Sample records for case study applying

  1. Flawed Execution: A Case Study on Operational Contract Support

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-01

    NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA JOINT APPLIED PROJECT FLAWED EXECUTION: A CASE STUDY ON OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT June 2016...applied project 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE FLAWED EXECUTION: A CASE STUDY ON OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Scott F...unlimited FLAWED EXECUTION: A CASE STUDY ON OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT Scott F. Taggart, Captain, United States Marine Corps Jacob Ledford

  2. Nanomaterial Case Study: A Comparison of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube and Decabromodiphenyl Ether Flame-Retardant Coatings Applied to Upholstery Textiles (Independent Peer Review Draft)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This Independent Peer Review Draft document presents a case study of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs); it focuses on the specific example of MWCNTs as used in flame-retardant coatings applied to upholstery textiles. This case study is organized around the comprehensive envir...

  3. Creating a Minor in Applied Data Science: Case Western Reserve University Engages Business Leaders to Produce T-Shaped Professionals. A BHEF Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Business-Higher Education Forum, 2016

    2016-01-01

    This case study examines how Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) member Case Western Reserve University is integrating T-shaped skills into a minor in applied data science. Through the collaboration of its business and higher education members, BHEF launched the National Higher Education and Workforce Initiative to create new undergraduate…

  4. Reverse case study: to think like a nurse.

    PubMed

    Beyer, Deborah A

    2011-01-01

    Reverse case study is a collaborative, innovative, active learning strategy that nurse educators can use in the classroom. Groups of students develop a case study and a care plan from a list of medications and a short two- to three-sentence scenario. The students apply the nursing process to thoroughly develop a complete case study written as a concept map. The strategy builds on previous learned information and applies the information to new content, thus promoting critical thinking and problem solving. Reverse case study has been used in both associate and baccalaureate nursing degree theory courses to generate discussion and assist students in thinking like a nurse. 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

  5. Experiences Using Formal Methods for Requirements Modeling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Easterbrook, Steve; Lutz, Robyn; Covington, Rick; Kelly, John; Ampo, Yoko; Hamilton, David

    1996-01-01

    This paper describes three cases studies in the lightweight application of formal methods to requirements modeling for spacecraft fault protection systems. The case studies differ from previously reported applications of formal methods in that formal methods were applied very early in the requirements engineering process, to validate the evolving requirements. The results were fed back into the projects, to improve the informal specifications. For each case study, we describe what methods were applied, how they were applied, how much effort was involved, and what the findings were. In all three cases, the formal modeling provided a cost effective enhancement of the existing verification and validation processes. We conclude that the benefits gained from early modeling of unstable requirements more than outweigh the effort needed to maintain multiple representations.

  6. Experiences Using Lightweight Formal Methods for Requirements Modeling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Easterbrook, Steve; Lutz, Robyn; Covington, Rick; Kelly, John; Ampo, Yoko; Hamilton, David

    1997-01-01

    This paper describes three case studies in the lightweight application of formal methods to requirements modeling for spacecraft fault protection systems. The case studies differ from previously reported applications of formal methods in that formal methods were applied very early in the requirements engineering process, to validate the evolving requirements. The results were fed back into the projects, to improve the informal specifications. For each case study, we describe what methods were applied, how they were applied, how much effort was involved, and what the findings were. In all three cases, formal methods enhanced the existing verification and validation processes, by testing key properties of the evolving requirements, and helping to identify weaknesses. We conclude that the benefits gained from early modeling of unstable requirements more than outweigh the effort needed to maintain multiple representations.

  7. Case Studies in Applied Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mathematical Association of America, Washington, DC.

    This collection of nine case studies in applied mathematics was written primarily for the use of the instructor by a Conference sponsored by the Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM). Each chapter contains exercises of varying degrees of difficulty and several include student projects. The materials were used on a trial…

  8. Applying Western Organization Development in China: Lessons from a Case of Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Jia

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore a successful case of a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) as it applied western organization development (OD) approaches. Specifically, this study seeks to answer two questions: How has western organization development and change (OD/C) been applied in one Chinese SOE? and What lessons can be…

  9. Case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Brurberg, Kjetil Gundro; Fønhus, Marita Sporstøl; Larun, Lillebeth; Flottorp, Signe; Malterud, Kirsti

    2014-01-01

    Objective To identify case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), and explore how the validity of case definitions can be evaluated in the absence of a reference standard. Design Systematic review. Setting International. Participants A literature search, updated as of November 2013, led to the identification of 20 case definitions and inclusion of 38 validation studies. Primary and secondary outcome measure Validation studies were assessed for risk of bias and categorised according to three validation models: (1) independent application of several case definitions on the same population, (2) sequential application of different case definitions on patients diagnosed with CFS/ME with one set of diagnostic criteria or (3) comparison of prevalence estimates from different case definitions applied on different populations. Results A total of 38 studies contributed data of sufficient quality and consistency for evaluation of validity, with CDC-1994/Fukuda as the most frequently applied case definition. No study rigorously assessed the reproducibility or feasibility of case definitions. Validation studies were small with methodological weaknesses and inconsistent results. No empirical data indicated that any case definition specifically identified patients with a neuroimmunological condition. Conclusions Classification of patients according to severity and symptom patterns, aiming to predict prognosis or effectiveness of therapy, seems useful. Development of further case definitions of CFS/ME should be given a low priority. Consistency in research can be achieved by applying diagnostic criteria that have been subjected to systematic evaluation. PMID:24508851

  10. 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

  11. Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Applied to Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Flame-Retardant Coatings in Upholstery Textiles: A Case Study Presenting Priority Research Gaps for Future Risk Assessments (Final Report)

    EPA Science Inventory

    In September 2013, EPA announced the availability of the final report, Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Applied to Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Flame-Retardant Coatings in Upholstery Textiles: A Case Study Presenting Priority Research Gaps for Future Risk Assessments...

  12. Incorporating ITS into transportation improvement planning : the Seattle Case Study using PRUEVIIN

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-01-01

    This project explored methods to analyze ITS strategies within Major Investment Study (MIS) studies and to apply them in a case study. The case study developed methods to define alternatives, and to estimate impacts and costs at the level required fo...

  13. Deploying an Intelligent Pairing Assistant for Air Operation Centers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-23

    primary contributions of this case study are applying artificial intelligence techniques to a novel domain and discussing the software evaluation...their standard workflows. The primary contributions of this case study are applying artificial intelligence techniques to a novel domain and...users for more efficient and accurate pairing? Participants Participants in the evaluation consisted of three SMEs employed at Intelligent Software

  14. The epistemically virtuous clinician.

    PubMed

    Marcum, James A

    2009-01-01

    Today, modern Western medicine is facing a quality-of-care crisis that is undermining the patient-physician relationship. In this paper, a notion of the epistemically virtuous clinician is proposed in terms of both the reliabilist and responsibilist versions of virtue epistemology, in order to help address this crisis. To that end, a clinical case study from the literature is first reconstructed. The reliabilist intellectual virtues, including the perceptual and conceptual virtues, are then discussed and applied to the case study. Next, a similar method is employed to examine the responsibilist intellectual virtues, including curiosity, courage, honesty, and humility, and to apply them to the case study. To round out the discussion, the love of knowledge and both theoretical and practical wisdom are explored and applied to the case study. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of how the notion of an epistemically virtuous clinician addresses the quality-of-care crisis, in terms of the connection between ethical and intellectual virtues, and of the notion's implications for medical education.

  15. Participative Case Studies: Integrating Case Writing and a Traditional Case Study Approach in a Marketing Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forman, Howard

    2006-01-01

    Case-based pedagogy is a valuable tool for applying business concepts and theories to organizational contexts. Traditional case-based pedagogy offers such learning opportunities. What this pedagogy lacks, however, is an element of real-time experiential learning opportunities. This research focuses on the advantages of incorporating a case-writing…

  16. In Case You Teach English: Case Studies in the English Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johannessen, Larry R.

    Case studies can be a powerful strategy to use for helping students learn critical thinking processes that are key to interpreting and responding to literature and writing. Some of the major benefits of applying case methods are: cases provide an environment for active learning; they encourage the creation of a community of learners; cases help…

  17. A Neuroanatomy Teaching Activity Using Case Studies and Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheldon, Jane P.

    2000-01-01

    Describes an activity for use in an introductory psychology course in which students collaborate and apply their neuroanatomy knowledge to three case studies. Provides a table with descriptions of and possible answers for the three case studies and discusses the students' responses. (CMK)

  18. Emergency department injury surveillance and aetiological research: bridging the gap with the two-stage case-control study design.

    PubMed

    Hagel, Brent E

    2011-04-01

    To provide an overview of the two-stage case-control study design and its potential application to ED injury surveillance data and to apply this approach to published ED data on the relation between brain injury and bicycle helmet use. Relevant background is presented on injury aetiology and case-control methodology with extension to the two-stage case-control design in the context of ED injury surveillance. The design is then applied to data from a published case-control study of the relation between brain injury and bicycle helmet use with motor vehicle involvement considered as a potential confounder. Taking into account the additional sampling at the second stage, the adjusted and corrected odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for the brain injury-helmet use relation is presented and compared with the estimate from the entire original dataset. Contexts where the two-stage case-control study design might be most appropriately applied to ED injury surveillance data are suggested. The adjusted odds ratio for the relation between brain injury and bicycle helmet use based on all data (n = 2833) from the original study was 0.34 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.46) compared with an estimate from a two-stage case-control design of 0.35 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.48) using only a fraction of the original subjects (n = 480). Application of the two-stage case-control study design to ED injury surveillance data has the potential to dramatically reduce study time and resource costs with acceptable losses in statistical efficiency.

  19. Integrating Human Factors into Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whitmore, Mihriban; Holden, Kritina; Baggerman, Susan; Campbell, Paul

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this design process is to apply Human Engineering (HE) requirements and guidelines to hardware/software and to provide HE design, analysis and evaluation of crew interfaces. The topics include: 1) Background/Purpose; 2) HE Activities; 3) CASE STUDY: Net Habitable Volume (NHV) Study; 4) CASE STUDY: Human Modeling Approach; 5) CASE STUDY: Human Modeling Results; 6) CASE STUDY: Human Modeling Conclusions; 7) CASE STUDY: Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation Approach; 8) CASE STUDY: Unsuited Evaluation Results; 9) CASE STUDY: Suited Evaluation Results; 10) CASE STUDY: Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation Conclusions; 11) Near-Term Plan; and 12) In Conclusion

  20. Case Studies in the Organizational Communication Course: Applying Textbook Concepts to Real Life Organizations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byers, Peggy Yuhas

    This paper urges the use of case study discussions in the organizational communication class as an effective instructional technique. The paper presents a variety of formats for bringing case studies to life for students in the organizational communication course. It first discusses sources for case studies such as the World Wide Web, local and…

  1. 78 FR 12764 - Draft Office of Health Assessment and Translation Approach for Systematic Review and Evidence...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-25

    ... Approach--February 2013 might be needed, OHAT plans to apply it to two case-study evaluations. One case... Availability: Draft OHAT Approach--February 2013 will be available by February 26, 2013, and case-study... framework, describe the contents in the case-study protocols, and respond to questions from the public on...

  2. Developing and pretesting case studies in dental and dental hygiene education: using the diffusion of innovations model.

    PubMed

    Cragun, Deborah L; DeBate, Rita DiGioacchino; Severson, Herbert H; Shaw, Tracy; Christiansen, Steve; Koerber, Anne; Tomar, Scott L; Brown, Kelli McCormack; Tedesco, Lisa A; Hendricson, William D

    2012-05-01

    Case-based learning offers exposure to clinical situations that health professions students may not encounter in their training. The purposes of this study were to apply the Diffusion of Innovations conceptual framework to 1) identify characteristics of case studies that would increase their adoption among dental and dental hygiene faculty members and 2) develop and pretest interactive web-based case studies on sensitive oral-systemic health issues. The formative study spanned two phases using mixed methods (Phase 1: eight focus groups and four interviews; Phase 2: ten interviews and satisfaction surveys). Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data revealed the following positive attributes of the developed case studies: relative advantage of active learning and modeling; compatibility with a variety of courses; observability of case-related knowledge and skills; independent learning; and modifiability for use with other oral-systemic health issues. These positive attributes are expected to increase the likelihood that dental and dental hygiene faculty members will adopt the developed case study once it is available for use. The themes identified in this study could be applied to the development of future case studies and may provide broader insight that might prove useful for exploring differences in case study use across dental and dental hygiene curricula.

  3. [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).

  4. Engaging Engineering Students in Geoscience through Case Studies and Active Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holley, Elizabeth A.

    2017-01-01

    This study reports on a case study-based curricular intervention designed to help undergraduate engineering students make connections between geoscience and its applications. Teaching through case studies resulted in a measurable and significant improvement in the confidence that students had in their ability to apply geoscience concepts in an…

  5. Comparative Case Study on Designing and Applying Flipped Classroom at Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lim, Cheolil; Kim, Sunyoung; Lee, Jihyun; Kim, Hyeonsu; Han, Hyeongjong

    2014-01-01

    There have been many reports on cases where flipped classroom was applied which put greater emphasis on conducting various learning activities during class. However, there is a limitation in redesigning existing university lectures as flipped classrooms merely based on reports that describe the learning activities of and their effects on…

  6. A concordance index for matched case-control studies with applications in cancer risk.

    PubMed

    Brentnall, Adam R; Cuzick, Jack; Field, John; Duffy, Stephen W

    2015-02-10

    In unmatched case-control studies, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) may be used to measure how well a variable discriminates between cases and controls. The AUC is sometimes used in matched case-control studies by ignoring matching, but it lacks interpretation because it is not based on an estimate of the ROC for the population of interest. We introduce an alternative measure of discrimination that is the concordance of risk factors conditional on the matching factors. Parametric and non-parametric estimators are given for different matching scenarios, and applied to real data from breast and lung cancer case-control studies. Diagnostic plots to verify the constancy of discrimination over matching factors are demonstrated. The proposed simple measure is easy to use, interpret, more efficient than unmatched AUC statistics and may be applied to compare the conditional discrimination performance of risk factors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. A case study using the PrOACT-URL and BRAT frameworks for structured benefit risk assessment.

    PubMed

    Nixon, Richard; Dierig, Christoph; Mt-Isa, Shahrul; Stöckert, Isabelle; Tong, Thaison; Kuhls, Silvia; Hodgson, Gemma; Pears, John; Waddingham, Ed; Hockley, Kimberley; Thomson, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    While benefit-risk assessment is a key component of the drug development and maintenance process, it is often described in a narrative. In contrast, structured benefit-risk assessment builds on established ideas from decision analysis and comprises a qualitative framework and quantitative methodology. We compare two such frameworks, applying multi-criteria decision-analysis (MCDA) within the PrOACT-URL framework and weighted net clinical benefit (wNCB), within the BRAT framework. These are applied to a case study of natalizumab for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. We focus on the practical considerations of applying these methods and give recommendations for visual presentation of results. In the case study, we found structured benefit-risk analysis to be a useful tool for structuring, quantifying, and communicating the relative benefit and safety profiles of drugs in a transparent, rational and consistent way. The two frameworks were similar. MCDA is a generic and flexible methodology that can be used to perform a structured benefit-risk in any common context. wNCB is a special case of MCDA and is shown to be equivalent to an extension of the number needed to treat (NNT) principle. It is simpler to apply and understand than MCDA and can be applied when all outcomes are measured on a binary scale. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Exploring Small Group Analysis of Instructional Design Cases in Online Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trespalacios, Jesus

    2017-01-01

    The case-based approach is a constructivist instructional strategy that helps students apply their emerging knowledge by studying design problems in authentic real-world situations. One important instructional strategy in case-based instruction is to analyze cases in small groups before discussing them with the whole class. This study investigates…

  9. 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.

  10. Cognitive neuropsychology and its vicissitudes: The fate of Caramazza's axioms.

    PubMed

    Shallice, Tim

    2015-01-01

    Cognitive neuropsychology is characterized as the discipline in which one draws conclusions about the organization of the normal cognitive systems from the behaviour of brain-damaged individuals. In a series of papers, Caramazza, later in collaboration with McCloskey, put forward four assumptions as the bridge principles for making such inferences. Four potential pitfalls, one for each axiom, are discussed with respect to the use of single-case methods. Two of the pitfalls also apply to case series and group study procedures, and the other two are held to be indirectly testable or avoidable. Moreover, four other pitfalls are held to apply to case series or group study methods. It is held that inferences from single-case procedures may profitably be supported or rejected using case series/group study methods, but also that analogous support needs to be given in the other direction for functionally based case series or group studies. It is argued that at least six types of neuropsychological method are valuable for extrapolation to theories of the normal cognitive system but that the single- or multiple-case study remains a critical part of cognitive neuropsychology's methods.

  11. Hungarys Alternative to Counter Hybrid Warfare - Small States Weaponized Citizenry

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-09

    case , the thesis applies qualitative intrinsic case study methodology to answer the primary and secondary research questions. Documents in the...literature review provide two 237 Robert E. Stake, The Art of Case Study Research (Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE...solution for Hungary. The following paragraphs present criteria for the analysis. Criteria The case study analysis concentrates on the first two

  12. Applying Matched Sampling to Evaluate a University Tutoring Program for First-Year Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walvoord, Mark E.; Pleitz, Jacob D.

    2016-01-01

    Our study used a case-control matching design to assess the influence of a voluntary tutoring program in improving first-year students' Grade Point Averages (GPA). To evaluate program effectiveness, we applied case-control matching to obtain 215 pairs of students with or without participation in tutoring, but matched on high school GPA and…

  13. Applying Quality Indicators to Single-Case Research Designs Used in Special Education: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moeller, Jeremy D.; Dattilo, John; Rusch, Frank

    2015-01-01

    This study examined how specific guidelines and heuristics have been used to identify methodological rigor associated with single-case research designs based on quality indicators developed by Horner et al. Specifically, this article describes how literature reviews have applied Horner et al.'s quality indicators and evidence-based criteria.…

  14. Causal Inference in Retrospective Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holland, Paul W.; Rubin, Donald B.

    1988-01-01

    The problem of drawing causal inferences from retrospective case-controlled studies is considered. A model for causal inference in prospective studies is applied to retrospective studies. Limitations of case-controlled studies are formulated concerning relevant parameters that can be estimated in such studies. A coffee-drinking/myocardial…

  15. Incorporating ITS into corridor planning : Seattle case study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-08-01

    The goals of this study were to develop a methodology for incorporating Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) into the transportation planning process and apply the methodology to estimate ITS costs and benefits for one case study. A major result ...

  16. Incorporating ITS into corridor planning : Seattle case study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-06-01

    The goals of this study were to develop a methodology for incorporating Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) into the transportation planning process and apply the methodology to estimate ITS costs and benefits for one case study. A major result ...

  17. Comparing Visual and Statistical Analysis in Single-Case Studies Using Published Studies

    PubMed Central

    Harrington, Magadalena; Velicer, Wayne F.

    2015-01-01

    Little is known about the extent to which interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA) can be applied to short, single-case study designs and whether those applications produce results consistent with visual analysis (VA). This paper examines the extent to which ITSA can be applied to single-case study designs and compares the results based on two methods: ITSA and VA, using papers published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis in 2010. The study was made possible by the development of software called UnGraph® which facilitates the recovery of raw data from the graphs. ITSA was successfully applied to 94% of the examined graphs with the number of observations ranging from 8 to 136. Moderate to high lag 1 autocorrelations (> .50) were found for 46% of the data series. Effect sizes similar to group-level Cohen’s d were identified based on the tertile distribution. Effects ranging from 0.00 to 0.99 were classified as small, those ranging from 1.00 to 2.49 as medium, and large effect sizes were defined as 2.50 or greater. Comparison of the conclusions from VA and ITSA had a low level of agreement (Kappa = .14, accounting for the agreement expected by chance). The results demonstrate that ITSA can be broadly implemented in applied behavior analysis research. These two methods should be viewed as complimentary and used concurrently. PMID:26609876

  18. Case Study: A Separation of Powers Lesson.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenkins, Steve

    1986-01-01

    Presents a case study involving students in the issue of separation of powers as applied to the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act. Students examine the case of Jagdish Rai Chadha, an immigrant threatened with deportation whose problems resulted in 1983 U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring legislative veto provision of Immigration and…

  19. School Finance Case Study: Dealing with a School District Budget Deficit

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kersten, Thomas

    2007-01-01

    This case study-based class assignment (see Appendix A) is designed as a culminating course activity through which students demonstrate not only their understanding of school finance basics but also show how to apply their knowledge to solving a problem impacting many public school administrators today. Because the case study is general in design,…

  20. Effectiveness of Vascular Markers (Immunohistochemical Stains) in Soft Tissue Sarcomas.

    PubMed

    Naeem, Namra; Mushtaq, Sajid; Akhter, Noreen; Hussain, Mudassar; Hassan, Usman

    2018-05-01

    To ascertain the effectiveness of IHC markers of vascular origin like CD31, CD34, FLI1 and ERG in vascular soft tissue sarcomas including angiosarcomas, Kaposi sarcomas, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and a non-vascular soft tissue sarcoma (Epithelioid sarcoma). Descriptive study. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, from 2011 to 2017. Diagnosed cases of angiosarcomas (n=48), epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (n=9), Kaposi sarcoma (n=9) and epithelioid sarcoma (n=20) were selected. Immunohistochemical staining as performed on formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections. The sections were stained for the following markers: CD34 (VENTANA clone Q Bend 10), CD31 (Leica clone 1 A 10), FLI1 (CELL MARQUE clone MRQ-1) and ERG (CELL MARQUE clone EP111). A complete panel of CD34, CD31 and ERG was applied on 8/48 cases of angiosarcomas with triple positivity in 6 cases. Eight cases showed positivity for only CD31 and ERG and 2 cases showed positivity for only ERG. A complete panel of CD34, CD31 and ERG was applied on 3/9 cases of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma with positivity for all markers in 2 cases. Combined positivity for ERG and CD34 was seen in 2 cases and on 4 cases only CD31 immunohistochemical was solely applied with 100% positivity. FLI1 was not applied on any case. Among 9 cases of Kaposi sarcoma, ERG, CD34 and CD31 in combination were applied on only 1 case with triple positivity. Remaining cases show positivity for either CD34, CD31 or FLI1. Majority of cases of epithelioid sarcomas were diagnosed on the basis of cytokeratin and CD34 positivity with loss of INI1. The other vascular markers showed negativity in all cases. Among these four markers, ERG immunohistochemical stain is highly effective for endothelial differentiation due to its specific nuclear staining pattern in normal blood vessel endothelial cells (internal control) as well as neoplastic cells of vascular tumors and lack of background staining.

  1. Engaging Students in Applied Electromagnetics at the University of San Diego

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lumori, M. L. D.; Kim, E. M.

    2010-01-01

    Two possible topical approaches that have been applied to teaching an upper-division undergraduate electrical engineering applied electromagnetics course are presented. Each approach was applied to one of two offerings of the course, taught in different semesters. In either case, the course includes the study of electromagnetic theory and…

  2. Electronic Freight Management Case Studies : a Summary of Results

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-04-01

    The Electronic Freight Management (EFM) initiative is a USDOT-sponsored project that applies Web technologies that improve data and message transmissions between supply chain partners. The EFM implementation case studies contained in this document ex...

  3. Correcting for batch effects in case-control microbiome studies

    PubMed Central

    Gibbons, Sean M.; Duvallet, Claire

    2018-01-01

    High-throughput data generation platforms, like mass-spectrometry, microarrays, and second-generation sequencing are susceptible to batch effects due to run-to-run variation in reagents, equipment, protocols, or personnel. Currently, batch correction methods are not commonly applied to microbiome sequencing datasets. In this paper, we compare different batch-correction methods applied to microbiome case-control studies. We introduce a model-free normalization procedure where features (i.e. bacterial taxa) in case samples are converted to percentiles of the equivalent features in control samples within a study prior to pooling data across studies. We look at how this percentile-normalization method compares to traditional meta-analysis methods for combining independent p-values and to limma and ComBat, widely used batch-correction models developed for RNA microarray data. Overall, we show that percentile-normalization is a simple, non-parametric approach for correcting batch effects and improving sensitivity in case-control meta-analyses. PMID:29684016

  4. [Pterygium surgery and fibrin glue: avoiding dehiscence].

    PubMed

    Pérez-Silguero, D; Díaz-Ginory, A; Santana-Rodríguez, C; Pérez-Silguero, M A

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to evaluate those cases of pterygium surgery with fibrin sealant that produced dehiscence of the graft, and then apply and evaluate the efficacy of a different surgical technique in an attempt eliminate this complication in previously identified cases of high risk. The first phase is a retrospective study of 42 cases of pterygium surgery. In the second phase, the variation in the surgical technique was prospectively used in 14 cases of pterygium surgery. Cases of recurrent pterygium, broad pterygium, and complicated surgery were identified as the groups with a risk of suffering dehiscence of the graft. With the variant applied surgery no dehiscence occurred when using the variation in surgical technique, with no added complications. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  5. Improving Diabetes Care in the Military Primary Care Clinic: Case Study Review

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-23

    This research study combines qualitative and quantitative methodology in reflectively exploring positive case studies to ascertain strategies that...enabled patients to engage in self-management. Moreover, this study seeks to better understand how applying the ADA Standards of Care in a military

  6. Case Studies in Elementary and Secondary Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boboc, Marius; Nordgren, R. D.

    2010-01-01

    Practical and engaging, this book contains 21 case studies that help students apply curriculum theory to classroom reality. Each case is authored by an in-service teacher, reflecting on ways to improve instruction by making changes to various aspects of the curriculum. These real-life examples investigate up-to-date curricular issues ranging from…

  7. Three Cases of Adolescent Childbearing Decision-Making: The Importance of Ambivalence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bender, Soley S.

    2008-01-01

    Limited information is available about the childbearing decision-making experience by the pregnant adolescent. The purpose of this case study was to explore this experience with three pregnant teenagers. The study is based on nine qualitative interviews. Within-case descriptions applying the theoretical model of decision-making regarding unwanted…

  8. Case Studies Add Value to a Diverse Teaching Portfolio in Science Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camill, Philip

    2006-01-01

    Together with lectures and labs, case studies assist students in acquiring content knowledge, process skills, and an understanding of the context and application of science to their daily lives. Cases make the process of scientific learning more genuine and rigorous, bringing alive classroom learning and helping students apply concepts to…

  9. A Case Study in Design Thinking Applied Through Aviation Mission Support Tactical Advancements for the Next Generation (TANG)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-12-01

    This is an examination of the research, execution, and follow- on developments supporting the Design Thinking event explored through Case Study ...research, execution, and follow- on developments supporting the Design Thinking event explored through case study methods. Additionally, the lenses of...total there have been two Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) case study theses on U.S. Navy innovation events as well as other works examining the

  10. A Case Study in Elementary Statistics: The Florida Panther Population

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazowski, Andrew; Stopper, Geffrey

    2013-01-01

    We describe a case study that was created to intertwine the fields of biology and mathematics. This project is given in an elementary probability and statistics course for non-math majors. Some goals of this case study include: to expose students to biology in a math course, to apply probability to real-life situations, and to display how far a…

  11. The Epidemiology of Transfusion-related Acute Lung Injury Varies According to the Applied Definition of Lung Injury Onset Time.

    PubMed

    Vande Vusse, Lisa K; Caldwell, Ellen; Tran, Edward; Hogl, Laurie; Dinwiddie, Steven; López, José A; Maier, Ronald V; Watkins, Timothy R

    2015-09-01

    Research that applies an unreliable definition for transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) may draw false conclusions about its risk factors and biology. The effectiveness of preventive strategies may decrease as a consequence. However, the reliability of the consensus TRALI definition is unknown. To prospectively study the effect of applying two plausible definitions of acute respiratory distress syndrome onset time on TRALI epidemiology. We studied 316 adults admitted to the intensive care unit and transfused red blood cells within 24 hours of blunt trauma. We identified patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, and defined acute respiratory distress syndrome onset time two ways: (1) the time at which the first radiographic or oxygenation criterion was met, and (2) the time both criteria were met. We categorized two corresponding groups of TRALI cases transfused in the 6 hours before acute respiratory distress syndrome onset. We used Cohen's kappa to measure agreement between the TRALI cases and implicated blood components identified by the two acute respiratory distress syndrome onset time definitions. In a nested case-control study, we examined potential risk factors for each group of TRALI cases, including demographics, injury severity, and characteristics of blood components transfused in the 6 hours before acute respiratory distress syndrome onset. Forty-two of 113 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome were TRALI cases per the first acute respiratory distress syndrome onset time definition and 63 per the second definition. There was slight agreement between the two groups of TRALI cases (κ = 0.16; 95% confidence interval, -0.01 to 0.33) and between the implicated blood components (κ = 0.15, 95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.20). Age, Injury Severity Score, high plasma-volume components, and transfused plasma volume were risk factors for TRALI when applying the second acute respiratory distress syndrome onset time definition but not when applying the first definition. The epidemiology of TRALI varies when applying two plausible definitions of acute respiratory distress syndrome onset time to severely injured trauma patients. A TRALI definition that standardizes acute respiratory distress syndrome onset time might improve reliability and align efforts to understand epidemiology, biology, and prevention.

  12. Benzene Case Study Final Report - Second Prospective Report Study Science Advisory Board Review, July 2009

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA developed a methodology for estimating the health benefits of benzene reductions and has applied it in a metropolitan-scale case study of the benefits of CAA controls on benzene emissions to accompany the main 812 analysis.

  13. Draft Benzene Case Study Review - Second Prospective Report Study Science Advisory Board Review, March 2008

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA developed a methodology for estimating the health benefits of benzene reductions and has applied it in a metropolitan-scale case study of the benefits of CAA controls on benzene emissions to accompany the main 812 analysis.

  14. LGB-Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Social Anxiety: A Case Study Applying Evidence-Based Practice Principles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walsh, Kate; Hope, Debra A.

    2010-01-01

    Guided by the American Psychological Association's principles of evidence-based practice, this article reviews a single-case treatment outcome study whereby a client characteristic, sexual identity, was integrated into the assessment and treatment of social anxiety symptoms. The case involved a young adult European-American male who presented to a…

  15. Designed for Learning: A Case Study in Rethinking Teaching and Learning for a Large First Year Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldacre, Lisa; Bolt, Susan; Lambiris, Michael

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a case study in which the principles of scholarship were applied to designing an approach to learning suitable for large classes. While this case study describes an Australian first year Business Law unit, the findings presented in this paper would be relevant to a wide range of teachers faced with large enrollments in first…

  16. Applying Asynchronous Solutions to the Multi-Tasking Realities of a Teacher Education Faculty Unit: Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moffett, David W.; Claxton, Melba S.; Jordan, Skye L.; Mercer, Patricia P.; Reid, Barbara K.

    2007-01-01

    The case study describes the early stages of building and using a learning management system (LMS) to aid in the productivity of an education faculty unit. Little to no research exists regarding teacher education units using LMSs to create an online web group for work purposes. The literature review preceding the case study illuminated some of the…

  17. Developing Army Leaders through Increased Rigor in Professional Military Training and Education

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-09

    leadership. Research Methodology An applied, exploratory, qualitative research methodology via a structured and focused case study comparison was...research methodology via a structured and focused case study comparison. Finally, it will discuss how the methodology will be conducted to make...development models; it serves as the base data for case study comparison. 48 Research Methodology and Data Analysis A qualitative research

  18. Educational NASA Computational and Scientific Studies (enCOMPASS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Memarsadeghi, Nargess

    2013-01-01

    Educational NASA Computational and Scientific Studies (enCOMPASS) is an educational project of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center aimed at bridging the gap between computational objectives and needs of NASA's scientific research, missions, and projects, and academia's latest advances in applied mathematics and computer science. enCOMPASS achieves this goal via bidirectional collaboration and communication between NASA and academia. Using developed NASA Computational Case Studies in university computer science/engineering and applied mathematics classes is a way of addressing NASA's goals of contributing to the Science, Technology, Education, and Math (STEM) National Objective. The enCOMPASS Web site at http://encompass.gsfc.nasa.gov provides additional information. There are currently nine enCOMPASS case studies developed in areas of earth sciences, planetary sciences, and astrophysics. Some of these case studies have been published in AIP and IEEE's Computing in Science and Engineering magazines. A few university professors have used enCOMPASS case studies in their computational classes and contributed their findings to NASA scientists. In these case studies, after introducing the science area, the specific problem, and related NASA missions, students are first asked to solve a known problem using NASA data and past approaches used and often published in a scientific/research paper. Then, after learning about the NASA application and related computational tools and approaches for solving the proposed problem, students are given a harder problem as a challenge for them to research and develop solutions for. This project provides a model for NASA scientists and engineers on one side, and university students, faculty, and researchers in computer science and applied mathematics on the other side, to learn from each other's areas of work, computational needs and solutions, and the latest advances in research and development. This innovation takes NASA science and engineering applications to computer science and applied mathematics university classes, and makes NASA objectives part of the university curricula. There is great potential for growth and return on investment of this program to the point where every major university in the U.S. would use at least one of these case studies in one of their computational courses, and where every NASA scientist and engineer facing a computational challenge (without having resources or expertise to solve it) would use enCOMPASS to formulate the problem as a case study, provide it to a university, and get back their solutions and ideas.

  19. Assessing Student Work to Support Curriculum Development: An Engineering Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saunders, Kevin; Brumm, Thomas; Brooke, Corly; Mickelson, Steve; Freeman, Steve

    2013-01-01

    Knowledge and abilities associated with interdisciplinary education include integrating knowledge across disciplines, applying knowledge to real-world situations, and demonstrating skills in creativity, teamwork, communication, and collaboration. This case study discusses how a departmental curriculum committee in Agricultural and Biosystems…

  20. Applying TEAM in Regional Sketch Planning: Three Case Studies in Atlanta, Orlando, St. Louis

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This EPA report documents 3 case studies of the application of TEAM (Travel Efficiency Assessment Method) to develop, assess and quantify regional greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emission reductions from travel efficiency strategies in a cost effecti

  1. Working Together with Children and Families: Case Studies in Early Intervention.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McWilliam, P. J., Ed.; Bailey, Donald B., Jr., Ed.

    This book presents 21 case studies of young children with disabilities in a variety of family situations and settings, for early interventionists to study in planning and applying recommended practices. Section I, "Defining and Delivering Quality Services in Early Intervention," provides two introductory chapters: "The Search for Quality…

  2. Discursive Hierarchical Patterning in Economics Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lung, Jane

    2011-01-01

    This paper attempts to apply Lung's (2008) model of the discursive hierarchical patterning of cases to a closer and more specific study of Economics cases and proposes a model of the distinct discursive hierarchical patterning of the same. It examines a corpus of 150 Economics cases with a view to uncovering the patterns of discourse construction.…

  3. Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Applied to ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    In September 2013, EPA announced the availability of the final report, Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Applied to Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Flame-Retardant Coatings in Upholstery Textiles: A Case Study Presenting Priority Research Gaps for Future Risk Assessments. This final report presents a case study of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs); it focuses on the specific example of MWCNTs as used in flame-retardant coatings applied to upholstery textiles. This case study is organized around the comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA) framework, which structures available information pertaining to the product life cycle, environmental transport and fate, exposure-dose in receptors (i.e., humans, ecological populations, and the environment), and potential impacts in these receptors. A group of experts representing multiple disciplines and multiple sector perspectives used an earlier draft of the case study in conjunction with a structured workshop process to identify and prioritize research gaps that, if pursued, could inform future MWCNT assessment efforts. The final report is not a health, risk, or exposure assessment and as such does not draw conclusions about potential risks, or present an exhaustive review of the literature. Rather, it presents the MWCNT research priorities that experts identified in this application of CEA in order to aid research planning throughout the scientific community. The outcomes of these research efforts may subsequ

  4. Optimization under variability and uncertainty: a case study for NOx emissions control for a gasification system.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jianjun; Frey, H Christopher

    2004-12-15

    Methods for optimization of process technologies considering the distinction between variability and uncertainty are developed and applied to case studies of NOx control for Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle systems. Existing methods of stochastic optimization (SO) and stochastic programming (SP) are demonstrated. A comparison of SO and SP results provides the value of collecting additional information to reduce uncertainty. For example, an expected annual benefit of 240,000 dollars is estimated if uncertainty can be reduced before a final design is chosen. SO and SP are typically applied to uncertainty. However, when applied to variability, the benefit of dynamic process control is obtained. For example, an annual savings of 1 million dollars could be achieved if the system is adjusted to changes in process conditions. When variability and uncertainty are treated distinctively, a coupled stochastic optimization and programming method and a two-dimensional stochastic programming method are demonstrated via a case study. For the case study, the mean annual benefit of dynamic process control is estimated to be 700,000 dollars, with a 95% confidence range of 500,000 dollars to 940,000 dollars. These methods are expected to be of greatest utility for problems involving a large commitment of resources, for which small differences in designs can produce large cost savings.

  5. Synchronization of an optomechanical system to an external drive

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amitai, Ehud; Lörch, Niels; Nunnenkamp, Andreas; Walter, Stefan; Bruder, Christoph

    2017-05-01

    Optomechanical systems driven by an effective blue-detuned laser can exhibit self-sustained oscillations of the mechanical oscillator. These self-oscillations are a prerequisite for the observation of synchronization. Here, we study the synchronization of the mechanical oscillations to an external reference drive. We study two cases of reference drives: (1) an additional laser applied to the optical cavity; (2) a mechanical drive applied directly to the mechanical oscillator. Starting from a master equation description, we derive a microscopic Adler equation for both cases, valid in the classical regime in which the quantum shot noise of the mechanical self-oscillator does not play a role. Furthermore, we numerically show that, in both cases, synchronization arises also in the quantum regime. The optomechanical system is therefore a good candidate for the study of quantum synchronization.

  6. Methylmercury Screening Models for Surface Water Habitat Restoration: A Case Study in Duluth-Superior Harbor

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-11-01

    three models used in this study (HERMES, WASP, and SERAFM) were applied very differently and, in some ways, comparing them in Table 10 is...ER D C/ EL T R- 17 -1 9 Dredging Innovations Group Methylmercury Screening Models for Surface Water Habitat Restoration: A Case Study in...Case Study in Duluth-Superior Harbor Philip T. Gidley, Joseph P. Kreitinger, Mansour Zakikhani, and Burton C. Suedel Environmental Laboratory

  7. Assessment for Learning in Norway and Portugal: The Case of Primary School Mathematics Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nortvedt, Guri A.; Santos, Leonor; Pinto, Jorge

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we aim to understand the forces driving assessment for learning (AfL) in primary school teaching. By applying a case study design, including the two cases of Norway and Portugal and using mathematics teaching as an example, available policy documents and research reports are analysed to identify the differences and similarities that…

  8. The Recovery Care and Treatment Center: A Database Design and Development Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Ranida B.; Vaught, Kara L.

    2008-01-01

    The advantages of active learning methodologies have been suggested and empirically shown by a number of IS educators. Case studies are one such teaching technique that offers students the ability to think analytically, apply material learned, and solve a real-world problem. This paper presents a case study designed to be used in a database design…

  9. Performance Support Case Studies from IBM.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duke-Moran, Celia; Swope, Ginger; Morariu, Janis; deKam, Peter

    1999-01-01

    Presents two case studies that show how IBM addressed performance support solutions and electronic learning. The first developed a performance support and expert coaching solution; the second applied performance support to reducing implementation time and total cost of ownership of enterprise resource planning systems. (Author/LRW)

  10. Coupling socioeconomic and lake systems for sustainability: a conceptual analysis using Lake St. Clair region as a case study.

    PubMed

    Mavrommati, Georgia; Baustian, Melissa M; Dreelin, Erin A

    2014-04-01

    Applying sustainability at an operational level requires understanding the linkages between socioeconomic and natural systems. We identified linkages in a case study of the Lake St. Clair (LSC) region, part of the Laurentian Great Lakes system. Our research phases included: (1) investigating and revising existing coupled human and natural systems frameworks to develop a framework for this case study; (2) testing and refining the framework by hosting a 1-day stakeholder workshop and (3) creating a causal loop diagram (CLD) to illustrate the relationships among the systems' key components. With stakeholder assistance, we identified four interrelated pathways that include water use and discharge, land use, tourism and shipping that impact the ecological condition of LSC. The interrelationships between the pathways of water use and tourism are further illustrated by a CLD with several feedback loops. We suggest that this holistic approach can be applied to other case studies and inspire the development of dynamic models capable of informing decision making for sustainability.

  11. Identification of the traditional methods of newborn mothers regarding jaundice in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Aydin, Diler; Karaca Ciftci, Esra; Karatas, Hulya

    2014-02-01

    To detect traditional methods applied for the treatment of newborn jaundice by mothers in Turkey. Traditional methods are generally used in our society. Instead of using medical services, people often use already-known traditional methods to treat the disease. In such cases, the prognosis of the disease generally becomes worse, the treatment period longer and healthcare costs higher, and more medicine is used. A cross-sectional descriptive study. The participants of this study were 229 mothers with newborn babies aged 0-28 days in one university hospital and one public children's hospital in Sanliurfa. The study was conducted between March and May 2012. In this research, the Beliefs and Traditional Methods of Mothers for Jaundice Questionnaire, which was formed by searching the relevant literature, is used as a data collection tool. The data are evaluated by percentage distributions. Mothers apply conventional practices in cases of health problems such as jaundice, and application of these methods is important to mothers. Moreover, mothers reported applying hazardous conventional methods in cases of neonatal jaundice, such as cutting the area between the baby's eyebrows with a blade, cutting the back of the ear and the body and burning the body, which are not applied in different cultures. Education regarding the effects of conventional methods being applied in families should be provided, and the results of this study should serve to guide further studies in assessing the effects of such education. This approach can support beneficial practices involving individual care and prevent the negative health effects of hazardous practices. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Opening of DNA chain due to force applied on different locations.

    PubMed

    Singh, Amar; Modi, Tushar; Singh, Navin

    2016-09-01

    We consider a homogeneous DNA molecule and investigate the effect of random force applied on the unzipping profile of the molecule. How the critical force varies as a function of the chain length or number of base pairs is the objective of this study. In general, the ratio of the critical forces that is applied on the middle of the chain to that which is applied on one of the ends is two. Our study shows that this ratio depends on the length of the chain. This means that the force which is applied to a point can be experienced by a section of the chain. Beyond a length, the base pairs have no information about the applied force. In the case when the chain length is shorter than this length, this ratio may vary. Only in the case when the chain length exceeds a critical length, this ratio is found to be two. Based on the de Gennes formulation, we developed a method to calculate these forces at zero temperature. The exact results at zero temperature match numerical calculations.

  13. Behavioral Case Consultation with Parents and Teachers: An Example Using Differential Reinforcement to Treat Psychogenic Cough.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, T. Steuart; Heindl, Betsy

    1996-01-01

    Presents a demonstration of successful behavioral case consultation combined with case study methodology in the treatment of a 13-year-old female afflicted with a psychogenic cough. Results suggest that psychogenic cough can be successfully treated by using behavioral case consultation as a framework for applying intervention. Limitations are also…

  14. Studying Relational Spaces in Secondary School: Applying a Spatial Framework for the Study of Borderlands and Relational Work in School Improvement Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frelin, Anneli; Grannäs, Jan

    2014-01-01

    This article introduces a theoretical framework for studying school improvement processes such as making school environments safer. Using concepts from spatial theory, in which distinctions between mental, social and physical space are applied makes for a multidimensional analysis of processes of change. In a multilevel case study, these were…

  15. The Limits of Multistakeholder Governance: The Case of the Global Partnership for Education and Private Schooling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menashy, Francine

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates collective decision making within a multistakeholder partnership through a case study of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Analyzed through the theoretical framework of sociological institutionalism, this study applies the issue of private schooling as a lens to understand policy-related decision making between…

  16. Revisiting Approaches to Learning in Science and Engineering: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gynnild, V.; Myrhaug, D.

    2012-01-01

    Several studies have applied the dichotomy of deep and surface approaches to learning in a range of disciplinary contexts. Existing questionnaires have largely assumed the existence of these constructs; however, in a recent study Case and Marshall (2004) described two additional context-specific approaches to learning in engineering. The current…

  17. Using screening level environmental life cycle assessment to aid decision making: A case study of a college annual report

    EPA Science Inventory

    Purpose – In this study we compare the life cycle environmental impacts of the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ current printed annual report to a version distributed via the Internet. This case study demonstrates how a screening level life cy...

  18. Understanding the Factors that Characterise School-Community Partnerships: The Case of the Logan Healthy Schools Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Melinda; Rowe, Fiona; Harris, Neil

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that characterise effective school-community partnerships that support the sustainability of school health initiatives applied within a health-promoting schools approach. Design/methodology/approach: The study used an explanatory case study approach of five secondary schools…

  19. Third Culture Kids and College Support: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holdren, Sarah Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    This single site case study applies the "Transition Cycle" framework (Pollock & Van Reken, 2009) to an institutionally-based, student-run support program for Third Culture Kids. The purpose of this study was to examine how Lewis and Clark College responded to the presence of Third Culture Kid, or Global Nomad, students on campus by…

  20. Applying the Decoding the Disciplines Process to Teaching Structural Mechanics: An Autoethnographic Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tingerthal, John Steven

    2013-01-01

    Using case study methodology and autoethnographic methods, this study examines a process of curricular development known as "Decoding the Disciplines" (Decoding) by documenting the experience of its application in a construction engineering mechanics course. Motivated by the call to integrate what is known about teaching and learning…

  1. Applying Case-Based Method in Designing Self-Directed Online Instruction: A Formative Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luo, Heng; Koszalka, Tiffany A.; Arnone, Marilyn P.; Choi, Ikseon

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the case-based method (CBM) instructional-design theory and its application in designing self-directed online instruction. The purpose of this study was to validate and refine the theory for a self-directed online instruction context. Guided by formative research methodology, this study first developed an online tutorial…

  2. Undergraduate Research Supervision in Social Studies and Religious Education: The Case of Primary Colleges of Education in Botswana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boikhutso, Keene; Dinama, Baamphatlha; Kebabope, Santudu

    2013-01-01

    This paper explored the myriad problems associated with undergraduate research supervision in social studies and religious education using one of the primary Colleges of Education near Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana as a case study. The study applied qualitative research involving interviews and focus group interviews to solicit…

  3. Investigation on the effects of temperature dependency of material parameters on a thermoelastic loading problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Anil; Mukhopadhyay, Santwana

    2017-08-01

    The present work is concerned with the investigation of thermoelastic interactions inside a spherical shell with temperature-dependent material parameters. We employ the heat conduction model with a single delay term. The problem is studied by considering three different kinds of time-dependent temperature and stress distributions applied at the inner and outer surfaces of the shell. The problem is formulated by considering that the thermal properties vary as linear function of temperature that yield nonlinear governing equations. The problem is solved by applying Kirchhoff transformation along with integral transform technique. The numerical results of the field variables are shown in the different graphs to study the influence of temperature-dependent thermal parameters in various cases. It has been shown that the temperature-dependent effect is more prominent in case of stress distribution as compared to other fields and also the effect is significant in case of thermal shock applied at the two boundary surfaces of the spherical shell.

  4. How do strategic decisions and operative practices affect operating room productivity?

    PubMed

    Peltokorpi, Antti

    2011-12-01

    Surgical operating rooms are cost-intensive parts of health service production. Managing operating units efficiently is essential when hospitals and healthcare systems aim to maximize health outcomes with limited resources. Previous research about operating room management has focused on studying the effect of management practices and decisions on efficiency by utilizing mainly modeling approach or before-after analysis in single hospital case. The purpose of this research is to analyze the synergic effect of strategic decisions and operative management practices on operating room productivity and to use a multiple case study method enabling statistical hypothesis testing with empirical data. 11 hypotheses that propose connections between the use of strategic and operative practices and productivity were tested in a multi-hospital study that included 26 units. The results indicate that operative practices, such as personnel management, case scheduling and performance measurement, affect productivity more remarkably than do strategic decisions that relate to, e.g., units' size, scope or academic status. Units with different strategic positions should apply different operative practices: Focused hospital units benefit most from sophisticated case scheduling and parallel processing whereas central and ambulatory units should apply flexible working hours, incentives and multi-skilled personnel. Operating units should be more active in applying management practices which are adequate for their strategic orientation.

  5. ERTS-1 applied for structural and morphological investigtions case studies. 1: Los Angeles, California. 2: Coastal plain, New Jersey

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kedar, E. Y.

    1973-01-01

    Two major earth's resources management problems, the application of ERTS-1 imagery for geomorphotectonics, and subsequently seismic-risk, earthquake, and mineral exploration applications are discussed. Case studies are presented for Los Angeles, California, and New Jersey coastal plain.

  6. The Regional Accreditation Process at Community Colleges: A Case Study of Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Alissa L.

    2013-01-01

    This companion dissertation reports the findings of applied case study research on four community college organizational units that consistently meet or exceed standard performance measures. In addition, prior ample evidence confirms that performance extended significantly beyond what might be explained by available tangible resources alone. The…

  7. A New Lean Paradigm in Higher Education: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doman, Mark S.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This case study aims to demonstrate that lean principles and practices utilized in industry can be successfully applied to improve higher education administrative processes through an innovative and engaging learning experience involving undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach: This is a first-hand account by the instructor of…

  8. Project-Based Learning in Electronic Technology: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Li

    2015-01-01

    A case study of project-based learning (PBL) implemented in Tianjin University of Technology and Education is presented. This multidiscipline project is innovated to meet the novel requirements of industry while keeping its traditional effectiveness in driving students to apply knowledge to practice and problem-solving. The implementation of PBL…

  9. The Writing Workshop as an Inservice Tool: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pollock, Jeri

    1994-01-01

    Presents a case study of an inservice writing workshop (at Our Lady of Mercy School in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) designed to give teachers hands-on experience in applying computer writing to their individual subjects. Describes how a computer culture was developed at the school. (RS)

  10. ENTEL: A Case Study on Knowledge Networks and the Impact of Web 2.0 Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffiths, Paul; Arenas, Teresita

    2014-01-01

    This study re-visits an organisation that defined its knowledge-management strategy in 2008-9 applying an established strategy-intellectual capital alignment framework. It addresses questions "How has knowledge management evolved at ENTEL, and what lessons can be learnt? Does the strategy-knowledge management alignment framework applied at…

  11. Applying Bayesian Item Selection Approaches to Adaptive Tests Using Polytomous Items

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penfield, Randall D.

    2006-01-01

    This study applied the maximum expected information (MEI) and the maximum posterior-weighted information (MPI) approaches of computer adaptive testing item selection to the case of a test using polytomous items following the partial credit model. The MEI and MPI approaches are described. A simulation study compared the efficiency of ability…

  12. Meta-analysis of thirty-two case-control and two ecological radon studies of lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Dobrzynski, Ludwik; Fornalski, Krzysztof W; Reszczynska, Joanna

    2018-03-01

    A re-analysis has been carried out of thirty-two case-control and two ecological studies concerning the influence of radon, a radioactive gas, on the risk of lung cancer. Three mathematically simplest dose-response relationships (models) were tested: constant (zero health effect), linear, and parabolic (linear-quadratic). Health effect end-points reported in the analysed studies are odds ratios or relative risk ratios, related either to morbidity or mortality. In our preliminary analysis, we show that the results of dose-response fitting are qualitatively (within uncertainties, given as error bars) the same, whichever of these health effect end-points are applied. Therefore, we deemed it reasonable to aggregate all response data into the so-called Relative Health Factor and jointly analysed such mixed data, to obtain better statistical power. In the second part of our analysis, robust Bayesian and classical methods of analysis were applied to this combined dataset. In this part of our analysis, we selected different subranges of radon concentrations. In view of substantial differences between the methodology used by the authors of case-control and ecological studies, the mathematical relationships (models) were applied mainly to the thirty-two case-control studies. The degree to which the two ecological studies, analysed separately, affect the overall results when combined with the thirty-two case-control studies, has also been evaluated. In all, as a result of our meta-analysis of the combined cohort, we conclude that the analysed data concerning radon concentrations below ~1000 Bq/m3 (~20 mSv/year of effective dose to the whole body) do not support the thesis that radon may be a cause of any statistically significant increase in lung cancer incidence.

  13. 12 CFR 585.110 - How do I apply for a case-by-case exemption?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How do I apply for a case-by-case exemption? 585.110 Section 585.110 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY PROHIBITED SERVICE AT SAVINGS AND LOAN HOLDING COMPANIES Exemptions § 585.110 How do I apply for a case-by...

  14. Improving Assistive Technology Service by Using 3D Printing: Three Case Studies.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Takashi; Hatakeyama, Takuro; Tomiita, Mitsuru

    2015-01-01

    Assistive technology services are essential for adapting assistive devices to the individual needs of users with disabilities. In this study, we attempted to apply three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to three actual cases, and to study its use, effectiveness, and future applications. We assessed the usefulness of 3D printing technology by categorizing its utilization after reviewing the outcomes of these case studies. In future work, we aim to gather additional case studies and derive information on using 3D printing technology that will enable its effective application in the process of assistive technology services.

  15. Surgery for juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma with lateral extension to the infratemporal fossa.

    PubMed

    Yamada, Masato; Tsunoda, Atsunobu; Tokumaru, Takao; Aoyagi, Masaru; Kawano, Yoshihisa; Yano, Tomoyuki; Kishimoto, Seiji

    2014-08-01

    The study aimed to assess the usefulness of skull base surgery for large juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) with lateral extension to the infratemporal fossa. Eleven cases were enrolled for this study, and the mean age was 17.7 years old (range: 8-32). Six out of 11 cases underwent surgery as an initial treatment, and the other five underwent secondary surgery after initial surgery or radiotherapy in other institutions. The range of extension of tumor, feeding arteries, surgical approach, and treatment outcome were estimated. All tumors originated from the sphenopalatine foramen. Based on the imaging study, there was extension to the cavernous sinus observed in eight cases, as well as to the middle cranial fossa (8), orbit (4), and anterior cranial fossa (1). These tumors were diagnosed as Andrews' Stage IVa (3) and IVb (8). However, infiltration into the cavernous sinus was observed in one case only during surgery. Ten tumors were separated carefully from the cavernous sinus or dura and were accurately diagnosed as Stage IIIb. In all cases, the main arterial feeders of the JNAs were branches of the external carotid artery, which were embolized prior to surgery. However, 10 cases were also fed by branches of the internal carotid artery (branches of the ophthalmic artery), in which these arteries could not be embolized. Coronal skin incision (1) and a facial dismasking flap (9) were used, and in one case, wide lateral skin incision with temporary incision of the facial nerve was applied. The orbito-zygomatic approach and its modification was applied to all the cases. Fronto-lateral craniotomy was applied in four cases and lateral craniotomy in seven cases. Total resection was achieved in 10 cases and subtotal resection in one case. No mortality was noted in this series. Temporal trismus was observed in all cases which subsided gradually. Cheek numbness and facial palsy were observed in three and two cases, respectively. Coupled with craniotomy, tumor removal was successfully carried out in 11 patients with JNAs, which showed large lateral extension. Our surgical strategy is a safe and effective approach for the removal of JNAs with infratemporal fossa extension. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Estimating parameter values of a socio-hydrological flood model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holkje Barendrecht, Marlies; Viglione, Alberto; Kreibich, Heidi; Vorogushyn, Sergiy; Merz, Bruno; Blöschl, Günter

    2018-06-01

    Socio-hydrological modelling studies that have been published so far show that dynamic coupled human-flood models are a promising tool to represent the phenomena and the feedbacks in human-flood systems. So far these models are mostly generic and have not been developed and calibrated to represent specific case studies. We believe that applying and calibrating these type of models to real world case studies can help us to further develop our understanding about the phenomena that occur in these systems. In this paper we propose a method to estimate the parameter values of a socio-hydrological model and we test it by applying it to an artificial case study. We postulate a model that describes the feedbacks between floods, awareness and preparedness. After simulating hypothetical time series with a given combination of parameters, we sample few data points for our variables and try to estimate the parameters given these data points using Bayesian Inference. The results show that, if we are able to collect data for our case study, we would, in theory, be able to estimate the parameter values for our socio-hydrological flood model.

  17. Applied Nuclear Accountability Systems: A Case Study in the System Architecture and Development of NuMAC

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

    Campbell, Andrea Beth

    2004-07-01

    This is a case study of the NuMAC nuclear accountability system developed at a private fuel fabrication facility. This paper investigates nuclear material accountability and safeguards by researching expert knowledge applied in the system design and development. Presented is a system developed to detect and deter the theft of weapons grade nuclear material. Examined is the system architecture that includes: issues for the design and development of the system; stakeholder issues; how the system was built and evolved; software design, database design, and development tool considerations; security and computing ethics. (author)

  18. Meeting Teacher Expectations in a DL Professional Development Programme--A Case Study for Sustained Applied Competence as Programme Outcome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kruger, Cornè Gerda; Van Rensburg, Ona Janse; De Witt, Marike W.

    2016-01-01

    Meeting teacher expectations for a professional development programme (PDP) is expected to strengthen sustainable applied competence as programme outcome since teachers will be more motivated to apply the programme content in practice. A revised distance learning (DL) programme was augmented by a practical component comprising a work-integrated…

  19. Intra-arterial intervention chemotherapy for sarcoma and cancerous ulcer via an implanted pump.

    PubMed

    Liu, Cheng; Cui, Qiu; Guo, Jun; Li, Dingfeng; Zeng, Yanjun

    2014-04-01

    To observe the efficacy of intra-arterial chemotherapy with subcutaneously implanted pump for soft tissue sarcoma in extremities and cancerous ulcer. 31 patients with ulcerative skin squamous cell carcinoma or sarcoma in extremities who received treatment during the period from July 2003 to November 2011 at our hospital were recruited, including 15 male and 16 female patients, aging between 14 and 83 with average age of 49 years old. 10 patients had tumor in upper extremities and 21 patients in lower extremities. The pathological types of studied cases include 9 cases with skin squamous cell carcinoma, 6 cases with synovial sarcoma, 5 cases with malignant fibrous histiocytoma, 3 cases with liposarcoma, 3 cases with osteosarcoma, 2 cases with malignant melanoma, 2 cases with epidermoid sarcoma, and 1 case with protuberans. The main symptoms of cancerous ulcer were pain, infection and hemorrhage; All the studied patients were administrated with cisplatin and doxorubicin by intra-arterial chemotherapy pump, and the patients with squamous cell carcinoma were additionally applied with bleomycin and patients with malignant melanoma were additionally applied with dacarbazine. The chemotherapy efficiency was observed after at 3 cycles of intra-arterial chemotherapy. The total remission rate of pain (RR) was 87 %, and total remission rate of ulcer cicatrization (RR) was 71 %, with ulcer cicatrizing spontaneously in 9 cases and obvious homeostasis in 5 cases with bleeding ulcers. 19 patients underwent surgery after chemotherapy, in which 16 cases had limb-salvage surgery and 3 cases underwent lower leg amputation after chemotherapy, and 3 patients out of 16 cases had local recurrence (19 %). The subcutaneous intra-arterial targeting chemotherapy could be applied to treat refractory sarcoma and cancerous ulcer in extremities to significantly increase the chemotherapeutic concentration at tumor area so as to effectively constrain the tumor rupture induced main symptoms including pain, infection and bleeding, which would help to make a decreased blood supplied and well defined tumor boundary to finally decrease the recurrence rate.

  20. 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

  1. [Diversity and frequency of scientific research design and statistical methods in the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia": a systematic review of the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia"--1993-2002].

    PubMed

    Crosta, Fernando; Nishiwaki-Dantas, Maria Cristina; Silvino, Wilmar; Dantas, Paulo Elias Correa

    2005-01-01

    To verify the frequency of study design, applied statistical analysis and approval by institutional review offices (Ethics Committee) of articles published in the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia" during a 10-year interval, with later comparative and critical analysis by some of the main international journals in the field of Ophthalmology. Systematic review without metanalysis was performed. Scientific papers published in the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia" between January 1993 and December 2002 were reviewed by two independent reviewers and classified according to the applied study design, statistical analysis and approval by the institutional review offices. To categorize those variables, a descriptive statistical analysis was used. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 584 articles for evaluation of statistical analysis and, 725 articles for evaluation of study design were reviewed. Contingency table (23.10%) was the most frequently applied statistical method, followed by non-parametric tests (18.19%), Student's t test (12.65%), central tendency measures (10.60%) and analysis of variance (9.81%). Of 584 reviewed articles, 291 (49.82%) presented no statistical analysis. Observational case series (26.48%) was the most frequently used type of study design, followed by interventional case series (18.48%), observational case description (13.37%), non-random clinical study (8.96%) and experimental study (8.55%). We found a higher frequency of observational clinical studies, lack of statistical analysis in almost half of the published papers. Increase in studies with approval by institutional review Ethics Committee was noted since it became mandatory in 1996.

  2. Nanomaterial Case Study: A Comparison of Multiwalled ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This Independent Peer Review Draft document presents a case study of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs); it focuses on the specific example of MWCNTs as used in flame-retardant coatings applied to upholstery textiles. This case study is organized around the comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA) framework, which structures available information pertaining to the product life cycle, environmental transport and fate, exposure-dose in receptors (i.e., humans, ecological populations, and the environment), and potential impacts in these receptors. The document does not draw conclusions about potential risks, or present an exhaustive review of the literature. Rather, it was used in an independent peer review to provide feedback on revisions that EPA made to the external review draft of the document based on public comments and the CEA process to identify research gaps for MWCNTs. This document seeks to identify what is known and unknown related to assessing the health and environmental implications of a nanomaterial; in this case multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) used in flame-retardant coatings applied to textiles.

  3. The Use of an Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model for Prediction of the Incidence of Dysentery in Jiangsu, China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kewei; Song, Wentao; Li, Jinping; Lu, Wu; Yu, Jiangang; Han, Xiaofeng

    2016-05-01

    The aim of this study is to forecast the incidence of bacillary dysentery with a prediction model. We collected the annual and monthly laboratory data of confirmed cases from January 2004 to December 2014. In this study, we applied an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to forecast bacillary dysentery incidence in Jiangsu, China. The ARIMA (1, 1, 1) × (1, 1, 2)12 model fitted exactly with the number of cases during January 2004 to December 2014. The fitted model was then used to predict bacillary dysentery incidence during the period January to August 2015, and the number of cases fell within the model's CI for the predicted number of cases during January-August 2015. This study shows that the ARIMA model fits the fluctuations in bacillary dysentery frequency, and it can be used for future forecasting when applied to bacillary dysentery prevention and control. © 2016 APJPH.

  4. Applying a Genetic Algorithm to Reconfigurable Hardware

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wells, B. Earl; Weir, John; Trevino, Luis; Patrick, Clint; Steincamp, Jim

    2004-01-01

    This paper investigates the feasibility of applying genetic algorithms to solve optimization problems that are implemented entirely in reconfgurable hardware. The paper highlights the pe$ormance/design space trade-offs that must be understood to effectively implement a standard genetic algorithm within a modem Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA, reconfgurable hardware environment and presents a case-study where this stochastic search technique is applied to standard test-case problems taken from the technical literature. In this research, the targeted FPGA-based platform and high-level design environment was the Starbridge Hypercomputing platform, which incorporates multiple Xilinx Virtex II FPGAs, and the Viva TM graphical hardware description language.

  5. Deriving a no expected sensitization induction level for fragrance ingredients without animal testing: An integrated approach applied to specific case studies.

    PubMed

    Natsch, Andreas; Emter, Roger; Haupt, Tina; Ellis, Graham

    2018-06-01

    Cosmetic regulations prohibit animal testing for the purpose of safety assessment and recent REACH guidance states that the local lymph node assay (LLNA) in mice shall only be conducted if in vitro data cannot give sufficient information for classification and labelling. However, Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) for fragrance ingredients requires a NESIL, a dose not expected to cause induction of skin sensitization in humans. In absence of human data, this is derived from the LLNA and it remains a key challenge for risk assessors to derive this value from non-animal data. Here we present a workflow using structural information, reactivity data and KeratinoSens results to predict a LLNA result as a point of departure. Specific additional tests (metabolic activation, complementary reactivity tests) are applied in selected cases depending on the chemical domain of a molecule. Finally, in vitro and in vivo data on close analogues are used to estimate uncertainty of the prediction in the specific chemical domain. This approach was applied to three molecules which were subsequently tested in the LLNA and 22 molecules with available and sometimes discordant human and LLNA data. Four additional case studies illustrate how this approach is being applied to recently developed molecules in the absence of animal data. Estimation of uncertainty and how this can be applied to determine a final NESIL for risk assessment is discussed. We conclude that, in the data-rich domain of fragrance ingredients, sensitization risk assessment without animal testing is possible in most cases by this integrated approach.

  6. An algorithm for the optimal collection of wet waste.

    PubMed

    Laureri, Federica; Minciardi, Riccardo; Robba, Michela

    2016-02-01

    This work refers to the development of an approach for planning wet waste (food waste and other) collection at a metropolitan scale. Some specific modeling features distinguish this specific waste collection problem from the other ones. For instance, there may be significant differences as regards the values of the parameters (such as weight and volume) characterizing the various collection points. As it happens for classical waste collection planning, even in the case of wet waste, one has to deal with difficult combinatorial problems, where the determination of an optimal solution may require a very large computational effort, in the case of problem instances having a noticeable dimensionality. For this reason, in this work, a heuristic procedure for the optimal planning of wet waste is developed and applied to problem instances drawn from a real case study. The performances that can be obtained by applying such a procedure are evaluated by a comparison with those obtainable via a general-purpose mathematical programming software package, as well as those obtained by applying very simple decision rules commonly used in practice. The considered case study consists in an area corresponding to the historical center of the Municipality of Genoa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. 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…

  8. Implementation at the School Building Level: The Development and Analysis of Nine Mini-Case Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Gene; And Others

    As part of a district-wide longitudinal study of the implementation of a science curriculum innovation, researchers developed case studies of a sample of nine elementary schools in the Jefferson County School District, a large suburban system in Colorado. The study applied the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, which assumes that change is carried out…

  9. A Case Study on Reducing Children's Screen Time: The Project of Screen Free Week

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kara, Hatice Gözde Ertürk

    2018-01-01

    The current study aims to direct children to alternative activities within a week period by applying the project of screen free week to voluntary families. The ultimate aim of the study is to reduce children's screen time. The instrumental case study method; one of the qualitative research methods, was employed. Five children attending the…

  10. The Use of Instructional Simulations to Support Classroom Teaching: A Crisis Communication Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shifflet, Mark; Brown, Jane

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate how exposure to classroom instruction affected the use of a computer simulation that was designed to provide students an opportunity to apply material presented in class. The study involved an analysis of a computer-based crisis communication case study designed for a college-level public relations…

  11. Network-based regularization for matched case-control analysis of high-dimensional DNA methylation data.

    PubMed

    Sun, Hokeun; Wang, Shuang

    2013-05-30

    The matched case-control designs are commonly used to control for potential confounding factors in genetic epidemiology studies especially epigenetic studies with DNA methylation. Compared with unmatched case-control studies with high-dimensional genomic or epigenetic data, there have been few variable selection methods for matched sets. In an earlier paper, we proposed the penalized logistic regression model for the analysis of unmatched DNA methylation data using a network-based penalty. However, for popularly applied matched designs in epigenetic studies that compare DNA methylation between tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues or between pre-treatment and post-treatment conditions, applying ordinary logistic regression ignoring matching is known to bring serious bias in estimation. In this paper, we developed a penalized conditional logistic model using the network-based penalty that encourages a grouping effect of (1) linked Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) sites within a gene or (2) linked genes within a genetic pathway for analysis of matched DNA methylation data. In our simulation studies, we demonstrated the superiority of using conditional logistic model over unconditional logistic model in high-dimensional variable selection problems for matched case-control data. We further investigated the benefits of utilizing biological group or graph information for matched case-control data. We applied the proposed method to a genome-wide DNA methylation study on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) where we investigated the DNA methylation levels of tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from HCC patients by using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 Beadchip. Several new CpG sites and genes known to be related to HCC were identified but were missed by the standard method in the original paper. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. A comparison of economic evaluation models as applied to geothermal energy technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ziman, G. M.; Rosenberg, L. S.

    1983-01-01

    Several cost estimation and financial cash flow models have been applied to a series of geothermal case studies. In order to draw conclusions about relative performance and applicability of these models to geothermal projects, the consistency of results was assessed. The model outputs of principal interest in this study were net present value, internal rate of return, or levelized breakeven price. The models used were VENVAL, a venture analysis model; the Geothermal Probabilistic Cost Model (GPC Model); the Alternative Power Systems Economic Analysis Model (APSEAM); the Geothermal Loan Guarantee Cash Flow Model (GCFM); and the GEOCOST and GEOCITY geothermal models. The case studies to which the models were applied include a geothermal reservoir at Heber, CA; a geothermal eletric power plant to be located at the Heber site; an alcohol fuels production facility to be built at Raft River, ID; and a direct-use, district heating system in Susanville, CA.

  13. Strengthening method of concrete structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inge, Wewin; Audrey; Nugroho, Sofie; Njo, Helen

    2018-03-01

    Building extension in Indonesia is not favored, and not many people know the advantages of the method because architects and engineers tend to lack the knowledge and experience. The aim of this paper is to explain a method on how to strengthen a concrete building structure that people can use/learn as a better way to cut potential cost and save time. The strengthening method explained in this paper is steel jacketing, providing a case study of this method in the extension of a restaurant located in Medan, Indonesia. In this study, engineers calculated that the tensile stress of the existing RC column and beam is not strong enough to reinforce the building extension applied load. Therefore, the steel jacketing method can be applied to improve the column and beam strength and ductility. The result of the case study proves that this is one of the best methods for building extension applied in Indonesia.

  14. School-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for an Adolescent Presenting with ADHD and Explosive Anger: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Janise; Zaboski, Brian; Joyce-Beaulieu, Diana

    2016-01-01

    This case demonstrates the efficacy of utilizing an intensive, multi-faceted behavioral intervention paradigm. A comprehensive, integrative, school-based service model was applied to address attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptomology, oppositional behaviors, and explosive anger at the secondary level. The case reviews a multi-modal…

  15. Leadership Strategies for Department Chairs and Program Directors: A Case Study Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comer, Robert W.; Haden, N. Karl; Taylor, Robert L.; Thomas, D. Denee

    2002-01-01

    Reviews leadership challenges and management concepts in academic dentistry as they were applied in a case-based faculty development workshop, in order to provide a foundation for three cases that follow in subsequent articles. The workshop was structured to address leadership challenges relating to managing people, mission management, conflict…

  16. The Aggregation of Single-Case Results Using Hierarchical Linear Models

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van den Noortgate, Wim; Onghena, Patrick

    2007-01-01

    To investigate the generalizability of the results of single-case experimental studies, evaluating the effect of one or more treatments, in applied research various simultaneous and sequential replication strategies are used. We discuss one approach for aggregating the results for single-cases: the use of hierarchical linear models. This approach…

  17. Study of Super Dielectric Material for Novel Paradigm Capacitors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-03-01

    maximized. Interestingly, CHD protocol did not have a predictable or notable effect on performance in this study . In fact, in several cases shorter...measurement, such as dark matter and dark energy, the same inductive logic approach has been taken for the present study . In this case , we first applied...indicates the constant voltage hold duration. In two cases , a third term ‘No Weight’ indicates that a weight was not placed on top of the glass-capacitor

  18. 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

  19. Seeking instructional specificity: An example from analogical instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuo, Eric; Wieman, Carl E.

    2015-12-01

    Broad instructional methods like "interactive engagement" have been shown to be effective, but such general characterization provides little guidance on the details of how to structure instructional materials. In this study, we seek instructional specificity by comparing two ways of using an analogy to learn a target physical principle: (i) applying the analogy to the target physical domain on a case-by-case basis and (ii) using the analogy to create a general rule in the target physical domain. In the discussion sections of a large, introductory physics course (N =2 3 1 ), students who sought a general rule were better able to discover and apply a correct physics principle than students who analyzed the examples case by case. The difference persisted at a reduced level after subsequent direct instruction. We argue that students who performed case-by-case analyses were more likely to focus on idiosyncratic problem-specific features rather than the deep structural features. This study provides an example of investigations into how the specific structure of instructional materials can be consequential for what is learned.

  20. An Analysis Of The Gps R and D Program As A Case Study Illustrating Dod R and D And Its Associated Successes To Justify The Continued Investments Into And Sustainment Of Dod R and D Budgets

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    Global Positioning System (GPS). • DOD R&D budget analysis • GPS case study analysis These research areas will support the thesis on the defense... CASE STUDY ANALYSIS As successful as GPS has been on both the battlefield and in worldwide civilian life, the end state wasn’t realized when the...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA JOINT APPLIED PROJECT AN ANALYSIS OF THE GPS R&D PROGRAM AS A CASE STUDY

  1. The dependency of adhesion and friction on electrostatic attraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Persson, B. N. J.

    2018-04-01

    I develop a general mean-field theory for the influence of electrostatic attraction between two solids on the contact mechanics. I assume elastic solids with random surface roughness. I consider two cases, namely, with and without an electrically insulating layer between the conducting solids. The former case is important for, e.g., the finger-touch screen interaction. I study how the electrostatic attraction influences the adhesion and friction. For the case of an insulating layer, I find that when the applied nominal contact pressure is relatively small, as the applied voltage increases, there is a sharp increase in the contact area, and hence in the friction, at a critical voltage.

  2. Case definition terminology for paratuberculosis (Johne's disease).

    PubMed

    Whittington, R J; Begg, D J; de Silva, K; Purdie, A C; Dhand, N K; Plain, K M

    2017-11-09

    Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) is an economically significant condition caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. However, difficulties in diagnosis and classification of individual animals with the condition have hampered research and impeded efforts to halt its progressive spread in the global livestock industry. Descriptive terms applied to individual animals and herds such as exposed, infected, diseased, clinical, sub-clinical, infectious and resistant need to be defined so that they can be incorporated consistently into well-understood and reproducible case definitions. These allow for consistent classification of individuals in a population for the purposes of analysis based on accurate counts. The outputs might include the incidence of cases, frequency distributions of the number of cases by age class or more sophisticated analyses involving statistical comparisons of immune responses in vaccine development studies, or gene frequencies or expression data from cases and controls in genomic investigations. It is necessary to have agreed definitions in order to be able to make valid comparisons and meta-analyses of experiments conducted over time by a given researcher, in different laboratories, by different researchers, and in different countries. In this paper, terms are applied systematically in an hierarchical flow chart to enable classification of individual animals. We propose descriptive terms for different stages in the pathogenesis of paratuberculosis to enable their use in different types of studies and to enable an independent assessment of the extent to which accepted definitions for stages of disease have been applied consistently in any given study. This will assist in the general interpretation of data between studies, and will facilitate future meta-analyses.

  3. Professional Development for Design-Based Learning in Engineering Education: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gómez Puente, Sonia M.; van Eijck, Michiel; Jochems, Wim

    2015-01-01

    Design-based learning (DBL) is an educational approach in which students gather and apply theoretical knowledge to solve design problems. In this study, we examined how critical DBL dimensions (project characteristics, design elements, the teacher's role, assessment, and social context) are applied by teachers in the redesign of DBL projects.…

  4. Applied vs Basic Research: On Maintaining Your Balance with a Foot in Each Camp.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, David W.

    The paper discusses a number of issues concerning the practical usefulness of cognitive psychology research, and presents a case study of pilot training methods to illustrate a model of research processes that produces outcomes which contribute to both basic and applied research goals. Research studies are described as varying in the degree to…

  5. A Critical Analysis of USAir's Image Repair Discourse.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benoit, William L.; Czerwinski, Anne

    1997-01-01

    Applies the theory of image restoration to a case study of USAir's response to media coverage of a 1994 crash. Argues that introducing such case studies in the classroom helps students to understand the basic tenets of persuasion in the highly charged context of repairing a corporate reputation after an attack. (SR)

  6. A CASE STUDY DEMONSTRATING GUIDANCE FOR EVALUATING LANDFILL GAS EMISSIONS FROM CLOSED OR ABANDONED FACILITIES--SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RHODE ISLAND

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report describes a case study that applies EPA/600/R-05/123a, the guidance for conducting air pathway analyses of landfill gas emissions that are of interest to superfund remedial project managers, on-scene coordinators, facility owners, and potentially responsible parties. T...

  7. Transformation and Stasis: Two Case Studies of Critical Teacher Education in TESOL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuske, Kyle

    2015-01-01

    Considering the prominent position of critical work in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, there is a need for detailed investigations of apprentice practitioners' formative interactions with critical ideas in graduate programs and how these affect their willingness to cultivate their own critical pedagogical repertories. Adopting a case study design,…

  8. Incorporating AAC and General Instructional Strategies in Requesting Interventions: A Case Study in Down Syndrome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lanter, Elizabeth; Russell, Sharon D.; Kuriakose, Annu; Blevins, Kasey E.

    2016-01-01

    This article provides clinicians and educators a useful conceptualization of general instructional strategies often used to promote the performance of requests in children with developmental disabilities, and which can be applied in interventions that utilize augmentative and alternative communication. A case study illustrates the specialized…

  9. A POPULATION EXPOSURE MODEL FOR PARTICULATE MATTER: CASE STUDY RESULTS FOR PM 2.5 IN PHILADELPHIA, PA

    EPA Science Inventory

    A population exposure model for particulate matter (PM), called the Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation (SHEDS-PM) model, has been developed and applied in a case study of daily PM2.5 exposures for the population living in Philadelphia, PA. SHEDS-PM is a probabilisti...

  10. An Active Learning Activity for an IT Ethics Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woods, David M.; Howard, Elizabeth V.

    2014-01-01

    Courses in Information Technology Ethics are often designed as discussion-intensive courses where case studies are introduced and evaluated using ethical theories. Although many of the case studies directly apply to our students' online lives, the stories can sometimes seem too far removed from their own experiences. While we read the news…

  11. Syrians' Acceptance of Digital Lectures: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramadan, Reem

    2016-01-01

    Technology-based learning modules are mostly challenged by their acceptance. A single-case study and mixed research method are used to explore a unique situation of applying digital lectures at the postgraduate Programmes at the Faculty of Tourism at Damascus University as a solution for brain drain in the Syrian higher education system. Results…

  12. Analyzing Security Breaches in the U.S.: A Business Analytics Case-Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parks, Rachida F.; Adams, Lascelles

    2016-01-01

    This is a real-world applicable case-study and includes background information, functional organization requirements, and real data. Business analytics has been defined as the technologies, skills, and practices needed to iteratively investigate historical performance to gain insight or spot trends. You are asked to utilize/apply critical thinking…

  13. Answering the Call for Accountability: An Activity and Cost Analysis Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carducci, Rozana; Kisker, Carrie B.; Chang, June; Schirmer, James

    2007-01-01

    This article summarizes the findings of a case study on the creation and application of an activity-based cost accounting model that links community college salary expenditures to mission-critical practices within academic divisions of a southern California community college. Although initially applied as a financial management tool in private…

  14. Counseling a Biracial Female College Student with an Eating Disorder: A Case Study Applying an Integrative Biopsychosocialcultural Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smart, Rebekah

    2010-01-01

    This case study describes short-term counseling with a young biracial woman experiencing an eating disorder. A biopsychosocialcultural conceptualization of the problem is described. The counseling approach is informed by feminist and multicultural theory and uses both interpersonal and cognitive behavior therapy. (Contains 1 figure.)

  15. Knowledge Management Model: Practical Application for Competency Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lustri, Denise; Miura, Irene; Takahashi, Sergio

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: This paper seeks to present a knowledge management (KM) conceptual model for competency development and a case study in a law service firm, which implemented the KM model in a competencies development program. Design/methodology/approach: The case study method was applied according to Yin (2003) concepts, focusing a six-professional group…

  16. Collaborative Tasks in Web Conferencing: A Case Study on Chinese Online

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guo, Sijia; Möllering, Martina

    2017-01-01

    This case study aimed to explore best practice in applying task-based language teaching (TBLT) via a Web-conferencing tool, Blackboard Collaborate, in a beginners' online Chinese course by evaluating the pedagogical values and limitations of the software and the tasks designed. Chapelle's (2001) criteria for computer-assisted language learning…

  17. Mandibular molar uprighting using mini-implants: different approaches for different clinical cases--two case reports.

    PubMed

    Derton, Nicola; Perini, Alessandro; Mutinelli, Sabrina; Gracco, Antonio

    2012-01-01

    To detail two different clinical protocols and case studies using mini-implant anchorage developed to respond to certain clinical conditions. Two clinical protocols are described to upright mesially tilted mandibular molars. In the first protocol, a single mini-implant is inserted distally to the molar to be uprighted, and an elastic traction chain is applied to the tooth. In the second clinical approach, two mini-implants are inserted mesially. A screw-suspended TMA sectional archwire is applied (Derton-Perini technique). Two cases, descriptive of the two different treatment protocols, are described. In the first case, the mandibular right second premolar was missing and the adjacent first molar needed to be uprighted. A single screw was inserted distally to the first molar, and an elastic chain was applied. In the second case, the mandibular left second molar was missing and the third molar needed to be uprighted. Two mini-implants were inserted mesially and a fully screw-supported sectional archwire was used to upright and bodily mesialize the third molar. Both uprighting approaches uprighted the molar axis without loss of anchorage. The two approaches to mandibular molar uprighting, developed as rational responses to different clinical cases, were both found to be effective.

  18. Measuring and Maximising Research Impact in Applied Social Science Research Settings. Good Practice Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanwick, John; Hargreaves, Jo

    2012-01-01

    This guide describes the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) approach to measuring impact using examples from its own case studies, as well as showing how to maximise the impact of applied social science research. Applied social science research needs to demonstrate that it is relevant and useful both to public policy and…

  19. How the American, Degree-Granting For-Profit Higher Education Sector Manages the Regulatory Environment: An Intrinsic Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barron, Caulyne Nichole

    2013-01-01

    This intrinsic case study examined the context of the American, degree-granting for-profit higher education sector between 2009 and 2012, applying institutional theory and resource dependency theory to develop an understanding of how the degree-granting for-profit sector of American higher education manages regulatory pressures. The study examines…

  20. Stress and Coping in Higher Education: A Case Study of a Haitian American Woman Administrator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolfgang, Jeff Drayton; West-Olatunji, Cirecie A.; Overton, Jeanine; Shah, Bindi; Coral, Cristina

    2015-01-01

    The authors applied Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) to conduct a case study of an Afro-Caribbean woman administrator to explore her perceptions of stress and coping in higher education. While much has been written about the challenges facing Black faculty and students, this study focused on the experiences of a Black woman administrator in a…

  1. How Former Students Attain Goals through a Process of Self-Coaching When Training Has Ended: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Helen Battle

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative explanatory case study was to address the lack of understanding regarding how, why, and when former students trained in self-coaching apply a self-coaching process toward the attainment of personal goals post training. The two research questions of the study were, "how do former students trained in…

  2. A Case for Transforming the Criterion of a Predictive Validity Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Brian F.; Kobrin, Jennifer L.

    2011-01-01

    This study presents a case for applying a transformation (Box and Cox, 1964) of the criterion used in predictive validity studies. The goals of the transformation were to better meet the assumptions of the linear regression model and to reduce the residual variance of fitted (i.e., predicted) values. Using data for the 2008 cohort of first-time,…

  3. Teaching Natural Resource Management-Teaching Techniques and Difficulties in Greek Vocational Lyceum: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koutsoukos, Marios; Mouratidis, Antonios

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study is to investigate the teaching techniques applied, as well as the difficulties, with which educators in teaching Natural Resource Management are confronted. For research purposes, a case study was conducted on teaching Natural Resource Management in the Third Grade of Vocational Lyceum (EPAL) in Northern Greece. It was…

  4. Water supply management using an extended group fuzzy decision-making method: a case study in north-eastern Iran

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Minatour, Yasser; Bonakdari, Hossein; Zarghami, Mahdi; Bakhshi, Maryam Ali

    2015-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a group fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making method to be applied in rating problems associated with water resources management. Thus, here Chen's group fuzzy TOPSIS method extended by a difference technique to handle uncertainties of applying a group decision making. Then, the extended group fuzzy TOPSIS method combined with a consistency check. In the presented method, initially linguistic judgments are being surveyed via a consistency checking process, and afterward these judgments are being used in the extended Chen's fuzzy TOPSIS method. Here, each expert's opinion is turned to accurate mathematical numbers and, then, to apply uncertainties, the opinions of group are turned to fuzzy numbers using three mathematical operators. The proposed method is applied to select the optimal strategy for the rural water supply of Nohoor village in north-eastern Iran, as a case study and illustrated example. Sensitivity analyses test over results and comparing results with project reality showed that proposed method offered good results for water resources projects.

  5. The Case Study Approach: Some Theoretical, Methodological and Applied Considerations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-06-01

    For example, a variety of programs/software are available such as: NUDIST , ATLAS/ti, HyperRESEARCH, AQUAD etc (Kelle 1997; Barry 1998... Nudist compared." Sociological Research Online 3(3). Baruch, Y. & Labert, R. (2007). "Organizational anxiety: Applying psychological concepts into

  6. A Prospective Study of the Use of Fetal Intelligent Navigation Echocardiography (FINE) to Obtain Standard Fetal Echocardiography Views

    PubMed Central

    Veronese, Paola; Bogana, Gianna; Cerutti, Alessia; Yeo, Lami; Romero, Roberto; Gervasi, Maria Teresa

    2016-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the performance of Fetal Intelligent Navigation Echocardiography (FINE) applied to spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) volume datasets of the normal fetal heart in generating standard fetal echocardiography views. Methods In this prospective cohort study of patients with normal fetal hearts (19-30 gestational weeks), one or more STIC volume datasets were obtained of the apical four-chamber view. Each STIC volume successfully obtained was evaluated by STICLoop™ to determine its appropriateness before applying the FINE method. Visualization rates for standard fetal echocardiography views using diagnostic planes and/or Virtual Intelligent Sonographer Assistance (VIS-Assistance®) were calculated. Results One or more STIC volumes (n=463 total) were obtained in 246 patients. A single STIC volume per patient was analyzed using the FINE method. In normal cases, FINE was able to generate nine fetal echocardiography views using: 1) diagnostic planes in 76-100% of cases; 2) VIS-Assistance® in 96-100% of cases; and 3) a combination of diagnostic planes and/or VIS-Assistance® in 96-100% of cases. Conclusion FINE applied to STIC volumes can successfully generate nine standard fetal echocardiography views in 96-100% of cases in the second and third trimesters. This suggests that the technology can be used as a method to screen for congenital heart disease. PMID:27309391

  7. 7 CFR 1.626 - What regulations apply to a case referred for a hearing?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... referred for a hearing? (a) If NFS refers the case to OALJ, these regulations will continue to apply to the hearing process. (b) If NFS refers the case to the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearing and Appeals, the regulations at 43 CFR 45.1 et seq. will apply from that point. (c) If NFS refers the case to...

  8. 7 CFR 1.626 - What regulations apply to a case referred for a hearing?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... referred for a hearing? (a) If NFS refers the case to OALJ, these regulations will continue to apply to the hearing process. (b) If NFS refers the case to the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearing and Appeals, the regulations at 43 CFR 45.1 et seq. will apply from that point. (c) If NFS refers the case to...

  9. 7 CFR 1.626 - What regulations apply to a case referred for a hearing?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... referred for a hearing? (a) If NFS refers the case to OALJ, these regulations will continue to apply to the hearing process. (b) If NFS refers the case to the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearing and Appeals, the regulations at 43 CFR 45.1 et seq. will apply from that point. (c) If NFS refers the case to...

  10. 7 CFR 1.626 - What regulations apply to a case referred for a hearing?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... referred for a hearing? (a) If NFS refers the case to OALJ, these regulations will continue to apply to the hearing process. (b) If NFS refers the case to the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearing and Appeals, the regulations at 43 CFR 45.1 et seq. will apply from that point. (c) If NFS refers the case to...

  11. 7 CFR 1.626 - What regulations apply to a case referred for a hearing?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... referred for a hearing? (a) If NFS refers the case to OALJ, these regulations will continue to apply to the hearing process. (b) If NFS refers the case to the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearing and Appeals, the regulations at 43 CFR 45.1 et seq. will apply from that point. (c) If NFS refers the case to...

  12. The Effect of Case-Based Curriculum on Cognitive and Affective Characteristics of Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ilhan-Beyaztas, Dilek; Özdemir, Burhanettin

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to determine the effect of case-based curriculum (CBC) on the cognitive and affective characteristics of the pre-service teachers. The case-based curriculum was developed within the scope of the "Introduction to Educational Science" course at the university level. It was applied to experimental groups by two different…

  13. American Association of University Women: Branch Operations Data Modeling Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Ranida B.; Wedel, Thomas L.

    2015-01-01

    A nationally prominent woman's advocacy organization is featured in this case study. The scenario may be used as a teaching case, an assignment, or a project in systems analysis and design as well as database design classes. Students are required to document the system operations and requirements, apply logical data modeling concepts, and design…

  14. Integrating community-based participatory research and informatics approaches to improve the engagement and health of underserved populations

    PubMed Central

    Schaefbauer, Chris L; Campbell, Terrance R; Senteio, Charles; Siek, Katie A; Bakken, Suzanne; Veinot, Tiffany C

    2016-01-01

    Objective We compare 5 health informatics research projects that applied community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches with the goal of extending existing CBPR principles to address issues specific to health informatics research. Materials and methods We conducted a cross-case analysis of 5 diverse case studies with 1 common element: integration of CBPR approaches into health informatics research. After reviewing publications and other case-related materials, all coauthors engaged in collaborative discussions focused on CBPR. Researchers mapped each case to an existing CBPR framework, examined each case individually for success factors and barriers, and identified common patterns across cases. Results Benefits of applying CBPR approaches to health informatics research across the cases included the following: developing more relevant research with wider impact, greater engagement with diverse populations, improved internal validity, more rapid translation of research into action, and the development of people. Challenges of applying CBPR to health informatics research included requirements to develop strong, sustainable academic-community partnerships and mismatches related to cultural and temporal factors. Several technology-related challenges, including needs to define ownership of technology outputs and to build technical capacity with community partners, also emerged from our analysis. Finally, we created several principles that extended an existing CBPR framework to specifically address health informatics research requirements. Conclusions Our cross-case analysis yielded valuable insights regarding CBPR implementation in health informatics research and identified valuable lessons useful for future CBPR-based research. The benefits of applying CBPR approaches can be significant, particularly in engaging populations that are typically underserved by health care and in designing patient-facing technology. PMID:26228766

  15. Electron and donor-impurity-related Raman scattering and Raman gain in triangular quantum dots under an applied electric field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tiutiunnyk, Anton; Akimov, Volodymyr; Tulupenko, Viktor; Mora-Ramos, Miguel E.; Kasapoglu, Esin; Morales, Alvaro L.; Duque, Carlos Alberto

    2016-04-01

    The differential cross-section of electron Raman scattering and the Raman gain are calculated and analysed in the case of prismatic quantum dots with equilateral triangle base shape. The study takes into account their dependencies on the size of the triangle, the influence of externally applied electric field as well as the presence of an ionized donor center located at the triangle's orthocenter. The calculations are made within the effective mass and parabolic band approximations, with a diagonalization scheme being applied to obtain the eigenfunctions and eigenvalues of the x- y Hamiltonian. The incident and secondary (scattered) radiation have been considered linearly-polarized along the y-direction, coinciding with the direction of the applied electric field. For the case with an impurity center, Raman scattering with the intermediate state energy below the initial state one has been found to show maximum differential cross-section more than by an order of magnitude bigger than that resulting from the scheme with lower intermediate state energy. The Raman gain has maximum magnitude around 35 nm dot size and electric field of 40 kV/cm for the case without impurity and at maximum considered values of the input parameters for the case with impurity. Values of Raman gain of the order of up to 104cm-1 are predicted in both cases.

  16. Second Language Teaching Effectiveness from the Perspective of University Students: A Case Study of Departments of Applied Linguistics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mehrparvar, Frough; Karimnia, Amin

    2018-01-01

    Effective teaching is considered to be one of the factors that can facilitate learner achievement. The present study investigated the indicators that constituted good teaching from the perspective of higher-education students at Applied Linguistics departments, Iran. To do this, following a substantial review of the literature, the five major…

  17. 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…

  18. Managing Appalachian hardwood stands using four management practices: 60-year results

    Treesearch

    Thomas M. Schuler; Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy; John P. Brown; Jan Wiedenbeck

    2017-01-01

    A long-term forest management case study on the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia referred to as the Cutting Practice Level study is evaluated after 60 years. Treatments include a commercial clearcut (one time application), a 39 cm diameter-limit (applied 4 times), uneven-aged management using two variations of single-tree selection (applied 7 and 8 times,...

  19. Internships in the Applied Geography Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Les; And Others

    1979-01-01

    Explains why an internship is a necessary part of an applied geography curriculum. Presents a case study of an internship program at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, Toronto, which emphasizes placement in an agency with the same specialization as the student and integration of course material and field experience. (Author/DB)

  20. Applying Theory to the Case Study Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kruckeberg, Dean

    A chronic problem in public relations education is the fragmentation of coursework, particularly as this fragmentation impacts on the application of communication theory. Public relations textbooks presentation of theory is often fragmented and segregated in to "theoretical" chapters and "applied" chapters with little integration between the two.…

  1. Increasing Active Student Responding in a University Applied Behavior Analysis Course: The Effect of Daily Assessment and Response Cards on End of Week Quiz Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malanga, Paul R.; Sweeney, William J.

    2008-01-01

    The study compared the effects of daily assessment and response cards on average weekly quiz scores in an introduction to applied behavior analysis course. An alternating treatments design (Kazdin 1982, "Single-case research designs." New York: Oxford University Press; Cooper et al. 2007, "Applied behavior analysis." Upper Saddle River:…

  2. Implications Of The Security Cooperation Office Transition in Afghanistan For Special Operations Forces: An Abbreviated Report of the Study’s Primary Findings

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-01-01

    for working in an interagency environment can lead to mission success. From the Iraq case study , one former U.S. Forces–Iraq official felt that...of six historical case studies in which the mission of special operations forces (SOF) in country transitioned over time to some level of inclusion...explanation of the methodology applied for case study selec- tion, as well as adopted interview protocols, are provided in the long- form version of

  3. Soil quality: Some basic considerations and case studies

    Treesearch

    Dale W. Johnson

    2010-01-01

    Some fundamental properties of soils that pertain to the concept of soil quality are discussed including a discussion of what can and cannot be changed with management.Case studies showing the effects of N-fixing vegetation and N-enrichment effects on invasive species are provided to illustrate the complications that may arise from applying one soil quality standard to...

  4. Cognitive Development and Creativity in a Navajo University Student: An Explorative Case Study Using Multiple Intelligence Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massalski, Dorothy Clare

    2009-01-01

    Intelligence and creativity are concepts used to describe the efforts of human beings to achieve the highest aspirations of the human brain-mind-spirit system. Howard Gardner, intelligence and creativity researcher, applied his Multiple Intelligence theory to case studies of creative masters from seven intelligence domains developing a template…

  5. Information Seeking in Organizational Communication: A Case Study of Applied Theory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grunig, James E.

    An experimental seminar in corporate communication at the University of Maryland was designed to (1) develop a set of theoretical concepts useful to the organizational communicator who functions as a mediator between management and labor, (2) utilize a practical methodology for these concepts, and (3) conduct a case study in cooperation with an…

  6. 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…

  7. Developing and Using a Logic Model for Evaluation and Assessment of University Student Affairs Programming: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Jeff

    2009-01-01

    This dissertation addresses theory and practice of evaluation and assessment in university student affairs, by applying logic modeling/program theory to a case study. I intend to add knowledge to ongoing dialogue among evaluation scholars and practitioners on student affairs program planning and improvement as integral considerations that serve…

  8. Add+VantageMR® Assessments: A Case Study of Teacher and Student Gains

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Briand, Cathy

    2013-01-01

    This case study analyzes the effect of the Add+VantageMRRTM (AVMR) program on a teacher's pedagogy and on her students' progress in mathematics. AVMR, a professional development program in early mathematics, trains teachers to assess their students' progress and apply those insights to their teaching pedagogy. The AVMR assessment uses a…

  9. Towards Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Implementation: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meaney, Miriam

    2006-01-01

    "Despite its central role in real-world geography, the Geographic Information System (GIS) has had little uptake to date in School Geography." (Wiegand, 2001) This statement can be accurately applied to the author's current school setting and was the focus of her and her colleagues' case study, commenced in 2004 and continued into 2005.…

  10. Creating Regional Futures: A Scenario-Based Inter- and Transdisciplinary Case Study as a Model for Applied Student-Centred Learning in Geography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fromhold-Eisebith, Martina; Freyer, Bernhard; Mose, Ingo; Muhar, Andreas; Vilsmaier, Ulli

    2009-01-01

    Human geography students face changing qualification requirements due to a shift towards new topics, educational tasks and professional options regarding issues of spatial development. This "practical turn" raises the importance of inter- and transdisciplinary work, management and capability building skills, with case study projects and…

  11. Institutional Strategies That Foster Academic Integrity: A Faculty-­Based Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prins, Sebastian; Jones, Edward; Lathrop, Anna H.

    2014-01-01

    In recognition that student academic misconduct is a complex issue that requires a holistic and institutional approach, this case study explores the impact of an intervention strategy adopted by the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (comprised of approximately 80 faculty and an average of 3,240 undergraduate students) at Brock University, St.…

  12. Exploring Readiness, Motivation, and Capacity for Implementing an iPad Campus Initiative: A Rural Community College Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Douglas A.; Coleman, Dawn

    2018-01-01

    This intrinsic case study explored organizational readiness to implement a campus-wide technology initiative. Specifically, this research examined a rural community college's implementation of an "iPad campus" initiative in which all students, faculty, and staff were required to adopt iPad technology. We apply a heuristic for…

  13. A Case Study of the Recognition of the Foundation Degree Qualification for Pharmacy Technicians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herrera, Helena; Brown, David; Portlock, Jane

    2013-01-01

    The Foundation Degree (FD) is a work-related, intermediate-level higher education qualification. Issues around its recognition can affect success in attracting students where the literature suggests that uptake should be adequate. This research represented a case study which explored for the first time, whether the above applied to the FD for…

  14. Investigating the Affective Learning in a 3D Virtual Learning Environment: The Case Study of the Chatterdale Mystery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Molka-Danielsen, Judith; Hadjistassou, Stella; Messl-Egghart, Gerhilde

    2016-01-01

    This research is motivated by the emergence of virtual technologies and their potential as engaging pedagogical tools for facilitating comprehension, interactions and collaborations for learning; and in particular as applied to learning second languages (L2). This paper provides a descriptive analysis of a case study that examines affective…

  15. Documenting with Parents and Toddlers: A Finnish Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rintakorpi, Kati; Lipponen, Lasse; Reunamo, Jyrki

    2014-01-01

    In recent years, there has been a growing interest in pedagogical documentation and the way in which it can be applied to advance pedagogical practices in early childhood education. This study is a case analysis which focuses on the transition phase from home to kindergarten of a toddler, Leo, and his family. Documentation was performed by the…

  16. Using Portfolios to Improve Teaching Quality: The Case of a Small Business School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Ian

    2004-01-01

    In this study, the author applies B. K. Curry's (1992) model of organizational institutionalization to a case study involving efforts to implement course and teaching portfolios in a small business school. This article is based on the personal observations of those involved and the published literature on the subject. Both teaching and course…

  17. Applying the ASCA National Model to Elementary School Students Who Are Homeless: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baggerly, Jennifer; Borkowski, Tammilyn

    2004-01-01

    This case study of an African American elementary school female who is homeless illustrates how ASCA's National Model meets the needs of students who are homeless. The needs of children who are homeless and the rationale for school counseling interventions--including assessment, classroom guidance, group play therapy, and consultation--are…

  18. Learner-Centeredness and EFL Instruction in Vietnam: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Dang, Hung

    2006-01-01

    Although learner-centeredness has been widely applied in instruction in the world, this approach has only been cautiously adopted in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching at some institutions in Vietnam. Taking a social constructivist view, this case study explores how a learner-centred perspective is employed in EFL teaching at a teacher…

  19. Contemplating a New Model for Air Force Aerospace Medical Technician Skills Sustainment Training

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-03-01

    qualitative research designs. The major designs described by these researchers included: grounded theory , narrative research ... phenomenological research , ethnographies , content analysis, and case study . Because each of these designs can stand alone as an individual research ...exploratory, embedded, single case study . A mixed methods research approach will be applied in an effort to discover

  20. The Impact of Different Scoring Rubrics for Grading Virtual Patient-Based Exams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fors, Uno G. H.; Gunning, William T.

    2014-01-01

    Virtual patient cases (VPs) are used for healthcare education and assessment. Most VP systems track user interactions to be used for assessment. Few studies have investigated how virtual exam cases should be scored and graded. We have applied eight different scoring models on a data set from 154 students. Issues studied included the impact of…

  1. Who "owns" the network: a case study of new media artists' use of high-bandwidth networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lesage, F.

    The objective of this paper is to briefly give an overview of a research project dealing with the social construction of use of information communication technologies among new media artists interested in online collaboration. It will outline the theoretical and methodological tools applied to the case study of the MARCEL Network.

  2. Automated Peak Detection and Matching Algorithm for Gas Chromatography–Differential Mobility Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Fong, Sim S.; Rearden, Preshious; Kanchagar, Chitra; Sassetti, Christopher; Trevejo, Jose; Brereton, Richard G.

    2013-01-01

    A gas chromatography–differential mobility spectrometer (GC-DMS) involves a portable and selective mass analyzer that may be applied to chemical detection in the field. Existing approaches examine whole profiles and do not attempt to resolve peaks. A new approach for peak detection in the 2D GC-DMS chromatograms is reported. This method is demonstrated on three case studies: a simulated case study; a case study of headspace gas analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) cultures consisting of three matching GC-DMS and GC-MS chromatograms; a case study consisting of 41 GC-DMS chromatograms of headspace gas analysis of MTb culture and media. PMID:21204557

  3. Use of existing systematic reviews for evidence assessments in infectious disease prevention: a comparative case study.

    PubMed

    Harder, Thomas; Remschmidt, Cornelius; Haller, Sebastian; Eckmanns, Tim; Wichmann, Ole

    2016-10-11

    Given limited resources and time constraints, the use of existing systematic reviews (SR) for the development of evidence-based public health recommendations has become increasingly important. Recently, a five-step approach for identifying, analyzing, appraising and using existing SRs based on recent guidance by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was proposed within the Project on a Framework for Rating Evidence in Public Health (PRECEPT). However, case studies are needed to test whether this approach is useful, what challenges arise and how problems can be solved. In two case studies, the five-step approach was applied to integrate existing SRs in the development of evidence-based public health recommendations. Case study A focused on the role of neonatal sepsis as a risk factor for adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. Case study B examined the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of influenza vaccination during pregnancy. For each step, we report the approach of the review team, discuss challenges and describe solutions. For case study A, one existing SR was identified, while in case study B four SRs were eligible for analysis. We found that comparison of inclusion criteria alone was sufficient to judge on relevance of SRs in case study A, but not B. Although methodological quality of all identified SRs was acceptable, risk of bias assessments of individual studies included in the SRs had to be repeated in both case studies. Particular challenges appeared in case study B where multiple SRs addressed the same research question. With the help of spreadsheets comparing the characteristics of the existing SR we decided to use the most comprehensive one for our evidence synthesis and supplemented the results with those from the other SRs. In both case studies using the complete SR was not possible. The five-step approach provided useful and structured guidance and should be routinely applied when using existing SRs as a basis for evidence-based recommendations in public health. In situations where more than one SR has to be considered, the development of spreadsheets comparing characteristics, inclusion criteria, risk of bias, included studies and outcomes seems useful.

  4. 78 FR 13402 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-27

    ... the election not to apply look-back method in de minimis cases. DATES: Written comments should be... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Election Not to Apply Look-Back Method in De Minimis Cases. OMB Number: 1545...), a taxpayer may elect not to apply the look-back method to long-term contracts in de minimis cases...

  5. 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

  6. Using systems thinking in patient safety: a case study on medicines management.

    PubMed

    Brimble, Mandy; Jones, Aled

    2017-06-29

    Systems thinking is used as a way of understanding behaviours and actions in complex healthcare organisations. An important premise of the concept is that every action in a system causes a reaction elsewhere in that system. These reactions can lead to unintended consequences, sometimes long after the original action, and so are not always attributed to them. This article applies systems thinking to a medicines management case study, to highlight how quality-improvement practitioners can use the approach to underpin planning and implementation of patient-safety initiatives. The case study is specific to transcribing in children's hospices, but the strategies can be applied to other areas. The article explains that, while root cause analysis tools are useful for identifying the cause of, and possible solutions to, problems, they need to be considered carefully in terms of unintended consequences, and how the system into which the solution is implemented can be affected by the change. Analysis of problems using a systems-thinking approach can help practitioners to develop robust and well informed business cases to present to decision makers.

  7. Rapid Operational Access and Maneuver Support (ROAMS) Platform for Improved Military Logistics Lines of Communication and Operational Vessel Routing

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-01

    case study in a northeastern American metropolitan area. METHODOLOGY : The ROAMS platform provides expanded analysis, model automation, and enhanced...shoals. An initial route for such operations is selected much like the military logistics case . Subsequent adjustments to routes may be done on an ad...IX-45 June 2017 8 CASE STUDY: The ROAMS platform was applied to a large, northeast American metropolitan region to demonstrate the capability of

  8. Applying systematic review search methods to the grey literature: a case study examining guidelines for school-based breakfast programs in Canada.

    PubMed

    Godin, Katelyn; Stapleton, Jackie; Kirkpatrick, Sharon I; Hanning, Rhona M; Leatherdale, Scott T

    2015-10-22

    Grey literature is an important source of information for large-scale review syntheses. However, there are many characteristics of grey literature that make it difficult to search systematically. Further, there is no 'gold standard' for rigorous systematic grey literature search methods and few resources on how to conduct this type of search. This paper describes systematic review search methods that were developed and applied to complete a case study systematic review of grey literature that examined guidelines for school-based breakfast programs in Canada. A grey literature search plan was developed to incorporate four different searching strategies: (1) grey literature databases, (2) customized Google search engines, (3) targeted websites, and (4) consultation with contact experts. These complementary strategies were used to minimize the risk of omitting relevant sources. Since abstracts are often unavailable in grey literature documents, items' abstracts, executive summaries, or table of contents (whichever was available) were screened. Screening of publications' full-text followed. Data were extracted on the organization, year published, who they were developed by, intended audience, goal/objectives of document, sources of evidence/resources cited, meals mentioned in the guidelines, and recommendations for program delivery. The search strategies for identifying and screening publications for inclusion in the case study review was found to be manageable, comprehensive, and intuitive when applied in practice. The four search strategies of the grey literature search plan yielded 302 potentially relevant items for screening. Following the screening process, 15 publications that met all eligibility criteria remained and were included in the case study systematic review. The high-level findings of the case study systematic review are briefly described. This article demonstrated a feasible and seemingly robust method for applying systematic search strategies to identify web-based resources in the grey literature. The search strategy we developed and tested is amenable to adaptation to identify other types of grey literature from other disciplines and answering a wide range of research questions. This method should be further adapted and tested in future research syntheses.

  9. Transformative Learning Approaches for Public Relations Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Motion, Judy; Burgess, Lois

    2014-01-01

    Public relations educators are frequently challenged by students' flawed perceptions of public relations. Two contrasting case studies are presented in this paper to illustrate how socially-oriented paradigms may be applied to a real-client project to deliver a transformative learning experience. A discourse-analytic approach is applied within the…

  10. A Case Study in Applying Lean Sustainability Concepts to Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comm, Clare L.; Mathaisel, Dennis F. X.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To apply the concepts of lean and sustainability to higher education. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was developed, administered to 18 public and private universities and analyzed. Findings: The focus in higher education is now on cost reduction or budget containment initiatives. Although these initiatives were not…

  11. Concept analysis of culture applied to nursing.

    PubMed

    Marzilli, Colleen

    2014-01-01

    Culture is an important concept, especially when applied to nursing. A concept analysis of culture is essential to understanding the meaning of the word. This article applies Rodgers' (2000) concept analysis template and provides a definition of the word culture as it applies to nursing practice. This article supplies examples of the concept of culture to aid the reader in understanding its application to nursing and includes a case study demonstrating components of culture that must be respected and included when providing health care.

  12. Computer Modeling to Evaluate the Impact of Technology Changes on Resident Procedural Volume.

    PubMed

    Grenda, Tyler R; Ballard, Tiffany N S; Obi, Andrea T; Pozehl, William; Seagull, F Jacob; Chen, Ryan; Cohn, Amy M; Daskin, Mark S; Reddy, Rishindra M

    2016-12-01

    As resident "index" procedures change in volume due to advances in technology or reliance on simulation, it may be difficult to ensure trainees meet case requirements. Training programs are in need of metrics to determine how many residents their institutional volume can support. As a case study of how such metrics can be applied, we evaluated a case distribution simulation model to examine program-level mediastinoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) volumes needed to train thoracic surgery residents. A computer model was created to simulate case distribution based on annual case volume, number of trainees, and rotation length. Single institutional case volume data (2011-2013) were applied, and 10 000 simulation years were run to predict the likelihood (95% confidence interval) of all residents (4 trainees) achieving board requirements for operative volume during a 2-year program. The mean annual mediastinoscopy volume was 43. In a simulation of pre-2012 board requirements (thoracic pathway, 25; cardiac pathway, 10), there was a 6% probability of all 4 residents meeting requirements. Under post-2012 requirements (thoracic, 15; cardiac, 10), however, the likelihood increased to 88%. When EBUS volume (mean 19 cases per year) was concurrently evaluated in the post-2012 era (thoracic, 10; cardiac, 0), the likelihood of all 4 residents meeting case requirements was only 23%. This model provides a metric to predict the probability of residents meeting case requirements in an era of changing volume by accounting for unpredictable and inequitable case distribution. It could be applied across operations, procedures, or disease diagnoses and may be particularly useful in developing resident curricula and schedules.

  13. Challenging evidence-based decision-making: a hypothetical case study about return to work.

    PubMed

    Aas, Randi W; Alexanderson, Kristina

    2012-03-01

    A hypothetical case study about return to work was used to explore the process of translating research into practice. The method involved constructing a case study derived from the characteristics of a typical, sick-listed employee with non-specific low back pain in Norway. Next, the five-step evidence-based process, including the Patient, Intervention, Co-Interventions and Outcome framework (PICO), was applied to the case study. An inductive analysis produced 10 technical and more fundamental challenges to incorporate research into intervention decisions for an individual with comorbidity. A more dynamic, interactive approach to the evidence-based practice process is proposed. It is recommended that this plus the 10 challenges are validated with real life cases, as the hypothetical case study may not be replicable. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Teachers' Beliefs in Teaching English for Kids at a Kindergarten: A Case Study of Students from the Department of Applied English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chu, Yu-wei

    2014-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to explore the changes in teachers' beliefs before and after teachings among four students from the Department of Applied English at Hungkuang University, who were conducting English teaching at a kindergarten. Teacher's beliefs included four aspects in terms of English teaching, teacher-student interaction in…

  15. WWC Review of the Report "Late Interventions Matter Too: The Case of College Coaching New Hampshire." What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The study examined whether providing college application coaching to high school seniors increased postsecondary enrollment. The program was aimed at students whom school counselors believed were on the verge of not applying to college, despite having tenth-grade test scores that were high enough to warrant applying.The research described in this…

  16. A Case Study in the Misrepresentation of Applied Behavior Analysis in Autism: The Gernsbacher Lectures

    PubMed Central

    Morris, Edward K

    2009-01-01

    I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabrics of their life. (Tolstoy, 1894) This article presents a case study in the misrepresentation of applied behavior analysis for autism based on Morton Ann Gernsbacher's presentation of a lecture titled “The Science of Autism: Beyond the Myths and Misconceptions.” Her misrepresentations involve the characterization of applied behavior analysis, descriptions of practice guidelines, reviews of the treatment literature, presentations of the clinical trials research, and conclusions about those trials (e.g., children's improvements are due to development, not applied behavior analysis). The article also reviews applied behavior analysis' professional endorsements and research support, and addresses issues in professional conduct. It ends by noting the deleterious effects that misrepresenting any research on autism (e.g., biological, developmental, behavioral) have on our understanding and treating it in a transdisciplinary context. PMID:22478522

  17. Applying the Joint Committee's 1994 Standards in International Contexts: A Case Study of Education Evaluations in Bangladesh

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chatterji, Madhabi

    2005-01-01

    This case study examines the applicability of 1994 standards, offered by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, to evaluations conducted in international contexts. The work is undertaken in response to an open invitation from the Joint Committee in its 1994 publication. The article addresses two purposes. First, it asks…

  18. Increasing market share through consumer marketing: a case study in obstetrics.

    PubMed

    Kingsley, V H

    1986-05-01

    Consumers are becoming ever more selective in their choice of health care providers. Hospitals that are aware of local preferences and how to reach and influence consumers will gain a competitive advantage. Outlined in this article are consumer marketing techniques that can be utilized for all product lines. The concept is applied here as a case study in obstetrics.

  19. Using Case Studies to Teach About Global Issues, The Sahel: The "Shore" of Disaster

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Susan J.

    1974-01-01

    Sahel is the Arabic word for "shore" and is applied to the Southern belt of the Sahara Desert now undergoing a severe drought. This article describes the lifestyle of a Tuareg herder as he and his family fight for survival. Discussion questions and possible solution to the problems are provided in the case study. (Author/DE)

  20. Case studies of simulation models of recreation use

    Treesearch

    David N. Cole

    2005-01-01

    Computer simulation models can be usefully applied to many different outdoor recreation situations. Model outputs can also be used for a wide variety of planning and management purposes. The intent of this chapter is to use a collection of 12 case studies to illustrate how simulation models have been used in a wide range of recreation situations and for diverse...

  1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Functional and Metacognitive Outcomes in Schizophrenia: A Single Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Louanne W.; Lysaker, Paul H.

    2005-01-01

    While much attention has been paid to how CBT can address symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, less is known about how it might be applied to target psychosocial dysfunction. This case study describes the treatment of a man with schizophrenia over a 6-month period using the Indianapolis Vocational Intervention Protocol (IVIP). The IVIP…

  2. Chair Report Consultancy Meeting on Nuclear Security Assessment Methodologies (NUSAM) Transport Case Study Working Group

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

    Shull, Doug

    The purpose of the consultancy assignment was to (i) apply the NUSAM assessment methods to hypothetical transport security table top exercise (TTX) analyses and (ii) document its results to working materials of NUSAM case study on transport. A number of working group observations, using the results of TTX methodologies, are noted in the report.

  3. Application of Cognitive Apprenticeship Model to a Graduate Course in Performance Systems Analysis: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Darabi, A. Aubteen

    2005-01-01

    This article reports a case study describing how the principles of a cognitive apprenticeship (CA) model developed by Collins, Brown, and Holum (1991) were applied to a graduate course on performance systems analysis (PSA), and the differences this application made in student performance and evaluation of the course compared to the previous…

  4. Nanomaterial Case Study: A Comparison of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube and Decabromodiphenyl Ether Flame-Retardant Coatings Applied to Upholstery Textiles (External Review Draft)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The draft document is intended to be used as part of a process to identify what is known and, more importantly, what is not yet known that could be of value in assessing the broad implications of specific nanomaterials. Like previous case studies (see History/ Chronology below), ...

  5. Determining the Antifungal Agent Clioquinol by HPLC, the Not so Pure Preparation: A Laboratory-Based Case Study for an Instrumental Analytical Chemistry Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schaber, Peter M.; Hobika, Geoffrey

    2018-01-01

    The case study approach provides students with a better appreciation of how scientists solve problems and conduct themselves in the "real world". When applied to the undergraduate chemistry laboratory, this approach also challenges critical thinking skills and creativity in ways "cook book" experiments very often do not. This…

  6. Breast Cancer and Modifiable Lifestyle Factors in Argentinean Women: Addressing Missing Data in a Case-Control Study

    PubMed Central

    Coquet, Julia Becaria; Tumas, Natalia; Osella, Alberto Ruben; Tanzi, Matteo; Franco, Isabella; Diaz, Maria Del Pilar

    2016-01-01

    A number of studies have evidenced the effect of modifiable lifestyle factors such as diet, breastfeeding and nutritional status on breast cancer risk. However, none have addressed the missing data problem in nutritional epidemiologic research in South America. Missing data is a frequent problem in breast cancer studies and epidemiological settings in general. Estimates of effect obtained from these studies may be biased, if no appropriate method for handling missing data is applied. We performed Multiple Imputation for missing values on covariates in a breast cancer case-control study of Córdoba (Argentina) to optimize risk estimates. Data was obtained from a breast cancer case control study from 2008 to 2015 (318 cases, 526 controls). Complete case analysis and multiple imputation using chained equations were the methods applied to estimate the effects of a Traditional dietary pattern and other recognized factors associated with breast cancer. Physical activity and socioeconomic status were imputed. Logistic regression models were performed. When complete case analysis was performed only 31% of women were considered. Although a positive association of Traditional dietary pattern and breast cancer was observed from both approaches (complete case analysis OR=1.3, 95%CI=1.0-1.7; multiple imputation OR=1.4, 95%CI=1.2-1.7), effects of other covariates, like BMI and breastfeeding, were only identified when multiple imputation was considered. A Traditional dietary pattern, BMI and breastfeeding are associated with the occurrence of breast cancer in this Argentinean population when multiple imputation is appropriately performed. Multiple Imputation is suggested in Latin America’s epidemiologic studies to optimize effect estimates in the future. PMID:27892664

  7. A reflective lens: applying critical systems thinking and visual methods to ecohealth research.

    PubMed

    Cleland, Deborah; Wyborn, Carina

    2010-12-01

    Critical systems methodology has been advocated as an effective and ethical way to engage with the uncertainty and conflicting values common to ecohealth problems. We use two contrasting case studies, coral reef management in the Philippines and national park management in Australia, to illustrate the value of critical systems approaches in exploring how people respond to environmental threats to their physical and spiritual well-being. In both cases, we used visual methods--participatory modeling and rich picturing, respectively. The critical systems methodology, with its emphasis on reflection, guided an appraisal of the research process. A discussion of these two case studies suggests that visual methods can be usefully applied within a critical systems framework to offer new insights into ecohealth issues across a diverse range of socio-political contexts. With this article, we hope to open up a conversation with other practitioners to expand the use of visual methods in integrated research.

  8. Schools, Social Capital and Space

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allan, Julie; Catts, Ralph

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on the significance of social capital in relation to education, exploring its relevance to teachers and other professionals as well as among young people. It draws on aspects of five case studies undertaken by the Schools and Social Capital Network, within the Applied Educational Research Scheme in Scotland. These case studies…

  9. Investigating Language and the Media: The Case of Newswriting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perrin, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    Drawing on a case study of newswriting, this article presents media linguistics as a subdiscipline of applied linguistics (AL), dealing with a distinctive field of language use. Language in the media is characterized by specific environments, functions, and structures. Medialinguistic research, however, tends to overcome disciplinary boundaries.…

  10. Split My Brain: A Case Study of Seizure Disorder and Brain Function

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omarzu, Julia

    2004-01-01

    This case involves a couple deciding whether or not their son should undergo brain surgery to treat a severe seizure disorder. In examining this dilemma, students apply knowledge of brain anatomy and function. They also learn about brain scanning techniques and discuss the plasticity of the brain.

  11. Tourism through Travel Club: A Database Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pratt, Renée M. E.; Smatt, Cindi T.; Wynn, Donald E.

    2017-01-01

    This applied database exercise utilizes a scenario-based case study to teach the basics of Microsoft Access and database management in introduction to information systems and introduction to database course. The case includes background information on a start-up business (i.e., Carol's Travel Club), description of functional business requirements,…

  12. Name-Dropping or Understanding?: Teaching to Observe Geologically

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frøyland, Merethe; Remmen, Kari Beate; Sørvik, Gard Ove

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates how teaching can support students' ability to apply rock identification by addressing scientific observation. In the context of geology education in Norway, we investigate two cases in which different approaches to teaching rock identification are carried out. Case A involves traditional teaching activities in one class of…

  13. Attention Training with Auditory Hallucinations: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valmaggia, Lucia R.; Bouman, Theo K.; Schuurman, Laura

    2007-01-01

    The case presented in this paper illustrates how Attention Training (ATT; [Wells, A. (1990). "Panic disorder in association with relaxation induced anxiety: An attentional training approach to treatment." "Behavior Therapy," 21, 273-280.]) can be applied in an outpatient setting in the treatment of auditory hallucinations. The 25-year-old male…

  14. The Vroom and Yetton Normative Leadership Model Applied to Public School Case Examples.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sample, John

    This paper seeks to familiarize school administrators with the Vroom and Yetton Normative Leadership model by presenting its essential components and providing original case studies for its application to school settings. The five decision-making methods of the Vroom and Yetton model, including two "autocratic," two…

  15. Operationally Comparable Effect Sizes for Quantifying Changes in Behavior, with Application to Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pustejovsky, James E.

    2013-01-01

    Single-case designs (SCDs) are a class of research methods for evaluating intervention effects by taking repeated measurements of an outcome over time on a single case, both before and after the deliberate introduction of a treatment. SCDs are used heavily in fields such as special education, school psychology, social work, and applied behavior…

  16. Ontological Relations and the Capability Maturity Model Applied in Academia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Oliveira, Jerônimo Moreira; Campoy, Laura Gómez; Vilarino, Lilian

    2015-01-01

    This work presents a new approach to the discovery, identification and connection of ontological elements within the domain of characterization in learning organizations. In particular, the study can be applied to contexts where organizations require planning, logic, balance, and cognition in knowledge creation scenarios, which is the case for the…

  17. Knowledge Management in Preserving Ecosystems: The Case of Seoul

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Jeongseok

    2009-01-01

    This study explores the utility of employing knowledge management as a framework for understanding how public managers perform ecosystem management. It applies the grounded theory method to build a model. The model is generated by applying the concept of knowledge process to an investigation of how the urban ecosystem is publicly managed by civil…

  18. Heterophobia: Subverting Heterosexual Hegemony through Intermedial Applied Performance for Young People

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, Hannah

    2016-01-01

    This article responds to intermediality through a case study of an intermedial applied performance for young people. "Heterophobia," a hybrid fusion of live performance, digital technology, social media and urban street art, aimed to challenge homophobia in schools and online. Intermediality was used as a tool to enhance young people's…

  19. The HPT Model Applied to a Kayak Company's Registration Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Florence; Hall, Herman A., IV; Blakely, Amanda; Gayford, Matthew C.; Gunter, Erin

    2009-01-01

    This case study describes the step-by-step application of the traditional human performance technology (HPT) model at a premier kayak company located on the coast of North Carolina. The HPT model was applied to address lost revenues related to three specific business issues: misinformed customers, dissatisfied customers, and guides not showing up…

  20. Zombie Graduates Driven by Rickshaw Faculty--A Qualitative Case Study: Private Universities in Urban Bangladesh

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Husain, Matt M.; Osswald, Karina

    2016-01-01

    Bangladesh's post-secondary education has become a hunting ground for local economic conglomerates and their transnational allies. Applying a holistic lens helps to understand the factors and short-term effects of blindly applying neo-liberal induced deregulation and privatization that constructed a mushrooming "McDonaldization" culture…

  1. Applied and Transformed Understanding in Introductory Psychology: Analysis of a Final Essay Assignment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Kevin M.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes a case study of the impact of the introductory psychology course on students' understanding of their life experiences and course-related ideas. Student responses to a final essay assignment were analyzed to construct composites for areas of applied and transformed understanding. Results are important for psychology teachers…

  2. [The case-case-time-control study design].

    PubMed

    Wang, Jing; Zhuo, Lin; Zhan, Siyan

    2014-12-01

    Although the 'self-matched case-only studies' (such as the case-cross-over or self-controlled case-series method) can control the time-invariant confounders (measured or unmeasured) through design of the study, however, they can not control those confounders that vary with time. A bidirectional case-crossover design can be used to adjust the exposure-time trends. In the areas of pharmaco-epidemiology, illness often influence the future use of medications, making a bidirectional study design problematic. Suissa's case-time-control design combines the case-crossover and the case-control design which could adjust for exposure-trend bias, but the control group may reintroduce selection bias, if the matching does not go well. We propose a "case-case-time-control" design which is an extension of the case-time-control design. However, rather than using a sample of external controls, we choose those future cases as controls for current cases to counter the bias that arising from temporal trends caused by exposure to the target of interest. In the end of this article we will discuss the strength and limitations of this design based on an applied example.

  3. Urban Environment Development based on Universal Design Principles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harsritanto, Bangun Ir

    2018-02-01

    Universal Design is a design which facilitated full range of human diversity. By applying Universal design principles, urban environment can be more functional and more user-friendly for everyone. This study examined five urban streets of South Korea as a country experienced on developing various urban street designs based on universal design. This study aimed to examine and compare the South Korea cases using seven principles of universal design. The research methods of this study are literature study, case study, and site observation. The results of this study are: South Korea cases are good practices, urgency of implementing the direction into local regulations; and change of urban development paradigm.

  4. Creating a Learning Organization for State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement to Combat Violent Extremism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    iterations in that time for the student practitioners to work through. When possible, case studies will be selected from actual counter-radicalizations...justify participation in the learning 9 organization. Those cases will be evaluated on a case -by- case basis and the need to expand the CVE mission...interested within the learning organization. The National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program applied research pre -course is an example of

  5. 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.

  6. Power Dynamics in Applied Theatre: Interrogating the Power of the University-Based TfD Facilitator--the UZ Theatre and CARE Zimbabwe's Zvishavane/Mberengwa NICA Project and SSFP as Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seda, Owen; Chivandikwa, Nehemiah

    2014-01-01

    One of the central tenets in applied theatre is the ability to confront issues of "power" and "powerlessness." Indeed, success or lack thereof in applied theatre projects is often adjudged against the ability or the extent to which these projects are, or have been able to "empower" the "powerless." In this…

  7. 14 CFR 399.62 - Target dates in hearing cases.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Target dates in hearing cases. 399.62... Target dates in hearing cases. (a) Applicability. This section applies to initial and recommended.... (b) Issuance of target dates. In cases to which this section applies, the Board or the administrative...

  8. 14 CFR 399.62 - Target dates in hearing cases.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Target dates in hearing cases. 399.62... Target dates in hearing cases. (a) Applicability. This section applies to initial and recommended.... (b) Issuance of target dates. In cases to which this section applies, the Board or the administrative...

  9. 14 CFR 399.62 - Target dates in hearing cases.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Target dates in hearing cases. 399.62... Target dates in hearing cases. (a) Applicability. This section applies to initial and recommended.... (b) Issuance of target dates. In cases to which this section applies, the Board or the administrative...

  10. 14 CFR 399.62 - Target dates in hearing cases.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Target dates in hearing cases. 399.62... Target dates in hearing cases. (a) Applicability. This section applies to initial and recommended.... (b) Issuance of target dates. In cases to which this section applies, the Board or the administrative...

  11. 14 CFR 399.62 - Target dates in hearing cases.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Target dates in hearing cases. 399.62... Target dates in hearing cases. (a) Applicability. This section applies to initial and recommended.... (b) Issuance of target dates. In cases to which this section applies, the Board or the administrative...

  12. Spiritual Diversity and Living with Early-Stage Dementia.

    PubMed

    McGee, Jocelyn Shealy; Zhao, Holly Carlson; Myers, Dennis R; Seela Eaton, Hannah

    2018-01-01

    Attention to spiritual diversity is necessary for the provision of culturally informed clinical care for people with early-stage dementia and their family members. In this article, an evidence-based theoretical framework for conceptualizing spiritual diversity is described in detail (Pargament, 2011). The framework is then applied to two clinical case studies of people living with early-stage dementia to elucidate the multilayered components of spiritual diversity in this population. The case studies were selected from a larger mixed-methods study on spirituality, positive psychological factors, health, and well-being in people living with early-stage dementia and their family members. To our knowledge this is the first systematic attempt to apply a theoretical framework for understanding spiritual diversity in this population. Implications for clinical practice are provided.

  13. A comparison of heuristic and model-based clustering methods for dietary pattern analysis.

    PubMed

    Greve, Benjamin; Pigeot, Iris; Huybrechts, Inge; Pala, Valeria; Börnhorst, Claudia

    2016-02-01

    Cluster analysis is widely applied to identify dietary patterns. A new method based on Gaussian mixture models (GMM) seems to be more flexible compared with the commonly applied k-means and Ward's method. In the present paper, these clustering approaches are compared to find the most appropriate one for clustering dietary data. The clustering methods were applied to simulated data sets with different cluster structures to compare their performance knowing the true cluster membership of observations. Furthermore, the three methods were applied to FFQ data assessed in 1791 children participating in the IDEFICS (Identification and Prevention of Dietary- and Lifestyle-Induced Health Effects in Children and Infants) Study to explore their performance in practice. The GMM outperformed the other methods in the simulation study in 72 % up to 100 % of cases, depending on the simulated cluster structure. Comparing the computationally less complex k-means and Ward's methods, the performance of k-means was better in 64-100 % of cases. Applied to real data, all methods identified three similar dietary patterns which may be roughly characterized as a 'non-processed' cluster with a high consumption of fruits, vegetables and wholemeal bread, a 'balanced' cluster with only slight preferences of single foods and a 'junk food' cluster. The simulation study suggests that clustering via GMM should be preferred due to its higher flexibility regarding cluster volume, shape and orientation. The k-means seems to be a good alternative, being easier to use while giving similar results when applied to real data.

  14. Expanded Awareness of Student Performance: A Case Study in Applied Ethnographic Monitoring in a Bilingual Classroom. Sociolinguistic Working Paper Number 60.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carrasco, Robert L.

    The case study of the use of a classroom observation technique to evaluate the abilities and performance of a bilingual kindergarten student previously assessed as a low achiever is described. There are three objectives: to show the validity of the ethnographic monitoring technique, to show the value of teachers as collaborating researchers, and…

  15. Review of fuel treatment effectiveness in forests and rangelands and a case study from the 2007 megafires in central, Idaho, USA

    Treesearch

    Andrew T. Hudak; Ian Rickert; Penelope Morgan; Eva Strand; Sarah A. Lewis; Peter R. Robichaud; Chad Hoffman; Zachary A. Holden

    2011-01-01

    This report provides managers with the current state of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of fuel treatments for mitigating severe wildfire effects. A literature review examines the effectiveness of fuel treatments that had been previously applied and were subsequently burned through by wildfire in forests and rangelands. A case study focuses on WUI fuel treatments...

  16. Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Willemsen, Jochem; Della Rosa, Elena; Kegerreis, Sue

    2017-01-01

    This manuscript provides a review of the clinical case study within the field of psychoanalytic and psychodynamic treatment. The method has been contested for methodological reasons and because it would contribute to theoretical pluralism in the field. We summarize how the case study method is being applied in different schools of psychoanalysis, and we clarify the unique strengths of this method and areas for improvement. Finally, based on the literature and on our own experience with case study research, we come to formulate nine guidelines for future case study authors: (1) basic information to include, (2) clarification of the motivation to select a particular patient, (3) information about informed consent and disguise, (4) patient background and context of referral or self-referral, (5) patient's narrative, therapist's observations and interpretations, (6) interpretative heuristics, (7) reflexivity and counter-transference, (8) leaving room for interpretation, and (9) answering the research question, and comparison with other cases. PMID:28210235

  17. Infant abusive head trauma in a military cohort.

    PubMed

    Gumbs, Gia R; Keenan, Heather T; Sevick, Carter J; Conlin, Ava Marie S; Lloyd, David W; Runyan, Desmond K; Ryan, Margaret A K; Smith, Tyler C

    2013-10-01

    Evaluate the rate of, and risk factors for, abusive head trauma (AHT) among infants born to military families and compare with civilian population rates. Electronic International Classification of Diseases data from the US Department of Defense (DoD) Birth and Infant Health Registry were used to identify infants born to military families from 1998 through 2005 (N = 676 827) who met the study definition for AHT. DoD Family Advocacy Program data were used to identify infants with substantiated reports of abuse. Rates within the military were compared with civilian population rates by applying an alternate AHT case definition used in a civilian study. Applying the study definition, the estimated rate of substantiated military AHT was 34.0 cases in the first year of life per 100 000 live births. Using the alternate case definition, the estimated AHT rate was 25.6 cases per 100 000 live births. Infant risk factors for AHT included male sex, premature birth, and a diagnosed major birth defect. Parental risk factors included young maternal age (<21 years), lower sponsor rank or pay grade, and current maternal military service. This is the first large database study of AHT with the ability to link investigative results to cases. Overall rates of AHT were consistent with civilian populations when using the same case definition codes. Infants most at risk, warranting special attention from military family support programs, include infants with parents in lower military pay grades, infants with military mothers, and infants born premature or with birth defects.

  18. Alpha-fetoprotein and its value for predicting pregnancy outcomes – a re-evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Darouich, Ayham Alhaj; Liehr, Thomas; Weise, Anja; Schlembach, Dietmar; Schleußner, Ekkehart; Kiehntopf, Michael; Schreyer, Isolde

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations can be determined framing others from invasively acquired amnion fluid (AF-AFP). While the biological role of AFP remains unclear it is well known that AFP-levels can be altered in connection with specific clinical and/or genetic alterations of the fetus. Materials and Method here a retrospective study based on 3,119 singleton and 56 twin pregnancies is presented. The standard levels of amnion fluid derived alpha-fetoprotein level (AF-AFP) between 12th and 36th weeks of gestation were determined. Additionally, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) test results for 63 cases, ultrasonography results for 32 cases and abnormal karyotypic findings for 100 cases were available for selected cases. Results and Discussion according to the present data the AF-AFP test is reliable and provides expected test results in terms of population studies. However, individual AF-AFP test results can be subject to high individual variations. In this study AF-AFP multiple of medians (MoM) over 1.7 were indicative for neuronal tube defects and/or omphalocele in only 6.3% of the cases, while such AF-AFP values were hints on severe sonographic signs in 62% of the cases. Also, altered AF-AFP concentrations were present in 82% of cytogenetically abnormal cases. Overall, even though predicative value of the AF-AFP-test is matter of discussion it continues to be widely applied in invasive prenatal diagnostics. This study indicates that it only can be applied reliably in combination with other tests like banding cytogenetics, ultrasonography and all embedded in well-established genetic counseling. PMID:27358693

  19. Applying multi-criteria decision-making to improve the waste reduction policy in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Su, Jun-Pin; Hung, Ming-Lung; Chao, Chia-Wei; Ma, Hwong-wen

    2010-01-01

    Over the past two decades, the waste reduction problem has been a major issue in environmental protection. Both recycling and waste reduction policies have become increasingly important. As the complexity of decision-making has increased, it has become evident that more factors must be considered in the development and implementation of policies aimed at resource recycling and waste reduction. There are many studies focused on waste management excluding waste reduction. This study paid more attention to waste reduction. Social, economic, and management aspects of waste treatment policies were considered in this study. Further, a life-cycle assessment model was applied as an evaluation system for the environmental aspect. Results of both quantitative and qualitative analyses on the social, economic, and management aspects were integrated via the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method into the comprehensive decision-making support system of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). A case study evaluating the waste reduction policy in Taoyuan County is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of this model. In the case study, reinforcement of MSW sorting was shown to be the best practice. The model in this study can be applied to other cities faced with the waste reduction problems.

  20. A mathematical model of case-ascertainment bias: Applied to case-control studies nested within a randomized screening trial.

    PubMed

    Jansen, Rick J; Alexander, Bruce H; Hayes, Richard B; Miller, Anthony B; Wacholder, Sholom; Church, Timothy R

    2018-01-01

    When some individuals are screen-detected before the beginning of the study, but otherwise would have been diagnosed symptomatically during the study, this results in different case-ascertainment probabilities among screened and unscreened participants, referred to here as lead-time-biased case-ascertainment (LTBCA). In fact, this issue can arise even in risk-factor studies nested within a randomized screening trial; even though the screening intervention is randomly allocated to trial arms, there is no randomization to potential risk-factors and uptake of screening can differ by risk-factor strata. Under the assumptions that neither screening nor the risk factor affects underlying incidence and no other forms of bias operate, we simulate and compare the underlying cumulative incidence and that observed in the study due to LTBCA. The example used will be constructed from the randomized Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer screening trial. The derived mathematical model is applied to simulating two nested studies to evaluate the potential for screening bias in observational lung cancer studies. Because of differential screening under plausible assumptions about preclinical incidence and duration, the simulations presented here show that LTBCA due to chest x-ray screening can significantly increase the estimated risk of lung cancer due to smoking by 1% and 50%. Traditional adjustment methods cannot account for this bias, as the influence screening has on observational study estimates involves events outside of the study observation window (enrollment and follow-up) that change eligibility for potential participants, thus biasing case ascertainment.

  1. Risk factors and therapy for goat mastitis in a hospital-based case-control study in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Koop, Gerrit; Islam, Md Nurul; Rahman, Md Mizanur; Khatun, Momena; Ferdous, Jinnat; Sayeed, Md Abu; Islam, Shariful; Ahaduzzaman, Md; Akter, Sazeda; Mannan, Abdul; Hassan, Mohammad Mahmudul; Dissanayake, Ravi; Hoque, Md Ahasanul

    2016-02-01

    Bangladesh has a large population of goats, which contribute to the income, nutrition and welfare of the households of many families. Mastitis in goats has a low incidence, but is often very severe, making veterinary care necessary. The aim of this study was to identify seasonality and risk factors for goat mastitis in a hospital-based matched case-control study in a teaching veterinary hospital in Chittagong, Bangladesh and to describe the range of antimicrobial treatments applied in this situation. Cases of mastitis and controls were drawn from the hospital patient recording system, along with their risk factor status. Multiple imputation was applied to deal with the missing values in the data analysis. Mastitis occurred somewhat more in the rainy season, and comprised about 3% of all goats admitted to the hospital during January 2011-June 2014. Free-ranging farming system, poor body condition score and non-native goat breeds were significantly associated with case status. Treatment of clinical mastitis was variable and unsystematic, but the use of gentamicin was commonly recorded. The need for more prudent and evidence-based antimicrobial therapies is discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Testing Pneumonia Vaccines in the Elderly: Determining a Case Definition for Pneumococcal Pneumonia in the Absence of a Gold Standard.

    PubMed

    Jokinen, Jukka; Snellman, Marja; Palmu, Arto A; Saukkoriipi, Annika; Verlant, Vincent; Pascal, Thierry; Devaster, Jeanne-Marie; Hausdorff, William P; Kilpi, Terhi M

    2018-06-01

    Clinical assessments of vaccines to prevent pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) require sensitive and specific case definitions, but there is no gold standard diagnostic test. To develop a new case definition suitable for vaccine efficacy studies, we applied latent class analysis (LCA) to the results from 7 diagnostic tests for pneumococcal etiology on clinical specimens from 323 elderly persons with radiologically confirmed pneumonia enrolled in the Finnish Community-Acquired Pneumonia Epidemiology study during 2005-2007. Compared with the conventional use of LCA, which is mainly to determine sensitivities and specificities of different tests, we instead used LCA as an appropriate instrument to predict the probability of pneumococcal etiology for each CAP case based on individual test profiles, and we used the predictions to minimize the sample size that would be needed for a vaccine efficacy trial. When compared with the conventional laboratory criteria of encapsulated pneumococci in culture, in blood culture or high-quality sputum culture, or urine antigen positivity, our optimized case definition for pneumococcal CAP resulted in a trial sample size that was almost 20,000 subjects smaller. We believe that the novel application of LCA detailed here to determine a case definition for pneumococcal CAP could also be similarly applied to other diseases without a gold standard.

  3. 12 CFR 340.8 - Does this part apply in the case of a workout, resolution, or settlement of obligations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Does this part apply in the case of a workout, resolution, or settlement of obligations? 340.8 Section 340.8 Banks and Banking FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE... INSURANCE CORPORATION § 340.8 Does this part apply in the case of a workout, resolution, or settlement of...

  4. 12 CFR 340.8 - Does this part apply in the case of a workout, resolution, or settlement of obligations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Does this part apply in the case of a workout, resolution, or settlement of obligations? 340.8 Section 340.8 Banks and Banking FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE... INSURANCE CORPORATION § 340.8 Does this part apply in the case of a workout, resolution, or settlement of...

  5. Exploring the Geography of America's Religious Denominations: A Presbyterian Example

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heatwole, Charles A.

    1977-01-01

    The historically sectional nature of the Presbyterian Church is examined as a case study which illustrates how study of the geography of religious groups can be applied at various academic levels. (AV)

  6. [Investigation of hypokalemia].

    PubMed

    Lodin, Karin; Palmér, Mats

    2015-12-15

    Most causes of hypokalemia could be studied relatively easily by thorough medical history and basal sampling. Moreover, difficult cases of hypokalemia should be studied systematically to identify the underlying cause so that successful long-term treatments can be applied.

  7. Improving ethical knowledge and sensemaking from cases through elaborative interrogation and outcome valence.

    PubMed

    Johnson, James F; Bagdasarov, Zhanna; MacDougall, Alexandra E; Steele, Logan; Connelly, Shane; Devenport, Lynn D; Mumford, Michael D

    2014-01-01

    The case-based approach to learning is popular among many applied fields. However, results of case-based education vary widely on case content and case presentation. This study examined two aspects of case-based education-outcome valence and case elaboration methods-in a two-day case-based Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) ethics education program. Results suggest that outcome information is an integral part of a quality case. Furthermore, valence consistent outcomes may have certain advantages over mixed valence outcome information. Finally, students enjoy and excel working with case material, and the use of elaborative interrogation techniques can significantly improve internally-focused ethical sensemaking strategies associated with personal biases, constraints, and emotions.

  8. A 9-year comparison of practice profiles of candidates for primary and recertification examinations of the American Board of Plastic Surgery relative to economic indicators.

    PubMed

    Gosain, Arun K; Haller, Harold S; Lee, Michelle; Cullison, Terry M; Noone, R Barrett

    2013-03-01

    This study compared the practice profiles of plastic surgeons applying for recertification/maintenance of certification with those applying for primary certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery between 2003 and 2011. American Board of Plastic Surgery case logs from both recertification and primary certification candidates from 2003 to 2011 were examined. Deidentified data included operative year, Current Procedural Terminology codes, and the candidate's designation of the case relative to (1) cosmetic or reconstructive and (2) the Maintenance of Certification in Plastic Surgery module (i.e., comprehensive, cosmetic, craniomaxillofacial, and hand). Department of Commerce unemployment data from 2003 to 2011 served as an economic indicator for the period studied. A negative trend in the median number of cases per candidate was observed for both groups for cosmetic, reconstructive, and total number of cases, corresponding to a rise in unemployment. With every 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate, recertification candidates demonstrated a greater loss of cosmetic cases relative to primary candidates and an accelerated decline in reconstructive cases starting in 2007. Distribution of the four Maintenance of Certification modules demonstrated a negative trend for cosmetic and comprehensive cases in both groups. Hand and craniofacial consistently constituted approximately 20 percent of cases for primary and 14 percent of cases for recertification candidates. There was a shift away from hand cases toward craniofacial cases in both groups. Both primary and recertification candidates reported a decline in overall caseload from 2003 to 2011. Negative economic trends have a greater impact on the practice profile of recertification candidates.

  9. Using Minds to Command the Logic of Things: A Response to Case and Wright.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paul, Richard

    1997-01-01

    Reviews some of the basic tenets of critical thinking as it applies to social studies, especially those articulated in Roland Case's and Ian Wright's article, "Taking Seriously the Teaching of Critical Thinking." Praises the article but suggests that it would be improved by tightening the central focus. (MJP)

  10. 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…

  11. Applying Clinical Neuropsychology in the Public Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Federhar, David B.

    Neuropsychology is an area in which the functioning or integrity of the brain is linked to measurable human behavior. This paper describes the use of the Reitan batteries (Reitan and Davison; 1974) in public school settings for documenting and prescribing appropriate academic programs. Three individual case studies are presented. Case 1 is a 16…

  12. Making Total Quality Management + Just-in-Time Manufacturing Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waldrop, Phillip S.; Scott, Thomas E.

    2000-01-01

    In one case study, teamwork was implemented in mainstream production; in a second, teamwork was applied to an ad hoc project. The cases show that process technologies and management strategies such as just-in-time are not enough; selection of the appropriate mix of individuals with complementary traits is crucial. (SK)

  13. Graphical and Numerical Descriptive Analysis: Exploratory Tools Applied to Vietnamese Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haughton, Dominique; Phong, Nguyen

    2004-01-01

    This case study covers several exploratory data analysis ideas, the histogram and boxplot, kernel density estimates, the recently introduced bagplot--a two-dimensional extension of the boxplot--as well as the violin plot, which combines a boxplot with a density shape plot. We apply these ideas and demonstrate how to interpret the output from these…

  14. A Case Study: Applying Critical Thinking Skills to Computer Science and Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shannon, Li-Jen; Bennett, Judith

    2012-01-01

    A majority of incoming college freshmen and sophomores have not applied their critical thinking skills as part of their learning process. This paper investigates how students acquire their critical thinking skills while facing the copyright, fair use, and internet security challenges in this contemporary digital society. The findings show that 90…

  15. Accessible by Design: Applying UDL Principles in a First Year Undergraduate Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kumar, Kari Lynne; Wideman, Maureen

    2014-01-01

    This article presents a case study of a technology-enhanced face-to-face health sciences course in which the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) were applied. Students were offered a variety of means of representation, engagement, and expression throughout the course, and were surveyed and interviewed at the end of the term to…

  16. Applied Research Centres at South African Universities. The Relationship between 'Base' Internal Structures and Network 'Superstructures'

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, David

    2005-01-01

    This article considers the way in which applied research centres and units at South African higher education institutions enhance their networks with industry, government and community organizations. The findings from 12 case studies of research groupings at higher education institutions in Cape Town support the author's argument for a more…

  17. Getting Students to Read Instructor Feedback (and Maybe Actually Learn from It)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Redd, Bibia R.; Kennette, Lynne N.

    2017-01-01

    Effective instructor feedback can be used to increase student learning, provided that students read and apply this feedback, which is not always the case. The current study investigates an approach which may encourage students to read and immediately apply instructor-provided feedback. This is done by giving students the opportunity to submit…

  18. Cooking under Pressure: Applying the Ideal Gas Law in the Kitchen

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Ling; Anderson, Jennifer Y.; Wang, Diane R.

    2010-01-01

    This case study uses a daily cooking scenario to demonstrate how the boiling point of water is directly related to the external pressures in order to reinforce the concepts of boiling and boiling point, apply ideal gas law, and relate chemical reaction rates with temperatures. It also extends its teaching to autoclaves used to destroy…

  19. Mapping Legitimation of Civic Engagement through Undergrad, Graduate, and Faculty Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Blasio, Gregory G.; Woeste, Emma

    2013-01-01

    The authors provide a framework for understanding the process of legitimation and the status of legitimacy as it applies to civic engagement and community-based initiatives. They apply their own case study experience with a social circus organization as an example of how legitimation occurs during the practice of civic engagement. The authors…

  20. Translations and Paradoxes of "Western" Pedagogy: Perspectives of English Language Teachers in a Chinese College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Xi; Tarc, Paul

    2016-01-01

    This paper engages the perspectives of teachers working in an English language department of a vocational college in China. It takes a transdisciplinary approach, applying constructs from the fields of comparative education, postcolonial theories in education, and critical applied linguistics to a case study of English language teaching; while the…

  1. Acousto-ultrasonics to Assess Material and Structural Properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kautz, Harold E.

    2002-01-01

    This report was created to serve as a manual for applying the Acousto-Ultrasonic NDE method, as practiced at NASA Glenn, to the study of materials and structures for a wide range of applications. Three state of the art acousto-ultrasonic (A-U) analysis parameters, ultrasonic decay (UD) rate, mean time (or skewing factor, "s"), and the centroid of the power spectrum, "f(sub c)," have been studied and applied at GRC for NDE interrogation of various materials and structures of aerospace interest. In addition to this, a unique application of Lamb wave analysis is shown. An appendix gives a brief overview of Lamb Wave analysis. This paper presents the analysis employed to calculate these parameters and the development and reasoning behind their use. It also discusses the planning of A-U measurements for materials and structures to be studied. Types of transducer coupling are discussed including contact and non-contact via laser and air. Experimental planning includes matching transducer frequency range to material and geometry of the specimen to be studied. The effect on results of initially zeroing the DC component of the ultrasonic waveform is compared with not doing so. A wide range of interrogation problems are addressed via the application of these analysis parameters to real specimens is shown for five cases: Case 1: Differences in density in [0] SiC/RBSN ceramic matrix composite. Case 2: Effect of tensile fatigue cycling in [+/-45] SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite. Case 3: Detecting creep life, and failure, in Udimet 520 Nickel-Based Super Alloy. Case 4: Detecting Surface Layer Formation in T-650-35/PMR-15 Polymer Matrix Composites Panels due to Thermal Aging. Case 5: Detecting Spin Test Degradation in PMC Flywheels. Among these cases a wide range of materials and geometries are studied.

  2. Trend of application of World Health Organization control strategy of tuberculosis in Egypt.

    PubMed

    Saad-Hussein, Amal; Mohammed, Asmaa M

    2014-09-01

    World Health Organization (WHO) control policy for tuberculosis (TB) includes Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine at birth, case detection, and treatment of cases with directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS). This policy has been applied through the Ministry of Health and Population in Egypt for more than 30years. The controversies about the efficacy of the BCG vaccination against TB in adults initiate some suggestions for its discontinuation from compulsory vaccinations in countries with low incidence of TB. The present work aimed to study the trend of applying the WHO control policy for TB in Egypt among the Egyptian population throughout the last 20years (1992-2011). The documented database of the country, bibliographic review on MEDLINE, published studies and reports, WHO and EMRO databases that covered the period from 1992 to 2011 were used in this study. The incidence rate of all forms of TB (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) dropped by 50% from 34 cases to 17 cases per 100,000 population, as well as the prevalence rate declined by 60.6% from 71 cases per 100,000 population throughout the last 20years. Case detection and treatment success rates have increased throughout the studied period while it flat-lined over the past 6years which may need attention. The results of this study introduce an evidence-based recommendation for continuation of the WHO TB control policy in Egypt towards elimination of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Evaluation of PDA Technical Report No 33. Statistical Testing Recommendations for a Rapid Microbiological Method Case Study.

    PubMed

    Murphy, Thomas; Schwedock, Julie; Nguyen, Kham; Mills, Anna; Jones, David

    2015-01-01

    New recommendations for the validation of rapid microbiological methods have been included in the revised Technical Report 33 release from the PDA. The changes include a more comprehensive review of the statistical methods to be used to analyze data obtained during validation. This case study applies those statistical methods to accuracy, precision, ruggedness, and equivalence data obtained using a rapid microbiological methods system being evaluated for water bioburden testing. Results presented demonstrate that the statistical methods described in the PDA Technical Report 33 chapter can all be successfully applied to the rapid microbiological method data sets and gave the same interpretation for equivalence to the standard method. The rapid microbiological method was in general able to pass the requirements of PDA Technical Report 33, though the study shows that there can be occasional outlying results and that caution should be used when applying statistical methods to low average colony-forming unit values. Prior to use in a quality-controlled environment, any new method or technology has to be shown to work as designed by the manufacturer for the purpose required. For new rapid microbiological methods that detect and enumerate contaminating microorganisms, additional recommendations have been provided in the revised PDA Technical Report No. 33. The changes include a more comprehensive review of the statistical methods to be used to analyze data obtained during validation. This paper applies those statistical methods to analyze accuracy, precision, ruggedness, and equivalence data obtained using a rapid microbiological method system being validated for water bioburden testing. The case study demonstrates that the statistical methods described in the PDA Technical Report No. 33 chapter can be successfully applied to rapid microbiological method data sets and give the same comparability results for similarity or difference as the standard method. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

  4. Comparison and critical appraisal of dengue clinical guidelines and their use in Asia and Latin America.

    PubMed

    Santamaria, R; Martinez, E; Kratochwill, S; Soria, C; Tan, L H; Nuñez, A; Dimaano, E; Villegas, E; Bendezú, H; Kroeger, A; Castelobranco, I; Siqueira, J B; Jaenisch, T; Horstick, O; Lum, L C S

    2009-12-01

    The World Health Organization (WHO) dengue classification scheme for dengue fever (DF) and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF)/dengue shock syndrome (DSS) has been adopted as the standard for diagnosis, clinical management and reporting. In recent years, difficulties in applying the WHO case classification have been reported in several countries. A multicenter study was carried out in Asia and Latin America to analyze the variation and utility of dengue clinical guidelines (DCGs) taking as reference the WHO/PAHO guidelines (1994) and the WHO/SEARO guidelines (1998). A document analysis of 13 dengue guidelines was followed by a questionnaire and Focus Group discussions (FGDs) with 858 health care providers in seven countries. Differences in DCGs of the 13 countries were identified including the concept of warning signs, case classification, use of treatment algorithms and grading into levels of severity. The questionnaires and FGDs revealed (1) inaccessibility of DCGs, (2) lack of training, (3) insufficient number of staff to correctly apply the DCGs at the frontline and (4) the unavailability of diagnostic tests. The differences of the DCGs and the inconsistency in their application suggest a need to re-evaluate and standardise DCGs. This applies especially to case classification and case management.

  5. Sample size of the reference sample in a case-augmented study.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Palash; Dewanji, Anup

    2017-05-01

    The case-augmented study, in which a case sample is augmented with a reference (random) sample from the source population with only covariates information known, is becoming popular in different areas of applied science such as pharmacovigilance, ecology, and econometrics. In general, the case sample is available from some source (for example, hospital database, case registry, etc.); however, the reference sample is required to be drawn from the corresponding source population. The required minimum size of the reference sample is an important issue in this regard. In this work, we address the minimum sample size calculation and discuss related issues. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Implementation Of Fuzzy Approach To Improve Time Estimation [Case Study Of A Thermal Power Plant Is Considered

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pradhan, Moumita; Pradhan, Dinesh; Bandyopadhyay, G.

    2010-10-01

    Fuzzy System has demonstrated their ability to solve different kinds of problem in various application domains. There is an increasing interest to apply fuzzy concept to improve tasks of any system. Here case study of a thermal power plant is considered. Existing time estimation represents time to complete tasks. Applying fuzzy linear approach it becomes clear that after each confidence level least time is taken to complete tasks. As time schedule is less than less amount of cost is needed. Objective of this paper is to show how one system becomes more efficient in applying Fuzzy Linear approach. In this paper we want to optimize the time estimation to perform all tasks in appropriate time schedules. For the case study, optimistic time (to), pessimistic time (tp), most likely time(tm) is considered as data collected from thermal power plant. These time estimates help to calculate expected time(te) which represents time to complete particular task to considering all happenings. Using project evaluation and review technique (PERT) and critical path method (CPM) concept critical path duration (CPD) of this project is calculated. This tells that the probability of fifty percent of the total tasks can be completed in fifty days. Using critical path duration and standard deviation of the critical path, total completion of project can be completed easily after applying normal distribution. Using trapezoidal rule from four time estimates (to, tm, tp, te), we can calculate defuzzyfied value of time estimates. For range of fuzzy, we consider four confidence interval level say 0.4, 0.6, 0.8,1. From our study, it is seen that time estimates at confidence level between 0.4 and 0.8 gives the better result compared to other confidence levels.

  7. Prospects of poisoning - a multi facet study.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Pradeep K; Kulkarni, Rashmi; Sane, Mandar R; Deshpande, Ajit; Kushwah, Manish

    2016-01-01

    Aim of the study is to find out demographic profile, clinical characteristics and analysis of poison in clinical set up. The study carried out in Sri Aurobindo Medical College and PG Institute Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Total 75 cases of poisoning were studied for demographic profile, vitals (BP, pulse, heart rate, pupils, etc.), clinical features (such as vomiting, salivation, consciousness, etc.), type of poison and its analysis. Results: Poisoning was more common in cases between 15 and 25 years of age, in males than in females and in Hindu religion. Poisoning cases were predominantly from rural areas and in married people. Majority of cases were discharged after proper treatment and counseling. Altered vitals and clinical features were found in most of the cases. Organophosphate and aluminum phosphide compound were evaluated in most of the cases. Conclusions: Preventive measures should be applied through educating people, proper counseling, promoting poison information centers, and introducing separate toxicological units in hospitals.

  8. Policy evaluation for a bus-based transit system: the case study of Busan, Korea

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

    Lew, K.S.

    This study considers a quite specific set of dimensions of transit evaluation as a comprehensive management-strategy approach for addressing the ongoing problems of urban public transit systems and apply them in a case study. With increasing difficulties in providing effective public transportation, attention in this study was placed on providing for the movement of people in an efficient and equitable manner. This study was therefore concerned with just identifying and evaluating policy options that are feasible within the socio-economic and political context of the Busan metropolitan area and, in particular, how the criteria of efficiency and equity can best bemore » achieved by implementing transit policy alternatives. In the absence of long-run major public investment in urban transportation, the criteria of both efficiency and equity can only be furthered through managerial strategies applied within a systematic evaluative framework. By emphasizing the planning, operational, and managerial considerations of fixed-route bus transit in Busan, it has been acknowledged that efficient and equitable public transportation can be provided through a variety of social, economic, political, and institutional arrangements that are possible to apply from a policy viewpoint in the immediate future.« less

  9. Determining the optimal mix of federal and contract fire crews: a case study from the Pacific Northwest.

    Treesearch

    Geoffrey H. Donovan

    2006-01-01

    Federal land management agencies in the United States are increasingly relying on contract crews as opposed to agency fire crews. Despite this increasing reliance on contractors, there have been no studies to determine what the optimal mix of contract and agency fire crews should be. A mathematical model is presented to address this question and is applied to a case...

  10. Integrated ground-water monitoring strategy for NRC-licensed facilities and sites: Case study applications

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Price, V.; Temples, T.; Hodges, R.; Dai, Z.; Watkins, D.; Imrich, J.

    2007-01-01

    This document discusses results of applying the Integrated Ground-Water Monitoring Strategy (the Strategy) to actual waste sites using existing field characterization and monitoring data. The Strategy is a systematic approach to dealing with complex sites. Application of such a systematic approach will reduce uncertainty associated with site analysis, and therefore uncertainty associated with management decisions about a site. The Strategy can be used to guide the development of a ground-water monitoring program or to review an existing one. The sites selected for study fall within a wide range of geologic and climatic settings, waste compositions, and site design characteristics and represent realistic cases that might be encountered by the NRC. No one case study illustrates a comprehensive application of the Strategy using all available site data. Rather, within each case study we focus on certain aspects of the Strategy, to illustrate concepts that can be applied generically to all sites. The test sites selected include:Charleston, South Carolina, Naval Weapons Station,Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York,The USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site in Nevada,Rocky Flats in Colorado,C-Area at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, andThe Hanford 300 Area.A Data Analysis section provides examples of detailed data analysis of monitoring data.

  11. Development of a Response Surface Thermal Model for Orion Mated to the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miller, Stephen W.; Meier, Eric J.

    2010-01-01

    A study was performed to determine if a Design of Experiments (DOE)/Response Surface Methodology could be applied to on-orbit thermal analysis and produce a set of Response Surface Equations (RSE) that accurately predict vehicle temperatures. The study used an integrated thermal model of the International Space Station and the Orion Outer mold line model. Five separate factors were identified for study: yaw, pitch, roll, beta angle, and the environmental parameters. Twenty external Orion temperatures were selected as the responses. A DOE case matrix of 110 runs was developed. The data from these cases were analyzed to produce an RSE for each of the temperature responses. The initial agreement between the engineering data and the RSE predictions was encouraging, although many RSEs had large uncertainties on their predictions. Fourteen verification cases were developed to test the predictive powers of the RSEs. The verification showed mixed results with some RSE predicting temperatures matching the engineering data within the uncertainty bands, while others had very large errors. While this study to not irrefutably prove that the DOE/RSM approach can be applied to on-orbit thermal analysis, it does demonstrate that technique has the potential to predict temperatures. Additional work is needed to better identify the cases needed to produce the RSEs

  12. Wireless SAW passive tag temperature measurement in the collision case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sorokin, A.; Shepeta, A.; Wattimena, M.

    2018-04-01

    This paper describes temperature measurement in the multisensor systems based on the radio-frequency identification SAW passive tags which are currently applied in the electric power systems and the switchgears. Different approaches of temperature measurement in the collision case are shown here. The study is based on the tag model with specific topology, which allows us to determine temperature through the response signal with time-frequency information. This research considers the collision case for several passive tags as the temperature sensors which are placed in the switchgear. This research proposal is to analyze the possibility of using several SAW passive sensors in the collision case. We consider the using of the different typical elements for passive surface acoustic wave tag which applies as an anticollision passive sensor. These wireless sensors based on the surface acoustic waves tags contain specifically coded structures. This topology makes possible the reliability of increasing tag identification and the temperature measurement in the collision case. As the results for this case we illustrate simultaneous measurement of at least six sensors.

  13. Building a 3D faulted a priori model for stratigraphic inversion: Illustration of a new methodology applied on a North Sea field case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rainaud, Jean-François; Clochard, Vincent; Delépine, Nicolas; Crabié, Thomas; Poudret, Mathieu; Perrin, Michel; Klein, Emmanuel

    2018-07-01

    Accurate reservoir characterization is needed all along the development of an oil and gas field study. It helps building 3D numerical reservoir simulation models for estimating the original oil and gas volumes in place and for simulating fluid flow behaviors. At a later stage of the field development, reservoir characterization can also help deciding which recovery techniques need to be used for fluids extraction. In complex media, such as faulted reservoirs, flow behavior predictions within volumes close to faults can be a very challenging issue. During the development plan, it is necessary to determine which types of communication exist between faults or which potential barriers exist for fluid flows. The solving of these issues rests on accurate fault characterization. In most cases, faults are not preserved along reservoir characterization workflows. The memory of the interpreted faults from seismic is not kept during seismic inversion and further interpretation of the result. The goal of our study is at first to integrate a 3D fault network as a priori information into a model-based stratigraphic inversion procedure. Secondly, we apply our methodology on a well-known oil and gas case study over a typical North Sea field (UK Northern North Sea) in order to demonstrate its added value for determining reservoir properties. More precisely, the a priori model is composed of several geological units populated by physical attributes, they are extrapolated from well log data following the deposition mode, but usually a priori model building methods respect neither the 3D fault geometry nor the stratification dips on the fault sides. We address this difficulty by applying an efficient flattening method for each stratigraphic unit in our workflow. Even before seismic inversion, the obtained stratigraphic model has been directly used to model synthetic seismic on our case study. Comparisons between synthetic seismic obtained from our 3D fault network model give much lower residuals than with a "basic" stratigraphic model. Finally, we apply our model-based inversion considering both faulted and non-faulted a priori models. By comparing the rock impedances results obtain in the two cases, we can see a better delineation of the Brent-reservoir compartments by using the 3D faulted a priori model built with our method.

  14. Teachers' and Researchers' Beliefs of Learning and the use of Learning Progressions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clapp, Francis Neely

    In the last decade, science education reform in the United States has emphasized the exploration of cognitive learning pathways, which are theories on how a person learns a particular science subject matter. These theories are based, in part, by Piagetian developmental theory. One such model, called Learning Progressions (LP), has become prominent within science education reform. Science education researchers design LPs which in turn are used by science educators to sequence their curricula. The new national science standards released in April 2013 (Next Generation Science Standards) are, in part, grounded in the LP model. Understanding how teachers apply and use LPs, therefore, is valuable because professional development programs are likely to use this model, given the federal attention LP have received in science education reform. I sought to identify the beliefs and discourse that both LP developers and intended LP implementers have around student learning, teaching, and learning progressions. However, studies measuring beliefs or perspectives of LP-focused projects are absent in published works. A qualitative research is therefore warranted to explore this rather uncharted research area. Research questions were examined through the use of an instrumental case study. A case study approach was selected over other methodologies, as the research problem is, in part, bound within a clearly identifiable case (a professional development experience centering on a single LP model). One of the broadest definitions of a case study is noted by Becker (1968), who stated that goals of case studies are "to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the groups under study" and to develop "general theoretical statements about regularities in social structure and process." (p.233). Based on Merriam (1985) the general consensus in the case study literature is that the assumptions underlying this method are common to naturalistic inquiry with research conducted primarily in the field with little control of variables. Beyond this similarity, different researchers have varying definitions to case studies. Merriam's (1985) provided a summary of the delineations and varying types of case studies. Merriam divided the various case study methods by their functions, with a marked divide between theory building and non-theory building methods. Non-theory building case studies are generally descriptive, and interpretive methods that apply theory to a case or context allow researchers to better understand the phenomena observed (Lijphart, 1971; Merriam, 1985). Conversely, theory building case studies focus on hypothesis generation, theory confirming, theory informing, or theory refuting (Lijphart, 1971; Merriam, 1985). Though there are many definitions and methods labeled as 'case studies,' for the purpose of this study, Yin's (1981) definition of a case study will be used. Yin (1981) defined a case study as a method to examine "(a) a contemporary phenomenon in its real-life context, especially when (b) the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident" (p. 59). My study seeks to apply theory and study phenomena in their context, as I will examine teachers' practice in context of their respective classrooms. This study focuses on the lived experiences of both teacher and research stakeholders within the study. Specifically, I interviewed teachers who participated in a year-long teacher-in-residence (TiR) program. In addition, researchers/content experts who conceptualized the LP were also interviewed. Because the TiR experience was a form of professional development, I propose to study the impact that it had on participants' perceptions of the LP and any teacher-reported changes in their respective classrooms. However, because beliefs influence the language that we use to describe phenomena (such as learning and teaching), it is informative to also describe patterns in how LP developers explain learning and teaching. Subsequently, the results of this study will inform literature on both science teacher professional development and LPs theory to practice.

  15. Lack of active follow-up of cancer patients in Chennai, India: implications for population-based survival estimates

    PubMed Central

    Rama, Ranganathan; Shanta, Viswanathan

    2008-01-01

    Abstract Objective To measure the bias in absolute cancer survival estimates in the absence of active follow-up of cancer patients in developing countries. Methods Included in the study were all incident cases of the 10 most common cancers and corresponding subtypes plus all tobacco-related cancers not ranked among the top 10 that were registered in the population-based cancer registry in Chennai, India, during 1990–1999 and followed through 2001. Registered incident cases were first matched with those in the all-cause mortality database from the vital statistics division of the Corporation of Chennai. Unmatched incident cancer cases were then actively followed up to determine their survival status. Absolute survival was estimated by using an actuarial method and applying different assumptions regarding the survival status (alive/dead) of cases under passive and active follow-up. Findings Before active follow-up, matches between cases ranged from 20% to 66%, depending on the site of the primary tumour. Active follow-up of unmatched incident cases revealed that 15% to 43% had died by the end of the follow-up period, while the survival status of 4% to 38% remained unknown. Before active follow-up of cancer patients, 5-year absolute survival was estimated to be between 22% and 47% higher, than when conventional actuarial assumption methods were applied to cases that were lost to follow-up. The smallest survival estimates were obtained when cases lost to follow-up were excluded from the analysis. Conclusion Under the conditions that prevail in India and other developing countries, active follow-up of cancer patients yields the most reliable estimates of cancer survival rates. Passive case follow-up alone or applying standard methods to estimate survival is likely to result in an upward bias. PMID:18670662

  16. Mathematical modeling and simulation of aquatic and aerial animal locomotion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, T. Y.; Stredie, V. G.; Wu, T. Y.

    2007-08-01

    In this paper, we investigate the locomotion of fish and birds by applying a new unsteady, flexible wing theory that takes into account the strong nonlinear dynamics semi-analytically. We also make extensive comparative study between the new approach and the modified vortex blob method inspired from Chorin's and Krasny's work. We first implement the modified vortex blob method for two examples and then discuss the numerical implementation of the nonlinear analytical mathematical model of Wu. We will demonstrate that Wu's method can capture the nonlinear effects very well by applying it to some specific cases and by comparing with the experiments available. In particular, we apply Wu's method to analyze Wagner's result for a wing abruptly undergoing an increase in incidence angle. Moreover, we study the vorticity generated by a wing in heaving, pitching and bending motion. In both cases, we show that the new method can accurately represent the vortex structure behind a flying wing and its influence on the bound vortex sheet on the wing.

  17. Learn and apply: using multi-sensory storytelling to gather knowledge about preferences and abilities of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities--three case studies.

    PubMed

    Brug, Annet Ten; Van der Putten, Annette A J; Vlaskamp, Carla

    2013-12-01

    Knowledge about the preferences and abilities of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMDs) is crucial for providing appropriate activities. Multi-sensory storytelling (MSST) can be an ideal activity for gathering such knowledge about children with PIMDs. The aim of this study was to analyse whether using MSST did lead to changes in teachers' knowledge about preferences and abilities and whether this knowledge was then applied in practice. Three dyads of children with PIMDs and their teachers read an MSST book 20 times during a 10-week period. A questionnaire designed to identify the teachers' current knowledge was filled in before the 1st and again after the 10th and 20th reading sessions. Also, the teachers were asked for their opinion about their newly gathered knowledge. In all three cases, changes in the teachers' knowledge were observed. However, teachers are insufficiently aware of their new knowledge and do not apply it in practice.

  18. Measurement of Insertion Loss of an Acoustic Treatment in the Presence of Additional Uncorrelated Sound Sources

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Klos, Jacob; Palumbo, Daniel L.

    2003-01-01

    A method to intended for measurement of the insertion loss of an acoustic treatment applied to an aircraft fuselage in-situ is documented in this paper. Using this method, the performance of a treatment applied to a limited portion of an aircraft fuselage can be assessed even though the untreated fuselage also radiates into the cabin, corrupting the intensity measurement. This corrupting noise in the intensity measurement incoherent with the panel vibration of interest is removed by correlating the intensity to reference transducers such as accelerometers. Insertion loss of the acoustic treatments is estimated from the ratio of correlated intensity measurements with and without a treatment applied. In the case of turbulent boundary layer excitation of the fuselage, this technique can be used to assess the performance of noise control methods without requiring treatment of the entire fuselage. Several experimental studies and numerical simulations have been conducted, and results from three case studies are documented in this paper. Conclusions are drawn about the use of this method to study aircraft sidewall treatments.

  19. The order and priority of research and design method application within an assistive technology new product development process: a summative content analysis of 20 case studies.

    PubMed

    Torrens, George Edward

    2018-01-01

    Summative content analysis was used to define methods and heuristics from each case study. The review process was in two parts: (1) A literature review to identify conventional research methods and (2) a summative content analysis of published case studies, based on the identified methods and heuristics to suggest an order and priority of where and when were used. Over 200 research and design methods and design heuristics were identified. From the review of the 20 case studies 42 were identified as being applied. The majority of methods and heuristics were applied in phase two, market choice. There appeared a disparity between the limited numbers of methods frequently used, under 10 within the 20 case studies, when hundreds were available. Implications for Rehabilitation The communication highlights a number of issues that have implication for those involved in assistive technology new product development: •The study defined over 200 well-established research and design methods and design heuristics that are available for use by those who specify and design assistive technology products, which provide a comprehensive reference list for practitioners in the field; •The review within the study suggests only a limited number of research and design methods are regularly used by industrial design focused assistive technology new product developers; and, •Debate is required within the practitioners working in this field to reflect on how a wider range of potentially more effective methods and heuristics may be incorporated into daily working practice.

  20. 30 CFR 203.60 - Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? 203.60 Section 203.60 Mineral... for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska...

  1. A qualitative study comparing the instruction on vectors between a physics course and a trigonometry course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    James, Wendy Michelle

    Science and engineering instructors often observe that students have difficulty using or applying prerequisite mathematics knowledge in their courses. This qualitative project uses a case-study method to investigate the instruction in a trigonometry course and a physics course based on a different methodology and set of assumptions about student learning and the nature of mathematics than traditionally used when investigating students' difficulty using or applying prerequisite mathematics knowledge. Transfer theory examined within a positivist or post-positivist paradigm is often used to investigate students' issue applying their knowledge; in contrast, this qualitative case-study is positioned using constructionism as an epistemology to understand and describe mathematical practices concerning vectors in a trigonometry and a physics course. Instructor interviews, observations of course lectures, and textbooks served as the qualitative data for in-depth study and comparison, and Saussure's (1959) concept of signifier and signified provided a lens for examining the data during analysis. Multiple recursions of within-case comparisons and across-case comparison were analyzed for differences in what the instructors and textbooks explicitly stated and later performed as their practices. While the trigonometry and physics instruction differed slightly, the two main differences occurred in the nature and use of vectors in the physics course. First, the "what" that is signified in notation and diagrams differs between contextualized and context-free situations, and second, physics instruction taught vectors very similar to trigonometry instruction when teaching the mathematics for doing physics, but once instruction focused on physics, the manner in which vector notation and diagrams are used differed from what is explicitly stated during mathematics instruction.

  2. Piecewise exponential survival times and analysis of case-cohort data.

    PubMed

    Li, Yan; Gail, Mitchell H; Preston, Dale L; Graubard, Barry I; Lubin, Jay H

    2012-06-15

    Case-cohort designs select a random sample of a cohort to be used as control with cases arising from the follow-up of the cohort. Analyses of case-cohort studies with time-varying exposures that use Cox partial likelihood methods can be computer intensive. We propose a piecewise-exponential approach where Poisson regression model parameters are estimated from a pseudolikelihood and the corresponding variances are derived by applying Taylor linearization methods that are used in survey research. The proposed approach is evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations. An illustration is provided using data from the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study of male smokers in Finland, where a case-cohort study of serum glucose level and pancreatic cancer was analyzed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Spatial variation in mortality risk for haematological malignancies near a petrochemical refinery: a population-based case-control study

    PubMed Central

    Di Salvo, Francesca; Meneghini, Elisabetta; Vieira, Veronica; Baili, Paolo; Mariottini, Mauro; Baldini, Marco; Micheli, Andrea; Sant, Milena

    2015-01-01

    Introduction The study investigated the geographic variation of mortality risk for hematological malignancies (HMs) in order to identify potential high-risk areas near an Italian petrochemical refinery. Material and methods A population-based case-control study was conducted and residential histories for 171 cases and 338 sex- and age-matched controls were collected. Confounding factors were obtained from interviews with consenting relatives for 109 HM deaths and 267 controls. To produce risk mortality maps, two different approaches were applied. We mapped (1) adptive kernel density relative risk estimation (KDE) for case-control studies which estimates a spatial relative risk function using the ratio between cases and controls’ densities, and (2) estimated odds ratios for case-control study data using generalized additive models (GAMs) to smooth the effect of location, a proxy for exposure, while adjusting for confounding variables. Results No high-risk areas for HM mortality were identified among all subjects (men and women combined), by applying both approaches. Using the adaptive KDE approach, we found a significant increase in death risk only among women in a large area 2–6 km southeast of the refinery and the application of GAMs also identified a similarly-located significant high-risk area among women only (global p-value<0.025). Potential confounding risk factors we considered in the GAM did not alter the results. Conclusion Both approaches identified a high-risk area close to the refinery among women only. Those spatial methods are useful tools for public policy management to determine priority areas for intervention. Our findings suggest several directions for further research in order to identify other potential environmental exposures that may be assessed in forthcoming studies based on detailed exposure modeling. PMID:26073202

  4. Proton pump inhibitors and the risk of pneumonia: a comparison of cohort and self-controlled case series designs

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background To compare the results of a new-user cohort study design and the self-controlled case series (SCCS) design using the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia in those dispensed proton pump inhibitors compared to those unexposed as a case study. Methods The Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs administrative claims database was used. Exposure to proton pump inhibitors and hospitalisations for pneumonia were identified over a 4 year study period 01 Jul 2007 -30 Jun 2011. The same inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to both studies, however, the SCCS study included subjects with a least one hospitalisation for pneumonia. Results There were 105,467 subjects included in the cohort study and 6775 in the SCCS. Both studies showed an increased risk of hospitalisations for pneumonia in the three defined risk periods following initiation of proton pump inhibitors compared to baseline. With the highest risk in the first 1 to 7 days (Cohort RR, 3.24; 95% CI (2.50, 4.19): SCCS: RR, 3.07; 95% CI (2.69, 3.50)). Conclusions This study has shown that the self-controlled case series method produces similar risk estimates to a new-users cohort study design when applied to the association of proton pump inhibitors and pneumonia. Exposure to a proton pump inhibitor increases the likelihood of being admitted to hospital for pneumonia, with the risk highest in the first week of treatment. PMID:23800078

  5. Combining epidemiology and biomechanics in sports injury prevention research: a new approach for selecting suitable controls.

    PubMed

    Finch, Caroline F; Ullah, Shahid; McIntosh, Andrew S

    2011-01-01

    Several important methodological issues need to be considered when designing sports injury case-control studies. Major design goals for case-control studies include the accounting for prior injury risk exposure, and optimal definitions of both cases and suitable controls are needed to ensure this. This article reviews methodological aspects of published sports injury case-control studies, particularly with regard to the selection of controls. It argues for a new approach towards selecting controls for case-control studies that draws on an interface between epidemiological and biomechanical concepts. A review was conducted to identify sport injury case-control studies published in the peer-review literature during 1985-2008. Overall, 32 articles were identified, of which the majority related to upper or lower extremity injuries. Matching considerations were used for control selection in 16 studies. Specific mention of application of biomechanical principles in the selection of appropriate controls was absent from all studies, including those purporting to evaluate the benefits of personal protective equipment to protect against impact injury. This is a problem because it could lead to biased conclusions, as cases and controls are not fully comparable in terms of similar biomechanical impact profiles relating to the injury incident, such as site of the impact on the body. The strength of the conclusions drawn from case-control studies, and the extent to which results can be generalized, is directly influenced by the definition and recruitment of cases and appropriate controls. Future studies should consider the interface between epidemiological and biomechanical concepts when choosing appropriate controls to ensure that proper adjustment of prior exposure to injury risk is made. To provide necessary guidance for the optimal selection of controls in case-control studies of interventions to prevent sports-related impact injury, this review outlines a new case-control selection strategy that reflects the importance of biomechanical considerations, which ensures that controls are selected based on the presence of the same global injury mechanism as the cases. To summarize, the general biomechanical principles that should apply to the selection of controls in future case-control studies are as follows: (i) each control must have been exposed to the same global injury mechanism as the case, (e.g. head impact, fall onto outstretched arm); and (ii) intrinsic (individual) factors (e.g. age, sex, skill level) that might modify the person's response to the relevant biomechanical loads are adjusted when either selecting the controls or are in the analysis phase. The same considerations for control selection apply to other study designs such as matched cohort studies or case-crossover studies.

  6. Case Study: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior as Interventions to Increase Sponsored Project Proposal Submissions from Liberal Arts Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hartmann, Anita

    2011-01-01

    In the current economic climate, many colleges and universities face similar challenges: the need to increase external sponsorship for research activities and the need to benefit from additional indirect cost recovery. Preparing funding proposals for submission to sponsors is a faculty behavior that can be modified by applying behavioral theory to…

  7. Multicultural Training Applied in Clinical Practice: Reflections from a Euro-American Female Counselor-in-Training Working with Mexican Immigrants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paynter, Clara K.; Estrada, Diane

    2009-01-01

    The clinical experience of a Euro-American female counselor-in-training providing bilingual family therapy services to Mexican immigrants is described. Cultural themes encountered when applying academic discourse to clinical work are raised in the context of case studies in which the student therapist works from a postmodern client-as-expert…

  8. Creating a System for Data-Driven Decision-Making: Applying the Principal-Agent Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wohlstetter, Priscilla; Datnow, Amanda; Park, Vicki

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to improve our understanding of data-driven decision-making strategies that are initiated at the district or system level. We apply principal-agent theory to the analysis of qualitative data gathered in a case study of 4 urban school systems. Our findings suggest educators at the school level need not only systemic…

  9. You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too: A Successful Case of Theory Applied to the Real World.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rojas, Alicia M.; Mulkey, Jamie

    1990-01-01

    Describes methods used by instructional designers to help subject matter experts (SMEs) create effective courseware, balanced between theory and practical application, that meets organizational objectives. A case study is presented that explains how to develop student performance objectives (SPOs) through needs assessment, the design of job aids,…

  10. A Case Study of the Dynamics of Scaffolding among ESL Learners and Online Resources in Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsieh, Yi Chin

    2017-01-01

    Collaborative learning has been widely applied in education, and has been seen as conducive to student learning. The advent of technology and its applications in education have also greatly enhanced the classroom learning environment, leading to increasing research attention on the combination of technology and collaboration. The case study…

  11. Applying Corpus-Based Findings to Form-Focused Instruction: The Case of Reported Speech

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barbieri, Federica; Eckhardt, Suzanne E. B.

    2007-01-01

    Arguing that the introduction of corpus linguistics in teaching materials and the language classroom should be informed by theories and principles of SLA, this paper presents a case study illustrating how corpus-based findings on reported speech can be integrated into a form-focused model of instruction. After overviewing previous work which…

  12. Three-Level Analysis of Single-Case Experimental Data: Empirical Validation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moeyaert, Mariola; Ugille, Maaike; Ferron, John M.; Beretvas, S. Natasha; Van den Noortgate, Wim

    2014-01-01

    One approach for combining single-case data involves use of multilevel modeling. In this article, the authors use a Monte Carlo simulation study to inform applied researchers under which realistic conditions the three-level model is appropriate. The authors vary the value of the immediate treatment effect and the treatment's effect on the time…

  13. An Analysis of Allegations of Sexual Abuse in a Multi-Victim Day-Care Center Case.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bybee, Deborah; Mowbray, Carol T.

    1993-01-01

    This study applied criteria from Statement Validity Analysis (SVA) protocols to aggregate record review data of alleged sexual abuse of over 100 children in a day-care center. The use of SVA criteria supported the veritability of allegations in this case, with the data analysis reflecting consistency, logical structure, and spontaneity of…

  14. Improving operating room efficiency by applying bin-packing and portfolio techniques to surgical case scheduling.

    PubMed

    Van Houdenhoven, Mark; van Oostrum, Jeroen M; Hans, Erwin W; Wullink, Gerhard; Kazemier, Geert

    2007-09-01

    An operating room (OR) department has adopted an efficient business model and subsequently investigated how efficiency could be further improved. The aim of this study is to show the efficiency improvement of lowering organizational barriers and applying advanced mathematical techniques. We applied advanced mathematical algorithms in combination with scenarios that model relaxation of various organizational barriers using prospectively collected data. The setting is the main inpatient OR department of a university hospital, which sets its surgical case schedules 2 wk in advance using a block planning method. The main outcome measures are the number of freed OR blocks and OR utilization. Lowering organizational barriers and applying mathematical algorithms can yield a 4.5% point increase in OR utilization (95% confidence interval 4.0%-5.0%). This is obtained by reducing the total required OR time. Efficient OR departments can further improve their efficiency. The paper shows that a radical cultural change that comprises the use of mathematical algorithms and lowering organizational barriers improves OR utilization.

  15. Reflective action assessment with a prospective clinical problem solving tool in the context of rehabilitation medicine: an illustrative case study.

    PubMed

    Kellett, David; Mpofu, Elias; Madden, Richard

    2013-06-01

    This study describes a case formulation approach applying a prospective ICF derived clinical tool to assess rehabilitation needs for a community dwelling stroke survivor with care from an outpatient rehabilitation medicine clinic. Case history data on the person were assessed for rehabilitation management planning using a prospective tool to interlink current with projected future functional status in everyday settings. Implicit assessment with reflective action informed decision points at each stage of the rehabilitation process. As a result of reflective action using the prospective tool, rehabilitation management led to significant changes in client participation after limitations to mobility and self care were mapped to the living conditions of the stroke survivor. The context sensitive rehabilitative plan resulted in higher subjective health-related quality of life in the stroke survivor and significant other and enhanced their capacity for participation. Reflective action informed assessment applying ICF concepts to clinical problem solving resulted in positive gains in health-related quality of life in a stroke survivor.

  16. 30 CFR 203.60 - Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? 203.60 Section 203.60 Mineral... royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? You may...

  17. 30 CFR 203.60 - Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? 203.60 Section 203.60 Mineral... royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? You may...

  18. 30 CFR 203.60 - Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? 203.60 Section 203.60 Mineral... royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? You may...

  19. Mapping Social Ecological Systems Archetypes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rocha, J. C.; Malmborg, K.; Gordon, L.

    2016-12-01

    Achieving sustainable development goals requires targeting and monitoring sustainable solutions tailored to different social and ecological contexts. Elinor Ostrom stressed that there is no panaceas or universal solutions to environmental problems, and developed a social-ecological systems' (SES) framework -a nested multi tier set of variables- to help diagnose problems, identify complex interactions, and solutions tailored to each SES arena. However, to our knowledge, the SES framework has only been applied to over a hundred cases, and typically reflect the analysis of local case studies with relatively small coverage in space and time. While case studies are context rich and necessary, their conclusions might not reach policy making instances. Here we develop a data driven method for upscaling Ostrom's SES framework and applied to a context where we expect data is scarce, incomplete, but also where sustainable solutions are badly needed. The purpose of upscaling the framework is to create a tool that facilitates decision making on data scarce environments such as developing countries. We mapped SES by applying the SES framework to poverty alleviation and food security issues in the Volta River basin in Ghana and Burkina Faso. We found archetypical configurations of SES in space given data availability, we study their change over time, and discuss where agricultural innovations such as water reservoirs might have a stronger impact at increasing food security and therefore alleviating poverty and hunger. We conclude outlining how the method can be used in other SES comparative studies.

  20. Triangulating case-finding tools for patient safety surveillance: a cross-sectional case study of puncture/laceration.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Jennifer A; Gerwin, Daniel; Morlock, Laura; Miller, Marlene R

    2011-12-01

    To evaluate the need for triangulating case-finding tools in patient safety surveillance. This study applied four case-finding tools to error-associated patient safety events to identify and characterise the spectrum of events captured by these tools, using puncture or laceration as an example for in-depth analysis. Retrospective hospital discharge data were collected for calendar year 2005 (n=48,418) from a large, urban medical centre in the USA. The study design was cross-sectional and used data linkage to identify the cases captured by each of four case-finding tools. Three case-finding tools (International Classification of Diseases external (E) and nature (N) of injury codes, Patient Safety Indicators (PSI)) were applied to the administrative discharge data to identify potential patient safety events. The fourth tool was Patient Safety Net, a web-based voluntary patient safety event reporting system. The degree of mutual exclusion among detection methods was substantial. For example, when linking puncture or laceration on unique identifiers, out of 447 potential events, 118 were identical between PSI and E-codes, 152 were identical between N-codes and E-codes and 188 were identical between PSI and N-codes. Only 100 events that were identified by PSI, E-codes and N-codes were identical. Triangulation of multiple tools through data linkage captures potential patient safety events most comprehensively. Existing detection tools target patient safety domains differently, and consequently capture different occurrences, necessitating the integration of data from a combination of tools to fully estimate the total burden.

  1. Integrating knowledge generation with knowledge diffusion and utilization: a case study analysis of the Consortium for Applied Research and Evaluation in Mental Health.

    PubMed

    Vingilis, Evelyn; Hartford, Kathleen; Schrecker, Ted; Mitchell, Beth; Lent, Barbara; Bishop, Joan

    2003-01-01

    Knowledge diffusion and utilization (KDU) have become a key focus in the health research community because of the limited success to date of research findings to inform health policies, programs and services. Yet, evidence indicates that successful KDU is often predicated on the early involvement of potential knowledge users in the conceptualization and conduct of the research and on the development of a "partnership culture". This study describes the integration of KDU theory with practice via a case study analysis of the Consortium for Applied Research and Evaluation in Mental Health (CAREMH). This qualitative study, using a single-case design, included a number of data sources: proposals, meeting minutes, presentations, publications, reports and curricula vitae of CAREMH members. CAREMH has adopted the following operational strategies to increase KDU capacity: 1) viewing research as a means and not as an end; 2) bringing the university and researcher to the community; 3) using participatory research methods; 4) embracing transdisciplinary research and interactions; and 5) using connectors. Examples of the iterative process between researchers and potential knowledge users in their contribution to knowledge generation, diffusion and utilization are provided. This case study supports the importance of early and ongoing involvement of relevant potential knowledge users in research to enhance its utilization potential. It also highlights the need for re-thinking research funding approaches.

  2. Ethical principles in federal regulations: the case of children and research risks.

    PubMed

    Williams, P C

    1996-04-01

    Ethical principles play an important part not only in the promulgation of regulations but also in their application, i.e., enforcement and adjudication. while traditional ethical principles--promotion of welfare, freedom, and fairness--play an important role in both elements of regulation, some other kinds of ethical principles are significant as well. Principles governing the structure of decision processes should shape the structure and actions of agencies; principles of wise application should govern the work of those whose responsibility it is to apply regulatory language to particular situations. These points are demonstrated by investigating a case study: federal regulations designed to protect children involved in scientific research applied to a placebo study of the effects of recombinant human growth hormone on children of extremely short stature.

  3. Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) Aircraft Parts and Tooling at the Maintenance Group Level

    DTIC Science & Technology

    The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing for the Air Force aircraft maintenance...case study of the 552d MXGs 3D printing operation explores their use of a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) thermoplastic material to manufacture parts...by applying the case study’s analysis toward a proof of concept, producing a C-130J Aft Cargo Door Rub Strip for 3D printing . The study concluded by

  4. Applying Negligence Doctrine to the Teaching Profession.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collingsworth, Terrence P.

    1982-01-01

    The author first reviews the current cases on teacher negligence and attempts to isolate the reasoning behind the courts' refusal to recognize a cause of action for educational malpractice, then develops a hypothetical case to illustrate that ordinary principles of negligence can be applied to an educational malpractice case. (Author/MLF)

  5. Causal Relation Analysis Tool of the Case Study in the Engineer Ethics Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suzuki, Yoshio; Morita, Keisuke; Yasui, Mitsukuni; Tanada, Ichirou; Fujiki, Hiroyuki; Aoyagi, Manabu

    In engineering ethics education, the virtual experiencing of dilemmas is essential. Learning through the case study method is a particularly effective means. Many case studies are, however, difficult to deal with because they often include many complex causal relationships and social factors. It would thus be convenient if there were a tool that could analyze the factors of a case example and organize them into a hierarchical structure to get a better understanding of the whole picture. The tool that was developed applies a cause-and-effect matrix and simple graph theory. It analyzes the causal relationship between facts in a hierarchical structure and organizes complex phenomena. The effectiveness of this tool is shown by presenting an actual example.

  6. Study of nuclear morphometry on cytology specimens of benign and malignant breast lesions: A study of 122 cases

    PubMed Central

    Kashyap, Anamika; Jain, Manjula; Shukla, Shailaja; Andley, Manoj

    2017-01-01

    Background: Breast cancer has emerged as a leading site of cancer among women in India. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been routinely applied in assessment of breast lesions. Cytological evaluation in breast lesions is subjective with a “gray zone” of 6.9–20%. Quantitative evaluation of nuclear size, shape, texture, and density parameters by morphometry can be of diagnostic help in breast tumor. Aims: To apply nuclear morphometry on cytological breast aspirates and assess its role in differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions with derivation of suitable cut-off values between the two groups. Settings and Designs: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study of nuclear morphometric parameters of benign and malignant cases. Materials and Methods: The study included 50 benign breast disease (BBD), 8 atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), and 64 carcinoma cases. Image analysis was performed on Papanicolaou-stained FNAC slides by Nikon Imaging Software (NIS)–Elements Advanced Research software (Version 4.00). Nuclear morphometric parameters analyzed included 5 nuclear size, 2 shape, 4 texture, and 2 density parameters. Results: Nuclear morphometry could differentiate between benign and malignant aspirates with a gradually increasing nuclear size parameters from BBD to ADH to carcinoma. Cut-off values of 31.93 μm2, 6.325 μm, 5.865 μm, 7.855 μm, and 21.55 μm for mean nuclear area, equivalent diameter, minimum feret, maximum ferret, and perimeter, respectively, were derived between benign and malignant cases, which could correctly classify 7 out of 8 ADH cases. Conclusion: Nuclear morphometry is a highly objective tool that could be used to supplement FNAC in differentiating benign from malignant lesions, with an important role in cases with diagnostic dilemma. PMID:28182052

  7. Study of nuclear morphometry on cytology specimens of benign and malignant breast lesions: A study of 122 cases.

    PubMed

    Kashyap, Anamika; Jain, Manjula; Shukla, Shailaja; Andley, Manoj

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer has emerged as a leading site of cancer among women in India. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been routinely applied in assessment of breast lesions. Cytological evaluation in breast lesions is subjective with a "gray zone" of 6.9-20%. Quantitative evaluation of nuclear size, shape, texture, and density parameters by morphometry can be of diagnostic help in breast tumor. To apply nuclear morphometry on cytological breast aspirates and assess its role in differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions with derivation of suitable cut-off values between the two groups. The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study of nuclear morphometric parameters of benign and malignant cases. The study included 50 benign breast disease (BBD), 8 atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), and 64 carcinoma cases. Image analysis was performed on Papanicolaou-stained FNAC slides by Nikon Imaging Software (NIS)-Elements Advanced Research software (Version 4.00). Nuclear morphometric parameters analyzed included 5 nuclear size, 2 shape, 4 texture, and 2 density parameters. Nuclear morphometry could differentiate between benign and malignant aspirates with a gradually increasing nuclear size parameters from BBD to ADH to carcinoma. Cut-off values of 31.93 μm 2 , 6.325 μm, 5.865 μm, 7.855 μm, and 21.55 μm for mean nuclear area, equivalent diameter, minimum feret, maximum ferret, and perimeter, respectively, were derived between benign and malignant cases, which could correctly classify 7 out of 8 ADH cases. Nuclear morphometry is a highly objective tool that could be used to supplement FNAC in differentiating benign from malignant lesions, with an important role in cases with diagnostic dilemma.

  8. Impulsive control of stochastic systems with applications in chaos control, chaos synchronization, and neural networks.

    PubMed

    Li, Chunguang; Chen, Luonan; Aihara, Kazuyuki

    2008-06-01

    Real systems are often subject to both noise perturbations and impulsive effects. In this paper, we study the stability and stabilization of systems with both noise perturbations and impulsive effects. In other words, we generalize the impulsive control theory from the deterministic case to the stochastic case. The method is based on extending the comparison method to the stochastic case. The method presented in this paper is general and easy to apply. Theoretical results on both stability in the pth mean and stability with disturbance attenuation are derived. To show the effectiveness of the basic theory, we apply it to the impulsive control and synchronization of chaotic systems with noise perturbations, and to the stability of impulsive stochastic neural networks. Several numerical examples are also presented to verify the theoretical results.

  9. Investigation of Unsteady Flow Behavior in Transonic Compressor Rotors with LES and PIV Measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hah, Chunill; Voges, Melanie; Mueller, Martin; Schiffer, Heinz-Peter

    2009-01-01

    In the present study, unsteady flow behavior in a modern transonic axial compressor rotor is studied in detail with large eddy simulation (LES) and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The main purpose of the study is to advance the current understanding of the flow field near the blade tip in an axial transonic compressor rotor near the stall and peak-efficiency conditions. Flow interaction between the tip leakage vortex and the passage shock is inherently unsteady in a transonic compressor. Casing-mounted unsteady pressure transducers have been widely applied to investigate steady and unsteady flow behavior near the casing. Although many aspects of flow have been revealed, flow structures below the casing cannot be studied with casing-mounted pressure transducers. In the present study, unsteady velocity fields are measured with a PIV system and the measured unsteady flow fields are compared with LES simulations. The currently applied PIV measurements indicate that the flow near the tip region is not steady even at the design condition. This self-induced unsteadiness increases significantly as the compressor rotor operates near the stall condition. Measured data from PIV show that the tip clearance vortex oscillates substantially near stall. The calculated unsteady characteristics of the flow from LES agree well with the PIV measurements. Calculated unsteady flow fields show that the formation of the tip clearance vortex is intermittent and the concept of vortex breakdown from steady flow analysis does not seem to apply in the current flow field. Fluid with low momentum near the pressure side of the blade close to the leading edge periodically spills over into the adjacent blade passage. The present study indicates that stall inception is heavily dependent on unsteady behavior of the flow field near the leading edge of the blade tip section for the present transonic compressor rotor.

  10. Student Perceptions of Their Doctoral Programs: Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moffett, David W.

    2015-01-01

    The Investigator studied three Doctor of Philosophy program concentrations for a two year period, 2013-2015. The intent of the confidential study was to determine factors affecting program participants' perceptions most. A mixed methods embedded study was applied, with the quantitative portion representing the secondary data source and the…

  11. Automated surface quality inspection with ARGOS: a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiefhaber, Daniel; Etzold, Fabian; Warken, Arno F.; Asfour, Jean-Michel

    2017-06-01

    The commercial availability of automated inspection systems for optical surfaces specified according to ISO 10110-7 promises unsupervised and automated quality control with reproducible results. In this study, the classification results of the ARGOS inspection system are compared to the decisions by well-trained inspectors based on manual-visual inspection. Both are found to agree in 93.6% of the studied cases. Exemplary cases with differing results are studied, and shown to be partly caused by shortcomings of the ISO 10110-7 standard, which was written for the industry standard manual-visual inspection. Applying it to high resolution images of the whole surface of objective machine vision systems brings with it a few challenges which are discussed.

  12. Validation of a New Method to Automatically Select Cases With Intraoperative Red Blood Cell Transfusion for Audit.

    PubMed

    Dexter, Franklin; Epstein, Richard H; Ledolter, Johannes; Dasovich, Susan M; Herman, Jay H; Maga, Joni M; Schwenk, Eric S

    2018-05-01

    Hospitals review allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions for appropriateness. Audit criteria have been published that apply to 5 common procedures. We expanded on this work to study the management decision of selecting which cases involving transfusion of at least 1 RBC unit to audit (review) among all surgical procedures, including those previously studied. This retrospective, observational study included 400,000 cases among 1891 different procedures over an 11-year period. There were 12,616 cases with RBC transfusion. We studied the proportions of cases that would be audited based on criteria of nadir hemoglobin (Hb) greater than the hospital's selected transfusion threshold, or absent Hb or missing estimated blood loss (EBL) among procedures with median EBL <500 mL. This threshold EBL was selected because it is approximately the volume removed during the donation of a single unit of whole blood at a blood bank. Missing EBL is important to the audit decision for cases in which the procedures' median EBL is <500 mL because, without an indication of the extent of bleeding, there are insufficient data to assume that there was sufficient blood loss to justify the transfusion. Most cases (>50%) that would be audited and most cases (>50%) with transfusion were among procedures with median EBL <500 mL (P < .0001). Among cases with transfusion and nadir Hb >9 g/dL, the procedure's median EBL was <500 mL for 3.0 times more cases than for procedures having a median EBL ≥500 mL. A greater percentage of cases would be recommended for audit based on missing values for Hb and/or EBL than based on exceeding the Hb threshold among cases of procedures with median EBL ≥500 mL (P < .0001). There were 3.7 times as many cases with transfusion that had missing values for Hb and/or EBL than had a nadir Hb >9 g/dL and median EBL for the procedure ≥500 mL. An automated process to select cases for audit of intraoperative transfusion of RBC needs to consider the median EBL of the procedure, whether the nadir Hb is below the hospital's Hb transfusion threshold for surgical cases, and the absence of either a Hb or entry of the EBL for the case. This conclusion applies to all surgical cases and procedures.

  13. Case study of Bell's palsy applying complementary treatment within an occupational therapy model.

    PubMed

    Haltiwanger, Emily; Huber, Theresa; Chang, Joe C; Gonzalez-Stuart, Armando; Gonzales-Stuart, Armando

    2009-01-01

    For 7% of people with Bell's palsy, facial impairment is permanent. The case study patient was a 48-year-old female who had no recovery from paralysis 12 weeks after onset. Goals were to restore facial sensory-motor functions, functional abilities and reduce depression. Facial paralysis was assessed by clinical observations, the Facial Disability Index and Beck Depression Index. Complementary interventions of aromatherapy, reflexology and electro-acupuncture were used with common physical agent modalities in an intensive home activity and exercise programme. The patient had 100% return of function and resolution of depression after 10 days of intervention. The limitation of this study is that it was a retrospective case study and the investigators reconstructed the case from clinical notes. Further research using a prospective approach is recommended to replicate this study. 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

  14. Dynamic optical imaging of vascular and metabolic reactivity in rheumatoid joints.

    PubMed

    Lasker, Joseph M; Fong, Christopher J; Ginat, Daniel T; Dwyer, Edward; Hielscher, Andreas H

    2007-01-01

    Dynamic optical imaging is increasingly applied to clinically relevant areas such as brain and cancer imaging. In this approach, some external stimulus is applied and changes in relevant physiological parameters (e.g., oxy- or deoxyhemoglobin concentrations) are determined. The advantage of this approach is that the prestimulus state can be used as a reference or baseline against which the changes can be calibrated. Here we present the first application of this method to the problem of characterizing joint diseases, especially effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the proximal interphalangeal finger joints. Using a dual-wavelength tomographic imaging system together with previously implemented model-based iterative image reconstruction schemes, we have performed initial dynamic imaging case studies on a limited number of healthy volunteers and patients diagnosed with RA. Focusing on three cases studies, we illustrated our major finds. These studies support our hypothesis that differences in the vascular reactivity exist between affected and unaffected joints.

  15. An analysis of Indonesia’s information security index: a case study in a public university

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yustanti, W.; Qoiriah, A.; Bisma, R.; Prihanto, A.

    2018-01-01

    Ministry of Communication and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia has issued the regulation number 4-2016 about Information Security Management System (ISMS) for all kind organizations. Public university as a government institution must apply this standard to assure its level of information security has complied ISO 27001:2013. This research is a preliminary study to evaluate the readiness of university IT services (case study in a public university) meets the requirement of ISO 27001:2013 using the Indonesia’s Information Security Index (IISI). There are six parameters used to measure the level of information security, these are the ICT role, governance, risk management, framework, asset management and technology. Each parameter consists of serial questions which must be answered and convert to a numeric value. The result shows the level of readiness and maturity to apply ISO 27001 standard.

  16. Prevalence of IgE mediated cow's milk and egg allergy in children under 2 years of age in Sanliurfa, Turkey: the city that isn't almost allergic to cow's milk.

    PubMed

    Zeyrek, D; Koruk, I; Kara, B; Demir, C; Cakmak, A

    2015-12-01

    Food allergy is a common problem in children and adults. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of cow's milk and egg allergy based on skin prick test and oral food challenge results We recruited 614 children aged 1 month-2 years in from different areas of Sanliurfa. An interview was conducted with each parents and family demographic, and prenatal-antenatal-postnatal information was recorded, then skin prick test was applied to the children for egg white, egg yolk and cow's milk. Cases that are required, sIgE levels for cow's milk, egg white and egg yolk were measured and food challenge tests were applied. Cow's milk and egg allergy was determined in 1 case (0.16%) and 8 cases (1.30%) respectively from the results of the tests applied. Six cases (0.97%) were accepted as sensitive to egg white and egg yolk. Within the factors which were questioned, (only the egg allergy evaluation was made without the cow's milk allergy case) of those with parental consanguinity was determined at a statistically significantly high level (OR=5.8, 95% CI: 1.2-27.2, P=0.01). The prevalence of cow's milk allergy in Sanliurfa is the lowest reported prevalence rate to date in children under 2 years of age. When infants develop a food allergy, this takes the form of egg allergy. Within the several factors evaluated to explain this situation, a significant relationship was determined only with parental consanguinity. However, as reported above, to date there is no genetic or epidemiological study to explain this situation.

  17. Applying a contingency model of strategic decision making to the implementation of smoking bans: a case study.

    PubMed

    Willemsen, M C; Meijer, A; Jannink, M

    1999-08-01

    A model of strategic decision making was applied to study the implementation of worksite smoking policy. This model assumes there is no best way of implementing smoking policies, but that 'the best way' depends on how decision making fits specific content and context factors. A case study at Wehkamp, a mail-order company, is presented to illustrate the usefulness of this model to understand how organizations implement smoking policies. Interview data were collected from representatives of Wehkamp, and pre- and post-ban survey data were collected from employees. After having failed to solve the smoking problem in a more democratic way, Wehkamp's top management choose a highly confrontational and decentralized decision-making approach to implement a complete smoking ban. This resulted in an effective smoking ban, but was to some extent at the cost of employees' satisfaction with the policy and with how the policy was implemented. The choice of implementation approach was contingent upon specific content and context factors, such as managers' perception of the problem, leadership style and legislation. More case studies from different types of companies are needed to better understand how organizational factors affect decision making about smoking bans and other health promotion innovations.

  18. A price-responsive dispatching strategy for Vehicle-to-Grid: An economic evaluation applied to the case of Singapore

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pelzer, Dominik; Ciechanowicz, David; Aydt, Heiko; Knoll, Alois

    2014-06-01

    Employing electric vehicles as short-term energy storage could improve power system stability and at the same time create a new income source for vehicle owners. In this paper, the economic viability of this concept referred to as Vehicle-to-Grid is investigated. For this purpose, a price-responsive charging and dispatching strategy built upon temporally resolved electricity market data is presented. This concept allows vehicle owners to maximize returns by restricting market participation to profitable time periods. As a case study, this strategy is then applied using the example of Singapore. It is shown that an annual loss of S 1000 resulting from a non-price-responsive strategy as employed in previous works can be turned into a S 130 profit by applying the price-responsive approach. In addition to this scenario, realistic mobility patterns which restrict the temporal availability of vehicles are considered. In this case, profits in the range of S 21-S 121 are achievable. Returns in this order of magnitude are not expected to make Vehicle-to-Grid a viable business case, sensitivity analyses, however, show that improved technical parameters could increase profitability. It is further assumed that employing the price-responsive strategy to other national markets may yield significantly greater returns.

  19. Evaluation of MM5 model resolution when applied to prediction of national fire danger rating indexes

    Treesearch

    Jeanne L. Hoadley; Miriam L. Rorig; Larry Bradshaw; Sue A. Ferguson; Kenneth J. Westrick; Scott L. Goodrick; Paul Werth

    2006-01-01

    Weather predictions from the MM5 mesoscale model were used to compute gridded predictions of National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) indexes. The model output was applied to a case study of the 2000 fire season in Northern Idaho and Western Montana to simulate an extreme event. To determine the preferred resolution for automating NFD RS predictions, model...

  20. Ares Launch Vehicles Lean Practices Case Study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Doreswamy, Rajiv, N.; Self, Timothy A.

    2008-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation describes test strategies and lean philisophies and practices that are applied to Ares Launch Vehicles. The topics include: 1) Testing strategy; 2) Lean Practices in Ares I-X; 3) Lean Practices Applied to Ares I-X Schedule; 4) Lean Event Results; 5) Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen Practices in the Ares Projects Office; 6) Lean and Kaizen Success Stories; and 7) Ares Six Sigma Practices.

  1. The Use of Simulation and Cases to Teach Real World Decision Making: Applied Example for Health Care Management Graduate Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eisenhardt, Alyson; Ninassi, Susanne Bruno

    2016-01-01

    Many pedagogy experts suggest the use of real world scenarios and simulations as a means of teaching students to apply decision analysis concepts to their field of study. These methods allow students an opportunity to synthesize knowledge, skills, and abilities by presenting a field-based dilemma. The use of real world scenarios and simulations…

  2. Making Maths Useful: How Two Teachers Prepare Adult Learners to Apply Their Numeracy Skills in Their Lives outside the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Carolyn

    2015-01-01

    This pilot case study of two teachers and their learner groups from Adult and Community settings, investigates how numeracy teachers, working with adult learners in discrete numeracy classes, motivate and enable learners to build on their informal skills and apply new learning to their own real-life contexts. Teachers used a range of abstract and…

  3. The Process of Integrating "Knowledge Management" into Teacher's "Teaching Resources"--A Case Study on the Hospitality College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, Kai-Wen; Chen, Yu-Fen

    2008-01-01

    Many people may think knowledge management is only applicable to enterprises. In fact, the inventor of knowledge management, Peter F. Drucker (2000), once stated that knowledge management can also be applied to schools and the major difference lies in the nature of how things are managed rather than what principles or norms are applied.…

  4. Newly invented biobased materials from low-carbon, diverted waste fibers: research methods, testing, and full-scale application in a case study structure

    Treesearch

    Julee A Herdt; John Hunt; Kellen Schauermann

    2016-01-01

    This project demonstrates newly invented, biobased construction materials developed by applying lowcarbon, biomass waste sources through the Authors’ engineered fiber processes and technology. If manufactured and applied large-scale the project inventions can divert large volumes of cellulose waste into high-performance, low embodied energy, environmental construction...

  5. Changes in speed distribution: Applying aggregated safety effect models to individual vehicle speeds.

    PubMed

    Vadeby, Anna; Forsman, Åsa

    2017-06-01

    This study investigated the effect of applying two aggregated models (the Power model and the Exponential model) to individual vehicle speeds instead of mean speeds. This is of particular interest when the measure introduced affects different parts of the speed distribution differently. The aim was to examine how the estimated overall risk was affected when assuming the models are valid on an individual vehicle level. Speed data from two applications of speed measurements were used in the study: an evaluation of movable speed cameras and a national evaluation of new speed limits in Sweden. The results showed that when applied on individual vehicle speed level compared with aggregated level, there was essentially no difference between these for the Power model in the case of injury accidents. However, for fatalities the difference was greater, especially for roads with new cameras where those driving fastest reduced their speed the most. For the case with new speed limits, the individual approach estimated a somewhat smaller effect, reflecting that changes in the 15th percentile (P15) were somewhat larger than changes in P85 in this case. For the Exponential model there was also a clear, although small, difference between applying the model to mean speed changes and individual vehicle speed changes when speed cameras were used. This applied both for injury accidents and fatalities. There were also larger effects for the Exponential model than for the Power model, especially for injury accidents. In conclusion, applying the Power or Exponential model to individual vehicle speeds is an alternative that provides reasonable results in relation to the original Power and Exponential models, but more research is needed to clarify the shape of the individual risk curve. It is not surprising that the impact on severe traffic crashes was larger in situations where those driving fastest reduced their speed the most. Further investigations on use of the Power and/or the Exponential model at individual vehicle level would require more data on the individual level from a range of international studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. How Polish Children Switch from One Case to Another when Using Novel Nouns: Challenges for Models of Inflectional Morphology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krajewski, Grzegorz; Theakston, Anna L.; Lieven, Elena V. M.; Tomasello, Michael

    2011-01-01

    The two main models of children's acquisition of inflectional morphology--the Dual-Mechanism approach and the usage-based (schema-based) approach--have both been applied mainly to languages with fairly simple morphological systems. Here we report two studies of 2-3-year-old Polish children's ability to generalise across case-inflectional endings…

  7. The Utility of Case-Control Methods for Health Policy and Planning Analysis: An Illustration from Kinshasa, Zaire.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mock, Nancy B.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    The use of case-control methodology as an applied policy/planning research tool in assessing the potential effectiveness of behavioral interventions is studied in connection with diarrhea control in Zaire. Results with 107 matched pairs of children demonstrate the importance of hygiene-related knowledge and the utility of the research approach.…

  8. A Case Study Using CRA to Teach Students with Disabilities to Count Using Flexible Numbers: Applying Skip Counting to Multiplication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibbs, Anna S.; Hinton, Vanessa M.; Flores, Margaret M.

    2018-01-01

    Children who struggle in mathematics have a limited understanding of the foundational processes of mathematics. A lack of conceptual understanding causes students to fall behind as they progress through the core curriculum. Children at high risk for developing mathematics disabilities fail to gain numeracy knowledge. The purpose of this case study…

  9. Comparison of Expert-Based and Empirical Evaluation Methodologies in the Case of a CBL Environment: The ''Orestis'' Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karoulis, Athanasis; Demetriadis, Stavros; Pombortsis, Andreas

    2006-01-01

    This paper compares several interface evaluation methods applied in the case of a computer based learning (CBL) environment, during a longitudinal study performed in three European countries, Greece, Germany, and Holland, and within the framework of an EC funded Leonardo da Vinci program. The paper firstly considers the particularities of the CBL…

  10. Translating Proper Nouns: A Case Study on English Translation of Hafez's Lyrics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shirinzadeh, Seyed Alireza; Mahadi, Tengku Sepora Tengku

    2014-01-01

    Proper nouns are regarded so simple that they might be taken for granted in translation explorations. Some may believe that they should not be translated in transmitting source texts to target texts. But, it is not the case; if one looks at present translations, he will notice that different strategies might be applied for translating proper…

  11. Enhancing e-waste estimates: Improving data quality by multivariate Input–Output Analysis

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

    Wang, Feng, E-mail: fwang@unu.edu; Design for Sustainability Lab, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 15, 2628CE Delft; Huisman, Jaco

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: • A multivariate Input–Output Analysis method for e-waste estimates is proposed. • Applying multivariate analysis to consolidate data can enhance e-waste estimates. • We examine the influence of model selection and data quality on e-waste estimates. • Datasets of all e-waste related variables in a Dutch case study have been provided. • Accurate modeling of time-variant lifespan distributions is critical for estimate. - Abstract: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (or e-waste) is one of the fastest growing waste streams, which encompasses a wide and increasing spectrum of products. Accurate estimation of e-waste generation is difficult, mainly due to lackmore » of high quality data referred to market and socio-economic dynamics. This paper addresses how to enhance e-waste estimates by providing techniques to increase data quality. An advanced, flexible and multivariate Input–Output Analysis (IOA) method is proposed. It links all three pillars in IOA (product sales, stock and lifespan profiles) to construct mathematical relationships between various data points. By applying this method, the data consolidation steps can generate more accurate time-series datasets from available data pool. This can consequently increase the reliability of e-waste estimates compared to the approach without data processing. A case study in the Netherlands is used to apply the advanced IOA model. As a result, for the first time ever, complete datasets of all three variables for estimating all types of e-waste have been obtained. The result of this study also demonstrates significant disparity between various estimation models, arising from the use of data under different conditions. It shows the importance of applying multivariate approach and multiple sources to improve data quality for modelling, specifically using appropriate time-varying lifespan parameters. Following the case study, a roadmap with a procedural guideline is provided to enhance e-waste estimation studies.« less

  12. Developments in life cycle assessment applied to evaluate the environmental performance of construction and demolition wastes.

    PubMed

    Bovea, M D; Powell, J C

    2016-04-01

    This paper provides a review of the literature that applies the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to the assessment of the environmental performance of the life cycle of construction and demolition waste (CDW) management systems. This article is focused on generating a general mapping of the literature and on identifying the best practices in compliance with LCA framework and proposing directions for future LCA studies in this field. The temporal evolution of the research in this field and the aim of the studies have grown in parallel with the legal framework related to waste and energy efficiency of buildings. Most studies have been published in Europe, followed by USA. Asia and Australia, being at an incipient application stage to the rest of the world. Topics related to "LCA of buildings, including their EoL" and "LCA of general CDW management strategies" are the most frequently analysed, followed by "LCA of EoL of construction elements" and "LCA of natural material vs recycled material". Regarding the strategies, recycling off-site and incineration, both combined with landfill for the rejected fractions, are the most commonly applied. Re-use or recycling on-site is the strategy least applied. The key aspect when LCA is applied to evaluate CDW management systems is the need to normalise which processes to include in the system boundary and the functional unit, the use of inventory data adapted to the context of the case study and the definition of a common set of appropriate impact assessment categories. Also, it is important to obtain results disaggregated by unit processes. This will allow the comparison between case studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A combined disease management and process modeling approach for assessing and improving care processes: a fall management case-study.

    PubMed

    Askari, Marjan; Westerhof, Richard; Eslami, Saied; Medlock, Stephanie; de Rooij, Sophia E; Abu-Hanna, Ameen

    2013-10-01

    To propose a combined disease management and process modeling approach for evaluating and improving care processes, and demonstrate its usability and usefulness in a real-world fall management case study. We identified essential disease management related concepts and mapped them into explicit questions meant to expose areas for improvement in the respective care processes. We applied the disease management oriented questions to a process model of a comprehensive real world fall prevention and treatment program covering primary and secondary care. We relied on interviews and observations to complete the process models, which were captured in UML activity diagrams. A preliminary evaluation of the usability of our approach by gauging the experience of the modeler and an external validator was conducted, and the usefulness of the method was evaluated by gathering feedback from stakeholders at an invitational conference of 75 attendees. The process model of the fall management program was organized around the clinical tasks of case finding, risk profiling, decision making, coordination and interventions. Applying the disease management questions to the process models exposed weaknesses in the process including: absence of program ownership, under-detection of falls in primary care, and lack of efficient communication among stakeholders due to missing awareness about other stakeholders' workflow. The modelers experienced the approach as usable and the attendees of the invitational conference found the analysis results to be valid. The proposed disease management view of process modeling was usable and useful for systematically identifying areas of improvement in a fall management program. Although specifically applied to fall management, we believe our case study is characteristic of various disease management settings, suggesting the wider applicability of the approach. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Increasing medical students' engagement in public health: case studies illustrating the potential role of online learning.

    PubMed

    Sheringham, J; Lyon, A; Jones, A; Strobl, J; Barratt, H

    2016-09-01

    The value of e-learning in medical education is widely recognized but there is little evidence of its value in teaching medical students about public health. Such evidence is needed because medical students' engagement with public health has been low. We present three recent case studies from UK medical schools to illustrate diverse ways in which online approaches can increase medical students' engagement with learning public health. A comparative case study approach was used applying quantitative and qualitative data to examine engagement in terms of uptake/use amongst eligible students, acceptability and perceived effectiveness using an analytic framework based on Seven Principles of Effective Teaching. Across the three case studies, most (67-85%) eligible students accessed online materials, and rated them more favourably than live lectures. Students particularly valued opportunities to use e-learning flexibly in terms of time and place. Online technologies offered new ways to consolidate learning of key public health concepts. Although students found contributing to online discussions challenging, it provided opportunities for students to explore concepts in depth and enabled students that were uncomfortable speaking in face-to-face discussions to participate. E-learning can be applied in diverse ways that increase medical student engagement with public health teaching. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Fracture Following Application of Halo-Gravity Traction: A Case Report.

    PubMed

    Blakeney, William G; D'Amato, Charles

    2015-09-01

    Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt malfunctions are very common, and shunt fracture is one of the most common causes. Shunt fractures are often a result of calcification and tethering, which predispose the tubing to fracture when mechanical stresses are applied. This case report describes a case of shunt fracture following application of halo-gravity traction for correction of spinal deformity. Chart and imaging data for a single case were reviewed and reported in this retrospective case study. A 10-year-old female, being treated for syndromic scoliosis, underwent posterior surgical release and application of halo-gravity traction. Increasing weight of traction was applied over a period of 6 weeks, for gradual deformity correction. It was noted on the 6-week cervical spine radiograph that the VP shunt had fractured at the base of the neck. The patient was taken to the operating room and intraoperative findings confirmed shunt fracture. This was repaired without complications. This case, to our best knowledge, is the first reported occurrence of shunt fracture following application of halo-gravity traction. It demonstrates the importance of careful monitoring of patients with VP shunts, when they are undergoing traction for correction of spinal deformity. Level IV.

  16. Can ethnography save the life of medical ethics?

    PubMed

    Hoffmaster, B

    1992-12-01

    Since its inception contemporary medical ethics has been regarded by many of its practitioners as 'applied ethics', that is, the application of philosophical theories to the moral problems that arise in health care. This 'applied ethics' model of medical ethics is, however, beset with internal and external difficulties. The internal difficulties point out that the model is intrinsically flawed. The external difficulties arise because the model does not fit work in the field. Indeed, the strengths of that work are its highly nuanced, particularized analyses of cases and issues and its appreciation of the circumstances and contexts that generate and structure these cases and issues. A shift away from a theory-driven 'applied ethics' to a more situational, contextual approach to medical ethics opens the way for ethnographic studies of moral problems in health care as well as a conception of moral theory that is more responsive to the empirical dimensions of those problems.

  17. [Evaluation of fetomaternal hemorrhage in postpartum patients with indication for administration of anti-D immunoglobulin].

    PubMed

    Baiochi, Eduardo; Camano, Luiz; Bordin, José Orlando

    2005-01-01

    This study evaluated fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH) in 343 postpartum patients who required prophylaxis of Rh alloimmunization with anti-D immunoglobulin. The rosette test was applied to screen for patients needing quantitative determination of fetal blood transferred from the maternal circulation, which was then measured by the Kleihauer-Betke test (K-B). The rosette test was positive in 22 cases (6.4%). In five of these cases, K-B did not show fetomaternal hemorrhage (a 1.45% false-positive rate for the rosette test), and in one case the test was inconclusive. There were 8 cases with FMH < 10 ml (2.3%), 6 cases with FMH from 10 to 30 ml (1.7%), and two cases with FMH > 30 ml (0.58%), requiring a supplementary dose of anti-D. The study concludes that following the rosette test, additional evaluation of FMH using a quantitative test was unnecessary in 93.6% of the cases.

  18. Knowledge Consolidation Analysis: Toward a Methodology for Studying the Role of Argument in Technology Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyehouse, Jeremiah

    2007-01-01

    Researchers studying technology development often examine how rhetorical activity contributes to technologies' design, implementation, and stabilization. This article offers a possible methodology for studying one role of rhetorical activity in technology development: knowledge consolidation analysis. Applying this method to an exemplar case, the…

  19. Regenerative Studies: College Community and Community College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woltz, Mary G.

    This case study applies principles derived from the Center for Regenerative Studies (CRS) to a community college in North Carolina. CRS, on the campus of California State Polytechnic Institute (California), is dedicated to the education, demonstration, and research of degenerative systems in the areas of shelter, food production, energy, water and…

  20. Real-time hydraulic interval state estimation for water transport networks: a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vrachimis, Stelios G.; Eliades, Demetrios G.; Polycarpou, Marios M.

    2018-03-01

    Hydraulic state estimation in water distribution networks is the task of estimating water flows and pressures in the pipes and nodes of the network based on some sensor measurements. This requires a model of the network as well as knowledge of demand outflow and tank water levels. Due to modeling and measurement uncertainty, standard state estimation may result in inaccurate hydraulic estimates without any measure of the estimation error. This paper describes a methodology for generating hydraulic state bounding estimates based on interval bounds on the parametric and measurement uncertainties. The estimation error bounds provided by this method can be applied to determine the existence of unaccounted-for water in water distribution networks. As a case study, the method is applied to a modified transport network in Cyprus, using actual data in real time.

  1. Breaking common ground: Scalar perceptions and the effects on energy extraction in Pavillion, Wyoming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watts, Kaitlyn

    Conflicts over natural resources are increasing throughout the world. Researchers have taken the geographic concept of scale and applied it as a tool for analyzing environmental conflict and determining the correct jurisdictional arena for regulation. My research takes this social construction of scale and applies it to a case study of energy extraction in Pavillion, Wyoming. The case study focuses on the conflict that developed over hydraulic fracturing and water contamination at a time when the use of hydraulic fracturing increased nationwide. Through the use of personal interviews and document analysis I determine the ways that stakeholders use scale in the conflict to influence the strategies that they use to persuade policy decisions. This provides an example of how scale can be used as an effective tool of policy analysis and environmental conflict resolution

  2. Comparative study: TQ and Lean Production ownership models in health services

    PubMed Central

    Eiro, Natalia Yuri; Torres-Junior, Alvair Silveira

    2015-01-01

    Objective: compare the application of Total Quality (TQ) models used in processes of a health service, cases of lean healthcare and literature from another institution that has also applied this model. Method: this is a qualitative research that was conducted through a descriptive case study. Results: through critical analysis of the institutions studied it was possible to make a comparison between the traditional quality approach checked in one case and the theoretical and practice lean production approach used in another case and the specifications are described below. Conclusion: the research identified that the lean model was better suited for people that work systemically and generate the flow. It also pointed towards some potential challenges in the introduction and implementation of lean methods in health. PMID:26487134

  3. Persistent measles virus infection of the intestine: confirmation by immunogold electron microscopy.

    PubMed Central

    Lewin, J; Dhillon, A P; Sim, R; Mazure, G; Pounder, R E; Wakefield, A J

    1995-01-01

    This study sought to investigate persistent measles virus infection of the intestine: a novel protocol for immunogold electron microscopy was developed using a polyclonal anti-measles nucleoprotein antibody on reprocessed, formalin fixed paraffin wax embedded tissue sections. Antibody binding was detected using both immunoperoxidase and light microscopy on tissue sections, and 10 nm gold conjugated secondary antibody and electron microscopy on ultrathin sections. The techniques were validated using both measles infected vero cells and human tissues with established measles infection: these included brain affected by subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and acute measles appendicitis. The technique was applied subsequently to six untreated cases of granulomatous Crohn's disease, and two cases of ileocaecal tuberculosis, a granulomatous control. Mumps primary antibody--applied to both mumps infected vero cells, and measles infected vero cells and tissues studied by immunoperoxidase, and measles antibody on mumps infected cells studied by immunoperoxidase and immunogold--were used as specificity controls: the primary antibodies identified their respective target antigen and there was no antibody cross reactivity. Measles virus nucleocapsids labelled with gold conjugated antibody in both infected cells and tissues, including foci of granulomatous inflammation in five of six cases of Crohn's disease: in the fifth case, the granuloma could not be identified in ultrathin section. In one of the tuberculosis cases, a low level of signal was noted while the second case was negative. Labelling adopted a characteristic pattern in all infected tissues, strengthening the specificity of these findings. This study provides the first direct confirmation of persistent measles virus infection of the intestine. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:7737565

  4. From translational research to open technology innovation systems.

    PubMed

    Savory, Clive; Fortune, Joyce

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to question whether the emphasis placed within translational research on a linear model of innovation provides the most effective model for managing health technology innovation. Several alternative perspectives are presented that have potential to enhance the existing model of translational research. A case study is presented of innovation of a clinical decision support system. The paper concludes from the case study that an extending the triple helix model of technology transfer, to one based on a quadruple helix, present a basis for improving the performance translational research. A case study approach is used to help understand development of an innovative technology within a teaching hospital. The case is then used to develop and refine a model of the health technology innovation system. The paper concludes from the case study that existing models of translational research could be refined further through the development of a quadruple helix model of heath technology innovation that encompasses greater emphasis on user-led and open innovation perspectives. The paper presents several implications for future research based on the need to enhance the model of health technology innovation used to guide policy and practice. The quadruple helix model of innovation that is proposed can potentially guide alterations to the existing model of translational research in the healthcare sector. Several suggestions are made for how innovation activity can be better supported at both a policy and operational level. This paper presents a synthesis of the innovation literature applied to a theoretically important case of open innovation in the UK National Health Service. It draws in perspectives from other industrial sectors and applies them specifically to the management and organisation of innovation activities around health technology and the services in which they are embedded.

  5. Critical evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology as a diagnostic technique in bone tumors and tumor-like lesions.

    PubMed

    Chakrabarti, Sudipta; Datta, Alok Sobhan; Hira, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Though open surgical biopsy is the procedure of choice for the diagnosis of bone tumors, many disadvantages are associated with this approach. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) as a diagnostic tool in cases of bony tumors and tumor-like lesions which may be conducted in centers where facilities for surgical biopsies are inadequate. The study population consisted of 51 cases presenting with a skeletal mass. After clinical evaluation, radiological correlation was done to assess the nature and extent of each lesion. Fine needle aspiration was performed aseptically and smears were prepared. Patients subsequently underwent open surgical biopsy and tissue samples were obtained for histopathological examination. Standard statistical methods were applied for analysis of data. Adequate material was not obtained even after repeated aspiration in seven cases, six of which were benign. Among the remaining 44 cases, diagnosis of malignancy was correctly provided in 28 (93.3%) out of 30 cases and categorical diagnosis in 20 (66.67%). Interpretation of cytology was more difficult in cases of benign and tumor-like lesions, with a categorical opinion only possible in seven (50%) cases. Statistical analysis showed FNAC with malignant tumors to have high sensitivity (93.3%), specificity (92.9%) and positive predictive value of 96.6%, whereas the negative predictive value was 86.7%. FNAC should be included in the diagnostic workup of a skeletal tumor because of its simplicity and reliability. However, a definitive pathologic diagnosis heavily depends on compatible clinical and radiologic features which can only be accomplished by teamwork. The cytological technique applied in this study could detect many bone tumors and tumor-like conditions and appears particularly suitable as a diagnostic technique for rural regions of India as other developing countries.

  6. 75 FR 5852 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-04

    ... Method in De Minimis Cases (Sec. 1.460-6). DATES: Written comments should be received on or before April... INFORMATION: Title: Election Not to Apply Look-Back Method in De Minimis Cases. OMB Number: 1545-1572... may elect not to apply the look-back method to long-term contracts in de minimis cases. The taxpayer...

  7. Modeling river total bed material load discharge using artificial intelligence approaches (based on conceptual inputs)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roushangar, Kiyoumars; Mehrabani, Fatemeh Vojoudi; Shiri, Jalal

    2014-06-01

    This study presents Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based modeling of total bed material load through developing the accuracy level of the predictions of traditional models. Gene expression programming (GEP) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)-based models were developed and validated for estimations. Sediment data from Qotur River (Northwestern Iran) were used for developing and validation of the applied techniques. In order to assess the applied techniques in relation to traditional models, stream power-based and shear stress-based physical models were also applied in the studied case. The obtained results reveal that developed AI-based models using minimum number of dominant factors, give more accurate results than the other applied models. Nonetheless, it was revealed that k-fold test is a practical but high-cost technique for complete scanning of applied data and avoiding the over-fitting.

  8. Evaluation of applied public health emergency system at Prince Mohammed International Airport in Almedinah during Hajj season 2014: a qualitative case study.

    PubMed

    Gosadi, Ibrahim M; BinSaeed, Abdulaziz; Al-Hazmi, Ali M; Fadl, Amin A; Alharbi, Khalid H; Swarelzahab, Mazin M

    2015-09-12

    During the Hajj season 2014, several public health measures were applied by the Ministry of Health at Prince Mohammed International Airport in Almedinah. However, several operational defects affected the provision of preventive health services for passengers and airport workers. This study aims to evaluate the applied public health emergency system at the airport, detect any potential gaps and to provide appropriate operational solutions. This is a qualitative case study conducted at Prince Mohammed International Airport in Almedinah during the 2014 Hajj season, September 2014. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, focus groups and policy document reviews. Interviews were conducted with the 14 individuals of the airport's decision makers and relevant health practitioners. Data were recorded via taking notes during interviews and data coding was performed to produce the main themes and subthemes of the study. The main findings of the study revealed three main defects affecting the applied public health emergency system at the airport. The main themes were mainly related to shortage in logistics related to public health emergency systems, shortage in proper documentation of policies and lack of documented protocols of communications among airport stakeholders. The study highlighted the main factors hindering the application of public health emergency measures at the airport. A Public Health Emergency Contingency Plan was proposed as a method to regulate the process of providing logistics for public health preventive services, the method of producing documented policies and methods of producing Memoranda of Understandings as communication regulators.

  9. Fulfillment of GMP standard, halal standard, and applying HACCP for production process of beef floss (Case study: Ksatria enterprise)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    A'diat, Arkan Addien Al; Liquiddanu, Eko; Laksono, Pringgo Widyo; Sutopo, Wahyudi; Suletra, I. Wayan

    2018-02-01

    Along with the increasing number of the modern retail business in Indonesia, give an opportunity to small and medium enterprise (SME) to sell its products through the modern retailer. There are some obstacles faced by the SMEs, one of them is about product standard. Product standard that must be owned by SMEs are GMP standard and halal standard. This research was conducted to know the fulfillment by the beef floss enterprise in jagalan in fulfilling the GMP standard and halal. In addition, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system was applied to analyze the process. HACCP which used in this research was based on the seven principles in SNI (Indonesian National Standard) 01-4852-1998. The seven principles included hazard analysis, critical control point (CCP) determination, critical limit establishment, CCP monitor system establishment, corrective action establishment, verification, and also documentation establishment that must be applied in preparing HACCP plan. Based on this case study, it is concluded that there were 5 CCPs : the boiling process, roasting process, frying process, the beef floss draining process, and the packaging process.

  10. Digital enhancement of sub-quality bitemark photographs.

    PubMed

    Karazalus, C P; Palmbach, T T; Lee, H C

    2001-07-01

    Digital enhancement software was used to enhance bitemark photographs. This enhancement technique improved the resolution of the bitemark images. Lucis was the software program utilized in this study and case applications. First, this technique was applied on known bitemark images to evaluate the potential effectiveness of this digital enhancement method. Subsequently, Lucis was utilized on two separate unsolved cases involving enhancement of bitemark evidence. One case involved a severely beaten infant with a bitemark on the upper thigh. The second case involves a bitemark observed on the breast of a female sexual assault strangulation victim. In both cases, bitemark images were significantly improved after digital enhancement.

  11. Brain-Science Based Cohort Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koizumi, Hideaki

    2011-01-01

    This article describes a number of human cohort studies based on the concept of brain-science and education. These studies assess the potential effects of new technologies on babies, children and adolescents, and test hypotheses drawn from animal and genetic case studies to see if they apply to people. A flood of information, virtual media,…

  12. "Passive victim – strong survivor"? Perceived meaning of labels applied to women who were raped

    PubMed Central

    Papendick, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Three experiments (total N = 464) were conducted in parallel with English- and German-speaking participants to examine the perceived meanings and effects of the labels "victim" versus "survivor" (and their German equivalents) when applied to a woman who was raped. In Study 1 (N = 179), participants read a rape vignette and then rated the meaning of the label it contained (either "victim" or "survivor") on a 15-item semantic differential. Independent of language and participant gender, "survivor" was perceived more positively overall (e.g., as strong, brave, active) than was "victim" (weak, passive, but also innocent). In Study 2 (N = 95), labels were varied within items assessing judgments of an acquaintance-rape case (e.g., "Does the victim [survivor] … carry a certain responsibility for what happened?"), focusing on short-term outcomes. Significant interaction effects of label and participants’ gender emerged on case-related judgments. Participants in both language samples judged "survivor" to be a less appropriate term than "victim". In Study 3 (N = 190), participants read a text in which a woman who had been raped labeled herself as either "victim" or "survivor", focusing on the coping with sexual violence. As in Study 2, German-language participants showed no significant effects of the label on their case judgments but rejected the term "survivor" as inappropriate; English-language participants, by contrast, perceived the woman describing herself as "survivor" to be more psychologically stable and regarded the use of both labels as appropriate. Results are discussed in terms of their applied relevance for communicating about sexual violence. PMID:28493976

  13. Social marketing's unique contribution to mental health stigma reduction and HIV testing: two case studies.

    PubMed

    Thackeray, Rosemary; Keller, Heidi; Heilbronner, Jennifer Messenger; Dellinger, Laura K Lee

    2011-03-01

    Since its inception in 2005, articles in Health Promotion Practice's social marketing department have focused on describing social marketing's unique contributions and the application of each to the practice of health promotion. This article provides a brief review of six unique features (marketing mix, consumer orientation, segmentation, exchange, competition, and continuous monitoring) and then presents two case studies-one on reducing stigma related to mental health and the other a large-scale campaign focused on increasing HIV testing among African American youth. The two successful case studies show that social marketing principles can be applied to a wide variety of topics among various population groups.

  14. Latino Families' Experiences with Autism Services: Disparities, Capabilities, and Occupational Justice

    PubMed Central

    Angell, Amber M.; Frank, Gelya; Solomon, Olga

    2016-01-01

    Rationale This article examines six cases of publicly-funded Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for Latino children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to contribute to thinking about occupational justice. Objective We consider in each case 1) how the families' experiences can be understood occupationally; 2) how ABA affected the functionings and capabilities of the children and their families; and 3) how the parents' accounts relate to occupational justice. Methodology This is an ethnographic study of six Latino families of children with ASD in Los Angeles County. Findings All families were offered ABA for their children, but five families experienced occupational challenges leading them to insist on modifications of ABA or opt out of the service. Conclusion Applying the capabilities approach can help to operationalize the concept of occupational justice as a tool to evaluate social policy across cases. PMID:27585604

  15. Understanding Teamwork in the Provision of Cancer Care: Highlighting the Role of Trust.

    PubMed

    Lazzara, Elizabeth H; Keebler, Joseph R; Day, Soosi; DiazGranados, Deborah; Pan, Minggui; King, Michael A; Tu, Shin-Ping

    2016-11-01

    Team science research has indicated that trust is a critical variable of teamwork, contributing greatly to a team's performance. Trust has long been examined in health care with research focusing on the development of trust by patients with their health care practitioners. Studies have indicated that trust is linked to patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, continuity of care, and improved outcomes. We explore the construct of trust using a case example of a patient who received a surgical procedure for a precancerous polyp. We apply the principle of trust to the case as well as present the literature on trust and key definitions for understanding trust. Additionally, we apply the definitions presented to the specific case example by highlighting moments where trust is developed or violated. Lastly, we offer insights to health care practitioners on the development of trust in their own patient interactions to improve care.

  16. Understanding Teamwork in the Provision of Cancer Care: Highlighting the Role of Trust

    PubMed Central

    Keebler, Joseph R.; Day, Soosi; DiazGranados, Deborah; Pan, Minggui; King, Michael A.; Tu, Shin-Ping

    2016-01-01

    Team science research has indicated that trust is a critical variable of teamwork, contributing greatly to a team’s performance. Trust has long been examined in health care with research focusing on the development of trust by patients with their health care practitioners. Studies have indicated that trust is linked to patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, continuity of care, and improved outcomes. We explore the construct of trust using a case example of a patient who received a surgical procedure for a precancerous polyp. We apply the principle of trust to the case as well as present the literature on trust and key definitions for understanding trust. Additionally, we apply the definitions presented to the specific case example by highlighting moments where trust is developed or violated. Lastly, we offer insights to health care practitioners on the development of trust in their own patient interactions to improve care. PMID:27601505

  17. Estimation of the probability of exposure to metalworking fluids in a population-based case-control study

    PubMed Central

    Park, Dong-Uk; Colt, Joanne S.; Baris, Dalsu; Schwenn, Molly; Karagas, Margaret R.; Armenti, Karla R.; Johnson, Alison; Silverman, Debra T; Stewart, Patricia A

    2014-01-01

    We describe here an approach for estimating the probability that study subjects were exposed to metalworking fluids (MWFs) in a population-based case-control study of bladder cancer. Study subject reports on the frequency of machining and use of specific MWFs (straight, soluble, and synthetic/semi-synthetic) were used to estimate exposure probability when available. Those reports also were used to develop estimates for job groups, which were then applied to jobs without MWF reports. Estimates using both cases and controls and controls only were developed. The prevalence of machining varied substantially across job groups (10-90%), with the greatest percentage of jobs that machined being reported by machinists and tool and die workers. Reports of straight and soluble MWF use were fairly consistent across job groups (generally, 50-70%). Synthetic MWF use was lower (13-45%). There was little difference in reports by cases and controls vs. controls only. Approximately, 1% of the entire study population was assessed as definitely exposed to straight or soluble fluids in contrast to 0.2% definitely exposed to synthetic/semi-synthetics. A comparison between the reported use of the MWFs and the US production levels by decade found high correlations (r generally >0.7). Overall, the method described here is likely to have provided a systematic and reliable ranking that better reflects the variability of exposure to three types of MWFs than approaches applied in the past. PMID:25256317

  18. Evaluation of outsourcing in nursing services: a case study of kashani hospital, isfahan in 2011.

    PubMed

    Ferdosi, Masoud; Farahabadi, Ehsan; Mofid, Maryam; Rejalian, Farzaneh; Haghighat, Maryam; Naghdi, Parnaz

    2013-03-01

    Hospitals need to focus on their core activities, thus outsourcing of services may be effective in some instances. However, monitoring and supervision is a vital mechanism to preserving and enhancing the quality of outsourced services, and to identify the benefits and losses occurred. The purpose of this study is evaluation of nursing services outsourced in a general hospital from different point of views. This is a descriptive and applied study done by case study (before and after) method. Outsourcing nursing services of clinical wards (ENT and Neurosurgery) of Kashani Hospital in 2011 has been studied. We extracted data from a handmade questionnaire about internal customer's satisfaction and semi-structured interviews with officials, and also survey of financial and administrative documents and records related to the topic. The findings indicate an increased number of graduated nurses per bed to fulfill the main objective of outsourcing in this case. But achieving this objective is accompanied with remarkable increased costs per bed after outsourcing. Besides, we noticed minor changes in internal customer satisfaction rate. While outsourcing should bring about staff and patients' satisfaction and increase the efficiency and effectiveness, outsourcing nursing workforce singly, leaded to a loss of efficiency. Therefore, the applied outsourcing has not met the productivity for the hospital.

  19. Evaluation of Outsourcing in Nursing Services: A Case Study of Kashani Hospital, Isfahan in 2011

    PubMed Central

    Ferdosi, Masoud; Farahabadi, Ehsan; Mofid, Maryam; Rejalian, Farzaneh; Haghighat, Maryam; Naghdi, Parnaz

    2013-01-01

    Background: Hospitals need to focus on their core activities, thus outsourcing of services may be effective in some instances. However, monitoring and supervision is a vital mechanism to preserving and enhancing the quality of outsourced services, and to identify the benefits and losses occurred. The purpose of this study is evaluation of nursing services outsourced in a general hospital from different point of views. Methods: This is a descriptive and applied study done by case study (before and after) method. Outsourcing nursing services of clinical wards (ENT and Neurosurgery) of Kashani Hospital in 2011 has been studied. We extracted data from a handmade questionnaire about internal customer’s satisfaction and semi-structured interviews with officials, and also survey of financial and administrative documents and records related to the topic. Results: The findings indicate an increased number of graduated nurses per bed to fulfill the main objective of outsourcing in this case. But achieving this objective is accompanied with remarkable increased costs per bed after outsourcing. Besides, we noticed minor changes in internal customer satisfaction rate. Conclusion: While outsourcing should bring about staff and patients’ satisfaction and increase the efficiency and effectiveness, outsourcing nursing workforce singly, leaded to a loss of efficiency. Therefore, the applied outsourcing has not met the productivity for the hospital. PMID:23678338

  20. Gibbs sampling on large lattice with GMRF

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marcotte, Denis; Allard, Denis

    2018-02-01

    Gibbs sampling is routinely used to sample truncated Gaussian distributions. These distributions naturally occur when associating latent Gaussian fields to category fields obtained by discrete simulation methods like multipoint, sequential indicator simulation and object-based simulation. The latent Gaussians are often used in data assimilation and history matching algorithms. When the Gibbs sampling is applied on a large lattice, the computing cost can become prohibitive. The usual practice of using local neighborhoods is unsatisfying as it can diverge and it does not reproduce exactly the desired covariance. A better approach is to use Gaussian Markov Random Fields (GMRF) which enables to compute the conditional distributions at any point without having to compute and invert the full covariance matrix. As the GMRF is locally defined, it allows simultaneous updating of all points that do not share neighbors (coding sets). We propose a new simultaneous Gibbs updating strategy on coding sets that can be efficiently computed by convolution and applied with an acceptance/rejection method in the truncated case. We study empirically the speed of convergence, the effect of choice of boundary conditions, of the correlation range and of GMRF smoothness. We show that the convergence is slower in the Gaussian case on the torus than for the finite case studied in the literature. However, in the truncated Gaussian case, we show that short scale correlation is quickly restored and the conditioning categories at each lattice point imprint the long scale correlation. Hence our approach enables to realistically apply Gibbs sampling on large 2D or 3D lattice with the desired GMRF covariance.

  1. The Economics of Fishing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stowell, G.H.

    1982-01-01

    Presents background material to help British high school students study the economics of the fishing industry. Students apply their knowledge of cost and revenue theory to a case study of a European Economic Community fisheries dispute which raises questions about government intervention in international resource allocation issues. (AM)

  2. The Role of Narrative in Multimedia Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diamond, Myrna Elyse

    2011-01-01

    This descriptive case study investigated the role of narrative in multimedia learning and teaching and observed how teachers applied their understanding of narrative, and new constructivist technologies, to design multimedia presentations for instruction. The study looked specifically at the cognitive strategies, visual narrative concepts, and…

  3. Focusing of Finite-Amplitude Cylindrical and Spherical Sound Waves in a Viscous and Heat-Conducting Medium. Ph.D. Thesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chu, T.

    1971-01-01

    The focusing of acoustic pulses is studied analytically by considering the region of study in three parts: the converging, interaction and diverging regions. First, the linear problem of a pulse of infinitesimal amplitude is studied. For the spherical case, the expected phase change as a result of focusing is verified. The nonlinear case of finite-amplitude pulses leads to the development of M-waves, as determined by applying the method of matched-asymptotic expansions to Burges equation.

  4. Cluster detection methods applied to the Upper Cape Cod cancer data.

    PubMed

    Ozonoff, Al; Webster, Thomas; Vieira, Veronica; Weinberg, Janice; Ozonoff, David; Aschengrau, Ann

    2005-09-15

    A variety of statistical methods have been suggested to assess the degree and/or the location of spatial clustering of disease cases. However, there is relatively little in the literature devoted to comparison and critique of different methods. Most of the available comparative studies rely on simulated data rather than real data sets. We have chosen three methods currently used for examining spatial disease patterns: the M-statistic of Bonetti and Pagano; the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) method as applied by Webster; and Kulldorff's spatial scan statistic. We apply these statistics to analyze breast cancer data from the Upper Cape Cancer Incidence Study using three different latency assumptions. The three different latency assumptions produced three different spatial patterns of cases and controls. For 20 year latency, all three methods generally concur. However, for 15 year latency and no latency assumptions, the methods produce different results when testing for global clustering. The comparative analyses of real data sets by different statistical methods provides insight into directions for further research. We suggest a research program designed around examining real data sets to guide focused investigation of relevant features using simulated data, for the purpose of understanding how to interpret statistical methods applied to epidemiological data with a spatial component.

  5. Full self-consistency versus quasiparticle self-consistency in diagrammatic approaches: Exactly solvable two-site Hubbard model

    DOE PAGES

    Kutepov, A. L.

    2015-07-22

    Self-consistent solutions of Hedin's equations (HE) for the two-site Hubbard model (HM) have been studied. They have been found for three-point vertices of increasing complexity (Γ = 1 (GW approximation), Γ₁ from the first-order perturbation theory, and the exact vertex Γ E). Comparison is made between the cases when an additional quasiparticle (QP) approximation for Green's functions is applied during the self-consistent iterative solving of HE and when QP approximation is not applied. Results obtained with the exact vertex are directly related to the present open question—which approximation is more advantageous for future implementations, GW + DMFT or QPGW +more » DMFT. It is shown that in a regime of strong correlations only the originally proposed GW + DMFT scheme is able to provide reliable results. Vertex corrections based on Perturbation Theory systematically improve the GW results when full self-consistency is applied. The application of QP self-consistency combined with PT vertex corrections shows similar problems to the case when the exact vertex is applied combined with QP sc. An analysis of Ward Identity violation is performed for all studied in this work's approximations and its relation to the general accuracy of the schemes used is provided.« less

  6. Full self-consistency versus quasiparticle self-consistency in diagrammatic approaches: exactly solvable two-site Hubbard model.

    PubMed

    Kutepov, A L

    2015-08-12

    Self-consistent solutions of Hedin's equations (HE) for the two-site Hubbard model (HM) have been studied. They have been found for three-point vertices of increasing complexity (Γ = 1 (GW approximation), Γ1 from the first-order perturbation theory, and the exact vertex Γ(E)). Comparison is made between the cases when an additional quasiparticle (QP) approximation for Green's functions is applied during the self-consistent iterative solving of HE and when QP approximation is not applied. The results obtained with the exact vertex are directly related to the present open question-which approximation is more advantageous for future implementations, GW + DMFT or QPGW + DMFT. It is shown that in a regime of strong correlations only the originally proposed GW + DMFT scheme is able to provide reliable results. Vertex corrections based on perturbation theory (PT) systematically improve the GW results when full self-consistency is applied. The application of QP self-consistency combined with PT vertex corrections shows similar problems to the case when the exact vertex is applied combined with QP sc. An analysis of Ward Identity violation is performed for all studied in this work's approximations and its relation to the general accuracy of the schemes used is provided.

  7. 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.

  8. Representation of Biomedical Expertise in Ontologies: a Case Study about Knowledge Acquisition on HTLV viruses and their clinical manifestations.

    PubMed

    Cardoso Coelho, Kátia; Barcellos Almeida, Maurício

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we introduce a set of methodological steps for knowledge acquisition applied to the organization of biomedical information through ontologies. Those steps are tested in a real case involving Human T Cell Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV), which causes myriad infectious diseases. We hope to contribute to providing suitable knowledge representation of scientific domains.

  9. Identifying Complex Cultural Interactions in the Instructional Design Process: A Case Study of a Cross-Border, Cross-Sector Training for Innovation Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, L. Roxanne; Kinuthia, Wanjira L.; Lokey-Vega, Anissa; Tsang-Kosma, Winnie; Madathany, Reeny

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to identify complex cultural dynamics in the instructional design process of a cross-sector, cross-border training environment by applying Young's (2009) Culture-Based Model (CBM) as a theoretical framework and taxonomy for description of the instructional design process under the conditions of one case. This…

  10. Testing the effectiveness of family therapeutic assessment: a case study using a time-series design.

    PubMed

    Smith, Justin D; Wolf, Nicole J; Handler, Leonard; Nash, Michael R

    2009-11-01

    We describe a family Therapeutic Assessment (TA) case study employing 2 assessors, 2 assessment rooms, and a video link. In the study, we employed a daily measures time-series design with a pretreatment baseline and follow-up period to examine the family TA treatment model. In addition to being an illustrative addition to a number of clinical reports suggesting the efficacy of family TA, this study is the first to apply a case-based time-series design to test whether family TA leads to clinical improvement and also illustrates when that improvement occurs. Results support the trajectory of change proposed by Finn (2007), the TA model's creator, who posits that benefits continue beyond the formal treatment itself.

  11. Childhood Injuries--Causes, Preventive Theories and Case Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Leslie

    1988-01-01

    Provides a priori historical experiences and illustrations of several roles played by health practitioners in applied injury prevention. Reviews various models and assesses their strengths and weaknesses. Suggests guidelines for program management. (Author/CW)

  12. Subsurface condition evaluation for asphalt pavement preservation treatments.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-04-01

    This report presents a case study on the SR70 section with microsurface for understanding its performance; a development of a : methodology for evaluating the asphalt pavement subsurface condition for applying pavement preservation treatments; and...

  13. Rural transit ITS best practices

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-03-01

    The overall objective of this Best Practices in Rural Transit ITS project was to identify operational best practices and related technology for applying ITS to rural transit. The project team assembled information gathered through case studies to pro...

  14. Evaluation of oil-leakage of multi-layered resin-hose clamped with metal nipple and sleeve

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsuoka, Kenta; Okubo, Kazuya; Fujii, Toru; Nakamura, Chihiro; Fujishita, Yushi; Kusu, Fuko; Matsushita, Masato; Yoshihara, Ryota

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the path of occurred oil-leakage of multi-layered resin-hose as one of multifunctional materials around the caulked joint with a metal nipple and sleeve when excessive cyclic internal pressure was applied onto the hose. Equivalent cyclic axial tensile force was substitutively applied to the hose, where same degree of normal stress was produced in longitudinal direction. Excessive 3 and 5 times of the standard load was applied to the hose. Cyclic loading was paused at every 1000 and 10000 cycles and then designed internal pressure was applied to the hose by a hand-operated pump with water in order to check whether the leakage was occurred around the joint and surface of the hose for safety evaluation. Cyclic fatigue life was defined as the number of loading cycles in which the leakage and the initial damage which was the passage of the ultrasonic wave was observed on the cyclic test. Test results showed the fatigue life at which leakage of water was observed was increased 20 times in case of K=3 compared to that in case of K=5. The cycles of initial damage detected by the ultrasonic wave were passed was increased 3.3 times in case of K=3 compared to that in case of K=5. The fluorescent agent penetrated from the core layer of resin hose to the reinforcement layer in which a half cross section along longitudinal direction in failed specimens was observed after the leak test. The original specimens had the gap between the resin-hose and the nipple and then the gap extended and connected during fatigue cyclic. In this study, it was observed that oil was leaked through narrow gap between the nipple and core layer of resin hose.

  15. Value of focal applied energy quotient in treatment of ureteral lithiasis with shock waves.

    PubMed

    Arrabal-Polo, Miguel Angel; Arrabal-Martin, Miguel; Palao-Yago, Francisco; Mijan-Ortiz, Jose Luis; Zuluaga-Gomez, Armando

    2012-08-01

    The treatment of ureteral lithiasis by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is progressively being abandoned owing to advances in endoscopic lithotripsy. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the causes as to why ESWL is less effective-with a measurable parameter: focal applied energy quotient (FAEQ) that allows us to apply an improvement project in ESWL results for ureteral lithiasis. A prospective observational cohort study with 3-year follow-up and enrollment period was done with three groups of cases. In Group A, 83 cases of ureteral lithiasis were treated by endoscopic lithotripsy using Holmiun:YAG laser. In Group B, 81 cases of ureteral lithiasis were treated by ESWL using Doli-S device (EMSE 220F-XXP). In Group C, 65 cases of ureteral lithiasis were treated by ESWL using Doli-S device (EMSE 220F-XXP) (FAEQ >10). Statistical study and calculation of RR, NNT, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Student's t test were done. Efficiency quotient (EQ) and focal applied energy quotient [FAEQ = (radioscopy seconds/number of shock waves) × ESWL session J] were analyzed. From the results, the success rate of the treatment using Holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy and ESWL is found to be 94 and 48%, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Success rate of endoscopic laser lithotripsy for lumbar ureteral stones was 82% versus 57% of ESWL (p = 0.611). In Group B, FAEQ was 8.12. In Group C, success rate was 93.84% with FAEQ of 10.64%. When we compare results from endoscopic lithotripsy with Holmium:YAG laser in Group B with results from ESWL with FAEQ >10, we do not observe absolute benefit choosing one or the other. In conclusion, the application of ESWL with FAEQ >10, that is, improving radiologic focalization of the calculus and increasing the number of Joules/SW, makes possible a treatment as safe and equally efficient as Holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy in ureteral lithiasis less than 13 mm.

  16. An axisymmetric non-hydrostatic model for double-diffusive water systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hilgersom, Koen; Zijlema, Marcel; van de Giesen, Nick

    2018-02-01

    The three-dimensional (3-D) modelling of water systems involving double-diffusive processes is challenging due to the large computation times required to solve the flow and transport of constituents. In 3-D systems that approach axisymmetry around a central location, computation times can be reduced by applying a 2-D axisymmetric model set-up. This article applies the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations described in cylindrical coordinates and integrates them to guarantee mass and momentum conservation. The discretized equations are presented in a way that a Cartesian finite-volume model can be easily extended to the developed framework, which is demonstrated by the implementation into a non-hydrostatic free-surface flow model. This model employs temperature- and salinity-dependent densities, molecular diffusivities, and kinematic viscosity. One quantitative case study, based on an analytical solution derived for the radial expansion of a dense water layer, and two qualitative case studies demonstrate a good behaviour of the model for seepage inflows with contrasting salinities and temperatures. Four case studies with respect to double-diffusive processes in a stratified water body demonstrate that turbulent flows are not yet correctly modelled near the interfaces and that an advanced turbulence model is required.

  17. Intraosseous haemangioma: semantic and medical confusion.

    PubMed

    Kadlub, N; Dainese, L; Coulomb-L'Hermine, A; Galmiche, L; Soupre, V; Lepointe, H Ducou; Vazquez, M-P; Picard, A

    2015-06-01

    The literature is rich in case reports of intraosseous haemangioma, although most of these are actually cases of venous or capillary malformations. To illustrate this confusion in terminology, we present three cases of slow-flow vascular malformations misnamed as intraosseous haemangioma. A retrospective study of children diagnosed with intraosseous haemangioma was conducted. Clinical and radiological data were evaluated. Histopathological examinations and immunohistochemical studies were redone by three independent pathologists to classify the lesions according to the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) and World Health Organization (WHO) classifications. Three children who had presented with jaw haemangiomas were identified. Computed tomography scan patterns were not specific. All tumours were GLUT-1-negative and D2-40-negative. The lesions were classified as central haemangiomas according to the WHO, and as slow-flow malformations according to the ISSVA. The classification of vascular anomalies is based on clinical, radiological, and histological differences between vascular tumours and malformations. Based on this classification, the evolution of the lesion can be predicted and adequate treatment applied. The binary ISSVA classification is widely accepted and should be applied for all vascular lesions. Copyright © 2015 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Shapley value-based multi-objective data envelopment analysis application for assessing academic efficiency of university departments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abing, Stephen Lloyd N.; Barton, Mercie Grace L.; Dumdum, Michael Gerard M.; Bongo, Miriam F.; Ocampo, Lanndon A.

    2018-02-01

    This paper adopts a modified approach of data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the academic efficiency of university departments. In real-world case studies, conventional DEA models often identify too many decision-making units (DMUs) as efficient. This occurs when the number of DMUs under evaluation is not large enough compared to the total number of decision variables. To overcome this limitation and reduce the number of decision variables, multi-objective data envelopment analysis (MODEA) approach previously presented in the literature is applied. The MODEA approach applies Shapley value as a cooperative game to determine the appropriate weights and efficiency score of each category of inputs. To illustrate the performance of the adopted approach, a case study is conducted in a university in the Philippines. The input variables are academic staff, non-academic staff, classrooms, laboratories, research grants, and department expenditures, while the output variables are the number of graduates and publications. The results of the case study revealed that all DMUs are inefficient. DMUs with efficiency scores close to the ideal efficiency score may be emulated by other DMUs with least efficiency scores.

  19. Single-Case Designs and Qualitative Methods: Applying a Mixed Methods Research Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hitchcock, John H.; Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Summerville, Meredith

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this conceptual paper is to describe a design that mixes single-case (sometimes referred to as single-subject) and qualitative methods, hereafter referred to as a single-case mixed methods design (SCD-MM). Minimal attention has been given to the topic of applying qualitative methods to SCD work in the literature. These two…

  20. 30 CFR 203.60 - Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Who may apply for royalty relief on a case-by-case basis in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico or offshore of Alaska? 203.60 Section 203.60 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS REVENUE MANAGEMENT RELIEF OR REDUCTION IN ROYALTY RATES OCS Oil, Gas, and...

  1. Genotype distribution of cervical human papillomavirus DNA in women with cervical lesions in Bioko, Equatorial Guinea

    PubMed Central

    García-Espinosa, Benjamín; Nieto-Bona, Ma Paz; Rueda, Sonsoles; Silva-Sánchez, Luís Fernando; Piernas-Morales, Ma Concepción; Carro-Campos, Patricia; Cortés-Lambea, Luís; Moro-Rodríguez, Ernesto

    2009-01-01

    Background The HVP vaccine is a useful tool for preventing cervical cancer. The purpose of this study is to determine the most frequent HPV genotypes in Equatorial Guinea in order to develop future vaccination strategies to apply in this country. Methods A campaign against cervical cancer was carried out in the area on a total of 1,680 women. 26 of the women, following cytological screening, were treated surgically with a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). Cases were studied histologically and were genotyped from paraffin blocks by applying a commercial kit that recognized 35 HPV types. Results Cytological diagnoses included 17 HSIL, 1 LSIL, 5 ASC-H and 3 AGUS. Histological diagnosis resulted in 3 cases of microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma stage IA of FIGO, 9 CIN-3, 8 CIN-2, 2 CIN-1, 3 flat condylomas and mild dysplasia of the endocervical epithelium. Fifteen of twenty-five cases genotyped were positive for HPV (60%). HPV 16 and 33 were identified in four cases each, HPV 58 in two other cases, and HPV 18, 31, 52, and 82 in one case, with one HPV 16 and 58 coinfection. Conclusion The frequency of HPV types in the African area varies in comparison to other regions, particularly in Europe and USA. Vaccination against the five most common HPV types (16, 33, 58, 18, and 31) should be considered in the geographic region of West Africa and specifically in Equatorial Guinea. PMID:19740435

  2. Genotype distribution of cervical human papillomavirus DNA in women with cervical lesions in Bioko, Equatorial Guinea.

    PubMed

    García-Espinosa, Benjamín; Nieto-Bona, Ma Paz; Rueda, Sonsoles; Silva-Sánchez, Luís Fernando; Piernas-Morales, Ma Concepción; Carro-Campos, Patricia; Cortés-Lambea, Luís; Moro-Rodríguez, Ernesto

    2009-09-09

    The HVP vaccine is a useful tool for preventing cervical cancer. The purpose of this study is to determine the most frequent HPV genotypes in Equatorial Guinea in order to develop future vaccination strategies to apply in this country. A campaign against cervical cancer was carried out in the area on a total of 1,680 women. 26 of the women, following cytological screening, were treated surgically with a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). Cases were studied histologically and were genotyped from paraffin blocks by applying a commercial kit that recognized 35 HPV types. Cytological diagnoses included 17 HSIL, 1 LSIL, 5 ASC-H and 3 AGUS. Histological diagnosis resulted in 3 cases of microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma stage IA of FIGO, 9 CIN-3, 8 CIN-2, 2 CIN-1, 3 flat condylomas and mild dysplasia of the endocervical epithelium. Fifteen of twenty-five cases genotyped were positive for HPV (60%). HPV 16 and 33 were identified in four cases each, HPV 58 in two other cases, and HPV 18, 31, 52, and 82 in one case, with one HPV 16 and 58 coinfection. The frequency of HPV types in the African area varies in comparison to other regions, particularly in Europe and USA. Vaccination against the five most common HPV types (16, 33, 58, 18, and 31) should be considered in the geographic region of West Africa and specifically in Equatorial Guinea.

  3. A targeted change-detection procedure by combining change vector analysis and post-classification approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, Su; Chen, Dongmei; Yu, Jie

    2016-04-01

    In remote sensing, conventional supervised change-detection methods usually require effective training data for multiple change types. This paper introduces a more flexible and efficient procedure that seeks to identify only the changes that users are interested in, here after referred to as "targeted change detection". Based on a one-class classifier "Support Vector Domain Description (SVDD)", a novel algorithm named "Three-layer SVDD Fusion (TLSF)" is developed specially for targeted change detection. The proposed algorithm combines one-class classification generated from change vector maps, as well as before- and after-change images in order to get a more reliable detecting result. In addition, this paper introduces a detailed workflow for implementing this algorithm. This workflow has been applied to two case studies with different practical monitoring objectives: urban expansion and forest fire assessment. The experiment results of these two case studies show that the overall accuracy of our proposed algorithm is superior (Kappa statistics are 86.3% and 87.8% for Case 1 and 2, respectively), compared to applying SVDD to change vector analysis and post-classification comparison.

  4. Technical assistance for law-enforcement communications: Case study report two

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reilly, N. B.; Mustain, J. A.

    1979-01-01

    Two case histories are presented. In one study the feasibility of consolidating dispatch center operations for small agencies is considered. System load measurements were taken and queueing analysis applied to determine numbers of personnel required for each separate agency and for a consolidated dispatch center. Functional requirements were developed and a cost model was designed to compare relative costs of various alternatives including continuation of the present system, consolidation of a manual system, and consolidated computer-aided dispatching. The second case history deals with the consideration of a multi-regional, intrastate radio frequency for improved interregional communications. Sample standards and specifications for radio equipment are provided.

  5. Misconceptions about case-mix payments for nursing homes.

    PubMed

    Grimaldi, P L

    1987-04-01

    Despite the increasing use of case-mix payment systems for skilled and intermediate nursing home care (at least 10 state Medicaid programs have adopted or are considering adopting such a system), misconceptions about such systems still exist. Unless these inaccurate perceptions are corrected, a state may adopt a system that fails to realize its goals. Some of these misconceptions include the beliefs that case-mix payment systems: Apply to all nursing homes costs; Will benefit hospital-based facilities; Will resolve the access problems of heavy care public patients; Will result in higher statewide payment rates because patient characteristics are factored directly into the calculations. In fact, case-mix adjustments are applied only to costs that can be traced directly to patients' impairments. Nursing services and some ancillary services are dependent on case mix, while administrative and support services are largely independent of case mix. Capital costs usually can be ignored in formulating the case-mix adjustment. Although hospital-based facilities frequently have sicker patients than freestanding facilities, studies show that only a portion of the cost differential is explained by case-mix differences. In the case of heavy-care patients, some believe that case-mix payment systems will resolve access problems by paying higher rates in response to the higher treatment costs. Access may not improve, however, if the new rates are lower than those paid by comparable private patients. Perhaps a loosening in the certificate-of-need process will also be needed to resolve the access problem.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  6. A descriptive study of work aggravated asthma.

    PubMed

    Goe, S K; Henneberger, P K; Reilly, M J; Rosenman, K D; Schill, D P; Valiante, D; Flattery, J; Harrison, R; Reinisch, F; Tumpowsky, C; Filios, M S

    2004-06-01

    Work related asthma (WRA) is one of the most frequently reported occupational lung diseases in a number of industrialised countries. A better understanding of work aggravated asthma (WAA), as well as work related new onset asthma (NOA), is needed to aid in prevention efforts. WAA and NOA in the United States were compared using cases reported to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) from four state Sentinel Event Notification Systems for Occupational Risks (SENSOR) surveillance programmes for 1993-95. A total of 210 WAA cases and 891 NOA cases were reported. WAA cases reported mineral and inorganic dusts as the most common exposure agent, as opposed to NOA cases, in which diisocyanates were reported most frequently. A similar percentage of WAA and NOA cases still experienced breathing problems at the time of the interview or had visited a hospital or emergency room for work related breathing problems. NOA cases were twice as likely to have applied for workers' compensation compared with WAA cases. However, among those who had applied for worker compensation, approximately three-fourths of both WAA and NOA cases had received awards. The services and manufacturing industrial categories together accounted for the majority of both WAA (62%) and NOA (75%) cases. The risk of WAA, measured by average annual rate, was clearly the highest in the public administration (14.2 cases/10(5)) industrial category, while the risk of NOA was increased in both the manufacturing (3.2 cases/10(5)) and public administration (2.9 cases/10(5)) categories. WAA cases reported many of the same adverse consequences as NOA cases. Certain industries were identified as potential targets for prevention efforts based on either the number of cases or the risk of WAA and NOA.

  7. Use of Comparative Case Study Methodology for US Public Health Policy Analysis: A Review.

    PubMed

    Dinour, Lauren M; Kwan, Amy; Freudenberg, Nicholas

    There is growing recognition that policies influence population health, highlighting the need for evidence to inform future policy development and reform. This review describes how comparative case study methodology has been applied to public health policy research and discusses the methodology's potential to contribute to this evidence. English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 1995 and 2012 were sought from 4 databases. Articles were included if they described comparative case studies addressing US public health policy. Two researchers independently assessed the 20 articles meeting review criteria. Case-related characteristics and research design tactics utilized to minimize threats to reliability and validity, such as the use of multiple sources of evidence and a case study protocol, were extracted from each article. Although comparative case study methodology has been used to analyze a range of public health policies at all stages and levels, articles reported an average use of only 3.65 (out of 10) research design tactics. By expanding the use of accepted research design tactics, public health policy researchers can contribute to expanding the evidence needed to advance health-promoting policies.

  8. Comparison of two expert-based assessments of diesel exhaust exposure in a case-control study: programmable decision rules versus expert review of individual jobs.

    PubMed

    Pronk, Anjoeka; Stewart, Patricia A; Coble, Joseph B; Katki, Hormuzd A; Wheeler, David C; Colt, Joanne S; Baris, Dalsu; Schwenn, Molly; Karagas, Margaret R; Johnson, Alison; Waddell, Richard; Verrill, Castine; Cherala, Sai; Silverman, Debra T; Friesen, Melissa C

    2012-10-01

    Professional judgment is necessary to assess occupational exposure in population-based case-control studies; however, the assessments lack transparency and are time-consuming to perform. To improve transparency and efficiency, we systematically applied decision rules to questionnaire responses to assess diesel exhaust exposure in the population-based case-control New England Bladder Cancer Study. 2631 participants reported 14 983 jobs; 2749 jobs were administered questionnaires ('modules') with diesel-relevant questions. We applied decision rules to assign exposure metrics based either on the occupational history (OH) responses (OH estimates) or on the module responses (module estimates); we then combined the separate OH and module estimates (OH/module estimates). Each job was also reviewed individually to assign exposure (one-by-one review estimates). We evaluated the agreement between the OH, OH/module and one-by-one review estimates. The proportion of exposed jobs was 20-25% for all jobs, depending on approach, and 54-60% for jobs with diesel-relevant modules. The OH/module and one-by-one review estimates had moderately high agreement for all jobs (κ(w)=0.68-0.81) and for jobs with diesel-relevant modules (κ(w)=0.62-0.78) for the probability, intensity and frequency metrics. For exposed subjects, the Spearman correlation statistic was 0.72 between the cumulative OH/module and one-by-one review estimates. The agreement seen here may represent an upper level of agreement because the algorithm and one-by-one review estimates were not fully independent. This study shows that applying decision-based rules can reproduce a one-by-one review, increase transparency and efficiency, and provide a mechanism to replicate exposure decisions in other studies.

  9. MRMC analysis of agreement studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gallas, Brandon D.; Anam, Amrita; Chen, Weijie; Wunderlich, Adam; Zhang, Zhiwei

    2016-03-01

    The purpose of this work is to present and evaluate methods based on U-statistics to compare intra- or inter-reader agreement across different imaging modalities. We apply these methods to multi-reader multi-case (MRMC) studies. We measure reader-averaged agreement and estimate its variance accounting for the variability from readers and cases (an MRMC analysis). In our application, pathologists (readers) evaluate patient tissue mounted on glass slides (cases) in two ways. They evaluate the slides on a microscope (reference modality) and they evaluate digital scans of the slides on a computer display (new modality). In the current work, we consider concordance as the agreement measure, but many of the concepts outlined here apply to other agreement measures. Concordance is the probability that two readers rank two cases in the same order. Concordance can be estimated with a U-statistic and thus it has some nice properties: it is unbiased, asymptotically normal, and its variance is given by an explicit formula. Another property of a U-statistic is that it is symmetric in its inputs; it doesn't matter which reader is listed first or which case is listed first, the result is the same. Using this property and a few tricks while building the U-statistic kernel for concordance, we get a mathematically tractable problem and efficient software. Simulations show that our variance and covariance estimates are unbiased.

  10. Lessons learned from public health campaigns and applied to anti-DWI norms development

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1995-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine norms development in past public health campaigns to direct lessons learned from those efforts to future anti-DNN'l programming. Three campaigns were selected for a multiple case study. The anti-smoking, anti-...

  11. Parental "Intrapreneurship" in Action: Theoretical Elaboration through the Israeli Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yemini, Miri; Ramot, Rony; Sagie, Netta

    2016-01-01

    Parents are widely acknowledged as prominent actors in schools' success; consequently, school-parent interactions are heavily investigated from sociological, psychological, political, and cultural perspectives. By applying the "open system" perspective to schools as an eco-system, this study addresses parents as integrative stakeholders…

  12. A special case of the Poisson PDE formulated for Earth's surface and its capability to approximate the terrain mass density employing land-based gravity data, a case study in the south of Iran

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    AllahTavakoli, Yahya; Safari, Abdolreza; Vaníček, Petr

    2016-12-01

    This paper resurrects a version of Poisson's Partial Differential Equation (PDE) associated with the gravitational field at the Earth's surface and illustrates how the PDE possesses a capability to extract the mass density of Earth's topography from land-based gravity data. Herein, first we propound a theorem which mathematically introduces this version of Poisson's PDE adapted for the Earth's surface and then we use this PDE to develop a method of approximating the terrain mass density. Also, we carry out a real case study showing how the proposed approach is able to be applied to a set of land-based gravity data. In the case study, the method is summarized by an algorithm and applied to a set of gravity stations located along a part of the north coast of the Persian Gulf in the south of Iran. The results were numerically validated via rock-samplings as well as a geological map. Also, the method was compared with two conventional methods of mass density reduction. The numerical experiments indicate that the Poisson PDE at the Earth's surface has the capability to extract the mass density from land-based gravity data and is able to provide an alternative and somewhat more precise method of estimating the terrain mass density.

  13. The Case Method for Teaching College Economics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffith, John R., Jr.

    1971-01-01

    The author explains the use of the case method of applying the principles of economics to current economic policy issues. This approach allows the classroom economics teacher to teach the student how to apply economic principles to real life problems. (Author)

  14. Application of Total Quality Management System in Thai Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prueangphitchayathon, Setthiya; Tesaputa, Kowat; Somprach, Kanokorn

    2015-01-01

    The present study seeks to develop a total quality management (TQM) system that can be applied to primary schools. The approach focuses on customer orientation, total involvement of all constituencies and continuous improvement. TQM principles were studied and synthesized according to case studies of the best practices in 3 primary schools (small,…

  15. Case-Study of the High School Student's Family Values Formation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valeeva, Roza A.; Korolyeva, Natalya E.; Sakhapova, Farida Kh.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the research is the theoretical justification and experimental verification of content, complex forms and methods to ensure effective development of the high school students' family values formation. 93 lyceum students from Kazan took part in the experiment. To study students' family values we have applied method of studying personality…

  16. Study Abroad: The Reality of Building Dynamic Group Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ransbury, Molly K.; Harris, Sandra A.

    1994-01-01

    The collaborative effort of a professor of human development with expertise in group process and a general education professor with expertise in Greek mythology and culture uses a case study format to apply theoretical models of group dynamics to the travel and learning experience of study abroad. Implications for course design and group process…

  17. Case Study of a Research Intervention: The University of Utah's Collaborative Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Driscoll, Amy

    A report is presented on the progress of the Applying Research to Teacher Education (ARTE) Research Utilization in Elementary Teacher Education (RUETE) study. The purpose of the study is to develop preservice instruction incorporating current research findings on effective instruction and effective schools and to assess the impact of the…

  18. A flowsheet model of a well-mixed fluidized bed dryer: Applications in controllability assessment and optimization

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

    Langrish, T.A.G.; Harvey, A.C.

    2000-01-01

    A model of a well-mixed fluidized-bed dryer within a process flowsheeting package (SPEEDUP{trademark}) has been developed and applied to a parameter sensitivity study, a steady-state controllability analysis and an optimization study. This approach is more general and would be more easily applied to a complex flowsheet than one which relied on stand-alone dryer modeling packages. The simulation has shown that industrial data may be fitted to the model outputs with sensible values of unknown parameters. For this case study, the parameter sensitivity study has found that the heat loss from the dryer and the critical moisture content of the materialmore » have the greatest impact on the dryer operation at the current operating point. An optimization study has demonstrated the dominant effect of the heat loss from the dryer on the current operating cost and the current operating conditions, and substantial cost savings (around 50%) could be achieved with a well-insulated and airtight dryer, for the specific case studied here.« less

  19. Safety leadership and systems thinking: application and evaluation of a Risk Management Framework in the mining industry.

    PubMed

    Donovan, Sarah-Louise; Salmon, Paul M; Lenné, Michael G; Horberry, Tim

    2017-10-01

    Safety leadership is an important factor in supporting safety in high-risk industries. This article contends that applying systems-thinking methods to examine safety leadership can support improved learning from incidents. A case study analysis was undertaken of a large-scale mining landslide incident in which no injuries or fatalities were incurred. A multi-method approach was adopted, in which the Critical Decision Method, Rasmussen's Risk Management Framework and Accimap method were applied to examine the safety leadership decisions and actions which enabled the safe outcome. The approach enabled Rasmussen's predictions regarding safety and performance to be examined in the safety leadership context, with findings demonstrating the distribution of safety leadership across leader and system levels, and the presence of vertical integration as key to supporting the successful safety outcome. In doing so, the findings also demonstrate the usefulness of applying systems-thinking methods to examine and learn from incidents in terms of what 'went right'. The implications, including future research directions, are discussed. Practitioner Summary: This paper presents a case study analysis, in which systems-thinking methods are applied to the examination of safety leadership decisions and actions during a large-scale mining landslide incident. The findings establish safety leadership as a systems phenomenon, and furthermore, demonstrate the usefulness of applying systems-thinking methods to learn from incidents in terms of what 'went right'. Implications, including future research directions, are discussed.

  20. First-order logic theory for manipulating clinical practice guidelines applied to comorbid patients: a case study.

    PubMed

    Michalowski, Martin; Wilk, Szymon; Tan, Xing; Michalowski, Wojtek

    2014-01-01

    Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) implement evidence-based medicine designed to help generate a therapy for a patient suffering from a single disease. When applied to a comorbid patient, the concurrent combination of treatment steps from multiple CPGs is susceptible to adverse interactions in the resulting combined therapy (i.e., a therapy established according to all considered CPGs). This inability to concurrently apply CPGs has been shown to be one of the key shortcomings of CPG uptake in a clinical setting1. Several research efforts are underway to address this issue such as the K4CARE2 and GuideLine INteraction Detection Assistant (GLINDA)3 projects and our previous research on applying constraint logic programming to developing a consistent combined therapy for a comorbid patient4. However, there is no generalized framework for mitigation that effectively captures general characteristics of the problem while handling nuances such as time and ordering requirements imposed by specific CPGs. In this paper we propose a first-order logic-based (FOL) approach for developing a generalized framework of mitigation. This approach uses a meta-algorithm and entailment properties to mitigate (i.e., identify and address) adverse interactions introduced by concurrently applied CPGs. We use an illustrative case study of a patient suffering from type 2 diabetes being treated for an onset of severe rheumatoid arthritis to show the expressiveness and robustness of our proposed FOL-based approach, and we discuss its appropriateness as the basis for the generalized theory.

  1. A Disability Studies Framework for Policy Activism in Postsecondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gabel, Susan L.

    2010-01-01

    This article uses disability studies and the social model of disability as theoretical foundations for policy activism in postsecondary education. The social model is discussed and a model for policy activism is described. A case study of how disability studies and policy activism can be applied is provided utilizing the "3C Project to Provide…

  2. The application of the Practitioners in Applied Practice Model during breaking bad news communication training for medical students: a case study.

    PubMed

    Dunning, Rose; Laidlaw, Anita

    2015-11-01

    Breaking bad news is a key skill within clinical communication and one which can impact outcomes for both the patient and practitioner. The evidence base for effective clinical communication training in breaking bad news is scarce. Frameworks have been found to assist the practitioner, such as SPIKES; however, the pedagogical approach used alongside such frameworks can vary. This study sought to examine the impact of utilising the Practitioners in Applied Practice Model (PAPM) alongside the SPIKES framework for training undergraduate medical students in breaking bad news. A case study approach is used to highlight the impact of training based on the PAPM and SPIKES on patient-centred communication and simulated patient satisfaction with the clinical communication behaviour. Results showed that following training, both patient-centred behaviour and patient satisfaction improved. With detailed communication behaviour changes, a balance was established between rapport building behaviour, lifestyle and psychosocial talk alongside biomedical information. This case study shows how the PAPM could be utilised alongside the SPIKES framework to improve breaking bad news communication in medical undergraduate students and describes the behavioural basis of the improvement. Further research is required to show the generalisability of this training intervention. © The Author(s) 2015.

  3. Combining matched and unmatched control groups in case-control studies.

    PubMed

    le Cessie, Saskia; Nagelkerke, Nico; Rosendaal, Frits R; van Stralen, Karlijn J; Pomp, Elisabeth R; van Houwelingen, Hans C

    2008-11-15

    Multiple control groups in case-control studies are used to control for different sources of confounding. For example, cases can be contrasted with matched controls to adjust for multiple genetic or unknown lifestyle factors and simultaneously contrasted with an unmatched population-based control group. Inclusion of different control groups for a single exposure analysis yields several estimates of the odds ratio, all using only part of the data. Here the authors introduce an easy way to combine odds ratios from several case-control analyses with the same cases. The approach is based upon methods used for meta-analysis but takes into account the fact that the same cases are used and that the estimated odds ratios are therefore correlated. Two ways of estimating this correlation are discussed: sandwich methodology and the bootstrap. Confidence intervals for the pooled estimates and a test for checking whether the odds ratios in the separate case-control studies differ significantly are derived. The performance of the method is studied by simulation and by applying the methods to a large study on risk factors for thrombosis, the MEGA Study (1999-2004), wherein cases with first venous thrombosis were included with a matched control group of partners and an unmatched population-based control group.

  4. Case Study: Applying OpenEHR Archetypes to a Clinical Data Repository in a Chinese Hospital.

    PubMed

    Min, Lingtong; Wang, Li; Lu, Xudong; Duan, Huilong

    2015-01-01

    openEHR is a flexible and scalable modeling methodology for clinical information and has been widely adopted in Europe and Australia. Due to the reasons of differences in clinical process and management, there are few research projects involving openEHR in China. To investigate the feasibility of openEHR methodology for clinical information modelling in China, this paper carries out a case study to apply openEHR archetypes to Clinical Data Repository (CDR) in a Chinese hospital. The results show that a set of 26 archetypes are found to cover all the concepts used in the CDR. Of all these, 9 (34.6%) are reused without change, 10 are modified and/or extended, and 7 are newly defined. The reasons for modification, extension and newly definition have been discussed, including granularity of archetype, metadata-level versus data-level modelling, and the representation of relationships between archetypes.

  5. Geological mapping by geobotanical and geophysical means: a case study from the Bükk Mountains (NE Hungary)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Németh, Norbert; Petho, Gabor

    2009-03-01

    Geological mapping of an unexposed area can be supported by indirect methods. Among these, the use of mushrooms as geobotanical indicators and the shallow-penetration electromagnetic VLF method proved to be useful in the Bükk Mountains. Mushrooms have not been applied to geological mapping before. Common species like Boletus edulis and Leccinum aurantiacum are correlated with siliciclastic and magmatic formations while Calocybe gambosa is correlated with limestone. The validity of this correlation observed in the eastern part of the Bükk Mts. was controlled on a site where there was an indicated (by the mushrooms only) but unexposed occurrence of siliciclastic rocks not mapped before. The extent and structure of this occurrence were explored with the VLF survey and a trial-and-error method was applied for the interpretation. This case study presented here demonstrates the effectiveness of the combination of these relatively simple and inexpensive methods.

  6. Lessons Learned from the Evolution of an Academic Community Partnership: Creating "Patient Voices".

    PubMed

    Chambers, Meghan K; Ireland, Anna; D'Aniello, Rona; Lipnicki, Stephanie; Glick, Myron; Tumiel-Berhalter, Laurene

    2015-01-01

    Long-term partners received federal funding to develop the Patient Voices Network, a partnership of safety-net family practices and their patients to develop health improvement strategies. The scope and structure of the newly funded grant presented unexpected challenges that threatened the future of the partnership.Purpose of Article: To present a case study of the evolution of an existing partnership and offer lessons learned along with recommendations for future partnerships. Federal funding formalized the partnership in a way that required looking at it through a new lens. Leadership, programmatic, personnel, and financial challenges emerged. Short-term and long-term strategies were applied to address evolving needs. This case study demonstrates how federal funding raises the bar for academic-community partnerships and how challenges can be worked through, particularly if the partnership embraces the key principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR). Recommendations have been applied successfully to future initiatives.

  7. The Demand for Scientific and Technical Manpower in Selected Energy-Related Industries, 1970-85: A Methodology Applied to a Selected Scenario of Energy Output. A Summary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gutmanis, Ivars; And Others

    The primary purpose of the study was to develop and apply a methodology for estimating the need for scientists and engineers by specialty in energy and energy-related industries. The projections methodology was based on the Case 1 estimates by the National Petroleum Council of the results of "maximum efforts" to develop domestic fuel sources by…

  8. When Diversity Training Isn’t Enough: The Case for Inclusive Leadership

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-07-24

    When Diversity Training Isn’t Enough: The Case for Inclusive Leadership DEFENSE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE...The Case for Inclusive Leadership Scientists predict that diversity in the workplace will increase substantially in the next century, including an...are applied consistently over time and people (van den Bos, Vermunt, & Wilke, 1996), if they are applied accurately (De Cremer , 2004), and when they

  9. Application of NASTRAN to TFTR toroidal field coil structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, S. J.; Lee, E.

    1978-01-01

    The primary applied loads on the TF coils were electromagnetic and thermal. The complex structure and the tremendous applied loads necessitated computer type of solutions for the design problems. In the early stage of the TF coil design, many simplified finite element models were developed for the purpose of investigating the effects of material properties, supporting schemes, and coil case material on the stress levels in the case and in the copper coil. In the more sophisticated models that followed the parametric and scoping studies, the isoparametric elements, such as QUAD4, HEX8, and HEXA, were used. The analysis results from using these finite element models and the NASTRAN system were considered accurate enough to provide timely design information.

  10. An analysis of the value of marketing to non-profit organizations: the case of child safety.

    PubMed

    Razis, V; Razis, N

    1993-01-01

    This paper considers a broad spectrum of literature concerning the limitations and value of applying marketing management principles from the private sector to public or non-profit organizations. The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa is used as a principle case-study. The authors conclude that there is much to be gained from applying a more systematic approach, providing one adapts business strategies to more complex social environments and objectives. Since both marketing and social issues share the challenge of 'sensitivity serving and satisfying human needs,' (Kotler, 1983 p 272) there are also some instances where business can learn from the experience of social organizations in attempts to influence human behavior.

  11. 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…

  12. An inter-laboratory comparison study on transfer, persistence and recovery of DNA from cable ties.

    PubMed

    Steensma, Kristy; Ansell, Ricky; Clarisse, Lindy; Connolly, Edward; Kloosterman, Ate D; McKenna, Louise G; van Oorschot, Roland A H; Szkuta, Bianca; Kokshoorn, Bas

    2017-11-01

    To address questions on the activity that led to the deposition of biological traces in a particular case, general information on the probabilities of transfer, persistence and recovery of cellular material in relevant scenarios is necessary. These figures may be derived from experimental data described in forensic literature when conditions relevant to the case were included. The experimental methodology regarding sampling, DNA extraction, DNA typing and profile interpretation that were used to generate these published data may differ from those applied in the case and thus the applicability of the literature data may be questioned. To assess the level of variability that different laboratories obtain when similar exhibits are analysed, we performed an inter-laboratory study between four partner laboratories. Five sets of 20 cable ties bound by different volunteers were distributed to the participating laboratories and sampled and processed according to the in-house protocols. Differences were found for the amount of retrieved DNA, as well as for the reportability and composition of the DNA profiles. These differences also resulted in different probabilities of transfer, persistence and recovery for each laboratory. Nevertheless, when applied to a case example, these differences resulted in similar assignments of weight of evidence given activity-level propositions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Team effectiveness in academic medical libraries: a multiple case study*

    PubMed Central

    Russo Martin, Elaine

    2006-01-01

    Objectives: The objective of this study is to apply J. Richard Hackman's framework on team effectiveness to academic medical library settings. Methods: The study uses a qualitative, multiple case study design, employing interviews and focus groups to examine team effectiveness in three academic medical libraries. Another site was selected as a pilot to validate the research design, field procedures, and methods to be used with the cases. In all, three interviews and twelve focus groups, with approximately seventy-five participants, were conducted at the case study libraries. Findings: Hackman identified five conditions leading to team effectiveness and three outcomes dimensions that defined effectiveness. The participants in this study identified additional characteristics of effectiveness that focused on enhanced communication, leadership personality and behavior, and relationship building. The study also revealed an additional outcome dimension related to the evolution of teams. Conclusions: Introducing teams into an organization is not a trivial matter. Hackman's model of effectiveness has implications for designing successful library teams. PMID:16888659

  14. School Success as a Process of Structuration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tubin, Dorit

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to explore the process, routines, and structuration at successful schools leading their students to high achievements. Method: The approach of building a theory from case study research together with process perspective and an organizational routines model were applied to analyzing seven successful…

  15. Women Engineering Transfer Students: The Community College Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Susan J.

    2011-01-01

    An interpretative philosophical framework was applied to a case study to document the particular experiences and perspectives of ten women engineering transfer students who once attended a community college and are currently enrolled in one of two university professional engineering programs. This study is important because women still do not earn…

  16. Applying Queer Theory in Practice with College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abes, Elisa S.

    2008-01-01

    Grounded in a narrative inquiry study of traditional-aged lesbian college students' perceptions of the relationships among their multiple social identities, this article explores implications of queer theory in practice with college students. This case study examines the emancipatory impact of queer notions and a queer theoretical framework on one…

  17. Learning How to Manage Bias: A Case Study of Youth Participatory Action Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirshner, Ben; Pozzoboni, Kristen; Jones, Hannah

    2011-01-01

    Youth programs that are organized around intellectually challenging, socially relevant projects create opportunities for deep cognitive engagement. One type of authentic project that deserves attention from applied developmental scientists is youth participatory action research (YPAR), in which participants study a problem relevant to young…

  18. Application of Demand Analysis in Marketing Continuing Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waters, Elzberry, Jr.

    This study investigated the feasibility of applying economic demand analysis (especially elasticity of demand) in marketing George Washington University off-campus degree programs. In the case under study, a supplemental budget request had to be submitted to meet expenses incurred by an unforeseen increase in demand for graduate and undergraduate…

  19. Values as a Bridge between Sustainability and Institutional Assessment: A Case Study from BOKU University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ribeiro, Maria Miguel; Hoover, Elona; Burford, Gemma; Buchebner, Julia; Lindenthal, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that values-focused assessment can provide a useful lens for integrating sustainability and institutional performance assessment in universities. Design/methodology/approach: This study applies a values elicitation methodology for indicator development, through thematic analysis of…

  20. Student Perceptions of Online Practicum: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilcox, Gabrielle; Lock, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate practicum students' perceptions of their experience with an online practicum course in an Applied School Psychology graduate program. With the use of synchronous and asynchronous communication technology, the instructor and students met in the online environment to engage in discussion with regard to…

  1. Visual Arts in Counselling Adults with Depressive Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Khai Ling; Mustaffa, M. S.; Tan, S. Y.

    2017-01-01

    This study provides a better understanding of using visual arts in counselling adults with depressive disorders. Three in-depth case studies were conducted in the counselling unit of a mental health hospital in Malaysia. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were applied to explore three adult participants' counselling experiences.…

  2. Digital Education: Opportunities for Social Collaboration. Digital Education and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Michael, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    This timely collection of theoretical and applied studies examines the pedagogical potential and realities of digital technologies in a wide range of disciplinary contexts across the educational spectrum. By mixing content-based chapters with a theoretical perspective with case studies detailing actual teaching approaches utilizing digital…

  3. How District Leaders Use Knowledge Management to Influence Principals' Instructional Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGloughlin, Denise Marie

    2016-01-01

    The study of knowledge management, an integrated system of an organization's culture, conditions, and structure, as applied to educational institutions is limited. It was not known how district leaders use knowledge management to influence principals' instructional leadership performance. The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to…

  4. Dissemination of Effective Physical Activity Interventions: Are We Applying the Evidence?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ballew, Paula; Brownson, Ross C.; Haire-Joshu, Debra; Heath, Gregory W.; Kreuter, Matthew W.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Given sparse knowledge on dissemination, this study sought to explore key benefits, barriers and contextual factors that are perceived to be important to the adoption and implementation of the "Community Guide's" evidence-based physical activity recommendations. Design: We conducted case studies in two states where extensive adoption…

  5. Grief and Needs of Adults with Acquired Visual Impairments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Shirley A.; McKay, Robert C.; Nieuwoudt, Johan M.

    2010-01-01

    This report aims to illuminate the complex phenomenon of grief and the needs experienced throughout the time course of their impairments by adults with acquired visual impairments. The study applied a phenomenological research strategy using 10 case studies of South African adults, visually impaired within and beyond six years. Qualitative…

  6. Game Maturity Model for Health Care.

    PubMed

    de Boer, Jan C; Adriani, Paul; van Houwelingen, Jan Willem; Geerts, A

    2016-04-01

    This article introduces the Game Maturity Model for the healthcare industry as an extension to the general Game Maturity Model and describes the usage by two case studies of applied health games. The Game Maturity Model for healthcare provides a practical and value-adding method to assess existing games and to determine strategic considerations for application of applied health games. Our forecast is that within 5 years the use and development of applied games will have a role in our daily lives and the way we organize health care that will be similar to the role social media has today.

  7. Thalidomide Makes a Comeback: A Case Discussion Exercise That Integrates Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennett, Nicole; Cornely, Kathleen

    2001-06-01

    The case discussion method, which involves teaching scientific theory in a framework that students can relate to their own world, is an interdisciplinary pedagogical tool. Therefore, case study exercises can be used to integrate biochemistry with other advanced chemistry courses. The case presented here can be used at the end of a second-semester organic chemistry course or in an introductory biochemistry course. The case is a fact-based, fictional story in which an FDA official must decide whether to carry out the agency's threat to shut down several buyers clubs that import thalidomide from overseas and dispense it to their members for the treatment of AIDS. Students are required to read the body of the case, analyze data, and search for information using limited leads. Using well-considered arguments based on their research, they are asked to come to conclusions about how the element of risk involved in thalidomide distribution is assessed. They apply their knowledge of biochemistry to assess how thalidomide acts at the cellular level and they apply their knowledge of organic chemistry in writing mechanisms of thalidomide hydrolysis and in the design of thalidomide analogs. Students are assessed on their ability to work in groups, to critically analyze scientific data, and to develop public policies based on risk-benefit analysis.

  8. Characterizing AISI 1045 steel surface duplex-treated by alternating current field enhanced pack aluminizing and nitriding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Fei; Zhang, Ge; Pan, Jianwei

    2018-02-01

    Thin cases and long treating time are shortcomings of conventional duplex treatment of aluminizing followed by nitriding (DTAN). Alternating current field (ACF) enhanced DTAN was carried out on AISI 1045 steel by applying an ACF to treated samples and treating agents with a pair of electrodes for overcoming those shortcomings. By investigating cases' structures, phases, composition and hardness distributions of differently treated samples, preliminary studies were made on characterizations of the ACF enhanced duplex treatment to AISI 1045 steel. The results show that, with the help of the ACF, the surface Al-rich phase Al5Fe2 formed in conventional pack aluminizing can be easily avoided and the aluminizing process is dramatically promoted. The aluminizing case can be nitrided either with conventional pack nitriding or ACF enhanced pack nitriding. By applying ACF to pack nitriding, the diffusion of nitrogen into the aluminizing case is promoted. AlN, Fe2∼3N and solid solution of N in iron are efficiently formed as a result of reactions of N with the aluminizing case. A duplex treated case with an effective thickness of more than 170 μm can be obtained by the alternating current field enhanced 4 h pack aluminizing plus 4 h pack nitriding.

  9. Prediction of breast cancer risk using a machine learning approach embedded with a locality preserving projection algorithm.

    PubMed

    Heidari, Morteza; Khuzani, Abolfazl Zargari; Hollingsworth, Alan B; Danala, Gopichandh; Mirniaharikandehei, Seyedehnafiseh; Qiu, Yuchen; Liu, Hong; Zheng, Bin

    2018-01-30

    In order to automatically identify a set of effective mammographic image features and build an optimal breast cancer risk stratification model, this study aims to investigate advantages of applying a machine learning approach embedded with a locally preserving projection (LPP) based feature combination and regeneration algorithm to predict short-term breast cancer risk. A dataset involving negative mammograms acquired from 500 women was assembled. This dataset was divided into two age-matched classes of 250 high risk cases in which cancer was detected in the next subsequent mammography screening and 250 low risk cases, which remained negative. First, a computer-aided image processing scheme was applied to segment fibro-glandular tissue depicted on mammograms and initially compute 44 features related to the bilateral asymmetry of mammographic tissue density distribution between left and right breasts. Next, a multi-feature fusion based machine learning classifier was built to predict the risk of cancer detection in the next mammography screening. A leave-one-case-out (LOCO) cross-validation method was applied to train and test the machine learning classifier embedded with a LLP algorithm, which generated a new operational vector with 4 features using a maximal variance approach in each LOCO process. Results showed a 9.7% increase in risk prediction accuracy when using this LPP-embedded machine learning approach. An increased trend of adjusted odds ratios was also detected in which odds ratios increased from 1.0 to 11.2. This study demonstrated that applying the LPP algorithm effectively reduced feature dimensionality, and yielded higher and potentially more robust performance in predicting short-term breast cancer risk.

  10. Prediction of breast cancer risk using a machine learning approach embedded with a locality preserving projection algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heidari, Morteza; Zargari Khuzani, Abolfazl; Hollingsworth, Alan B.; Danala, Gopichandh; Mirniaharikandehei, Seyedehnafiseh; Qiu, Yuchen; Liu, Hong; Zheng, Bin

    2018-02-01

    In order to automatically identify a set of effective mammographic image features and build an optimal breast cancer risk stratification model, this study aims to investigate advantages of applying a machine learning approach embedded with a locally preserving projection (LPP) based feature combination and regeneration algorithm to predict short-term breast cancer risk. A dataset involving negative mammograms acquired from 500 women was assembled. This dataset was divided into two age-matched classes of 250 high risk cases in which cancer was detected in the next subsequent mammography screening and 250 low risk cases, which remained negative. First, a computer-aided image processing scheme was applied to segment fibro-glandular tissue depicted on mammograms and initially compute 44 features related to the bilateral asymmetry of mammographic tissue density distribution between left and right breasts. Next, a multi-feature fusion based machine learning classifier was built to predict the risk of cancer detection in the next mammography screening. A leave-one-case-out (LOCO) cross-validation method was applied to train and test the machine learning classifier embedded with a LLP algorithm, which generated a new operational vector with 4 features using a maximal variance approach in each LOCO process. Results showed a 9.7% increase in risk prediction accuracy when using this LPP-embedded machine learning approach. An increased trend of adjusted odds ratios was also detected in which odds ratios increased from 1.0 to 11.2. This study demonstrated that applying the LPP algorithm effectively reduced feature dimensionality, and yielded higher and potentially more robust performance in predicting short-term breast cancer risk.

  11. The application of systems thinking concepts, methods, and tools to global health practices: An analysis of case studies.

    PubMed

    Wilkinson, Jessica; Goff, Morgan; Rusoja, Evan; Hanson, Carl; Swanson, Robert Chad

    2018-06-01

    This review of systems thinking (ST) case studies seeks to compile and analyse cases from ST literature and provide practitioners with a reference for ST in health practice. Particular attention was given to (1) reviewing the frequency and use of key ST terms, methods, and tools in the context of health, and (2) extracting and analysing longitudinal themes across cases. A systematic search of databases was conducted, and a total of 36 case studies were identified. A combination of integrative and inductive qualitative approaches to analysis was used. Most cases identified took place in high-income countries and applied ST retrospectively. The most commonly used ST terms were agent/stakeholder/actor (n = 29), interdependent/interconnected (n = 28), emergence (n = 26), and adaptability/adaptation (n = 26). Common ST methods and tools were largely underutilized. Social network analysis was the most commonly used method (n = 4), and innovation or change management history was the most frequently used tool (n = 11). Four overarching themes were identified; the importance of the interdependent and interconnected nature of a health system, characteristics of leaders in a complex adaptive system, the benefits of using ST, and barriers to implementing ST. This review revealed that while much has been written about the potential benefits of applying ST to health, it has yet to completely transition from theory to practice. There is however evidence of the practical use of an ST lens as well as specific methods and tools. With clear examples of ST applications, the global health community will be better equipped to understand and address key health challenges. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Progress in Turbulence Detection via GNSS Occultation Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cornman, L. B.; Goodrich, R. K.; Axelrad, P.; Barlow, E.

    2012-01-01

    The increased availability of radio occultation (RO) data offers the ability to detect and study turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. An analysis of how RO data can be used to determine the strength and location of turbulent regions is presented. This includes the derivation of a model for the power spectrum of the log-amplitude and phase fluctuations of the permittivity (or index of refraction) field. The bulk of the paper is then concerned with the estimation of the model parameters. Parameter estimators are introduced and some of their statistical properties are studied. These estimators are then applied to simulated log-amplitude RO signals. This includes the analysis of global statistics derived from a large number of realizations, as well as case studies that illustrate various specific aspects of the problem. Improvements to the basic estimation methods are discussed, and their beneficial properties are illustrated. The estimation techniques are then applied to real occultation data. Only two cases are presented, but they illustrate some of the salient features inherent in real data.

  13. Integrating preventive care and nursing standardized terminologies in nursing education: a case study.

    PubMed

    Burkhart, Lisa; Sommer, Sheryl

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated the development of a community-focused curriculum integrating primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and nursing standardized terminologies as an organizing infrastructure. This is a case study of the curriculum redesign of the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago. Faculty developed a conceptual framework integrating core concepts into curriculum design, course content, and clinical applications. A coherent curriculum was designed using a community-focused approach; primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies; and standardized terminologies as the organizing infrastructure to teach and apply nursing practice. The curriculum provides a meaningful correlation between the classroom and clinical experience. Students journey with their patients throughout the health care experience, applying nursing concepts using standardized terminologies. Clinical experiences provide students with the opportunity to transfer knowledge to the health experiences of patients in their care. Patient encounters, whether at the primary, secondary, or tertiary level of prevention, are used to assist students in developing critical thinking skills through the use of standardized nursing terminologies.

  14. Applying the Kanban method in problem-based project work: a case study in a manufacturing engineering bachelor's programme at Aalborg University Copenhagen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balve, Patrick; Krüger, Volker; Tolstrup Sørensen, Lene

    2017-11-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) has proven to be highly effective for educating students in an active and self-motivated manner in various disciplines. Student projects carried out following PBL principles are very dynamic and carry a high level of uncertainty, both conditions under which agile project management approaches are assumed to be highly supportive. The paper describes an empirical case study carried out at Aalborg University Copenhagen involving students from two different semesters of a Bachelor of Science programme. While executing the study, compelling examples of how PBL and the agile project management method Kanban blend could be identified. A final survey reveals that applying Kanban produces noticeable improvements with respect to creating, assigning and coordinating project tasks. Other improvements were found in group communication, knowledge about the work progress with regards to both the individual and the collective and the students' way of continuously improving their own teamwork.

  15. Novel ways to explore surgical interventions in randomised controlled trials: applying case study methodology in the operating theatre.

    PubMed

    Blencowe, Natalie S; Blazeby, Jane M; Donovan, Jenny L; Mills, Nicola

    2015-12-28

    Multi-centre randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in surgery are challenging. It is particularly difficult to establish standards of surgery and ensure that interventions are delivered as intended. This study developed and tested methods for identifying the key components of surgical interventions and standardising interventions within RCTs. Qualitative case studies of surgical interventions were undertaken within the internal pilot phase of a surgical RCT for obesity (the By-Band study). Each case study involved video data capture and non-participant observation of gastric bypass surgery in the operating theatre and interviews with surgeons. Methods were developed to transcribe and synchronise data from video recordings with observational data to identify key intervention components, which were then explored in the interviews with surgeons. Eight qualitative case studies were undertaken. A novel combination of video data capture, observation and interview data identified variations in intervention delivery between surgeons and centres. Although surgeons agreed that the most critical intervention component was the size and shape of the gastric pouch, there was no consensus regarding other aspects of the procedure. They conceded that evidence about the 'best way' to perform bypass was lacking and, combined with the pragmatic nature of the By-Band study, agreed that strict standardisation of bypass might not be required. This study has developed and tested methods for understanding how surgical interventions are designed and delivered delivered in RCTs. Applying these methods more widely may help identify key components of interventions to be delivered by surgeons in trials, enabling monitoring of key components and adherence to the protocol. These methods are now being tested in the context of other surgical RCTs. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN00786323 , 05/09/2011.

  16. Case Reports, Case Series - From Clinical Practice to Evidence-Based Medicine in Graduate Medical Education.

    PubMed

    Sayre, Jerry W; Toklu, Hale Z; Ye, Fan; Mazza, Joseph; Yale, Steven

    2017-08-07

    Case reports and case series or case study research are descriptive studies that are prepared for illustrating novel, unusual, or atypical features identified in patients in medical practice, and they potentially generate new research questions. They are empirical inquiries or investigations of a patient or a group of patients in a natural, real-world clinical setting. Case study research is a method that focuses on the contextual analysis of a number of events or conditions and their relationships. There is disagreement among physicians on the value of case studies in the medical literature, particularly for educators focused on teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) for student learners in graduate medical education. Despite their limitations, case study research is a beneficial tool and learning experience in graduate medical education and among novice researchers. The preparation and presentation of case studies can help students and graduate medical education programs evaluate and apply the six American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies in the areas of medical knowledge, patient care, practice-based learning, professionalism, systems-based practice, and communication. A goal in graduate medical education should be to assist residents to expand their critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. These attributes are required in the teaching and practice of EBM. In this aspect, case studies provide a platform for developing clinical skills and problem-based learning methods. Hence, graduate medical education programs should encourage, assist, and support residents in the publication of clinical case studies; and clinical teachers should encourage graduate students to publish case reports during their graduate medical education.

  17. Applying MDA to SDR for Space to Model Real-time Issues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blaser, Tammy M.

    2007-01-01

    NASA space communications systems have the challenge of designing SDRs with highly-constrained Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) resources. A study is being conducted to assess the effectiveness of applying the MDA Platform-Independent Model (PIM) and one or more Platform-Specific Models (PSM) specifically to address NASA space domain real-time issues. This paper will summarize our experiences with applying MDA to SDR for Space to model real-time issues. Real-time issues to be examined, measured, and analyzed are: meeting waveform timing requirements and efficiently applying Real-time Operating System (RTOS) scheduling algorithms, applying safety control measures, and SWaP verification. Real-time waveform algorithms benchmarked with the worst case environment conditions under the heaviest workload will drive the SDR for Space real-time PSM design.

  18. Transit Station Renovation: A Case Study of Planning and Design Procedures

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1979-06-01

    The general techniques and procedures for planning and evaluating transit : interface facilities are applied comprehensively to the problem of station : renovation. The 69th Street Terminal in Philadelphia is evaluated in terms of : its performance i...

  19. Tribal corridor management planning : model, case study, and guide for Caltrans District 1.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-06-01

    In Northern California, tribal governments and personnel of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 1, have applied innovative context-sensitive solutions to meet a variety of transportation challenges along state highways tha...

  20. Tribal corridor management planning : model, case study, and guide for Caltrans District I.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-06-01

    In Northern California, tribal governments and personnel of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 1, have applied innovative context-sensitive solutions to meet a variety of transportation challenges along state highways tha...

  1. Mechanical Characterization and Modeling of ALUMINUM—EPOXY Particulate Composites with and Without Notches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Papanicolaou, G. C.; Xepapadaki, A. G.; Aggelakopoulos, G. A.

    2008-08-01

    The aim of the present investigation is to study both the influence of particle weight fraction (0-50%) and the effect of the notch length on the static mechanical properties of aluminium particle epoxy composites. Experimental results in both cases were compared with three different theoretical models [1-3], previously developed by the first author and presented in a series of publications First, for the evaluation of the maximum strength the particle sectioning model (PSM) was applied [1]. According to this model each particle is divided into an infinite number of coaxial cylinders and by applying Cox's theory the mean stress developed in each section of the particle may be calculated. Next, for the evaluation of the elastic modulus as a function of aluminium powder weight fraction, the interphase model [2] was applied. This model takes into account the existence of an interphase developed between the two main phases. The interphase constitutes an important parameter influencing the behavior of any composite material. The interphase layer which is developed in the area between the matrix and filler is characterized by different physico-chemical properties from those of the constituent phases and variable ones along its thickness. Predicted values were in satisfactory agreement with almost all percentages of aluminum particles. Finally, in the case of notches' length influence, the RPM (Residual Property Model) was applied. This model [3] can be applied for the description of the residual behaviour of materials after damage. As it has already been proved in previous publications, the model gives satisfactory predictions for the residual materials properties variations irrespectively of the cause of damage and the type of the material considered at the time. In the present case, the damage is in the form of a crack-like edge centered notch and the RPM model is applied to describe variations of static properties (i.e., bending modulus and bending strength) as a function of the notch length. In all cases predicted values showed a satisfactory agreement with experimental findings.

  2. The effects of particulate air pollution on daily deaths: a multi-city case crossover analysis

    PubMed Central

    Schwartz, J

    2004-01-01

    Background: Numerous studies have reported that day-to-day changes in particulate air pollution are associated with day-to-day changes in deaths. Recently, several reports have indicated that the software used to control for season and weather in some of these studies had deficiencies. Aims: To investigate the use of the case-crossover design as an alternative. Methods: This approach compares the exposure of each case to their exposure on a nearby day, when they did not die. Hence it controls for seasonal patterns and for all slowly varying covariates (age, smoking, etc) by matching rather than complex modelling. A key feature is that temperature can also be controlled by matching. This approach was applied to a study of 14 US cities. Weather and day of the week were controlled for in the regression. Results: A 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10 was associated with a 0.36% increase in daily deaths from internal causes (95% CI 0.22% to 0.50%). Results were little changed if, instead of symmetrical sampling of control days the time stratified method was applied, when control days were matched on temperature, or when more lags of winter time temperatures were used. Similar results were found using a Poisson regression, but the case-crossover method has the advantage of simplicity in modelling, and of combining matched strata across multiple locations in a single stage analysis. Conclusions: Despite the considerable differences in analytical design, the previously reported associations of particles with mortality persisted in this study. The association appeared quite linear. Case-crossover designs represent an attractive method to control for season and weather by matching. PMID:15550600

  3. Evaluating hospital design from an operations management perspective.

    PubMed

    Vos, Leti; Groothuis, Siebren; van Merode, Godefridus G

    2007-12-01

    This paper describes an evaluation method for the assessment of hospital building design from the viewpoint of operations management to assure that the building design supports the efficient and effective operating of care processes now and in the future. The different steps of the method are illustrated by a case study. In the case study an experimental design is applied to assess the effect of used logistical concepts, patient mix and technologies. The study shows that the evaluation method provides a valuable tool for the assessment of both functionality and the ability to meet future developments in operational control of a building design.

  4. The need for pediatric-specific triage criteria: results from the Florida Trauma Triage Study.

    PubMed

    Phillips, S; Rond, P C; Kelly, S M; Swartz, P D

    1996-12-01

    The objective of the Florida Trauma Triage Study was to assess the performance of state-adopted field triage criteria. The study addressed three specific age groups: pediatric (age < 15 years), adult (age 15-54 years), and geriatric (age 55+ years). Since 1990, Florida has used a uniform set of eight triage criteria, known as the trauma scorecard, for triaging adult trauma patients to state-approved trauma centers. However, only five of the criteria are recommended for use with pediatric patients. This article presents the findings regarding the performance of the scorecard when applied to a pediatric population. We used state trauma registry data linked to state hospital discharge data in a retrospective analysis of trauma patients transported by prehospital providers to any acute care hospital within nine selected Florida counties between July 1, 1991, and December 31, 1991. We used cross-table and logistic regression analysis to determine the ability of triage criteria to correctly identify patients who were retrospectively defined as major trauma. We applied the field criteria to physiologic and anatomy/mechanism of injury data contained in the trauma registry to "score" the patient as major or minor trauma. To make our retrospective determination of major or minor trauma we used the protocols developed by an expert medical panel as described by E. J. MacKenzie et al. (1990). We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and the corresponding over- and undertriage rates by comparing patient classifications (major or minor trauma) produced by the triage criteria and the retrospective algorithm. We used logistic regression to identify which triage criteria were statistically significant in predicting major trauma. Pediatric cases accounted for 9.2% of the total study population, 6.0% of all hospitalized cases, and 6.8% of all trauma deaths. Of the 1505 pediatric cases available for analysis, the triage criteria classified 269 cases as expected major trauma and 1236 cases as expected minor trauma. The retrospective algorithm classified 78 cases as expected major trauma and 1427 cases as expected minor trauma. The resulting specificity is 84.8% (15.2% overtriage), and the sensitivity is 66.7% (33.3% undertriage). Logistic regression indicated that, of the eight state-adopted field triage criteria, only the Glasgow coma score, ejection from vehicle, and penetrating injuries have a statistically significant impact on predicting major trauma in pediatric patients. Although the state-adopted trauma scorecard, applied to a pediatric population, produced acceptable overtriage, it did not produce acceptable undertriage. However, our undertriage rate is comparable to the results of other published studies on pediatric trauma. As a result of the Florida Trauma Triage Study, a new pediatric triage instrument was developed. It is currently being field-tested.

  5. Efficacy of enamel matrix protein applied to spontaneous periodontal disease in two dogs.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Kikuchi, Masahiro; Okumura, Masahiro; Kadosawa, Tsuyoshi; Fujinaga, Toru

    2003-09-01

    Enamel matrix protein (EMP) was applied for regeneration of periodontal tissue in 2 dogs with spontaneous periodontal disease. Case 1 had bony resorption around the root and root apex of the maxillary fourth premolars. Case 2 had vertical resorption of bone between the mandibular first and second molars. A flap was formed in the buccal gingiva, and EMP was applied onto the surface of the exposed root. One or 4 months postoperatively, increased bone level and clinical attachment were recognized. EMP was therefore suggested to be effective to induce regeneration of periodontal tissues in the cases with periodontal disease.

  6. (Q)SAR tools for priority setting: A case study with printed paper and board food contact material substances.

    PubMed

    Van Bossuyt, Melissa; Van Hoeck, Els; Raitano, Giuseppa; Manganelli, Serena; Braeken, Els; Ates, Gamze; Vanhaecke, Tamara; Van Miert, Sabine; Benfenati, Emilio; Mertens, Birgit; Rogiers, Vera

    2017-04-01

    Over the last years, more stringent safety requirements for an increasing number of chemicals across many regulatory fields (e.g. industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, …) have triggered the need for an efficient screening strategy to prioritize the substances of highest concern. In this context, alternative methods such as in silico (i.e. computational) techniques gain more and more importance. In the current study, a new prioritization strategy for identifying potentially mutagenic substances was developed based on the combination of multiple (quantitative) structure-activity relationship ((Q)SAR) tools. Non-evaluated substances used in printed paper and board food contact materials (FCM) were selected for a case study. By applying our strategy, 106 out of the 1723 substances were assigned 'high priority' as they were predicted mutagenic by 4 different (Q)SAR models. Information provided within the models allowed to identify 53 substances for which Ames mutagenicity prediction already has in vitro Ames test results. For further prioritization, additional support could be obtained by applying local i.e. specific models, as demonstrated here for aromatic azo compounds, typically found in printed paper and board FCM. The strategy developed here can easily be applied to other groups of chemicals facing the same need for priority ranking. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The contribution of case study design to supporting research on Clubhouse psychosocial rehabilitation.

    PubMed

    Raeburn, Toby; Schmied, Virginia; Hungerford, Catherine; Cleary, Michelle

    2015-10-01

    Psychosocial Clubhouses provide recovery-focused psychosocial rehabilitation to people with serious mental illness at over 300 sites in more than 30 countries worldwide. To deliver the services involved, Clubhouses employ a complex mix of theory, programs and relationships, with this complexity presenting a number of challenges to those undertaking Clubhouse research. This paper provides an overview of the usefulness of case study designs for Clubhouse researchers; and suggests ways in which the evaluation of Clubhouse models can be facilitated. The paper begins by providing a brief explanation of the Clubhouse model of psychosocial rehabilitation, and the need for ongoing evaluation of the services delivered. This explanation is followed by an introduction to case study design, with consideration given to the way in which case studies have been used in past Clubhouse research. It is posited that case study design provides a methodological framework that supports the analysis of either quantitative, qualitative or a mixture of both types of data to investigate complex phenomena in their everyday contexts, and thereby support the development of theory. As such, case study approaches to research are well suited to the Clubhouse environment. The paper concludes with recommendations for future Clubhouse researchers who choose to employ a case study design. While the quality of case study research that explores Clubhouses has been variable in the past, if applied in a diligent manner, case study design has a valuable contribution to make in future Clubhouse research.

  8. Does the concept of Clar's aromatic sextet work for dicationic forms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons?--testing the model against charged systems in singlet and triplet states.

    PubMed

    Dominikowska, Justyna; Palusiak, Marcin

    2011-07-07

    The concept of Clar's π-electron aromatic sextet was tested against a set of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in neutral and doubly charged forms. Systems containing different types of rings (in the context of Clar's concept) were chosen, including benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene and triphenylene. In the case of dicationic structures both singlet and triplet states were considered. It was found that for singlet state dicationic structures the concept of aromatic sextet could be applied and the local aromaticity could be discussed in the context of that model, whereas in the case of triplet state dicationic structures Clar's model rather failed. Different aromaticity indices based on various properties of molecular systems were applied for the purpose of the studies. The discussion about the interdependence between the values of different aromaticity indices applied to neutral and charged systems in singlet and triplet states is also included. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

  9. A study of two statistical methods as applied to shuttle solid rocket booster expenditures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perlmutter, M.; Huang, Y.; Graves, M.

    1974-01-01

    The state probability technique and the Monte Carlo technique are applied to finding shuttle solid rocket booster expenditure statistics. For a given attrition rate per launch, the probable number of boosters needed for a given mission of 440 launches is calculated. Several cases are considered, including the elimination of the booster after a maximum of 20 consecutive launches. Also considered is the case where the booster is composed of replaceable components with independent attrition rates. A simple cost analysis is carried out to indicate the number of boosters to build initially, depending on booster costs. Two statistical methods were applied in the analysis: (1) state probability method which consists of defining an appropriate state space for the outcome of the random trials, and (2) model simulation method or the Monte Carlo technique. It was found that the model simulation method was easier to formulate while the state probability method required less computing time and was more accurate.

  10. Advancement of the anterior maxilla by distraction (case report).

    PubMed

    Karakasis, Dimitri; Hadjipetrou, Loucia

    2004-06-01

    Several techniques of distraction osteogenesis have been applied for the correction of compromised midface in patients with clefts of the lip, alveolus and palate. This article presents a technique of callus distraction applied in a specific case of hypoplasia of a cleft maxilla with the sagittal advancement of the maxilla thus not affecting velopharyngeal function. The decision to apply distraction osteogenesis for advancement of the anterior maxillary segment in cleft patients offers many advantages.

  11. 26 CFR 1.1014-7 - Example applying rules of §§ 1.1014-4 through 1.1014-6 to case involving multiple interests.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Example applying rules of §§ 1.1014-4 through... REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Basis Rules of General Application § 1.1014-7 Example applying rules of §§ 1.1014-4 through 1.1014-6 to case involving...

  12. Designing Connected Learning: Emerging Learning Systems in a Craft Teacher Education Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vartiaien, Henrikka; Pöllänen, Sinikka; Liljeström, Anu; Vanninen, Petteri; Enkenberg, Jorma

    2016-01-01

    This socioculturally informed study aims to apply learning by collaborative designing (LCD) as an instructional model for the creation and studying of new kinds of connected learning systems in teacher education. A case study was organized at the University of Eastern Finland in the context of an information and communication technology (ICT)…

  13. A Competence-Based Science Learning Framework Illustrated through the Study of Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oyao, Sheila G.; Holbrook, Jack; Rannikmäe, Miia; Pagunsan, Marmon M.

    2015-01-01

    This article proposes a competence-based learning framework for science teaching, applied to the study of "big ideas", in this case to the study of natural hazards and disaster risk reduction (NH&DRR). The framework focuses on new visions of competence, placing emphasis on nurturing connectedness and behavioral actions toward…

  14. Ubiquitous Performance-Support System as Mindtool: A Case Study of Instructional Decision Making and Learning Assistant

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peng, Hsinyi; Chuang, Po-Ya; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Chu, Hui-Chun; Wu, Ting-Ting; Huang, Shu-Xian

    2009-01-01

    Researchers have conducted various studies on applying wireless communication and ubiquitous computing technologies to education, so that the technologies can provide learners and educators with more active and adaptive support. This study proposes a Ubiquitous Performance-support System (UPSS) that can facilitate the seamless use of powerful new…

  15. Examining the Nature of Preservice Teachers' Understanding of Inequalities Applied in the Practice of Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washington, Harry Tyrone

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of preservice mathematics teachers' understanding of inequalities. The design of the study was a multi-case study of secondary mathematics education preservice teachers with a focus on their understanding and the lessons that they plan and implement. Data from individual interviews,…

  16. Regression Discontinuity in Prospective Evaluations: The Case of the FFVP Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klerman, Jacob Alex; Olsho, Lauren E. W.; Bartlett, Susan

    2015-01-01

    While regression discontinuity has usually been applied retrospectively to secondary data, it is even more attractive when applied prospectively. In a prospective design, data collection can be focused on cases near the discontinuity, thereby improving internal validity and substantially increasing precision. Furthermore, such prospective…

  17. Uncertainty analysis of diffuse-gray radiation enclosure problems: A hypersensitive case study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Taylor, Robert P.; Luck, Rogelio; Hodge, B. K.; Steele, W. Glenn

    1993-01-01

    An uncertainty analysis of diffuse-gray enclosure problems is presented. The genesis was a diffuse-gray enclosure problem which proved to be hypersensitive to the specification of view factors. This genesis is discussed in some detail. The uncertainty analysis is presented for the general diffuse-gray enclosure problem and applied to the hypersensitive case study. It was found that the hypersensitivity could be greatly reduced by enforcing both closure and reciprocity for the view factors. The effects of uncertainties in the surface emissivities and temperatures are also investigated.

  18. Case Study: The Application of ISO 9001:2000 to a Government Organization: A Study of the Benefits, Drawbacks and Effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 for Navy Undersea Range Programs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-09-01

    the organization: “understanding” is a nebulous term to measure without applying some form of academic rigor, which in this case would be complex...to the RSDBU ISO 9001:2000 certification initiative was based on the work of University of Rhode Island Professor Quentin C. Turtle . His book...commensurate inspection protocol during design and production phases.84 The major difference in the Turtle approach compared to ISO 9000 is that Turtle

  19. Patient-Centered Medical Home Undergraduate Internship, Benefits to a Practice Manager: Case Study.

    PubMed

    Sasnett, Bonita; Harris, Susie T; White, Shelly

    Health services management interns become practice facilitators for primary care clinics interested in pursuing patient-centered recognition for their practice. This experience establishes a collaborative relationship between the university and clinic practices where students apply their academic training to a system of documentation to improve the quality of patient care delivery. The case study presents the process undertaken, benefits, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for intern, practice mangers, and educators. The practice manager benefits as interns become Patient-Centered Medical Home facilitators and assist practice managers in the recognition process.

  20. An inverse problem in thermal imaging

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bryan, Kurt; Caudill, Lester F., Jr.

    1994-01-01

    This paper examines uniqueness and stability results for an inverse problem in thermal imaging. The goal is to identify an unknown boundary of an object by applying a heat flux and measuring the induced temperature on the boundary of the sample. The problem is studied both in the case in which one has data at every point on the boundary of the region and the case in which only finitely many measurements are available. An inversion procedure is developed and used to study the stability of the inverse problem for various experimental configurations.

  1. Analysis of eco-innovation with triple helix approach: case-study of biofloc catfish farming in Yogyakarta

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Purwadi, D.; Nurlaily, I.

    2018-03-01

    Concerning environmental into focus of innovation process will expand the number of actor involved. Eco-innovation and triple helix are often frameworks applied to analyse how environmental concern are integrated in innovation process and how different stakeholder groups are having inter relation. Case study from biofloc catfish farming in Yogyakarta is presented to demonstrate a possible approach for researching the success of triple helix frameworks. This case is considered on basic of the result of a survey among farmers, academician and government. The paper concludes the creating of full triple helix encounters problem in practice. It also includes suggestion for further research on fisheries development.

  2. Utilizing Biological Models to Determine the Recruitment of the IRA by Modeling the Voting Behavior of Sinn Fein

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-03-01

    models, the thesis applies a biological model, the Lotka - Volterra predator- prey model, to a highly suggestive case study, that of the Irish Republican...Model, Irish Republican Army, Sinn Féin, Lotka - Volterra Predator Prey Model, Recruitment, British Army 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF...weaknesses of sociological and biological models, the thesis applies a biological model, the Lotka - Volterra predator-prey model, to a highly suggestive

  3. Model-Based Systems Engineering With the Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) Applied to NASA Mission Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Munoz Fernandez, Michela Miche

    2014-01-01

    The potential of Model Model Systems Engineering (MBSE) using the Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) applied to space systems will be described. AADL modeling is applicable to real-time embedded systems- the types of systems NASA builds. A case study with the Juno mission to Jupiter showcases how this work would enable future missions to benefit from using these models throughout their life cycle from design to flight operations.

  4. Water surface temperature estimation from Landsat 7 ETM+ thermal infrared data using the generalized single-channel method: Case study of Embalse del Río Tercero (Córdoba, Argentina)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lamaro, Anabel Alejandra; Mariñelarena, Alejandro; Torrusio, Sandra Edith; Sala, Silvia Estela

    2013-02-01

    Monitoring of warm distribution in water is fundamental to understand the performance and functioning of reservoirs and lakes. Surface water temperature is a key parameter in the physics of aquatic systems processes since it is closely related to the energy fluxes through the water-atmosphere interface. Remote sensing applied to water quality studies in inland waterbodies is a powerful tool that can provide additional information difficult to achieve by other means. The combination of good real-time coverage, spatial resolution and free availability of data makes Landsat system a proper alternative. Many papers have developed algorithms to retrieve surface temperature (principally, land surface temperature) from at-sensor and surface emissivity data. The aim of this study is to apply the single-channel generalized method (SCGM) developed by Jiménez-Muñoz and Sobrino (2003) for the estimation of water surface temperature from Landsat 7 ETM+ thermal bands. We consider a constant water emissivity value (0.9885) and we compare the results with radiative transfer classic method (RTM). We choose Embalse del Río Tercero (Córdoba, Argentina) as case study because it is a reservoir affected by the outlet of the cooling system of a nuclear power plant, whose thermal plume could influence the biota's distribution and biodiversity. These characteristics and the existence of long term studies make it an adequate place to test the methodology. Values of estimated and observed water surface temperatures obtained by the two compared methods were correlated applying a simple regression model. Correlation coefficients were significant (R2: 0.9498 for SCGM method and R2: 0.9584 for RTM method) while their standard errors were acceptable in both cases (SCGM method: RMS = 1.2250 and RTM method: RMS = 1.0426). Nevertheless, SCGM could estimate rather small differences in temperature between sites consistently with the results obtained in field measurements. Besides, it has the advantage that it only uses values of atmospheric water vapor and it can be applied to different thermal sensors using the same equation and coefficients.

  5. Stakeholder Perceptions of Cyberbullying Cases: Application of the Uniform Definition of Bullying.

    PubMed

    Moreno, Megan A; Suthamjariya, Nina; Selkie, Ellen

    2018-04-01

    The Uniform Definition of Bullying was developed to address bullying and cyberbullying, and to promote consistency in measurement and policy. The purpose of this study was to understand community stakeholder perceptions of typical cyberbullying cases, and to evaluate how these case descriptions align with the Uniform Definition. In this qualitative case analysis we recruited stakeholders commonly involved in cyberbullying. We used purposeful sampling to identify and recruit adolescents and young adults, parents, and professionals representing education and health care. Participants were asked to write a typical case of cyberbullying and descriptors in the context of a group discussion. We applied content analysis to case excerpts using inductive and deductive approaches, and chi-squared tests for mixed methods analyses. A total of 68 participants contributed; participants included 73% adults and 27% adolescents and young adults. A total of 650 excerpts were coded from participants' example cases and 362 (55.6%) were consistent with components of the Uniform Definition. The most frequently mentioned component of the Uniform Definition was Aggressive Behavior (n = 218 excerpts), whereas Repeated was mentioned infrequently (n = 19). Most participants included two to three components of the Uniform Definition within an example case; none of the example cases included all components of the Uniform Definition. We found that most participants described cyberbullying cases using few components of the Uniform Definition. Findings can be applied toward considering refinement of the Uniform Definition to ensure stakeholders find it applicable to cyberbullying. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Measurement of OH, NO, O and N atoms in helium plasma jet for ROS/RNS controlled biomedical processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yonemori, Seiya; Kamakura, Taku; Ono, Ryo

    2014-10-01

    Atmospheric-pressure plasmas are of emerging interest for new plasma applications such as cancer treatment, cell activation and sterilization. In those biomedical processes, reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) are said that they play significant role. It is though that active species give oxidative stress and induce biomedical reactions. In this study, we measured OH, NO, O and N atoms using laser induced fluorescence (LIF) measurement and found that voltage polarity affect particular ROS. When negative high voltage was applied to the plasma jet, O atom density was tripled compared to the case of positive applied voltage. In that case, O atom density was around 3 × 1015 [cm-3] at maximum. In contrast, OH and NO density did not change their density depending on the polarity of applied voltage, measured as in order of 1013 and 1014 [cm-3] at maximum, respectively. From ICCD imaging measurement, it could be seen that negative high voltage enhanced secondary emission in plasma bullet propagation and it can affect the effective production of particular ROS. Since ROS/RNS dose can be a quantitative criterion to control plasma biomedical application, those measurement results is able to be applied for in vivo and in vitro plasma biomedical experiments. This study is supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Science Research by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology.

  7. Applying differential dynamic logic to reconfigurable biological networks.

    PubMed

    Figueiredo, Daniel; Martins, Manuel A; Chaves, Madalena

    2017-09-01

    Qualitative and quantitative modeling frameworks are widely used for analysis of biological regulatory networks, the former giving a preliminary overview of the system's global dynamics and the latter providing more detailed solutions. Another approach is to model biological regulatory networks as hybrid systems, i.e., systems which can display both continuous and discrete dynamic behaviors. Actually, the development of synthetic biology has shown that this is a suitable way to think about biological systems, which can often be constructed as networks with discrete controllers, and present hybrid behaviors. In this paper we discuss this approach as a special case of the reconfigurability paradigm, well studied in Computer Science (CS). In CS there are well developed computational tools to reason about hybrid systems. We argue that it is worth applying such tools in a biological context. One interesting tool is differential dynamic logic (dL), which has recently been developed by Platzer and applied to many case-studies. In this paper we discuss some simple examples of biological regulatory networks to illustrate how dL can be used as an alternative, or also as a complement to methods already used. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Mandibular third molar angulation in extraction and non extraction orthodontic cases.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Imtiaz; Gul-e-Erum; Kumar, Naresh

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the angulation of mandibular third molar in orthodontic cases which are planned for extraction and non extraction. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study in which pre-treatment panoramic radiographs of 49 patients, age range 11-26 years were taken from the OPD of Department of Orthodontics, Dr. Ishrat- ul -Ebad Khan Institute of Oral and Health Sciences (DIKIOHS), Dow University of Health Sciences. The angles between the long axis of the second and third molars were measured. Descriptive statistics were applied. Mann-Whitney U-test was used for intergroup comparison extraction and non extraction cases. This study consists of 49 patients with mean age of 17.94 years. Over all result concluded that mandibular third molar angulations were from 8-94 degrees in extraction cases and 10-73 degrees in non extraction cases. However, the pre-treatment 3rd molar angulation differences in extraction and non extraction cases were statistically insignificant with p-value >0.05. This study evaluates third molar angulations in pre-treatment cases, the differences in angulation were like other morphological differences but changes in angulation after treatment may or may not be related to extractions.

  9. An analysis of reasons for failed back surgery syndrome and partial results after different types of surgical lumbar nerve root decompression.

    PubMed

    Bokov, Andrey; Isrelov, Alexey; Skorodumov, Alexander; Aleynik, Alexander; Simonov, Alexander; Mlyavykh, Sergey

    2011-01-01

    Despite the evident progress in treating vertebral column degenerative diseases, the rate of a so-called "failed back surgery syndrome" associated with pain and disability remains relatively high. However, this term has an imprecise definition and includes several different morbid conditions following spinal surgery, not all of which directly illustrate the efficacy of the applied technology; furthermore, some of them could even be irrelevant. To evaluate and systematize the reasons for persistent pain syndromes following surgical nerve root decompression. Prospective, nonrandomized, cohort study of 138 consecutive patients with radicular pain syndromes, associated with nerve root compression caused by lumbar disc herniation, and resistant to conservative therapy for at least one month. The minimal period of follow-up was 18 months. Hospital outpatient department, Russian Federation Pre-operatively, patients were examined clinically, applying the visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), discography and computed tomography (CT). According to the disc herniation morphology and applied type of surgery, all participants were divided into the following groups: for those with disc extrusion or sequester, microdiscectomy was applied (n = 65); for those with disc protrusion, nucleoplasty was applied (n = 46); for those with disc extrusion, nucleoplasty was applied (n = 27). After surgery, participants were examined clinically and the VAS and ODI were applied. All those with permanent or temporary pain syndromes were examined applying MRI imaging, functional roentgenograms, and, to validate the cause of pain syndromes, different types of blocks were applied (facet joint blocks, paravertebral muscular blocks, transforaminal and caudal epidural blocks). Group 1 showed a considerable rate of pain syndromes related to tissue damage during the intervention; the rates of radicular pain caused by epidural scar and myofascial pain were 12.3% and 26.1% respectively. Facet joint pain was found in 23.1% of the cases. Group 2 showed a significant rate of facet joint pain (16.9%) despite the minimally invasive intervention. The specificity of Group 3 was the very high rate of unresolved or recurred nerve root compression (63.0%); in other words, in the majority of cases, the aim of the intervention was not achieved. The results of the applied intervention were considered clinically significant if 50% pain relief on the VAS and a 40% decrease in the ODI were achieved. This study is limited because of the loss of participants to follow-up and because it is nonrandomized; also it could be criticized because the dynamics of numeric scores were not provided. The results of our study show that an analysis of the reasons for failures and partial effects of applied interventions for nerve root decompression may help to understand better the efficacy of the interventions and could be helpful in improving surgical strategies, otherwise the validity of the conclusion could be limited because not all sources of residual pain illustrate the applied technology efficacy. In the majority of cases, the cause of the residual or recurrent pain can be identified, and this may open new possibilities to improve the condition of patients presenting with failed back surgery syndrome.

  10. Evaluation of the Course of the Flight Simulators from the Perspective of Students and University Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaysi, Feyzi; Bavli, Bünyamin; Gürol, Aysun

    2016-01-01

    The study evaluates the flight simulators course which was opened to fulfill the intermediate staff need of the sector. To collect data, Qualitative techniques were applied. Within this scope, the case study method was employed in the study. The study group consisted of students and instructors. In-depth and focus group interviews were conducted…

  11. DFT study of the polarization behaviors of various distorted barium titanate crystals: The role of atomic displacements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirseraji, Mojtaba; Shahraki, Mehran Gholipour

    2018-06-01

    A Local Density Approximation (LDA) was employed to investigate the influence of applied strains on valence charge distributions, atomic displacements, Tisbnd O (3) bond distances and the total polarizations in barium titanate (BaTiO3). Four types of various strains were imposed on perfect tetragonal BaTiO3 along the a, c, ab and abc axial directions. Electromechanical properties of BaTiO3 were evaluated in LDA framework and a good agreement with previous results was achieved. The results show that, in the cases of a, ab strains, the values of polarization are almost constant in negative strains and increased by gradual increasing of the positive strains after a sudden enhancement at about +0.1% strain. In the case of c-strain, axial oxygen and Ti atoms underwent the highest displacements and the polarization linearly increased by applied strain. The case of abc-strain, represent the both types of features. In negative abc-strain show a similar polarization behavior like c-strain case and in positive region, polarization behavior is the same as a- and ab-strain cases. In the abc-strains of -0.3% and +0.1%, an abrupt jump in total polarization curve and a small change, are observed due to abnormal atomic displacements. In the most cases a direct relation between polarization and Tisbnd O (3) bond distance was also beheld. Finally, the effects of valence charge distributions on the atomic displacements and total polarizations are studied. It is found that there is a direct relation between polarization and Valence Charge Asymmetry of 3d -orbitals.

  12. Iatrogenic facial nerve injuries during chronic otitis media surgery: a multicentre retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Linder, T; Mulazimoglu, S; El Hadi, T; Darrouzet, V; Ayache, D; Somers, T; Schmerber, S; Vincent, C; Mondain, M; Lescanne, E; Bonnard, D

    2017-06-01

    To give an insight into why, when and where iatrogenic facial nerve (FN) injuries may occur and to explain how to deal with them in an emergency setting. Multicentre retrospective study in eight tertiary referral hospitals over 17 years. Twenty patients with partial or total FN injury during surgery for chronic otitis media (COM) were revised. Indication and type of surgery, experience of the surgeon, intra- and postoperative findings, value of CT scanning, patient management and final FN outcome were recorded. In 12 cases, the nerve was completely transected, but the surgeon was unaware in 11 cases. A minority of cases occurred in academic teaching hospitals. Tympanic segment, second genu and proximal mastoid segments were the sites involved during injury. The FN was not deliberately identified in 18 patients at the time of injury, and nerve monitoring was only applied in one patient. Before revision surgery, CT scanning correctly identified the lesion site in 11 of 12 cases and depicted additional lesions such as damage to the lateral semicircular canal. A greater auricular nerve graft was interposed in 10 cases of total transection and in one partially lesioned nerve: seven of them resulted in an HB III functional outcome. In two of the transected nerves, rerouting and direct end-to-end anastomosis was applied. A simple FN decompression was used in four cases of superficially traumatised nerves. We suggest checklists for preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative management to prevent and treat iatrogenic FN injury during COM surgery. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. A preliminary characterization of applied-field MPD thruster plumes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Myers, Roger M.; Wehrle, David; Vernyi, Mark; Biaglow, James; Reese, Shawn

    1991-01-01

    Electric probes, quantitative imaging, and emission spectroscopy were used to study the plume characteristics of applied field magnetohydrodynamic thrusters. The measurements showed that the applied magnetic field plays the dominant role in establishing the plume structure, followed in importance by the cathode geometry and propellant. The anode radius had no measurable impact on the plume characteristics. For all cases studied the plume was highly ionized, though spectral lines of neutral species were always present. Centerline electron densities and temperatures ranged from 2 times 10 (exp 18) to 8 times 10 (exp 18) m(exp -3) and from 7500 to 20,000 K, respectively. The plume was strongly confined by the magnetic field, with radial density gradients increasing monotonically with applied field strength. Plasma potential measurements show a strong effect of the magnetic field on the electrical conductivity and indicate the presence of radial current conduction in the plume.

  14. Optimal Control for Quantum Driving of Two-Level Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qi, Xiao-Qiu

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, the optimal quantum control of two-level systems is studied by the decompositions of SU(2). Using the Pontryagin maximum principle, the minimum time of quantum control is analyzed in detail. The solution scheme of the optimal control function is given in the general case. Finally, two specific cases, which can be applied in many quantum systems, are used to illustrate the scheme, while the corresponding optimal control functions are obtained.

  15. "I Gained a Skill and a Change in Attitude": A Case Study Describing How an Online Continuing Professional Education Course for Pharmacists Supported Achievement of Its Transfer-to-Practice Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marks, Pia Zeni; Jennings, Brad; Farrell, Barbara; Kennie-Kaulbach, Natalie; Jorgenson, Derek; Sharpe, Jane Pearson; Waite, Nancy

    2014-01-01

    The convenience and flexibility of online learning clearly make it an attractive option for learners in professional development contexts. There is less clarity, however, about how it fares as a vehicle for enabling the applied, practice-oriented outcomes typically associated with professional development learning. This paper presents a case study…

  16. Resistance Training: Identifying Best Practices?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-02-18

    pretest – posttest research designs. In such cases, the correlation of pretest scores with posttest scores affects the sampling variance that is the ES...magnitude of the pretest – posttest correlation (see Appendix A). Strength was measured more than twice in some studies. When this was the case, ES was...included in this review used a pretest – posttest design. For this reason, methods described by Morris and DeShon (2002) were applied to compute

  17. Application of the multi-disciplinary thematic seminar method in two homecare cases - a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Scandurra, Isabella; Hägglund, Maria; Koch, Sabine

    2008-01-01

    A significant problem with current health information technologies is that they poorly support collaborative work of healthcare professionals, sometimes leading to a fragmentation of workflow and disruption of healthcare processes. This paper presents two homecare cases, both applying multi-disciplinary thematic seminars (MdTS) as a collaborative method for user needs elicitation and requirements specification. This study describes the MdTS application to elicit user needs from different perspectives to coincide with collaborative professions' work practices in two cases. Despite different objectives, the two cases validated that MdTS emphasized the "points of intersection" in cooperative work. Different user groups with similar, yet distinct needs reached a common understanding of the entire work process, agreed upon requirements and participated in the design of prototypes supporting cooperative work. MdTS was applicable in both exploratory and normative studies aiming to elicit the specific requirements in a cooperative environment.

  18. Parvovirus infection: an immunohistochemical study using fetal and placental tissue.

    PubMed

    Li, Jing Jing; Henwood, Tony; Van Hal, Sebastian; Charlton, Amanda

    2015-01-01

    Parvovirus B19 infection causes 5% to 15% of cases of nonimmune hydrops fetalis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of immunohistochemistry in diagnosing parvovirus infection in fetal and placental tissue during routine fetal and perinatal autopsies. Histology slides of 20 cases of confirmed parvovirus infection were reviewed, and immunohistochemistry was applied to selected blocks of fetal and placental tissue. Immunohistochemistry was positive in all 20 cases, and histologic viral inclusions were seen in 19 cases. Immunohistochemical staining was closely correlated with histology and was more sensitive than histology in detecting virally infected cells, especially in autolyzed tissue. All cases also had confirmatory evidence of parvovirus infection by polymerase chain reaction of fetal liver and positive maternal serology, where it was available. We conclude that parvovirus immunohistochemistry is a reliable method for diagnosing parvovirus infection, especially in autolyzed tissue where histologic assessment may be suboptimal.

  19. Effects of proton pump inhibitors on lung cancer precise radiotherapy-induced radiation pneumonitis.

    PubMed

    Su, QiaoLi; Wang, Duoning; Yuan, Bo; Liu, Feng; Lei, Yi; Li, Shuangqing

    2014-11-01

    The objective of this study was to explore the effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on the development and prognosis of lung cancer precise radiotherapy-induced radiation pneumonitis. Clinical materials of 84 lung cancer patients who had radiation pneumonitis after precise radiotherapy were retrospectively analyzed, and the patients were divided into PPI group and control group, according to whether or not PPIs were applied. The development and prognosis of patients and the effects of different doses of PPI on patient condition from two groups were compared. There were 57 PPI cases in PPI group and 27 cases in control group. Basic characteristics of patients were not statistically different between the two groups; however, white blood cell count, oxygenation indexes, blood gas pH, and lung imaging index were significantly different (p < 0.05), indicating that radiation pneumonitis tended to be more severe in PPI group. As regards effects of PPI on prognosis of two groups, remission rate of radiation pneumonia in PPI group was significantly less than that of the control group. Among 57 cases in PPI group, there were 31 patients applied with PPI ≤ 1DDD and 31 patients applied with PPI > 1DDD. In comparison of the various parameters of patients, 7 days after being applied with different doses of PPI, there were no significant differences between the parameters of radiation pneumonitis. PPIs should be cautiously utilized to avoid the effects of lung cancer radiotherapy-induced radiation pneumonia.

  20. On Internal Validity in Multiple Baseline Designs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pustejovsky, James E.

    2014-01-01

    Single-case designs are a class of research designs for evaluating intervention effects on individual cases. The designs are widely applied in certain fields, including special education, school psychology, clinical psychology, social work, and applied behavior analysis. The multiple baseline design (MBD) is the most frequently used single-case…

  1. Knowledge Creation through User-Guided Data Mining: A Database Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steiger, David M.

    2008-01-01

    This case focuses on learning by applying the four integrating mechanisms of Nonaka's knowledge creation theory: socialization, externalization, combination and internalization. In general, such knowledge creation and internalization (i.e., learning) is critical to database students since they will be expected to apply their specialized database…

  2. Microtechnology in Telecommunications for Spacecraft Cost and Mass Reduction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Herman, M. I.; Burkhart, S.; Crist, R.; Vacchione, J.; Hughes, R.; Kellogg, K.; Kermode, A.; Rascoe, D.; Hornbuckle, C.; Hoffmann, W.; hide

    1994-01-01

    This paper examines the incorporation of both microelectronics and micromachining (termed microtechnologies) as applied to deep space telecommunication subsystems. Using the Pluto Fast Flyby Pre-Project as a main case study we have reduced the subsystem mass by 50%.

  3. Management of Subtle Cognitive Communication Deficits.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milton, Sandra B.

    1988-01-01

    Traumatically head-injured individuals who reach the higher stages of recovery typically exhibit cognitive communication disorders. Patient management requires, among other considerations, a focus on functional communication competency, an ecologic-systematic perspective, and use of compensatory techniques. A case study applies this management…

  4. The Application of Chaos Theory to the Career-Plateaued Worker.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duffy, Jean Ann

    2000-01-01

    Applies some of the principles of chaos theory to career-plateaued workers on the basis of a case study. Concludes that chaos theory provides career practitioners a useful application for working with this type of client. (Author/JDM)

  5. Case Studies in CAL!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, David F., Ed.; Smith, P. R., Ed.

    1984-01-01

    Ten papers focus on applications in specific curriculum areas, modelling and simulation, and computer managed learning. Projects described include voice support for the visually handicapped, distance education, and industrial training, as well as teaching applied mathematics, several facets of engineering, zoology, and, with videodisc, observation…

  6. An epidemiologic study of index and family infectious mononucleosis and adult Hodgkin's disease (HD): evidence for a specific association with EBV+ve HD in young adults.

    PubMed

    Alexander, Freda E; Lawrence, Davia J; Freeland, June; Krajewski, Andrew S; Angus, Brian; Taylor, G Malcolm; Jarrett, Ruth F

    2003-11-01

    Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is an established risk factor for Hodgkin's disease (HD). A substantial minority (33%) of cases of HD have Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA within the malignant cells (are EBV+ve). It is unclear whether risk after IM applies specifically to EBV+ve HD. We report the results of a population-based case-control study of HD in adults (n = 408 cases of classical HD, 513 controls) aged 16-74 years; the case series included 113 EBV+ve and 243 EBV+ve HD. Analyses compared total HD, EBV+ve HD and EBV-ve HD with the controls and EBV+ve HD with EBV-ve HD cases using, mainly, logistic regression. Regression analyses were adjusted for gender, age-group and socioeconomic status, and were performed for the whole age range and separately for young (< 35 years) and old adults (> or = 35 years); formal tests of effect modification by age were included. For the young adults, reported IM in index or relative was strongly and significantly associated with EBV+ve HD when compared to controls (odds ratio [OR] = 2.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-7.98 and OR = 5.22, 95% CI: 2.15-12.68, respectively). These results may be interpreted as indications that late first exposure to EBV increases risk of HD, especially in young adults; this applies primarily to EBV+ve HD. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. Signs of Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Chimpanzees

    PubMed Central

    Ferdowsian, Hope R.; Durham, Debra L.; Kimwele, Charles; Kranendonk, Godelieve; Otali, Emily; Akugizibwe, Timothy; Mulcahy, J. B.; Ajarova, Lilly; Johnson, Cassie Meré

    2011-01-01

    Background In humans, traumatic experiences are sometimes followed by psychiatric disorders. In chimpanzees, studies have demonstrated an association between traumatic events and the emergence of behavioral disturbances resembling posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. We addressed the following central question: Do chimpanzees develop posttraumatic symptoms, in the form of abnormal behaviors, which cluster into syndromes similar to those described in human mood and anxiety disorders? Methodology/Principal Findings In phase 1 of this study, we accessed case reports of chimpanzees who had been reportedly subjected to traumatic events, such as maternal separation, social isolation, experimentation, or similar experiences. We applied and tested DSM-IV criteria for PTSD and major depression to published case reports of 20 chimpanzees identified through PrimateLit. Additionally, using the DSM-IV criteria and ethograms as guides, we developed behaviorally anchored alternative criteria that were applied to the case reports. A small number of chimpanzees in the case studies met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD and depression. Measures of inter-rater reliability, including Fleiss' kappa and percentage agreement, were higher with use of the alternative criteria for PTSD and depression. In phase 2, the alternative criteria were applied to chimpanzees living in wild sites in Africa (n = 196) and chimpanzees living in sanctuaries with prior histories of experimentation, orphanage, illegal seizure, or violent human conflict (n = 168). In phase 2, 58% of chimpanzees living in sanctuaries met the set of alternative criteria for depression, compared with 3% of chimpanzees in the wild (p = 0.04), and 44% of chimpanzees in sanctuaries met the set of alternative criteria for PTSD, compared with 0.5% of chimpanzees in the wild (p = 0.04). Conclusions/Significance Chimpanzees display behavioral clusters similar to PTSD and depression in their key diagnostic criteria, underscoring the importance of ethical considerations regarding the use of chimpanzees in experimentation and other captive settings. PMID:21698223

  8. Malaysian Students' Perceptions of Flipped Classroom: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zainuddin, Zamzami; Attaran, Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate a class in University of Malaya where flipped learning was applied, and to examine students' perceptions and feedback towards flipped classroom. Data were collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods, i.e. survey, focus group and individual interviews. The results indicated that most students…

  9. Postpartum Mental State of Mothers of Twins

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brantmüller, Éva; Gyúró, Mónika; Galgán, Kitti; Pakai, Annamária

    2016-01-01

    Twin birth is a relevant risk factor for postnatal depression (PND). The primary objective of our study is to reveal the prevalence of suspected cases of depression and to identify some background factors among mothers of twins. We applied convenience sampling method within a retrospective, quantitative study among mothers given birth to twins for…

  10. Impacts of Directed Tutorial Activities in Computer Conferencing: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Painter, Clare; Coffin, Caroline; Hewings, Ann

    2003-01-01

    This paper describes a qualitative study of asynchronous electronic conferencing by three tutorial groups on the same postgraduate course ("Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Worldwide"), forming part of an MA in Applied Linguistics (via Distance Education) at the Open University, UK. The groups varied in the degree to which…

  11. Evaluation Criteria for Competency-Based Syllabi: A Chilean Case Study Applying Mixed Methods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jerez, Oscar; Valenzuela, Leslier; Pizarro, Veronica; Hasbun, Beatriz; Valenzuela, Gabriela; Orsini, Cesar

    2016-01-01

    In recent decades, higher education institutions worldwide have been moving from knowledge-based to competence-based curricula. One of the greatest challenges in this transition is the difficulty in changing the knowledge-oriented practices of teachers. This study evaluates the consistency between syllabus design and the requirements imposed by a…

  12. Collaborative Research and Social Change: Applied Anthropology in Action.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stull, Donald D., Ed.; Schensul, Jean J., Ed.

    Promoting social change is the goal of the seven community case studies reported in this book. Each study is a "natural experiment" that involved long-term research, close collaboration between researchers and the host community, and the application of research methods and findings to social change goals within the community. The following reports…

  13. Making Sense of Competing Constructs of Teacher as Professional

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sisson, Jamie Huff

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a comparative case study involving eight teachers from two Reggio-inspired schools that focuses on how teachers negotiate a Reggio-inspired approach in the American context. This study first identifies the struggles these eight teachers faced in applying the philosophical beliefs borrowed from this Italian-born approach. With…

  14. A Multiple Case Study of Applied Scholastic's Study Technology Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guidry, Chejuana

    2017-01-01

    In 1966, the Coleman Report alerted the American people to the unfolding tragedy of a dysfunctional educational system. Seventeen years later, the National Commission on Excellence in Education issued its report titled "A Nation At Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform," on the declining quality of American schools in general. This…

  15. Student Learning and Engagement in the Context of Curriculum Integration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brinegar, Kathleen; Bishop, Penny A.

    2011-01-01

    Although curriculum integration has a long history of myriad models, rarely have those stakeholders most connected to the practice--the students--been consulted about the efficacy of the approach. This study applied a longitudinal, intrinsic case study approach (Stake, 2000) to examine middle school students' perceptions of learning and engagement…

  16. Predicting Virtual Learning Environment Adoption: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penjor, Sonam; Zander, Pär-Ola

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the significance of Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory with regard to the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) at the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB). The focus is on different adoption types and characteristics of users. Rogers' DOI theory is applied to investigate the influence of five predictors…

  17. Syllabus of Vocational High School Based on ESP Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dewi, Sri Utami

    2015-01-01

    This study is designed as a case study and concerned on qualitative data, which reflected what actually happened in the area. The principal, the English teachers and students are placed as the key informants. The data is gained from the informants by applying in depth interview, questionnaire, documentation and observation. The data are analyzed…

  18. A Modular Approach for Training Employees in the Automotive Service Sector: A Case Study in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arslan, Ridvan; Kus, Abdil

    2012-01-01

    Certified education aimed at developing and documenting professional growth is an important issue for lifelong learning in developing countries. Some firms and educational institutions have applied different educational models to keep up with technological innovations. This study examines a Turkish programme for employees in the automotive sector…

  19. Assessing and grouping chemicals applying partial ordering Alkyl anilines as an illustrative example.

    PubMed

    Carlsen, Lars; Bruggemann, Rainer

    2018-06-03

    In chemistry there is a long tradition in classification. Usually methods are adopted from the wide field of cluster analysis. Here, based on the example of 21 alkyl anilines we show that also concepts taken out from the mathematical discipline of partially ordered sets may also be applied. The chemical compounds are described by a multi-indicator system. For the present study four indicators, mainly taken from the field of environmental chemistry were applied and a Hasse diagram was constructed. A Hasse diagram is an acyclic, transitively reduced, triangle free graph that may have several components. The crucial question is, whether or not the Hasse diagram can be interpreted from a structural chemical point of view. This is indeed the case, but it must be clearly stated that a guarantee for meaningful results in general cannot be given. For that further theoretical work is needed. Two cluster analysis methods are applied (K-means and a hierarchical cluster method). In both cases the partitioning of the set of 21 compounds by the component structure of the Hasse diagram appears to be better interpretable. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  20. SEBAL Model Using to Estimate Irrigation Water Efficiency & Water Requirement of Alfalfa Crop

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeyliger, Anatoly; Ermolaeva, Olga

    2013-04-01

    The sustainability of irrigation is a complex and comprehensive undertaking, requiring an attention to much more than hydraulics, chemistry, and agronomy. A special combination of human, environmental, and economic factors exists in each irrigated region and must be recognized and evaluated. A way to evaluate the efficiency of irrigation water use for crop production is to consider the so-called crop-water production functions, which express the relation between the yield of a crop and the quantity of water applied to it or consumed by it. The term has been used in a somewhat ambiguous way. Some authors have defined the Crop-Water Production Functions between yield and the total amount of water applied, whereas others have defined it as a relation between yield and seasonal evapotranspiration (ET). In case of high efficiency of irrigation water use the volume of water applied is less than the potential evapotranspiration (PET), then - assuming no significant change of soil moisture storage from beginning of the growing season to its end-the volume of water may be roughly equal to ET. In other case of low efficiency of irrigation water use the volume of water applied exceeds PET, then the excess of volume of water applied over PET must go to either augmenting soil moisture storage (end-of-season moisture being greater than start-of-season soil moisture) or to runoff or/and deep percolation beyond the root zone. In presented contribution some results of a case study of estimation of biomass and leaf area index (LAI) for irrigated alfalfa by SEBAL algorithm will be discussed. The field study was conducted with aim to compare ground biomass of alfalfa at some irrigated fields (provided by agricultural farm) at Saratov and Volgograd Regions of Russia. The study was conducted during vegetation period of 2012 from April till September. All the operations from importing the data to calculation of the output data were carried by eLEAF company and uploaded in Fieldlook web geo database and used for experiment program managment. Quite good agreement between measured and calculated biomass and LAI were obtained. Estimation of effectiveness of water efficiency as well as estimation of applied water losses were done in the base of supplied irrigation water provided by local operating irrigation water supply companies and data of soil moisture monitoring. Following analyse of the remote sensing use to estimate of crop water requirement will be presented. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. This study was financially supported by G2G project

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