowitz, Lori; Loughlin, Dawn; Eckert, J Kevin; Mahoney, Kevin J

2007-01-01

Objective To examine how the lives of consumers and their caregivers were affected by making choices and controlling their own resources with the cash option, this paper focuses on six case studies from the Cash and Counseling Demonstration Program. Data Sources Twenty-one consumers, caregivers, and state consultants were interviewed about their experiences in the program. Study Design The data come from a larger study of over 200 interviews conducted from June 2000 to August 2004. Interview data were analyzed for themes about caregiving and program satisfaction. Principal Findings Cash and Counseling benefited consumers and caregivers by allowing consumers increased continuity and reliability of care, increased ability to set hours of care, more satisfaction with how caregiving is offered and more satisfaction with the quality of care. Conclusions The cash option allowed consumers to create, schedule, and manage their own model of care. Some consumers faced challenges in the program with paperwork, accounting, worries about receiving care, and some ineffective state consultants who could have been more helpful. PMID:17244296

[Usefullness of intraoperatory parathyroid hormone measurement in surgical management of primary hyperparathyroidism due to a parathyroid adenoma].

PubMed

Obiols, Gabriel; Catalán, Roberto; Alasà, Cristian; Baena, Juan Antonio; Fort, José Manuel; Gémar, Enrique; Mesa, Jordi

2003-09-13

Surgical neck exploration of the 4 parathyroid glands is quite an aggressive procedure for most patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) due to a parathyroid adenoma. Intraoperatory measurement of parathyroid hormone (PTH) seems to be a useful tool for the management of these cases, allowing the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques with a lower morbidity. Our aims was to assess the usefulness of PTH intraoperatory measurement for the surgical management of PHPT. We studied 27 consecutive patients, diagnosed with PHPT secondary to parathyroid adenoma. Localization studies included neck ultrasonography and Tc-MIBI scintigraphy. PTH at the stage of anesthesia induction as well as 5 and 10 minutes after the removal of the adenoma was determined. A PTH decrement greater than 50% at 10 minutes was considered as curative. PTH was measured by an immunoluminometric method (Advantage, Nichols). In all cases, calcium levels were normal 24 hours after the operation, and therefore all them were considered as cured. PTH levels decreased more than 50% in all patients. In one case, PTH levels remained high after the exeresis of a preoperatively localized lesion. The pathologic study confirmed that it was a normal parathyroid gland. We then continued the surgical exploration which eventually allowed us to find a contralateral adenoma. A further PTH measurement showed an over 50% decrease. Therefore, PTH was predictive of surgical success in all 28 measurements. Intraoperatory determination of PTH is useful for the surgical management of PHPT and it could allow the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Revision Tibiotalocalcaneal Arthrodesis With a Pseudoelastic Intramedullary Nail.

PubMed

Latt, L Daniel; Smith, Kathryn Elizabeth; Dupont, Kenneth Michael

2017-02-01

Hindfoot (tibiotalocalcaneal or TTC) arthrodesis is commonly used to treat concomitant arthritis of the ankle and subtalar joints. Simultaneous fusion of both joints can be difficult to achieve especially in patients with impaired healing due to smoking, diabetes mellitus, or Charcot neuroarthropathy. Conventional intramedullary fixation devices allow for compression to be applied at the time of surgery, but this compression can be lost due to bone resorption or settling, leading to impaired healing. In contrast, the novel pseudoelastic intramedullary nail is designed to maintain compression at the arthrodesis sites throughout the healing process by the use of an internal pseudoelastic element. We present 2 cases of revision TTC arthrodesis using the pseudoelastic intramedullary nail. In the first case, an 80-year-old diabetic man with previous ankle and failed subtalar fusion with screws underwent revision TTC arthrodesis. In the second case, a 66-year-old man with Charcot neuroarthropathy and a failed TTC arthrodesis with a static intramedullary nail underwent revision tibiotalar arthrodesis. In both cases, computed tomography scan demonstrated successful union and patients were allowed full weight bearing by 3 months after surgery. These cases provide early evidence that sustained compression via an intramedullary nail can lead to rapid successful hindfoot fusion when standard approaches have failed. Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study.

Ventral transpalpebral anterior orbitotomy: surgical description and report of 3 cases.

PubMed

McDonald, Jessica E; Knollinger, Amy M; Dees, Darryl D

2016-01-01

To describe a surgical approach to allow access to the ventral anterior canine orbit and report outcomes of three cases. After induction of general anesthesia and aseptic preparation of the surgical site, a 2.5- to 3-cm curvilinear skin incision was created through the inferior eyelid at the level of the ventral orbital rim. A combination of sharp and blunt dissection facilitated entrance into the ventral anterior orbital space for the removal of diseased tissues or allows for drainage of purulent debris. Two-layer closure was performed, and postoperative lateral temporary tarsorrhaphy sutures were retained to provide globe protection. Three dogs underwent unilateral ventral transpalpebral anterior orbitotomy. Prior to surgery, apart from a complete ophthalmic examination, ocular ultrasound was used to diagnose orbital disease in two cases, and MRI was utilized in the third case. Exploratory orbitotomy revealed a large mucocele in case 1, orbital bacterial abscessation in case 2, and necrotizing zygomatic sialoadenitis in case 3. Clinical exophthalmos resolved immediately after surgery. The surgical site in all cases healed within 2 weeks. One patient had a superficial corneal ulceration 2 weeks after surgery which healed uneventfully. Recurrence of orbital disease was not noted in any case. Ventral transpalpebral anterior orbitotomy is a simple procedure that allows easy access to the ventral anterior orbit to allow for removal of diseased tissues or to facilitate drainage of abscessation. Recurrence of orbital disease was not seen in any patient, with one patient experiencing blindness as a long-term complication following the procedure. © 2015 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Model Checking Failed Conjectures in Theorem Proving: A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pike, Lee; Miner, Paul; Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

2004-01-01

Interactive mechanical theorem proving can provide high assurance of correct design, but it can also be a slow iterative process. Much time is spent determining why a proof of a conjecture is not forthcoming. In some cases, the conjecture is false and in others, the attempted proof is insufficient. In this case study, we use the SAL family of model checkers to generate a concrete counterexample to an unproven conjecture specified in the mechanical theorem prover, PVS. The focus of our case study is the ROBUS Interactive Consistency Protocol. We combine the use of a mechanical theorem prover and a model checker to expose a subtle flaw in the protocol that occurs under a particular scenario of faults and processor states. Uncovering the flaw allows us to mend the protocol and complete its general verification in PVS.

Progressing the state of knowledge on the human influence on hydrological droughts through case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rangecroft, Sally; Van Loon, Anne; Bosman, Marianne; Wanders, Niko; Di Baldassarre, Giuliano; AghaKouchak, Amir

2017-04-01

Human activities can have a large influence on changes in the hydrological system and hydrological extremes, more than climate variability and climate change in some cases. However, there are currently only a limited number of studies which aim to quantify the human impact on hydrological droughts. Here we present a synthesis study of existing and new results that aims to summarize and quantify the anthropogenic impact on hydrological drought from case studies and observations. By combining a large number of case studies, we allow conclusions to be drawn about the effects of different human activities. This work suggests ways forward to increase our understanding on how human activities are influencing drought characteristics; invaluable information for water resource management and adaptation. During this project, the impact of different human activities (e.g. water abstraction, reservoir building, urbanisation, etc) on drought frequency, duration and deficit has been calculated in a consistent manner, allowing for an improved understanding to how they have impacted droughts. This consistent methodology is a necessary element for this comparative hydrology exercise, yet we use one which is flexible and applicable to different case study set ups and data availability. The methodology used here depends on available observation data, with three possible approaches: i) paired catchment approach; ii) upstream-downstream comparison; iii) observation modelling framework. The synthesised results of the existing and new case studies cover a number of human activities, hydro-climatic and socio-economic contexts. In particular, we remove the climate dependency in the results by using case studies from multiple climatic regions, including UK, Italy, US, Australia, Mexico and Chile. For groundwater abstraction, it is clear across all the relevant case studies that abstraction activities worsen drought events. This is especially prominent in the deficit volumes, with nearly all results showing at least a 50% increase in deficit compared to the natural situation due to the human activity. However, for the reservoir case studies we find mixed results with some catchments showing drought alleviation and others demonstrating an aggravation of drought. These results show us that the impact of reservoirs on droughts downstream is dependent on reservoir management and purpose. From the urbanised case studies we find urbanisation to be a more difficult human activity to quantify and analyse. Mixed results indicate possible conflicting processes occurring due to urbanisation, and the need for further case studies and discussions. This is the first step towards quantifying the human influence on drought on the global scale using catchment scale observation-based studies, which will provide important information for global scale modellers, water managers and drought policy makers.

Design-build agreements : a case study review of the included handover requirements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-04-01

Road infrastructure is a key component of any regions transportation system. It allows : unprecedented levels of mobility, accessibility, and economic growth. On the other hand, the cost : associated with inadequate road infrastructure can amount ...

Multislice spiral CT simulator for dynamic cardiopulmonary studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Francesco, Silvia; Ferreira da Silva, Augusto M.

2002-04-01

We've developed a Multi-slice Spiral CT Simulator modeling the acquisition process of a real tomograph over a 4-dimensional phantom (4D MCAT) of the human thorax. The simulator allows us to visually characterize artifacts due to insufficient temporal sampling and a priori evaluate the quality of the images obtained in cardio-pulmonary studies (both with single-/multi-slice and ECG gated acquisition processes). The simulating environment allows both for conventional and spiral scanning modes and includes a model of noise in the acquisition process. In case of spiral scanning, reconstruction facilities include longitudinal interpolation methods (360LI and 180LI both for single and multi-slice). Then, the reconstruction of the section is performed through FBP. The reconstructed images/volumes are affected by distortion due to insufficient temporal sampling of the moving object. The developed simulating environment allows us to investigate the nature of the distortion characterizing it qualitatively and quantitatively (using, for example, Herman's measures). Much of our work is focused on the determination of adequate temporal sampling and sinogram regularization techniques. At the moment, the simulator model is limited to the case of multi-slice tomograph, being planned as a next step of development the extension to cone beam or area detectors.

A hanging drop culture method to study terminal erythroid differentiation.

PubMed

Gutiérrez, Laura; Lindeboom, Fokke; Ferreira, Rita; Drissen, Roy; Grosveld, Frank; Whyatt, David; Philipsen, Sjaak

2005-10-01

To design a culture method allowing the quantitative and qualitative analysis of terminal erythroid differentiation. Primary erythroid progenitors derived either from mouse tissues or from human umbilical cord blood were differentiated using hanging drop cultures and compared to methylcellulose cultures. Cultured cells were analyzed by FACS to assess differentiation. We describe a practical culture method by adapting the previously described hanging drop culture system to conditions allowing terminal differentiation of primary erythroid progenitors. Using minimal volumes of media and small numbers of cells, we obtained quantitative terminal erythroid differentiation within two days of culture in the case of murine cells and 4 days in the case of human cells. The established methods for ex vivo culture of primary erythroid progenitors, such as methylcellulose-based burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) and colony-forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E) assays, allow the detection of committed erythroid progenitors but are of limited value to study terminal erythroid differentiation. We show that the application of hanging drop cultures is a practical alternative that, in combination with clonogenic assays, enables a comprehensive assessment of the behavior of primary erythroid cells ex vivo in the context of genetic and drug-induced perturbations.

Constraining dynamical neutrino mass generation with cosmological data

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

Koksbang, S.M.; Hannestad, S., E-mail: koksbang@phys.au.dk, E-mail: sth@phys.au.dk

We study models in which neutrino masses are generated dynamically at cosmologically late times. Our study is purely phenomenological and parameterized in terms of three effective parameters characterizing the redshift of mass generation, the width of the transition region, and the present day neutrino mass. We also study the possibility that neutrinos become strongly self-interacting at the time where the mass is generated. We find that in a number of cases, models with large present day neutrino masses are allowed by current CMB, BAO and supernova data. The increase in the allowed mass range makes it possible that a non-zeromore » neutrino mass could be measured in direct detection experiments such as KATRIN. Intriguingly we also find that there are allowed models in which neutrinos become strongly self-interacting around the epoch of recombination.« less

Study of the Variability of the Reflection Component in Seyfert 1 Galaxies: Connecting the Fe K Variability with the Compton Hump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponti, G.; Miniutti, G.; Malaguti, G.; Gallo, L.; Goldwurm, A.

2009-05-01

We present preliminary results of an ongoing project devoted to the study of the continuum and Fe K band variability in a sample of bright AGNs. These kind of studies may break the spectral degeneracy between the different absorption/emission models, allowing ``safe'' measurements of the disc and black hole properties from the broad line shapes. In fact, the Fe K band, alone, allows a first separation between the different components. Here we show the case of NGC 3783 which shows both a constant and a variable reflection component as well as strong ionized absorption. We show that a fundamental contribution will be given by Simbol-X that will allow to simultaneously measure not only the Fe K variability, but also the connected reflection hump variations.

External bioresorbable airway rigidification to treat refractory localized tracheomalacia.

PubMed

Gorostidi, François; Reinhard, Antoine; Monnier, Philippe; Sandu, Kishore

2016-11-01

Our study evaluates the efficacy of extraluminal bioresorbable plates to treat refractory localized airway malacia in patients undergoing corrective surgery for complex multilevel laryngotracheal stenosis. Retrospective case series. Secondary malacic airway segments were characterized (severity, site, type) by a dynamic transnasal flexible laryngotracheobronchoscopy before surgery. Extraluminal bioresorbable plates were used to stabilize the malacic segment through a transcervical approach under intraoperative flexible endoscopic guidance. Results were evaluated subjectively and by a postoperative dynamic endoscopy. We report our experience in seven patients (6 children, 1 adult). External tracheal stiffening allowed complete or partial resolution of refractory proximal airway malacia in six of seven complex cases described (result in one case is awaited). It allowed quick decannulation in four of seven patients who experienced multiple previous failures. Decannulation failures were due to recurrence of stenosis. With up to 2 years of follow-up, we report no direct complications related to the presence of extraluminal bioresorbable plates around the airway. Extraluminal biodegradable tracheal stiffening represents a valid therapeutic option in select cases of upper airway malacia. It can be highly useful in cases of complex multilevel airway obstructions. External stiffening needs to be planned on a case-to-case basis according to the type of malacia and must be performed under endoscopic guidance. 4. Laryngoscope, 126:2605-2610, 2016. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Optimal design of studies of influenza transmission in households. I: case-ascertained studies.

PubMed

Klick, B; Leung, G M; Cowling, B J

2012-01-01

Case-ascertained household transmission studies, in which households including an 'index case' are recruited and followed up, are invaluable to understanding the epidemiology of influenza. We used a simulation approach parameterized with data from household transmission studies to evaluate alternative study designs. We compared studies that relied on self-reported illness in household contacts vs. studies that used home visits to collect swab specimens for virological confirmation of secondary infections, allowing for the trade-off between sample size vs. intensity of follow-up given a fixed budget. For studies estimating the secondary attack proportion, 2-3 follow-up visits with specimens collected from all members regardless of illness were optimal. However, for studies comparing secondary attack proportions between two or more groups, such as controlled intervention studies, designs with reactive home visits following illness reports in contacts were most powerful, while a design with one home visit optimally timed also performed well.

Expectations versus Reality: The Case of Liberal Studies in Hong Kong's New Senior Secondary Reforms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Dennis

2016-01-01

This article reports the findings of a five-year longitudinal study investigating the introduction of Liberal Studies in the context of Hong Kong's new senior secondary educational reforms. The aim of this empirical research, which adopted diachronic analysis to allow comparisons over time, was to compare teachers' and students' perceptions of the…

Balancing Academic and Professional Pedagogies: A Comparative Study of Two Accounting Departments in South Africa and the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Merwe, Nico; McChlery, Stuart; Visser, Sarah Susanna

2014-01-01

The paper adds to extant professional education literature by reflecting on apparent differences in pedagogy of similar professional programmes of study, allowing deeper insight into the unique strand of higher education influenced by the professions. A comparative international case study approach is adopted of an interpretive qualitative nature…

Use of ``virtual'' field trips in teaching introductory geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurst, Stephen D.

1998-08-01

We designed a series of case studies for Introductory Geology Laboratory courses using computer visualization techniques integrated with traditional laboratory materials. These consist of a comprehensive case study which requires three two-hour long laboratory periods to complete, and several shorter case studies requiring one or two, two-hour laboratory periods. Currently we have prototypes of the Yellowstone National Park, Hawaii volcanoes and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge case studies. The Yellowstone prototype can be used to learn about a wide variety of rocks and minerals, about geothermal activity and hydrology, about volcanic hazards and the hot-spot theory of plate tectonics. The Hawaiian exercise goes into more depth about volcanoes, volcanic rocks and their relationship to plate movements. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge project focuses on formation of new ocean crust and mineral-rich hydrothermal deposits at spreading centers. With new improvements in visualization technology that are making their way to personal computers, we are now closer to the ideal of a "virtual" field trip. We are currently making scenes of field areas in Hawaii and Yellowstone which allow the student to pan around the area and zoom in on interesting objects. Specific rocks in the scene will be able to be "picked up" and studied in three dimensions. This technology improves the ability of the computer to present a realistic simulation of the field area and allows the student to have more control over the presentation. This advanced interactive technology is intuitive to control, relatively cheap and easy to add to existing computer programs and documents.

Can iridology detect susceptibility to cancer? A prospective case-controlled study.

PubMed

Münstedt, Karsten; El-Safadi, Samer; Brück, Friedel; Zygmunt, Marek; Hackethal, Andreas; Tinneberg, Hans-Rudolf

2005-06-01

This prospective case-control study aimed to investigate the value of iridology as a diagnostic tool in detecting some common cancers. One hundred ten (110) subjects were enrolled in the study: 68 subjects had histologically proven cancers of the breast, ovary, uterus, prostate, or colorectum, and 42 were control subjects. All subjects were examined by an experienced practitioner of iridology, who was unaware of their gender or medical details. He was allowed to suggest up to five diagnoses for each subject and his results were then compared with each subject's medical diagnosis to determine the accuracy of iridology in detecting malignancy. Iridology identified the correct diagnosis in only 3 cases (sensitivity, 0.04). Iridology was of no value in diagnosing the cancers investigated in this study.

Achieving Actionable Results from Available Inputs: Metamodels Take Building Energy Simulations One Step Further

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

Horsey, Henry; Fleming, Katherine; Ball, Brian

Modeling commercial building energy usage can be a difficult and time-consuming task. The increasing prevalence of optimization algorithms provides one path for reducing the time and difficulty. Many use cases remain, however, where information regarding whole-building energy usage is valuable, but the time and expertise required to run and post-process a large number of building energy simulations is intractable. A relatively underutilized option to accurately estimate building energy consumption in real time is to pre-compute large datasets of potential building energy models, and use the set of results to quickly and efficiently provide highly accurate data. This process is calledmore » metamodeling. In this paper, two case studies are presented demonstrating the successful applications of metamodeling using the open-source OpenStudio Analysis Framework. The first case study involves the U.S. Department of Energy's Asset Score Tool, specifically the Preview Asset Score Tool, which is designed to give nontechnical users a near-instantaneous estimated range of expected results based on building system-level inputs. The second case study involves estimating the potential demand response capabilities of retail buildings in Colorado. The metamodel developed in this second application not only allows for estimation of a single building's expected performance, but also can be combined with public data to estimate the aggregate DR potential across various geographic (county and state) scales. In both case studies, the unique advantages of pre-computation allow building energy models to take the place of topdown actuarial evaluations. This paper ends by exploring the benefits of using metamodels and then examines the cost-effectiveness of this approach.« less

Computer program for determining rotational line intensity factors for diatomic molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiting, E. E.

1973-01-01

A FORTRAN IV computer program, that provides a new research tool for determining reliable rotational line intensity factors (also known as Honl-London factors), for most electric and magnetic dipole allowed diatomic transitions, is described in detail. This users manual includes instructions for preparing the input data, a program listing, detailed flow charts, and three sample cases. The program is applicable to spin-allowed dipole transitions with either or both states intermediate between Hund's case (a) and Hund's case (b) coupling and to spin-forbidden dipole transitions with either or both states intermediate between Hund's case (c) and Hund's case (b) coupling.

CASE STUDIES EXAMINING LCA STREAMLINING TECHNIQUES

EPA Science Inventory

Pressure is mounting for more streamlined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods that allow for evaluations that are quick and simple, but accurate. As part of an overall research effort to develop and demonstrate streamlined LCA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has funded ...

[Major tricuspid insufficiency and absence of systolic valvular coaptation. Echocardiographic study. Apropos of 6 cases].

PubMed

Roudaut, R; Héraudeau, A; Gosse, P; Aouizerate, E; Dequecker, J L; Dallocchio, M

1986-09-01

In a retrospective series of 960 cases of tricuspid regurgitation studied by two-dimensional echocardiography 6 patients presented a systolic defect of valvular coaptation. The origin of this defect varied: one case was due to carcinoid, two to rheumatic cardiopathy, two to papyraceous right ventricle and one to sclerodermia associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The mechanism of the lacking coaptation varies according to the etiology: valvular retraction in carcinoid cardiopathy, right-ventricle dilatation, dilatation of the tricuspid ring and altered kinetics of the right ventricle in the other cases. Changed contractility of the right ventricle is the only element allowing to distinguish tricuspid regurgitation with and without a coaptation defect. Clinically this abnormality always points to an advanced stage of severe tricuspid regurgitation.

Comparison of bone and gallium-67 imaging in heroin users' arthritis

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

Bittini, A.; Dominguez, P.L.; Martinez Pueyo, M.L.

1985-12-01

Nine cases of primary septic arthritis in heroin addicts are reported. Fibrous and cartilaginous joint localizations are prominent (four sternoarticular, three sacroiliac, one sacroccocygeal, and one knee). In all patients but one, conventional roentgenographic studies were negative. In six cases the causative agent was Staphylococcus aureus and in two cases, Candida albicans. In one case, it could not be determined. Our clinical observations, correlating the radioisotopic studies, suggest that in the first week of evolution the diagnostic procedure of choice is the (67Ga)citrate scintigram. Indeed, during this period the (99Tc)MDP bone scan is usually negative. The early demonstration and localizationmore » of the disease, together with the rapid bacteriologic diagnosis, allows for an early and more appropriate antibiotic treatment and better results.« less

Finite-data-size study on practical universal blind quantum computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Qiang; Li, Qiong

2018-07-01

The universal blind quantum computation with weak coherent pulses protocol is a practical scheme to allow a client to delegate a computation to a remote server while the computation hidden. However, in the practical protocol, a finite data size will influence the preparation efficiency in the remote blind qubit state preparation (RBSP). In this paper, a modified RBSP protocol with two decoy states is studied in the finite data size. The issue of its statistical fluctuations is analyzed thoroughly. The theoretical analysis and simulation results show that two-decoy-state case with statistical fluctuation is closer to the asymptotic case than the one-decoy-state case with statistical fluctuation. Particularly, the two-decoy-state protocol can achieve a longer communication distance than the one-decoy-state case in this statistical fluctuation situation.

Craniofacial duplication (diprosopus): CT, MR imaging, and MR angiography findings case report.

PubMed

Hähnel, Stefan; Schramm, Peter; Hassfeld, Stefan; Steiner, Hans H; Seitz, Angelika

2003-01-01

Diprosopus is one of the rarest malformations in humans. In addition to the facial structures, the cerebral frontal lobes were duplicated in this case. Three pairs of anterior cerebral arteries were detected, and the rostral parts of the superior sagittal sinus were duplicated. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and MR angiography allowed study of the degree of duplicative changes in diprosopus, especially for planning cosmetic correction. Copyright RSNA, 2002

Linear stable unity-feedback system - Necessary and sufficient conditions for stability under nonlinear plant perturbations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desoer, C. A.; Kabuli, M. G.

1989-01-01

The authors consider a linear (not necessarily time-invariant) stable unity-feedback system, where the plant and the compensator have normalized right-coprime factorizations. They study two cases of nonlinear plant perturbations (additive and feedback), with four subcases resulting from: (1) allowing exogenous input to Delta P or not; 2) allowing the observation of the output of Delta P or not. The plant perturbation Delta P is not required to be stable. Using the factorization approach, the authors obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for all cases in terms of two pairs of nonlinear pseudostate maps. Simple physical considerations explain the form of these necessary and sufficient conditions. Finally, the authors obtain the characterization of all perturbations Delta P for which the perturbed system remains stable.

Cannibalism, Kuru, and Mad Cows: Prion Disease As a "Choose-Your-Own-Experiment" Case Study to Simulate Scientific Inquiry in Large Lectures.

PubMed

Serrano, Antonio; Liebner, Jeffrey; Hines, Justin K

2016-01-01

Despite significant efforts to reform undergraduate science education, students often perform worse on assessments of perceptions of science after introductory courses, demonstrating a need for new educational interventions to reverse this trend. To address this need, we created An Inexplicable Disease, an engaging, active-learning case study that is unusual because it aims to simulate scientific inquiry by allowing students to iteratively investigate the Kuru epidemic of 1957 in a choose-your-own-experiment format in large lectures. The case emphasizes the importance of specialization and communication in science and is broadly applicable to courses of any size and sub-discipline of the life sciences.

A case study of data integration for aquatic resources using semantic web technologies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gordon, Janice M.; Chkhenkeli, Nina; Govoni, David L.; Lightsom, Frances L.; Ostroff, Andrea C.; Schweitzer, Peter N.; Thongsavanh, Phethala; Varanka, Dalia E.; Zednik, Stephan

2015-01-01

Use cases, information modeling, and linked data techniques are Semantic Web technologies used to develop a prototype system that integrates scientific observations from four independent USGS and cooperator data systems. The techniques were tested with a use case goal of creating a data set for use in exploring potential relationships among freshwater fish populations and environmental factors. The resulting prototype extracts data from the BioData Retrieval System, the Multistate Aquatic Resource Information System, the National Geochemical Survey, and the National Hydrography Dataset. A prototype user interface allows a scientist to select observations from these data systems and combine them into a single data set in RDF format that includes explicitly defined relationships and data definitions. The project was funded by the USGS Community for Data Integration and undertaken by the Community for Data Integration Semantic Web Working Group in order to demonstrate use of Semantic Web technologies by scientists. This allows scientists to simultaneously explore data that are available in multiple, disparate systems beyond those they traditionally have used.

Social Interaction in Self-Paced Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Terry; Upton, Lorne; Dron, Jon; Malone, Judi; Poelhuber, Bruno

2015-01-01

In this paper we present a case study of a self-paced university course that was originally designed to support independent, self-paced study at distance. We developed a social media intervention, in design-based research terms, that allows these independent students to contribute archived content to enhance the course, to engage in discussions…

Characterization of shallow groundwater quality in the Lower St. Johns River Basin: a case study

Treesearch

Ying Ouyang; Jia-En Zhang; Prem Parajuli

2013-01-01

Characterization of groundwater quality allows the evaluation of groundwater pollution and provides information for better management of groundwater resources. This study characterized the shallow groundwater quality and its spatial and seasonal variations in the Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida, USA, under agricultural, forest, wastewater, and residential land...

Individual Differences in the Lexical Development of French-English Bilingual Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Annabelle; Wei, Li

2008-01-01

The large and rapidly expanding body of literature on bilingual acquisition is mostly comprised of either single-case or cross-sectional studies. While these studies have made major contributions to our understanding of bilingual children's language development, they do not allow researchers to compare and contrast results with regard to…

47 CFR 1.1506 - Allowable fees and expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., 1996, $125.00, per hour. No award to compensate an expert witness may exceed the highest rate at which... as may bear on the value of the service provided. (d) The reasonable cost of any study, analysis... study or other matter was necessary for preparation of the applicant's case. (e) Fees may be awarded...

47 CFR 1.1506 - Allowable fees and expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., 1996, $125.00, per hour. No award to compensate an expert witness may exceed the highest rate at which... as may bear on the value of the service provided. (d) The reasonable cost of any study, analysis... study or other matter was necessary for preparation of the applicant's case. (e) Fees may be awarded...

Career Education Programming in Three Diverse High Schools: A Critical Psychology--Case Study Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Saba Rasheed; Yang, Ling-Yan; Button, Christopher J.; McCoy, Thomasin T. H.

2012-01-01

From a critical psychology perspective, Prilleltensky and Nelson advocate for research that has explicit focus on social change and can allow for full participation and empowerment of those under study. The current article describes the collaborative development, implementation, and evaluation of a career education program within three ethnically…

What's Working Memory Got to Do with It? A Case Study on Teenagers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Andrew; Oliver, Mary; McGrane, Joshua

2015-01-01

This paper presents the results of a small-scale study concerned with the development of working memory during adolescence. The working memory of adolescent students was examined with a novel method, electroencephalography, which allowed insight into the neurological development of the students. Results showed that: electroencephalography is a…

Application Development Methodology Appropriateness: An Exploratory Case Study Bridging the Gap between Framework Characteristics and Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Lawrence H., Jr.

2013-01-01

This qualitative study analyzed experiences of twenty software developers. The research showed that all software development methodologies are distinct from each other. While some, such as waterfall, focus on traditional, plan-driven approaches that allow software requirements and design to evolve; others facilitate ambiguity and uncertainty by…

Should Men who have sex with Men be allowed to donate blood in Israel?

PubMed

Ginsberg, Gary Michael; Shinar, Eilat; Kopel, Eran; Chemtob, Daniel

2016-01-01

The present permanent deferral policy in Israel for MSM was established in 1977 and was based on the previous (now outdated) USA Food and Drug Administration standards. This study analyses epidemiological data regarding blood donations among MSM, in order to estimate the risk for HIV transfusion transmitted infection (TTI) if the policy is changed to allow at-risk MSM to donate blood. An Excel based spreadsheet model integrated demographic, epidemiological data from the HIV National Register, laboratory, blood donation and testing data in order to calculate TTI due to false-negatives in known HIV+ donors, windows period donations, asymptomatic carriers and laboratory misclassification errors. A sensitivity analysis of our estimated TTIs for deferral periods for MSM was performed based on a literature review regarding this overall policy issue worldwide. MSM in Israel have a considerably higher relative risk (RR) of both prevalence (115) and incidence (143) of being HIV+ than persons without a risk factor. Allowing MSM to donate blood, without any deferral period, will add an additional five HIV TTI cases over the next decade. Imposition of a 1 or 5 years deferral of abstinence will increase the number of HIV TTI cases only by 0.10 and 0.05 cases, respectively. A 1 year deferral period for blood donations from MSM in Israel is recommended.

Quantum computation with indefinite causal structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araújo, Mateus; Guérin, Philippe Allard; Baumeler, ńmin

2017-11-01

One way to study the physical plausibility of closed timelike curves (CTCs) is to examine their computational power. This has been done for Deutschian CTCs (D-CTCs) and postselection CTCs (P-CTCs), with the result that they allow for the efficient solution of problems in PSPACE and PP, respectively. Since these are extremely powerful complexity classes, which are not expected to be solvable in reality, this can be taken as evidence that these models for CTCs are pathological. This problem is closely related to the nonlinearity of this models, which also allows, for example, cloning quantum states, in the case of D-CTCs, or distinguishing nonorthogonal quantum states, in the case of P-CTCs. In contrast, the process matrix formalism allows one to model indefinite causal structures in a linear way, getting rid of these effects and raising the possibility that its computational power is rather tame. In this paper, we show that process matrices correspond to a linear particular case of P-CTCs, and therefore that its computational power is upperbounded by that of PP. We show, furthermore, a family of processes that can violate causal inequalities but nevertheless can be simulated by a causally ordered quantum circuit with only a constant overhead, showing that indefinite causality is not necessarily hard to simulate.

32 CFR 1659.1 - Claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... from the date on which the expenses were incurred. (e) No such claim shall be allowed in case it is determined that the cause of injury, illness, or death was due to negligence or misconduct of the registrant... Service Act in any one case. (g) Payment of such claims when allowed shall be made only: (1) Directly to...

Design considerations for case series models with exposure onset measurement error.

PubMed

Mohammed, Sandra M; Dalrymple, Lorien S; Sentürk, Damla; Nguyen, Danh V

2013-02-28

The case series model allows for estimation of the relative incidence of events, such as cardiovascular events, within a pre-specified time window after an exposure, such as an infection. The method requires only cases (individuals with events) and controls for all fixed/time-invariant confounders. The measurement error case series model extends the original case series model to handle imperfect data, where the timing of an infection (exposure) is not known precisely. In this work, we propose a method for power/sample size determination for the measurement error case series model. Extensive simulation studies are used to assess the accuracy of the proposed sample size formulas. We also examine the magnitude of the relative loss of power due to exposure onset measurement error, compared with the ideal situation where the time of exposure is measured precisely. To facilitate the design of case series studies, we provide publicly available web-based tools for determining power/sample size for both the measurement error case series model as well as the standard case series model. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Case for Authentic Materials on Videodisc.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saint-Leon, Claire Brandicourt

1988-01-01

Foreign language video is invaluable for enhancing foreign language instruction, particularly when combined with laser videodisc technology, which allows learners to study minute details. Authentic materials should be made available on videodisks to fully exploit the resources of foreign language video. (Author/CB)

Emergency nursing management of the multiple trauma patient.

PubMed

Kosmos, C A

1989-01-01

This case study reinforces key principles in caring for multiply injured trauma victims. The Primary Survey is a tool developed to allow those caring for trauma patients to prioritize injuries. Those injuries identified in the Primary Survey will be the most life threatening.

Clinicopathologic analysis of 370 cases of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. Italian Study Group on Vulvar Disease.

PubMed

1996-09-01

To investigate epidemiologic, clinical and pathologic aspects of various grades of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). A retrospective, multicenter study of 370 cases of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) was performed by the Italian Study Group on Vulvar Disease. Of the 370 cases, 148 were VIN 1 (40.0%, 53 were VIN 2 (14.3%), and 169 were VIN 3 (45.7%). The mean age of the patients was 52.6 years. During the study period an increase in the rate of human papillomavirus-associated VIN was observed. In addition, while VIN 1 and 2 were associated mostly with squamous cell hyperplasia, VIN 3 was almost equally associated with lichen sclerosus and squamous cell hyperplasia; the difference was statistically significant. Intraepithelial or invasive squamous neoplasia of the lower genital tract was associated in 22% of the cases (82/370). The results of the investigation, although not allowing firm conclusions due to the retrospective and multicentered nature of the study, demonstrate the extreme heterogeneity of VIN lesions.

Support for recreational trail development and community attachment: a case of the Soucook River Watershed

Treesearch

Jodi L. Michaud; Robert A. Robertson

2001-01-01

This study was conducted as part of a larger multi-community needs assessment. Data from this study allows for the determination of support for a multiple-use trail system linking communities within the Soucook River Watershed Region in New Hampshire. This study also examines the relationship between support for trail development and community attachment. The results...

Cirrus cloud development in a mobile upper tropospheric trough: The November 26th FIRE cirrus case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mace, Gerald G.; Ackerman, Thomas P.

1993-01-01

The period from 18 UTC 26 Nov. 1991 to roughly 23 UTC 26 Nov. 1991 is one of the study periods of the FIRE (First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Regional Experiment) 2 field campaign. The middle and upper tropospheric cloud data that was collected during this time allowed FIRE scientists to learn a great deal about the detailed structure, microphysics, and radiative characteristics of the mid latitude cirrus that occurred during that time. Modeling studies that range from the microphysical to the mesoscale are now underway attempting to piece the detailed knowledge of this cloud system into a coherent picture of the atmospheric processes important to cirrus cloud development and maintenance. An important component of the modeling work, either as an input parameter in the case of cloud-scale models, or as output in the case of meso and larger scale models, is the large scale forcing of the cloud system. By forcing we mean the synoptic scale vertical motions and moisture budget that initially send air parcels ascending and supply the water vapor to allow condensation during ascent. Defining this forcing from the synoptic scale to the cloud scale is one of the stated scientific objectives of the FIRE program. From the standpoint of model validation, it is also necessary that the vertical motions and large scale moisture budget of the case studies be derived from observations. It is considered important that the models used to simulate the observed cloud fields begin with the correct dynamics and that the dynamics be in the right place for the right reasons.

Multiple proton decays of 6Be, 8C, 8B(IAS) and excited states in 10C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobotka, Lee

2011-10-01

Recent technical advances have allowed for high-order correlation experiments to be done. We have primarily focused on experiments in which the final channels are composed of only alphas and protons. Four cases we have studied are: 6Be, 10C*, 8C, and 8B*(IAS) via 3, 4, 5, and 3-particle correlation measurements, respectively. While the first case had been studied before, our work presents very high statistics in the full Jacobi coordinates (the coordinates needed to describe 3-body decay.) Our study of 10C excited states provides isolatable examples of: correlated 2p decay, from one state, and the decay of another which is unusually highly correlated, a ``ménage a quatre.'' 8C decay presents the only case of sequential 3-body 2p decay steps (i.e. 2p-2p.) The intermediate in this 2-step process is the first example (6Be) mentioned above. Unlike the well-studied second step (6Be decay), the first step in this 2p-2p process provides another example of correlated 2p emission. The decay of 8B(IAS), the isobaric analog of 8C, also decays overwhelmingly by 2p emission, in this case to 6Li(IAS). This IAS-to-IAS 2p decay is one for which decay to the potential 1p intermediates is energetically allowed but isospin forbidden. This represents an expansion, over that originally envisioned by Goldanski, of the conceivable nuclear territory for 2p decay.

Intraoperative use of indocyanine green angiography for selecting the more reliable perforator of the anterolateral thigh flap: A comparison study.

PubMed

La Padula, Simone; Hersant, Barbara; Meningaud, Jean Paul

2018-03-30

Anatomical variability of anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) perforators has been reported. The aim of this study is to assess if the use of intraoperative indocyanine green angiography (iICGA) can help surgeons to choose the ALT flap best perforator to be preserved. A retrospective study was conducted in 28 patients with open tibial fracture, following a road traffic crash, who had undergone ALT flap. Patients were classified into two groups: ICGA group (iICGA was used to select the more reliable perforator) and control group. The mean tissue loss size of the ICGA group (n = 13, 11 men and 2 women, mean age: 52 ± 6 years) was of 16.6 cm × 12.2 cm. The mean defect size of the control group (n = 15, 14 men and 1 women, mean age: 50 ± 5.52 years) was of 15.3 cm × 11.1 cm. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze and compare the results. ICGA allowed preserving only the most functional perforator, that provided the best ALT flap perfusion in 10 out of the 13 cases (77%). ICGA allowed a significant operative time reduction (160 ± 23 vs. 202 ± 48 minutes; P < .001). One case of distal necrosis was observed in the ICGA group (mean follow-up 12.3 months), while partial skin necrosis occurred in three cases of the control group (mean follow-up 13.1 months); P = .35. No additional coverage was required and a successful bone healing was observed in both groups. These findings suggest that iICGA is an effective method that allows to select the most reliable ALT flap perforators and to reduce operative time. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of mitigation measures to reduce hydropeaking impacts on river ecosystems - a case study from the Swiss Alps.

PubMed

Tonolla, Diego; Bruder, Andreas; Schweizer, Steffen

2017-01-01

New Swiss legislation obligates hydropower plant owners to reduce detrimental impacts on rivers ecosystems caused by hydropeaking. We used a case study in the Swiss Alps (hydropower company Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG) to develop an efficient and successful procedure for the ecological evaluation of such impacts, and to predict the effects of possible mitigation measures. We evaluated the following scenarios using 12 biotic and abiotic indicators: the pre-mitigation scenario (i.e. current state), the future scenario with increased turbine capacity but without mitigation measures, and future scenarios with increased turbine capacity and four alternative mitigation measures. The evaluation was based on representative hydrographs and quantitative or qualitative prediction of the indicators. Despite uncertainties in the ecological responses and the future operation mode of the hydropower plant, the procedure allowed the most appropriate mitigation measure to be identified. This measure combines a basin and a cavern at a total retention volume of 80,000m 3 , allowing for substantial dampening in the flow falling and ramping rates and in turn considerable reduction in stranding risk for juvenile trout and in macroinvertebrate drift. In general, this retention volume had the greatest predicted ecological benefit and can also, to some extent, compensate for possible modifications in the hydropower operation regime in the future, e.g. due to climate change, changes in the energy market, and changes in river morphology. Furthermore, it also allows for more specific seasonal regulations of retention volume during ecologically sensitive periods (e.g. fish spawning seasons). Overall experience gained from our case study is expected to support other hydropeaking mitigation projects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Characteristics of case management programs and their potential for patient empowerment].

PubMed

Grün, Oskar; Maier, Manfred

2008-01-01

Different types of case management programs have been increasingly developed for health care systems. This study, therefore, aimed to identify similarities and differences of case management programs, to estimate their shaping with special emphasis on patient empowerment, and to develop an instrument for their differentiation. During an interdisciplinary seminar for students, eight different case management programs were selected and analyzed. Five characteristics of case management programs were identified: type of case, extent of functions, players involved, limits of availability and need for resources. The programs were categorized into information-, provider-, disease- or patient centred. With these characteristics the selected programs could be exactly described and their potential for patient empowerment could be assessed. This newly developed tool for describing case management programs allows for their sufficient differentiation. The potential for patient empowerment apparently is most prominent in patient centred programs.

[Application of portfolio in teaching dermatology clinic: an experience in teaching of medicine].

PubMed

de Cabalier, M E; Chalub, D M

2009-01-01

We present a learning experience conducted in the Chair of Dermatology Clinic of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Cordoba in the context of curriculum change. For comprehension,present a theoretical framework and practical from the conceptualization of the "portfolio" teaching and its role teaching and learning paradigms sustained constructivist medical education. The portfolio Teach-ing is not a collection of papers, but a coherent set of experiences led thoughtful learning between teachers and students. This resource allows to account for the "qualitative achievements" of students from their work produced, sorted and evaluated in a carefully planned sequence of experiences and case Dermatology Clinic. To introduce the teaching portfolio, the planned new student grouping shapes and a sequence of learning experiences for the construction of this resource, namely: "The development of theoretical material iconographic resources and working guidelines for students. "The clinical reasoning on a case or laboratory experience-Clinical case Discussion and bibliography. -The development of records to from observation of patients. "The study of clinical cases: diagnosis and evolution of clinical cases. Interconsultations-Registration and referrals. "The magazine room and sharing experiences. In each of these, production, tutorial feedback Team teaching and assessment tasks allowed assessment approach to learning and improving he achievements of the students to the approval of the subject.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Cardiac Masses

PubMed Central

Braggion-Santos, Maria Fernanda; Koenigkam-Santos, Marcel; Teixeira, Sara Reis; Volpe, Gustavo Jardim; Trad, Henrique Simão; Schmidt, André

2013-01-01

Background Cardiac tumors are extremely rare; however, when there is clinical suspicion, proper diagnostic evaluation is necessary to plan the most appropriate treatment. In this context, cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) plays an important role, allowing a comprehensive characterization of such lesions. Objective To review cases referred to a CMRI Department for investigation of cardiac and paracardiac masses. To describe the positive case series with a brief review of the literature for each type of lesion and the role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in evaluation. Methods Between August 2008 and December 2011, all cases referred for CMRI with suspicion of tumor involving the heart were reviewed. Cases with positive histopathological diagnosis, clinical evolution or therapeutic response compatible with the clinical suspicion and imaging findings were selected. Results Among the 13 cases included in our study, eight (62%) had histopathological confirmation. We describe five benign tumors (myxomas, rhabdomyoma and fibromas), five malignancies (sarcoma, lymphoma, Richter syndrome involving the heart and metastatic disease) and three non-neoplastic lesions (pericardial cyst, intracardiac thrombus and infectious vegetation). Conclusion CMRI plays an important role in the evaluation of cardiac masses of non-neoplastic and neoplastic origin, contributing to a more accurate diagnosis in a noninvasive manner and assisting in treatment planning, allowing safe clinical follow-up with good reproducibility. PMID:23887734

Unstable metacarpal and phalangeal fractures: treatment by internal fixation using AO mini-fragment plates and screws.

PubMed

Mumtaz, Mohammad Umar; Farooq, Muneer Ahmad; Rasool, Altaf Ahmad; Kawoosa, Altaf Ahmad; Badoo, Abdul Rashid; Dhar, Shabir Ahmad

2010-07-01

Accurate open reduction and internal fixation for metacarpal and phalangeal fractures of the hand is required in less than 5% of the patients; otherwise, closed treatment techniques offer satisfactory results in most of these cases as these fractures are stable either before or after closed reduction. AO mini-fragment screws and plates, when used in properly selected cases, can provide rigid fixation, allowing early mobilization of joints and hence good functional results while avoiding problems associated with protruding K-wires and immobilization. The advantages of such internal fixation urged us to undertake such a study in our state where such hand injuries are commonly seen. Forty patients with 42 unstable metacarpal and phalangeal fractures were treated with open reduction and internal fixation using AO mini-fragment screws and plates over a period of three years in a prospective manner. The overall results were good in 78.5% of cases, fair in 19% of cases and poor in 2.5% of cases, as judged according to the criteria of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. This technique is a reasonable option for treating unstable metacarpal and phalangeal fractures as it provides a highly rigid fixation, which is sufficient to allow early mobilization of the adjacent joints, thus helping to achieve good functional results.

Methodological Issues in Design and Analysis of a Matched Case-Control Study of a Vaccine’s Effectiveness

PubMed Central

Niccolai, Linda M.; Ogden, Lorraine G.; Muehlenbein, Catherine E.; Dziura, James D.; Vázquez, Marietta; Shapiro, Eugene D.

2007-01-01

Objective Case-control studies of the effectiveness of a vaccine are useful to answer important questions, such as the effectiveness of a vaccine over time, that usually are not addressed by pre-licensure clinical trials of the vaccine’s efficacy. This report describes methodological issues related to design and analysis that were used to determine the effects of time since vaccination and age at the time of vaccination. Study Design and Setting A matched case-control study of the effectiveness of varicella vaccine. Results Sampling procedures and conditional logistic regression models including interaction terms are described. Conclusion Use of these methods will allow investigators to assess the effects of a wide range of variables, such as time since vaccination and age at the time of vaccination, on the effectiveness of a vaccine. PMID:17938054

North American Waterfowl Distributions: Analyzing Long-Term Stability and Case Studies Exploring Potential Drivers of Change

EPA Science Inventory

Knowledge about how species distributions shift through time increases basic ecological understanding, improves species management and conservation, and allows for enhanced predictions about the future. This type of research is difficult to conduct, especially for migratory wate...

Sustainability Indicators for Chemical Processes: III. Biodiesel Case Study

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical industry is one of the most important business sectors, not only economically, but also societally; as it allows humanity to attain higher standards and quality of life. Simultaneously, chemical products and processes can be the origin of potential human health and ...

Damage Detection and Mitigation in Open Collaboration Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Andrew G.

2013-01-01

Collaborative functionality is changing the way information is amassed, refined, and disseminated in online environments. A subclass of these systems characterized by "open collaboration" uniquely allow participants to "modify" content with low barriers-to-entry. A prominent example and our case study, English Wikipedia,…

Collaboration Strategies to Reduce Technical Debt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miko, Jeffrey Allen

2017-01-01

Inadequate software development collaboration processes can allow technical debt to accumulate increasing future maintenance costs and the chance of system failures. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore collaboration strategies software development leaders use to reduce the amount of technical debt created by software…

Newspaper Failure: An Elusive Concept.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walden, Ruth

This study explores the antecedents of the Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970 (a provision which allowed for limited exemption from federal antitrust laws), including the case of "United States vs. Citizen Publishing Company" and the failing-company doctrine as enunciated in "International Shoe Company vs. Federal Trade…

Drama: The Play's the Thing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irwin, Eleanor C.

1987-01-01

Discusses the history and theory of drama therapy and illustrates it through case studies. Makes suggestions for counselors who wish to use drama to promote psychological development. Notes that using dramatic activities allows counselors to view the inner world of their clients through symbolization, characterization, and interaction. (ABB)

The impact of structural biology in medicine illustrated with four case studies.

PubMed

Hu, Tiancen; Sprague, Elizabeth R; Fodor, Michelle; Stams, Travis; Clark, Kirk L; Cowan-Jacob, Sandra W

2018-01-01

The contributions of structural biology to drug discovery have expanded over the last 20 years from structure-based ligand optimization to a broad range of clinically relevant topics including the understanding of disease, target discovery, screening for new types of ligands, discovery of new modes of action, addressing clinical challenges such as side effects or resistance, and providing data to support drug registration. This expansion of scope is due to breakthroughs in the technology, which allow structural information to be obtained rapidly and for more complex molecular systems, but also due to the combination of different technologies such as X-ray, NMR, and other biophysical methods, which allows one to get a more complete molecular understanding of disease and ways to treat it. In this review, we provide examples of the types of impact molecular structure information can have in the clinic for both low molecular weight and biologic drug discovery and describe several case studies from our own work to illustrate some of these contributions.

Case histories of six consumers and their families in Cash and Counseling.

PubMed

San Antonio, Patricia M; Simon-Rusinowitz, Lori; Loughlin, Dawn; Eckert, J Kevin; Mahoney, Kevin J

2007-02-01

To examine how the lives of consumers and their caregivers were affected by making choices and controlling their own resources with the cash option, this paper focuses on six case studies from the Cash and Counseling Demonstration Program. Twenty-one consumers, caregivers, and state consultants were interviewed about their experiences in the program. The data come from a larger study of over 200 interviews conducted from June 2000 to August 2004. Interview data were analyzed for themes about caregiving and program satisfaction. Cash and Counseling benefited consumers and caregivers by allowing consumers increased continuity and reliability of care, increased ability to set hours of care, more satisfaction with how caregiving is offered and more satisfaction with the quality of care. The cash option allowed consumers to create, schedule, and manage their own model of care. Some consumers faced challenges in the program with paperwork, accounting, worries about receiving care, and some ineffective state consultants who could have been more helpful.

Aggregation, Validation, and Generalization of Qualitative Data - Methodological and Practical Research Strategies Illustrated by the Research Process of an empirically Based Typology.

PubMed

Weis, Daniel; Willems, Helmut

2017-06-01

The article deals with the question of how aggregated data which allow for generalizable insights can be generated from single-case based qualitative investigations. Thereby, two central challenges of qualitative social research are outlined: First, researchers must ensure that the single-case data can be aggregated and condensed so that new collective structures can be detected. Second, they must apply methods and practices to allow for the generalization of the results beyond the specific study. In the following, we demonstrate how and under what conditions these challenges can be addressed in research practice. To this end, the research process of the construction of an empirically based typology is described. A qualitative study, conducted within the framework of the Luxembourg Youth Report, is used to illustrate this process. Specifically, strategies are presented which increase the likelihood of generalizability or transferability of the results, while also highlighting their limitations.

A FMEA clinical laboratory case study: how to make problems and improvements measurable.

PubMed

Capunzo, Mario; Cavallo, Pierpaolo; Boccia, Giovanni; Brunetti, Luigi; Pizzuti, Sante

2004-01-01

The authors have experimented the application of the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) technique in a clinical laboratory. FMEA technique allows: a) to evaluate and measure the hazards of a process malfunction, b) to decide where to execute improvement actions, and c) to measure the outcome of those actions. A small sample of analytes has been studied: there have been determined the causes of the possible malfunctions of the analytical process, calculating the risk probability index (RPI), with a value between 1 and 1,000. Only for the cases of RPI > 400, improvement actions have been implemented that allowed a reduction of RPI values between 25% to 70% with a costs increment of < 1%. FMEA technique can be applied to the processes of a clinical laboratory, even if of small dimensions, and offers a high potential of improvement. Nevertheless, such activity needs a thorough planning because it is complex, even if the laboratory already operates an ISO 9000 Quality Management System.

A Study of the Use of the Three-Minute Classrooom Walk-Through Observation Method for Determining the Implementation of New Instructional Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Notgrass, Patty J.

2012-01-01

Principals are responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the instructional programs, including staff development, on their campuses. Instructional leaders must utilize practices that allow them to fulfill this responsibility. This qualitative, collective case study examined the effectiveness of the three-minute classroom walk-through…

All-Day Recordings to Investigate Vocabulary Development: A Case Study of a Trilingual Toddler

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oller, D. Kimbrough

2010-01-01

Major innovations are becoming available for research in language development and disorders. Among these innovations, recent tools allow naturalistic recording in children's homes and automated analysis to facilitate representative sampling. This study employed all-day recordings during the 2nd year of life in a child exposed to three languages,…

Academic Performance and the Practice of Self-Directed Learning: The Adult Student Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khiat, Henry

2017-01-01

The practice of self-directed learning is important to adult students as it allows them to learn effectively while juggling work, family and other commitments. This study set out to examine the self-directed learning characteristics present in the adult students' study process at the case university. The relationship between the adult students'…

A rapid method to assess grape rust mites on leaves and observations from case studies in western Oregon vineyards

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A rapid method for extracting eriophyoid mites was adapted from previous studies to provide growers and IPM consultants with a practical, efficient, and reliable tool to monitor for rust mites in vineyards. The rinse in bag (RIB) method allows quick extraction of mites from collected plant parts (sh...

Planning for the Elderly Without Architecture Is Like Architecture for the Elderly Without Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bednar, Michael; And Others

1977-01-01

A joint project between the separate divisions of planning and architecture at the UVA School of Architecture was conducted to allow graduate students to study the environmental needs of the elderly. The case-study approach was undertaken in Lynchburg, Virginia, and the year-long project was seen as a "real World" problem. (LBH)

A Discursive Formation that Undermined Integration at a Historically Advantaged School in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Devika

2010-01-01

This paper provides an analysis of the extent of integration at a historically advantaged school. A qualitative multi-method case study allowed for in-depth analysis of integration in the school. Bernstein's theory of code, classification, boundary and power framed the study. Data analysis showed that: racial desegregation was achieved at student…

Corporal Punishment in the State of Louisiana: A Descriptive Study of Policies and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broussard, Mary R.

2014-01-01

Louisiana is currently one of the 19 states in the United States that still allow the use of corporal punishment in public schools. The research questions that drove this study explored Louisiana-published court cases involving corporal punishment in public schools, district policies regarding the use of corporal punishment, reported instances of…

Engaging Boys through Self-Reflection Using an Online Journaling Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Chris; Deed, Craig

2009-01-01

The study reported here investigated whether Year 6 boys were engaged through the use of an online journaling tool. This journaling tool allowed the students to self reflect on their behaviour and affective reaction in an online environment. Case study methodology was used with twelve boys from a regional primary school in Victoria, during the one…

A SQL-Database Based Meta-CASE System and its Query Subsystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eessaar, Erki; Sgirka, Rünno

Meta-CASE systems simplify the creation of CASE (Computer Aided System Engineering) systems. In this paper, we present a meta-CASE system that provides a web-based user interface and uses an object-relational database system (ORDBMS) as its basis. The use of ORDBMSs allows us to integrate different parts of the system and simplify the creation of meta-CASE and CASE systems. ORDBMSs provide powerful query mechanism. The proposed system allows developers to use queries to evaluate and gradually improve artifacts and calculate values of software measures. We illustrate the use of the systems by using SimpleM modeling language and discuss the use of SQL in the context of queries about artifacts. We have created a prototype of the meta-CASE system by using PostgreSQL™ ORDBMS and PHP scripting language.

Cohort mortality study of North American industrial sand workers. II. Case-referent analysis of lung cancer and silicosis deaths.

PubMed

Hughes, J M; Weill, H; Rando, R J; Shi, R; McDonald, A D; McDonald, J C

2001-04-01

A cohort mortality study of 2670 men in nine North American industrial sand plants resulted in 83 deaths from lung cancer 20 or more years after hire (standardized mortality ratio 139) and 37 deaths from silicosis (including seven from silico-tuberculosis). The lung cancer excess was unrelated to duration of employment and not found in all plants. The primary aim was to determine whether lung cancer risk among these employees was related to quantitative estimates of crystalline silica exposure, after allowance for cigarette smoking. A secondary aim was to do the same for silicosis mortality, partly as a means of validating the estimated levels of exposure. A nested case-referent study was undertaken with cases matched with up to two controls on plant, age and date of first employment from men who survived the case. Exposures were estimated by linking work histories to a job-exposure matrix, undertaken separately. Cigarette smoking information was obtained from medical records and other sources, blind as to case-control status. Matched statistical analyses were conducted using conditional logistic regression. Odds ratios for silicosis mortality were significantly related to cumulative silica exposures and tended to a relationship with category of average crystalline silica concentration, but inconsistently with length of employment. After accounting for a strong effect of cigarette smoking, odds ratios for lung cancer were related to cumulative crystalline silica exposure and to average silica concentration, but not to length of employment. These findings support a causal relationship between lung cancer and quartz exposure after allowance for cigarette smoking, in the absence of cristobalite or other known occupational carcinogens.

Clean air, clear market. Making emissions trading work: The role of a computer-assisted auction

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

Bartels, C.W.; Marron, D.B.; Lipsky, M.I.

1993-06-15

Creating a new commodity presents the chance to develop new markets in which to trade it. In many cases, existing markets can be adapted easily; in other cases it proves worthwhile to develop new forms that reflect special characteristics of the commodity and those who trade it. In the case of the sulfur dioxide (SO[sub 2]) emission allowances created by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, a number of standard market forms already have been adopted. While these will prove useful for handling some transactions, a new Market Clearing Auction (MCA) offers buyers and sellers a centralized marketplace formore » trading SO[sub 2] emission allowances. The MCA, which was developed by the brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald, is a computer-assisted [open quotes]smart[close quotes] auction designed to replicate the outcome of an efficient market in emission allowances, and accepts bids and offers for any possible combination of allowances. Orders can be submitted for streams of allowances. Orders can be submitted for streams of allowances covering more than one year. The auction then determines the combination of bids and offers that maximizes the gains from trades in the market, and establishes uniform market clearing prices for each allowance issue (1995, 1996, and so on). Once executed, trades are settled on a cash-forward basis; that is, allowances are delivered and payments are made at future dates.« less

The importance of user centered design methods applied to the design of a new workstation: a case study.

PubMed

Duschenes, Ronaldo; Mendes, Andressa; Betiol, Adriana; Barreto, Suzana

2012-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the application of user centered design methodologies in the product development for a line of ergonomic office furniture. The study aimed to analyze the experience of using a workstation from the perspective of two groups of users, installers and end users. The observation of users in their natural context of use not only allowed the development team to identify key needs and strategies of the users, transforming them into design solutions, but mainly it warned them of the importance and impact of user involvement in the product development cycle.

Intestinal obstruction management in patients with advanced abdominal neoplasia.

PubMed

Simion, L; Straja, Nd; Alecu, M; Poroch, V; Moşoiu, D; Panti, C; Grigorean, V; Brătucu, E

2014-01-01

The present study describes the difficulties encountered in the diagnostic process and treatment of intestinal obstruction developed by patients with advanced abdominal neoplasia. This unicentric and retrospective study evaluates patients suffering from intestinal occlusion operated on at the First Surgical Clinic of the Oncology Institute in Bucharest, over a period of 4 years (2010 - 2013). Of these, 61 cases in which the occlusion occurred on the background of an advanced abdominal neoplasia were selected. We considered as advanced those cases of abdominal cancer where curative oncologic treatment is no longer possible due to the evolution stage. The random selection of the study period, the introduction of all the patients identified with this type of pathology, as well as the concentration of advanced abdominal neoplasia at the Oncology Institute in Bucharest are the elements that allow us to state that the results of this study are representative. Particularities related to the clinical aspects of the intestinal occlusion in these patients, as well as difficulties in establishing the correct diagnosis were encountered.Surgical cure of the occlusion, with palliative aim of course,was possible in only 47 cases (representing 77.05%). A standard treatment course cannot be devised for this type of patients. Palliative care, indispensable in cases of advanced neoplastic disease, remains the sole therapeutic method available for patients with no surgical cure for the obstruction. The main objective, for the entire study lot, was to ensure an as high as possible quality of life,a factor we must bear in mind as often as possible when choosing a surgical solution. Of course, when surgical treatment can be applied, overcoming the occlusive episode prolongs these patients' life and can even allow for other courses of complementary treatment to be undertaken. Celsius.

Wealth condensation in a Barabasi-Albert network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez-Montejo, J.; Huerta-Quintanilla, R.; Rodríguez-Achach, M.

2010-04-01

We study the flow of money among agents in a Barabasi-Albert (BA) scale free network, where each network node represents an agent and money exchange interactions are established through links. The system allows money trade between two agents at a time, betting a fraction f of the poorer’s agent wealth. We also allow for the bet to be biased, giving the poorer agent a winning probability p. In the no network case there is a phase transition involving a relationship between p and f. In the networked case, we also found a condensation interface, however, this is not a complete condensation due to the presence of clusters in the network and its topology. As can be expected, the winner is always a well-connected agent, but we also found that the mean wealth decreases with the agents’ connectivity.

Evaluation of dissemination studies with FDG whole-body positron emission tomography in patients with suspected metastatic tumours of brain and spine.

PubMed

Go, K G; Pruim, J; Que, T H; Vaalburg, W; Haaxma-Reiche, H

2000-01-01

In the preoperative diagnosis of malignant brain tumours there is often uncertainty regarding their metastatic or primary nature, requiring dissemination studies. Currently FDG-wbPET is being used for the efficient detection of systemic tumours. It therefore may become a substitute for the conventional dissemination studies if it allows an earlier diagnosis. In this descriptive and preliminary study a population of 14 patients with suspected or proven metastatic lesions, [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose whole body positron emission tomography (FDG-wbPET) was conducted and verified by additional conventional dissemination studies. FINDINGS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION: The entire series of dissemination studies required an average of 30 days with a range of 4-73 days. The FDG-wbPET was corroborated by the other dissemination studies in 10 of the 14 patients. In 7 of these 10 patients both PET and dissemination studies showed systemic abnormal findings, but in one case the presence of high pulmonary activity on the FDG-wbPET and the abnormal findings on the chest X-rays proved to be Aspergillus infection at autopsy. In the other 2 cases the negative PET findings corresponded to the absence of systemic dissemination. In 5 cases there was disagreement of the results of the FDG-wbPET with other evidence, among which there were 2 cases of glioblastoma in which systemic metastases were most unlikely, and the foci of activity on the FDG-wbPET had to be considered as false positives. In the remaining 3 cases the systemic presence of high activity on the FDG-wbPET indicated the systemic presence of tumour, whereas the other dissemination studies disclosed no tumour. The results warrant the use of FDG-wbPET as a screening method for the search of metastases, allowing other studies to be focussed on the lesion. But from the cost/benefit point of view this would make the method less suitable as a substitute for dissemination studies in general, although it may speed up the diagnostic process.

Improving health care costing with resource consumption accounting.

PubMed

Ozyapici, Hasan; Tanis, Veyis Naci

2016-07-11

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the differences between a traditional costing system (TCS) and resource consumption accounting (RCA) based on a case study carried out in a hospital. Design/methodology/approach - A descriptive case study was first carried out to identify the current costing system of the case hospital. An exploratory case study was then conducted to reveal how implementing RCA within the case hospital assigns costs differently to gallbladder surgeries than the current costing system (i.e. a TCS). Findings - The study showed that, in contrast to a TCS, RCA considers the unused capacity, which is the difference between the work that can be performed based on current resources and the work that is actually being performed. Therefore, it assigns lower total costs to open and laparoscopic gallbladder surgeries. The study also showed that by separating costs into fixed and variable RCA allows managers to benefit from a pricing strategy based on the difference between the service's selling price and variable costs incurred in providing that service. Research limitations/implications - The limitation of this study is that, because of time constraints, the implementation was performed in the general surgery department only. However, since RCA is an advanced system that has the same application procedures for any department inside in a hospital, managers need only time gaps to implement this system to all parts of the hospital. Practical implications - This study concluded that RCA is better than a TCS for use in health care settings that have high overhead costs because it accurately assigns overhead costs to services by considering unused capacities incurred by a hospital. Consequently, this study provides insight into both measuring and managing unused capacities within the health care sector. This study also concluded that RCA helps health care administrators increase their competitive advantage by allowing them to determine the lowest service price. Originality/value - Since the literature review found no study comparing RCA with TCS in a real-life health care setting, little is known about differences arising from applying these systems in this context. Thus, the current study fills this gap in the literature by comparing RCA with TCS for both open and laparoscopic gallbladder surgeries.

Case studies, cross-site comparisons, and the challenge of generalization: comparing agent-based models of land-use change in frontier regions

PubMed Central

Parker, Dawn C.; Entwisle, Barbara; Rindfuss, Ronald R.; Vanwey, Leah K.; Manson, Steven M.; Moran, Emilio; An, Li; Deadman, Peter; Evans, Tom P.; Linderman, Marc; Rizi, S. Mohammad Mussavi; Malanson, George

2009-01-01

Cross-site comparisons of case studies have been identified as an important priority by the land-use science community. From an empirical perspective, such comparisons potentially allow generalizations that may contribute to production of global-scale land-use and land-cover change projections. From a theoretical perspective, such comparisons can inform development of a theory of land-use science by identifying potential hypotheses and supporting or refuting evidence. This paper undertakes a structured comparison of four case studies of land-use change in frontier regions that follow an agent-based modeling approach. Our hypothesis is that each case study represents a particular manifestation of a common process. Given differences in initial conditions among sites and the time at which the process is observed, actual mechanisms and outcomes are anticipated to differ substantially between sites. Our goal is to reveal both commonalities and differences among research sites, model implementations, and ultimately, conclusions derived from the modeling process. PMID:19960107

Case studies, cross-site comparisons, and the challenge of generalization: comparing agent-based models of land-use change in frontier regions.

PubMed

Parker, Dawn C; Entwisle, Barbara; Rindfuss, Ronald R; Vanwey, Leah K; Manson, Steven M; Moran, Emilio; An, Li; Deadman, Peter; Evans, Tom P; Linderman, Marc; Rizi, S Mohammad Mussavi; Malanson, George

2008-01-01

Cross-site comparisons of case studies have been identified as an important priority by the land-use science community. From an empirical perspective, such comparisons potentially allow generalizations that may contribute to production of global-scale land-use and land-cover change projections. From a theoretical perspective, such comparisons can inform development of a theory of land-use science by identifying potential hypotheses and supporting or refuting evidence. This paper undertakes a structured comparison of four case studies of land-use change in frontier regions that follow an agent-based modeling approach. Our hypothesis is that each case study represents a particular manifestation of a common process. Given differences in initial conditions among sites and the time at which the process is observed, actual mechanisms and outcomes are anticipated to differ substantially between sites. Our goal is to reveal both commonalities and differences among research sites, model implementations, and ultimately, conclusions derived from the modeling process.

Descriptive studies: what they can and cannot do.

PubMed

Grimes, David A; Schulz, Kenneth F

2002-01-12

Descriptive studies often represent the first scientific toe in the water in new areas of inquiry. A fundamental element of descriptive reporting is a clear, specific, and measurable definition of the disease or condition in question. Like newspapers, good descriptive reporting answers the five basic W questions: who, what, why, when, where. and a sixth: so what? Case reports, case-series reports, cross-sectional studies, and surveillance studies deal with individuals, whereas ecological correlational studies examine populations. The case report is the least-publishable unit in medical literature. Case-series reports aggregate individual cases in one publication. Clustering of unusual cases in a short period often heralds a new epidemic, as happened with AIDS. Cross-sectional (prevalence) studies describe the health of populations. Surveillance can be thought of as watchfulness over a community; feedback to those who need to know is an integral component of surveillance. Ecological correlational studies look for associations between exposures and outcomes in populations-eg, per capita cigarette sales and rates of coronary artery disease-rather than in individuals. Three important uses of descriptive studies include trend analysis, health-care planning, and hypothesis generation. A frequent error in reports of descriptive studies is overstepping the data: studies without a comparison group allow no inferences to be drawn about associations, causal or otherwise. Hypotheses about causation from descriptive studies are often tested in rigorous analytical studies.

Best Practices Case Study: David Weekley Homes - Eagle Springs and Waterhaven, Houston, TX

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

none,

2011-04-01

Case study describing David Weekley Homes, Houston Division, has qualified more than 1,240 homes for the DOE Builders Challenge. Advanced framed 2x6 walls with open headers and two-stud corners allow more room for R-20 damp sprayed cellulose wall cavity insulation that is covered with R-5 rigid XPS foam. A radiant barrier cuts heat gain in the R-38 insulated vented attics. Draft stopping at fireplace and duct chases and behind tubs, gluing sheetrock to framing, and extensive caulking make for air-tight homes at 3.0 ACH50.

Semantic e-Science in Space Physics - A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narock, T.; Yoon, V.; Merka, J.; Szabo, A.

2009-05-01

Several search and retrieval systems for space physics data are currently under development in NASA's heliophysics data environment. We present a case study of two such systems, and describe our efforts in implementing an ontology to aid in data discovery. In doing so we highlight the various aspects of knowledge representation and show how they led to our ontology design, creation, and implementation. We discuss advantages that scientific reasoning allows, as well as difficulties encountered in current tools and standards. Finally, we present a space physics research project conducted with and without e-Science and contrast the two approaches.

The accuracy of officially reported suicide statistics for purposes of epidemiological research.

PubMed Central

Sainsbury, P; Jenkins, J S

1982-01-01

Suicide is underreported for a number of reasons and the reliability of the official rates is subject to error from variation in defining and reporting cases--the kind of inaccuracies encountered when ascertaining cases in studies of mortality from any cause. Nevertheless, the evidence from studies designed to see whether these sources of error invalidate the differences reported between cultural and social groups indicate that they are randomised, at least to an extent that allows epidemiologists to compare rates between countries and districts within them, between demographic groups, and over time. PMID:7069354

Temperature Rise and Allowable Carbon Emissions for the RCP2.6 Scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tachiiri, K.; Hargreaves, J. C.; Annan, J. D.; Huntingford, C.; Kawamiya, M.

2012-12-01

Climate research centres are running Earth System Models (ESMs) forced by Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. While these GCM studies increase process based knowledge, the number of simulations is small, making it difficult to interpret the resulting distribution of responses in a probabilistic way. We use a probabilistic framework to estimate the range of future temperature change and allowable emissions for a low mitigation CO2 concentration pathway RCP 2.6. Uncertainty is initially estimated by allowing modelled equilibrium climate sensitivity, aerosol forcing and intrinsic physical and biogeochemical processes to vary within widely accepted ranges. Results are then further constrained by extensive use of contemporary measurements. Despite this, the resulting range of temperatures for RCP 2.6 remains large. The predicted peak global temperature increase, reached around 2100, from pre-industrial is 0.8 - 1.9 K and 1.0 - 1.9 K (95% range) for the unconstrained and the constrained cases, respectively. Allowable emissions at the time of peak emission period is projected as 6.0 - 10.8 PgC yr-1 and 7.4 - 10.2 PgC yr-1 for each case. After year 2100, negative net emissions are required with a probability of some 84 %, and related uncertainty in cumulative emissions is large.

Varicose veins endoluminal laser ablation from the beginning EVLT till now CELIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixeira, Heitor; Teixeira, Carolina

2018-04-01

To achieve a unique goal in the treatment of varicose veins in order to obtain the desired result, we use EVLA as the execution of a single treatment that is optimized to treat varicose veins, in which we can treat different kind of patients which we have treated from November 2001 to March 2017. So 3486 documentary cases were carried out with this treatment and the analysis of these cases was the object of this retrospective observational study that allows doctors to understand the surroundings of this procedure on his road to desired perfection. The comparison of the first 8 years of clinical execution with the second ones, allows us to obtain postulates that can serve as guide lines for the understanding of the main fields involved, whether they are the human or the social, economic or even the technician execution needed to obtain the results that allow us to well founded considerations about the validity of this method, as well as we can think how to improve or execute it in order to obtain even better results. The aim of our comparison is to try to understand the clinical and physical contents of these contributions and obtained knowledge that allows the doctors with the bridge that overlaps these different backgrounds.

Enhancing Systems Engineering Education Through Case Study Writing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, Jennifer Stenger

2016-01-01

Developing and refining methods for teaching systems engineering is part of Systems Engineering grand challenges and agenda for research in the SE research community. Retention of systems engineering knowledge is a growing concern in the United States as the baby boom generation continues to retire and the faster pace of technology development does not allow for younger generations to gain experiential knowledge through years of practice. Government agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), develop their own curricula and SE leadership development programs to "grow their own" systems engineers. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) conducts its own Center-focused Marshall Systems Engineering Leadership Development Program (MSELDP), a competitive program consisting of coursework, a guest lecture series, and a rotational assignment into an unfamiliar organization engaged in systems engineering. Independently, MSFC developed two courses to address knowledge retention and sharing concerns: Real World Marshall Mission Success course and its Case Study Writers Workshop and Writers Experience. Teaching case study writing and leading students through a hands-on experience at writing a case study on an SE topic can enhance SE training and has the potential to accelerate the transfer of experiential knowledge. This paper is an overview of the pilot experiences with teaching case study writing, its application in case study-based learning, and identifies potential areas of research and application for case study writing in systems engineering education.

Hypertrophic lichen sclerosus sine sclerosis: clues to histopathologic diagnosis when presenting as psoriasiform lichenoid dermatitis.

PubMed

Weyers, Wolfgang

2015-02-01

The histopathologic diagnosis of lichen sclerosus (LS) is usually facilitated by a subepidermal zone of sclerosis. In the absence of sclerosis, LS mostly presents itself as a psoriasiform lichenoid dermatitis that may be difficult to distinguish from other diseases. We sought to assess histopathologic findings that allow recognition of LS in the absence of sclerosis. We studied 28 criteria in 100 biopsy specimens of LS from genital or perianal skin, including 55 cases with marked sclerosis, 16 cases with mild sclerosis confined to foci of the papillary dermis and 29 cases without sclerosis. Fifteen cases each of the early plaque stage of mycosis fungoides, lichen planus and lichen simplex chronicus were studied for comparison. Some histopathologic hallmarks of LS were seen chiefly in sclerotic lesions and, therefore, did not contribute to the diagnosis of difficult cases, such as dissolution of elastic fibers. Others were seen rarely in non-sclerotic lesions but might be helpful in individual cases, including follicular hyperkeratosis and thickening of the basement membrane. Findings that were more common and may be utilized as clues to the histopathologic diagnosis of non-sclerotic LS include tiny foci of homogenized tissue in dermal papillae, marked fibrosis with thickening of the papillary dermis, marked thickening of individual collagen fibers, lymphocytes aligned in rows between those fibers, necrotic keratinocytes, often with preserved pyknotic nuclei, in all reaches of the epidermis, including the cornified layer, clustering of necrotic keratinocytes above elongated dermal papillae and vertical columns of parakeratosis with distinct dyskeratotic parakeratotic cells. In the absence of sclerosis, histopathologic diagnosis of LS depends on findings that are less distinctive. Nonetheless, a constellation of those findings allows a specific diagnosis to be made. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Lacanian view on Balint group meetings: a qualitative analysis of two case presentations

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background GPs’ subjectivity is an intrinsic instrument in their daily work. By offering GPs a platform to present and discuss difficult interactions with patients, Balint group work be might provide them an opportunity to explore and articulate aspects of their subjectivity. In order to get a more profound understanding of what participation in a Balint group can offer, we focused on the process of change that can be observed during Balint group meetings. To that end, this study scrutinized two Balint group case discussions on a micro-level. Method Two cases were selected from a larger data set of 68 audio-taped case discussions in four Balint groups. In order to shed light on the type of change that characterizes the presenter’s narrative, we used Lacan’s theoretical distinction between imaginary and symbolic modes of relating to the other. Results In both case discussions, the GPs presenting the case initially appeared to be stuck in a fixed image of a situation, referred to as ‘imaginary relating to the other.’ Through a range of interactions with the group, the presenters were encouraged to explore different subject positions, which allowed them to broaden their initial image of the situation and to discover other issues at stake. This was referred to as a more symbolic way of relating to the other. Conclusion This study throws light on the type of change Balint group participation allows for and on the way this might be achieved. We conclude that Balint group work is potentially beneficial to the participating GPs as well as to the relationship with their patients. PMID:24655833

Spinor Field Nonlinearity and Space-Time Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Bijan

2018-03-01

Within the scope of Bianchi type VI,VI0,V, III, I, LRSBI and FRW cosmological models we have studied the role of nonlinear spinor field on the evolution of the Universe and the spinor field itself. It was found that due to the presence of non-trivial non-diagonal components of the energy-momentum tensor of the spinor field in the anisotropic space-time, there occur some severe restrictions both on the metric functions and on the components of the spinor field. In this report we have considered a polynomial nonlinearity which is a function of invariants constructed from the bilinear spinor forms. It is found that in case of a Bianchi type-VI space-time, depending of the sign of self-coupling constants, the model allows either late time acceleration or oscillatory mode of evolution. In case of a Bianchi VI 0 type space-time due to the specific behavior of the spinor field we have two different scenarios. In one case the invariants constructed from bilinear spinor forms become trivial, thus giving rise to a massless and linear spinor field Lagrangian. This case is equivalent to the vacuum solution of the Bianchi VI 0 type space-time. The second case allows non-vanishing massive and nonlinear terms and depending on the sign of coupling constants gives rise to accelerating mode of expansion or the one that after obtaining some maximum value contracts and ends in big crunch, consequently generating space-time singularity. In case of a Bianchi type-V model there occur two possibilities. In one case we found that the metric functions are similar to each other. In this case the Universe expands with acceleration if the self-coupling constant is taken to be a positive one, whereas a negative coupling constant gives rise to a cyclic or periodic solution. In the second case the spinor mass and the spinor field nonlinearity vanish and the Universe expands linearly in time. In case of a Bianchi type-III model the space-time remains locally rotationally symmetric all the time, though the isotropy of space-time can be attained for a large proportionality constant. As far as evolution is concerned, depending on the sign of coupling constant the model allows both accelerated and oscillatory mode of expansion. A negative coupling constant leads to an oscillatory mode of expansion, whereas a positive coupling constant generates expanding Universe with late time acceleration. Both deceleration parameter and EoS parameter in this case vary with time and are in agreement with modern concept of space-time evolution. In case of a Bianchi type-I space-time the non-diagonal components lead to three different possibilities. In case of a full BI space-time we find that the spinor field nonlinearity and the massive term vanish, hence the spinor field Lagrangian becomes massless and linear. In two other cases the space-time evolves into either LRSBI or FRW Universe. If we consider a locally rotationally symmetric BI( LRSBI) model, neither the mass term nor the spinor field nonlinearity vanishes. In this case depending on the sign of coupling constant we have either late time accelerated mode of expansion or oscillatory mode of evolution. In this case for an expanding Universe we have asymptotical isotropization. Finally, in case of a FRW model neither the mass term nor the spinor field nonlinearity vanishes. Like in LRSBI case we have either late time acceleration or cyclic mode of evolution. These findings allow us to conclude that the spinor field is very sensitive to the gravitational one.

Entrepreneurship in Vocational Education: A Case Study of the Brazilian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stadler, Adriano; Smith, Anne M. J.

2017-01-01

Vocational entrepreneurship education is associated with specific techniques and teaching methods, including face-to-face student contact and knowledge alignment with labour market needs. The authors argue that entrepreneurship education provides particular benefits in different educational conditions and modes because it allows students to…

Bioassessments to detect changes in Pacific Northwest river fish assemblages: A Malheur River case study

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program large-river assessment protocol was applied to assess the ecological condition, major stressors, and likely human disturbances of the mainstem Malheur River, OR. We used inflatable rafts to allow launching and retrieving ...

Influence of dental restorations and mastication loadings on dentine fatigue behaviour: Image-based modelling approach.

PubMed

Vukicevic, Arso M; Zelic, Ksenija; Jovicic, Gordana; Djuric, Marija; Filipovic, Nenad

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to estimate the influence of various mastication loads and different tooth treatments (composite restoration and endodontic treatment) on dentine fatigue. The analysis of fatigue behaviour of human dentine in intact and composite restored teeth with root-canal-treatment using FEA and fatigue theory was performed. Dentine fatigue behaviour was analysed in three virtual models: intact, composite-restored and endodontically-treated tooth. Volumetric change during the polymerization of composite was modelled by thermal expansion in a heat transfer analysis. Low and high shrinkage stresses were obtained by varying the linear shrinkage of composite. Mastication forces were applied occlusally with the load of 100, 150 and 200N. Assuming one million cycles, Fatigue Failure Index (FFI) was determined using Goodman's criterion while residual fatigue lifetime assessment was performed using Paris-power law. The analysis of the Goodman diagram gave both maximal allowed crack size and maximal number of cycles for the given stress ratio. The size of cracks was measured on virtual models. For the given conditions, fatigue-failure is not likely to happen neither in the intact tooth nor in treated teeth with low shrinkage stress. In the cases of high shrinkage stress, crack length was much larger than the maximal allowed crack and failure occurred with 150 and 200N loads. The maximal allowed crack size was slightly lower in the tooth with root canal treatment which induced somewhat higher FFI than in the case of tooth with only composite restoration. Main factors that lead to dentine fatigue are levels of occlusal load and polymerization stress. However, root canal treatment has small influence on dentine fatigue. The methodology proposed in this study provides a new insight into the fatigue behaviour of teeth after dental treatments. Furthermore, it estimates maximal allowed crack size and maximal number of cycles for a specific case. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Outpatient-based scalp surgery without shaving and allowing use of shampoo.

PubMed

Hwang, Sun-Chul; Kim, Soon-Kwon; Park, Kwan-Woong; Im, Soo-Bin; Shin, Won-Han; Kim, Bum-Tae

2012-02-01

To assess the authors' experience of wound management following scalp mass surgery after introducing a policy of leaving hair unshaved and allowing patients to use shampoo. The authors retrospectively reviewed 93 patients who underwent outpatient-based excision of a scalp or skull mass. Surgical complications, mass depth, and maximal mass size were analyzed. All of the surgeries were performed without shaving around the lesion; the hair was simply parted along the proposed incision, and the parting was maintained using adhesive plasters. Routine antiseptic scalp preparations, skin closure with staples after mass excision, and topical ointment on the day following surgery were used, and use of shampoo was allowed. The staples were removed on postoperative days 7-10. The masses were located in the skin (23 cases), subcutaneously (64 cases), and subgaleally (6 cases). All patients except one had satisfactory wound healing. No infections occurred. Leaving hair unshaved and allowing patients to use shampoo can be applied in wound management after scalp mass surgery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urban Modelling with Typological Approach. Case Study: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, A.

2017-08-01

In three-dimensional models of urban historical reconstruction, missed contextual architecture faces difficulties because it does not have much written references in contrast to the most important monuments. This is the case of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico during the Colonial Era (1542-1810), which has lost much of its heritage. An alternative to offer a hypothetical view of these elements is a typological - parametric definition that allows a 3D modeling approach to the most common features of this heritage evidence.

A Comprehensive Prediction Model of Hydraulic Extended-Reach Limit Considering the Allowable Range of Drilling Fluid Flow Rate in Horizontal Drilling.

PubMed

Li, Xin; Gao, Deli; Chen, Xuyue

2017-06-08

Hydraulic extended-reach limit (HERL) model of horizontal extended-reach well (ERW) can predict the maximum measured depth (MMD) of the horizontal ERW. The HERL refers to the well's MMD when drilling fluid cannot be normally circulated by drilling pump. Previous model analyzed the following two constraint conditions, drilling pump rated pressure and rated power. However, effects of the allowable range of drilling fluid flow rate (Q min  ≤ Q ≤ Q max ) were not considered. In this study, three cases of HERL model are proposed according to the relationship between allowable range of drilling fluid flow rate and rated flow rate of drilling pump (Q r ). A horizontal ERW is analyzed to predict its HERL, especially its horizontal-section limit (L h ). Results show that when Q min  ≤ Q r  ≤ Q max (Case I), L h depends both on horizontal-section limit based on rated pump pressure (L h1 ) and horizontal-section limit based on rated pump power (L h2 ); when Q min  < Q max  < Q r (Case II), L h is exclusively controlled by L h1 ; while L h is only determined by L h2 when Q r  < Q min  < Q max (Case III). Furthermore, L h1 first increases and then decreases with the increase in drilling fluid flow rate, while L h2 keeps decreasing as the drilling fluid flow rate increases. The comprehensive model provides a more accurate prediction on HERL.

Comparison Between Laser Scanning and Automated 3d Modelling Techniques to Reconstruct Complex and Extensive Cultural Heritage Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fassi, F.; Fregonese, L.; Ackermann, S.; De Troia, V.

2013-02-01

In Cultural Heritage field, the necessity to survey objects in a fast manner, with the ability to repeat the measurements several times for deformation or degradation monitoring purposes, is increasing. In this paper, two significant cases, an architectonical one and an archaeological one, are presented. Due to different reasons and emergency situations, the finding of the optimal solution to enable quick and well-timed survey for a complete digital reconstruction of the object is required. In both cases, two survey methods have been tested and used: a laser scanning approach that allows to obtain high-resolution and complete scans within a short time and a photogrammetric one that allows the three-dimensional reconstruction of the object from images. In the last months, several methodologies, including free or low cost techniques, have arisen. These kinds of software allow the fully automatically three-dimensional reconstruction of objects from images, giving back a dense point cloud and, in some case, a surfaced mesh model. In this paper some comparisons between the two methodologies above mentioned are presented, using the example of some real cases of study. The surveys have been performed by employing both photogrammetry and laser scanner techniques. The methodological operational choices, depending on the required goal, the difficulties encountered during the survey with these methods, the execution time (that is the key parameter), and finally the obtained results, are fully described and examinated. On the final 3D model, an analytical comparison has been made, to analyse the differences, the tolerances, the possibility of accuracy improvement and the future developments.

Masked Visual Analysis: Minimizing Type I Error in Visually Guided Single-Case Design for Communication Disorders

PubMed Central

Hitchcock, Elaine R.; Ferron, John

2017-01-01

Purpose Single-case experimental designs are widely used to study interventions for communication disorders. Traditionally, single-case experiments follow a response-guided approach, where design decisions during the study are based on participants' observed patterns of behavior. However, this approach has been criticized for its high rate of Type I error. In masked visual analysis (MVA), response-guided decisions are made by a researcher who is blinded to participants' identities and treatment assignments. MVA also makes it possible to conduct a hypothesis test assessing the significance of treatment effects. Method This tutorial describes the principles of MVA, including both how experiments can be set up and how results can be used for hypothesis testing. We then report a case study showing how MVA was deployed in a multiple-baseline across-subjects study investigating treatment for residual errors affecting rhotics. Strengths and weaknesses of MVA are discussed. Conclusions Given their important role in the evidence base that informs clinical decision making, it is critical for single-case experimental studies to be conducted in a way that allows researchers to draw valid inferences. As a method that can increase the rigor of single-case studies while preserving the benefits of a response-guided approach, MVA warrants expanded attention from researchers in communication disorders. PMID:28595354

Masked Visual Analysis: Minimizing Type I Error in Visually Guided Single-Case Design for Communication Disorders.

PubMed

Byun, Tara McAllister; Hitchcock, Elaine R; Ferron, John

2017-06-10

Single-case experimental designs are widely used to study interventions for communication disorders. Traditionally, single-case experiments follow a response-guided approach, where design decisions during the study are based on participants' observed patterns of behavior. However, this approach has been criticized for its high rate of Type I error. In masked visual analysis (MVA), response-guided decisions are made by a researcher who is blinded to participants' identities and treatment assignments. MVA also makes it possible to conduct a hypothesis test assessing the significance of treatment effects. This tutorial describes the principles of MVA, including both how experiments can be set up and how results can be used for hypothesis testing. We then report a case study showing how MVA was deployed in a multiple-baseline across-subjects study investigating treatment for residual errors affecting rhotics. Strengths and weaknesses of MVA are discussed. Given their important role in the evidence base that informs clinical decision making, it is critical for single-case experimental studies to be conducted in a way that allows researchers to draw valid inferences. As a method that can increase the rigor of single-case studies while preserving the benefits of a response-guided approach, MVA warrants expanded attention from researchers in communication disorders.

26 CFR 1.1312-8 - Law applicable in determination of error.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition is determined under... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition, as the case may be, was made. The fact that the inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or...

26 CFR 1.1312-8 - Law applicable in determination of error.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition is determined under... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition, as the case may be, was made. The fact that the inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or...

26 CFR 1.1312-8 - Law applicable in determination of error.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition is determined under... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition, as the case may be, was made. The fact that the inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or...

26 CFR 1.1312-8 - Law applicable in determination of error.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition is determined under... inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or nonrecognition, as the case may be, was made. The fact that the inclusion, exclusion, omission, allowance, disallowance, recognition, or...

Sequence-Specific Affinity Chromatography of Bacterial Small Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins from Bacterial Cells.

PubMed

Gans, Jonathan; Osborne, Jonathan; Cheng, Juliet; Djapgne, Louise; Oglesby-Sherrouse, Amanda G

2018-01-01

Bacterial small RNA molecules (sRNAs) are increasingly recognized as central regulators of bacterial stress responses and pathogenesis. In many cases, RNA-binding proteins are critical for the stability and function of sRNAs. Previous studies have adopted strategies to genetically tag an sRNA of interest, allowing isolation of RNA-protein complexes from cells. Here we present a sequence-specific affinity purification protocol that requires no prior genetic manipulation of bacterial cells, allowing isolation of RNA-binding proteins bound to native RNA molecules.

[Esophageal pathology in patients with the AIDS virus. Etiology and diagnosis].

PubMed

Varsky, C G; Yahni, V D; Freire, M C; Patrizio, E; Balbo, V; Benetucci, J; Boffi, A; Mattoni, R A; Luis; Alicia, M

1991-01-01

From 180 patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and followed-up for one year, 17 cases (9.44%) were referred to detect oesophageal pathology. They were prospectively analyzed through fibroscopy, radiology, biopsies for histopathology, virology and mycology and brush cytology. Most frequent symptoms were dysphagia. Odynophagia and retrosternal pain, usually associated, and not providing an accurate diagnostic clue. The most common causes of symptoms were oesophageal candidiasis (47.70%), and herpetic ulcers (23.52%) caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2. Reflux pathology was also found (11.76%). Cytomegalovirus, other opportunistic infections and tumors were not detected. Seven (64%) of the eleven patients with oesophageal candidiasis also had oral involvement. Four (66%) of six oesophageal ulcers were herpetic; two of them (50%) showed oral ulcers too, and one (25%) had perioral herpetic blisters. Almost in every case endoscopic features allowed diagnosis. Endoscopy in candidiasis showed isolated or confluent white plaques of variable grade. Herpetic ulcers, alone or multiple, were deep with slightly elevated borders. Radiology yielded a poor diagnostic profit (50%), specially in case of multiple lesions. Cytology was highly specific and sensitive (both 90.9%) and suggested viral etiology in 100% of HSV patients. Histopathology was less sensitive than endoscopy and cytology (73% in candida and one HSV non-ulcer case). Both, cytology and histopathology showed koilocytosis in herpetic virus infected patients. The studies performed allowed to change the HIV disease stage in ten patients (62.5%) and to diagnose AIDS in seven (43.75%). In every case medical behavior was oriented or changed by these studies.

Using Case Studies to Promote Student Engagement in Primary Literature Data Analysis and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Cook-Snyder, Denise R.

2017-01-01

Analyzing and evaluating primary literature data is a common learning objective in undergraduate neuroscience courses. However, students with more clinically focused career goals often dismiss the relevance of evaluating basic neuroscience literature. Here, we describe using case studies to promote student engagement in primary literature in a cellular and molecular neuroscience course. Two example literature-based case studies are provided: Untwisting Pretzel Syndrome, a neurodevelopment case exploring synapse formation in a pretzel syndrome patient, and The Trials of ALS, a neurodegeneration case exploring axon degeneration and repair in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient. These cases were assigned after neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration lectures covering key concepts. Both cases begin by introducing the patient and hypothesizing symptoms and diagnoses, followed by scenes incorporating primary data to illustrate disease pathogenesis and treatments. Students complete questions embedded in these cases as homework, and class time is used to discuss their answers. Discussion emphasizes that there can be multiple “correct” answers, and the best answers are accurate and well-supported. Accordingly, students edit their answers in class, and these annotations are factored into a pass/fail grade on the case. Additional scenes and questions from the same case studies are used on the course’s take-home exams, thereby allowing students to practice primary data analysis and evaluation before a graded assignment. Student evaluations support literature-based case studies as an effective learning tool, with students identifying cases as the most valuable aspect of the course, and reporting increased confidence in understanding cellular and molecular neuroscience. PMID:29371850

Using Case Studies to Promote Student Engagement in Primary Literature Data Analysis and Evaluation.

PubMed

Cook-Snyder, Denise R

2017-01-01

Analyzing and evaluating primary literature data is a common learning objective in undergraduate neuroscience courses. However, students with more clinically focused career goals often dismiss the relevance of evaluating basic neuroscience literature. Here, we describe using case studies to promote student engagement in primary literature in a cellular and molecular neuroscience course. Two example literature-based case studies are provided: Untwisting Pretzel Syndrome, a neurodevelopment case exploring synapse formation in a pretzel syndrome patient, and The Trials of ALS, a neurodegeneration case exploring axon degeneration and repair in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient. These cases were assigned after neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration lectures covering key concepts. Both cases begin by introducing the patient and hypothesizing symptoms and diagnoses, followed by scenes incorporating primary data to illustrate disease pathogenesis and treatments. Students complete questions embedded in these cases as homework, and class time is used to discuss their answers. Discussion emphasizes that there can be multiple "correct" answers, and the best answers are accurate and well-supported. Accordingly, students edit their answers in class, and these annotations are factored into a pass/fail grade on the case. Additional scenes and questions from the same case studies are used on the course's take-home exams, thereby allowing students to practice primary data analysis and evaluation before a graded assignment. Student evaluations support literature-based case studies as an effective learning tool, with students identifying cases as the most valuable aspect of the course, and reporting increased confidence in understanding cellular and molecular neuroscience.

A Database-Based and Web-Based Meta-CASE System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eessaar, Erki; Sgirka, Rünno

Each Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) system provides support to a software process or specific tasks or activities that are part of a software process. Each meta-CASE system allows us to create new CASE systems. The creators of a new CASE system have to specify abstract syntax of the language that is used in the system and functionality as well as non-functional properties of the new system. Many meta-CASE systems record their data directly in files. In this paper, we introduce a meta-CASE system, the enabling technology of which is an object-relational database system (ORDBMS). The system allows users to manage specifications of languages and create models by using these languages. The system has web-based and form-based user interface. We have created a proof-of-concept prototype of the system by using PostgreSQL ORDBMS and PHP scripting language.

Barriers to Technological Acceptance in a Legal Environment: A Case Study of a Florida Law Firm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owusu, Theophilus D.

2010-01-01

Technology is made available in the law firm to promote time efficient tasks and to provide resources that allows the accurate billing and storing of documents. This study examined the impact of three major technologies that are used by attorneys in a law firm. Quantitative procedures facilitated the identification of barriers to Personal Digital…

Shared Values as Anchors of a Learning Community: A Case Study in Information Systems Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giordano, Daniela

2004-01-01

This paper examines the role in both individual and organizational learning of the system of values sustained by a community undertaking a design task. The discussion is based on the results of a longitudinal study of a community of novice information system designers supported by a Web-based shared design memory which allows reuse of design…

Exploring Peer Relationships, Friendships and Group Work Dynamics in Higher Education: Applying Social Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mamas, Christoforos

2018-01-01

This study primarily applied social network analysis (SNA) to explore the relationship between friendships, peer social interactions and group work dynamics within a higher education undergraduate programme in England. A critical case study design was adopted so as to allow for an in-depth exploration of the students' voice. In doing so, the views…

Impact of Urbanization and Enviromental Protection Policies on Timber Availibility: A GIS Application

Treesearch

Donald G. Hodges; James T. Gunter; Christopher M. Swalm; James L. Regens

1998-01-01

This study illustrates how remotely-sensed data and GIS can be utilized to allow planners to evaluate the relationship between land use, environmental protection policies, and resource availability. The case study examines St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana which has experienced tremendous population growth and land use change in the past two decades. To date, work has...

Investigation of Coefficient of Individual Agreement in Terms of Sample Size, Random and Monotone Missing Ratio, and Number of Repeated Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temel, Gülhan Orekici; Erdogan, Semra; Selvi, Hüseyin; Kaya, Irem Ersöz

2016-01-01

Studies based on longitudinal data focus on the change and development of the situation being investigated and allow for examining cases regarding education, individual development, cultural change, and socioeconomic improvement in time. However, as these studies require taking repeated measures in different time periods, they may include various…

Open-Inquiry Driven Overcoming of Epistemological Difficulties in Engineering Undergraduates: A Case Study in the Context of Thermal Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizzolato, Nicola; Fazio, Claudio; Sperandeo Mineo, Rosa Maria; Persano Adorno, Dominique

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the efficacy of an open-inquiry approach that allows students to build on traditionally received knowledge. A sample of thirty engineering undergraduates, having already attended traditional university physics instruction, was selected for this study. The students were involved in a six-week long learning experience of…

Relationship between Personality Types and Career Choices of Undergraduate Students: A Case of Moi University, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemboi, Rebecca J. Kimongo; Kindiki, Nyaga; Misigo, Benard

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between personality types and career choices of undergraduate students of Moi University. In Kenya, students are allowed to revise their career choices at various levels of education before they settle on one course of study in the University. The process of choosing careers begins in form three where…

Utilizing GIS to Assess the Impact of Urbanization on Timberland Availibility in Southeastern Louisiana

Treesearch

Donald G. Hodges; James T. Gunter; Christopher M. Swalm; James L. Regens

1998-01-01

This study illustrates how remotely-sensed data and GIS can be utilized to allow planners to evaluate the relationship between land use, environmental protection policies, and resource availability. The case study examines St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana which has experienced tremendous population growth and land use change in the past two decades. To date, work has...

5 CFR 581.104 - Moneys which are not subject to garnishment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... United States Code; (d) Grants; (e) Fellowships; (f) Education and vocational rehabilitation benefits for...: (1) In the case of civilian employees: (i) Uniform allowances; (ii) Travel and transportation... differentials; (vi) Foreign areas allowances; (vii) Education allowances for dependents; (viii) Separate...

Inverse transonic airfoil design methods including boundary layer and viscous interaction effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, L. A.

1979-01-01

The development and incorporation into TRANDES of a fully conservative analysis method utilizing the artificial compressibility approach is described. The method allows for lifting cases and finite thickness airfoils and utilizes a stretched coordinate system. Wave drag and massive separation studies are also discussed.

Nonstate Actors and the Open Border Policy: The Border Security Case Study of Nepal and India

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports. 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204. Arlington, VA 22202-4302... remuneration .”276 This massive migration of young and eager workers allowed Germany to take advantage of booming industries and markets. The impact on

Student Involvement in an EST Reading Course for Remedial Students: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Louis, Rubena; Pereira, Silvia

2003-01-01

Discusses an English for science and technology course at Simon Bolivar University in Venezuela in which students were allowed to choose reading activities and alternative forms of assessment were implemented. Results of a questionnaire used to evaluate the course are provided. (Author/VWL)

Institutional Potential for Online Learning: A Hong Kong Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donoghue, Sue L.

2006-01-01

Hong Kong's tertiary education environment has changed dramatically in recent years with universities now facing specific educational challenges in the areas of critical thinking, "life-long learning" and English language. The question exists as to what pedagogic developments will best allow the universities to address these challenges.…

Pupil Mortification: Digital Photography and Identity Construction in Classroom Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossouard, Barbara

2012-01-01

Cultural theorists have illuminated how photographic images contribute to autobiographical remembering and identity formation. This has new significance given that digital photography now allows personal images to circulate rapidly amongst peer groups. Taking these insights into classroom contexts, this paper draws on recent case-study data to…

Strategies to Encourage a Sustainable Interorganizational Collaborative Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glowacki-Dudka, Michelle; Murray, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Interorganizational collaboration allows community organizations to work together to achieve common goals without duplicating services. Collaboration creates challenges when working with organizations from different sectors, but it can be achieved even if it is for a limited time. In this paper, we examine a case study conducted with collaborative…

Preventive Therapy with Siblings of a Dying Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feinberg, Daniel

A case study of psychiatric intervention for two sisters whose brother is dying of leukemia is presented. The therapeutic technique attempted to deal with the threatened loss by a forthright approach to the reality situation, encouraging "immunizing" discussions, allowance for catharsis without severe regression, emphasis on reality orientation,…

On the Road to Virtual Europe--Redux

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulman, Andy

2007-01-01

Virtual Europe is a web-based European community from which health education scenarios may be accessed for learning and teaching purposes. Featuring a map giving access to country specific resources, it is populated with different cultural case studies allowing contrasts between cultures to be examined. For example, a student could evaluate the…

School Decentralization as a Process of Differentiation, Hierarchization and Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altrichter, Herbert; Heinrich, Martin; Soukup-Altrichter, Katharina

2014-01-01

The Austrian "school autonomy policy", which allowed schools to develop specific "curricular profiles", is taken as an example for discussing processes and effects of school decentralization policies. Data from school case studies (based on qualitative interviews and document analysis) are used to analyse and interpret the…

Making Marketing Principles Tangible: Online Auctions as Living Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Charles M.; Suter, Tracy A.

2004-01-01

This article presents an effective course supplement for Principles of Marketing classes. An experiential project involving online auctions is offered to instructors seeking to create a more participatory student environment and an interactive teaching style. A number of learning points are illustrated that allow instructors to use an auction…

The Visible Hand of Research Performance Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamann, Julian

2016-01-01

Far from allowing a governance of universities by the invisible hand of market forces, research performance assessments do not just measure differences in research quality, but yield themselves visible symptoms in terms of a stratification and standardization of disciplines. The article illustrates this with a case study of UK history departments…

Population Validity for Educational Data Mining Models: A Case Study in Affect Detection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ocumpaugh, Jaclyn; Baker, Ryan; Gowda, Sujith; Heffernan, Neil; Heffernan, Cristina

2014-01-01

Information and communication technology (ICT)-enhanced research methods such as educational data mining (EDM) have allowed researchers to effectively model a broad range of constructs pertaining to the student, moving from traditional assessments of knowledge to assessment of engagement, meta-cognition, strategy and affect. The automated…

REGIONAL ASSESSMENT OF LANDSCAPE AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE EFFECTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION, THE MOROCCO CASE STUDY (1981-2003)

EPA Science Inventory

The method presented here allows mapping changes in vegetation cover trends over large areas quickly and inexpensively, thus providing policy-makers with a technical capacity to locate and assess areas of environmental instability and improve their ability to positively respond o...

Leadership Education for English Language Learners as Transformative Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagné, Antoinette; Soto Gordon, Stephanie

2015-01-01

This qualitative case study investigates the transformative power of a leadership course designed for immigrant secondary school students learning English as an additional language with a social justice orientation. Course projects allowed the students to get involved in tutoring, present at a conference on intercultural education, deliver equity…

Mix and match: how to regain your balance.

PubMed

Jupiter, Daniel C

2013-01-01

In retrospective studies, a demographic imbalance often exists between cases and controls. This imbalance may affect outcome, independent of experimental group. We discuss matching methods that allow us to overcome these imbalances. Copyright © 2013 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stability of the line preserving flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figura, Przemysław

2017-11-01

We examine the equations that are used to describe flows which preserve field lines. We study what happens if we introduce perturbations to the governing equations. The stability of the line preserving flows in the case of the magneto-fluids permeated by magnetic fields is strictly connected to the non-null magnetic reconnection processes. In most of our study we use the Euler potential representation of the external magnetic field. We provide general expressions for the perturbations of the Euler potentials that describe the magnetic field. Similarly, we provide expressions for the case of steady flow as well as we obtain certain conditions required for the stability of the flow. In addition, for steady flows we formulate conditions under which the perturbations of the external field are negligible and the field may be described by its initial unperturbed form. Then we consider the flow equation that transforms quantities from the laboratory coordinate system to the related external field coordinate system. We introduce perturbations to the equation and obtain its simplified versions for the case of a steady flow. For a given system, use of this method allows us to simplify the considerations provided that some part of the system may be described as a perturbation. Next, to study regions favourable for the magnetic reconnection to occur we introduce a deviation vector to the basic line preserving flows condition equation. We provide expressions of the vector for some simplifying cases. This method allows us to examine if given perturbations either stabilise the system or induce magnetic reconnection. To illustrate some of our results we study two examples, namely a simple laboratory plasma flow and a simple planetary magnetosphere model.

Digital pathology for the primary diagnosis of breast histopathological specimens: an innovative validation and concordance study on digital pathology validation and training.

PubMed

Williams, Bethany Jill; Hanby, Andrew; Millican-Slater, Rebecca; Nijhawan, Anju; Verghese, Eldo; Treanor, Darren

2018-03-01

To train and individually validate a group of breast pathologists in specialty-specific digital primary diagnosis by using a novel protocol endorsed by the Royal College of Pathologists' new guideline for digital pathology. The protocol allows early exposure to live digital reporting, in a risk-mitigated environment, and focuses on patient safety and professional development. Three specialty breast pathologists completed training in the use of a digital microscopy system, and were exposed to a training set of 20 challenging cases, designed to help them identify personal digital diagnostic pitfalls. Following this, the three pathologists viewed a total of 694 live, entire breast cases. All primary diagnoses were made on digital slides, with immediate glass slide review and reconciliation before final case sign-out. There was complete clinical concordance between the glass and digital impression of the case in 98.8% of cases. Only 1.2% of cases had a clinically significant difference in diagnosis/prognosis on glass and digital slide reads. All pathologists elected to continue using the digital microscope as the standard for breast histopathology specimens, with deferral to glass for a limited number of clinical/histological scenarios as a safety net. Individual training and validation for digital primary diagnosis allows pathologists to develop competence and confidence in their digital diagnostic skills, and aids safe and responsible transition from the light microscope to the digital microscope. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Crumpled graphene nanoreactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhongying; Lv, Xiaoshu; Chen, Yantao; Liu, Dan; Xu, Xinhua; Palmore, G. Tayhas R.; Hurt, Robert H.

2015-05-01

Nanoreactors are material structures that provide engineered internal cavities that create unique confined nanoscale environments for chemical reactions. Crumpled graphene nanoparticles or ``nanosacks'' may serve as nanoreactors when filled with reactive or catalytic particles and engineered for a specific chemical function. This article explores the behavior of crumpled graphene nanoreactors containing nanoscale ZnO, Ag, Ni, Cu, Fe, or TiO2 particles, either alone or in combination, in a series of case studies designed to reveal their fundamental behaviors. The first case study shows that ZnO nanoparticles undergo rapid dissolution inside the nanoreactor cavity accompanied by diffusive release of soluble products to surrounding aqueous media through the irregular folded shell. This behavior demonstrates the open nature of the sack structure, which facilitates rapid small-molecule exchange between inside and outside that is a requirement for nanoreactor function. In a case study on copper and silver nanoparticles, encapsulation in graphene nanoreactors is shown in some cases to enhance their oxidation rate in aqueous media, which is attributed to electron transfer from the metal core to graphene that bypasses surface oxides and allows reduction of molecular oxygen on the high-area graphene shell. Nanoreactors also allow particle-particle electron transfer interactions that are mediated by the connecting conductive graphene, which give rise to novel behaviors such as galvanic protection of Ag nanoparticles in Ag/Ni-filled nanoreactors, and the photochemical control of Ag-ion release in Ag/TiO2-filled nanoreactors. It is also shown that internal graphene structures within the sacks provide pockets that reduce particle mobility and inhibit particle sintering during thermal treatment. Finally, these novel behaviors are used to suggest and demonstrate several potential applications for graphene nanoreactors in catalysts, controlled release, and environmental remediation.Nanoreactors are material structures that provide engineered internal cavities that create unique confined nanoscale environments for chemical reactions. Crumpled graphene nanoparticles or ``nanosacks'' may serve as nanoreactors when filled with reactive or catalytic particles and engineered for a specific chemical function. This article explores the behavior of crumpled graphene nanoreactors containing nanoscale ZnO, Ag, Ni, Cu, Fe, or TiO2 particles, either alone or in combination, in a series of case studies designed to reveal their fundamental behaviors. The first case study shows that ZnO nanoparticles undergo rapid dissolution inside the nanoreactor cavity accompanied by diffusive release of soluble products to surrounding aqueous media through the irregular folded shell. This behavior demonstrates the open nature of the sack structure, which facilitates rapid small-molecule exchange between inside and outside that is a requirement for nanoreactor function. In a case study on copper and silver nanoparticles, encapsulation in graphene nanoreactors is shown in some cases to enhance their oxidation rate in aqueous media, which is attributed to electron transfer from the metal core to graphene that bypasses surface oxides and allows reduction of molecular oxygen on the high-area graphene shell. Nanoreactors also allow particle-particle electron transfer interactions that are mediated by the connecting conductive graphene, which give rise to novel behaviors such as galvanic protection of Ag nanoparticles in Ag/Ni-filled nanoreactors, and the photochemical control of Ag-ion release in Ag/TiO2-filled nanoreactors. It is also shown that internal graphene structures within the sacks provide pockets that reduce particle mobility and inhibit particle sintering during thermal treatment. Finally, these novel behaviors are used to suggest and demonstrate several potential applications for graphene nanoreactors in catalysts, controlled release, and environmental remediation. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Fig. S1-S5. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr00963d

Simulation of dual carbon-bromine stable isotope fractionation during 1,2-dibromoethane degradation.

PubMed

Jin, Biao; Nijenhuis, Ivonne; Rolle, Massimo

2018-06-01

We performed a model-based investigation to simultaneously predict the evolution of concentration, as well as stable carbon and bromine isotope fractionation during 1,2-dibromoethane (EDB, ethylene dibromide) transformation in a closed system. The modelling approach considers bond-cleavage mechanisms during different reactions and allows evaluating dual carbon-bromine isotopic signals for chemical and biotic reactions, including aerobic and anaerobic biological transformation, dibromoelimination by Zn(0) and alkaline hydrolysis. The proposed model allowed us to accurately simulate the evolution of concentrations and isotope data observed in a previous laboratory study and to successfully identify different reaction pathways. Furthermore, we illustrated the model capabilities in degradation scenarios involving complex reaction systems. Specifically, we examined (i) the case of sequential multistep transformation of EDB and the isotopic evolution of the parent compound, the intermediate and the reaction product and (ii) the case of parallel competing abiotic pathways of EDB transformation in alkaline solution.

Regulatory RNA design through evolutionary computation and strand displacement.

PubMed

Rostain, William; Landrain, Thomas E; Rodrigo, Guillermo; Jaramillo, Alfonso

2015-01-01

The discovery and study of a vast number of regulatory RNAs in all kingdoms of life over the past decades has allowed the design of new synthetic RNAs that can regulate gene expression in vivo. Riboregulators, in particular, have been used to activate or repress gene expression. However, to accelerate and scale up the design process, synthetic biologists require computer-assisted design tools, without which riboregulator engineering will remain a case-by-case design process requiring expert attention. Recently, the design of RNA circuits by evolutionary computation and adapting strand displacement techniques from nanotechnology has proven to be suited to the automated generation of DNA sequences implementing regulatory RNA systems in bacteria. Herein, we present our method to carry out such evolutionary design and how to use it to create various types of riboregulators, allowing the systematic de novo design of genetic control systems in synthetic biology.

A more accurate detection of codon 72 polymorphism and LOH of the TP53 gene.

PubMed

Baccouche, Sami; Mabrouk, Imed; Said, Salem; Mosbah, Ali; Jlidi, Rachid; Gargouri, Ali

2003-01-10

The polymorphism at codon 72 of the TP53 gene has been extensively studied for its involvement in cancerogenesis and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) detection. Usually, the exon 4 of the TP53 gene is amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA extracted from blood and tumor tissues, then digested by AccII. In the case of heterozygosity, the comparison of AccII profile from blood and tumor DNA PCR products allowed the identification of a potential LOH in the TP53 locus. This method can be hindered by a partial AccII digestion and/or DNA contamination of non-tumor cells. To circumvent these problems, we have developed a new approach by using the AccII restriction site between exon 4 and exon 6. The PCR amplification of exon 4-6, followed by AccII digestion allowed us to detect without ambiguity any LOH case.

Control of three-dimensional waves on thin liquid films. I - Optimal control and transverse mode effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlin, Ruben; Gomes, Susana; Pavliotis, Greg; Papageorgiou, Demetrios

2017-11-01

We consider a weakly nonlinear model for interfacial waves on three-dimensional thin films on inclined flat planes - the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation. The flow is driven by gravity, and is allowed to be overlying or hanging on the flat substrate. Blowing and suction controls are applied at the substrate surface. In this talk we explore the instability of the transverse modes for hanging arrangements, which are unbounded and grow exponentially. The structure of the equations allows us to construct optimal transverse controls analytically to prevent this transverse growth. In this case and the case of an overlying film, we additionally study the influence of controlling to non-trivial transverse states on the streamwise and mixed mode dynamics. Finally, we solve the full optimal control problem by deriving the first order necessary conditions for existence of an optimal control, and solving these numerically using the forward-backward sweep method.

Windows 7 Antiforensics: A Review and a Novel Approach.

PubMed

Eterovic-Soric, Brett; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Mubarak, Sameera; Ashman, Helen

2017-07-01

In this paper, we review literature on antiforensics published between 2010 and 2016 and reveal the surprising lack of up-to-date research on this topic. This research aims to contribute to this knowledge gap by investigating different antiforensic techniques for devices running Windows 7, one of the most popular operating systems. An approach which allows for removal or obfuscation of most forensic evidence is then presented. Using the Trojan software DarkComet RAT as a case study, we demonstrate the utility of our approach and that a Trojan Horse infection may be a legitimate possibility, even if there is no evidence of an infection on a seized computer's hard drive. Up-to-date information regarding how forensic artifacts can be compromised will allow relevant stakeholders to make informed decisions when deciding the outcome of legal cases involving digital evidence. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An unusual case of murder-suicide: The importance of studying knots.

PubMed

D'Ovidio, Cristian; Rosato, Enrica; Carnevale, Aldo

2017-01-01

An atypical murder-suicide that involved a married couple over 80 years of age was investigated at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Chieti-Pescara and is presented and discussed here. The whole story allows us to confront the difficulties involved in the discovery of a dead body in water when the circumstantial evidence does not allow any unique interpretation of the facts. The atypical and misleading element appeared to be how the body of the man was tied, with the interpretation inclined towards a homicidal manner of death. It was only by combining the contributions of each of the findings that emerged during the course of the autopsy with the circumstantial evidence from the site inspection that it was possible to reach resolution of this case, which was then identified as a murder-suicide. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[Anxiety-phobic disorders in the early childhood stage].

PubMed

Volkova, O M; Kozlovskaia, G V; Proselkova, M O

2012-01-01

The complex of such phenomena as anxiety and fear in children of the early age and their relationship with risk factors for psychic pathology were investigated. Eighty cases of anxiety-phobic disorders in children of the first five years of life were studied. The types of behavioral and somatic reactions that allowed to reveal not only the clinically expressed phenomena of anxiety and fear but the higher readiness to them were described. The first anxiety-phobic reactions appeared at the age when emotional functions were not completely formed and might be considered as the presentations of emotional dysontogenesis. The authors assume that characteristics of fear expression in the early age allow to suspect a mental disease which might be timely diagnosed in case of its manifestation. The conclusions made in the paper may be useful for clinical practice of pediatricians, children neurologists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

Muscle dysmorphia symptomatology and extreme drive for muscularity in a 23-year-old woman: a case study.

PubMed

Leone, James E

2009-05-01

We describe a 23-year-old woman with muscle dysmorphia symptomatology and extreme drive for muscularity. In addition to structured case study interviews, 3 questionnaires and a series of semistructured interview questions were administered for elaboration on key issues. The case studies allowed for triangulation of data garnered from the questionnaires. Responses revealed high scores for drive for muscularity, moderate scores for the Adonis complex, and high scores for symptoms of muscle dysmorphia. Muscle dysmorphia and drive for muscularity are more prevalent in men; however, unique cases such as this need to be further explored both empirically and theoretically. Cross-cultural references are needed to assess the overall impact of global social influences. Instruments measuring muscle dysmorphia need to be devised and validated for women as well as men. The strength and conditioning professional needs to be both aware and vigilant in helping people affected with psychosomatic disorders such as muscle dysmorphia or exercise addiction.

The struggle for schizophrenia treatment: A case study.

PubMed

Kozlowski-Gibson, Maria

Individual of legal age with schizophrenia presenting anosognosia was abandoned, as a result of a court decision. Close family members were not allowed to provide medical follow-up, treatment, protection regarding his vulnerability, and preserve the dignity of their loved one. The issue was the court's prioritization of the autonomy of the individual over his mental health status. The purpose of this case study was to identify the pitfalls of a court case seeking medical follow-up and treatment for a family member with schizophrenia and anosognosia. The method was qualitative and the design was descriptive and instrumental, linking the law to the life experience resulting from the procedures for its implementation. This study examined the difference between clinical and medical-legal evaluation of the examinee. The application of the Therapeutic Jurisprudence principles to the high number of schizophrenia cases with anosognosia, the abandonment of the mentally ill, and family crisis call healthcare providers and the Judiciary for an improvement action of the process of guardianship. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole lot of parts: stress in extreme environments.

PubMed

Steel, G Daniel

2005-06-01

Stress has been a central interest for researchers of human behavior in extreme and unusual environments and also for those who are responsible for planning and carrying out expeditions involving such environments. This paper compares the actuarial and case study methods for predicting reactions to stress. Actuarial studies are useful, but do not tap enough variables to allow us to predict how a specific individual will cope with the rigors of an individual mission. Case histories provide a wealth of detail, but few investigators understand the challenges of properly applying this method. This study reviews some of the strengths and weaknesses of the actuarial and case history methods, and presents a four celled taxonomy of stress based on method (actuarial and case history) and effects (distress and eustress). For both research and operational purposes, the person, the setting, and time should not be considered independently; rather, it is an amalgam of these variables that provides the proper basis of analysis.

The computer integrated documentation project: A merge of hypermedia and AI techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathe, Nathalie; Boy, Guy

1993-01-01

To generate intelligent indexing that allows context-sensitive information retrieval, a system must be able to acquire knowledge directly through interaction with users. In this paper, we present the architecture for CID (Computer Integrated Documentation). CID is a system that enables integration of various technical documents in a hypertext framework and includes an intelligent browsing system that incorporates indexing in context. CID's knowledge-based indexing mechanism allows case based knowledge acquisition by experimentation. It utilizes on-line user information requirements and suggestions either to reinforce current indexing in case of success or to generate new knowledge in case of failure. This allows CID's intelligent interface system to provide helpful responses, based on previous experience (user feedback). We describe CID's current capabilities and provide an overview of our plans for extending the system.

Performance of time-varying predictors in multilevel models under an assumption of fixed or random effects.

PubMed

Baird, Rachel; Maxwell, Scott E

2016-06-01

Time-varying predictors in multilevel models are a useful tool for longitudinal research, whether they are the research variable of interest or they are controlling for variance to allow greater power for other variables. However, standard recommendations to fix the effect of time-varying predictors may make an assumption that is unlikely to hold in reality and may influence results. A simulation study illustrates that treating the time-varying predictor as fixed may allow analyses to converge, but the analyses have poor coverage of the true fixed effect when the time-varying predictor has a random effect in reality. A second simulation study shows that treating the time-varying predictor as random may have poor convergence, except when allowing negative variance estimates. Although negative variance estimates are uninterpretable, results of the simulation show that estimates of the fixed effect of the time-varying predictor are as accurate for these cases as for cases with positive variance estimates, and that treating the time-varying predictor as random and allowing negative variance estimates performs well whether the time-varying predictor is fixed or random in reality. Because of the difficulty of interpreting negative variance estimates, 2 procedures are suggested for selection between fixed-effect and random-effect models: comparing between fixed-effect and constrained random-effect models with a likelihood ratio test or fitting a fixed-effect model when an unconstrained random-effect model produces negative variance estimates. The performance of these 2 procedures is compared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A general regression framework for a secondary outcome in case-control studies.

PubMed

Tchetgen Tchetgen, Eric J

2014-01-01

Modern case-control studies typically involve the collection of data on a large number of outcomes, often at considerable logistical and monetary expense. These data are of potentially great value to subsequent researchers, who, although not necessarily concerned with the disease that defined the case series in the original study, may want to use the available information for a regression analysis involving a secondary outcome. Because cases and controls are selected with unequal probability, regression analysis involving a secondary outcome generally must acknowledge the sampling design. In this paper, the author presents a new framework for the analysis of secondary outcomes in case-control studies. The approach is based on a careful re-parameterization of the conditional model for the secondary outcome given the case-control outcome and regression covariates, in terms of (a) the population regression of interest of the secondary outcome given covariates and (b) the population regression of the case-control outcome on covariates. The error distribution for the secondary outcome given covariates and case-control status is otherwise unrestricted. For a continuous outcome, the approach sometimes reduces to extending model (a) by including a residual of (b) as a covariate. However, the framework is general in the sense that models (a) and (b) can take any functional form, and the methodology allows for an identity, log or logit link function for model (a).

Empirical factors and structure transference: Returning to the London account

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bueno, Otávio; French, Steven; Ladyman, James

2012-05-01

We offer a framework to represent the roles of empirical and theoretical factors in theory construction, and examine a case study to illustrate how the framework can be used to illuminate central features of scientific reasoning. The case study provides an extension of French and Ladyman's (1997) analysis of Fritz and Heinz London's model of superconductivity to accommodate the role of the analogy between superconductivity and diamagnetic phenomena in the development of the model between 1935 and 1937. We focus on this case since it allows us to separate the roles of empirical and theoretical factors, and so provides an example of the utility of the approach that we have adopted. We conclude the paper by drawing on the particular framework here developed to address a range of concerns.

NUT Midline Carcinoma in Elderly Patients: Usefulness of 18F-FDG PET/CT for Treatment Assessment.

PubMed

Kawase, Takatsugu; Naka, Go; Kubota, Kazuo; Sakashita, Baku; Takeda, Yuichiro

2015-09-01

Nuclear protein in testis (NUT) midline carcinoma is a rare disease that generally arises in adolescents and young adults. However, we encountered a rare NUT midline carcinoma case in an elderly patient. F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) studies were performed before and during the treatment course. In this case, the initial PET/CT study revealed locoregional hypermetabolism in the mediastinal lesion. After then, the interim PET/CT study indicated a clear diminishing response to the initial treatment, whereas the residual masses were morphologically observable. Nuclear imaging may allow visualization of the therapeutic effect of antineoplastic therapies in both young and elderly patients.

Assessment of Reliable Change Using 95% Credible Intervals for the Differences in Proportions: A Statistical Analysis for Case-Study Methodology.

PubMed

Unicomb, Rachael; Colyvas, Kim; Harrison, Elisabeth; Hewat, Sally

2015-06-01

Case-study methodology studying change is often used in the field of speech-language pathology, but it can be criticized for not being statistically robust. Yet with the heterogeneous nature of many communication disorders, case studies allow clinicians and researchers to closely observe and report on change. Such information is valuable and can further inform large-scale experimental designs. In this research note, a statistical analysis for case-study data is outlined that employs a modification to the Reliable Change Index (Jacobson & Truax, 1991). The relationship between reliable change and clinical significance is discussed. Example data are used to guide the reader through the use and application of this analysis. A method of analysis is detailed that is suitable for assessing change in measures with binary categorical outcomes. The analysis is illustrated using data from one individual, measured before and after treatment for stuttering. The application of this approach to assess change in categorical, binary data has potential application in speech-language pathology. It enables clinicians and researchers to analyze results from case studies for their statistical and clinical significance. This new method addresses a gap in the research design literature, that is, the lack of analysis methods for noncontinuous data (such as counts, rates, proportions of events) that may be used in case-study designs.

[Morphological findings in fatal cases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. Report of 7 autopsies].

PubMed

Guzmán G, Pablo; Tapia E, Oscar; Villaseca H, Miguel; Araya O, Juan; Antonio P, Lilia; Lee O, Bolívar; Roa S, Juan

2010-10-01

Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is an acute infectious disease characterized by sudden cardiorespiratory failure and high mortality, caused by a RNA virus of the genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae, 15% of Chilean cases have been detected in the Araucania Region. To determine in fatal cases of HCPS, clinical and morphological characteristics. Descriptive-retrospective analysis of seven fatal cases with postmortem study of HCPS, attended between 1997 and 2009 at the Hospital of Temuco, Chile. Cases were young patients from rural areas, and presented as an illness of progressive respiratory failure, with leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia and bilateral interstitial pulmonary infiltrates. Main morphological findings were marked intersticial and intraalveolar pulmonary edema, with minimal epithelial injury and mononuclear cell intersticial infiltrate and mild edematous intersticial inflamatory process. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory background allow to suspect HCPS. In fatal cases, the autopsy makes possible to discard other similar pathologies and provide tissue for confirmation of the disease.

Surgical repair and analysis of penile fracture complications.

PubMed

Moreno Sierra, Jesús; Garde Garcia, Hector; Fernandez Perez, Cristina; Galante Romo, Isabel; Chavez Roa, Cesar; Senovilla Perez, Jose Luis; Silmi Moyano, Angel

2011-01-01

The objective of this study is to describe and analyze the experience over a period of 10 years at our center through a retrospective study of a series of diagnosed and treated cases of penile fracture. From 2005 to 2009 the Urology Department of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos of Madrid carried out a retrospective case study of a total of 15 cases of penile fracture. The diagnosis was reached through physical exploration of the patient aided by a penile ultrasound; the immediate treatment performed on the patients was emergency surgical repair. From the total in the series (n = 15), only 1 case was associated with a complete urethral fracture (6.6%). Surgical repair was performed in all cases; the average hospital stay was 2.6 days (range 1-5), and the most frequent long-term complication was erectile dysfunction in 3 of 15 cases (20%). A penis fracture diagnosis is mostly clinical; complementary tests, such as ultrasound, are helpful but not definitive. Surgical treatment consists of an incision that allows adequate exposure of the corpora cavernosa and urethra to repair the suspected lesions found upon diagnosis. Ambulatory follow-up is essential to diagnose and treat possible complications. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Histological features of celiac disease in south Tunisia: a study of 114 pediatric cases].

PubMed

Kallel, Rim; Krichen-Makni, Saloua; Ellouze, Sameh; Châari, Chiraz; Charfi, Slim; Sellami, Ahmed; Tahri, Mohamed-Nabil; Hachicha, Mongia; Sellami-Boudawara, Tahya

2009-04-01

To report the histological features of celiac disease in a paediatric population originating from south Tunisia. A retrospective study of a series of duodenal biopsies from 114 children with celiac disease diagnosed over a period of 6 years (from January 1999 to December 2004). The diagnosis was confirmed by histological results, serological studies and clinical response to gluten free diet. The average age of patients was of 6.2 years (range 6 months-15 years). Sex ratio was 0.71. Symptoms were dominated by chronic diarrhea (48%), weight loss (50%) and anemia (20.1%). Histological findings showed an intraepithelial lymphocytosis (Marsh type 1) in 12.2% of cases, type 2 was present in 1.7% of cases and type 3 (villous atrophy) in 86% of cases. A treatment with a gluten-free diet was indicated for all patients, only the cases who haven't presented a clinical amelioration (11 cases) have beneficed a control biopsie; a villous atrophy was persistent in 80% of this patients. Histological features in duodenal biopsies for the diagnosis and the follow-up of patients with coeliac disease. This allows an appropriate treatment and prevents further complications.

Design of Stripping Columns Applied to Drinking Water to Minimize Carcinogenic Risk from Trihalomethanes (THMs)

PubMed Central

Canosa, Joel

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is the application of a software tool to the design of stripping columns to calculate the removal of trihalomethanes (THMs) from drinking water. The tool also allows calculating the rough capital cost of the column and the decrease in carcinogenic risk indeces associated with the elimination of THMs and, thus, the investment to save a human life. The design of stripping columns includes the determination, among other factors, of the height (HOG), the theoretical number of plates (NOG), and the section (S) of the columns based on the study of pressure drop. These results have been compared with THM stripping literature values, showing that simulation is sufficiently conservative. Three case studies were chosen to apply the developed software. The first case study was representative of small-scale application to a community in Córdoba (Spain) where chloroform is predominant and has a low concentration. The second case study was of an intermediate scale in a region in Venezuela, and the third case study was representative of large-scale treatment of water in the Barcelona metropolitan region (Spain). Results showed that case studies with larger scale and higher initial risk offer the best capital investment to decrease the risk. PMID:29562670

Mortality among PCR negative admitted Ebola suspects during the 2014/15 outbreak in Conakry, Guinea: A retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Ingelbeen, Brecht; Bah, Elhadj Ibrahima; Decroo, Tom; Balde, Idrissa; Nordenstedt, Helena; van Griensven, Johan; De Weggheleire, Anja

2017-01-01

Non-cases are suspect Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases testing negative by EVD RT-PCR after admission to an Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC). Admitting non-cases to an ETC prompts concerns on case- and workload in the ETC, risk for nosocomial EVD infection, and delays in diagnosis and disease-specific treatment. We retrospectively analysed characteristics, outcomes and determinants of death of EVD cases and non-cases admitted to the Conakry ETC in Guinea between 03/2014 and 09/2015. Of the 2362 admitted suspects who underwent full confirmatory PCR testing, 1540 (65.2%) were non-cases; among them 727 needed repeated confirmatory PCR testing resulting in 2.5 days (average) in the ETC isolation ward. Twenty-one patients tested positive on the repeat test, most in a period of flawed sampling for the initial test and none after introduction of PCR confirmation with geneXpert. No readmissions following nosocomial EVD infection were recorded. No combination of symptoms yielded acceptable sensitivity and specificity to allow differentiating confirmed from non-cases. Symptoms as ocular bleeding/redness have high specificity, but limited usefulness as not common. Admission delay and age distribution were not different for both groups. In total, 98 (20.6%) of 475 deaths in the ETC were non-cases. Most died within 24 hours after admission. Living in Conakry (aOR 1.78 (1.08-2.96)) was the strongest risk factor for death. Weeks with higher admission load had lower case fatality among non-cases, probably because more acute (and treatable) illnesses of contacts of known cases were admitted. These findings show high numbers of potentially critically ill non-cases need to be considered when setting up triage and referral of EVD suspect cases. Symptoms and risk factors alone do not allow differentiating the non-cases. Integration of highly-sensitive EVD diagnostic methods with short turnaround time in the triage of peripheral hospitals and dropping the systematic 2nd PCR for symptomatic early presenters could limit delays in access to adapted care of cases and seriously ill non-cases. Whether feasible without compromising outbreak control, and under which conditions, should be further assessed.

Mortality among PCR negative admitted Ebola suspects during the 2014/15 outbreak in Conakry, Guinea: A retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Bah, Elhadj Ibrahima; Decroo, Tom; Balde, Idrissa; Nordenstedt, Helena; van Griensven, Johan; De Weggheleire, Anja

2017-01-01

Non-cases are suspect Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases testing negative by EVD RT-PCR after admission to an Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC). Admitting non-cases to an ETC prompts concerns on case- and workload in the ETC, risk for nosocomial EVD infection, and delays in diagnosis and disease-specific treatment. We retrospectively analysed characteristics, outcomes and determinants of death of EVD cases and non-cases admitted to the Conakry ETC in Guinea between 03/2014 and 09/2015. Of the 2362 admitted suspects who underwent full confirmatory PCR testing, 1540 (65.2%) were non-cases; among them 727 needed repeated confirmatory PCR testing resulting in 2.5 days (average) in the ETC isolation ward. Twenty-one patients tested positive on the repeat test, most in a period of flawed sampling for the initial test and none after introduction of PCR confirmation with geneXpert. No readmissions following nosocomial EVD infection were recorded. No combination of symptoms yielded acceptable sensitivity and specificity to allow differentiating confirmed from non-cases. Symptoms as ocular bleeding/redness have high specificity, but limited usefulness as not common. Admission delay and age distribution were not different for both groups. In total, 98 (20.6%) of 475 deaths in the ETC were non-cases. Most died within 24 hours after admission. Living in Conakry (aOR 1.78 (1.08–2.96)) was the strongest risk factor for death. Weeks with higher admission load had lower case fatality among non-cases, probably because more acute (and treatable) illnesses of contacts of known cases were admitted. These findings show high numbers of potentially critically ill non-cases need to be considered when setting up triage and referral of EVD suspect cases. Symptoms and risk factors alone do not allow differentiating the non-cases. Integration of highly-sensitive EVD diagnostic methods with short turnaround time in the triage of peripheral hospitals and dropping the systematic 2nd PCR for symptomatic early presenters could limit delays in access to adapted care of cases and seriously ill non-cases. Whether feasible without compromising outbreak control, and under which conditions, should be further assessed. PMID:28665950

"Tuberculosis Case Management" Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knebel, Elisa; Kolodner, Jennifer

2001-01-01

The need to isolated health providers with critical knowledge in tuberculosis (TB) case management prompted the development of "Tuberculosis Case Management" CD-ROM. Features include "Learning Center,""Examination Room," and "Library." The combination of audio, video, and graphics allows participants to…

Efforts to reduce the disparity between permanent residents and temporary migrants: Stop TB experiences in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Lu, Hui; Chen, Jing; Wang, Wei; Wu, Laiwa; Shen, Xin; Yuan, Zhengan; Yan, Fei

2015-08-01

Eight of 17 districts of Shanghai have offered transportation and living allowances subsidies to patients with tuberculosis (TB) among the migrant population. The study aimed to assess the impact of the subsidising initiative on the treatment success rate (TSR) and identify the social determinants of treatment outcomes. The participants included 7072 residents and 5703 migrants who were registered in the TB Information Management System with smear-positive pulmonary TB from January 2006 to December 2010. The Cochran-Armitage test was employed to test the trends of TSR and logistic regressions to identify the factors associated with treatment outcome. Without subsidies, migrant TB cases had lower odds of successful treatment [OR = 0.20 (95% CI 0.18-0.23)] than resident cases. Subsidisation was associated with a 65% increased odds ratio of success [1.65 (1.40-1.95)] among migrant cases. The TSR has stabilised at 87% for both permanent residents and temporary migrants since 2009. Living in districts with a population density ≥20,000/km(2) was associated with a low odds ratio [0.42 (0.26-0.68)] among resident cases, whereas among migrant cases those living in districts out of central downtown had a higher odds ratio of treatment success [peripheral downtown: 1.73 (1.36-2.20), suburban: 1.69 (1.16-2.46)]. The TB cases in districts with 2.0-2.9 TB specialists/100 cases had a higher odds ratio [2.99 (1.91-4.69)] of successful treatment than cases from districts with fewer specialists. Besides free medical services, transport and living allowance subsidies to migrant patients with TB improved the treatment outcome significantly. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Suicide case with multiple injuries with sharp objects.

PubMed

Черняк, Валентина В; Девяткин, Александр Е; Мустафина, Галия М; Никифоров, Артём Г

The work of forensic - medical expert examination of the corpse at the place of its discovery and further research in the morgue often there are certain difficulties associated with the solution of a number of issues, including the establishment of a kind of death. Bringing the case demonstrates that, during the initial examination of the corpse to the place of its discovery the presence of multiple injuries on the body of a different nature, as a rule, initially suggest investigators to suspect that the murder occurred. But further questioning around him lately those studying survey data and scene study results allowed the corpse to make objective conclusions.

Black widow spider bite: a case study.

PubMed

Gaisford, Kristine; Kautz, Donald D

2011-01-01

This article is a case study of a patient cared for in the hours before her death. After the patient's death, we learned the patient died of a black widow spider bite. This article sheds light on the potential seriousness of this venom and allows for more rapid detection and treatment of those who are unfortunate enough to be bitten. The authors have documented the sequence of events for the patient, outlined the care the patient received, examined the pathophysiology of the body to a spider bite, and then made a passionate appeal for other nurses who work in critical care to do the same with patients in similar situations.

When do letter features migrate? A boundary condition for feature-integration theory.

PubMed

Butler, B E; Mewhort, D J; Browse, R A

1991-01-01

Feature-integration theory postulates that a lapse of attention will allow letter features to change position and to recombine as illusory conjunctions (Treisman & Paterson, 1984). To study such errors, we used a set of uppercase letters known to yield illusory conjunctions in each of three tasks. The first, a bar-probe task, showed whole-character mislocations but not errors based on feature migration and recombination. The second, a two-alternative forced-choice detection task, allowed subjects to focus on the presence or absence of subletter features and showed illusory conjunctions based on feature migration and recombination. The third was also a two-alternative forced-choice detection task, but we manipulated the subjects' knowledge of the shape of the stimuli: In the case-certain condition, the stimuli were always in uppercase, but in the case-uncertain condition, the stimuli could appear in either upper- or lowercase. Subjects in the case-certain condition produced illusory conjunctions based on feature recombination, whereas subjects in the case-uncertain condition did not. The results suggest that when subjects can view the stimuli as feature groups, letter features regroup as illusory conjunctions; when subjects encode the stimuli as letters, whole items may be mislocated, but subletter features are not. Thus, illusory conjunctions reflect the subject's processing strategy, rather than the architecture of the visual system.

How to Allow Conscientious Objection in Medicine While Protecting Patient Rights.

PubMed

Ancell, Aaron; Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter

2017-01-01

Paradigmatic cases of conscientious objection in medicine are those in which a physician refuses to provide a medical service or good because doing so would conflict with that physician's personal moral or religious beliefs. Should such refusals be allowed in medicine? We argue that (1) many conscientious objections to providing certain services must be allowed because they fall within the range of freedom that physicians have to determine which services to offer in their practices; (2) at least some conscientious objections to serving particular groups of patients should be allowed because they are not invidiously discriminatory; and (3) even in cases of invidiously discriminatory conscientious objections, legally prohibiting individual physicians from refusing to serve patients on the basis of such objections is not always the best solution.

Glycomic Analysis of Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

allowed measurements of N-glycans and the Clinical Molecular Epidemiology Shared Resources which provided services for biological sample storage and...select N-glycans for the detection of prostate cancer. Aim3. Perform an exploratory study of N-glycans in urine of the participants and correlation of...cases. We have designed a pooled-unpooled study where initial discovery is conducted in smaller number of pooled samples followed by analysis of

Creation of Audiovisual Presentations as a Tool to Develop Key Competences in Secondary-School Students. A Case Study in Science Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ezquerra, Ángel; Manso, Javier; Burgos, Mª Esther; Hallabrin, Carla

2014-01-01

New curricular plans based on key competences create the need for new educational proposals that allow their development. This article describes a proposal to develop key competences through project-based learning. The project's objective is the creation of a digital video. The following study was carried out with students in their final two years…

A Narrative in Search of a Methodology.

PubMed

Treloar, Anna; Stone, Teresa Elizabeth; McMillan, Margaret; Flakus, Kirstin

2015-07-01

Research papers present us with the summaries of scholars' work; what we readers do not see are the struggles behind the decision to choose one methodology over another. A student's mental health portfolio contained a narrative that led to an exploration of the most appropriate methodology for a projected study of clinical anecdotes told by nurses who work in mental health settings to undergraduates and new recruits about mental health nursing. This paper describes the process of struggle, beginning with the student's account, before posing a number of questions needing answers before the choice of the most appropriate methodology. We argue, after discussing the case for the use of literary analysis, discourse analysis, symbolic interactionism, hermeneutics, and narrative research, that case study research is the methodology of choice. Case study is frequently used in educational research and is sufficiently flexible to allow for an exploration of the phenomenon. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Incidence study of listeriosis in Spain].

PubMed

Valero, Fernando Parrilla; Rafart, Josep Vaqué

2014-01-01

We performed a descriptive retrospective study of cases of listeriosis occurring in Spain from 2001 to 2007 to determine the burden and trend of this disease in our setting. Several sources of information were used. Epidemiological information was collected from 1.242 cases of listeriosis, representing a mean incidence rate of 0,56 cases per 100.000 inhabitants per year, which was extrapolated as an overall estimate for Spain. The annual incidence showed a statistically significant increasing trend (p <0,001) over the study period. This figure was higher than that reported in Spain (0,16) by the Microbiological Information System, which is voluntary, showing that underreporting exists. The inclusion of listeriosis in the Mandatory Notification System would allow determination of the distribution and characteristics of this infection in humans, as well as promotion of effective prevention and control. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Safe use of cellular telephones in hospitals: fundamental principles and case studies.

PubMed

Cohen, Ted; Ellis, Willard S; Morrissey, Joseph J; Bakuzonis, Craig; David, Yadin; Paperman, W David

2005-01-01

Many industries and individuals have embraced cellular telephones. They provide mobile, synchronous communication, which could hypothetically increase the efficiency and safety of inpatient healthcare. However, reports of early analog cellular telephones interfering with critical life-support machines had led many hospitals to strictly prohibit cellular telephones. A literature search revealed that individual hospitals now are allowing cellular telephone use with various policies to prevent electromagnetic interference with medical devices. The fundamental principles underlying electromagnetic interference are immunity, frequency, modulation technology, distance, and power Electromagnetic interference risk mitigation methods based on these principles have been successfully implemented. In one case study, a minimum distance between cellular telephones and medical devices is maintained, with restrictions in critical areas. In another case study, cellular telephone coverage is augmented to automatically control the power of the cellular telephone. While no uniform safety standard yet exists, cellular telephones can be safely used in hospitals when their use is managed carefully.

A comparative study of satellite estimation for solar insolation in Albania with ground measurements

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

Mitrushi, Driada, E-mail: driadamitrushi@yahoo.com; Berberi, Pëllumb, E-mail: pellumb.berberi@gmail.com; Muda, Valbona, E-mail: vmuda@hotmail.com

The main objective of this study is to compare data provided by Database of NASA with available ground data for regions covered by national meteorological net NASA estimates that their measurements of average daily solar radiation have a root-mean-square deviation RMSD error of 35 W/m{sup 2} (roughly 20% inaccuracy). Unfortunately valid data from meteorological stations for regions of interest are quite rare in Albania. In these cases, use of Solar Radiation Database of NASA would be a satisfactory solution for different case studies. Using a statistical method allows to determine most probable margins between to sources of data. Comparison of meanmore » insulation data provided by NASA with ground data of mean insulation provided by meteorological stations show that ground data for mean insolation results, in all cases, to be underestimated compared with data provided by Database of NASA. Converting factor is 1.149.« less

Computational Modeling And Analysis Of Synthetic Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittal, Rajat; Cattafesta, Lou

2005-01-01

In the last report we focused on the study of 3D synthetic jets of moderate jet aspect-ratio. Jets in quiescent and cross-flow cases were investigated. Since most of the synthetic jets in practical applications are found to be of large aspect ratio, the focus was shifted to studying synthetic jets of large aspect ratio. In the current year, further progress has been made by studying jets of aspect ratio 8 and infinity. Some other aspects of the jet, like the vorticity flux is looked into apart from analyzing the vortex dynamics, velocity profiles and the other dynamical characteristics of the jet which allows us to extract some insight into the effect of these modifications on the jet performance. Also, efforts were made to qualitatively validate the simulated results with the NASA Langley test cases at higher jet Reynolds number for the quiescent jet case.

Blueprint for the development of low carbon society scenarios for Asian regions- case study of Iskandar Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, C. S.; Matsuoka, Y.; Chau, L. W.; Teh, B. T.; Simson, J. J.; Gomi, K.

2013-06-01

Malaysian government aims to reduce 40% reduction of carbon emission intensity by the year 2020 using 2005 as the base year. Several mitigation and adaptation strategies in addressing environmental and climate change are formulated at national, regional and local level to mitigate greenhouse gases. This paper aims to examine local and regional resilient policy actions to reduce greenhouse gases using the empirical case of Iskandar Malaysia. The study case is selected because it is one of the fast developing economic corridor regions in Malaysia. In this study, a low carbon society blueprint is initiated to guide the rapid development of this economic corridor towards low carbon green growth. The blueprint provides the sustainable green growth roadmap with major 12 actions for the region. It is done through a bottom-up approach where stakeholder discussions are carried out to allow local communities participation in the plan formulation.

26 CFR 1.611-1 - Allowance of deduction for depletion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Natural Resources § 1.611-1 Allowance of deduction for depletion. (a) Depletion of mines, oil and gas wells, other natural deposits, and timber—(1) In general... of the property. In the case of other exhaustible natural resources the allowance for depletion shall...

26 CFR 1.611-1 - Allowance of deduction for depletion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Natural Resources § 1.611-1 Allowance of deduction for depletion. (a) Depletion of mines, oil and gas wells, other natural deposits, and timber—(1) In general... of the property. In the case of other exhaustible natural resources the allowance for depletion shall...

Outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis caused by adenovirus in medical residents.

PubMed

Melendez, Carlos Pantoja; Florentino, Margarita Matias; Martinez, Irma Lopez; Lopez, Herlinda Mejia

2009-01-01

The present work documents an outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis among ophthalmology residents, its influence in the presentation of the community cases, the use of molecular techniques for its diagnosis, and the implementation of successful control measures for its containment. Isolation of the etiologic agent was achieved using cultured African green monkey kidney epithelial cells (VERO). Through molecular tests, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing, the genotype of the isolated virus was identified. The sequences obtained were aligned with data reported in the NCBI GenBank. A scheme of outbreak control measures was designed to enforce correct sanitary measures in the clinic. The statistical program, Epi info 2002, and openepi were used to determine the attack rate. The Excel Microsoft program was used to elaborate the endemic channel. Nine of the ten samples studied were isolated from the culture and identified by Adenovirus-specifc PCR. Sequencing allowed identification of Ad8 as the agent responsible for the outbreak. The attack rate was 24.39 cases per 100. The epidemic curve allowed identification of a disseminated source in the Institute of Ophthalmology "Conde de Valenciana." It was not possible to calculate the incubation periods among the cases. The endemic channel showed the presence of an epidemic keratoconjunctivitis among the patients that had been cared for at the out-patient services of the institute. One outbreak of a disseminated source caused by Ad8 was detected in the institute among its medical residents, probably associated with relaxation of the habitual sanitary measures during an epidemic of hemorrhagic conjunctivitis among the patients cared for at the institute. The proposed scheme to control the outbreak allowed for its containment and controlled the epidemic of associated cases.

Using a case-mix-adjusted pressure sore incidence study in a surgical directorate to improve patient outcomes in pressure ulcer prevention.

PubMed

Watret, L

1999-10-01

The Glasgow Acute Clinical Audit Sub-Committee on Pressure Sores has previously carried out studies of incidence of pressure ulcers in the medical directorates and case-mix-adjusted the figures for length of hospital stay and risk assessment score. Case-mix classification is 'classification of people or treatment placed into groups using characteristics associated with condition, treatment or outcome that can be used to predict need, resource, use of outcomes'. In this instance, crude pressure ulcer incidence figures may be adjusted for length of hospital stay and pressure sore risk assessment score, and stratified into groups, which allows like to be compared with like. The value in case-mix-adjusted figures lies in repeating the exercise, thus determining the trend for individual areas and assessing whether improvement in the quality of care is being achieved. This is more positive than creation of 'league tables' comparing simultaneous studies in a number of areas. The figures showed that there was no statistically significant difference between surgical directorates in trusts with regard to risk assessment scores and length of hospital stay. Gathering data on the incidence of pressure ulcer development allows us to identify where new sores are occurring, but does not critically analyse the nursing intervention taken in individual cases, which identifies preventive strategies. The Glasgow group's primary aim was to gather data on case-mix-adjusted incidence of pressure damage; the secondary objectives were to scrutinize the data to gather more general information on intrinsic and extrinsic factors which may predispose to pressure ulcer development. The study was carried out in the surgical directorate. Findings showed that incidence was low (1.1%), with the majority of sores being superficial. There was a correlation between pressure ulcer development and incontinence, evidence of under-utilization of moving and handling aids for prevention of pressure ulcers, and a need for greater collaboration between nursing staff and dietitians. All patients had access to pressure-reducing surfaces, with cut-foam pressure-reducing mattresses with vapour-permeable covers on all beds. Dynamic systems were available if the primary nurse identified a need for them.

Ecobelts: reconnecting agriculture and communities - case studies

Treesearch

Gary Bentrup; Michele Schoeneberger; Scott Josiah; Charles Francis

2001-01-01

Historically, landscapes graded from urban centers to scattered villages, to a diverse mosaic of farmlands and natural areas (Figure 1). This gradient allowed both a visual and physical transition while maintaining ecologic, economic, and social connections within the larger landscape. Conflicts between urban and rural residents were minimal, in part due to the limited...

Making the Case for Space: The Effect of Learning Spaces on Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byers, Terry; Imms, Wesley; Hartnell-Young, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

An explanatory, mixed method study examined the impact of learning spaces on teachers' pedagogy, student engagement and student learning outcomes in a technology-rich school setting. Its quasi-experimental design allowed examination of differences in these variables between two settings--'traditional' classrooms, and 'new generation learning…

Tangible Multimedia: A Case Study for Bringing Tangibility into Multimedia Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsong, Chau Kien; Chong, Toh Seong; Samsudin, Zarina

2012-01-01

Multimedia augmented with tangible objects is an area that has not been explored. Current multimedia systems lack the natural elements that allow young children to learn tangibly and intuitively. In view of this, we propose a research to merge tangible objects with multimedia for preschoolers, and propose to term it as "tangible…

Monitoring Student Progress Using Virtual Appliances: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero-Zaldivar, Vicente-Arturo; Pardo, Abelardo; Burgos, Daniel; Delgado Kloos, Carlos

2012-01-01

The interactions that students have with each other, with the instructors, and with educational resources are valuable indicators of the effectiveness of a learning experience. The increasing use of information and communication technology allows these interactions to be recorded so that analytic or mining techniques are used to gain a deeper…

Every Teacher Carries a Leadership Wand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tubin, Dorit

2017-01-01

Turnaround schools require empowered teachers to discover their leadership wand. Based on a case study conducted on BART Charter School, this article highlights five steps for leaders who wish to empower their teachers and allow them to lead their schools to success: (1) Let your people know; (2) Nominate the fittest, (3) Connect teachers to a…

Constructing a Community Response Grid (CRG): The Dublin, Ohio Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freund, John F., III.

2012-01-01

During an emergency, information availability is critical to preserving life and minimizing damages. During the emergency response, however, information may not be available to those who need it. A community response grid (CRG) can help ameliorate this lack of availability by allowing people to document and distribute emergency information to…

Instructor Training and Instructional Design in Online Courses Using Group Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Patricia K.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory multi-case study was to examine the role of instructional design and instructor training on student learning outcomes and student satisfaction within the online class using group work, a form of collaborative learning. Group work has been strongly recommended for online classes. Data allowing insight into…

REGIONAL ASSESSMENT OF LANDSCAPE AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE EFFECTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION, THE MOROCCO CASE STUDY (1981 - 2003)

EPA Science Inventory

The effect of changes in landscape factors on socioeconomics was analyzed

locally and regionally. The method presented here allows mapping changes in vegetation cover

trends over large areas quickly and inexpensively, thus providing policy-makers with a technical

Re-Culturing Educator Preparation Programs: A Collaborative Case Study of Continuous Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, Jennifer; Dismuke, Sherry; Zenkert, A. J.; Loffer, Carolyn

2017-01-01

Teacher educators at one institution of higher education collaborated to reculture systems for a focus on continuous improvement even within mounting accountability pressures. A framework of social network theory allowed for themes to develop around layered interactions of faculty, processes, and professional capital. Findings focused on people,…

Navigating a Divided Society: Educational Research Strategies for Post-Conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Komatsu, Taro

2012-01-01

This article discusses methodological issues associated with education research in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and describes strategies taken to address them. Within a case study, mixed methods allowed the author to examine school leaders' perceptions multi-dimensionally. Multi-level analysis was essential to the understanding of policy-making…

Taking an Active Stance: How Urban Elementary Students Connect Sociocultural Experiences in Learning Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upadhyay, Bhaskar; Maruyama, Geoffrey; Albrecht, Nancy

2017-01-01

In this interpretive case study, we draw from sociocultural theory of learning and culturally relevant pedagogy to understand how urban students from nondominant groups leverage their sociocultural experiences. These experiences allow them to gain an empowering voice in influencing science content and activities and to work towards…

Using Empowerment Evaluation to Facilitate the Development of Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Prevention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Pat; Cresswell, Janet; Harmon, Diane; Pospishil, Charles; Smith, Kathy; Wages, Jennifer; Weisz, Lisa

2010-01-01

This article addresses the question, "What factors contributed to successful completion of a needs and resource assessment in local communities, using the empowerment evaluation approach?" Case studies of three successful projects allow the exploration of organizational, community, state, and national factors that contributed to a strong needs and…

Narratives and Activity Theory as Reflective Tools in Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Kaz

2012-01-01

Narratives and activity theory are useful as socially constructed data collection tools that allow a researcher access to the social, cultural and historical meanings that research participants place on events in their lives. This case study shows how these tools were used to promote reflection within a cultural-historical activity theoretically…

Integrating a Learning Management System with a Student Assignments Digital Repository. A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Díaz, Javier; Schiavoni, Alejandra; Osorio, María Alejandra; Amadeo, Ana Paola; Charnelli, María Emilia

2013-01-01

The integration of different platforms and information Systems in the academic environment is highly important and quite a challenge within the field of Information Technology. This integration allows for higher resource availability and improved interaction among intervening actors. In the field of e-Learning, where Learning Management Systems…

A Case Study on the Failure of Management Controls around Expected Benefit Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Earl H.

2013-01-01

Organization leaders manage change through projects to realize specific expected benefits. Under Expectation-Confirmation theory, expected benefits can be used to judge the ongoing viability and final success of the project. Organization leaders often develop management controls to ensure that the expected benefits are defined to allow their use…

Understanding Customer Product Choices: A Case Study Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process

Treesearch

Robert L. Smith; Robert J. Bush; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1996-01-01

The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to characterize the bridge material selection decisions of highway officials across the United States. Understanding product choices by utilizing the AHP allowed us to develop strategies for increasing the use of timber in bridge construction. State Department of Transportation engineers, private consulting engineers, and...

A Case Study of School District Consolidation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronin, Joseph M.

2010-01-01

Several New England states have been rethinking the system whereby small towns make the key decisions about school budgets and staffing under the banner of local control. Maine already has mandated a reduction in the number of local school districts from 290 to 80, allowing localities to vote on the larger districts. This consolidation, unpopular…

Towards the Successful Integration of Design Thinking in Industrial Design Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2016-01-01

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

Fracturing alliance allows economical production of massive diatomite oil reserves: A case study

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

Klins, M.A.; Stewart, D.W.; Pferdehirt, D.J.

1996-01-01

As North American oilfield operations mature, there is a perceptible loosening of the autocratic ties between oil companies and contractors. They are being replaced by alliances or partnerships designed to minimize cost while improving profitability of the companies involved. This paper evaluates a mature alliance, its implementation, structure, and results.

Sedgemoor: A Suitable Case for Treatment? Heritage, Interpretation and Educational Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Lynne

A partnership between the Universities of Exeter and Bournemouth at their joint University Centre in Yeovil College, Somerset (England) allowed local students to participate in higher education via a BA degree in Heritage and Regional Studies. This program represents several disciplines including history, literature, and the visual arts. It aims…

A Hands-On Approach for Teaching Denial of Service Attacks: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trabelsi, Zouheir; Ibrahim, Walid

2013-01-01

Nowadays, many academic institutions are including ethical hacking in their information security and Computer Science programs. Information security students need to experiment common ethical hacking techniques in order to be able to implement the appropriate security solutions. This will allow them to more efficiently protect the confidentiality,…

Mitigating Errors of Representation: A Practical Case Study of the University Experience Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiteley, Sonia

2014-01-01

The Total Survey Error (TSE) paradigm provides a framework that supports the effective planning of research, guides decision making about data collection and contextualises the interpretation and dissemination of findings. TSE also allows researchers to systematically evaluate and improve the design and execution of ongoing survey programs and…

Quantifying Security Threats and Their Potential Impacts: A Case Study

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

Aissa, Anis Ben; Abercrombie, Robert K; Sheldon, Frederick T

In earlier works, we present a computational infrastructure that allows an analyst to estimate the security of a system in terms of the loss that each stakeholder stands to sustain as a result of security breakdowns. In this paper, we illustrate this infrastructure by means of an e-commerce application.

Case-control study on uveal melanoma (RIFA): rational and design

PubMed Central

Schmidt-Pokrzywniak, Andrea; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Bornfeld, Norbert; Stang, Andreas

2004-01-01

Background Although a rare disease, uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults, with an incidence rate of up to 1.0 per 100,000 persons per year in Europe. Only a few consistent risk factors have been identified for this disease. We present the study design of an ongoing incident case-control study on uveal melanoma (acronym: RIFA study) that focuses on radiofrequency radiation as transmitted by radio sets and wireless telephones, occupational risk factors, phenotypical characteristics, and UV radiation. Methods/Design We conduct a case-control study to identify the role of different exposures in the development of uveal melanoma. The cases of uveal melanoma were identified at the Division of Ophthalmology, University of Essen, a referral centre for tumours of the eye. We recruit three control groups: population controls, controls sampled from those ophthalmologists who referred cases to the Division of Ophthalmology, University of Duisburg-Essen, and sibling controls. For each case the controls are matched on sex and age (five year groups), except for sibling controls. The data are collected from the study participants by short self-administered questionnaire and by telephone interview. During and at the end of the field phase, the data are quality-checked. To estimate the effect of exposures on uveal melanoma risk, we will use conditional logistic regression that accounts for the matching factors and allows to control for potential confounding. PMID:15318944

RFID in the Apparel Retail Industry: A Case Study from Galeria Kaufhof

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Kassab, Jasser; Blome, Philipp; Wolfram, Gerd; Thiesse, Frédéric; Fleisch, Elgar

This contribution deals with the business valueof radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in the apparel retail industry. We present a case study of an RFID project at Galeria Kaufhof, a subsidiary of Metro Group and one of the largest department store chains in Europe. The trial shows that operational efficiency gains through the automation of logistical in-store processes, such as inventory counting or goods receipt, are possible. Moreover, RFID enables new customer applications on the sales floor, which allow for a redesign of the customer interface, and thus an improvement of the service processes and the service quality. In addition, the analyses of the gathered data on the sales floor help to close the "data void" between the goods receipt and the point of sales of the department store, thus offering the opportunity to directly observe and analyze physical in-store processes. The RFID data analyses allow for deriving valuable information for the department store management in the areas of inventory management, category management, store layout management, and department store processes.

Prenatal diagnosis and telemedicine consultation of fetal urologic disorders.

PubMed

Rabie, Nader Z; Canon, Stephen; Patel, Ashay; Zamilpa, Ismael; Magann, Everett F; Higley, Jared

2016-06-01

In Arkansas, telemedicine is used commonly in obstetrics through Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines, Education and Learning System (ANGELS), the existing statewide telemedicine network. This network is used primarily for tele-ultrasound and maternal-fetal medicine consultation. This study is a retrospective case series, describing all the patients who had a prenatally diagnosed urologic anomaly that required prenatal urologic consultation. From 2009-2013, approximately 1300 anomalies were recorded in the Arkansas Fetal Diagnosis and Management (AFDM) database, 14% of which were urologic anomalies. Twenty-six cases required prenatal urologic consultation, 25 of which were conducted via telemedicine. Teleconsultation allowed patients to combine maternal-fetal medicine and urologic consultations in one visit, saving time and effort and ultimately, for most patients, providing reassurance that delivery could be accomplished locally with postnatal follow-up already arranged. While there are several studies reporting the use of telemedicine for various subspecialty consultations, to our knowledge, this is the first to describe the use of telemedicine for prenatal urology consultation. Future research could randomize patients prospectively to allow comparison of both the outcomes as well as the patient experience. © The Author(s) 2015.

Transient Chaotic Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gollub, J. P.; Rothstein, David; Losert, Wolfgang

1998-11-01

We report a systematic experimental study of transient mixing in a family of two-dimensional vortex flows driven by magneto-hydrodynamic forces. The forcing method allows a number of distinct cases to be investigated spanning the range from Lagrangian chaos to 2D turbulence. Both spatially ordered and spatially irregular forcing situations are considered. The basic methodology is to label half of the fluid layer with a fluorescent dye, and to measure the subsequent dye distribution with a precision CCD camera. Diagnostics are devised that allow us separately to monitor the stretching of fluid elements and development of fine striations, diffusive smearing, and the transport of material across the cell. Various statistical measures are used, including the probability distribution, the scalar gradient PDF, and the power spectrum. We find major differences between the time-periodic and nonperiodic cases. The former generally show evidence of "KAM surfaces" or barriers to transport, so that mixing, while substantial, is incomplete. After a modest number of cycles (typically 10-20), the flow structure usually reaches a slowly evolving limiting form whose amplitude then decays, as has been proposed in several theoretical studies.

Epidemiologic study of residential proximity to transmission lines and childhood cancer in California: description of design, epidemiologic methods and study population

PubMed Central

Kheifets, Leeka; Crespi, Catherine M; Hooper, Chris; Oksuzyan, Sona; Cockburn, Myles; Ly, Thomas; Mezei, Gabor

2015-01-01

We conducted a large epidemiologic case-control study in California to examine the association between childhood cancer risk and distance from the home address at birth to the nearest high-voltage overhead transmission line as a replication of the study of Draper et al. in the United Kingdom. We present a detailed description of the study design, methods of case ascertainment, control selection, exposure assessment and data analysis plan. A total of 5788 childhood leukemia cases and 3308 childhood central nervous system cancer cases (included for comparison) and matched controls were available for analysis. Birth and diagnosis addresses of cases and birth addresses of controls were geocoded. Distance from the home to nearby overhead transmission lines was ascertained on the basis of the electric power companies’ geographic information system (GIS) databases, additional Google Earth aerial evaluation and site visits to selected residences. We evaluated distances to power lines up to 2000 m and included consideration of lower voltages (60–69 kV). Distance measures based on GIS and Google Earth evaluation showed close agreement (Pearson correlation >0.99). Our three-tiered approach to exposure assessment allowed us to achieve high specificity, which is crucial for studies of rare diseases with low exposure prevalence. PMID:24045429

Antiretroviral therapy outcomes among HIV infected clients in Gweru City, Zimbabwe 2006 - 2011: a cohort analysis.

PubMed

Shambira, Gerald; Gombe, Notion Tafara; Hall, Casey Daniel; Park, Meeyoung Mattie; Frimpong, Joseph Asamoah

2017-01-01

The government of Zimbabwe began providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in public institutions in 2004. In Midlands province two clinics constituted the most active HIV care service points, with patients being followed up through a comprehensive patient monitoring and tracking system which captured specific patient variables and outcomes over time. The data from 2006 to 2011 were subjected to analysis to answer specific research questions and this case study is based on that analysis. The goal of this case study is to build participants' capacity to undertake secondary data analysis and interpretation using a dataset for HIV antiretroviral therapy in Zimbabwe and to draw conclusions which inform recommendations. Case studies in applied epidemiology allow students to practice applying epidemiologic skills in the classroom to address real-world public health problems. Case studies as a vital component of an applied epidemiology curriculum are instrumental in reinforcing principles and skills covered in lectures or in background reading. The target audience includes Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs (FELTPs), university students, district health executives, and health information officers.

Post Detection Target State Estimation Using Heuristic Information Processing - A Preliminary Investigation

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

Interpolation algorithm allows this to be done when the transition boundaries are defined close together and parallel to one another. In this case the...in the variable kernel esti- -mates.) In [2] a goodness-of-fit criterion for a set of sam- One question of great interest to us in this study pies...an estimate /(x) is For the unimodal case the ab.olute minimum okV .based on the variables ocurs at k .= 100, ce 5. At this point we have j Mean

Optimal control of underactuated mechanical systems: A geometric approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombo, Leonardo; Martín De Diego, David; Zuccalli, Marcela

2010-08-01

In this paper, we consider a geometric formalism for optimal control of underactuated mechanical systems. Our techniques are an adaptation of the classical Skinner and Rusk approach for the case of Lagrangian dynamics with higher-order constraints. We study a regular case where it is possible to establish a symplectic framework and, as a consequence, to obtain a unique vector field determining the dynamics of the optimal control problem. These developments will allow us to develop a new class of geometric integrators based on discrete variational calculus.

Stethoscopes with hearing aid use: Case studies

PubMed Central

Jacob, Regina Tangerino de Souza; Zambonato, Ticiana Cristina de Souza; Mondelli, Maria Fernanda Capoani Garcia

2013-01-01

Summary Introduction: Description for using stethoscopes adapted to hearing aids. Aim: To describe the adaptation of HAs to stethoscopes used by 2 students in the health field with bilateral hearing impairment. Case reports: Two subjects with hearing loss had their stethoscopes coupled to HAs because of the individual requirements of their professions (healthcare) to perform auscultation. Conclusion: The improvement was measured in situ, and satisfaction was evaluated using a subjective questionnaire. The use of a stethoscope coupled to an HA allowed students with hearing loss to perform auscultation. PMID:25992000

On entropy change measurements around first order phase transitions in caloric materials.

PubMed

Caron, Luana; Ba Doan, Nguyen; Ranno, Laurent

2017-02-22

In this work we discuss the measurement protocols for indirect determination of the isothermal entropy change associated with first order phase transitions in caloric materials. The magneto-structural phase transitions giving rise to giant magnetocaloric effects in Cu-doped MnAs and FeRh are used as case studies to exemplify how badly designed protocols may affect isothermal measurements and lead to incorrect entropy change estimations. Isothermal measurement protocols which allow correct assessment of the entropy change around first order phase transitions in both direct and inverse cases are presented.

US hospital-based direct access with radiology referral: an administrative case report.

PubMed

Keil, Aaron; Brown, Suzanne Robben

2015-01-01

Legislative gains in the US allow physical therapists to function in expanded scopes of practice including direct access and referral to specialists. The combination of direct access with privileges to order imaging studies directly offers a desirable practice status for many physical therapists, especially in musculoskeletal focused settings. Although direct access is legal in all US jurisdictions, institutional-based physical therapy settings have not embraced these practices. Barriers cited to implementing direct access with advanced practice are concerns over medical and administrative opposition, institutional policies, provider qualifications and reimbursement. This administrative case report describes the process taken to allow therapists to see patients without a referral and to order diagnostic imaging studies at an academic medical center. Nine-month implementation results show 66 patients seen via direct access with 15% referred for imaging studies. Claims submitted to 20 different insurance providers were reimbursed at 100%. While institutional regulations and reimbursement are reported as barriers to direct access, this report highlights the process one academic medical center used to implement direct access and advanced practice radiology referral by updating policies and procedures, identifying advanced competencies and communicating with necessary stakeholder groups. Favorable reimbursement for services is documented.

Criminal Evidence Act, 1992 [Excerpts. 7 July 1992].

PubMed

1993-04-30

This Act amends Ireland's law on evidence to do the following among other things: a) in cases involving sexual or violent acts, allow a person under the age of 17 to give evidence by means of a live television link, unless the court sees good reason to the contrary; b) allow, upon a court's authorization, questions to be put to such a person in such a case by means of an intermediary; c) allow video recordings of interviews with children conducted by police officers or other competent persons to be admitted as evidence in such cases; and d) abolish the requirement that the unsworn evidence of a child must be corroborated and leave to the court's discretion whether to warn a jury about convicting a person on the basis of the uncorroborated evidence of a child. Additional provisions of the Act relate to the competence and compellability of spouses and former spouses to give evidence.

Twelve tips on writing a discussion case that facilitates teaching and engages learners.

PubMed

Cohen, David A; Newman, Lori R; Fishman, Laurie N

2017-02-01

The authors share twelve practical tips on writing a case that engages learners in active learning and discussion. They first advise that, during the initial preparation of the case, authors should (1) identify the case goals and objectives, and (2) identify the level of the learners. When writing the case, authors should (3) use active and colorful language; (4) use patients' own descriptions rather than medical language; (5) allow the learners to interpret data themselves; (6) allow for natural discovery rather than presenting information chronologically; and (7) be realistic about interruptions in patient care. In addition, case authors should pay attention to methods that enhance discussion by (8) creating barriers to diagnostic or treatment options; (9) promoting questions and discussion over answers; (10) using cues to assure discussion flow and knowledge exploration; and (11) omitting details or inserting informational distractors. Finally, well-crafted questions are essential during the case presentation to engage learners in higher-order thinking; and to (12) stimulate curiosity and reflection.

Utility of three-dimensional and multiplanar reformatted computed tomography for evaluation of pediatric congenital spine abnormalities.

PubMed

Newton, Peter O; Hahn, Gregory W; Fricka, Kevin B; Wenger, Dennis R

2002-04-15

A retrospective radiographic review of 31 patients with congenital spine abnormalities who underwent conventional radiography and advanced imaging studies was conducted. To analyze the utility of three-dimensional computed tomography with multiplanar reformatted images for congenital spine anomalies, as compared with plain radiographs and axial two-dimensional computed tomography imaging. Conventional radiographic imaging for congenital spine disorders often are difficult to interpret because of the patient's small size, the complexity of the disorder, a deformity not in the plane of the radiographs, superimposed structures, and difficulty in forming a mental three-dimensional image. Multiplanar reformatted and three-dimensional computed tomographic imaging offers many potential advantages for defining congenital spine anomalies including visualization of the deformity in any plane, from any angle, with the overlying structures subtracted. The imaging studies of patients who had undergone a three-dimensional computed tomography for congenital deformities of the spine between 1992 and 1998 were reviewed (31 cases). All plain radiographs and axial two-dimensional computed tomography images performed before the three-dimensional computed tomography were reviewed and the findings documented. This was repeated for the three-dimensional reconstructions and, when available, the multiplanar reformatted images (15 cases). In each case, the utility of the advanced imaging was graded as one of the following: Grade A (substantial new information obtained), Grade B (confirmatory with improved visualization and understanding of the deformity), and Grade C (no added useful information obtained). In 17 of 31 cases, the multiplanar reformatted and three-dimensional images allowed identification of unrecognized malformations. In nine additional cases, the advanced imaging was helpful in better visualizing and understanding previously identified deformities. In five cases, no new information was gained. The standard and curved multiplanar reformatted images were best for defining the occiput-C1-C2 anatomy and the extent of segmentation defects. The curved multiplanar reformatted images were especially helpful in keeping the spine from "coming in" and "going out" of the plane of the image when there was significant spine deformity in the sagittal or coronal plane. The three-dimensional reconstructions proved valuable in defining failures of formation. Advanced computed tomography imaging (three-dimensional computed tomography and curved/standard multiplanar reformatted images) allows better definition of congenital spine anomalies. More than 50% of the cases showed additional abnormalities not appreciated on plain radiographs or axial two-dimensional computed tomography images. Curved multiplanar reformatted images allowed imaging in the coronal and sagittal planes of the entire deformity.

Fusion cross sections measurements with MUSIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnelli, P. F. F.; Fernández Niello, J. O.; Almaraz-Calderon, S.; Rehm, K. E.; Albers, M.; Digiovine, B.; Esbensen, H.; Henderson, D.; Jiang, C. L.; Nusair, O.; Palchan-Hazan, T.; Pardo, R. C.; Ugalde, C.; Paul, M.; Alcorta, M.; Bertone, P. F.; Lai, J.; Marley, S. T.

2014-09-01

The interaction between exotic nuclei plays an important role for understanding the reaction mechanism of the fusion processes as well as for the energy production in stars. With the advent of radioactive beams new frontiers for fusion reaction studies have become accessible. We have performed the first measurements of the total fusion cross sections in the systems 10 , 14 , 15C + 12C using a newly developed active target-detector system (MUSIC). Comparison of the obtained cross sections with theoretical predictions show a good agreement in the energy region accessible with existing radioactive beams. This type of comparison allows us to calibrate the calculations for cases that cannot be studied in the laboratory with the current experimental capabilities. The high efficiency of this active detector system will allow future measurements with even more neutron-rich isotopes. The interaction between exotic nuclei plays an important role for understanding the reaction mechanism of the fusion processes as well as for the energy production in stars. With the advent of radioactive beams new frontiers for fusion reaction studies have become accessible. We have performed the first measurements of the total fusion cross sections in the systems 10 , 14 , 15C + 12C using a newly developed active target-detector system (MUSIC). Comparison of the obtained cross sections with theoretical predictions show a good agreement in the energy region accessible with existing radioactive beams. This type of comparison allows us to calibrate the calculations for cases that cannot be studied in the laboratory with the current experimental capabilities. The high efficiency of this active detector system will allow future measurements with even more neutron-rich isotopes. This work is supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Nuclear Physics under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357 and the Universidad Nacional de San Martin, Argentina, Grant SJ10/39.

Equitable science education in urban middle schools: Do reform efforts make a difference?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hewson, Peter W.; Butler Kahle, Jane; Scantlebury, Kathryn; Davies, Darleen

2001-12-01

A central commitment of current reforms in science education is that all students, regardless of culture, gender, race, and/ or socioeconomic status, are capable of understanding and doing science. The study Bridging the Gap: Equity in Systemic Reform assessed equity in systemic reform using a nested research design that drew on both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. As part of the study, case studies were conducted in two urban middle schools in large Ohio cities. The purpose of the case studies was to identify factors affecting equity in urban science education reform. Data were analyzed using Kahle's (1998) equity metric. That model allowed us to assess progress toward equity using a range of research-based indicators grouped into three categories critical for equitable education: access to, retention in, and achievement in quality science education. In addition, a fourth category was defined for systemic indicators of equity. Analyses indicated that the culture and climate of the case study schools differentially affected their progress toward equitable reform in science education.

Spatio-temporal Bayesian model selection for disease mapping

PubMed Central

Carroll, R; Lawson, AB; Faes, C; Kirby, RS; Aregay, M; Watjou, K

2016-01-01

Spatio-temporal analysis of small area health data often involves choosing a fixed set of predictors prior to the final model fit. In this paper, we propose a spatio-temporal approach of Bayesian model selection to implement model selection for certain areas of the study region as well as certain years in the study time line. Here, we examine the usefulness of this approach by way of a large-scale simulation study accompanied by a case study. Our results suggest that a special case of the model selection methods, a mixture model allowing a weight parameter to indicate if the appropriate linear predictor is spatial, spatio-temporal, or a mixture of the two, offers the best option to fitting these spatio-temporal models. In addition, the case study illustrates the effectiveness of this mixture model within the model selection setting by easily accommodating lifestyle, socio-economic, and physical environmental variables to select a predominantly spatio-temporal linear predictor. PMID:28070156

Nash equilibrium strategy in the deregulated power industry and comparing its lost welfare with Iran wholesale electricity market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousavi, Seyed Hosein; Nazemi, Ali; Hafezalkotob, Ashkan

2016-09-01

With the increasing use of different types of auctions in market designing, modeling of participants' behaviors to evaluate the market structure is one of the main discussions in the studies related to the deregulated power industries. In this article, we apply an approach of the optimal bidding behavior to the Iran wholesale electricity market as a restructured electric power industry and model how the participants of the market bid in the spot electricity market. The problem is formulated analytically using the Nash equilibrium concept composed of large numbers of players having discrete and very large strategy spaces. Then, we compute and draw supply curve of the competitive market in which all generators' proposed prices are equal to their marginal costs and supply curve of the real market in which the pricing mechanism is pay-as-bid. We finally calculate the lost welfare or inefficiency of the Nash equilibrium and the real market by comparing their supply curves with the competitive curve. We examine 3 cases on November 24 (2 cases) and July 24 (1 case), 2012. It is observed that in the Nash equilibrium on November 24 and demand of 23,487 MW, there are 212 allowed plants for the first case (plants are allowed to choose any quantity of generation except one of them that should be equal to maximum Power) and the economic efficiency or social welfare of Nash equilibrium is 2.77 times as much as the real market. In addition, there are 184 allowed plants for the second case (plants should offer their maximum power with different prices) and the efficiency or social welfare of Nash equilibrium is 3.6 times as much as the real market. On July 24 and demand of 42,421 MW, all 370 plants should generate maximum energy due to the high electricity demand that the economic efficiency or social welfare of the Nash equilibrium is about 2 times as much as the real market.

Cystic Fibrosis Patents: A Case Study of Successful Licensing

PubMed Central

Minear, Mollie A.; Kapustij, Cristina; Boden, Kaeleen; Chandrasekharan, Subhashini; Cook-Deegan, Robert

2013-01-01

From 2006–2010, Duke University’s Center for Public Genomics prepared eight case studies examining the effects of gene patent licensing practices on clinical access to genetic testing for ten clinical conditions. One of these case studies focused on the successful licensing practices employed by the University of Michigan and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto for patents covering the CFTR gene and its ΔF508 mutation that causes a majority of cystic fibrosis cases. Since the licensing of these patents has not impeded clinical access to genetic testing, we sought to understand how this successful licensing model was developed and whether it might be applicable to other gene patents. We interviewed four key players who either were involved in the initial discussions regarding the structure of licensing or who have recently managed the licenses and collected related documents. Important features of the licensing planning process included thoughtful consideration of potential uses of the patent; anticipation of future scientific discoveries and technological advances; engagement of relevant stakeholders, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; and using separate licenses for in-house diagnostics versus kit manufacture. These features led to the development of a licensing model that has not only allowed the patent holders to avoid the controversy that has plagued other gene patents, but has also allowed research, development of new therapeutics, and wide-spread dissemination of genetic testing for cystic fibrosis. Although this licensing model may not be applicable to all gene patents, it serves as a model in which gene patent licensing can successfully enable innovation, investment in therapeutics research, and protect intellectual property while respecting the needs of patients, scientists, and public health. PMID:24231943

Antepartum transabdominal amnioinfusion.

PubMed

Chhabra, S; Dargan, R; Nasare, M

2007-05-01

To determine the usefulness of antepartum transabdominal amnioinfusion (APTA) in reducing perinatal morbidity and mortality due to oligohydramnios. In this case-control study of 100 pregnant women with oligohydramnios, 50 received APTA and 50 were treated conservatively. These controls were matched for age, parity, and pregnancy duration with the case patients. There was a mean 4.02-cm increase in amniotic fluid index (AFI) after amnioinfusion. Only 18% of case patients required cesarean sections vs. 46% of controls. The perinatal mortality rate was 18% among controls and 4% among case patients, and the difference was significant. Antepartum amnioinfusion is a useful procedure to reduce complications resulting from decreased intra-amniotic volume. It is especially useful in preterm pregnancies, where the procedure allows for a better perinatal outcome by prolonging the duration of pregnancy.

Pilot study of intraoperative ultrasound-guided instrument placement in nerve transection surgery for peripheral nerve pain syndromes.

PubMed

Henning, P Troy; Wilson, Thomas J; Willsey, Matthew; John, Jessin K; Popadich, Miriana; Yang, Lynda J S

2017-03-01

Surgical transection of sensory nerves in the treatment of intractable neuropathic pain is a commonly performed procedure. At times these cases can be particularly challenging when encountering obese patients, when targeting deeper nerves or those with a variable branching pattern, or in the case of repeat operations. In this case series, the authors describe their experience with ultrasound-guided surgical instrument placement during transection of a saphenous nerve in the region of prior vascular surgery in 1 patient and in the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in 2 obese patients. The authors also describe this novel technique and provide pilot data that suggests ultrasound-assisted surgery may allow for complex cases to be completed in an expedited fashion through smaller incisions.

Low-frequency quadrupole impedance of undulators and wigglers

DOE PAGES

Blednykh, A.; Bassi, G.; Hidaka, Y.; ...

2016-10-25

An analytical expression of the low-frequency quadrupole impedance for undulators and wigglers is derived and benchmarked against beam-based impedance measurements done at the 3 GeV NSLS-II storage ring. The adopted theoretical model, valid for an arbitrary number of electromagnetic layers with parallel geometry, allows to calculate the quadrupole impedance for arbitrary values of the magnetic permeability μ r. Here, in the comparison of the analytical results with the measurements for variable magnet gaps, two limit cases of the permeability have been studied: the case of perfect magnets (μ r → ∞), and the case in which the magnets are fullymore » saturated (μ r = 1).« less

[Radiological findings in congenital anosmia: a case report].

PubMed

Sánchez-Pérez, María; Recio-Rodríguez, Manuel; Jiménez-De la Peña, Mar; Carrascoso-Arranz, Javier; Martínez-De Vega, Vicente

2011-07-16

Hypoplasia of the olfactory tracts and bulbs is a rare cause of anosmia in the paediatric population. In most cases it is usually due to an acquired cause and in only a few is it associated to chromosomal disorders (Kallman's syndrome, among others). A 10-year-old boy with no chromosomal disorders and a family history of anosmia, who visited because of isolated anosmia; a magnetic resonance scan revealed bilateral hypoplasia of the olfactory tracts and bulbs. Magnetic resonance imaging allows the anatomy of the olfactory tract to be studied in detail and this makes it a valuable tool in the diagnosis of structural abnormalities in cases of olfactory disorders and also in the planning of treatment.

[A rare case of infant poisoning due to accidental administration of 1,2,3-triketohydrinden hydrate (ninhydrin)].

PubMed

Polak, Piotr; Sołtyszewski, Ireneusz; Niemcunowicz-Janica, Anna; Siwińska-Ziółkowska, Agnieszka; Widecka-Deptuch, Emilia; Lukasik, Marcin; Janica, Jerzy

2007-01-01

The paper presents a case of medical malpractice during the test for phenylketonuria. The authors analyzed all documents collected in the course of the investigation of infant poisoning due to accidental administration of ninhydrin. The medical assessment was based on an extensive review of the case history, as well as on spectroscopy (FT-IR), chromatography and chemical analysis findings that allowed for confirming the presence of the toxic substance in the evidence material collected during the initial investigation. The obtained results confirmed the presence of ninhydrin in the tea cup and in the teaspoon, which were used to prepare the diagnostic medium. No ninhydrin was found in other investigated materials. The employment of routine research methods, including GC-MS, FT-IR and UV-VIS, allowed for detection and identification of the pure chemical form of ninhydrin, as well as its color complex with amino acids. The detailed case analysis, as well as the variability of extensive evidence material collected during the investigation allowed for determining the identity of persons responsible for accidental administration of the poisoning substance to the infant.

Mature vs. Active Deep-Seated Landslides: A Comparison Through Two Case Histories in the Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delle Piane, Luca; Perello, Paolo; Baietto, Alessandro; Giorza, Alessandra; Musso, Alessia; Gabriele, Piercarlo; Baster, Ira

2016-06-01

Two case histories are presented, concerning the still poorly known alpine deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSD) located nearby Lanzada (central Italian Alps), and Sarre (north-western Italian Alps). The Lanzada DSD is a constantly monitored, juvenile, and active phenomenon, partly affecting an existing hydropower plant. Its well-developed landforms allow a precise field characterization of the instability-affected area. The Sarre DSD is a mature, strongly remodeled phenomenon, where the only hazard factor is represented by secondary instability processes at the base of the slope. In this case, the remodeling imposed the adoption of complementary analytical techniques to support the field work. The two presented studies had to be adapted to external factors, namely (a) available information, (b) geological and geomorphological setting, and (c) final scope of the work. The Lanzada case essentially relied upon accurate field work; the Sarre case was mostly based on digital image and DTM processing. In both cases a sound field structural analysis formed the necessary background to understand the mechanisms leading to instability. A back-analysis of the differences between the study methods adopted in the two cases is finally presented, leading to suggestions for further investigations and design.

Design of DNA pooling to allow incorporation of covariates in rare variants analysis.

PubMed

Guan, Weihua; Li, Chun

2014-01-01

Rapid advances in next-generation sequencing technologies facilitate genetic association studies of an increasingly wide array of rare variants. To capture the rare or less common variants, a large number of individuals will be needed. However, the cost of a large scale study using whole genome or exome sequencing is still high. DNA pooling can serve as a cost-effective approach, but with a potential limitation that the identity of individual genomes would be lost and therefore individual characteristics and environmental factors could not be adjusted in association analysis, which may result in power loss and a biased estimate of genetic effect. For case-control studies, we propose a design strategy for pool creation and an analysis strategy that allows covariate adjustment, using multiple imputation technique. Simulations show that our approach can obtain reasonable estimate for genotypic effect with only slight loss of power compared to the much more expensive approach of sequencing individual genomes. Our design and analysis strategies enable more powerful and cost-effective sequencing studies of complex diseases, while allowing incorporation of covariate adjustment.

Method to study complex systems of mesons in lattice QCD

DOE PAGES

Detmold, William; Savage, Martin J.

2010-07-30

Correlation functions involving many hadrons allow finite density systems to be explored with Lattice QCD. Recently, systems with up to 12more » $$\\pi^+$$'s or $K^+$'s have been studied to determine the the $3$-$$\\pi^+$$ and $3$-$K^+$ interactions and the corresponding chemical potential has been determined as a function of density in each case. We derive recursion relations between correlation functions that allow us to extend this work to systems of arbitrary numbers of mesons and to systems containing arbitrary different types of mesons such as $$\\pi^+$$'s, $K^+$'s, $D^0$'s and $B^+$'s. These relations allow for the study of finite-density systems in arbitrary volumes, and the study of high-density systems. Systems comprised of up to N=12 m mesons can be explored with Lattice QCD calculations utilizing $m$ different sources for the quark propagators. As the recursion relations require only a small, N-independent, number of operations to derive the N+1 meson contractions from the N meson contractions, they are compuationally feasible.« less

Design and Implementation of an Underwater Sound Recording Device

PubMed Central

Martinez, Jayson J.; Myers, Josh R.; Carlson, Thomas J.; Deng, Z. Daniel; Rohrer, John S.; Caviggia, Kurt A.; Woodley, Christa M.; Weiland, Mark A.

2011-01-01

To monitor the underwater sound and pressure waves generated by anthropogenic activities such as underwater blasting and pile driving, an autonomous system was designed to record underwater acoustic signals. The underwater sound recording device (USR) allows for connections of two hydrophones or other dynamic pressure sensors, filters high frequency noise out of the collected signals, has a gain that can be independently set for each sensor, and allows for 2 h of data collection. Two versions of the USR were created: a submersible model deployable to a maximum depth of 300 m, and a watertight but not fully submersible model. Tests were performed on the USR in the laboratory using a data acquisition system to send single-frequency sinusoidal voltages directly to each component. These tests verified that the device operates as designed and performs as well as larger commercially available data acquisition systems, which are not suited for field use. On average, the designed gain values differed from the actual measured gain values by about 0.35 dB. A prototype of the device was used in a case study to measure blast pressures while investigating the effect of underwater rock blasting on juvenile Chinook salmon and rainbow trout. In the case study, maximum positive pressure from the blast was found to be significantly correlated with frequency of injury for individual fish. The case study also demonstrated that the device withstood operation in harsh environments, making it a valuable tool for collecting field measurements. PMID:22164089

[Atypical urothelial cells (AUC): A Bethesda-derived wording applicable to urinary cytopathology].

PubMed

Piaton, Eric; Advenier, Anne-Sophie; Benaïm, Gilles; Petrucci, Myriam Decaussin; Lechevallier, Florence Mege; Ruffion, Alain

2011-02-01

To investigate (1) whether sparse nuclear atypias involving deep urothelial cells have a diagnostic or prognostic value in urinary cytology, and (2) whether the terms atypical urothelial cells "of undetermined significance" (AUC-US) or "cannot exclude high grade" (AUC-H) might be used to standardize urinary cytology reports. Atypical urothelial cells (AUC) were defined as deep cells with nuclear abnormalities (increased N/C ratio, eccentric nucleus, hyperchromatism and/or irregular shape) in small number not allowing their categorization as malignant, high grade. We studied 435 urinary samples from 126 patients with AUC at any step of their clinical history, followed up over a 10-year period (1999-2009). Every case was compared with histopathology within 6 months and to long term follow-up including cystoscopy and histopathology combined. A total of 183 AUC was recorded. AUC were associated with negative, benign or low grade histological results in 36 of 106 cases (33.9 %) within 6 months, but a high grade was simultaneously documented in 70 cases (66 %). AUC preceded high-grade lesions in 66 cases (36.1 % of all AUC) in a mean interval of 10.5±12.0 months. Overall, AUC were associated with or predictive of high-grade lesions in 135 cases (73.8 %). AUC have a diagnostic and prognostic value. Applying the terms AUC-US and AUC-H to urinary cytopathology reports would allow, as for the Bethesda system for cervical or vaginal cytologic diagnoses, better appreciation of the risk of progression to high grade tumours in cases with atypias. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

5 CFR 180.104 - Allowable claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... mobile homes may be allowed only in cases of collision, theft, or vandalism. (5) Money. Claims for money... claimant's supervisor. (4) Mobile homes. Claims may be allowed for damage to or loss of mobile homes and their contents under the provisions of § 180.104(c)(2). Claims for structural damage to mobile homes...

5 CFR 180.104 - Allowable claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... mobile homes may be allowed only in cases of collision, theft, or vandalism. (5) Money. Claims for money... claimant's supervisor. (4) Mobile homes. Claims may be allowed for damage to or loss of mobile homes and their contents under the provisions of § 180.104(c)(2). Claims for structural damage to mobile homes...

5 CFR 180.104 - Allowable claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... mobile homes may be allowed only in cases of collision, theft, or vandalism. (5) Money. Claims for money... claimant's supervisor. (4) Mobile homes. Claims may be allowed for damage to or loss of mobile homes and their contents under the provisions of § 180.104(c)(2). Claims for structural damage to mobile homes...

5 CFR 180.104 - Allowable claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... mobile homes may be allowed only in cases of collision, theft, or vandalism. (5) Money. Claims for money... claimant's supervisor. (4) Mobile homes. Claims may be allowed for damage to or loss of mobile homes and their contents under the provisions of § 180.104(c)(2). Claims for structural damage to mobile homes...

5 CFR 180.104 - Allowable claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... mobile homes may be allowed only in cases of collision, theft, or vandalism. (5) Money. Claims for money... claimant's supervisor. (4) Mobile homes. Claims may be allowed for damage to or loss of mobile homes and their contents under the provisions of § 180.104(c)(2). Claims for structural damage to mobile homes...

Life Cycle Assessment Perspectives on Delivering an Infant in the US

PubMed Central

Campion, Nicole; Thiel, Cassandra L.; DeBlois, Justin; Woods, Noe C.; Landis, Amy E.; Bilec, Melissa M.

2012-01-01

This study introduces life cycle assessment as a tool to analyze one aspect of sustainability in healthcare: the birth of a baby. The process life cycle assessment case study presented evaluates two common procedures in a hospital, a cesarean section and a vaginal birth. This case study was conducted at Magee-Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which delivers over 10,000 infants per year. The results show that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), waste disposal, and the production of the disposable custom packs comprise a large percentage of the environmental impacts. Applying the life cycle assessment tool to medical procedures allows hospital decision makers to target and guide efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of healthcare procedures. PMID:22482785

Endotoxin contamination: a key element in the interpretation of nanosafety studies.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Boraschi, Diana

2016-02-01

The study of toxicity and potential risks of engineered nanoparticles is of particular importance in nanomedicine. Endotoxin, a common contaminant of bacterial origin, has biological effects that can mask the true biological effects of nanoparticles, if its presence is overlooked. In this review, we report the features of nanoparticle contamination by endotoxin, and the different biological effects of endotoxin-contaminated nanoparticles. We will describe different methods for endotoxin detection applied to nanoparticles, and discuss their pros and cons. Eventually, we describe various methods for eliminating endotoxin contamination in nanoparticles. Although there is no universal technique for efficiently removing endotoxin from nanoparticles, specific solutions can be found case by case, which can allow us to perform nanosafety studies in biologically relevant conditions.

Structured Case Analysis: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in a Marketing Case Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klebba, Joanne M.; Hamilton, Janet G.

2007-01-01

Structured case analysis is a hybrid pedagogy that flexibly combines diverse instructional methods with comprehensive case analysis as a mechanism to develop critical thinking skills. An incremental learning framework is proposed that allows instructors to develop and monitor content-specific theory and the corresponding critical thinking skills.…

Shrouds of Silence: A Case Study of Sexual Abuse in Schools in the Limpopo Province in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masehela, Boledi; Pillay, Venitha

2014-01-01

This study seeks to understand the reasons that allow a parent, a principal and a teacher to maintain silence when young girls under their care are sexually abused. Put another way, it attempts to explain what it is about sexual abuse that makes these parties relinquish their role as protectors of innocent children. This paper, based on a larger…

Why Is There Hunger in Africa? Nature Pleads "Not Guilty." A Curriculum Unit for Science and Social Studies Grades 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boston, Jane; Commins, Stephen

This unit uses six activities to examine questions of world hunger as seen in an African context and the related policy issues. Each activity allows students to explore a case study demonstrating a factor that affects hunger and grapple with some of the challenges facing policymakers today. Students should come to understand the nature of hunger,…

Extragalactic Sources and Propagation of UHECRs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Vliet, Arjen; Alves Batista, Rafael; Sigl, Günter

With the publicly available astrophysical simulation framework for propagating extraterrestrial UHE particles, CRPropa 3, it is now possible to study realistic UHECR source scenarios including deflections in Galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields in an efficient way. Here we discuss three recent studies that have already been done in that direction. The first one investigates what can be expected in the case of maximum allowed intergalactic magnetic fields. Here is shown that, even if voids contain strong magnetic fields, deflections of protons with energies ≳ 60 EeV from nearby sources might be small enough to allow for UHECR astronomy. The second study looks into several scenarios with a smaller magnetization focusing on large-scale anisotropies. Here is shown that the local source distribution can have a more significant effect on the large-scale anisotropy than the EGMF model. A significant dipole component could, for instance, be explained by a dominant source within 5 Mpc distance. The third study looks into whether UHECRs can come from local radio galaxies. If this is the case it is difficult to reproduce the observed low level of anisotropy. Therefore is concluded that the magnetic field strength in voids in the EGMF model used here is too low and/or there are additional sources of UHECRs that were not taken into account in these simulations.

Myeloperoxidase mRNA detection for lineage determination of leukemic blasts: retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Crisan, D; Anstett, M J

1995-07-01

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) mRNA is an early myeloid marker; its detection in the morphologically and immunophenotypically primitive blasts of acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL) establishes myeloid lineage and allows reclassification as acute myelogenous leukemia with minimal differentiation (AML-MO). We have previously reported a procedure for MPO mRNA detection by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and an adaptation for use of routine hematology smears. This variant procedure allows retrospective analysis of mRNA and is used in the present study to evaluate the lineage of leukemic blasts in seven cases with morphology and cytochemistry consistent with AUL. All hematology smears used in this study were air-dried, unstained or Wright-stained and stored at room temperature for periods varying between 3 days and 2 years. MPO mRNA was detected in six cases, establishing the myeloid lineage of the blasts and the diagnosis of AML-MO. In the remaining case, the blasts were MPO mRNA negative, confirming the diagnosis of AUL. The RT-PCR procedure for retrospective mRNA analysis is useful in the clinical setting, due to its high specificity and sensitivity, speed (less than 24 h), safety (no radioactivity) and convenient use of routine hematology smears; it is particularly attractive in clinical situations when fresh or frozen specimens are no longer available at the time when the need for molecular diagnostics becomes apparent.

Fitness Landscapes of Functional RNAs.

PubMed

Kun, Ádám; Szathmáry, Eörs

2015-08-21

The notion of fitness landscapes, a map between genotype and fitness, was proposed more than 80 years ago. For most of this time data was only available for a few alleles, and thus we had only a restricted view of the whole fitness landscape. Recently, advances in genetics and molecular biology allow a more detailed view of them. Here we review experimental and theoretical studies of fitness landscapes of functional RNAs, especially aptamers and ribozymes. We find that RNA structures can be divided into critical structures, connecting structures, neutral structures and forbidden structures. Such characterisation, coupled with theoretical sequence-to-structure predictions, allows us to construct the whole fitness landscape. Fitness landscapes then can be used to study evolution, and in our case the development of the RNA world.

Information transmission over an amplitude damping channel with an arbitrary degree of memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Arrigo, Antonio; Benenti, Giuliano; Falci, Giuseppe; Macchiavello, Chiara

2015-12-01

We study the performance of a partially correlated amplitude damping channel acting on two qubits. We derive lower bounds for the single-shot classical capacity by studying two kinds of quantum ensembles, one which allows us to maximize the Holevo quantity for the memoryless channel and the other allowing the same task but for the full-memory channel. In these two cases we also show the amount of entanglement which is involved in achieving the maximum of the Holevo quantity. For the single-shot quantum capacity we discuss both a lower and an upper bound, achieving a good estimate for high values of the channel transmissivity. We finally compute the entanglement-assisted classical channel capacity.

MedXViewer: an extensible web-enabled software package for medical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Looney, P. T.; Young, K. C.; Mackenzie, Alistair; Halling-Brown, Mark D.

2014-03-01

MedXViewer (Medical eXtensible Viewer) is an application designed to allow workstation-independent, PACS-less viewing and interaction with anonymised medical images (e.g. observer studies). The application was initially implemented for use in digital mammography and tomosynthesis but the flexible software design allows it to be easily extended to other imaging modalities. Regions of interest can be identified by a user and any associated information about a mark, an image or a study can be added. The questions and settings can be easily configured depending on the need of the research allowing both ROC and FROC studies to be performed. The extensible nature of the design allows for other functionality and hanging protocols to be available for each study. Panning, windowing, zooming and moving through slices are all available while modality-specific features can be easily enabled e.g. quadrant zooming in mammographic studies. MedXViewer can integrate with a web-based image database allowing results and images to be stored centrally. The software and images can be downloaded remotely from this centralised data-store. Alternatively, the software can run without a network connection where the images and results can be encrypted and stored locally on a machine or external drive. Due to the advanced workstation-style functionality, the simple deployment on heterogeneous systems over the internet without a requirement for administrative access and the ability to utilise a centralised database, MedXViewer has been used for running remote paper-less observer studies and is capable of providing a training infrastructure and co-ordinating remote collaborative viewing sessions (e.g. cancer reviews, interesting cases).

A step-by-step solution for embedding user-controlled cines into educational Web pages.

PubMed

Cornfeld, Daniel

2008-03-01

The objective of this article is to introduce a simple method for embedding user-controlled cines into a Web page using a simple JavaScript. Step-by-step instructions are included and the source code is made available. This technique allows the creation of portable Web pages that allow the user to scroll through cases as if seated at a PACS workstation. A simple JavaScript allows scrollable image stacks to be included on Web pages. With this technique, you can quickly and easily incorporate entire stacks of CT or MR images into online teaching files. This technique has the potential for use in case presentations, online didactics, teaching archives, and resident testing.

Using radiative transfer models to study the atmospheric water vapor content and to eliminate telluric lines from high-resolution optical spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardini, A.; Maíz Apellániz, J.; Pérez, E.; Quesada, J. A.; Funke, B.

2013-05-01

The Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) and the retrieval algorithm, incorporated in the SCIATRAN 2.2 software package developed at the Institute of Remote Sensing/Institute of Enviromental Physics of Bremen University (Germany), allows to simulate, among other things, radiance/irradiance spectra in the 2400--24 000 Å range. In this work we present applications of RTM to two case studies. In the first case the RTM was used to simulate direct solar irradiance spectra, with different water vapor amounts, for the study of the water vapor content in the atmosphere above Sierra Nevada Observatory. Simulated spectra were compared with those measured with a spectrometer operating in the 8000--10 000 Å range. In the second case the RTM was used to generate telluric model spectra to subtract the atmospheric contribution and correct high-resolution stellar spectra from atmospheric water vapor and oxygen lines. The results of both studies are discussed.

Attitudes of healthcare professionals and the public towards the sale of kidneys for transplantation.

PubMed Central

Guttmann, A; Guttmann, R D

1993-01-01

We conducted a survey of attitudes towards the sale of kidneys for transplantation within and without the medical community. Half of those polled received a case of a young man in India whose only chance for survival was to purchase a kidney, the other half a case of a Canadian man who was suffering side-effects from dialysis and had been on the transplant waiting list for three years. We found the percentage of responses allowing the patients to purchase a kidney was similar for the two cases (40 per cent in the Canadian case and 49 per cent in the Indian case). The medical groups had much lower rates of approval of this practice than the public. In all groups those allowing the practice showed similar concerns about regulation. This survey indicates public opinion to be contrary to public policy. PMID:8230146

Case Study: Calculating the Ecological Footprint of the 2004 Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) Biennial Conference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickard, Andrew

2006-01-01

Event tourism is accompanied by social, economic and environmental benefits and costs. The assessment of this form of tourism has however largely focused on the social and economic perspectives, while environmental assessments have been bound to a destination-based approach. The application of the Ecological Footprint methodology allows for these…

Using Technology to Develop a Collaborative-Reflective Teaching Practice toward Synthecultural Competence: An Ethnographic Case Study in World Language Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webber, Dana E.

2013-01-01

Using technology to develop a collaborative-reflective teaching practice in a world language education methods course block for teaching certification creates unique opportunities for world language education undergraduates to learn to develop synthecultural competence for education. Such a program allows undergraduates to expand their capacity to…

Challenges Encountered in Building a University-High School Collaboration: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quebec Fuentes, Sarah; Spice, Loren

2015-01-01

In this paper, we describe the second year of a multi-year project that we developed to foster collaboration between high school teachers and university undergraduates. The project incorporates specific tools that help partners find an approach to collaboration that is right for them, allowing it to offer more flexibility than traditional…

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Appropriate Collaborative Planning and Professional Planning Time: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, Kristi

2017-01-01

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are a best practice that has been around for decades; however, due to organizational structuring in elementary schools, teachers are allowed 30 minutes of planning time. During this time little planning or collaboration with peers is achieved. Previous research has proven that professional learning by way…

SLD Identification: A Survey of Methods Used by School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Michael D., Jr.; Simon, Joan B.; Nunnley, Lenora

2016-01-01

IDEA 2004 opened the door for states, and in some cases districts, to choose among three different methods for identifying children with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs). This study provides an in-depth look at SLD identification practices in a state that allows school psychologists to use any of the three methods. Eighty-four school…

Developing a Template for Electronic Portfolios in Career and Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Matthew

2012-01-01

The purposes of this multiple case study were to determine if manufacturing and services sector employers found value in the use of an ePortfolio in the hiring process, and to develop a suggested template for an ePortfolio format to be used within career and technical education. Electronic portfolios "allow students to showcase their…

SciEthics Interactive: Science and Ethics Learning in a Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadolny, Larysa; Woolfrey, Joan; Pierlott, Matthew; Kahn, Seth

2013-01-01

Learning in immersive 3D environments allows students to collaborate, build, and interact with difficult course concepts. This case study examines the design and development of the TransGen Island within the SciEthics Interactive project, a National Science Foundation-funded, 3D virtual world emphasizing learning science content in the context of…

The Evolution and Evaluation of an Online Role Play through Design-Based Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckmann, Elizabeth A.; Mahanty, Sango

2016-01-01

This paper presents selected findings from a 5-year design-based research case study of the evolution of an online role play that allows postgraduate students to explore the complexities inherent in land rights negotiations between indigenous peoples and others. In the context of Laurillard's (2002) conversational framework and a design-based…

Placed-Based Music Education: A Case Study of a Rural Canadian School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brook, Julia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine how one music education program strengthens students' sense of place. Enhancing students' understanding of the people and places that surround them is integral in creating 21st century citizens. Making music allows people to be part of their culture; and engaging in group music-making activities provides…

Preservice Teachers' Participation and Perceptions of Twitter Live Chats as Personal Learning Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Tian; Sickel, Jamie; Cheng, Li

2017-01-01

This study presents two cases in which undergraduates were introduced to Twitter in their teacher preparation program as a means of developing a personal learning network. Twitter live chats are synchronous discussions that allow education stakeholders to discuss issues and share resources, engaging on potentially a global scale via the social…

An empirical inferential method of estimating nitrogen deposition to Mediterranean-type ecosystems: the San Bernardino Mountains case study

Treesearch

A. Bytnerowicz; R.F. Johnson; L. Zhang; G.D. Jenerette; M.E. Fenn; S.L. Schilling; I. Gonzalez-Fernandez

2015-01-01

The empirical inferential method (EIM) allows for spatially and temporally-dense estimates of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition to Mediterranean ecosystems. This method, set within a GIS platform, is based on ambient concentrations of NH3, NO, NO2 and HNO3; surface conductance of NH4...

Affordances and Constraints: Second Language Learning in Cleaning Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strömmer, Maiju

2016-01-01

This paper examines opportunities for language learning in a cleaning job, which is a typical entry-level job for immigrants. An ethnographic case study approach is taken to investigate examples of the conditions that allow or prevent language learning for the focal participant, a sub-Saharan man who works as a cleaner in Finland. This case…

Interactive Business Development, Capturing Business Knowledge and Practice: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKelvie, Gregor; Dotsika, Fefie; Patrick, Keith

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to follow the planning and development of MapaWiki, a Knowledge Management System for Mapa, an independent research company that specialises in competitor benchmarking. Starting with the standard requirements to capture, store and share information and knowledge, a system was sought that would allow growth and…

Measurement of Productivity and Quality in Non-Marketable Services: With Application to Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fare, R.; Grosskopf, S.; Forsund, F. R.; Hayes, K.; Heshmati, A.

2006-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to model and compute productivity, including a measure of quality, of a service which does not have marketable outputs--namely public education at the micro level. This application is a case study for Sweden public schools. Design/methodology/approach: A Malmquist productivity index is employed which allows for multiple…

Sharing Lived Experience with Incarceration to Encourage Visitor Empathy: A Case Study through Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Marvin; Zalut, Lauren

2018-01-01

In an effort to humanize the issues surrounding mass incarceration, and to foster empathy in historic site visitors, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site launched a pilot tour program that hired formerly incarcerated people to give tours of the building. These 15-minute tours allowed visitors to hear personal stories of incarceration alongside…

Children's Eyewitness Memory for Same and Different Racial Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okagaki, Lynn; And Others

Recently, young children have been allowed to testify as competent witnesses in courts of law and the testimony of a single child can be very important in sexual abuse cases. A study was conducted to examine the accuracy of nursery school children's eyewitness accounts in a naturalistic setting. Nursery school students (N=31) viewed two women, one…

Using Flexible Busing to Meet Average Class Size Targets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felt, Andrew J.; Koelemay, Ryan; Richter, Alexander

2008-01-01

This article describes a method of flexible redistricting for K-12 public school districts that allows students from the same geographical region to be bused to different schools, with the goal of meeting average class size (ACS) target ranges. Results of a case study on a geographically large school district comparing this method to a traditional…

Transition to a Unified System: Using Perl To Drive Library Databases and Enhance Web Site Functionality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagan, Judy Condit

2001-01-01

Discusses the need for libraries to routinely redesign their Web sites, and presents a case study that describes how a Perl-driven database at Southern Illinois University's library improved Web site organization and patron access, simplified revisions, and allowed staff unfamiliar with HTML to update content. (Contains 56 references.) (Author/LRW)

Current Issues in Art and Design Education: Modularization and Course Ethos: The Case of Art and Design Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wayte, Gillian; Wayte, Nick

1990-01-01

Examines why art and design educators resist the modularization of degree-level courses. Identifies key characteristics of art education in England through an ethnographic study. Discusses government policy and rationales for modular and integrated courses. Concludes that the holistic approach to education allows students to expound and develop…

Ben & Jerry's Struggles with Corporate Social Responsibility in an International Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, J. Haskell

2015-01-01

This case study allows students to apply their corporate law and ethical knowledge to a socially focused business in a global environment. The assignments provide opportunities for reflection on some of the challenges facing Ben & Jerry's as the company attempted to pursue corporate social responsibility in three separate, but related,…

Growing with Driving Leadership Style in School: A Case Study on Leadership of Finnish Elementary Schools in Tampere

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajbhandari, Mani Man Singh

2012-01-01

"Driving leadership style" of the school leadership proclaims to be important in bringing about changes in behavioural aspect of the followers. The hallmark of driving leadership style illustrated the characteristic of teaming, toning, tasking, timing and transforming with realistic view to subjective approach. This allowed the…

Whirlwind School: A Case Study of Church-State Relationships in Native American Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKellips, Karen

1993-01-01

During most of its history (1897-1917), Whirlwind School in Indian Territory (Oklahoma) was a focus of conflict between Indian agents and Episcopal missionaries/teachers. Official government reasons for closing the school (allowing the Cheyenne to live nearby and teaching in Cheyenne) masked more basic reasons (the missionaries failed to promote…

School Board Governance in Changing Times: A School's Transition to Policy Governance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curry, Katherine; Kinder, Sean; Benoiton, Tania; Noonan, Jessica

2018-01-01

The expansion of the school choice movement and greater flexibility allowed by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) means that education governance is emerging as an important issue for school effectiveness. This longitudinal case study sought to gain an understanding of the implementation of a new governance structure, Policy Governance, in a…

How Do Social Networks Influence Learning Outcomes? A Case Study in an Industrial Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maglajlic, Seid; Helic, Denis

2012-01-01

and Purpose: The purpose of this research is to shed light on the impact of implicit social networks to the learning outcome of e-learning participants in an industrial setting. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents a theoretical framework that allows the authors to measure correlation coefficients between the different affiliations that…

Case Study: University of Anyplace: Strategic Legal Risk Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, John T.; Ferguson, Rowan

2000-01-01

Considers legal issues and risks faced by a fictional American university as it seeks to establish an operation based in London. Addresses the first step in the process of risk management, the risk review exercise, and provides an explanation of the legal issues involved to allow progression to the second stage in the process (evaluation of the…

Rank-Order and Paired Comparisons as the Basis for Measurement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linacre, John M.

Three case studies are presented demonstrating the application of straight-forward Rasch techniques to rank order data. Paired comparisons are the simplest form of rank ordering. A consumer preference test with 56 pairs of cups of coffee tasted by each of 26 consumers illustrates analysis of these rankings. When subjects are allowed the option of…

Chickscope Realized: A Situated Evaluation of a Sixth-Grade Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Maureen P.

2000-01-01

This is a case study of two sixth-grade teachers from Illinois who participated in a semester-long inservice to learn about Chickscope, a supercomputing application that allows students and teachers remote access to magnetic resonance images of chicken embryos. Shows how they produced an inquiry-based unit on chicken weight and measurement.…

Creating In-Depth Learning Experiences by Using Rawls' "Veil of Ignorance"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanger, Michael; Rossiter, Carol F.

2011-01-01

Combining a variation of John Rawls' "veil of ignorance" mind experiment with role-playing and case studies allows instructors to create assignments that engage students in the full range of learning processes, encourage them to consider a wide range of viewpoints, provide them with opportunities to apply the cognitive and the affective components…

Internet-Mediated Technologies and Mixed Methods Research: Problems and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesse-Biber, Sharlene; Griffin, Amy J.

2013-01-01

This article provides an examination of a range of mixed methods research projects that employ Internet-mediated technologies (IMT) for data collection. Using a case study approach, this article allows for the uncovering of a process by which IMT are used as a data collection medium in mixed methods praxis. Under the theoretical position of medium…

The Arkansas Plan: A Case Study in Public Policy. Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledbetter, Cal, Jr.; And Others

This document discusses the Arkansas Plan, a proposal to the state legislature in 1976 by Governor David Pryor that would restructure the state's financial system and redefine the state/local relationship in Arkansas government. Major changes proposed by the plan--which was ultimately defeated--would allow local voters, not the state, to determine…

Attempting to Balance Wiki-Feminism: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruno, Walter

2013-01-01

There has been a long culture war over the validity of "Wikipedia" for research. Many university departments banned it as a primary source starting around 2007, but many others still allow it as a heuristic prompt. Certainly, one knows that students are still going to "Wikipedia" and dabbling in it. This reflects a recent gain in "Wikipedia"…

Pedagogy-Based-Technology and Chemistry Students' Performance in Higher Institutions: A Case of Debre Berhan University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demissie, Tesfaye; Ochonogor, Chukunoye E.; Engida, Temechegn

2011-01-01

Many students have difficulty in learning abstract and complex lessons of chemistry. This study investigated how students develop their understandings of abstract and complex lessons in chemistry with the aid of visualizing tools: animation, simulation and video that allow them to build clear concepts. Animation, simulation and video enable…

Effect of Video-Cases on the Acquisition of Situated Knowledge of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geerts, Walter M.; Steenbeek, Henderien W.; van Geert, Paul L. C.

2018-01-01

Video footage is frequently used at teacher education. According to Sherin and Dyer (2017), this is often done in a way that contradicts recent studies. According to them, video is suitable for observing and interpreting interactions in the classroom. This contributes to their situated knowledge, which allows expert teachers to act intuitively,…

Student-Led Presentations "in Situ": The Challenges to Presenting on the Edge of a Volcano

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marvell, Alan

2008-01-01

Student-led seminars are commonplace within higher education but few are allowed the opportunity of being delivered in situ. Presentations in situ widen the experience of students and develop a range of transferable skills, encouraging a greater sense of place and facilitating reflective learning. This case study describes the experiences of a…

Middle School Students' Reasoning about 3-Dimensional Objects: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okumus, Samet

2016-01-01

According to the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics (NCTM) (2000), K-12 students should be given an opportunity to develop their spatial reasoning abilities. One of the topics that may allow students to develop their spatial skills is forming 3-dimensional objects using spinning and extrusion methods. Also, extrusion and spinning methods…

Case Study of a College that Closed: Saint Mary's College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Alice W.

2011-01-01

Few colleges choose to close. One that did was Saint Mary's College in Raleigh, North Carolina. Although trustees resisted for a decade, they ultimately made the decision before an anticipated denial of accreditation, allowing the college to control its final days in ways not possible for those who wait until an outside agency forces closure. This…

Perceptions of Human Services Students about Social Change Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herzberg, Judith T.

2010-01-01

Human services educators and scholars maintain that they are teaching social change theory and skills that will allow students to engage in large-scale social change. A review of the literature, from a critical theory perspective, offered little evidence that social change is being taught in human services programs. In this collective case study,…

Not for Bread Alone: An Appreciation of Job Enrichment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Linda King

Bridging the gap between theory and practice, the author through a case-study approach of industries in the United Kingdom and Europe has identified motivation techniques resulting in job enrichment. The book is written in the belief that work is more efficient when it is enjoyable and that human beings will become obsolete unless allowed to…

An Experimental Study in the Use of Computer-Based Instruction to Teach Automated Spreadsheet Functions

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

review of past CBI studies -was conducted to provide the researcher a theoretical knowledge base on the effectiveness and efficiency of CBI. A summary...Literature Review Findinms on Ways to Measure CBI Effectiveness and Efficiency. The literature included previously conducted CBI experiments, studies , and...nine choices on each main and submenu (14:16). 3) Allow the student to make a menu selection with upper or lower case entries (28:291). 4) Prevent

Efficacy Study of a Fully Implanted Neuroprosthesis for Functional Benefit to Individuals with Tetraplegia

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

neuroprosthesis, with a subsequent positive impact on quality of life. The completion of this study will allow us to proceed to broad dissemination of advanced...national meetings 12-36 67% Preparation of manuscript #1 - first-in-man upper extremity NNP system case study 15 20% Milestone Achieved: Manuscript #1...report. What was the impact on society beyond science and technology? Nothing to report. 5. CHANGES/PROBLEMS: Changes in approach and

[Investigation of the causes of infant sudden unexpected death in children younger than one year in Bariloche city and surrounding areas].

PubMed

Gil, Leonardo; Herbón, Fabiana; Little, Andrés; López, Mónica; Martínez, Lucía; Cancilliere, María del Carmen

2008-12-01

In the beginning of 2002 there were an unusually high number of sudden unexpected infant deaths. A prospective study was started to determine the cause of unexpected deaths in infants younger than 1 year. Investigate the possible causes of sudden and unexpected death in infants of Bariloche and surrounding areas, using a protocol created for that purpose. All infants under 1 year of age who died unexpectedly between May 2002 and April 2007 were studied. A complete physical examination, a thorough interrogation to the parents and an autopsy were performed. According to the findings a definitive diagnosis was made on each case. During the study period 10 infants younger than 1 year died. One case was excluded because the autopsy could not be done. The mean age was 74 days, 6 were males. All died while sleeping and no sign of disease were noticed in any case. In 6 cases, the autopsy findings explained the death. In the 3 others no cause for the death was found. The implementation of this protocol allowed to find out the cause of death in 6 cases, that could not have been achieved without the autopsy.

Spectroscopic Case-Based Studies in a Flipped Quantum Mechanics Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipman, Steven

2015-06-01

Students in a flipped Quantum Mechanics course were expected to apply their knowledge of spectroscopy to a variety of case studies involving complex mixtures of chemicals. They used simulated data, prepared in advance by the instructor, to determine the major chemical constituents of complex mixtures. Students were required to request the appropriate data in order to ultimately make plausible guesses about the composition of the mixtures, allowing them ownership over the discovery process. This talk will describe how these activities worked in practice, give caveats for instructors who wish to adopt them in the future, and discuss how the results of these exercises can be used for both formative and summative assessment.

Software for real-time localization of baleen whale calls using directional sonobuoys: A case study on Antarctic blue whales.

PubMed

Miller, Brian S; Calderan, Susannah; Gillespie, Douglas; Weatherup, Graham; Leaper, Russell; Collins, Kym; Double, Michael C

2016-03-01

Directional frequency analysis and recording (DIFAR) sonobuoys can allow real-time acoustic localization of baleen whales for underwater tracking and remote sensing, but limited availability of hardware and software has prevented wider usage. These software limitations were addressed by developing a module in the open-source software PAMGuard. A case study is presented demonstrating that this software provides greater efficiency and accessibility than previous methods for detecting, localizing, and tracking Antarctic blue whales in real time. Additionally, this software can easily be extended to track other low and mid frequency sounds including those from other cetaceans, pinnipeds, icebergs, shipping, and seismic airguns.

Biomechanical study of pelvic discontinuity in failed total hip arthroplasty. Lessons learnt from the treatment of pelvic fractures.

PubMed

Ribes-Iborra, Julio; Atienza, Carlos; Sevil-De la Torre, Jorge; Gómez Pérez, Amelia

2017-11-01

Pelvic discontinuity is a rare but serious problem in orthopedic surgery. Acetabular reconstruction in case of severe bone loss after failed total hip arthroplasty is technically difficult, especially in segmental loss type III (anterior or posterior) or pelvic discontinuity (type IV). Acetabular reinforcement devices are frequently used as load-sharing devices to allow allograft incorporation and in order to serve as support of acetabular implants. This study tries to show, by means of biomechanic work, the efficiency of reinforced plate in anterior column in a segmental pelvic loss, illustrated with a clinical case, which shows the socket stability of hip prosthesis. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The need for genetic study to diagnose some cases of distal renal tubular acidosis.

PubMed

Heras Benito, Manuel; Garcia-Gonzalez, Miguel A; Valdenebro Recio, María; Molina Ordás, Álvaro; Callejas Martínez, Ramiro; Rodríguez Gómez, María Astrid; Calle García, Leonardo; Sousa Silva, Lisbeth; Fernández-Reyes Luis, María José

We describe the case of a young woman who was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease, with an incidental finding of nephrocalcinosis of unknown aetiology, having been found asymptomatic throughout her life. The genetic study by panels of known genes associated with tubulointerstitial disease allowed us to discover autosomal dominant distal renal tubular acidosis associated with a de novo mutation in exon 14 of the SLC4A1 gene, which would have been impossible to diagnose clinically due to the advanced nature of the kidney disease when it was discovered. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Nefrología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Conservation markets for wildlife management with case studies from whaling.

PubMed

Gerber, Leah R; Costello, Christopher; Gaines, Steven D

2014-01-01

Although market-based incentives have helped resolve many environmental challenges, conservation markets still play a relatively minor role in wildlife management. Establishing property rights for environmental goods and allowing trade between resource extractors and resource conservationists may offer a path forward in conserving charismatic species like whales, wolves, turtles, and sharks. In this paper, we provide a conceptual model for implementing a conservation market for wildlife and evaluate how such a market could be applied to three case studies for whales (minke [Balaenoptera acutorostrata], bowhead [Balaena mysticetus], and gray [Eschrictius robustus]). We show that, if designed and operated properly, such a market could ensure persistence of imperiled populations, while simultaneously improving the welfare of resource harvesters.

Dark-matter production through loop-induced processes at the LHC: the s-channel mediator case.

PubMed

Mattelaer, Olivier; Vryonidou, Eleni

We show how studies relevant for mono-X searches at the LHC in simplified models featuring a dark-matter candidate and an s -channel mediator can be performed within the MadGraph5_aMC@NLO framework. We focus on gluon-initiated loop-induced processes, mostly relevant to the case where the mediator couples preferentially to third generation quarks and in particular to the top quark. Our implementation allows us to study signatures at hadron colliders involving missing transverse energy plus jets or plus neutral bosons ([Formula: see text]), possibly including the effects of extra radiation by multi-parton merging and matching to the parton shower.

Improving the coding and classification of ambulance data through the application of International Classification of Disease 10th revision.

PubMed

Cantwell, Kate; Morgans, Amee; Smith, Karen; Livingston, Michael; Dietze, Paul

2014-02-01

This paper aims to examine whether an adaptation of the International Classification of Disease (ICD) coding system can be applied retrospectively to final paramedic assessment data in an ambulance dataset with a view to developing more fine-grained, clinically relevant case definitions than are available through point-of-call data. Over 1.2 million case records were extracted from the Ambulance Victoria data warehouse. Data fields included dispatch code, cause (CN) and final primary assessment (FPA). Each FPA was converted to an ICD-10-AM code using word matching or best fit. ICD-10-AM codes were then converted into Major Diagnostic Categories (MDC). CN was aligned with the ICD-10-AM codes for external cause of morbidity and mortality. The most accurate results were obtained when ICD-10-AM codes were assigned using information from both FPA and CN. Comparison of cases coded as unconscious at point-of-call with the associated paramedic assessment highlighted the extra clinical detail obtained when paramedic assessment data are used. Ambulance paramedic assessment data can be aligned with ICD-10-AM and MDC with relative ease, allowing retrospective coding of large datasets. Coding of ambulance data using ICD-10-AM allows for comparison of not only ambulance service users but also with other population groups. WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TOPIC? There is no reliable and standard coding and categorising system for paramedic assessment data contained in ambulance service databases. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD? This study demonstrates that ambulance paramedic assessment data can be aligned with ICD-10-AM and MDC with relative ease, allowing retrospective coding of large datasets. Representation of ambulance case types using ICD-10-AM-coded information obtained after paramedic assessment is more fine grained and clinically relevant than point-of-call data, which uses caller information before ambulance attendance. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS? This paper describes a model of coding using an internationally recognised standard coding and categorising system to support analysis of paramedic assessment. Ambulance data coded using ICD-10-AM allows for reliable reporting and comparison within the prehospital setting and across the healthcare industry.

Emergent Theorisations in Modelling the Teaching of Two Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro, Rute; Carrillo, José; Aguaded, Santiago

2008-05-01

The main goal of this study is to understand the teacher’s thoughts and action when he/she is immersed in the activity of teaching. To do so, it describes the procedures used to model two teachers’ practice with respect to the topic of Plant Diversity. Starting from a consideration of the theoretical constructs of script, routine and improvisation, this modelling basically corresponds to a microanalysis of the teacher’s beliefs, goals and knowledge, as highlighted in the classroom activity. From the process of modelling certain theorisations emerge, corresponding to abstractions gained from concrete cases. They allow us to foreground strong relationships between the beliefs and actions, and the knowledge and objectives of the teacher in action. Envisaged as conjectures rather than generalisations, these abstractions could possibly be extended to other cases, and tested out with new case studies, questioning their formulation or perhaps demonstrating that the limits of their applicability do not go beyond the original cases.

Quality assurance in surgical practice through auditing.

PubMed

Wong, W T

1980-05-01

An efficient auditing method is presented which involves objective criteria-based numerical screening of medical process and treatment outcome by paramedical staff and detailed analysis of deviated cases by surgeons. If properly performed it requires the study of no more than 50 cases in a diagnostic category to provide sufficient information about the quality of care. Encouraging points as well as problems are communicated to the surgeons to induce the maintenance or improvement of the standard of care. Graphic documentation of case performance is possible, allowing surgeons to compare results with their colleagues. The general performance level of several consecutive studies can be compared at a glance. In addition, logical education programs to improve the medical process can be designed on the basis of the problems identified. As all the cases with an unacceptable outcome are traceable to inadequate medical process, improvement in this area will decrease outcome defects. With the use of auditing and the follow-up technique described, the quality of care in surgery may be assured.

Reliability of robotic system during general surgical procedures in a university hospital.

PubMed

Buchs, Nicolas C; Pugin, François; Volonté, Francesco; Morel, Philippe

2014-01-01

Data concerning the reliability of robotic systems are scarce, especially for general surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and consequences of robotic malfunction in a teaching institution. From January 2006 to September 2012, 526 consecutive robotic general surgical procedures were performed. All failures were prospectively recorded in a computerized database and reviewed retrospectively. Robotic malfunctions occurred in 18 cases (3.4%). These dysfunctions concerned the robotic instruments in 9 cases, the robotic arms in 4 cases, the surgical console in 3 cases, and the optical system in 2 cases. Two malfunctions were considered critical, and 1 led to a laparoscopic conversion (conversion rate due to malfunction, .2%). Overall, there were more dysfunctions at the beginning of the study period (2006 to 2010) than more recently (2011 to 2012) (4.2% vs 2.6%, P = .35). The robotic system malfunction rate was low. Most malfunctions could be resolved during surgery, allowing the procedures to be completed safely. With increased experience, the system malfunction rate seems to be reduced. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Police shootings against civilians in Portugal: Contextual, forensic medical and judicial characterization.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Ezequiel; Faria, Paula; Santos, Agostinho; Fraga, Sílvia

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the circumstances, the forensic assessment and the legal assessment of police shootings of civilians, according to the severity of the victim's injuries. Sixty-nine cases tried in Portuguese criminal courts were analysed. Of the 32 cases that resulted in death, 16 were on the public thoroughfare and 13 were in the victim's vehicle or in third-party vehicles. The majority of the lethal cases occurred when the region of the body hit was the thorax/abdomen. The firearm most frequently used was a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol. In cases resulting in death police officers involved were convicted whilst those involved in non-lethal cases were acquitted. The results of this study can be taken into account by Portuguese authorities for the implementation of policies that will allow the restriction of firearms use by police officers to situations of imminent danger of death or serious injury and that will make it possible to avoid shooting at fleeing civilians. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Pilot case-control study of paediatric falls from windows.

PubMed

Johnston, Brian D; Quistberg, D Alexander; Shandro, Jamie R; Partridge, Rebecca L; Song, Hyun Rae; Ebel, Beth E

2011-12-01

Unintentional falls from windows are an important cause of paediatric morbidity. There have been no controlled studies to identify modifiable environmental risk factors for window falls in young children. The authors have piloted a case-control study to test procedures for case identification, subject enrolment, and environmental data collection. Case windows were identified when a child 0-9 years old presented for care after a fall from that window. Control windows were identified (1) from the child's home and (2) from the home of an age- and gender-matched child seeking care for an injury diagnosis not related to a window fall. Study staff visited enrolled homes to collect window measurements and conduct window screen performance tests. The authors enrolled and collected data on 18 case windows, 18 in-home controls, and 14 matched community controls. Six potential community controls were contacted for every one enrolled. Families who completed the home visit viewed study procedures positively. Case windows were more likely than community controls to be horizontal sliders (100% vs 50%), to have deeper sills (6.28 vs 4.31 inches), to be higher above the exterior surface (183 vs 82 inches), and to have screens that failed below a threshold derived from the static pressure of a 3-year-old leaning against the mesh (60.0% vs 16.7%). Case windows varied very little from in-home controls. Case-control methodology can be used to study risk factors for paediatric falls from windows. Recruitment of community controls is challenging but essential, because in-home controls tend to be over-matched on important variables. A home visit allows direct measurement of window type, height, sill depth, and screen performance. These variables should all be investigated in subsequent, larger studies covering major housing markets.

The United Kingdom Childhood Cancer Study of exposure to domestic sources of ionising radiation: 1: radon gas.

PubMed

2002-06-05

This paper reports the results of the United Kingdom Childhood Cancer Study relating to risks associated with radon concentrations in participants homes at the time of diagnosis of cancer and for at least 6 months before. Results are given for 2226 case and 3773 control homes. No evidence to support an association between higher radon concentrations and risk of any of the childhood cancers was found. Indeed, evidence of decreasing cancer risks with increasing radon concentrations was observed. Adjustment for deprivation score for area of residence made little difference to this trend and similar patterns were evident in all regions and in all diagnostic groups. The study suggests that control houses had more features, such as double glazing and central heating, leading to higher radon levels than case houses. Further, case houses have features more likely to lead to lower radon levels, e.g. living-rooms above ground level. Consequently the case-control differences could have arisen because of differences between houses associated with deprivation that are not adequately allowed for by the deprivation score. Copyright 2002 Cancer Research UK

Landslide hazard analysis for pipelines: The case of the Simonette river crossing

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

Grivas, D.A.; Schultz, B.C.; O`Neil, G.

1995-12-31

The overall objective of this study is to develop a probabilistic methodology to analyze landslide hazards and their effects on the safety of buried pipelines. The methodology incorporates a range of models that can accommodate differences in the ground movement modes and the amount and type of information available at various site locations. Two movement modes are considered, namely (a) instantaneous (catastrophic) slides, and (b) gradual ground movement which may result in cumulative displacements over the pipeline design life (30--40 years) that are in excess of allowable values. Probabilistic analysis is applied in each case to address the uncertainties associatedmore » with important factors that control slope stability. Availability of information ranges from relatively well studied, instrumented installations to cases where data is limited to what can be derived from topographic and geologic maps. The methodology distinguishes between procedures applied where there is little information and those that can be used when relatively extensive data is available. important aspects of the methodology are illustrated in a case study involving a pipeline located in Northern Alberta, Canada, in the Simonette river valley.« less

Diagnostic labels of NANDA-I in a southern region of Spain

PubMed Central

González-Rodríguez, Rafael; Martelo-Baro, María de los Ángeles; Bas-Sarmiento, Pilar

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to determine the incidence of NANDA-I diagnostic labels (North American Nursing Diagnosis Association-International) and to establish the distribution of cases of assistance and the associated labels, according to sociodemographic variables (age and sex). Method: descriptive, cross-sectional epidemiological study of labels of NANDA-I, under ecological design. The distribution of labels was analyzed according to sex and age; the corresponding frequencies were calculated and for each label the incidence were calculated rates with aggregate data from the attended cases. Results: the total number of cases of care under study was 9,928 (41.65% men and 58.35% women). The identified labels were 16,456 (7,084 men and 9,372 women); average of 1.7 labels per case of care; Out of 216 labels proposed by NANDA-I, in its 2012-14 classification, 152 were used, representing 70.4%. The labels with the highest incidence rates per thousand inhabitants were: Anxiety, Willingness to Improve Knowledge and Risk of Infection. Conclusions: the study allowed detecting, through NANDA-I, the answers to the health problems of greater incidence in the users attended. PMID:28614433

Vapor port and groundwater sampling well

DOEpatents

Hubbell, Joel M.; Wylie, Allan H.

1996-01-01

A method and apparatus has been developed for combining groundwater monitoring wells with unsaturated-zone vapor sampling ports. The apparatus allows concurrent monitoring of both the unsaturated and the saturated zone from the same well at contaminated areas. The innovative well design allows for concurrent sampling of groundwater and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the vadose (unsaturated) zone from a single well, saving considerable time and money. The sample tubes are banded to the outer well casing during installation of the well casing.

Vapor port and groundwater sampling well

DOEpatents

Hubbell, J.M.; Wylie, A.H.

1996-01-09

A method and apparatus have been developed for combining groundwater monitoring wells with unsaturated-zone vapor sampling ports. The apparatus allows concurrent monitoring of both the unsaturated and the saturated zone from the same well at contaminated areas. The innovative well design allows for concurrent sampling of groundwater and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the vadose (unsaturated) zone from a single well, saving considerable time and money. The sample tubes are banded to the outer well casing during installation of the well casing. 10 figs.

Clinical case in digital technology for nursing students' learning: An integrative review.

PubMed

Hara, Cristina Yuri Nakata; Aredes, Natália Del Angelo; Fonseca, Luciana Mara Monti; Silveira, Renata Cristina de Campos Pereira; Camargo, Rosangela Andrade Aukar; de Goes, Fernanda Santos Nogueira

2016-03-01

This review aimed to analyze the available evidences in literature about clinical case studies inserted in digital technologies for nursing education, characterizing the technology resources and cognitive, procedural and attitudinal learnings. Integrative review of literature with the following steps: development of the research problem, data collection, data extraction and critic evaluation, data analysis and interpretation and presentation of results. The research question was: how does the clinical case study inserted in educational digital technology collaborate for cognitive, attitudinal and procedural learning of nursing students? data bases LILACS, PUBMED, CINAHL and Scopus. the search resulted in 437 studies: 136 from LILACS, 122 from PUBMED, 104 from Scopus and 75 from CINAHL. Of these, 143 did not meet the including criteria, 93 were duplicated and four studies were unavailable. After analyzing all abstracts based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, there were selected 197 studies and after full text analysis the final sample resulted in 21 primary studies. Case study use in educational digital technologies allowed the students to build different types of learning: cognitive learning (n 16 studies), attitudinal learning (n=12 studies) and procedural learning (n=8 studies). It is possible to conclude that case studies can collaborate with the students to develop different learnings which can be built integrate, continuous, informative and formative, aiming integral formation and aligned to policies of formation in nursing, both national and international. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategy for the lowering and the assessment of exposure to nanoparticles at workspace - Case of study concerning the potential emission of nanoparticles of Lead in an epitaxy laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artous, Sébastien; Zimmermann, Eric; Douissard, Paul-Antoine; Locatelli, Dominique; Motellier, Sylvie; Derrough, Samir

2015-05-01

The implementation in many products of manufactured nanoparticles is growing fast and raises new questions. For this purpose, the CEA - NanoSafety Platform is developing various research topics for health and safety, environment and nanoparticles exposure in professional activities. The containment optimisation for the exposition lowering, then the exposure assessment to nanoparticles is a strategy for safety improvement at workplace and workspace. The lowering step consists in an optimisation of dynamic and static containment at workplace and/or workspace. Generally, the exposure risk due to the presence of nanoparticles substances does not allow modifying the parameters of containment at workplace and/or workspace. Therefore, gaseous or nanoparticulate tracers are used to evaluate performances of containment. Using a tracer allows to modify safely the parameters of the dynamic containment (ventilation, flow, speed) and to study several configurations of static containment. Moreover, a tracer allows simulating accidental or incidental situation. As a result, a safety procedure can be written more easily in order to manage this type of situation. The step of measurement and characterization of aerosols can therefore be used to assess the exposition at workplace and workspace. The case of study, aim of this paper, concerns the potential emission of Lead nanoparticles at the exhaust of a furnace in an epitaxy laboratory. The use of Helium tracer to evaluate the performance of containment is firstly studied. Secondly, the exposure assessment is characterised in accordance with the French guide “recommendations for characterizing potential emissions and exposure to aerosols released from nanomaterials in workplace operations”. Thirdly the aerosols are sampled, on several places, using collection membranes to try to detect traces of Lead in air.

Using Design Thinking to Write and Publish Novel Teaching Cases: Tips from Experienced Case Authors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheehan, Norman T.; Gujarathi, Mahendra R.; Jones, Joanne C.; Phillips, Fred

2018-01-01

With increasing calls for a greater connection between management education and practice, teaching cases play a vital role in the business curriculum. Cases not only allow instructors to expose students to practical problems but also let educators contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning. An important reason why faculty members may…

The Air Force Global Reach Laydown (GR1): An Allowance Standard Review Using the Estimating Supplies Program to Develop a Requirements-Based Materiel Solution

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-02

Cystitis, Prostatitis, Orchitis, Including Testicular Torsion, All Cases 280 Balanoposthitis All Cases 282 Infectious Mononucleosis All Cases 283...Hepatitis Infectious Viral All Cases 285 Cholecystitis Acute w/ Stones/cholecystitis All Cases 286 Pancreatitis Acute All Cases 287 Cirrhosis All...PEST AND VECTOR IDENTIFICATION Z580 MONITOR HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS Z600 SCREEN TREATMENT LOGS FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE CASES Z601 COMPILE/REPORT

The effects of a technology-enhanced, flexible choice science program on achievement, self-efficacy and the scale learner progression mechanism in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grace, Lori

A mixed methods comparative case study of two DRG I urban high schools was used to determine the effectiveness of the Flexible Choice Science Program (FCSP) at producing equitable learning outcomes in students. FCSP recognized both 'among and within learner' differences, while allowing the teacher the semblance of a single lesson. Program sequencing, a differentiated technology platform and allowances for student control and creativity, allowed learners to progress from novice to master at their own pace. Results showed that holistic participation in FCSP by School A students led to significant positive learning effects, particularly for low ability learners. Results of this study challenge current educational grouping techniques that have resulted in inequity, by demonstrating that when students group themselves, their success increases by more than 100%. Results of this research also challenge common notion that cognition most defines student potential by demonstrating that student affect most influences learning.

[Isolation of Pseudomonas stutzeri from an odontogenic inflammatory cyst: Diagnostic relevance].

PubMed

Molgatini, Susana; Rey, Eduardo; Basilaki, Jorge; Mosca, Christian; Galante, Rafael; Gliosca, Laura

Pseudomonas stutzeri is distributed widely in the environment, and occupies different ecological niches. However, it is found in clinically relevant infections as an opportunistic pathogen. Isolation of P. stutzeri from an odontogenic inflammatory cyst is an uncommon microbiological finding that has not been reported to date. In the case presented here, the bacterium was isolated from surgical material obtained from excision of an inflammatory odontogenic cyst located in the tooth 1.2, and presenting with concomitant pulp necrosis. Complementary techniques such as radiographs, CAT scans, and histopathological and microbiological studies were used to establish definitive diagnosis. The obtained results allowed classifying the process as an inflammatory cyst infected by P. stutzeri. Biotyping and characterization of the susceptibility profile of the isolated strain allowed adjusting the antibiotic therapy more specifically. The microbiological studies allowed establishing the etiology of the infectious process, adjusting the treatment plan, and re-establishing tissue integrity. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. All rights reserved.

A Critical Review of OSHA Heat Enforcement Cases: Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Arbury, Sheila; Lindsley, Matthew; Hodgson, Michael

2016-04-01

The aim of the study was to review the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) 2012 to 2013 heat enforcement cases, using identified essential elements of heat illness prevention to evaluate employers' programs and make recommendations to better protect workers from heat illness. (1) Identify essential elements of heat illness prevention; (2) develop data collection tool; and (3) analyze OSHA 2012 to 2013 heat enforcement cases. OSHA's database contains 84 heat enforcement cases in 2012 to 2013. Employer heat illness prevention programs were lacking in essential elements such as providing water and shade; adjusting the work/rest proportion to allow for workload and effective temperature; and acclimatizing and training workers. In this set of investigations, most employers failed to implement common elements of illness prevention programs. Over 80% clearly did not rely on national standard approaches to heat illness prevention.

[Testicular germ cell tumours and early exposures to pesticides: The TESTEPERA pilot study].

PubMed

Béranger, Rémi; Blain, Jeffrey; Baudinet, Cédric; Faure, Elodie; Fléchon, Aude; Boyle, Helen; Chasles, Virginie; Charbotel, Barbara; Schüz, Joachim; Fervers, Béatrice

2014-03-01

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) represent the most frequent cancer in men aged between 15 and 45 years. Current hypotheses are focusing on environmental exposures occurring during prenatal periods. However, very few studies have explored intra-uterine environmental exposure related to TGCT. TESTEPERA is a pilot case-control study aiming to determine the effectiveness of different recruitment approaches in the French context and to verify our ability to collect relevant data on their prenatal periods. Between 2011 and 2012, 150 male subjects were contacted in the Rhône-Alpes region (58 cases from a cancer center and 92 controls from a regional maternity). Participation rate varied from 33% for cases diagnosed in 2008 vs 68% for cases diagnosed in 2010. Participation rate of controls varied depending on modalities of contact (13% for face-to-face recruitment; 0% for contact by phone only; 50% for face-to-face contact with phone reminder). Data collection allowed precise job identification and geolocation of subjects' addresses. Precision of geolocation was dependent upon the level of urbanization (p < 0.001) but not on the time period (p = 0.52). Our results support the feasibility of a case-control study focusing on the relation between TGCT and environmental pesticide exposures during early and later life.

Additive Partial Least Squares for efficient modelling of independent variance sources demonstrated on practical case studies.

PubMed

Luoma, Pekka; Natschläger, Thomas; Malli, Birgit; Pawliczek, Marcin; Brandstetter, Markus

2018-05-12

A model recalibration method based on additive Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression is generalized for multi-adjustment scenarios of independent variance sources (referred to as additive PLS - aPLS). aPLS allows for effortless model readjustment under changing measurement conditions and the combination of independent variance sources with the initial model by means of additive modelling. We demonstrate these distinguishing features on two NIR spectroscopic case-studies. In case study 1 aPLS was used as a readjustment method for an emerging offset. The achieved RMS error of prediction (1.91 a.u.) was of similar level as before the offset occurred (2.11 a.u.). In case-study 2 a calibration combining different variance sources was conducted. The achieved performance was of sufficient level with an absolute error being better than 0.8% of the mean concentration, therefore being able to compensate negative effects of two independent variance sources. The presented results show the applicability of the aPLS approach. The main advantages of the method are that the original model stays unadjusted and that the modelling is conducted on concrete changes in the spectra thus supporting efficient (in most cases straightforward) modelling. Additionally, the method is put into context of existing machine learning algorithms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epidemiologic programs for computers and calculators. A microcomputer program for multiple logistic regression by unconditional and conditional maximum likelihood methods.

PubMed

Campos-Filho, N; Franco, E L

1989-02-01

A frequent procedure in matched case-control studies is to report results from the multivariate unmatched analyses if they do not differ substantially from the ones obtained after conditioning on the matching variables. Although conceptually simple, this rule requires that an extensive series of logistic regression models be evaluated by both the conditional and unconditional maximum likelihood methods. Most computer programs for logistic regression employ only one maximum likelihood method, which requires that the analyses be performed in separate steps. This paper describes a Pascal microcomputer (IBM PC) program that performs multiple logistic regression by both maximum likelihood estimation methods, which obviates the need for switching between programs to obtain relative risk estimates from both matched and unmatched analyses. The program calculates most standard statistics and allows factoring of categorical or continuous variables by two distinct methods of contrast. A built-in, descriptive statistics option allows the user to inspect the distribution of cases and controls across categories of any given variable.

Case-crossover design and its implementation in R

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Case-crossover design is a variation of case-control design that it employs persons’ history periods as controls. Case-crossover design can be viewed as the hybrid of case-control study and crossover design. Characteristic confounding that is constant within one person can be well controlled with this method. The relative risk and odds ratio, as well as their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), can be estimated using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel method. R codes for the calculation are provided in the main text. Readers may adapt these codes to their own task. Conditional logistic regression model is another way to estimate odds ratio of the exposure. Furthermore, it allows for incorporation of other time-varying covariates that are not constant within subjects. The model fitting per se is not technically difficult because there is well developed statistical package. However, it is challenging to convert original dataset obtained from case report form to that suitable to be passed to clogit() function. R code for this task is provided and explained in the text. PMID:27761445

Late recurrent urothelial carcinoma in the Studer neobladder: conversion to continent reservoir

PubMed Central

Kotb, AF; Alkosiry, M; AbdElkawy, N; Atta, MA

2012-01-01

Bladder cancer represents a considerable issue in Egypt and the Middle East. Radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder represent the standard of care for managing cases with invasive bladder tumour. There are few cases reported in the literature considering the urothelial recurrence in the urethra, connected to neobladder. We are presenting a rare case of a young female patient, with an aggressive urothelial tumour, recurring 13-year post-radical cystectomy, and the Studer neobladder. Our case was managed by urethrectomy and conversion of the neobladder into continent reservoir, with good short-term oncological and functional outcomes. We can conclude that bladder cancer cases should be followed thoroughly throughout their life. Follow-up urethroscopy and cytology should be done for all cases of post-radical cystectomy, regardless of patients’ symptoms. Key message Late urothelial recurrence of post-radical cystectomy is possible and, in our case, happened 13 years following surgery. The Studer neobladder can be safely converted into continent reservoir, allowing good functional outcomes. Also, recurrence in the Studer neobladder can be safely managed, allowing good oncological outcomes, without the need for any ureteroileal interventions. PMID:22973413

A browse facility for Earth science remote sensing data: Center director's discretionary fund final report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, P. J.

1993-01-01

An image data visual browse facility is developed for a UNIX platform using the X Windows 11 system. It allows one to visually examine reduced resolution image data to determine which data are applicable for further research. Links with a relational data base manager then allow one to extract not only the full resolution image data, but any other ancillary data related to the case study. Various techniques are examined for compression of the image data in order to reduce data storage requirements and time necessary to transmit the data on the internet. Data used were from the WetNet project.

Generation method of synthetic training data for mobile OCR system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernyshova, Yulia S.; Gayer, Alexander V.; Sheshkus, Alexander V.

2018-04-01

This paper addresses one of the fundamental problems of machine learning - training data acquiring. Obtaining enough natural training data is rather difficult and expensive. In last years usage of synthetic images has become more beneficial as it allows to save human time and also to provide a huge number of images which otherwise would be difficult to obtain. However, for successful learning on artificial dataset one should try to reduce the gap between natural and synthetic data distributions. In this paper we describe an algorithm which allows to create artificial training datasets for OCR systems using russian passport as a case study.

Performances and robustness of quantum teleportation with identical particles

PubMed Central

Marzolino, Ugo; Buchleitner, Andreas

2016-01-01

When quantum teleportation is performed with truly identical massive particles, indistinguishability allows us to teleport addressable degrees of freedom which do not identify particles, but, for example, orthogonal modes. The key resource of the protocol is a state of entangled modes, but the conservation of the total number of particles does not allow for perfect deterministic teleportation unless the number of particles in the resource state goes to infinity. Here, we study the convergence of teleportation performances in the above limit and provide sufficient conditions for asymptotic perfect teleportation. We also apply these conditions to the case of resource states affected by noise. PMID:26997896

Performances and robustness of quantum teleportation with identical particles.

PubMed

Marzolino, Ugo; Buchleitner, Andreas

2016-01-01

When quantum teleportation is performed with truly identical massive particles, indistinguishability allows us to teleport addressable degrees of freedom which do not identify particles, but, for example, orthogonal modes. The key resource of the protocol is a state of entangled modes, but the conservation of the total number of particles does not allow for perfect deterministic teleportation unless the number of particles in the resource state goes to infinity. Here, we study the convergence of teleportation performances in the above limit and provide sufficient conditions for asymptotic perfect teleportation. We also apply these conditions to the case of resource states affected by noise.

Spine metastasis imaging: review of the literature.

PubMed

Guillevin, R; Vallee, J-N; Lafitte, F; Menuel, C; Duverneuil, N-M; Chiras, J

2007-12-01

Any malignant neoplasm possesses the capacity to metastasize to the musculoskeletal system. Because the spine is the most frequent site of bone metastasis, imaging must be discussed in cases of cancer. Bone marrow is the main interest in imaging the metastatic process by magnetic resonance, while X-rays allow the study of cortical involvement. This article presents our experience, and a review of the literature, in an overview of the different imaging techniques-X-rays and magnetic resonance-with emphasis on the many difficulties that can be encountered in the diagnosis and monitoring of spinal metastases, allowing a management strategy for diagnosis and follow-up.

Home Care Providers to the Rescue: A Novel First-Responder Programme

PubMed Central

Hansen, Steen M.; Brøndum, Stig; Thomas, Grethe; Rasmussen, Susanne R.; Kvist, Birgitte; Christensen, Anette; Lyng, Charlotte; Lindberg, Jan; Lauritsen, Torsten L. B.; Lippert, Freddy K.; Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Hansen, Poul A.

2015-01-01

Aim To describe the implementation of a novel first-responder programme in which home care providers equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were dispatched in parallel with existing emergency medical services in the event of a suspected out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods We evaluated a one-year prospective study that trained home care providers in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an AED in cases of suspected OHCA. Data were collected from cardiac arrest case files, case files from each provider dispatch and a survey among dispatched providers. The study was conducted in a rural district in Denmark. Results Home care providers were dispatched to 28 of the 60 OHCAs that occurred in the study period. In ten cases the providers arrived before the ambulance service and subsequently performed CPR. AED analysis was executed in three cases and shock was delivered in one case. For 26 of the 28 cases, the cardiac arrest occurred in a private home. Ninety-five per cent of the providers who had been dispatched to a cardiac arrest reported feeling prepared for managing the initial resuscitation, including use of AED. Conclusion Home care providers are suited to act as first-responders in predominantly rural and residential districts. Future follow-up will allow further evaluation of home care provider arrivals and patient survival. PMID:26509532

Etude theorique et experimentale de la correlation entre la resistance aux chocs thermiques et aux chocs mecaniques des materiaux refractaires utilises dans les fours de traitement de l'aluminium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebbani, Mohamed Jamal Eddine

2001-07-01

This work is a theoretical and experimental study of the correlation between the resistance to thermal shock and mechanical shock of refractory materials. The study of thermal shock showed that the Bahr and Hasselman approaches are alike and that they can be combined into a single, more general approach. This generalisation allowed the division of the theoretical models into two groups: the Hasselman model and the Harmuth model. However, neither of these approaches can predict the behaviour of all refractory materials submitted to thermal shock. Therefore, the generalisation of the Hasselman approach is more appropriate for more dense materials while the Hartmuth approach is more appropriate for less dense materials. The influence of porosity on the energy of rupture helped to explain the behaviour of the less dense material. The absence of generalisation in this case allows those parameters that could be correlated with thermal shock resistance to be dependent on the type of refractory. The study of mechanical shock provided a better understanding of this mechanism. The work performed showed, theoretically and experimentally, that the resistance of the refractory materials could be correlated with the parameter s20 Egwof n-22 . This new parameter helped to explain the statistical correlation between the resistance to mechanical impact and the soxRst parameter established in earlier work. The sintering influence, which makes the refractories more resistant to this type of demand, notably by reducing the "n" coefficient, was shown. This part of the study allowed the establishment of equivalence between thermal fatigue and fatigue by mechanical impact. An evaluation of the correlation between the two mechanisms demonstrated, theoretically and experimentally, that the mechanical and thermal demands could only be exceptionally correlated. In the case of thermal shock, which are imposed deformation demands, it is the shorter cracks which are the most dangerous. However, in the case of mechanical shock, which is constraint imposed, it is the longer cracks that are the most harmful. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Data Management and Data Quality in PERCH, a Large International Case-Control Study of Severe Childhood Pneumonia.

PubMed

Watson, Nora L; Prosperi, Christine; Driscoll, Amanda J; Higdon, Melissa M; Park, Daniel E; Sanza, Megan; DeLuca, Andrea N; Awori, Juliet O; Goswami, Doli; Hammond, Emily; Hossain, Lokman; Johnson, Catherine; Kamau, Alice; Kuwanda, Locadiah; Moore, David P; Neyzari, Omid; Onwuchekwa, Uma; Parker, David; Sapchookul, Patranuch; Seidenberg, Phil; Shamsul, Arifin; Siazeele, Kazungu; Srisaengchai, Prasong; Sylla, Mamadou; Levine, Orin S; Murdoch, David R; O'Brien, Katherine L; Wolff, Mark; Deloria Knoll, Maria

2017-06-15

The Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study is the largest multicountry etiology study of pediatric pneumonia undertaken in the past 3 decades. The study enrolled 4232 hospitalized cases and 5325 controls over 2 years across 9 research sites in 7 countries in Africa and Asia. The volume and complexity of data collection in PERCH presented considerable logistical and technical challenges. The project chose an internet-based data entry system to allow real-time access to the data, enabling the project to monitor and clean incoming data and perform preliminary analyses throughout the study. To ensure high-quality data, the project developed comprehensive quality indicator, data query, and monitoring reports. Among the approximately 9000 cases and controls, analyzable laboratory results were available for ≥96% of core specimens collected. Selected approaches to data management in PERCH may be extended to the planning and organization of international studies of similar scope and complexity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Use of a gesture user interface as a touchless image navigation system in dental surgery: Case series report

PubMed Central

Elizondo, María L.

2014-01-01

Purpose The purposes of this study were to develop a workstation computer that allowed intraoperative touchless control of diagnostic and surgical images by a surgeon, and to report the preliminary experience with the use of the system in a series of cases in which dental surgery was performed. Materials and Methods A custom workstation with a new motion sensing input device (Leap Motion) was set up in order to use a natural user interface (NUI) to manipulate the imaging software by hand gestures. The system allowed intraoperative touchless control of the surgical images. Results For the first time in the literature, an NUI system was used for a pilot study during 11 dental surgery procedures including tooth extractions, dental implant placements, and guided bone regeneration. No complications were reported. The system performed very well and was very useful. Conclusion The proposed system fulfilled the objective of providing touchless access and control of the system of images and a three-dimensional surgical plan, thus allowing the maintenance of sterile conditions. The interaction between surgical staff, under sterile conditions, and computer equipment has been a key issue. The solution with an NUI with touchless control of the images seems to be closer to an ideal. The cost of the sensor system is quite low; this could facilitate its incorporation into the practice of routine dental surgery. This technology has enormous potential in dental surgery and other healthcare specialties. PMID:24944966

Relationships between the decoupled and coupled transfer functions: Theoretical studies and experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zengwei; Zhu, Ping; Liu, Zhao

2018-01-01

A generalized method for predicting the decoupled transfer functions based on in-situ transfer functions is proposed. The method allows predicting the decoupled transfer functions using coupled transfer functions, without disassembling the system. Two ways to derive relationships between the decoupled and coupled transfer functions are presented. Issues related to immeasurability of coupled transfer functions are also discussed. The proposed method is validated by numerical and experimental case studies.

Analyzing the Behavioral Differences between Students of Different Genders, Prior Knowledge and Learning Performance with an Educational MMORPG: A Longitudinal Case Study in an Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Huei-Tse

2013-01-01

Many researchers have studied the effects of game-based learning (GBL) (eg, Annetta, Minogu, Holmes & Cheng, 2009; Kiili, 2007). However, empirical process analyses of long-term applications of GBL in a school setting are much less common. A process analysis of GBL in a school setting allows us to better understand the role of games in…

Software applications to three-dimensional visualization of forest landscapes -- A case study demontrating the use of visual nature studio (VNS) in visualizing fire spread in forest landscapes

Treesearch

Brian J. Williams; Bo Song; Chou Chiao-Ying; Thomas M. Williams; John Hom

2010-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) visualization is a useful tool that depicts virtual forest landscapes on computer. Previous studies in visualization have required high end computer hardware and specialized technical skills. A virtual forest landscape can be used to show different effects of disturbances and management scenarios on a computer, which allows observation of forest...

Advantageous Use of Hypnosis in a Case of Psychogenic Vomiting.

PubMed

Chandrashekhar, Roopa

2016-04-01

This case study describes in detail the role of hypnosis in treatment of a case of psychogenic vomiting. The patient, a 60-yearold woman, had been suffering for 9 months from episodes of vomiting which resulted in weight loss, dehydration, and hypokalemia. She was a conscientious woman with high standards of behavior, which did not allow an expression of the extreme hostility she felt toward her daughter-in-law. Hypnotherapeutic sessions reduced her anxiety, restored her sleep, improved mood, and helped deepen rapport, all of which created the ideal setting for Gestalt's empty chair technique. Integrating hypnosis greatly enhanced the quality of the empty chair dialogue, which by bringing about a shift in the patient's emotions from hostility to sympathy, facilitated recovery.

Beam Conditioning for FELs: Consequences and Methods

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

Wolski, Andrzej; Penn, Gregory; Sessler, Andrew

2003-10-09

The consequences of beam conditioning in four example cases (VISA, a Soft X-Ray FEL, LCLS and a ''Greenfield'' FEL) are examined. It is shown that in emittance limited cases, proper conditioning reduces sensitivity to the transverse emittance, and allows stronger focusing in the undulator. Simulations show higher saturation power, with gain lengths reduced up to a factor of two. The beam dynamics in a general conditioning system are studied, with ''matching conditions'' derived for achieving conditioning without growth in effective emittance. Various conditioners are considered, and expressions derived for the amount of conditioning provided in each case when the matchingmore » conditions are satisfied. We discuss the prospects for conditioners based on laser and plasma systems.« less

Surgical treatment of class II malocclusion in the orthodontic boundaries: a case report.

PubMed

Bandeca, Matheus Coelho; Porto, Alessandra Nogueira; Valieri, Sidnei; Valieri, Matheus; Borges, Alvaro H; Mattos, Fernanda Zanol

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to report a clinical case of treatment of Class II division I malocclusion with facial aesthetic impairment, whose therapeutic approach comprised the association of orthodontic treatment with orthognathic surgery. The treatment for the present case consisted of decompensation oflower incisors and extraction oftwo lower premolars, in order to obtain horizontal discrepancy allowing the surgery for mandibular advancement. At the end of treatment, we could clinically observe a Class I molar/canine relationship, normal overbite and overjet, presence of lip seal, type I facial profile with considerable aesthetic improvement. We can conclude that the ortho-surgical treatment is a therapeutic alternative providing the best prognosis in terms of aesthetic correction in patients with unpleasant facial profile.

BioFET-SIM web interface: implementation and two applications.

PubMed

Hediger, Martin R; Jensen, Jan H; De Vico, Luca

2012-01-01

We present a web interface which allows us to conveniently set up calculations based on the BioFET-SIM model. With the interface, the signal of a BioFET sensor can be calculated depending on its parameters, as well as the signal dependence on pH. As an illustration, two case studies are presented. In the first case, a generic peptide with opposite charges on both ends is inverted in orientation on a semiconducting nanowire surface leading to a corresponding change in sign of the computed sensitivity of the device. In the second case, the binding of an antibody/antigen complex on the nanowire surface is studied in terms of orientation and analyte/nanowire surface distance. We demonstrate how the BioFET-SIM web interface can aid in the understanding of experimental data and postulate alternative ways of antibody/antigen orientation on the nanowire surface.

An Argument for Weakly Magnetized, Slowly Rotating Progenitors of Long Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno Méndez, Enrique

2014-01-01

Using binary evolution with Case-C mass transfer, the spins of several black holes (BHs) in X-ray binaries (XBs) have been predicted and confirmed (three cases) by observations. The rotational energy of these BHs is sufficient to power up long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and hypernovae (HNe) and still leave a Kerr BH behind. However, strong magnetic fields and/or dynamo effects in the interior of such stars deplete their cores from angular momentum preventing the formation of collapsars. Thus, even though binaries can produce Kerr BHs, most of their rotation is acquired from the stellar mantle, with a long delay between BH formation and spin up. Such binaries would not form GRBs. We study whether the conditions required to produce GRBs can be met by the progenitors of such BHs. Tidal-synchronization and Alfvén timescales are compared for magnetic fields of different intensities threading He stars. A search is made for a magnetic field range that allows tidal spin up all the way in to the stellar core but prevents its slow down during differential rotation phases. The energetics for producing a strong magnetic field during core collapse, which may allow for a GRB central engine, are also estimated. An observationally reasonable choice of parameters is found (B <~ 102 G threading a slowly rotating He star) that allows Fe cores to retain substantial angular momentum. Thus, the Case-C mass-transfer binary channel is capable of explaining long GRBs. However, the progenitors must have low initial spin and low internal magnetic field throughout their H-burning and He-burning phases.

Role of C-arm VasoCT in the use of endovascular WEB flow disruption in intracranial aneurysm treatment.

PubMed

Caroff, J; Mihalea, C; Neki, H; Ruijters, D; Ikka, L; Benachour, N; Moret, J; Spelle, L

2014-07-01

The WEB aneurysm embolization system is still under evaluation but seems to be a promising technique to treat wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. However, this device is barely visible using conventional DSA; thus, high-resolution contrast-enhanced flat panel detector CT (VasoCT) may be useful before detachment to assess the sizing and positioning of the WEB. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interest of VasoCT during WEB procedures. From March 2012 to July 2013, twelve patients (10 women and 2 men; age range, 44-55 years) were treated for 13 intracranial aneurysms with the WEB device. DSA and VasoCT were used and compared to depict any protrusion of the device in parent arteries before detachment. Two neuroradiologists reviewed each VasoCT scan, and the quality was graded on a subjective quality scale. The mesh of the WEB was very well-depicted in all cases, allowing a very good assessment of its deployment. Device protrusion was clearly detected with VasoCT in 5 cases, leading to WEB repositioning or size substitution. During follow-up, VasoCT also allows good assessment of eventual residual blood flow inside the aneurysm or the WEB device. Unlike DSA, VasoCT is an excellent tool to assess WEB deployment and positioning. In our experience, it allowed a precise evaluation of the WEB sizing and its relation to the parent vessel. Such information very likely enhances the ability to safely use this device, avoiding potential thromboembolic events in cases of protrusion in the parent arteries. © 2014 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

The value of ultrasounds exam correlated with frozen section diagnosis in the breast tumors.

PubMed

Venter, Alina; Roşca, Elena; Muţiu, Gabriela; Pirte, Adriana; Roşca, D M

2010-01-01

The paper represents a parallel study regarding the harmony between the ultrasounds and the frozen section diagnosis in the breast cancer. We examined at an ultrasounds machine a group of 146 women aged between 16-73-year-old, which came presenting palpable formations at the level of breasts, in the Pelican Medical Centre from Oradea. The suspect lesions were subject to excisional biopsy or surgical intervention. The elements followed at the ultrasounds exam were: echogenicity, echostructure, contour, presence and absence of posterior shadowing, microcalcifiation, orientation of lesion, compressibility, aspect of adjacent structures. Histopathological diagnosis of suspect lesions emphasized malignant lesions in a percentage of 64.86% of cases; the frozen section exam diagnosed invasive ductal carcinoma in 86% of the cases, invasive lobular carcinoma 8%, medullar carcinoma 2%, and benign lesions 4%. The clinical-anatomopathological collaboration is absolutely compulsory for a correct microscopic diagnosis. The ultrasounds modifications separated after the criteria taken into account allow the orientation of diagnosis to malignant-benign. At 14% of the women examined, additional lesions were identified in comparison to those palpated, the ultrasounds having a role in detecting the multifocality and muticentricity of lesions. At 29.05% from the identified lesions, malignant lesions were histopathologically identified. The frozen section diagnosis in the breast cancer allows a rapid diagnosis, correct in high percentage of cases, allowing taking an intra-surgery therapeutic attitude in only one surgical intervention, thus reducing the costs. The anatomopathologist's experience reduces the diagnosis risk in excess and÷or in minus.

The Mauna Kea Weather Center: Custom Atmospheric Forecasting Support for Mauna Kea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Businger, Steven

2011-03-01

The success of operations at Mauna Kea Observatories is strongly influenced by weather conditions. The Mauna Kea Weather Center, an interdisciplinary research program, was established in 1999 to develop and provide custom weather support for Mauna Kea Observatories. The operational forecasting goals of the program are to facilitate the best possible use of favorable atmospheric conditions for scientific benefit and to ensure operational safety. During persistent clear periods, astronomical observing quality varies substantially due to changes in the vertical profiles of temperature, wind, moisture, and turbulence. Cloud and storm systems occasionally cause adverse or even hazardous conditions. A dedicated, daily, real-time mesoscale numerical modeling effort provides crucial forecast guidance in both cases. Several key atmospheric variables are forecast with sufficient skill to be of operational and scientific benefit to the telescopes on Mauna Kea. Summit temperature forecasts allow mirrors to be set to the ambient temperature to reduce image distortion. Precipitable water forecasts allow infrared observations to be prioritized according to atmospheric opacity. Forecasts of adverse and hazardous conditions protect the safety of personnel and allow for scheduling of maintenance when observing is impaired by cloud. The research component of the project continues to improve the accuracy and content of the forecasts. In particular, case studies have resulted in operational forecasts of astronomical observing quality, or seeing.

Tellurium notebooks-An environment for reproducible dynamical modeling in systems biology.

PubMed

Medley, J Kyle; Choi, Kiri; König, Matthias; Smith, Lucian; Gu, Stanley; Hellerstein, Joseph; Sealfon, Stuart C; Sauro, Herbert M

2018-06-01

The considerable difficulty encountered in reproducing the results of published dynamical models limits validation, exploration and reuse of this increasingly large biomedical research resource. To address this problem, we have developed Tellurium Notebook, a software system for model authoring, simulation, and teaching that facilitates building reproducible dynamical models and reusing models by 1) providing a notebook environment which allows models, Python code, and narrative to be intermixed, 2) supporting the COMBINE archive format during model development for capturing model information in an exchangeable format and 3) enabling users to easily simulate and edit public COMBINE-compliant models from public repositories to facilitate studying model dynamics, variants and test cases. Tellurium Notebook, a Python-based Jupyter-like environment, is designed to seamlessly inter-operate with these community standards by automating conversion between COMBINE standards formulations and corresponding in-line, human-readable representations. Thus, Tellurium brings to systems biology the strategy used by other literate notebook systems such as Mathematica. These capabilities allow users to edit every aspect of the standards-compliant models and simulations, run the simulations in-line, and re-export to standard formats. We provide several use cases illustrating the advantages of our approach and how it allows development and reuse of models without requiring technical knowledge of standards. Adoption of Tellurium should accelerate model development, reproducibility and reuse.

Extending multi-tenant architectures: a database model for a multi-target support in SaaS applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rico, Antonio; Noguera, Manuel; Garrido, José Luis; Benghazi, Kawtar; Barjis, Joseph

2016-05-01

Multi-tenant architectures (MTAs) are considered a cornerstone in the success of Software as a Service as a new application distribution formula. Multi-tenancy allows multiple customers (i.e. tenants) to be consolidated into the same operational system. This way, tenants run and share the same application instance as well as costs, which are significantly reduced. Functional needs vary from one tenant to another; either companies from different sectors run different types of applications or, although deploying the same functionality, they do differ in the extent of their complexity. In any case, MTA leaves one major concern regarding the companies' data, their privacy and security, which requires special attention to the data layer. In this article, we propose an extended data model that enhances traditional MTAs in respect of this concern. This extension - called multi-target - allows MT applications to host, manage and serve multiple functionalities within the same multi-tenant (MT) environment. The practical deployment of this approach will allow SaaS vendors to target multiple markets or address different levels of functional complexity and yet commercialise just one single MT application. The applicability of the approach is demonstrated via a case study of a real multi-tenancy multi-target (MT2) implementation, called Globalgest.

Shuttle Transportation System Case-Study Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ransom, Khadijah

2012-01-01

A case-study collection was developed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Using lessons learned and documented by NASA KSC engineers, analysts, and contractors, decades of information related to processing and launching the Space Shuttle was gathered into a single database. The goal was to provide educators with an alternative means to teach real-world engineering processes and to enhance critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving skills. Suggested formats were created to assist both external educators and internal NASA employees to develop and contribute their own case-study reports to share with other educators and students. Via group project, class discussion, or open-ended research format, students will be introduced to the unique decision making process related to Shuttle missions and development. Teaching notes, images, and related documents will be made accessible to the public for presentation of Space Shuttle reports. Lessons investigated included the engine cutoff (ECO) sensor anomaly which occurred during mission STS-114. Students will be presented with general mission infom1ation as well as an explanation of ECO sensors. The project will conclude with the design of a website that allows for distribution of information to the public as well as case-study report submissions from other educators online.

Case study: using a stereoscopic display for mission planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleiber, Michael; Winkelholz, Carsten

2009-02-01

This paper reports on the results of a study investigating the benefits of using an autostereoscopic display in the training targeting process of the Germain Air Force. The study examined how stereoscopic 3D visualizations can help to improve flight path planning and the preparation of a mission in general. An autostereoscopic display was used because it allows the operator to perceive the stereoscopic images without shutter glasses which facilitates the integration into a workplace with conventional 2D monitors and arbitrary lighting conditions.

Remote Services, Inc.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Steven A.

2008-01-01

The Remote Services, Inc. (RSI) case is designed as an extensible, database design and implementation project. The case is designed in two primary components: design and implementation. The design component of the case allows students to evaluate a scenario that is similar to a real-world business situation and create an appropriate design…

Case acceptance: no random acts allowed.

PubMed

McAnally, James

2009-12-01

Consider implementing a case acceptance system in your office to fully utilize your hard-earned clinical skills, and to experience the professional rewards that come with serving more patients at a higher level. Doctors who are willing to commit the time and resources necessary to improving case acceptance will increase the number of implant cases entering the treatment phase--cases that run the gamut of complexity and support fees commensurate with their skills!

A New Approach to Hospital Cost Functions and Some Issues in Revenue Regulation

PubMed Central

Friedman, Bernard; Pauly, Mark V.

1983-01-01

An important aspect of hospital revenue regulation at the State level is the use of retroactive allowances for changes in the volume of service. Arguments favoring non-proportional allowances have been based on statistical studies of marginal cost, together with concerns about fairness toward non-profit enterprises or concerns about various inflationary biases in hospital management. This article attempts to review and clarify the regulatory issues and choices, with the aid of new econometric work that explicitly allows for the effects of transitory as well as expected demand changes on hospital expense. The present analysis is also novel in treating length of stay as an endogenous variable in cost functions. We analyzed cost variation for a panel of over 800 hospitals that reported monthly to Hospital Administrative Services between 1973 and 1978. The central results are that marginal cost of unexpected admissions is about half of average cost, while marginal cost of forecasted admissions is about equal to average cost. We obtained relatively low estimates of the cost of an “empty bed.” The study tends to support proportional volume allowances in revenue regulation programs, with perhaps a residual role for selective case review. PMID:10309853

Enhancing caregivers' understanding of dementia and tailoring activities in frontotemporal dementia: two case studies.

PubMed

O'Connor, Claire M; Clemson, Lindy; Brodaty, Henry; Gitlin, Laura N; Piguet, Olivier; Mioshi, Eneida

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the intervention process and results of the Tailored Activities Program (TAP) in two people diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). TAP is an occupational therapy (OT) community-based intervention program that prescribes personalised activities to reduce difficult behaviours of dementia. The OT works with carers over a 4-month period (assessment, activity prescription and generalisation of strategies). Study measures were collected (blind researcher) pre- and post-intervention: cognition, functional disability, behavioural symptoms and Caregiver Confidence and Vigilance. A 51-year-old woman with behavioural-variant FTD could consistently engage in more activities post-intervention, with scores indicating improvements to behaviour, function and caregiver confidence. A 63-year-old man with semantic variant FTD engaged well in the prescribed activities, with scores reflecting reduced carer distress regarding challenging behaviours and improved caregiver vigilance. TAP is efficacious in FTD, allowing for differences in approach for FTD subtype, where behavioural symptoms are very severe and pervasive. The Tailored Activities Program is an intervention which can be tailored to account for unique behavioural and language profiles inherent across frontotemporal dementia (FTD) subtypes. Maintaining a flexible approach when applying an intervention in FTD allows for tailoring to individual case variability within FTD subtypes.

New methodology for fast prediction of wheel wear evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apezetxea, I. S.; Perez, X.; Casanueva, C.; Alonso, A.

2017-07-01

In railway applications wear prediction in the wheel-rail interface is a fundamental matter in order to study problems such as wheel lifespan and the evolution of vehicle dynamic characteristic with time. However, one of the principal drawbacks of the existing methodologies for calculating the wear evolution is the computational cost. This paper proposes a new wear prediction methodology with a reduced computational cost. This methodology is based on two main steps: the first one is the substitution of the calculations over the whole network by the calculation of the contact conditions in certain characteristic point from whose result the wheel wear evolution can be inferred. The second one is the substitution of the dynamic calculation (time integration calculations) by the quasi-static calculation (the solution of the quasi-static situation of a vehicle at a certain point which is the same that neglecting the acceleration terms in the dynamic equations). These simplifications allow a significant reduction of computational cost to be obtained while maintaining an acceptable level of accuracy (error order of 5-10%). Several case studies are analysed along the paper with the objective of assessing the proposed methodology. The results obtained in the case studies allow concluding that the proposed methodology is valid for an arbitrary vehicle running through an arbitrary track layout.

Exotic colored scalars at the LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, Kfir; Efrati, Aielet; Frugiuele, Claudia; Nir, Yosef

2017-02-01

We study the phenomenology of exotic color-triplet scalar particles X with charge | Q| = 2 /3 , 4 /3 , 5 /3 , 7 /3 , 8 /3 and 10 /3. If X is an SU(2) W -non-singlet, mass splitting within the multiplet allows for cascade decays of the members into the lightest state. We study examples where the lightest state, in turn, decays into a three-body W ± jj final state, and show that in such case the entire multiplet is compatible with indirect precision tests and with direct collider searches for continuum pair production of X down to m X ˜ 250 GeV. However, bound states S, made of XX † pairs at m S ≈ 2 m X , form under rather generic conditions and their decay to diphoton can be the first discovery channel of the model. Furthermore, for SU(2) W -non-singlets, the mode S → W + W - may be observable and the width of S → γγ and S → jj may appear large as a consequence of mass splittings within the X-multiplet. As an example we study in detail the case of an SU(2) W -quartet, finding that m X ≃ 450 GeV is allowed by all current searches.

Pedologic and geomorphic impacts of a tornado blowdown event in a mixed pine-hardwood forest

Treesearch

Jonathan D. Phillips; Daniel A. Marion; Alice V. Turkington

2008-01-01

Biomechanical effects of trees on soils and surface processes may be extensive in forest environments. Two blowdown sites caused by a November 2005 tornado in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas allowed a case study examination of bioturbation associated with a specific forest blowdown event, as well as detailed examination of relationships between tree root systems...

Collaboratively Teaching and Doing History: Promoting Historical Research in the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Elaine; Pun, Raymond

2016-01-01

A collaborative course introduced history students to a variety of digital tools and printed materials for historical research. The authors explore the development of this program by a historian and a librarian as a case study to address the value of teaching history outside of the classroom and allowing students to conduct research on-site. This…

Defeating Inequalities in School Access: A Case of Children with Disabilities in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hameed, Abdul; Manzoor, Afaf

2016-01-01

A recent study reveals that average distance from home to special school for children with disabilities in Punjab is about 11 km. A huge and free transport system is established to overcome the distance barrier. Moreover, the incentives such as free uniform, books, assistive devices and hostel facility along with subsistence allowance of Rs.800…

Female Sexual Abuse and Criminal Justice Intervention: A Comparison of Child Protective Service and Criminal Justice Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bader, Shannon M.; Scalora, Mario J.; Casady, Thomas K.; Black, Shannon

2008-01-01

Objective: The current study compared a sample of female perpetrators reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) to a sample of women from the criminal justice system. Instead of examining a clinical or criminal justice sample in isolation, this comparison allows a more accurate description of female sexual offending. Methods: Cases were drawn…

Changing School Autonomy: Academy Schools and Their Introduction to England's Education. CEE DP 123

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machin, Stephen; Vernoit, James

2011-01-01

In this paper, we study a high profile case--the introduction of academy schools into the English secondary school sector--that has allowed schools to gain more autonomy and flexible governance by changing their school structure. We consider the impact of an academy school conversion on their pupil intake and pupil performance and possible…

Expanding and Personalising Feedback in Online Assessment: A Case Study in a School of Pharmacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Steven; Barber, Jill

2016-01-01

In the Manchester Pharmacy School, we first adopted summative on-line examinations in 2005. Since then, we have increased the range of question types to include short answers, short essays and questions incorporating chemical structures and we achieve time savings of up to 90% in the marking process. Online assessments allow two novel forms of…

Interaction Problems Accessing E-Learning Environments in Multi-Touch Mobile Devices: A Case Study in TelEduc

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

da Silva, André Constantino; Freire, Fernanda Maria Pereira; de Arruda, Alan Victor Pereira; da Rocha, Heloísa Vieira

2013-01-01

e-Learning environments offer content, such text, audio, video, animations, using the Web infrastructure and they are designed to users interacting with keyboard, mouse and a medium-sized screen. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, have enough computation power to render Web pages, allowing browsing the Internet and access e-Learning…

A case study of Membrane Testing, Integrity and Estimations of Log Removal Value per the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

EPA Science Inventory

The SWTR-LT2 Rule addresses the use of membranes that may be used to achieve credits for the reduction of Cryptosporidium. The LT2 Rule requires product-specific testing of membranes, considered an alternative filtration technology by the rule. LT2 Rule allows the product speci...

Personal Smartphones in Primary School: Devices for a PLE?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honegger, Beat Döbeli; Neff, Christian

2011-01-01

This paper describes the goals and first results of an ongoing two year case study in a European primary school (5th primary class) where the teacher and all students were equipped with a personal smartphone. Students are allowed to use phone and internet services at no charge and to take home their smartphones after school. In this project the…

A Day of Silence, a Day of Truth, and a Lawsuit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fusarelli, Bonnie C.; Eaton, Lucy E.

2011-01-01

This case study focuses on issues of freedom of speech and freedom of religion in public schools. It involves a rural, southern high school where a group of students participated in a Day of Silence. The school allowed the students to participate based on the principal's understanding of the students' First Amendment rights. However, the next day,…

Successful Information Technology Outsourcing: A Case Study on How a U.S.-Based Company Achieves Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daluisio, Stephen C.

2014-01-01

In the late 1980s, the Eastman Kodak company initiated what would become one of the biggest trends in information technology (IT): outsourcing. IT outsourcing (ITO) allows a company to focus on the services that will differentiate it from its competitors and farm out nondifferentiating services. ITO has grown from the initial landmark effort at…

The Role of the Teaching Experiment: Students' Construction of Transformations in a Multiple Representational Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borba, Marcelo; Confrey, Jere

Function Probe is a multi-representational software for Apple Macintosh computers. It was designed to allow students to approach problems in different ways and/or use different representations. This case study describes a 16-year-old student as he creates a path among a variety of representations of transformations of functions while using the…

Shadowing "The Boys" Sixteen Years out of the Program: A Case Study of Three Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Melissa

2011-01-01

Self-determination skills allow individuals to become contributors to society and their own lives, without these skills individuals with cognitive disabilities are left few options other than to rely on family, friends, and social service agencies to meet the most basic of needs. Effective curricular programming including functional academic,…

Iowa State University: Live Green Revolving Loan Fund. Green Revolving Funds in Action: Case Study Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingsley, Christina

2011-01-01

The $3 million Live Green Revolving Loan Fund (LGRLF) at Iowa State University (ISU) was launched in 2008. The LGRLF is unique in its decentralized implementation structure which allows each department and building to reap the benefits of their own efficiency measures and gives individual departments the incentive to propose resource-saving…

From Pre-Speech to Speech: On Early Phonology. Papers and Reports on Child Language Development, No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vihman, Marilyn May

A discussion of word acquisition rates and strategies is based upon a 6-month case study of an Estonian-speaking child who gradually and systematically relaxed phonotactic constraints to allow greater complexity in word production. In addition to the cognitive tools of assimilation and accomodation as described by Piaget, the child used a further…

First-principles calculations of shear moduli for Monte Carlo-simulated Coulomb solids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogata, Shuji; Ichimaru, Setsuo

1990-01-01

The paper presents a first-principles study of the shear modulus tensor for perfect and imperfect Coulomb solids. Allowance is made for the effects of thermal fluctuations for temperatures up to the melting conditions. The present theory treats the cases of the long-range Coulomb interaction, where volume fluctuations should be avoided in the Ewald sums.

Episodic Feelings and Transfer of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nemirovsky, Ricardo

2011-01-01

The goal of this article is to develop a new perspective on transfer of learning integrating cognition, emotion, and bodily experience. It is based on a case study with a 10-year-old girl as she explored the use of a motion detector, allowing for the simultaneous graphing of the position versus time of 2 moving points. The paper elaborates on the…

Compact camera technologies for real-time false-color imaging in the SWIR band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dougherty, John; Jennings, Todd; Snikkers, Marco

2013-11-01

Previously real-time false-colored multispectral imaging was not available in a true snapshot single compact imager. Recent technology improvements now allow for this technique to be used in practical applications. This paper will cover those advancements as well as a case study for its use in UAV's where the technology is enabling new remote sensing methodologies.

The Use of AJAX in Searching a Bibliographic Database: A Case Study of the Italian Biblioteche Oggi Database

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavaleri, Piero

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of AJAX for searching the Biblioteche Oggi database of bibliographic records. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a demonstration of how bibliographic database single page interfaces allow the implementation of more user-friendly features for social and collaborative tasks. Findings:…

Strengthening the Strength of Public-Private Partnership Model in Education: A Case Study of Durbar High School in Nepal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajbhandari, Mani Man Singh

2011-01-01

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in education is being importantly valuable in developing countries in enriching the strength pf public schools that government appears to be heavy and slow. PPP model however, initiate developmental program that encourage teachers motivation to teach. This further allows private and local community group…

The Collaborative Theatre-Making Project: A Space to Challenge, Explore and Re-Imagine Accepted Mythologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGinty, Lorna

2013-01-01

This short case study gives insight into a theatre-making project with young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified people. The author reflects on the capacity of collaborative arts practice to open discussion around identity and allow space to re-imagine lived experience through metaphor and mythology. She focuses on the central role of the…

The Progress of Students Reading Comprehension through Wordless Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubis, Romaida

2018-01-01

Wordless picture book is an unique book that could help the young learner to get their literacy. The content of the wordless picture book must be communicated through the visual of the illustration. This research discusses a case study of how a kid of six years old produce his narrative through wordless picture book. The kid was allowed to see and…

From Gravestones to Google: The Impact of Internet Adoption on Genealogists' Information and Communication Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Land, Jennifer Kathleen Mathews

2012-01-01

Genealogists are a community of practice (CoP) that has largely embraced the Internet as a research tool. Genealogists' use of the Internet was investigated using a case study of users of Ancestry.com, a subscription-based online genealogical resource. Data were collected using an online survey, allowing information and communication…

Performing the Future: On the Use of Drama in Philosophy Courses for Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toonders, Winnie; Verhoeff, Roald P.; Zwart, Hub

2016-01-01

Drama is a relatively unexplored tool in academic science education. This paper addresses in what way the use of drama may allow science students to deepen their understanding of recent developments in the emerging and controversial field of neuro-enhancement, by means of a case study approach. First, we emphasise the congruency between drama and…

Influence function based variance estimation and missing data issues in case-cohort studies.

PubMed

Mark, S D; Katki, H

2001-12-01

Recognizing that the efficiency in relative risk estimation for the Cox proportional hazards model is largely constrained by the total number of cases, Prentice (1986) proposed the case-cohort design in which covariates are measured on all cases and on a random sample of the cohort. Subsequent to Prentice, other methods of estimation and sampling have been proposed for these designs. We formalize an approach to variance estimation suggested by Barlow (1994), and derive a robust variance estimator based on the influence function. We consider the applicability of the variance estimator to all the proposed case-cohort estimators, and derive the influence function when known sampling probabilities in the estimators are replaced by observed sampling fractions. We discuss the modifications required when cases are missing covariate information. The missingness may occur by chance, and be completely at random; or may occur as part of the sampling design, and depend upon other observed covariates. We provide an adaptation of S-plus code that allows estimating influence function variances in the presence of such missing covariates. Using examples from our current case-cohort studies on esophageal and gastric cancer, we illustrate how our results our useful in solving design and analytic issues that arise in practice.

Rapid diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia: cell culture and soft computing analysis.

PubMed

Pifferi, Massimo; Bush, Andrew; Montemurro, Francesca; Pioggia, Giovanni; Piras, Martina; Tartarisco, Gennaro; Di Cicco, Maria; Chinellato, Iolanda; Cangiotti, Angela M; Boner, Attilio L

2013-04-01

Diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) sometimes requires repeated nasal brushing to exclude secondary ciliary alterations. Our aim was to evaluate whether the use of a new method of nasal epithelial cell culture can speed PCD diagnosis in doubtful cases and to identify which are the most informative parameters by means of a multilayer artificial neural network (ANN). A cross-sectional study was performed in patients with suspected PCD. All patients underwent nasal brushing for ciliary motion analysis, ultrastructural assessment and evaluation of ciliary function after ciliogenesis in culture by ANN. 151 subjects were studied. A diagnostic suspension cell culture was obtained in 117 nasal brushings. A diagnosis of PCD was made in 36 subjects (29 of whom were children). In nine out of the 36 patients the diagnosis was made only after a second brushing, because of equivocal results of both tests at first examination. In each of these subjects diagnosis of PCD was confirmed by cell culture results. Cell culture in suspension evaluated by means of ANN allows the separation of PCD from secondary ciliary dyskinesia patients after only 5 days of culture and allows diagnosis to be reached in doubtful cases, thus avoiding the necessity of a second sample.

Design and implementation of an underwater sound recording device

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

Martinez, Jayson J.; Myers, Joshua R.; Carlson, Thomas J.

2011-09-01

To monitor the underwater sound and pressure waves generated by activities such as underwater blasting and pile driving, an autonomous system used to record underwater acoustic signals was designed. The device designed allows two hydrophones or other dynamic pressure sensors to be connected, filters out high frequency noise, has a gain that can be independently set for each sensor, and allows two hours of data to be collected. Two versions of the USR were created; one is submersible to a maximum depth of 300 m, and the other, although watertight, is not intended to be fully submersed. Tests were performedmore » in the laboratory using a data acquisition system to send single-frequency sinusoidal voltages directly to the each component. These tests verified that the device performs as well as larger commercially available data acquisition systems, which are not suited for field use. A prototype of the device was used in a case study to investigate the effect of underwater rock blasting on juvenile Chinook salmon and rainbow trout. The case study demonstrated that the device was able to tolerate being operated in harsh environments, making it a valuable tool for collecting field measurements.« less

Quantum propagation across cosmological singularities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gielen, Steffen; Turok, Neil

2017-05-01

The initial singularity is the most troubling feature of the standard cosmology, which quantum effects are hoped to resolve. In this paper, we study quantum cosmology with conformal (Weyl) invariant matter. We show that it is natural to extend the scale factor to negative values, allowing a large, collapsing universe to evolve across a quantum "bounce" into an expanding universe like ours. We compute the Feynman propagator for Friedmann-Robertson-Walker backgrounds exactly, identifying curious pathologies in the case of curved (open or closed) universes. We then include anisotropies, fixing the operator ordering of the quantum Hamiltonian by imposing covariance under field redefinitions and again finding exact solutions. We show how complex classical solutions allow one to circumvent the singularity while maintaining the validity of the semiclassical approximation. The simplest isotropic universes sit on a critical boundary, beyond which there is qualitatively different behavior, with potential for instability. Additional scalars improve the theory's stability. Finally, we study the semiclassical propagation of inhomogeneous perturbations about the flat, isotropic case, at linear and nonlinear order, showing that, at least at this level, there is no particle production across the bounce. These results form the basis for a promising new approach to quantum cosmology and the resolution of the big bang singularity.