Sample records for case study contributes

  1. Parental Factors That Contribute to Students' High School Graduation after Expulsion: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bayne, Stephen R.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify parental involvement strategies used by parents of expelled high school students in the home and at school that contributed to students' high school graduation after expulsion. Methodology: This was a collective case study. Parents, guardians, or caregivers who were responsible for students…

  2. Insights on Using Developmental Evaluation for Innovating: A Case Study on the Cocreation of an Innovative Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lam, Chi Yan; Shulha, Lyn M.

    2015-01-01

    This article contributes to research on evaluation by examining the capacity and contribution of developmental evaluation for innovating. This case study describes the "preformative development" of an educational program (from conceptualization to pilot implementation) and analyzes the processes of innovation within a developmental…

  3. Longitudinal Comparison of the Microbiota During Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) Acquisition in Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH) patients

    PubMed Central

    Seekatz, Anna; Bassis, Christine M; Lolans, Karen; Yelin, Rachel D; Moore, Nicholas M; Okamoto, Koh; Rhee, Yoona; Bell, Pamela; Dangana, Thelma; Sidimirova, Galina; Weinstein, Robert A; Fogg, Louis; Lin, Michael Y; Young, Vincent B; Hayden, Mary K

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background Colonization with KPC-Kp precedes infection and represents a potential target for intervention. To identify microbial signatures associated with KPC-Kp acquisition, we conducted a prospective, longitudinal study of the fecal microbiota in LTACH patients at risk of acquiring KPC-Kp. Methods We collected admission and weekly rectal swab samples from patients admitted to one LTACH from May 2015 to May 2016. Patients were screened for KPC-Kp by PCR at each sampling time. KPC acquisition was confirmed by culture of KPC-Kp. To assess changes in the microbiota related to acquisition, we sequenced the 16S rRNA gene (V4 region) from collected rectal swabs. Diversity, intra-individual changes, and the relative abundance of the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) that contains KPC-Kp were compared in patients who were KPC-Kp negative upon admission and who had at least one additional swab sample collected. Results 318 patients (1247 samples) were eligible for analysis; 3.7 samples (mean) were collected per patient. Sixty-two patients (19.5%) acquired KPC-Kp (cases) and 256 patients remained negative for all carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae throughout their stay (controls). Median length of stay before KPC-Kp detection was 14.5 days. At time of KPC-Kp acquisition, levels of an Enterobacteriaceae OTU increased significantly compared with pre-acquisition samples and to samples from control patients (Wilcoxon test, P < 0.0001). Similarly, we observed a decrease in total diversity of the fecal microbiota at time of acquisition in cases (P < 0.01). Compared with controls, cases exhibited decreased intra-individual fecal microbiota similarity immediately prior to acquisition of KPC-Kp (P < 0.01). Comparison of microbial features at time of admission using random forest revealed a higher abundance of Enterococcus and Escherichia OTUs in controls vs cases. Conclusion We observed intra-individual changes in the fecal microbiota of case patients prior to acquisition of KPC-Kp. Compared with patients who did not acquire KPC-Kp, cases exhibited significant changes in microbiota diversity and increased abundance of potential KPC-Kp at acquisition. Our results suggest that shifts in the microbiota may precede colonization by KPC-Kp. Disclosures N. M. Moore, Cepheid: Research Contractor, Funded and provided reagents for associated research projects; R. A. Weinstein, OpGen: Receipt of donated laboratory services for project, Research support; CLorox: Receipt of contributed product, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product; Molnlycke: Receipt of contributed product, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product; Sage Products: Receipt of contributed product, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product; M. Y. Lin, Sage, Inc.: receipt of contributed product, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product; OpGen, Inc.: receipt of in-kind laboratory services, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product; M. K. Hayden, OpGen, Inc.: Receipt of donated laboratory services for project, Research support; Clorox: Receipt of contributed product, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product; Molnlycke: Receipt of contributed product, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product; Sage Products: Receipt of contributed product, Conducting studies in healthcare facilities that are receiving contributed product.

  4. Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI): An Al-Qaeda Affiliate Case Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-01

    a comparative methodology that included eight case studies on groups affiliated or associated with Al-Qaeda. These case studies were then used as a... methodology that included eight case studies on groups affiliated or associated with Al-Qaeda. These case studies were then used as a dataset for cross...Case Study Zack Gold With contributions from Pamela G. Faber October 2017 This work was performed under Federal Government

  5. A Case Study of Factors Leading to Student Success in an Accelerated Licensed Practical Nurse to Associate Degree Nursing Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Sherry T.

    2012-01-01

    This case study attempted to discover and comprehend the relationship of students and contributing factors of success, of one Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, to formulate an understanding of which contributing factors are most beneficial to enable students to persist to graduation and/or successfully…

  6. 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

  7. Multiple reservoirs contribute to intraoperative bacterial transmission.

    PubMed

    Loftus, Randy W; Brown, Jeremiah R; Koff, Matthew D; Reddy, Sundara; Heard, Stephen O; Patel, Hetal M; Fernandez, Patrick G; Beach, Michael L; Corwin, Howard L; Jensen, Jens T; Kispert, David; Huysman, Bridget; Dodds, Thomas M; Ruoff, Kathryn L; Yeager, Mark P

    2012-06-01

    Intraoperative stopcock contamination is a frequent event associated with increased patient mortality. In the current study we examined the relative contributions of anesthesia provider hands, the patient, and the patient environment to stopcock contamination. Our secondary aims were to identify risk factors for stopcock contamination and to examine the prior association of stopcock contamination with 30-day postoperative infection and mortality. Additional microbiological analyses were completed to determine the prevalence of bacterial pathogens within intraoperative bacterial reservoirs. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to assess the contribution of reservoir bacterial pathogens to 30-day postoperative infections. In a multicenter study, stopcock transmission events were observed in 274 operating rooms, with the first and second cases of the day in each operating room studied in series to identify within- and between-case transmission events. Reservoir bacterial cultures were obtained and compared with stopcock set isolates to determine the origin of stopcock contamination. Between-case transmission was defined by the isolation of 1 or more bacterial isolates from the stopcock set of a subsequent case (case 2) that were identical to reservoir isolates from the preceding case (case 1). Within-case transmission was defined by the isolation of 1 or more bacterial isolates from a stopcock set that were identical to bacterial reservoirs from the same case. Bacterial pathogens within these reservoirs were identified, and their potential contribution to postoperative infections was evaluated. All patients were followed for 30 days postoperatively for the development of infection and all-cause mortality. Stopcock contamination was detected in 23% (126 out of 548) of cases with 14 between-case and 30 within-case transmission events confirmed. All 3 reservoirs contributed to between-case (64% environment, 14% patient, and 21% provider) and within-case (47% environment, 23% patient, and 30% provider) stopcock transmission. The environment was a more likely source of stopcock contamination than provider hands (relative risk [RR] 1.91, confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 3.35, P = 0.029) or patients (RR 2.56, CI 1.34 to 4.89, P = 0.002). Hospital site (odds ratio [OR] 5.09, CI 2.02 to 12.86, P = 0.001) and case 2 (OR 6.82, CI 4.03 to 11.5, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of stopcock contamination. Stopcock contamination was associated with increased mortality (OR 58.5, CI 2.32 to 1477, P = 0.014). Intraoperative bacterial contamination of patients and provider hands was linked to 30-day postoperative infections. Bacterial contamination of patients, provider hands, and the environment contributes to stopcock transmission events, but the surrounding patient environment is the most likely source. Stopcock contamination is associated with increased patient mortality. Patient and provider bacterial reservoirs contribute to 30-day postoperative infections. Multimodal programs designed to target each of these reservoirs in parallel should be studied intensely as a comprehensive approach to reducing intraoperative bacterial transmission.

  8. Factors Contributing to the Accumulation of Primary Teacher's Debts to the Government of Tanzania: A Case Study for Dar Es Salaam Region

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kombo, Ibun

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the findings of the study which was conducted to determine factors contributing to the accumulation of primary school teacher's debts to the Government of Tanzania, a case study of Dar es Salaam Region in its three municipalities namely, Ilala, Kinondoni and Temeke. Data was obtained through sampling method which also helped to…

  9. A Case Study of What Experiences Contribute to the Ideas of Energy Held by Primary School Students in Trinidad and Tobago

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maharaj-Sharma, Rawatee; Sharma, Amrit

    2014-01-01

    This case study explored what experiences contribute to the ideas of energy held by 30 purposively selected primary school students from one primary school in Trinidad and Tobago. The 30 students were selected from across all levels of the primary system. The study used the Interview About Events (IAE) approach to explore students' ideas about…

  10. Analyzing the contributions of a government-commissioned research project: a case study.

    PubMed

    Hegger, Ingrid; Janssen, Susan W J; Keijsers, Jolanda F E M; Schuit, Albertine J; van Oers, Hans A M

    2014-02-05

    It often remains unclear to investigators how their research contributes to the work of the commissioner. We initiated the 'Risk Model' case study to gain insight into how a Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) project and its knowledge products contribute to the commissioner's work, the commissioner being the Health Care Inspectorate. We aimed to identify the alignment efforts that influenced the research project contributions. Based on the literature, we expected interaction between investigators and key users to be the most determining factor for the contributions of a research project. In this qualitative case study, we analyzed the alignment efforts and contributions in the Risk Model project by means of document analysis and interviews according to the evaluation method Contribution Mapping. Furthermore, a map of the research process was drafted and a feedback session was organized. After the feedback session with stakeholders discussing the findings, we completed the case study report. Both organizations had divergent views on the ownership of the research product and the relationship between RIVM and the Inspectorate, which resulted in different expectations. The RIVM considered the use of the risk models to be problematic, but the inspectors had a positive opinion about its contributions. Investigators, inspectors, and managers were not aware of these remarkably different perceptions. In this research project, we identified six relevant categories of both horizontal alignment efforts (between investigators and key users) as well as vertical alignment efforts (within own organization) that influenced the contributions to the Inspectorate's work. Relevant alignment efforts influencing the contributions of the project became manifest at three levels: the first level directly relates to the project, the second to the organizational environment, and the third to the formal and historical relationship between the organizations. Both external and internal alignments influence the contributions of a research project. Based on the findings, we recommend that research institutes invest in a reflective attitude towards the social aspects of research projects at all levels of the organization and develop alignment strategies to enhance the contributions of research.

  11. Analyzing the contributions of a government-commissioned research project: a case study

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background It often remains unclear to investigators how their research contributes to the work of the commissioner. We initiated the ‘Risk Model’ case study to gain insight into how a Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) project and its knowledge products contribute to the commissioner’s work, the commissioner being the Health Care Inspectorate. We aimed to identify the alignment efforts that influenced the research project contributions. Based on the literature, we expected interaction between investigators and key users to be the most determining factor for the contributions of a research project. Methods In this qualitative case study, we analyzed the alignment efforts and contributions in the Risk Model project by means of document analysis and interviews according to the evaluation method Contribution Mapping. Furthermore, a map of the research process was drafted and a feedback session was organized. After the feedback session with stakeholders discussing the findings, we completed the case study report. Results Both organizations had divergent views on the ownership of the research product and the relationship between RIVM and the Inspectorate, which resulted in different expectations. The RIVM considered the use of the risk models to be problematic, but the inspectors had a positive opinion about its contributions. Investigators, inspectors, and managers were not aware of these remarkably different perceptions. In this research project, we identified six relevant categories of both horizontal alignment efforts (between investigators and key users) as well as vertical alignment efforts (within own organization) that influenced the contributions to the Inspectorate’s work. Conclusions Relevant alignment efforts influencing the contributions of the project became manifest at three levels: the first level directly relates to the project, the second to the organizational environment, and the third to the formal and historical relationship between the organizations. Both external and internal alignments influence the contributions of a research project. Based on the findings, we recommend that research institutes invest in a reflective attitude towards the social aspects of research projects at all levels of the organization and develop alignment strategies to enhance the contributions of research. PMID:24498894

  12. Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG): An Al-Qaeda Associate Case Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-01

    completed in August 2017. In order to conduct this assessment, CNA used a comparative methodology that included eight case studies on groups affiliated...assessment, CNA used a comparative methodology that included eight case studies on groups affiliated or associated with Al-Qaeda. These case studies ...Case Study P. Kathleen Hammerberg and Pamela G. Faber With contributions from Alexander Powell October 2017 This work was performed

  13. Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is more profitable than open repair based on contribution margin per day.

    PubMed

    Rosenberg, Barry L; Comstock, Matthew C; Butz, David A; Taheri, Paul A; Williams, David M; Upchurch, Gilbert R

    2005-03-01

    Earlier studies have reported that endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (EAAA) repair yields lower total profit margins than open AAA (OAAA) repair. This study compared EAAA versus OAAA based on contribution margin per day, which may better measure profitability of new clinical technologies. Contribution margin equals revenue less variable direct costs (VDCs). VDCs capture incremental resources tied directly to individual patients' activity (eg, invoice price of endograft device, nursing labor). Overhead costs factor into total margin, but not contribution margin. The University of Michigan Health System's cost accounting system was used to extract fiscal year 2002-2003 information on revenue, total margin, contribution margin, and duration of stay for Medicare patients with principal diagnosis of AAA (ICD-9 code 441.4). OAAA had revenues of $37,137 per case versus $28,960 for EAAA, similar VDCs per case, and thus higher contribution margin per case ($24,404 for OAAA vs $13,911 for EAAA, P < .001). However, OAAA had significantly longer mean duration of stay per case (10.2 days vs 2.2 days, P < .001). Therefore, mean contribution margin per day was $2948 for OAAA, but $8569 for EAAA ( P < .001). On the basis of contribution margin per day, EAAA repair dominates OAAA repair. The shorter duration of stay with EAAA allows higher throughput, fuller overhead amortization, better use of scarce inpatient beds, and higher health system profits. Surgeons must understand overhead allocation to devices, especially when new technologies cut duration of stay markedly.

  14. Do I Belong? Factors Contributing to the Development of Social Belonging of Children Who Are Homeless in Southeastern United States Shelters: A Multi-Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ott, Corilyn Mae

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative multiple case study explored the factors that contribute to the development of social belonging in the classroom for children who are homeless age's five to seven. Previous empirical research has shown the importance of children who are homeless developing belonging in the classroom and other research has shown the negative…

  15. Estimation of the contribution of private providers in tuberculosis case notification and treatment outcome in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Chughtai, A A; Qadeer, E; Khan, W; Hadi, H; Memon, I A

    2013-03-01

    To improve involvement of the private sector in the national tuberculosis (TB) programme in Pakistan various public-private mix projects were set up between 2004 and 2009. A retrospective analysis of data was made to study 6 different public-private mix models for TB control in Pakistan and estimate the contribution of the various private providers to TB case notification and treatment outcome. The number of TB cases notified through the private sector increased significantly from 77 cases in 2004 to 37,656 in 2009. Among the models, the nongovernmental organization model made the greatest contribution to case notification (58.3%), followed by the hospital-based model (18.9%). Treatment success was highest for the district-led model (94.1%) and lowest for the hospital-based model (74.2%). The private sector made an important contribution to the national data through the various public-private mix projects. Issues of sustainability and the lack of treatment supporters are discussed as reasons for lack of success of some projects.

  16. Al-Qaeda-Syria (AQS): An Al-Qaeda Affiliate Case Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-01

    comparative methodology that included eight case studies on groups affiliated or associated with Al-Qaeda. These case studies were then used as a...Case Study Zack Gold With contributions from Pamela G. Faber October 2017 This work was performed under Federal Government...for Stability and Development Center for Strategic Studies REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden

  17. Understanding How the Arts Contribute to Excellent Education. Study Summary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fowler, Charles; McMullan, Bernard J.

    The ideas and case materials discussed in this study can contribute to the national dialogue on education reform and the search for excellence in all areas of education. The study attempts to clarify what the arts contribute to education. While it indicates that much more needs to be done, it suggests actions and approaches which can be utilized…

  18. Teacher Knowledge, Curriculum Materials, and Quality of Instruction: Lessons Learned and Open Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Heather C.; Charalambous, Charalambos Y.

    2012-01-01

    This paper draws on four case studies to perform a cross-case analysis investigating the unique and joint contribution of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) and curriculum materials to instructional quality. As expected, it was found that both MKT and curriculum materials matter for instruction. The contribution of MKT was more prevalent in…

  19. Evaluation and perceived results of moral case deliberation: A mixed methods study.

    PubMed

    Janssens, Rien M J P A; van Zadelhoff, Ezra; van Loo, Ger; Widdershoven, Guy A M; Molewijk, Bert A C

    2015-12-01

    Moral case deliberation is increasingly becoming part of various Dutch healthcare organizations. Although some evaluation studies of moral case deliberation have been carried out, research into the results of moral case deliberation within aged care is scarce. How did participants evaluate moral case deliberation? What has moral case deliberation brought to them? What has moral case deliberation contributed to care practice? Should moral case deliberation be further implemented and, if so, how? Quantitative analysis of a questionnaire study among participants of moral case deliberation, both caregivers and team leaders. Qualitative analysis of written answers to open questions, interview study and focus group meetings among caregivers and team leaders. Caregivers and team leaders in a large organization for aged care in the Netherlands. A total of 61 moral case deliberation sessions, carried out on 16 care locations belonging to the organization, were evaluated and perceived results were assessed. Participants gave informed consent and anonymity was guaranteed. In the Netherlands, the law does not prescribe independent ethical review by an Institutional Review Board for this kind of research among healthcare professionals. Moral case deliberation was evaluated positively by the participants. Content and atmosphere of moral case deliberation received high scores, while organizational issues regarding the moral case deliberation sessions scored lower and merit further attention. Respondents indicated that moral case deliberation has the potential to contribute to care practice as relationships among team members improve, more openness is experienced and more understanding for different perspectives is fostered. If moral case deliberation is to be successfully implemented, top-down approaches should go hand in hand with bottom-up approaches. The relevance of moral case deliberation for care practice received wide acknowledgement from the respondents. It can contribute to the team's cohesion as mutual understanding for one another's views is fostered. If implemented well, moral case deliberation has the potential to improve care, according to the respondents. © The Author(s) 2014.

  20. The Rainbow and the Achromatic Telescope: Two Case Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudd, M. Eugene

    1988-01-01

    Presented are two case studies on the perspective of the history of science. Provided are the contributions of 12 famous scientists with their historical illustrations and diagrams. Five conclusions are drawn from these studies. (YP)

  1. Case Studies, Ethics, Philosophy, and Liberal Learning for the Management Profession

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rendtorff, Jacob Dahl

    2015-01-01

    Case studies can be an important methodology for ethics and philosophy in humanistic management and liberal education as well as in the social sciences because they integrate a deeper, reflective, philosophical, and ethical understanding of the organization. A case study approach based on philosophy of management contributes to putting into…

  2. Exploring the Contribution of Professional Staff to Student Outcomes: A Comparative Study of Australian and UK Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Carroll; Regan, Julie-Anne

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on the second stage of a comparative study between two higher education institutions: one in Australia and the other in the United Kingdom, which explored the contributions of professional staff to student outcomes. The first stage acted as a scoping exercise to ascertain how the contributions of professional staff to student…

  3. The contribution of a non-governmental organisation's Community Based Tuberculosis Care Programme to case finding in Myanmar: trend over time.

    PubMed

    Maung, Htet Myet Win; Saw, Saw; Isaakidis, Petros; Khogali, Mohammed; Reid, Anthony; Hoa, Nguyen Binh; Zaw, Ko Ko; Thein, Saw; Aung, Si Thu

    2017-04-03

    It is estimated that the standard, passive case finding (PCF) strategy for detecting cases of tuberculosis (TB) in Myanmar has not been successful: 26% of cases are missing. Therefore, alternative strategies, such as active case finding (ACF) by community volunteers, have been initiated since 2011. This study aimed to assess the contribution of a Community Based TB Care Programme (CBTC) by local non-government organizations (NGOs) to TB case finding in Myanmar over 4 years. This was a descriptive study using routine, monitoring data. Original data from the NGOs were sent to a central registry within the National TB Programme and data for this study were extracted from that database. Data from all 84 project townships in five regions and three states in Myanmar were used. The project was launched in 2011. Over time, the number of presumptive TB cases that were referred decreased, except in the Yangon Region, although in some areas, the numbers fluctuated. At the same time, there was a trend for the proportion of cases treated, compared to those referred, that decreased over time (P = 0.051). Overall, among 84 townships, the contribution of CBTC to total case detection deceased from 6% to 4% over time (P < 0.001). Contrary to expectations and evidence from previous studies in other countries, a concerning reduction in TB case finding by local NGO volunteer networks in several areas in Myanmar was recorded over 4 years. This suggests that measures to support the volunteer network and improve its performance are needed. They may include discussion with local NGOs human resources personnel, incentives for the volunteers, closer supervision of volunteers and improved monitoring and evaluation tools.

  4. The Psychosocial Factors Contributing to the Underrepresentation of African American Males in Advanced High School Mathematics Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rowlett, Joel Everett

    2013-01-01

    This case study examined the beliefs of African American males on the psychosocial and pedagogical factors contributing to the underrepresentation of African American males in advanced high school math courses. Six 11th grade African American male juniors from a large, comprehensive, Southeastern high school served as individual cases. Within- and…

  5. "In the Middle of Difficulty Lies Opportunity"--Using a Case Study to Identify Critical Success Factors Contributing to the Initiation of International Collaborative Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Ian M.

    2005-01-01

    This paper identifies factors that contribute to the successful initiation of international collaborative projects intended to support the development of education for librarianship and information sciences. It discusses the widespread failure to analyse the Critical Success Factors in international collaborative projects and proposes a case study…

  6. 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.

  7. 2003 railroad employee fatalities : case studies and analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-03-01

    2003 Railroad Employee Fatalities: Case Studies and Analysis is designed to promote and : enhance awareness of many unsafe behaviors and conditions that typically contribute to : railroad employee fatalities, this report is intended to assist r...

  8. 2006 railroad employee fatalities : case studies and analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-02-01

    This document, entitled 2006 Railroad Employee Fatalities: Case Studies and Analysis, was : developed to promote and enhance awareness of many unsafe behaviors and conditions that : typically contribute to railroad employee fatalities, and is i...

  9. 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.

  10. Factors Contributing to Institutions Achieving Environmental Sustainability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    James, Matthew; Card, Karen

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine what factors contributed to three universities achieving environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: A case study methodology was used to determine how each factor contributed to the institutions' sustainability. Site visits, fieldwork, document reviews, and interviews with…

  11. The role of small agribusiness in regional development: the case of Sumatera Utara province

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Subhilhar

    2018-03-01

    The agribusiness is an emerging sector in Indonesia and its potential needs to be fully explored. Its development can contribute to a development of regions or correct the discrepancy in welfare benefits between groups and regions. The development of small agribusiness is important and strategic. There are more than 32 million small agribusinesses with their working capital less than Rp. 2 billion per year. In Indonesia, out of this 90 percent (about 21.30 million business units) are household businesses which run business in the agriculture sector. The aim of this study is to identify the contributions of small agribusiness to regional development in Sumatera Utara. The method that used in this study is quantitative approach by using survey and case studies through an in-depth interview. The result shows that small agribusinesses do contribute significantly towards regional development in Sumatera Utara. This study found that annual business turnover significantly contributes toward regional development. The main contribution of small agribusinesses is in the utilization of labor force and local tax revenues.

  12. How Visual Imagery Contributed to College: A Case of How Visual Imagery Contributes to a College Algebra Student's Understanding of the Concept of Function in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lane, Rebekah M.

    2011-01-01

    This investigation utilized the qualitative case study method. Seventy-one College Algebra students were given a mathematical processing instrument. This testing device measured a student's preference for visual thinking. Two students were purposefully selected using the instrument. The visual mathematical learner (VL) was discussed in this…

  13. Human papillomavirus genotype distribution in cervical cancer cases in Spain. Implications for prevention.

    PubMed

    Alemany, Laia; Pérez, Cristina; Tous, Sara; Llombart-Bosch, Antonio; Lloveras, Belen; Lerma, Enrique; Guarch, Rosa; Andújar, Miguel; Pelayo, Adela; Alejo, Maria; Ordi, Jaume; Klaustermeier, Joellen; Velasco, Julio; Guimerà, Nuria; Clavero, Omar; Castellsagué, Xavier; Quint, Wim; Muñoz, Nubia; Bosch, F Xavier; de Sanjosé, Silvia

    2012-03-01

    Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution in invasive cervical cancer (ICC) is critical to guide the introduction and to assess the impact of HPV prophylactic vaccines. This study aims to provide specific information for Spain. 1043 histological confirmed ICC cases diagnosed from 1940 to 2007 from six Spanish regions were assembled. HPV DNA detection was performed by SPF(10) broad-spectrum PCR followed by deoxyribonucleic acid enzyme immunoassay and genotyping by reverse hybridization line probe assay (LiPA(25)) (version 1). Of 1043 ICC cases, 904 were HPV DNA positive (adjusted prevalence: 89.1%). The eight most common types, in decreasing order, were HPV 16, 18, 33, 31, 45, 35, 52 and 56, accounting for more than 90% of cases. HPV 16 and 18 contributed to 72.4% of all HPV positive ICC cases. In cervical adenocarcinomas, this contribution increased up to 94%. HPV 16 and 18 relative contributions showed a stable pattern over the 60 year study period. HPV 45, 18 and 16-positive ICC cases presented at younger ages than cases with other HPV types (adjusted mean age: 43.8, 45.2, 52.6 and 57.7 years, respectively). HPV 16 and 18 accounted together for a 72.4% of positive cases, with no statistically significant changes in their relative contributions over the last decades. In 94% of cervical adenocarcinomas we identified at least one of the two HPV types included in the current vaccines (HPV 16/18). Results suggest a major impact of HPV vaccines on reduction of ICC burden in Spain in the HPV vaccinated cohorts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Improving Students' Self-Efficacy in Strategic Management: The Relative Impact of Cases and Simulations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tompson, George H.; Dass, Parshotam

    2000-01-01

    Investigates the relative contribution of computer simulations and case studies for improving undergraduate students' self-efficacy in strategic management courses. Results of pre-and post-test data, regression analysis, and analysis of variance show that simulations result in significantly higher improvement in self-efficacy than case studies.…

  15. Frictions between Formal Education Policy and Actual School Choice: Case Studies in an International Comparative Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teelken, Christine; Driessen, Geert; Smit, Frederik

    2005-01-01

    This contribution is based on comparative case studies of secondary schools in England, the Netherlands and Scotland. The authors conclude that although opportunities for school choice are offered in a formal sense in each of the locations studied, in certain cases choice is not particularly encouraged. In order to explain this disparity between…

  16. The Motivators That Contribute to the Migration of African American Educators from Suburban School Districts to Urban School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGary, Ostrova Dewayne

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceived motivators contributing African American educators' decision to migrate from a suburban school district to an urban school district. The case study approach was used in an effort to capture the participants' voices and the motivators contributing to their decision to migrate to an…

  17. 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.

  18. 77 FR 800 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-06

    ... years, ADAP has experienced an increase in enrollment while funding resources have decreased. This study will use case study methods to identify and examine factors that contribute to the rising enrollments... months. The study will assess factors that may contribute to the rise in ADAP enrollment and costs such...

  19. A Case for Competencies: Assessing the Value of Trait-Based Performance Appraisal for Non-Faculty University Employees

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Messa, Emily A.; Horn, Catherine L.; Longacre, Teri Elkins; Olenchak, F. Richard; Penney, Lisa M.

    2016-01-01

    A case study analyzed how supervisors at one university selected competencies, or trait-based skills, for non-faculty employees. This case study provides a valuable contribution by focusing on employees at one institution type--a large, public research university. While it has been documented that non-faculty employees provide important…

  20. Population-based familial aggregation of eosinophilic esophagitis suggests a genetic contribution.

    PubMed

    Allen-Brady, Kristina; Firszt, Rafael; Fang, John C; Wong, Jathine; Smith, Ken R; Peterson, Kathryn A

    2017-10-01

    Prior familial clustering studies have observed an increased risk of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) mostly among first-degree relatives, suggesting a genetic contribution to EoE, and twin studies have suggested a powerful contribution from environmental factors. This study sought to clarify the contribution of genetic factors to EoE through estimation of familial aggregation and risk of EoE in extended relatives. The Utah Population Database, a population-based genealogy resource linked to electronic medical records for health care systems across the state of Utah, was used to identify EoE cases and age, sex, and birthplace-matched controls at a 5:1 ratio. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds of EoE among relatives of EoE probands compared with the odds of EoE among relatives of controls. There were 4,423 EoE cases and 24,322 controls. The population-attributable risk of EoE was 31% (95% CI, 28% to 34%), suggesting a relatively strong genetic contribution. Risks of EoE were significantly increased among first-degree relatives (odds ratio [OR], 7.19; 95% CI, 5.65-9.14), particularly first-degree relatives of EoE cases diagnosed <18 years of age (OR, 16.3; 95% CI, 9.4-28.3); second-degree relatives (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.49-2.65); and first cousins (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.03-1.77), providing evidence of a genetic contribution. However, spouses of EoE probands were observed to be at increased risk of EoE (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.31-6.25), suggesting either positive assortative mating or a shared environmental contribution to EoE. This study supports a significant genetic contribution to EoE as evidenced by increased risk of EoE in distant relatives. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Investigating Science Collaboratively: A Case Study of Group Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zinicola, Debra A.

    2009-01-01

    Discussions of one urban middle school group of students who were investigating scientific phenomena were analyzed; this study was conducted to discern if and how peer interaction contributes to learning. Through a social constructivist lens, case study methodology, we examined conceptual change among group members. Data about science talk was…

  2. Beginning Teachers' Experiential Learning in the Era of Common Core: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dakwa, Loy

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative, single-case study described the professional learning experiences of a group of beginning teachers who participated in a California teacher induction program. The study contributes to an understanding of factors that form the foundation of professional learning as perceived by the participants. Furthermore, the study adds to…

  3. Investigation of a Pattern between Students' Engagement in Argumentation and Their Science Content Knowledge: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eskin, Handan; Ogan-Bekiroglu, Feral

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was, first, to investigate any pattern between students' quantitative contribution to argumentation and their science understanding, and second, to analyze any relationship between students' qualitative contribution to argumentation and their scientific knowledge. Participants of the study were four tenth-grade students. The…

  4. How to reduce your inventory: a real world case study.

    PubMed

    Mack, J A; Jordan, H H

    1994-08-01

    This case study describes the use of a performance analysis system at the Safety Products Division of Mine Safety Appliances Company, which contributed to the reduction of excess inventories by more than $8,000,000 during the first two years of implementation.

  5. Analysis of the development and diffusion of technological innovations in oil spill forecasting: The MEDESS-4MS case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marcati, Alberto; Prete, M. Irene; Mileti, Antonio; Cortese, Mario; Zodiatis, George; Karaolia, Andria; Gauci, Adam; Drago, Aldo

    2016-11-01

    This paper presents a case study on the management of users' engagement in the development of a new technology. Based on the experience of MEDESS-4MS, an integrated operational model for oil spill Decision Support System covering the whole Mediterranean Sea, the case study is aimed at the development of a framework for user engagement and for the management of its dual logic. Indeed, users may play a dual role in the innovation process, contributing to both the design of the innovation and its promotion. Users contribute to shaping the innovation, by aggregating and integrating knowledge, and they facilitate its diffusion, by adopting the innovation and fostering its adoption within the socio-economic system.

  6. The Roles of Principal Leadership Behaviors and Organizational Routines in Montana's Distinguished Title I Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donnelly, Sean Niles

    2012-01-01

    This embedded multiple-case study addressed the lack of qualitative research on the contributions of principal leadership behaviors and organizational routines in Montana's distinguished Title I schools. This study was guided by the research question, "How do principal leadership behaviors and organizational routines contribute to the high…

  7. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and the Entrepreneurial University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wynn, Martin; Jones, Peter

    2017-01-01

    This article outlines one way in which less research-intensive universities can contribute to entrepreneurship by examining the achievements of several Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) in the University of Gloucestershire. The article adopts a qualitative case study approach: four case studies of KTPs at, respectively, Beacons Business…

  8. An Exploration into the Impact of Blogs on Students' Learning: Case Studies in Postgraduate Business Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mansouri, S. Afshin; Piki, Andriani

    2016-01-01

    The research draws from four case studies to investigate the impact of using blogs within postgraduate education. The study explores how postgraduate business students engage with blogs, whether students' learning preferences correlate with their degree of contribution and how student participation relates with overall achievement. A mixed…

  9. Rural Job Creation. Case Studies of CETA Linkage with Economic Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bruno, A. Lee; Wright, L. M., Jr.

    This collection contains 20 case studies illustrating some of the contributions Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) programs have made to economic development and job creation efforts in rural areas. The collection is a companion volume to the monograph entitled "Rural Job Creation--a Study of CETA Linkages with Economic…

  10. Localized Quality Assurance and Certification for Cross-Border Education: A Shanghai Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yadong, Li; Yanqiao, Jiang

    2009-01-01

    The authors present a case study of Sino-foreign cooperation in education to illustrate how developments in the management of licensing and the approval of programs can contribute to better quality assurance. The study demonstrates how the Shanghai municipal education authority has jettisoned traditional dependence on administrative management and…

  11. Contribution of GLC3A locus to Primary Congenital Glaucoma in Pakistani population.

    PubMed

    Bashir, Rasheeda; Sanai, Mahrukh; Azeem, Adnan; Altaf, Imran; Saleem, Faiza; Naz, Sadaf

    2014-01-01

    To check the contribution of GLC3A locus to primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. We enrolled twenty-nine sporadic cases and three families with multiple individuals affected with recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the year 2013. It was a genetic linkage study accomplished jointly in Department of Biotechnology of Lahore College for Women University and School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore. Samples from all affected individuals were checked for homozygosity for alleles of microsatellite markers spanning CYP1B1 at GLC3A locus. Genotyping was performed with fluorescently labeled primers by capillary electrophoresis. For familial cases, linkage was evaluated by checking the co-segregation of the phenotype with the genotypes. Two-point LOD score was calculated for each microsatellite marker with MLINK. Our study revealed that GLCA3 may contribute to glaucoma in 17% of the sporadic cases and patients in 2 of the 3 families. This data suggests that the GLC3A may make an important contribution to autosomal recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. Genotyping and Sequencing of more families will be helpful to identify the common mutations in CYP1B1 in future.

  12. Preventability of adverse effects of analgesics: analysis of spontaneous reports.

    PubMed

    Cazacu, Irina; Miremont-Salamé, Ghada; Mogosan, Cristina; Fourrier-Réglat, Annie; Loghin, Felicia; Haramburu, Françoise

    2015-05-01

    The aims of this study were to determine the patterns of analgesic adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and to assess their preventability and contributing factors. This is a retrospective, descriptive study conducted on ADRs of analgesics and other drugs indicated as analgesics, spontaneously reported to the Bordeaux pharmacovigilance center from January 2011 to June 2012. The 141 cases selected for the analysis included 16 cases of medication errors (11.3%) and 15 addiction cases (10.6%). In total, 214 ADRs were registered, for which 173 analgesic medicines were suspected. The most frequent ADRs reported were nervous system disorders (26.6%), psychiatric disorders (15.0%), and skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders (12.1%). Tramadol alone or in combination (17.3%), followed by morphine (15%), fentanyl (9.8%), and paracetamol (8.7%) were the most frequently involved analgesics. More than half of the cases (54.6%) were serious and led to hospitalization or prolonged hospitalization. Preventability was determined for 134 cases (95%): 51.5% were considered as preventable, 26.1% not preventable, and 22.4% not assessable. The main contributing factors for the preventable cases included negligence of recommendations for analgesic use and failure to consider patients' risk factors when prescribing. A significant number of analgesic ADRs could be prevented, and being aware of their contributing factors promotes efficient analgesia with minimum risks to the patients.

  13. When "Happy" Means "Sad": Neuropsychological Evidence for the Right Prefrontal Cortex Contribution to Executive Semantic Processing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samson, Dana; Connolly, Catherine; Humphreys, Glyn W.

    2007-01-01

    The contribution of the left inferior prefrontal cortex in semantic processing has been widely investigated in the last decade. Converging evidence from functional imaging studies shows that this region is involved in the "executive" or "controlled" aspects of semantic processing. In this study, we report a single case study of a patient, PW, with…

  14. Job and industry classifications associated with sarcoidosis in A Case-Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis (ACCESS).

    PubMed

    Barnard, Juliana; Rose, Cecile; Newman, Lee; Canner, Martha; Martyny, John; McCammon, Chuck; Bresnitz, Eddy; Rossman, Milt; Thompson, Bruce; Rybicki, Benjamin; Weinberger, Steven E; Moller, David R; McLennan, Geoffrey; Hunninghake, Gary; DePalo, Louis; Baughman, Robert P; Iannuzzi, Michael C; Judson, Marc A; Knatterud, Genell L; Teirstein, Alvin S; Yeager, Henry; Johns, Carol J; Rabin, David L; Cherniack, Reuben

    2005-03-01

    To determine whether specific occupations and industries may be associated with sarcoidosis. A Case Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis (ACCESS) obtained occupational and environmental histories on 706 newly diagnosed sarcoidosis cases and matched controls. We used Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to assess occupational contributions to sarcoidosis risk. Univariable analysis identified elevated risk of sarcoidosis for workers with industrial organic dust exposures, especially in Caucasian workers. Workers for suppliers of building materials, hardware, and gardening materials were at an increased risk of sarcoidosis as were educators. Work providing childcare was negatively associated with sarcoidosis risk. Jobs with metal dust or metal fume exposures were negatively associated with sarcoidosis risk, especially in Caucasian workers. In this study, we found that exposures in particular occupational settings may contribute to sarcoidosis risk.

  15. Structures of Technological Education and Contributing Social Factors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fishwick, Wilfred, Ed.

    This book presents five case studies on the development of post-secondary engineering education in Canada, Japan, Venezuela, Pakistan, and Scotland. An introduction to the case studies take a long, historical and sociological look at the development of technical education and in particular reviews the industrial revolution and education, and the…

  16. Chinese International Students' Decision-Making Perspectives: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, David

    2017-01-01

    Unprecedented rapidity of change occurring throughout the higher education sector linked to student mobility driven globalization momentum reinforces the benefits of attracting and cultivating the strongest students to contribute diversity of thought to learning environments. The purpose of this case study was to explore multiple perspectives of…

  17. How School Librarians Can Contribute to the Personal Growth of Students with Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Janet

    2000-01-01

    Discusses building self-esteem and confidence of disabled students through school library programs, based on Australian case studies. Topics include validity and reliability of case studies; the influence of teacher attitudes on student attitudes toward the disabled; physical accessibility; information literacy; information technology use; and…

  18. Collaborative Design of World Wide Web Pages: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrew, Paige G; Musser, Linda R.

    1997-01-01

    This case study of the collaborative design of an earth science World Wide Web page at Pennsylvania State University highlights the role of librarians. Discusses the original Web site and links, planning, the intended audience, and redesign and recommended changes; and considers the potential contributions of librarians. (LRW)

  19. Site-Based Leadership: Extrapolating from Small Business to Charter Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arbisi Little, Joan

    2012-01-01

    Using a participant-observer perspective, this comparative case study sought to identify similarities between business and education to contribute to charter school training, leadership development, and school reform. This inquiry is a qualitative comparative case study using a participant observer perspective presented in a scholarly personal…

  20. The President and the Intelligence Community: The Importance of the Relationship

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-12-01

    intelligence failures. Case studies are used to establish the character of the relationships between Presidents John F. Kennedy, George H. W. Bush, and...contribute to a working relationship strong enough to mitigate the risk of intelligence failures. Case studies are used to establish the character of...the president’s relationship with the IC as a whole?2 Then, through case study analysis, asks does a positive working relationship between the

  1. Environmental Factors Contributing to Wrongdoing in Medicine: A Criterion-Based Review of Studies and Cases

    PubMed Central

    DuBois, James M.; Carroll, Kelly; Gibb, Tyler; Kraus, Elena; Rubbelke, Timothy; Vasher, Meghan; Anderson, Emily E.

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we describe our approach to understanding wrongdoing in medical research and practice, which involves the statistical analysis of coded data from a large set of published cases. We focus on understanding the environmental factors that predict the kind and the severity of wrongdoing in medicine. Through review of empirical and theoretical literature, consultation with experts, the application of criminological theory, and ongoing analysis of our first 60 cases, we hypothesize that 10 contextual features of the medical environment (including financial rewards, oversight failures, and patients belonging to vulnerable groups) may contribute to professional wrongdoing. We define each variable, examine data supporting our hypothesis, and present a brief case synopsis from our study that illustrates the potential influence of the variable. Finally, we discuss limitations of the resulting framework and directions for future research. PMID:23226933

  2. An audit of the contribution to post-mortem examination diagnosis of individual analyte results obtained from biochemical analysis of the vitreous.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Rebecca; Charlwood, Cheryl; Thomas, Sunethra Devika; Bellis, Maria; Langlois, Neil E I

    2013-12-01

    Biochemical analysis of the vitreous humor from the eye is an accepted accessory test for post-mortem investigation of cause of death. Modern biochemical analyzers allow testing of a range of analytes from a sample. However, it is not clear which analytes should be requested in order to prevent unnecessary testing (and expense). The means and standard deviation of the values obtained from analysis of the vitreous humor for sodium, potassium, chloride, osmolality, glucose, ketones (β-hydroxybutyrate), creatinine, urea, calcium, lactate, and ammonia were calculated from which the contribution of each analyte was reviewed in the context of post-mortem findings and final cause of death. For sodium 32 cases were regarded as high (more than one standard deviation above the mean), from which 9 contributed to post-mortem diagnosis [drowning (4), heat related death (2), diabetic hyperglycemia (2), and dehydration (1)], but 25 low values (greater than one standard deviation below the mean) made no contribution. For chloride 29 high values contributed to 4 cases--3 drowning and 1 heat-related, but these were all previously identified by a high sodium level. There were 29 high and 35 low potassium values, none of which contributed to determining the final cause of death. Of 22 high values of creatinine, 12 contributed to a diagnosis of renal failure. From 32 high values of urea, 18 contributed to 16 cases of renal failure (2 associated with diabetic hyperglycemia), 1 heat-related death, and one case with dehydration. Osmolarity contributed to 12 cases (5 heat-related, 4 diabetes, 2 renal failure, and 1 dehydration) from 36 high values. There was no contribution from 32 high values and 19 low values of calcium and there was no contribution from 4 high and 2 low values of ammonia. There were 11 high values of glucose, which contributed to the diagnosis of 6 cases of diabetic hyperglycemia and 21 high ketone levels contributed to 8 cases: 4 diabetic ketosis, 3 hypothermia, 3 ketosis of unknown cause, and 2 alcohol related deaths. A high lactate was identified in 25 cases, which contributed to 1 case with a diagnosis of metformin toxicity (1), but none of the 22 low lactate values contributed. The results of this audit have been used to reduce vitreous biochemistry test requests for sodium, osmolality, glucose, ketones, urea, and creatinine in most cases. Critical appraisal of each part of the post-mortem process should be undertaken to provide evidence to justify any investigative methods used in an autopsy.

  3. Bulk viscosity of molecular fluids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jaeger, Frederike; Matar, Omar K.; Müller, Erich A.

    2018-05-01

    The bulk viscosity of molecular models of gases and liquids is determined by molecular simulations as a combination of a dilute gas contribution, arising due to the relaxation of internal degrees of freedom, and a configurational contribution, due to the presence of intermolecular interactions. The dilute gas contribution is evaluated using experimental data for the relaxation times of vibrational and rotational degrees of freedom. The configurational part is calculated using Green-Kubo relations for the fluctuations of the pressure tensor obtained from equilibrium microcanonical molecular dynamics simulations. As a benchmark, the Lennard-Jones fluid is studied. Both atomistic and coarse-grained force fields for water, CO2, and n-decane are considered and tested for their accuracy, and where possible, compared to experimental data. The dilute gas contribution to the bulk viscosity is seen to be significant only in the cases when intramolecular relaxation times are in the μs range, and for low vibrational wave numbers (<1000 cm-1); This explains the abnormally high values of bulk viscosity reported for CO2. In all other cases studied, the dilute gas contribution is negligible and the configurational contribution dominates the overall behavior. In particular, the configurational term is responsible for the enhancement of the bulk viscosity near the critical point.

  4. Interfaith Dialogue at Peace Museums in Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gachanga, Timothy; Mutisya, Munuve

    2015-01-01

    This paper makes a case for further studies on the contribution of peace museums to interfaith dialogue debate. Based on our experiences as museum curators, teachers and peace researchers and a review of published materials, we argue that there is a lacuna in the study on the contribution of peace museums to the interfaith dialogue debate. The…

  5. "Bad Days Don't Kill You; They Just Make You Stronger": A Case Study of an Early Childhood Educator's Resilience.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sumsion, Jennifer

    This case study used in-depth conversational interviews and careful reading of a professional portfolio to explore the basis of one early childhood educator's resilience. The study uncovered influences contributing to her resilience and enabling her to thrive professionally despite difficult circumstances. These influences are: (1) personal…

  6. A Case Study of Change Strategies Implemented in a Turnaround Elementary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colson, Jo Ann

    2012-01-01

    This case study examined the change strategies in a turnaround school at the elementary level to understand and describe how change occurred and was sustained at this campus. This study examined the factors which contributed to the change in academic success of students, examined beliefs about change that led to the change process, identified the…

  7. Peasant Identity: Contributions towards a Rural Psychology from an Argentinean Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landini, Fernando

    2012-01-01

    Within the field of psychology, little attention has been paid to studying the identity of rural people, in particular the peasantry. To explore this issue, a case study was undertaken in a community located in Argentina. The research identified three different dimensions of peasants' identity. The first one, positive identity, is based on…

  8. 77 FR 24962 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-26

    ... funding resources have decreased. This study will use case study methods to identify and examine factors.... Interviews will be conducted over a period of two and a half months. The proposed study will assess factors that may contribute to the rise in ADAP enrollment and costs such as new HIV cases, earlier use of...

  9. Identity Formation of LBOTE Preservice Teachers during the Practicum: A Case Study in Australia in an Urban High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai; Sheridan, Lynn

    2016-01-01

    This study captures the experiences of language background other than English (LBOTE) preservice teachers using a case study approach to explore identity development. Wenger's (2000) "modes of belonging" form the theoretical framework to develop an understanding of the factors contributing to teacher identity. This article draws on…

  10. Single-Parents' Persistence in Pursuit of Higher Education: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Poindexter, Beryle Jean

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study is an exploratory study to examine what contributes to the failure of the persistence of non-residential single-parents pursuing a college degree. The participants of this study included ten non-residential single-parent students between the ages of 21 and 50. The site of the interviews was in the…

  11. Engagement of public and private medical facilities in tuberculosis care in Myanmar: contributions and trends over an eight-year period.

    PubMed

    Nwe, Thin Thin; Saw, Saw; Le Win, Le; Mon, Myo Myo; van Griensven, Johan; Zhou, Shuisen; Chinnakali, Palanivel; Shah, Safieh; Thein, Saw; Aung, Si Thu

    2017-09-01

    As part of the WHO End TB strategy, national tuberculosis (TB) programs increasingly aim to engage all private and public TB care providers. Engagement of communities, civil society organizations and public and private care provider is the second pillar of the End TB strategy. In Myanmar, this entails the public-public and public-private mix (PPM) approach. The public-public mix refers to public hospital TB services, with reporting to the national TB program (NTP). The public-private mix refers to private general practitioners providing TB services including TB diagnosis, treatment and reporting to NTP. The aim of this study was to assess whether PPM activities can be scaled-up nationally and can be sustained over time. Using 2007-2014 aggregated program data, we collected information from NTP and non-NTP actors on 1) the number of TB cases detected and their relative contribution to the national case load; 2) the type of TB cases detected; 3) their treatment outcomes. The total number of TB cases detected per year nationally increased from 133,547 in 2007 to 142,587 in 2014. The contribution of private practitioners increased from 11% in 2007 to 18% in 2014, and from 1.8% to 4.6% for public hospitals. The NTP contribution decreased from 87% in 2007 to 77% in 2014. A similar pattern was seen in the number of new smear (+) TB cases (31% of all TB cases) and retreatment cases, which represented 7.8% of all TB cases. For new smear (+) TB cases, adverse outcomes were more common in public hospitals, with more patients dying, lost to follow up or not having their treatment outcome evaluated. Patients treated by private practitioners were more frequently lost to follow up (8%). Adverse treatment outcomes in retreatment cases were particularly common (59%) in public hospitals for various reasons, predominantly due to patients dying (26%) or not being evaluated (10%). In private clinics, treatment failure tended to be more common (8%). The contribution of non-NTP actors to TB detection at the national level increased over time, with the largest contribution by private practitioners involved in PPM. Treatment outcomes were fair. Our findings confirm the role of PPM in national TB programs. To achieve the End TB targets, further expansion of PPM to engage all public and private medical facilities should be targeted.

  12. Introducing Case-Based Peer-Assisted Learning in a Professional Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodgson, Yvonne; Brack, Charlotte; Benson, Robyn

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes students' experience of participating in a case-based peer-assisted learning (PAL) program in order to examine whether the approach is pedagogically effective and likely to contribute to students' professional development. It presents the findings of a study which examined the integration of PAL and case-based learning (CBL)…

  13. Training to Improve New Product Sales Performance: The Case of Samsung in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fu, Frank Q.; Yi, Hong; Zhai, Nanji

    2013-01-01

    The authors report a case study conducted with over 8,000 Samsung salespeople in the Chinese market. Using research-oriented, evidence-based, and systematic approaches, training professionals contributed to Samsung's business outcomes at multiple levels. The case highlights the valuable impacts of training on salespeople's behaviors and new…

  14. Genetic Contribution to Non-Squamous, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Non-Smokers.

    PubMed

    Carr, Shamus R; Akerley, Wallace; Cannon-Albright, Lisa

    2018-04-04

    Lung carcinogenesis is strongly influenced by environmental and heritable factors. The genetic contribution to the different histologies is unknown. A population-based computerized genealogy resource linked to a statewide cancer registry of lung cancer cases (n=5408) was analyzed to evaluate the heritable contribution to lung cancer histology in smoking (n=1751) and non-smoking cases (n=818). Statistical methods were used to test for significant excess relatedness of lung cancer cases. Significant excess distant relatedness was observed for all lung cancer histology subgroups analyzed except the small cell lung cancer subset (p=0.213). When smoking and non-smoking histologic subsets of lung cancer were considered, excess relatedness was observed only in non-smoking NSCLC (n=653; p=0.026) and, particularly, in those non-smokers with non-squamous histology (n=561; p=0.036). Sixty one pedigrees were identified which demonstrated a significant excess risk of non-smoking, non-squamous lung cancer cases; and an excess of female cases was observed among the cases in these high-risk pedigrees. This analysis supports a genetic predisposition to lung cancer carcinogenesis in non-smoking, non-squamous NSCLC cases. Copyright © 2018 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Authorship versus "credit" for participation in research: a case study of potential ethical dilemmas created by technical tools used by researchers and claims for authorship by their creators.

    PubMed

    Welker, James A; McCue, Jack D

    2007-01-01

    The distinction between authorship and other forms of credit for contribution to a publication has been a persisting controversy that has resulted in numerous guidelines outlining the expected contributions of those claiming authorship. While there have been flagrant, well-publicized deviations from widely accepted standards, they are largely outnumbered by cases that are not publicity-worthy, and therefore remain known to only those directly involved with the inappropriate conduct. We discuss the definition and ethical requirements of authorship, offer a case example of the authorship debate created by a technical tool at our institution, and review parallels that support and dispute the authorship claims of our software developers. Ultimately, we conclude that development of a technical tool that enables data collection does not adequately substitute for contributions to study design and manuscript preparation for authorship purposes. Unless the designers of such a technical tool prospectively participate as a part of the project, they would not have an adequate understanding of the publication's genesis to defend it publicly and cannot be listed as authors. Therefore, it is incumbent upon project members to invite tool developers to participate at the beginning of such projects, and for tool developers to contribute to study design and manuscript preparation when they desire authorship listings.

  16. Changing the Library Brand: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wynne, Ben; Dixon, Simon; Donohue, Neil; Rowlands, Ian

    2016-01-01

    This article outlines some of the opportunities and challenges of changing what the library "brand" means to academic and professional services staff in the rapidly changing environment of UK higher education, taking the University of Leicester as a case study. It makes a practitioner contribution to the growing body of evidence of how…

  17. Adult Education in Development. Methods and Approaches from Changing Societies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGivney, Veronica; Murray, Frances

    The case studies described in this book provide examples of initiatives illustrating the role of adult education in development and its contribution to the process of change in developing countries. The book is organized in five sections. Case studies in Part 1, "Health Education," illustrate the links between primary health care and…

  18. Building a Faculty Publications Database: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tabaei, Sara; Schaffer, Yitzchak; McMurray, Gregory; Simon, Bashe

    2013-01-01

    This case study shares the experience of building an in-house faculty publications database that was spearheaded by the Touro College and University System library in 2010. The project began with the intention of contributing to the college by collecting the research accomplishments of our faculty and staff, thereby also increasing library…

  19. Compassion: A Qualitative Instrumental Case Study on Student Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shedletsky, Nikki

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative case study examined the past and current student retention literature and research in order to fill voids in the literature and knowledge and contribute to increasing retention of more students by understanding Spalding University's culture and how they make it work to serve students. Data was collected from surveys, interviews…

  20. A new contribution to the study of 22 trisomy.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Castillo, A; Abrisqueta, J A; Martin-Lucas, M A; Goday, C; Del Mazo, J; Aller, V

    1975-09-20

    The case of a 2 1/2-month-old male child with intrauterine distrophy features and multiple congenital malformations is presented. Cytogenetic studies of the child and his parents, completed with Q- and G-banding techniques led us to conclude that it is a case of 22 trisomy inherited from his mother.

  1. Research impact of systems-level long-term care research: a multiple case study.

    PubMed

    Kothari, Anita; Peter, Nedra; Donskov, Melissa; Luciani, Tracy

    2017-03-21

    Traditional reporting of research outcomes and impacts, which tends to focus on research product publications and grant success, does not capture the value, some contributions, or the complexity of research projects. The purpose of this study was to understand the contributions of five systems-level research projects as they were unfolding at the Bruyère Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation (CLRI) in long-term care (LTC) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The research questions were, (1) How are partnerships with research end-users (policymakers, administrators and other public/private organisations) characterised? (2) How have interactions with the CLRI Management Committee and Steering Committee influenced the development of research products? (3) In what way have other activities, processes, unlinked actors or organisations been influenced by the research project activities? The study was guided by Kok and Schuit's concept of research impacts, using a multiple case study design. Data were collected through focus groups and interviews with research teams, a management and a steering committee, research user partners, and unlinked actors. Documents were collected and analysed for contextual background. Cross-case analysis revealed four major themes: (1) Benefits and Perceived Tensions: Working with Partners; (2) Speaking with the LTC Community: Interactions with the CLRI Steering Committee; (3) The Knowledge Broker: Interactions with the Management Committee; and (4) All Forms of Research Contributions. Most contributions were focused on interactions with networks and stimulating important conversations in the province about LTC issues. These contributions were well-supported by the Steering and Management Committees' research-to-action platform, which can be seen as a type of knowledge brokering model. It was also clear that researcher-user partnerships were beneficial and important.

  2. Identifying socio-environmental factors that facilitate resilience among Canadian palliative family caregivers: a qualitative case study.

    PubMed

    Giesbrecht, Melissa; Wolse, Faye; Crooks, Valorie A; Stajduhar, Kelli

    2015-06-01

    In Canada, friends and family members are becoming increasingly responsible for providing palliative care in the home. This is resulting in some caregivers experiencing high levels of stress and burden that may ultimately surpass their ability to cope. Recent palliative care research has demonstrated the potential for caregiver resilience within such contexts. This research, however, is primarily focused on exploring individual-level factors that contribute to resilience, minimizing the inherent complexity of this concept, and how it is simultaneously influenced by one's social context. Therefore, our study aims to identify socio-environmental factors that contribute to palliative family caregiver resilience in the Canadian homecare context. Drawing on ethnographic fieldnotes and semistructured interviews with family caregivers, care recipients, and homecare nurses, this secondary analysis employs an intersectionality lens and qualitative case study approach to identify socio-environmental factors that facilitate family caregivers' capacity for resilience. Following a case study methodology, two cases are purposely selected for analysis. Findings demonstrate that family caregiver resilience is influenced not only by individual-level factors but also by the social environment, which sets the lived context from which caregiving roles are experienced. Thematic findings of the two case studies revealed six socio-environmental factors that play a role in shaping resilience: access to social networks, education/knowledge/awareness, employment status, housing status, geographic location, and life-course stage. Findings contribute to existing research on caregiver resilience by empirically demonstrating the role of socio-environmental factors in caregiving experiences. Furthermore, utilizing an intersectional approach, these findings build on existing notions that resilience is a multidimensional and complex process influenced by numerous related variables that intersect to create either positive or negative experiences. The implications of the results for optimizing best homecare nursing practice are discussed.

  3. Personality Theory and Psychotherapy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fagan, Joen; And Others

    1974-01-01

    This group of articles discusses various aspects of Gestalt Therapy including its major contributions, role in psychotherapy, and contributions of Gestalt psychology in general. There is some discussion of the philosophical background of Gestalt therapy along with Gestalt theory of emotion. A case study and an annotated bibliography are included…

  4. Contribution of GLC3A locus to Primary Congenital Glaucoma in Pakistani population

    PubMed Central

    Bashir, Rasheeda; Sanai, Mahrukh; Azeem, Adnan; Altaf, Imran; Saleem, Faiza; Naz, Sadaf

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: To check the contribution of GLC3A locus to primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. Methods: We enrolled twenty-nine sporadic cases and three families with multiple individuals affected with recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the year 2013. It was a genetic linkage study accomplished jointly in Department of Biotechnology of Lahore College for Women University and School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore. Samples from all affected individuals were checked for homozygosity for alleles of microsatellite markers spanning CYP1B1 at GLC3A locus. Genotyping was performed with fluorescently labeled primers by capillary electrophoresis. For familial cases, linkage was evaluated by checking the co-segregation of the phenotype with the genotypes. Two-point LOD score was calculated for each microsatellite marker with MLINK. Results: Our study revealed that GLCA3 may contribute to glaucoma in 17% of the sporadic cases and patients in 2 of the 3 families. Conclusions: This data suggests that the GLC3A may make an important contribution to autosomal recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. Genotyping and Sequencing of more families will be helpful to identify the common mutations in CYP1B1 in future. PMID:25674135

  5. The Contribution of Advocacy NGOs in Governance through Cultivating of a Participatory Culture: Case Studies in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Yui Kei; Leung, Yan Wing; Yuen, Timothy Wai Wa

    2016-01-01

    A vibrant civil society, composed of active non-governmental organizations (NGOs), has always been identified as an important factor for "good governance". This paper reports a pilot study using semi-structured interviews to find out the contribution of advocacy NGOs in the governance of Hong Kong. It points out that the NGO's conception…

  6. Patterns of Sophistication and Naivety: Some Features of Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Education. Occasional Paper No. 22.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Erickson, Frederick

    The limits and boundaries of anthropology are briefly discussed, along with a general description of lay attitudes towards the field. A research case is given to illustrate the way in which anthropological study methods can contribute to educational research. Noted among these contributions is an informed distrust that anthropologists exhibit…

  7. Describing an Environment for a Self-Sustaining Technology Transfer Service in a Small Research Budget University: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nieb, Sharon Lynn

    2014-01-01

    This single-site qualitative study sought to identify the characteristics that contribute to the self sustainability of technology transfer services at universities with small research budgets through a case study analysis of a small research budget university that has been operating a financially self-sustainable technology transfer service for…

  8. What Cognitive Science May Learn from Instructional Design: A Case Study in Introductory Computer Programming.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

    The contributions of instructional design to cognitive science are discussed. It is argued that both sciences have their own object of study, but share a common interest in human cognition and performance as part of instructional systems. From a case study based on experience in teaching introductory computer programming, it is concluded that both…

  9. Teaching Excellence and Innovative Practices: A Case Study of National Awardee Teachers of India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sengupta, Aparajita; Tyagi, Harish Kumar

    2016-01-01

    Aim: The study intended to identify the contributions of the National awardee teachers to the teaching learning process through their teaching excellence and innovative practices which can act as exemplary model for the entire teaching community. Method: Attempts has been made to carry out a qualitative study where two selected cases are based on…

  10. The Contribution of HBCUS to the Preparation of African American Women for STEM Careers: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perna, Laura; Lundy-Wagner, Valerie; Drezner, Noah D.; Gasman, Marybeth; Yoon, Susan; Bose, Enakshi; Gary, Shannon

    2009-01-01

    This study uses case study analysis to explore the ways that Spelman College, a historically Black women's college, promotes the attainment of African American women in STEM fields. Although limited to one institution, the findings shed light on the ways that institutional characteristics, policies, and practices may mitigate the barriers that…

  11. Contributing Factors That Affect the Achievement of African-American Females Taught by Caucasian Teachers on the Arkansas Literacy Exam: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Felicia R.

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative intrinsic case study was designed to assist Caucasian educators with the researched academic skills and behaviors to engage African-American females in the learning environment. The study provided strategies and recommendations to promote self-worth, self-motivation, self-efficacy, and morale in African-American females when they…

  12. Thresholds of Knowledge Development in Complex Problem Solving: A Multiple-Case Study of Advanced Learners' Cognitive Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bogard, Treavor; Liu, Min; Chiang, Yueh-hui Vanessa

    2013-01-01

    This multiple-case study examined how advanced learners solved a complex problem, focusing on how their frequency and application of cognitive processes contributed to differences in performance outcomes, and developing a mental model of a problem. Fifteen graduate students with backgrounds related to the problem context participated in the study.…

  13. Manifestation of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Klang Valley, Malaysia: An Autopsy Study

    PubMed Central

    Rahimi, Razuin; Singh, Mansharan Kaur Chainchel; Noor, Norizal Mohd; Omar, Effat; Noor, Shahidan Md; Mahmood, Mohd Shah; Abdullah, Nurliza; Nawawi, Hapizah Mohd

    2018-01-01

    Aims: The present study aimed to determine the epidemiological aspects of medico-legal autopsies and manifestation of coronary atherosclerosis. Methods: This was a cross sectional study involving 222 cases recruited from National Institute of Forensic Medicine (NIFM) Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and Department of Forensic Medicine Hospital Sungai Buloh (HSgB) for a period of 15 months, from December 2012 to April 2014. Sociodemographic and autopsy findings, including the cause and manner of death were documented. Results: Male and female subjects aged 18–70 years were recruited. Males contributed to 86% of the total subjects and comprised 61% of young adults. Road traffic accidents were the primary cause of death, contributing almost 50% of the subjects. One third of the cases comprised of death due to natural causes, wherein almost 75% of the subjects within this category succumbed to sudden cardiac death. Coronary artery disease (CAD) contributed to 60% of the sudden cardiac death (SCD). Single and double-vessel diseases were the most common pattern of atherosclerosis. In almost 80% of CAD cases, atherosclerosis affected the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Conclusion: Cardiovascular diseases were the most significant natural cause of sudden death with a staggering figure of 75%. CAD was the single most commonly encountered pathology within the SCD. Most cases presented with single and double-vessel diseases, observed in all subjects, as well as the young adult population. PMID:29118310

  14. Estimating the economic impacts of ecosystem restoration—Methods and case studies

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cullinane Thomas, Catherine; Huber, Christopher; Skrabis, Kristin; Sidon, Joshua

    2016-04-05

    This analysis estimates the economic impacts of a wide variety of ecosystem restoration projects associated with U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) lands and programs. Specifically, the report provides estimated economic impacts for 21 DOI restoration projects associated with Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration cases and Bureau of Land Management lands. The study indicates that ecosystem restoration projects provide meaningful economic contributions to local economies and to broader regional and national economies, and, based on the case studies, we estimate that between 13 and 32 job-years4 and between $2.2 and $3.4 million in total economic output5 are contributed to the U.S. economy for every $1 million invested in ecosystem restoration. These results highlight the magnitude and variability in the economic impacts associated with ecosystem restoration projects and demonstrate how investments in ecosystem restoration support jobs and livelihoods, small businesses, and rural economies. In addition to providing improved information on the economic impacts of restoration, the case studies included with this report highlight DOI restoration efforts and tell personalized stories about each project and the communities that are positively affected by restoration activities. Individual case studies are provided in appendix 1 of this report and are available from an online database at https://www.fort.usgs.gov/economic-impacts-restoration.

  15. A Picture of Burnout: Case Studies and Solutions Toward Improving Radiologists' Well-being.

    PubMed

    Restauri, Nicole; Flug, Jonathan A; Mcarthur, Tatum A

    This article uses case fictional case vignettes as a vehicle to discuss the complex way organizational and individual factors contribute to physician burnout. The article incorporates a review of the current literature on physician burnout focusing on work place inefficiency and ineffective leadership. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Maternal Reports of Home Literacy Experiences in Multilingual Mauritius: A Case Study of Pre-Schoolers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Auleear Owodally, Ambarin Mooznah

    2014-01-01

    While the extant literature has highlighted the important contribution of home literacy experiences to early literacy development, limited research has been carried out among children living in postcolonial contexts, where there is a mismatch between the home and school language. Such is the case of Mauritius. The present exploratory case study…

  17. "It's All Connected!" Nursing Students' Experiences of a New Form of Case Seminar Integrating Medical and Nursing Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turunen Olsson, Pernilla; Weurlander, Maria; Mattiasson, Anne-Cathrine; Wärn Hede, Gunnel; Panagiotidis, Georgios; Broberger, Eva; Hult, Håkan; Wernerson, Annika

    2016-01-01

    Traditionally, nursing students learn medical subjects and nursing separately, which makes it difficult to develop an integrated understanding. This study aimed to explore nursing students' experiences of participating in a case seminar integrating medical and nursing sciences and if, and how, it contributed to their learning. A case seminar…

  18. Parental Dermatoglyphics in Down's Syndrome. A Ten-year Study

    PubMed Central

    Priest, J. H.; Verhulst, C.; Sirkin, S.

    1973-01-01

    Fathers and mothers of Down's syndrome cases show dermal microsymptoms when a large series of parents are compared to the general population. A Walker dermal index score in the overlap range (-2·99 to +3·00) is more likely to occur in fathers of age-dependent Down's syndrome cases (mean paternal age 40, range 25 to 54 years) and in Down's syndrome mothers than in the general population. The relative risk for these fathers to have a dermal index in the overlap range is two times the risk for male controls; the corresponding risk for mothers of Down's syndrome cases is 1·6 times that for female controls. Thus a score in the overlap range may be used to indicate a group of parents at higher risk for recurrence and occurrence of trisomy 21 offspring. This higher risk parent group can be offered cytogenetic studies, including amniocentesis and chromosome analysis on peripheral blood and skin, as dictated by clinical circumstances. From a comparison of dermal indexes in these studies, the contribution of maternal mosaicism to all cases of Down's syndrome is estimated to be about 11% and the contribution of paternal mosaicism about 8%. The contribution from mosaicism in the father but not in the mother appears to increase with parental age. To confirm these estimates, more parents with trisomy 21 mosaicism and trisomy 21 offspring must be diagnosed and studied quantitatively for dermal microsymptoms. PMID:4272738

  19. Factors influencing voting results of local transportation funding initiatives with a substantial transit component : case studies of ballot measures in eleven communities

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-10-01

    This research project seeks to identify factors contributing to the success, as well as those contributing to the failure, of local transportation ballot measures with a substantial passenger rail component. More specifically, the focus is on actiona...

  20. Professional Staff Contributions to Positive Student Outcomes: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Carroll

    2013-01-01

    Although professional staff comprise more than half the Australian higher education workforce, typically research has concentrated on the work of academic staff. Professional staff are increasingly researching the working lives of professional staff, adding to the understanding of the work of professional staff and the contributions they make…

  1. Procedural Portfolio Planning in Plastic Surgery, Part 2: Collaboration Between Surgeons and Hospital Administrators to Develop a Funds Flow Model for Procedures Performed at an Academic Medical Center.

    PubMed

    Hultman, Charles Scott

    2016-06-01

    Although plastic surgeons make important contributions to the clinical, educational, and research missions of academic medical centers (AMCs), determining the financial value of a plastic surgery service can be difficult, due to complex cost accounting systems. We analyzed the financial impact of plastic surgery on an AMC, by examining the contribution margins and operating income of surgical procedures. We collaborated with hospital administrators to implement 3 types of strategic changes: (1) growth of areas with high contribution margin, (2) curtailment of high-risk procedures with negative contribution margin, (3) improved efficiency of mission-critical services with high resource consumption. Outcome measures included: facility charges, hospital collections, contribution margin, operating margin, and operating room times. We also studied the top 50 Current Procedural Terminology codes (total case number × charge/case), ranking procedures for profitability, as determined by operating margin. During the 2-year study period, we had no turnover in faculty; did not pursue any formal marketing; did not change our surgical fees, billing system, or payer mix; and maintained our commitment to indigent care. After rebalancing our case mix, through procedural portfolio planning, average hospital operating income/procedure increased from $-79 to $+816. Volume and diversity of cases increased, with no change in payer mix. Although charges/case decreased, both contribution margin and operating margin increased, due to improved throughput and decreased operating room times. The 5 most profitable procedures for the hospital were hernia repair, mandibular osteotomy, hand skin graft, free fibula flap, and head and neck flap, whereas the 5 least profitable were latissimus breast reconstruction, craniosynostosis repair, free-flap breast reconstruction, trunk skin graft, and cutaneous free flap. Total operating income for the hospital, from plastic surgery procedures, increased from $-115,103 to $+1,277,040, of which $350,000 (25%) was returned to the practice plan as enterprise funds to support program development. Through focused strategic initiatives, plastic surgeons and hospital administrators can work together to unlock the latent value of a plastic surgery service to an AMC. Specific financial benefits to the hospital include increased contribution margin and operating income, the latter of which can be reinvested in the plastic surgery service through a gain-sharing model.

  2. Association analysis of 9,560 prostate cancer cases from the International Consortium of Prostate Cancer Genetics confirms the role of reported prostate-cancer associated SNPs for familial disease

    PubMed Central

    Teerlink, Craig C.; Thibodeau, Stephen N.; McDonnell, Shannon K.; Schaid, Daniel J.; Rinckleb, Antje; Maier, Christiane; Vogel, Walther; Cancel-Tassin, Geraldine; Egrot, Christophe; Cussenot, Olivier; Foulkes, William D.; Giles, Graham G.; Hopper, John L.; Severi, Gianluca; Eeles, Ros; Easton, Douglas; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Guy, Michelle; Cooney, Kathleen A.; Ray, Anna M.; Zuhlke, Kimberly A.; Lange, Ethan M.; FitzGerald, Liesel M.; Stanford, Janet L.; Ostrander, Elaine A.; Wiley, Kathleen E.; Isaacs, Sarah D.; Walsh, Patrick C.; Isaacs, William B.; Wahlfors, Tiina; Tammela, Teuvo; Schleutker, Johanna; Wiklund, Fredrik; Grönberg, Henrik; Emanuelsson, Monica; Carpten, John; Bailey-Wilson, Joan; Whittemore, Alice S.; Oakley-Girvan, Ingrid; Hsieh, Chih-Lin; Catalona, William J.; Zheng, S. Lilly; Jin, Guangfu; Lu, Lingyi; Xu, Jianfeng; Camp, Nicola J.; Cannon-Albright, Lisa A.

    2013-01-01

    Previous GWAS studies have reported significant associations between various common SNPs and prostate cancer risk using cases unselected for family history. How these variants influence risk in familial prostate cancer is not well studied. Here, we analyzed 25 previously reported SNPs across 14 loci from prior prostate cancer GWAS. The International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG) previously validated some of these using a family-based association method (FBAT). However, this approach suffered reduced power due to the conditional statistics implemented in FBAT. Here, we use a case-control design with an empirical analysis strategy to analyze the ICPCG resource for association between these 25 SNPs and familial prostate cancer risk. Fourteen sites contributed 12,506 samples (9,560 prostate cancer cases, 3,368 with aggressive disease, and 2,946 controls from 2,283 pedigrees). We performed association analysis with Genie software which accounts for relationships. We analyzed all familial prostate cancer cases and the subset of aggressive cases. For the familial prostate cancer phenotype, 20 of the 25 SNPs were at least nominally associated with prostate cancer and 16 remained significant after multiple testing correction (p≤1E−3) occurring on chromosomal bands 6q25, 7p15, 8q24, 10q11, 11q13, 17q12, 17q24, and Xp11. For aggressive disease, 16 of the SNPs had at least nominal evidence and 8 were statistically significant including 2p15. The results indicate that the majority of common, low-risk alleles identified in GWAS studies for all prostate cancer also contribute risk for familial prostate cancer, and that some may be contribute risk to aggressive disease. PMID:24162621

  3. Resource Communication Technology and Marketing of Textile Products: A U.S. Textile Industry Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baah, Anthony

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the qualitative positivistic case study was to explore whether resource communication technology has helped or would help the marketing of textile products in the U.S. textile industry. The contributions of human capital in the marketing department, the marketing-demand information system function, and the product supply chain…

  4. Student Learning through Participation in Inquiry Activities: Two Case Studies in Teacher and Computer Engineering Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Damsa, Crina I.; Nerland, Monika

    2016-01-01

    The two case studies reported in this article contribute to a better understanding of how inquiry tasks and activities are employed as resourceful means for learning in higher professional education. An observation-based approach was used to explore characteristics of and challenges in students' participation in collaborative inquiry activities in…

  5. John Flynn Scholarship Students: Case Studies of Useful Contributions to Remote Health Care.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mak, Donna; Plant, Aileen J.

    2001-01-01

    To recruit doctors to rural areas, an Australian scholarship program enables undergraduate medical students to spend 2 weeks each year for 4 years at the same rural location. Case studies illustrate how four such students' participation in trichiasis and diabetic retinopathy screening benefitted the Aboriginal communities in which they worked and…

  6. Exploring Predictors of Graduate School and Career Success: A Case Study in Sport Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LeCrom, Carrie; Rufer, Lisa; Slavich, Mark; Dwyer, Brendan; Greenhalgh, Gregory

    2016-01-01

    The following case study attempted to assess what factors contribute to graduate school and early-career success among sport management graduate students. As faculty members charged with admitting the next generation of leaders in the sport industry, how should admissions decisions be made and what factors should be considered? The authors…

  7. Case Study Analysis of the Effect of Contextual Supports and Barriers on African American Students' Persistence in Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montgomery, Lisa

    2009-01-01

    Using case study methodology (Stake, 2006), this research examined the environmental influences, or contextual supports and barriers, that were most influential in contributing to African American students' persistence in an engineering major. Social cognitive career theory provides the framework for understanding the role of contextual supports…

  8. Success Despite Socioeconomics: A Case Study of a High-Achieving, High-Poverty School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tilley, Thomas Brent; Smith, Samuel J.; Claxton, Russell L.

    2012-01-01

    This case study of a high-achieving, high-poverty school describes the school's leadership, culture, and programs that contributed to its success. Data were collected from two surveys (the School Culture Survey and the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education), observations at the school site, and interviews with school personnel. The…

  9. The Contributions of Digital Communications Technology to Human Rights Education: A Case Study of Amnesty International

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norlander, Rebecca Joy

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation addresses the need for critical assessment and evaluation of human rights education (HRE) programs and activities, especially newer initiatives that incorporate the use of digital information and communications technology (ICT). It provides an in-depth case study of the use of digital ICT in Amnesty International's HRE efforts,…

  10. Holocaust Education: Analysis of Curricula and Frameworks: A Case Study of Illinois

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ragland, Rachel G.; Rosenstein, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    This article addresses how far educational institutions have come in designing authentic and meaningful curricula for teaching the Holocaust at the secondary level. Examined in this article are the historical development of Holocaust education in the United States, with a focus on the state of Illinois as a case study, what contributes to the…

  11. Proof of Economic Viability of Blended Learning Business Models

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Druhmann, Carsten; Hohenberg, Gregor

    2014-01-01

    The discussion on economically sustainable business models with respect to information technology is lacking in many aspects of proven approaches. In the following contribution the economic viability is valued based on a procedural model for design and evaluation of e-learning business models in the form of a case study. As a case study object a…

  12. Successful and Sustained Leadership: A Case Study of a Jesuit High School President

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    García-Tuñón, Guillermo M.; Cistone, Peter J.; Reio, Thomas G., Jr.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to examine the factors and elements that contributed to the success and longevity of an exemplary Jesuit high school leader. Through an exemplary case study approach, qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Instead of merely employing one of two leadership frames, the convergent evidence suggested that…

  13. 78 FR 16681 - International Conference on Harmonisation; Proposed Change to Rodent Carcinogenicity Testing of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-18

    ... investigational pharmaceutical under study, guided by the WOE approach described in Appendix 1 of this document.... However, if conducted on a case-by-case basis, a transgenic mouse carcinogenicity study can contribute to... potential change is to introduce a more comprehensive and integrated approach to address the risk of human...

  14. Academic Integrity, Remix Culture, Globalization: A Canadian Case Study of Student and Faculty Perceptions of Plagiarism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans-Tokaryk, Tyler

    2014-01-01

    This article presents the results of a case study at a Canadian university that used a combination of surveys and focus groups to explore faculty members' and students' perceptions of plagiarism. The research suggests that the globalization of education and remix culture have contributed to competing and contradictory understandings of plagiarism…

  15. Sustaining Environmental Pedagogy in Times of Educational Conservatism: A Case Study of Integrated Curriculum Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharpe, Erin; Breunig, Mary

    2009-01-01

    Although the global call for environmental education is persistent, on a local or regional level, this call can be confronted by educational policies that drive environmental education out of the curriculum. This paper reports on a qualitative case study of the factors contributing to the sustainability of three teacher-driven integrated…

  16. The generic danger and the idiosyncratic support

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Temme, Arnaud; Nijp, Jelmer; van der Meij, Marijn; Samia, Jalal; Masselink, Rens

    2016-04-01

    This contribution argues two main points. First, that generic landscapes used in some modelling studies sometimes have properties or cause simulation results that are unrealistic. Such initially flat or straight-sloped landscapes, sometimes with minor random perturbations, e.g. form the backdrop for ecological simulations of vegetation growth and competition that predict catastrophic shifts. Exploratory results for semi-arid systems suggest that the results based on these generic landscapes are end-members from a distribution of results, rather than an unbiased, typical outcome. Apparently, the desire to avoid idiosyncrasy has unintended consequences. Second, we argue and illustrate that in fact new insights often come from close inspection of idiosyncratic case studies. Our examples from landslide systems, connectivity and soil formation show how a central role for the case study - either in empirical work or to provide model targets - has advanced our understanding. Both points contribute to the conclusion that it is dangerous to forget about annoying, small-scale, idiosyncratic and, indeed, perhaps bad-ass case studies in Earth Sciences.

  17. SOMWeb: a semantic web-based system for supporting collaboration of distributed medical communities of practice.

    PubMed

    Falkman, Göran; Gustafsson, Marie; Jontell, Mats; Torgersson, Olof

    2008-08-26

    Information technology (IT) support for remote collaboration of geographically distributed communities of practice (CoP) in health care must deal with a number of sociotechnical aspects of communication within the community. In the mid-1990s, participants of the Swedish Oral Medicine Network (SOMNet) began discussing patient cases in telephone conferences. The cases were distributed prior to the conferences using PowerPoint and email. For the technical support of online CoP, Semantic Web technologies can potentially fulfill needs of knowledge reuse, data exchange, and reasoning based on ontologies. However, more research is needed on the use of Semantic Web technologies in practice. The objectives of this research were to (1) study the communication of distributed health care professionals in oral medicine; (2) apply Semantic Web technologies to describe community data and oral medicine knowledge; (3) develop an online CoP, Swedish Oral Medicine Web (SOMWeb), centered on user-contributed case descriptions and meetings; and (4) evaluate SOMWeb and study how work practices change with IT support. Based on Java, and using the Web Ontology Language and Resource Description Framework for handling community data and oral medicine knowledge, SOMWeb was developed using a user-centered and iterative approach. For studying the work practices and evaluating the system, a mixed-method approach of interviews, observations, and a questionnaire was used. By May 2008, there were 90 registered users of SOMWeb, 93 cases had been added, and 18 meetings had utilized the system. The introduction of SOMWeb has improved the structure of meetings and their discussions, and a tenfold increase in the number of participants has been observed. Users submit cases to seek advice on diagnosis or treatment, to show an unusual case, or to create discussion. Identified barriers to submitting cases are lack of time, concern about whether the case is interesting enough, and showing gaps in one's own knowledge. Three levels of member participation are discernable: a core group that contributes most cases and most meeting feedback; an active group that participates often but only sometimes contribute cases and feedback; and a large peripheral group that seldom or never contribute cases or feedback. SOMWeb is beneficial for individual clinicians as well as for the SOMNet community. The system provides an opportunity for its members to share both high quality clinical practice knowledge and external evidence related to complex oral medicine cases. The foundation in Semantic Web technologies enables formalization and structuring of case data that can be used for further reasoning and research. Main success factors are the long history of collaboration between different disciplines, the user-centered development approach, the existence of a "champion" within the field, and nontechnical community aspects already being in place.

  18. SOMWeb: A Semantic Web-Based System for Supporting Collaboration of Distributed Medical Communities of Practice

    PubMed Central

    Gustafsson, Marie; Jontell, Mats; Torgersson, Olof

    2008-01-01

    Background Information technology (IT) support for remote collaboration of geographically distributed communities of practice (CoP) in health care must deal with a number of sociotechnical aspects of communication within the community. In the mid-1990s, participants of the Swedish Oral Medicine Network (SOMNet) began discussing patient cases in telephone conferences. The cases were distributed prior to the conferences using PowerPoint and email. For the technical support of online CoP, Semantic Web technologies can potentially fulfill needs of knowledge reuse, data exchange, and reasoning based on ontologies. However, more research is needed on the use of Semantic Web technologies in practice. Objectives The objectives of this research were to (1) study the communication of distributed health care professionals in oral medicine; (2) apply Semantic Web technologies to describe community data and oral medicine knowledge; (3) develop an online CoP, Swedish Oral Medicine Web (SOMWeb), centered on user-contributed case descriptions and meetings; and (4) evaluate SOMWeb and study how work practices change with IT support. Methods Based on Java, and using the Web Ontology Language and Resource Description Framework for handling community data and oral medicine knowledge, SOMWeb was developed using a user-centered and iterative approach. For studying the work practices and evaluating the system, a mixed-method approach of interviews, observations, and a questionnaire was used. Results By May 2008, there were 90 registered users of SOMWeb, 93 cases had been added, and 18 meetings had utilized the system. The introduction of SOMWeb has improved the structure of meetings and their discussions, and a tenfold increase in the number of participants has been observed. Users submit cases to seek advice on diagnosis or treatment, to show an unusual case, or to create discussion. Identified barriers to submitting cases are lack of time, concern about whether the case is interesting enough, and showing gaps in one’s own knowledge. Three levels of member participation are discernable: a core group that contributes most cases and most meeting feedback; an active group that participates often but only sometimes contribute cases and feedback; and a large peripheral group that seldom or never contribute cases or feedback. Conclusions SOMWeb is beneficial for individual clinicians as well as for the SOMNet community. The system provides an opportunity for its members to share both high quality clinical practice knowledge and external evidence related to complex oral medicine cases. The foundation in Semantic Web technologies enables formalization and structuring of case data that can be used for further reasoning and research. Main success factors are the long history of collaboration between different disciplines, the user-centered development approach, the existence of a “champion” within the field, and nontechnical community aspects already being in place. PMID:18725355

  19. [Retrospective study regarding the contribution of Italian nurses to the debate on the Englaro case: between paradigms of catholic and non-religious bioethics].

    PubMed

    Sansoni, Julita; Minnella, Giuseppe; Mitello, Lucia

    2010-01-01

    This study presents the results of a retrospective study evaluating the contribution of Italian nurses to the public debate on the Englaro case, analysing the articles published by two major daily newspapers during a precise period. The data collected testify to the intensity of the debate that involved the whole nation in which many diverse social and professional categories took part. The nursing category was principally represented by the Sisters of Mercy who, at the insistence of the media, gave their own opinion although their role in this context was more as personal assistants to Eluana Englaro rather than representatives of a professional category expressing a bioethical opinion.

  20. Skeletal Maturation and Mineralisation of Children with Moderate to Severe Spastic Quadriplegia.

    PubMed

    Sharawat, Indar Kumar; Sitaraman, Sadasivan

    2016-06-01

    Diminished bone mineral density and delayed skeletal maturation are common in children with spastic quadriplegia. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of children with moderate to severe spastic quadriplegia and its relationship with other variables like nutrition and growth. This was a hospital based, cross- sectional, case-control study. Forty-two (28 males, 14 females) children with spastic quadriplegia and 42 (24 males, 18 females) healthy children were included in the study. BMD of cases and control were measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). Radiographs of left hand and wrist of cases and controls were taken and bone age was determined. BMD values of upper extremity, lower extremity, thoraco-lumbar spine and pelvis in cases were lower than those of controls (p <0.0001). In children with non severe malnutrition, 75% of the cases had lower bone age than chronological age, whereas all cases with severe malnutrition had lower bone age than chronological age. Step wise regression analysis showed that nutritional status independently contributed to lower BMD values but the BMD values did not correlate significantly with the use of anticonvulsant drugs and presence of physical therapy. Decreased BMD and delayed bone age is prevalent in children with spastic quadriplegia and nutritional status is an important contributing factor.

  1. Continuous-Time Public Good Contribution Under Uncertainty: A Stochastic Control Approach

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

    Ferrari, Giorgio, E-mail: giorgio.ferrari@uni-bielefeld.de; Riedel, Frank, E-mail: frank.riedel@uni-bielefeld.de; Steg, Jan-Henrik, E-mail: jsteg@uni-bielefeld.de

    In this paper we study continuous-time stochastic control problems with both monotone and classical controls motivated by the so-called public good contribution problem. That is the problem of n economic agents aiming to maximize their expected utility allocating initial wealth over a given time period between private consumption and irreversible contributions to increase the level of some public good. We investigate the corresponding social planner problem and the case of strategic interaction between the agents, i.e. the public good contribution game. We show existence and uniqueness of the social planner’s optimal policy, we characterize it by necessary and sufficient stochasticmore » Kuhn–Tucker conditions and we provide its expression in terms of the unique optional solution of a stochastic backward equation. Similar stochastic first order conditions prove to be very useful for studying any Nash equilibria of the public good contribution game. In the symmetric case they allow us to prove (qualitative) uniqueness of the Nash equilibrium, which we again construct as the unique optional solution of a stochastic backward equation. We finally also provide a detailed analysis of the so-called free rider effect.« less

  2. Substituting physicians with nurse practitioners, physician assistants or nurses in nursing homes: protocol for a realist evaluation case study

    PubMed Central

    Lovink, Marleen Hermien; Persoon, Anke; van Vught, Anneke JAH; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Koopmans, Raymond TCM; Laurant, Miranda GH

    2017-01-01

    Introduction In developed countries, substituting physicians with nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nurses (physician substitution) occurs in nursing homes as an answer to the challenges related to the ageing population and the shortage of staff, as well as to guarantee the quality of nursing home care. However, there is great diversity in how physician substitution in nursing homes is modelled and it is unknown how it can best contribute to the quality of healthcare. This study aims to gain insight into how physician substitution is modelled and whether it contributes to perceived quality of healthcare. Second, this study aims to provide insight into the elements of physician substitution that contribute to quality of healthcare. Methods and analysis This study will use a multiple-case study design that draws upon realist evaluation principles. The realist evaluation is based on four concepts for explaining and understanding interventions: context, mechanism, outcome and context–mechanism–outcome configuration. The following steps will be taken: (1) developing a theory, (2) conducting seven case studies, (3) analysing outcome patterns after each case and a cross-case analysis at the end and (4) revising the initial theory. Ethics and dissemination The research ethics committee of the region Arnhem Nijmegen in the Netherlands concluded that this study does not fall within the scope of the Dutch Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (WMO) (registration number 2015/1914). Before the start of the study, the Board of Directors of the nursing home organisations will be informed verbally and by letter and will also be asked for informed consent. In addition, all participants will be informed verbally and by letter and will be asked for informed consent. Findings will be disseminated by publication in a peer-reviewed journal, international and national conferences, national professional associations and policy partners in national government. PMID:28600370

  3. Substituting physicians with nurse practitioners, physician assistants or nurses in nursing homes: protocol for a realist evaluation case study.

    PubMed

    Lovink, Marleen Hermien; Persoon, Anke; van Vught, Anneke J A H; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Koopmans, Raymond T C M; Laurant, Miranda G H

    2017-06-08

    In developed countries, substituting physicians with nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nurses (physician substitution) occurs in nursing homes as an answer to the challenges related to the ageing population and the shortage of staff, as well as to guarantee the quality of nursing home care. However, there is great diversity in how physician substitution in nursing homes is modelled and it is unknown how it can best contribute to the quality of healthcare. This study aims to gain insight into how physician substitution is modelled and whether it contributes to perceived quality of healthcare. Second, this study aims to provide insight into the elements of physician substitution that contribute to quality of healthcare. This study will use a multiple-case study design that draws upon realist evaluation principles. The realist evaluation is based on four concepts for explaining and understanding interventions: context, mechanism, outcome and context-mechanism-outcome configuration. The following steps will be taken: (1) developing a theory, (2) conducting seven case studies, (3) analysing outcome patterns after each case and a cross-case analysis at the end and (4) revising the initial theory. The research ethics committee of the region Arnhem Nijmegen in the Netherlands concluded that this study does not fall within the scope of the Dutch Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (WMO) (registration number 2015/1914). Before the start of the study, the Board of Directors of the nursing home organisations will be informed verbally and by letter and will also be asked for informed consent. In addition, all participants will be informed verbally and by letter and will be asked for informed consent. Findings will be disseminated by publication in a peer-reviewed journal, international and national conferences, national professional associations and policy partners in national government. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  4. Person-centred web-based support--development through a Swedish multi-case study.

    PubMed

    Josefsson, Ulrika; Berg, Marie; Koinberg, Ingalill; Hellström, Anna-Lena; Nolbris, Margaretha Jenholt; Ranerup, Agneta; Lundin, Carina Sparud; Skärsäter, Ingela

    2013-10-19

    Departing from the widespread use of the internet in modern society and the emerging use of web applications in healthcare this project captures persons' needs and expectations in order to develop highly usable web recourses. The purpose of this paper is to outline a multi-case research project focused on the development and evaluation of person-centred web-based support for people with long-term illness. To support the underlying idea to move beyond the illness, we approach the development of web support from the perspective of the emergent area of person-centred care. The project aims to contribute to the ongoing development of web-based supports in health care and to the emerging field of person-centred care. The research design uses a meta-analytical approach through its focus on synthesizing experiences from four Swedish regional and national cases of design and use of web-based support in long-term illness. The cases include children (bladder dysfunction and urogenital malformation), young adults (living close to persons with mental illness), and two different cases of adults (women with breast cancer and childbearing women with type 1 diabetes). All of the cases are ongoing, though in different stages of design, implementation, and analysis. This, we argue, will lead to a synthesis of results on a meta-level not yet described. To allow valid comparisons between the four cases we explore and problematize them in relation to four main aspects: 1) The use of people's experiences and needs; 2) The role of use of theories in the design of person-centred web-based supports; 3) The evaluation of the effects of health outcomes for the informants involved and 4) The development of a generic person-centred model for learning and social support for people with long-term illness and their significant others. Person-centred web-based support is a new area and few studies focus on how web-based interventions can contribute to the development of person-centred care. In summary, the main intention of the project outlined here is to contribute with both a synthesis of results on meta-level from four cases and a substantial contribution to the field person-centred care.

  5. Measles case fatality ratio in India a review of community based studies.

    PubMed

    Sudfeld, C R; Halsey, N A

    2009-11-01

    Measles remains a major cause of child mortality in India. Measles case fatality ratios (CFRs) vary substantially between countries and even within the same community over time. We present a review of Indian community-based measles CFR studies conducted from 1975 to 2008. PubMed, Cochrane Libraries, and all WHO databases were searched using a combination of terms. All community-based studies were abstracted into a database. We identified 25 studies with data on 27 communities. The median CFR was 1.63 per 100 cases (Q1= 0.00 and Q3= 5.06). Studies conducted after 1994 had significantly lower CFRs (P=0.031). Studies in rural settings had significantly higher CFRs compared to urban studies (P=0.015). No differences were found by study design or outbreak/endemic setting. This review suggests measles CFR may be declining in India. We hypothesize that increased measles vaccination coverage is the main factor contributing to the decline. Widespread vaccination increases both the average age of infection and the proportion of total measles cases previously vaccinated. Vitamin A treatment/supplementation is also likely to have contributed. In order to further reduce measles burden in India, vaccination and vitamin A treatment/supplementation coverage should be increased and a two dose vaccine strategy should be implemented in all areas.

  6. Schooling's "Contribution" to Contemporary Violent Conflict: Review of Theoretical Ideas and Case Studies in the Field of Education and Conflict

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matsumoto, Mitsuko

    2015-01-01

    Some argue that the field of study of "education and conflict" has yet to be solidified since its emergence in the 1990s, partly due to the weak theory base. This article reviews the literature on the "contribution" of schooling in contemporary violent conflict, via three strands of theoretical ideas, to demonstrate the…

  7. The Life of a Gay Student in a University Physical Education and Sports Department: A Case Study in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saraç, Leyla; McCullick, Bryan

    2017-01-01

    While Turkey is mostly a Muslim country, officially it is a secular country; traditional gender roles are still maintained, and homosexuality is a taboo subject. The Turkish sporting world is no exception; it also excludes and ignores the existence of homosexuals and homosexuality. Using a single case study, this study aimed to contribute to fill…

  8. An Interprofessional Program Evaluation Case Study: Utilizing Multiple Measures To Assess What Matters. AIR 1997 Annual Forum Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delaney, Anne Marie

    This paper reviews the first two years of a model program-evaluation case study which is intended to show: (1) how program evaluation can contribute to academic and professional degree programs; (2) how qualitative and quantitative techniques can be used to produce reliable measures for evaluation studies; and (3) how the role of the institutional…

  9. Building Adaptive Capacity of Pathways in Technology Early College High School Stakeholders: A Multiple-Case Study on the Influence of Performance, Leadership, and Organizational Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michaud-Wells, Amy

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and beliefs of Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) leaders and stakeholders regarding the personal and professional experiences that contributed to the development of adaptive capacity. This embedded multiple-case study was anchored by the interrelated…

  10. Achieving public and global health competencies: A teaching case study of Botswana's cervical cancer screening program.

    PubMed

    Okatch, Harriet; Sowicz, Timothy Joseph; Teng, Helen; Ramogola-Masire, Doreen; Buttenheim, Alison M

    2018-05-01

    To design and implement a case study on the cervical cancer screening program in Botswana to teach public and global health competencies to undergraduate nursing students. The case study was developed following a review of the literature on the epidemiology and health policies of cervical cancer in Botswana, and an interview with an obstetrician/gynecologist engaged in both clinical practice and research in Botswana. The case study has been implemented over seven semesters to students enrolled in the Nursing in the Community course at the University of Pennsylvania. Approximately 75-100 students are enrolled each semester. Student's perceptions of epidemiologic skills gained and group functioning. Students responded to an open-ended question about lessons learned and offered suggestions to improve the learning experience. Faculty assessment of student deliverables demonstrated that students achieved the learning objectives and mastered necessary competencies. More than 70% (n = 69) of the students indicated that they acquired relevant skills at greater than a satisfactory level. Generally, students had great experiences working in groups measured across five dimensions: engagement/contribution, creativity/resilience, on task/works independently, social interaction/communication, and preparedness. However, isolated cases of poor group functioning were reported for engagement/contribution, and creativity/resilience. The case study, which has been revised with respect to length, content and group processes, has been valuable in educating undergraduate nursing students in a more engaging way that mimics real life public health nursing scenarios. Students achieved both public and global health competencies through participation in the case study. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Does a fixed-dollar premium contribution lower spending?

    PubMed

    Buchmueller, T C

    1998-01-01

    In a multiple-option health benefits program, the employer's premium contribution determines the incentives facing employees and participating health plans. Advocates of managed contribution argue that a fixed-dollar contribution policy will result in lower health spending by encouraging cost-conscious choices by employees and price competition among plans. The University of California (UC), which adopted a fixed-dollar contribution policy in 1994, provides a useful case study for assessing this claim. This DataWatch documents the effect of this policy on health maintenance organization (HMO) premiums and per employee health spending in the UC health benefits program.

  12. Participatory Exploration: The Role of the User Contribution System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Skytland, Nicholas G.

    2009-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation explores how NASA can apply the global shift in demographics, the popularity of collaborative technology and the desire for participation to the future of space exploration. Included in this is a review of the evolution of work, the engagement gap, user contribution systems and a case study concerning the "digital astronaut".

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2010-01-01

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

  14. Undergraduate Program Review Processes: A Case Study in Opportunity for Academic Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costella, John; Adam, Tom; Gray, Fran; Nolan, Nicole; Wilkins, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    How can an academic library most effectively participate and expand its contributions to program reviews at the institutional level? By becoming involved in undergraduate reviews, college and university libraries can articulate new and enhanced roles for themselves on campus. Academic libraries have always contributed to a variety of institutional…

  15. The Contribution of Outdoor Recreation and Outdoor Education to the Economy of Scotland: Case Studies and Preliminary Findings.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higgins, Peter

    2000-01-01

    Outdoor recreation and education contribute substantially to the Scottish economy. Outdoor recreation generates considerable tourism income, much of it in rural areas, and also extends the traditional tourist season. Outdoor education centers are significant employers in certain rural areas. In addition, "therapeutic" outdoor programs…

  16. Implications of Information Technology for Employment, Skills, and Wages: Findings from Sectoral and Case Study Research. Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Handel, Michael J.

    2004-01-01

    This paper reviews evidence from industry-specific and case studies that shed light on the extent to which computers and automation eliminate jobs, raise job skill requirements, and, consequently, contribute to increased wage inequality between less- and more skilled workers. This paper complements a previous review of large-scale econometric…

  17. Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and Certified Nurse-Midwives: A Policy Analysis. Health Technology Case Study 37.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    This case study was conducted to analyze the cost-effectiveness of nurse practitioners (NPs), physicians' assistants (PAs), and certified nurse midwives (CNMs) by examining (1) the contributions of each group in meeting health-care needs; (2) the effect of changing the method of payment for their services on the health-care delivery system; and…

  18. Case Study of a Discontinued Start-Up Engineering Program: Critical Challenges and Lessons Learned

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friess, Wilhelm A.

    2017-01-01

    The explanatory case study presented here analyzes the factors that have contributed to the failure of a start-up engineering program launched at an off-campus site, and aimed at imparting the first two years of the BSc Mechanical, Electrical, Computer and Civil Engineering utilizing an integrated curriculum. Findings indicate the root cause for…

  19. A Case Study of the Suicide of a Gifted Female Adolescent: Implications for Prediction and Prevention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyatt, Laurie

    2010-01-01

    In this case study focusing on a gifted adolescent female who took her life at the age of 18 using a firearm, the researcher investigated the personal, environmental, and cultural variables that may have contributed to her suicide. Data were collected from interviews, documents, and other artifacts, including a videotape that was a compilation of…

  20. Environmental Literacy Components and Their Promotion by Institutions of Higher Education: An Israeli Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnon, Sara; Orion, Nir; Carmi, Nurit

    2015-01-01

    The recognition of the key role and moral responsibility of higher education institutions (HEIs) in cultivating the environmental literacy (EL) of their students is growing globally. The current research examined the contribution of HEIs to their students' EL by focusing on an Israeli college as a case-study. A survey was conducted among a…

  1. A Collective Case Study of Veterans inside an Arts and Crafts Room and Their Perceptions Regarding Empowerment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasio, Cindy Lee

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation is "A Collective Case Study of Veterans Inside an Arts and Crafts Room and Their Perceptions Regarding Empowerment." This research examined to what degree art making, and in what ways a community of learning contributed to veterans' self-worth and empowerment through their creative activities and interactions inside an…

  2. Food system sustainability for health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples.

    PubMed

    Kuhnlein, Harriet V

    2015-09-01

    To describe how Indigenous Peoples understand how to enhance use of their food systems to promote sustainability, as demonstrated in several food-based interventions. Comments contributed by partners from case studies of Indigenous Peoples and their food systems attending an international meeting were implemented with public health interventions at the community level in nine countries. The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Conference Center in Bellagio, Italy, where experiences from case studies of Indigenous Peoples were considered and then conducted in their home communities in rural areas. Leaders of the Indigenous Peoples' case studies, their communities and their academic partners. Reported strategies on how to improve use of local food systems in case study communities of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples' reflections on their local food systems should be encouraged and acted upon to protect and promote sustainability of the cultures and ecosystems that derive their food systems. Promoting use of local traditional food biodiversity is an essential driver of food system sustainability for Indigenous Peoples, and contributes to global consciousness for protecting food biodiversity and food system sustainability more broadly. Key lessons learned, key messages and good practices for nutrition and public health practitioners and policy makers are given.

  3. Exploring the relationship between time management skills and the academic achievement of African engineering students - a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swart, Arthur James; Lombard, Kobus; de Jager, Henk

    2010-03-01

    Poor academic success by African engineering students is currently experienced in many higher educational institutions, contributing to lower financial subsidies by local governments. One of the contributing factors to this low academic success may be the poor time management skills of these students. This article endeavours to explore this relationship by means of a theoretical literature review and an empirical study. Numerous studies have been conducted in this regard, but with mixed results. The case study of this article involves a design module termed Design Projects III, where the empirical study incorporated an ex post facto study involving a pre-experimental/exploratory design using descriptive statistics. The results of this study were applied to various tests, which indicated no statistically significant relationship between time management skills and the academic achievement of African engineering students.

  4. A study of waste and delivery valve design modification to the pump performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harith, M. N.; Bakar, R. A.; Ramasamy, D.; Kardigama, K.; Quanjin, Ma

    2018-04-01

    This paper objective is to share design revolution of waste and delivery valve that contribute to the overall pump performance. In this paper, 3 new designs of waste and delivery valve pump are presented with comprehensive internal flow analysis using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation over 4 cases that have been deeply study for one of the design chosen. 4 cases involving opening and closing both valve or either one. 0.265m height size of customized waste valve with an opening limiter and spring was used to demonstrate cyclic closing and opening valve operation extended up to 0.164m gap. Based on result, this characteristics contribute to 10-20% waste water reduction and enhancement of flow rate height up to 80m. Apart from that this paper also share some of pressure (dynamic, total, static), velocity (x, y, z axis) simulation including the vector flow were under different flow cases.

  5. Student Discipline Intervention Strategies: A Case Study of Two Institutions' Processes Utilized to Resolve Misconduct of Students Who Concomitantly Experience a Mental Health Crisis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickstein, Gary G.

    2011-01-01

    This study contributes to the research regarding processes and procedures utilized by two institutions of higher education to respond to students who participate in inappropriate behavior and who are concomitantly experiencing a mental health crisis. A case study analysis of two institutions of higher education was used to examine this issue. The…

  6. Inhomogeneous fluid of penetrable-spheres: Application of the random phase approximation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiang, Yan; Frydel, Derek

    2017-05-01

    The focus of the present work is the application of the random phase approximation (RPA), derived for inhomogeneous fluids [Frydel and Ma, Phys. Rev. E 93, 062112 (2016)], to penetrable-spheres. As penetrable-spheres transform into hard-spheres with increasing interactions, they provide an interesting case for exploring the RPA, its shortcomings, and limitations, the weak- versus the strong-coupling limit. Two scenarios taken up by the present study are a one-component and a two-component fluid with symmetric interactions. In the latter case, the mean-field contributions cancel out and any contributions from particle interactions are accounted for by correlations. The accuracy of the RPA for this case is the result of a somewhat lucky cancellation of errors.

  7. Scaffolding Interprofessional Education: Unfolding Case Studies, Virtual World Simulations, and Patient-Centered Care.

    PubMed

    Zook, Sharon Strang; Hulton, Linda J; Dudding, Carol C; Stewart, Anne L; Graham, Amy C

    Fragmentation of health care negatively impacts quality; one of the contributing factors may be ineffective collaboration among health care professionals. This article describes the implementation of an interprofessional education curriculum for graduate students enrolled in nursing, psychology, and speech-language pathology programs. Over 3 semesters, students engaged in interprofessional collaboration modules, unfolding case studies, virtual simulation, and shared case planning experiences. The curriculum's impact on students' attitudes and values toward interprofessional collaborative practice was measured.

  8. Creative Cognition in Social Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jiang, Mingming; Thagard, Paul

    2014-01-01

    Social innovations are creative products and changes that are motivated by social needs and bring value to society by meeting those needs. This article uses case studies to investigate the cognitive and social processes that contribute to creativity in social innovation. The cases are: Wendy Kopp with Teach For America in education, Cicely…

  9. Collaborative Learning from Personal Cases in a Principal Preparation Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaked, Haim; Schechter, Chen; Michalsky, Tova

    2018-01-01

    Existing preparation programmes for school principals have been widely criticized for failing to prepare their students adequately for their future roles. This study investigated a workshop at a principal preparation programme which focused on collaborative learning from personal real-life cases, exploring its potential contribution to the…

  10. Supplementary search methods were more effective and offered better value than bibliographic database searching: A case study from public health and environmental enhancement.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Chris; Lovell, Rebecca; Husk, Kerryn; Booth, Andrew; Garside, Ruth

    2018-06-01

    We undertook a systematic review to evaluate the health benefits of environmental enhancement and conservation activities. We were concerned that a conventional process of study identification, focusing on exhaustive searches of bibliographic databases as the primary search method, would be ineffective, offering limited value. The focus of this study is comparing study identification methods. We compare (1) an approach led by searches of bibliographic databases with (2) an approach led by supplementary search methods. We retrospectively assessed the effectiveness and value of both approaches. Effectiveness was determined by comparing (1) the total number of studies identified and screened and (2) the number of includable studies uniquely identified by each approach. Value was determined by comparing included study quality and by using qualitative sensitivity analysis to explore the contribution of studies to the synthesis. The bibliographic databases approach identified 21 409 studies to screen and 2 included qualitative studies were uniquely identified. Study quality was moderate, and contribution to the synthesis was minimal. The supplementary search approach identified 453 studies to screen and 9 included studies were uniquely identified. Four quantitative studies were poor quality but made a substantive contribution to the synthesis; 5 studies were qualitative: 3 studies were good quality, one was moderate quality, and 1 study was excluded from the synthesis due to poor quality. All 4 included qualitative studies made significant contributions to the synthesis. This case study found value in aligning primary methods of study identification to maximise location of relevant evidence. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Cross-sectional assessment reveals high diabetes prevalence among newly-diagnosed tuberculosis cases

    PubMed Central

    Camerlin, Aulasa J; Rahbar, Mohammad H; Wang, Weiwei; Restrepo, Mary A; Zarate, Izelda; Mora-Guzmán, Francisco; Crespo-Solis, Jesus G; Briggs, Jessica; McCormick, Joseph B; Fisher-Hoch, Susan P

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Objective To estimate the contribution of clinically-confirmed diabetes mellitus to tuberculosis (TB) rates in communities where both diseases are prevalent as a way to identify opportunities for TB prevention among diabetic patients. Methods This is a prospective study in which TB patients ≥ 20 years old at TB clinics in the Texas–Mexico border were tested for diabetes. The risk of tuberculosis attributable to diabetes was estimated from statistics for the corresponding adult population. Findings The prevalence of diabetes among TB patients was 39% in Texas and 36% in Mexico. Diabetes contributed 25% of the TB cases studied, whereas human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection contributed 5% or fewer. Among TB patients, fewer Mexicans than Texans were aware that they had diabetes before this study (4% and 19%, respectively). Men were also less frequently aware than women that they had diabetes (P = 0.03). Patients who knew that they had diabetes before the study had an 8-year history of the disease, on average, before being diagnosed with TB. Conclusion Patients with diabetes are at higher risk of contracting TB than non-diabetic patients. Integrating TB and diabetes control programmes worldwide would facilitate TB prevention among diabetes patients and increase the number of diabetics who learn of their condition, particularly among males. Such a strategy would lead to earlier case detection and improve the management of both TB and diabetes. PMID:21556303

  12. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic literature review.

    PubMed

    Henegar, C E; Eudy, A M; Kharat, V; Hill, D D; Bennett, D; Haight, B

    2016-05-01

    To determine risk factors for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and understand how underlying disease or treatment for SLE may be associated with PML in this population. Studies published in English between January 1, 1984 and October 31, 2014 that reported PML in adult SLE patients were included. Immunosuppression was defined as exposure to ≥1 immunosuppressant drug of interest at PML diagnosis: belimumab, rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and high-dose corticosteroids (>15 mg/day). Minimal immunosuppression was defined as low-dose corticosteroids (≤15 mg/day) and/or anti-malarials. Thirty-five publications met our inclusion criteria: four observational studies, two large case series, and 29 case reports that described 35 cases. Reported PML incidence rates among SLE patients based on observational studies ranged from 1.0 to 2.4 cases/100,000 person-years. Of the 35 case reports, three cases were exposed to no immunosuppressant drugs at PML diagnosis, five cases had minimal immunosuppression, 23 cases had immunosuppression, and four cases were indeterminate. The evidence from this literature review suggests that, while PML is a very rare disease in SLE patients, there does appear to be an increased risk of PML associated with SLE compared to the general population, potentially due to immunosuppression, other contributing factors in their underlying disease, treatments prescribed to manage disease, or some combination of these factors. Additional large observational studies, designed to assess exposure to drugs of interest and complicated treatment histories, are needed to provide further evidence about potential mechanisms contributing to the onset of PML in SLE patients. © The Author(s) 2016.

  13. Jumping translocations in hematological malignancies: a cytogenetic study of five cases.

    PubMed

    Manola, Kalliopi N; Georgakakos, Vasileios N; Stavropoulou, Chryssa; Spyridonidis, Alexandros; Angelopoulou, Maria K; Vlachadami, Ioanna; Katsigiannis, Andreas; Roussou, Paraskevi; Pantelias, Gabriel E; Sambani, Constantina

    2008-12-01

    Jumping translocations (JT) are rare cytogenetic aberrations in hematological malignancies that include unbalanced translocations involving a donor chromosome arm or chromosome segment that has fused to two or more different recipient chromosomes in different cell lines. We report five cases associated with different hematologic disorders and JT to contribute to the investigation of the origin, pathogenesis, and clinical significance of JT. These cases involve JT of 1q in a case of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML)-M1, a case of Burkitt lymphoma, and a case of BCR/ABL-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, as well as a JT of 13q in a case of AML-M5, and a JT of 11q segment in a case of undifferentiated leukemia. To our knowledge, with regard to hematologic malignancies, this study presents the first case of JT associated with AML-M1, the first case of JT involving 13q as a donor chromosome, and the first report of JT involving a segment of 11q containing two copies of the MLL gene, jumping on to two recipient chromosomes in each cell line and resulting in six copies of the MLL gene. Our investigation suggests that JT may not contribute to the pathogenesis but rather to the progression of the disease, and it demonstrates that chromosome band 1q10 as a breakpoint of the donor chromosome 1q is also implicated in AML, not only in multiple myeloma as it has been known until now.

  14. Case Study Observational Research: A Framework for Conducting Case Study Research Where Observation Data Are the Focus.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Sonya J; Pullon, Susan R H; Macdonald, Lindsay M; McKinlay, Eileen M; Gray, Ben V

    2017-06-01

    Case study research is a comprehensive method that incorporates multiple sources of data to provide detailed accounts of complex research phenomena in real-life contexts. However, current models of case study research do not particularly distinguish the unique contribution observation data can make. Observation methods have the potential to reach beyond other methods that rely largely or solely on self-report. This article describes the distinctive characteristics of case study observational research, a modified form of Yin's 2014 model of case study research the authors used in a study exploring interprofessional collaboration in primary care. In this approach, observation data are positioned as the central component of the research design. Case study observational research offers a promising approach for researchers in a wide range of health care settings seeking more complete understandings of complex topics, where contextual influences are of primary concern. Future research is needed to refine and evaluate the approach.

  15. Exploring the Relationship between Time Management Skills and the Academic Achievement of African Engineering Students--A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swart, Arthur James; Lombard, Kobus; de Jager, Henk

    2010-01-01

    Poor academic success by African engineering students is currently experienced in many higher educational institutions, contributing to lower financial subsidies by local governments. One of the contributing factors to this low academic success may be the poor time management skills of these students. This article endeavours to explore this…

  16. Disturbance Dynamics and Ecological Response: The Contribution of Long-Term Ecological Research.

    Treesearch

    MONICA G. TURNER; SCOTT L. COLLINS; ARIEL L. LUGO; JOHN J. MAGNUSON; T. SCOTT RUPP; FREDERICK J. SWANSON

    2003-01-01

    Long-term ecological research is particularly valuable for understanding disturbance dynamics over long time periods and placing those dynamics in a regional context.We highlighted three case studies from Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network sites that have contributed to understanding the causes and consequences of disturbance in ecological systems. The LTER...

  17. Protecting the Future: the Role of School Education in Sustainable Development--An Indian Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bangay, Colin

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the potential contribution of education to sustainable development. Drawing on recent evidence it argues that education could play a stronger role--a position reinforced by the new sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, securing this contribution will have to be achieved in an era where educational delivery will be…

  18. Supporting the Work Arrangements of Cooperating Teachers and University Supervisors to Better Train Preservice Teachers: A New Theoretical Contribution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Escalié, Guillaume; Chaliès, Sébastien

    2016-01-01

    This longitudinal case study examines whether a school-based training scheme that brings together different categories of teacher educators (university supervisors and cooperating teachers) engenders true collective training activity and, if so, whether this collective work contributes to pre-service teacher education. The scheme grew out of a…

  19. A Case Study of an Instrumental Music Program and Its Influence on the Culture of a School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Womack, Anthony Terence

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to examine how participation in a school-based instrumental music program contributed to the culture of a suburban high school. The questions guiding the research were: (1) How and why are multiple music programs supported by staff, students, parents and the community at this school? (2) What are the benefits of…

  20. A Case Study of the Perceptions of Faculty in a Formalized Mentoring Program at a Private 4-Year College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelleher, Sheri E.

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative case study was designed to investigate mentors and mentees and their relationships in a formal group-mentoring program. Results and findings were expected to contribute to the literature on how to best support future new faculty and senior faculty careers by providing data on the opinions of those who participated in the mentoring…

  1. "I Ain't Changing Anything": A Case-Study of Successful Generation 1.5 Immigrant College Students' Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riazantseva, Anastasia

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this case-study was to understand the relationship between success in college and L2 academic writing of three Generation 1.5 Russian-speaking middle-class college students and to describe the factors that could have contributed to the levels of academic literacy that these students developed. The following research questions were…

  2. Ethnography's Capacity to Contribute to the Cumulation of Theory: A Case Study of Differentiation-Polarisation Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hillyard, Sam

    2010-01-01

    The paper sets out to examine the role that ethnographic work can and should play in the development of sociological theory, focusing on the case study of differentiation-polarisation theory. It provides a detailed discussion of the work of Hargreaves (1967), Lacey (1970) and Ball (1981) and assesses the degree to which their work was ethnographic…

  3. Tension between Visions of Science Education: The Case of Energy Quality in Swedish Secondary Science Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haglund, Jesper; Hultén, Magnus

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to contribute to an understanding of how curricular change is accomplished in practice, including the positions and conflicts of key stakeholders and participants, and their actions in the process. As a case, we study the treatment of energy in Swedish secondary curricula in the period 1962-2011 and, in particular, how the…

  4. The Multi-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Educational Research. Final Report, Part IV; The Utilization of Sociological Ideas in Organizational Planning: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazarsfeld, Paul F., Ed.

    This document, the fourth in the final report on the Multi-Disciplinary Graduate Program in Educational Research, is a qualitative case study designed to show the form of sociological contributions to and the role of sociologists in policy formulation at an American Educational Research Association (AERA) colloquium. Discussions at the conference…

  5. Skeletal Maturation and Mineralisation of Children with Moderate to Severe Spastic Quadriplegia

    PubMed Central

    Sitaraman, Sadasivan

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Diminished bone mineral density and delayed skeletal maturation are common in children with spastic quadriplegia. Aim The purpose of our study was to evaluate the Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of children with moderate to severe spastic quadriplegia and its relationship with other variables like nutrition and growth. Materials and Methods This was a hospital based, cross- sectional, case-control study. Forty-two (28 males, 14 females) children with spastic quadriplegia and 42 (24 males, 18 females) healthy children were included in the study. BMD of cases and control were measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). Radiographs of left hand and wrist of cases and controls were taken and bone age was determined. Results BMD values of upper extremity, lower extremity, thoraco-lumbar spine and pelvis in cases were lower than those of controls (p <0.0001). In children with non severe malnutrition, 75% of the cases had lower bone age than chronological age, whereas all cases with severe malnutrition had lower bone age than chronological age. Step wise regression analysis showed that nutritional status independently contributed to lower BMD values but the BMD values did not correlate significantly with the use of anticonvulsant drugs and presence of physical therapy. Conclusion Decreased BMD and delayed bone age is prevalent in children with spastic quadriplegia and nutritional status is an important contributing factor. PMID:27504366

  6. Beyond Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalysis: A Review of Psychoanalytic Empirical Single Case Studies Published in ISI-Ranked Journals.

    PubMed

    Meganck, Reitske; Inslegers, Ruth; Krivzov, Juri; Notaerts, Liza

    2017-01-01

    Single case studies are at the origin of both theory development and research in the field of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. While clinical case studies are the hallmark of psychoanalytic theory and practice, their scientific value has been strongly criticized. To address problems with the subjective bias of retrospective therapist reports and uncontrollability of clinical case studies, systematic approaches to investigate psychotherapy process and outcome at the level of the single case have been developed. Such empirical case studies are also able to bridge the famous gap between academic research and clinical practice as they provide clinically relevant insights into how psychotherapy works. This study presents a review of psychoanalytic empirical case studies published in ISI-ranked journals and maps the characteristics of the study, therapist, patient en therapies that are investigated. Empirical case studies increased in quantity and quality (amount of information and systematization) over time. While future studies could pay more attention to providing contextual information on therapist characteristics and informed consent considerations, the available literature provides a basis to conduct meta-studies of single cases and as such contribute to knowledge aggregation.

  7. Beyond Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalysis: A Review of Psychoanalytic Empirical Single Case Studies Published in ISI-Ranked Journals

    PubMed Central

    Meganck, Reitske; Inslegers, Ruth; Krivzov, Juri; Notaerts, Liza

    2017-01-01

    Single case studies are at the origin of both theory development and research in the field of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. While clinical case studies are the hallmark of psychoanalytic theory and practice, their scientific value has been strongly criticized. To address problems with the subjective bias of retrospective therapist reports and uncontrollability of clinical case studies, systematic approaches to investigate psychotherapy process and outcome at the level of the single case have been developed. Such empirical case studies are also able to bridge the famous gap between academic research and clinical practice as they provide clinically relevant insights into how psychotherapy works. This study presents a review of psychoanalytic empirical case studies published in ISI-ranked journals and maps the characteristics of the study, therapist, patient en therapies that are investigated. Empirical case studies increased in quantity and quality (amount of information and systematization) over time. While future studies could pay more attention to providing contextual information on therapist characteristics and informed consent considerations, the available literature provides a basis to conduct meta-studies of single cases and as such contribute to knowledge aggregation. PMID:29046660

  8. Alternative Education: A Comparative Case Study of the Behavior Modification Programs of Two Upstate South Carolina Alternative Schools for Youth Who Exhibit Behavior That Is Disruptive

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scipio, Timothy Lamont

    2013-01-01

    This study examined behavior modification programs in schools designed to focus on discipline and that aim to reform disruptive behavior in students, usually over a limited period of time. This was a comparative case study of two type II alternative schools in the Upstate of South Carolina. The findings contributed to the research base regarding…

  9. Diving accidents treated at a military hospital-based recompression chamber facility in Peninsular Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Rozali, A; Khairuddin, H; Sherina, M S; Halim, M Abd; Zin, B Mohd; Sulaiman, A

    2008-06-01

    This paper describes the pattern of diving accidents treated in a military hospital-based recompression chamber facility in Peninsular Malaysia. A retrospective study was carried out to utilize secondary data from the respective hospital medical records from 1st January 1996 to 31st December 2004. A total of 179 cases categorized as diving accidents received treatment with an average of 20 cases per year. Out of 179 cases, 96.3% (n = 173) received recompression treatment. Majority were males (93.3%), civilians (87.2%) and non-Malaysian citizens (59.2%). Commercial diving activities contributed the highest percentage of diving accidents (48.0%), followed by recreational (39.2%) and military (12.8%). Diving accidents due to commercial diving (n = 86) were mainly contributed by underwater logging activities (87.2%). The most common cases sustained were decompression illness (DCI) (96.1%). Underwater logging and recreational diving activities which contribute to a significant number of diving accidents must be closely monitored. Notification, centralised data registration, medical surveillance as well as legislations related to diving activities in Malaysia are essential to ensure adequate monitoring of diving accidents in the future.

  10. 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

  11. Evidence-Based Advances in Reptile Medicine.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Mark A; Perry, Sean M

    2017-09-01

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

  12. Mortality from nephritis and nephrosis in the fibreglass manufacturing industry

    PubMed Central

    Chiazze, L.; Watkins, D. K.; Fryar, C.; Fayerweather, W.; Bender, J. R.; Chiazze, M.

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To investigate the question of whether there is an association between exposure to silica or respirable glass fibre and mortality from nephritis or nephrosis among workers in fibrous glass wool manufacturing facilities. METHODS: A case-control study with cases and controls derived from the Owens Corning mortality surveillance system. Two case-control analyses were carried out, one where the cases are defined with nephritis or nephrosis as the underlying cause of death and one where cases are defined as those where nephritis or nephrosis is either the underlying or a contributing cause of death. RESULTS: There is no consistent relation between respirable fibres or respirable silica and nephritis or nephrosis when the analysis is based either on underlying cause only or on underlying plus contributing cause of death. None of the sociodemographic variables considered suggests an increased risk when considering both underlying and contributing cause of death. CONCLUSIONS: These data would seem to support the contention that the most accurate picture of renal disease will be gained from the use of all information on the death certificate and not only the underlying cause. For these data, all odds ratios (ORs) for respirable fibres and silica based on both underlying and contributing cause of death are < 1 with the exception of the highest exposure to silica which is slightly > 1 (OR = 1.04). Although these results do not prove that there is no association between nephritis and nephrosis and exposure to fibreglass or silica in the fibreglass manufacturing environment, they do not support the assertion that such an association exists.   PMID:10448324

  13. Toward Multicultural Environmental Education: The Case of the Arab and Ultraorthodox Sectors in Israel

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Negev, Maya; Garb, Yaakov

    2014-01-01

    Recent thinking in multicultural education can contribute to environmental education (EE) in culturally diverse societies. This article uses case studies of two minorities in Israel to illustrate the potential for bringing together these two areas of educational research that have developed significantly in recent years. After introducing the…

  14. Collaborative Interactivity and Integrated Thinking in Brazilian Business Schools Using Cognitive Flexibility Hypertexts: The Panteon Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lima, Marcos; Koehler, Matthew J.; Spiro, Rand J.

    2004-01-01

    In this article, we discuss how the Harvard Method of case study, Interactive Communication Technologies, and Cognitive Flexibility Theory may contribute to case-based learning about business decision-making. In particular, we are interested in designing learning environments that foster critical thinking, creativity, and reasoning that entertains…

  15. The US Army in Transition: Implications of the IDF Experience in the Second Lebanon War

    DTIC Science & Technology

    Israel Hezbollah War as a historical case in which a contemporary army had to transition from sustained irregular operations to large-scale...conventional war . The case study shows that the Israeli Defense Force did not make this transition effectively, and it examines factors that contributed to

  16. Collective Approach to Complex Food System Issues, the Case of the Ohio State University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Julie

    2017-01-01

    Urban universities are uniquely positioned to make powerful and lasting contributions to the grand challenge of food security. To better understand the various dimensions related to the university's role in food systems, this case study explores intentional linkages, significant developments, natural tensions, and emerging impacts at the Ohio…

  17. Leadership of Special Students in Strengthening Their Ability by Understanding Their Weaknesses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rajbhandari, Mani Man Singh

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the traits of the leadership dexterity of special students. Leadership in special students is not an expected phenomenon. Cases of special students studying at the University of Tampere, Finland are reported on here. Each case contributes uniqueness and offers qualitative insight into this phenomenon. Interviews were conducted…

  18. Self-Injurious Behavior in People with Profound Intellectual Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Denis, Jo; Van den Noortgate, Wim; Maes, Bea

    2011-01-01

    The limitations people with profound intellectual disabilities experience in functioning contribute to a vulnerability to self-injurious behavior. Since this problem behavior has important negative consequences for people concerned, examining the effectiveness of treatments is important. In the current meta-analysis, single-case studies…

  19. For Better or Worse: The Influence of FE Franchising on Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Mick, Ed.

    Seven papers look at lessons from the franchising experience in further education (FE) in Britain. "Franchising--A Case Study in FE Funding" (Mick Fletcher) looks at franchised provision in the light of universal themes that cut across all of FE: funding tariff, employer contributions, and local priorities. "The Case for…

  20. A case study on the influences of long-range transport to Taiwan`s acid deposition using Taiwan air quality model

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

    Ken-Hui Chang; Fu-Tien Jeng

    1996-12-31

    The long-range and transboundary transport of precursors of add deposition in East Asia became important due to the industrial development around this area. We started to develop Taiwan Air Quality Model (TAQM) system since 1992, which is based on regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) system. A typical episode in Mei-Yu season has been selected to study. A case considering all emissions within simulated domain has been run as a reference case, and another perturbed case, not including Taiwan`s emission, has been also run for analyzing quantitatively the influence of long-range transport to Taiwan`s wet deposition during the episode are 31%more » and 24% for total sulfur compounds and total nitrogen compounds respectively; but for dry deposition, only 6% is contributed by long range transport for sulfur compounds and 29% for total nitrogen compounds. Therefore, the percentages of total acid deposition contributed by long-range transport are 27% and 25% for total sulfur compounds and total nitrogen compounds, respectively.« less

  1. The Military-Industrial-Scientific Complex and the Rise of New Powers: Conceptual, Theoretical and Methodological Contributions and the Brazilian Case

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-09-29

    Report: The Military-Industrial-Scientific Complex and the Rise of New Powers: Conceptual, Theoretical and Methodological Contributions and the... Methodological Contributions and the Brazilian Case Report Term: 0-Other Email: aminvielle@ucsd.edu Distribution Statement: 1-Approved for public

  2. Factors contributing to work related low back pain among personal care workers in old age.

    PubMed

    Yeung, Simon S

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to preliminary explore the work related and individual factors that contributed to the occurrence of low back pain (LBP) that affected work activities of Personal Care Workers (PCWs). A cross-sectional study was conducted to 36 PCWs in an old age home of Hong Kong. The study is divided into three parts: 1) a questionnaire to document the workload exposure factors and the musculoskeletal symptoms survey of the PCWs, 2) work posture evaluation; and 3) an evaluation of the physical fitness and lifting capacity of the PCWs. Univariate analyses were used to explore the risk factors associated with LBP that affected work activities. The results indicated that individual physical profile and lifting capacities did not contribute to occurrence of low back pain at work. For the work demand factors, the perceived physical demands in lifting and lowering heavy objects, awkward sustain neck and back postures, loading on the back, and perceived effort of cleaning task contributed to the occurrence of LBP. For the physical environment factors, thermal stress and improper ventilation were associated with the occurrence of LBP cases. For the individual factor, LBP cases were associated with workers' self perceived muscular effort, and perceived risk of mental illness in response to work requirements.

  3. The effects of daily bathing on symptoms of patients with bronchial asthma

    PubMed Central

    Arimoto, Yoshihito; Homma, Chie; Takeoka, Shinjiro; Fukusumi, Munehisa; Mouri, Atsuto; Hamamoto, Yoichiro

    2016-01-01

    Background The influence of bathing in asthma patients is not yet fully known. Objective We conducted an observational study to investigate changes in symptoms and their degree by bathing in asthmatic patients. Methods A questionnaire focusing on ever experienced bathing-induced symptom changes and their degree, as well as contributing factors, was designed and administered to asthmatic patients in the outpatient department of our institute between January 2012 and November 2013. Results Two hundred fifteen cases were recruited. In 60 cases (27.9%), asthmatic symptoms appeared, including 20 cases of chest discomfort (33.3%), 19 cases of cough (31.7%), and 21 cases of wheezing (35.0%). The triggering factors included vapor inhalation (32 cases, 53.3%), hydrostatic pressure on the thorax due to body immersion in the bathtub (26 cases, 43.3%), and sudden change of air temperature (16 cases, 26.7%). Thirty-eight cases (17.7%) experienced improvement in active asthmatic symptoms by bathing. Vapor inhalation was the most common contributing factor (34 cases, 89.5%), followed by warming of the whole body (13 cases, 34.2%). There was no relationship between asthma severity and the appearance of bathing-induced symptoms or improvement of active asthmatic symptoms by bathing. Conclusion The effects of bathing in asthmatic patients widely differed from patient to patient and their etiology includes several factors. For those who suffer from bathing-induced asthma symptoms, preventive methods, such as premedication with bronchodilators before bathing, should be established. This study is registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) clinical trials registry in Japan with the registration number UMIN000015641. PMID:27141485

  4. Person-centred web-based support - development through a Swedish multi-case study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Departing from the widespread use of the internet in modern society and the emerging use of web applications in healthcare this project captures persons’ needs and expectations in order to develop highly usable web recourses. The purpose of this paper is to outline a multi-case research project focused on the development and evaluation of person-centred web-based support for people with long-term illness. To support the underlying idea to move beyond the illness, we approach the development of web support from the perspective of the emergent area of person-centred care. The project aims to contribute to the ongoing development of web-based supports in health care and to the emerging field of person-centred care. Methods/Design The research design uses a meta-analytical approach through its focus on synthesizing experiences from four Swedish regional and national cases of design and use of web-based support in long-term illness. The cases include children (bladder dysfunction and urogenital malformation), young adults (living close to persons with mental illness), and two different cases of adults (women with breast cancer and childbearing women with type 1 diabetes). All of the cases are ongoing, though in different stages of design, implementation, and analysis. This, we argue, will lead to a synthesis of results on a meta-level not yet described. Discussion To allow valid comparisons between the four cases we explore and problematize them in relation to four main aspects: 1) The use of people’s experiences and needs; 2) The role of use of theories in the design of person-centred web-based supports; 3) The evaluation of the effects of health outcomes for the informants involved and 4) The development of a generic person-centred model for learning and social support for people with long-term illness and their significant others. Person-centred web-based support is a new area and few studies focus on how web-based interventions can contribute to the development of person-centred care. In summary, the main intention of the project outlined here is to contribute with both a synthesis of results on meta-level from four cases and a substantial contribution to the field person-centred care. PMID:24139057

  5. Contributions of knowledge products to health policy: a case study on the Public Health Status and Forecasts Report 2010

    PubMed Central

    Kok, Maarten O.; Janssen, Susan W.J.; Schuit, Albertine J.; van Oers, Hans A.M.

    2016-01-01

    Background: The Dutch Public Health Status and Forecasts report (PHSF Report) integrates research data and identifies future trends affecting public health in the Netherlands. To investigate how PHSF contributions to health policy can be enhanced, we analysed the development process whereby the PHSF Report for 2010 was produced (PHSF-2010). Method: To collect data, a case study approach was used along the lines of Contribution Mapping including analysis of documents from the PHSF-2010 process and interviews with actors involved. All interviews were recorded and transcribed ad verbatim and coded using an inductive code list. Results: The PHSF-2010 process included activities aimed at alignment between researchers and policy-makers, such as informal meetings. However, we identified three issues that are easily overlooked in knowledge development, but provide suggestions for enhancing contributions: awareness of divergent; continuously changing actor scenarios; vertical alignment within organizations involved and careful timing of draft products to create early adopters. Conclusion: To enhance the contributions made by an established public health report, such as the PHSF Report, it is insufficient to raise the awareness of potential users. The knowledge product must be geared to policy-makers’ needs and must be introduced into the scenarios of actors who may be less familiar. The demand for knowledge product adaptations has to be considered. This requires continuous alignment efforts in all directions: horizontal and vertical, external and internal. The findings of this study may be useful to researchers who aim to enhance the contributions of their knowledge products to health policy. PMID:27452890

  6. The Contribution of Postgraduation--Lato Sensu--At Distance for Training Health Field Professionals: A Case Study at A Brazilian Federal University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grossi, Márcia Gorett Ribeiro; Silqueira, Salete Maria de Fátima; Gomes, Laryssa Cristina Castro; Silva, Lívia de Cássia; Saleme, Angela Maria Bissoli

    2017-01-01

    This article aimed to verify the opinions of health professionals who are looking for distance learning courses offered by distance learning. In order to do so, a case study was carried out in 2017 at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), specifically in a course offered in the distance modality by the Nursing School: "Specialization…

  7. "Why Do We Always Have to Say We're Sorry?": A Case Study on Navigating Moral Expectations in Classroom Communication on National Socialism and the Holocaust in Germany

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Proske, Matthias

    2012-01-01

    Against the background of the pedagogization and internationalization of Holocaust memory discourse, this contribution focuses on the specific conditions of history classes on National Socialism and the Holocaust in Germany. Using a case study, this article shows both how the meanings of these subjects are communicatively negotiated in history…

  8. Promoting and Disseminating Good Practice in the Planning and Management of Educational Facilities: Capital Investment Strategic Planning - A Case Study, Gold Coast Institute of TAFE, Queensland, Australia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crump, Kelvin

    This paper presents a case study of the process of capital investment strategic planning at the Gold Coast Institute of Technical and Further Education (TAFE), Queensland, Australia. Capital investment strategic planning is a means of contributing to success by providing strategies to ensure that assets are managed efficiently, effectively, and…

  9. "Governmentality" in the Origins of European Female PE and Sport: The Spanish Case Study (1883-1936)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia, Raul Sanchez; Herraiz, Antonio Rivero

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the paper is twofold: (1) to contribute to the analysis of the origins of modern European female PE and sports from a power perspective, inspired by Foucault's work; and (2) to present a detailed analysis of female PE and sport in Spain (1883-1936) as a specific European case study. It is argued that these physical activities could…

  10. A case study of an erosion control practice: the broad-based dip

    Treesearch

    Kevin Bold; Pamela Edwards; Karl Williard

    2007-01-01

    In 2006, 19 gravel haul roads with broad-based dips within the Monongahela National Forest were examined to determine if those dips adhered to Forest specifications for cut depth and dip outslope. Data on the azimuth, contributing road lengths, slopes of the contributing lengths, landscape position of the dip, and soil texture of the road bed materials also were...

  11. Spoon-Feeding to Tongue-Biting and Beyond: Factors That Contributed to Changes in Irish Primary School Teachers' Mathematics Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Treacy, Mia

    2017-01-01

    Research that aimed to examine teachers' experiences whilst implementing a reform approach to mathematics teaching in an Irish primary school forms the basis of this paper. In particular, factors that contributed to changing mathematics practice in this case study school are outlined. The school engaged in professional development (PD) that…

  12. Students' Reception of Peer Assessment of Group-Work Contributions: Problematics in Terms of Race and Gender Emerging from a South African Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thondhlana, Gladman; Belluigi, Dina Zoe

    2017-01-01

    Participatory assessment is increasingly employed in higher education worldwide as a formative mechanism to support students' active learning. But do students in an increasingly relationally diverse environment perceive that peer assessment of individuals' contributions to group-work tasks enhances their learning? Recognising the impact of…

  13. Voluntary Organizations and the Contribution to Social Justice in Schools: Learning from a Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parsons, Carl; Hailes, Jean

    2004-01-01

    Partnerships are seen as vital to the functioning of many social institutions and the contribution that the private and voluntary not-for-profit sector organizations can make to the provision of statutory services is particularly valued. The Church of England Children's Society Genesis project worked for nearly 5 years in one urban, secondary…

  14. The Contribution of Graduation Research to School Development: Graduation Research as a Boundary Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snoek, Marco; Bekebrede, Judith; Hanna, Fadie; Creton, Theun; Edzes, Hester

    2017-01-01

    When teaching is considered as a collaborative activity, the aim of research projects in schools needs to exceed the individual and personal levels and aim to contribute to research-informed reflection of a team of teachers. Within this multiple case study, we adapted the graduation research project within a primary teacher education programme,…

  15. How important are rare variants in common disease?

    PubMed

    Saint Pierre, Aude; Génin, Emmanuelle

    2014-09-01

    Genome-wide association studies have uncovered hundreds of common genetic variants involved in complex diseases. However, for most complex diseases, these common genetic variants only marginally contribute to disease susceptibility. It is now argued that rare variants located in different genes could in fact play a more important role in disease susceptibility than common variants. These rare genetic variants were not captured by genome-wide association studies using single nucleotide polymorphism-chips but with the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies, they have become detectable. It is now possible to study their contribution to common disease by resequencing samples of cases and controls or by using new genotyping exome arrays that cover rare alleles. In this review, we address the question of the contribution of rare variants in common disease by taking the examples of different diseases for which some resequencing studies have already been performed, and by summarizing the results of simulation studies conducted so far to investigate the genetic architecture of complex traits in human. So far, empirical data have not allowed the exclusion of many models except the most extreme ones involving only a small number of rare variants with large effects contributing to complex disease. To unravel the genetic architecture of complex disease, case-control data will not be sufficient, and alternative study designs need to be proposed together with methodological developments. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Facility cost analysis in outpatient plastic surgery: implications for the academic health center.

    PubMed

    Pacella, Salvatore J; Comstock, Matthew C; Kuzon, William M

    2008-04-01

    The authors examined the economic patterns of outpatient aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgical procedures performed within an academic health center. For fiscal years 2003 and 2004, the University of Michigan Health System's accounting database was queried to identify all outpatient plastic surgery cases (aesthetic and reconstructive) from four surgical facilities. Total facility charges, cost, revenue, and margin were calculated for each case. Contribution margin (total revenue minus variable direct cost) was compared with total case time to determine average contribution margin per operating suite case minute for subsets of aesthetic and reconstructive procedures. A total of 3603 cases (3457 reconstructive and 146 aesthetic) were identified. Payer mix included Blue Cross (36.7 percent), health maintenance organization (28.7 percent), other commercial payers (17.4 percent), Medicare/Medicaid (13.5 percent), and self-pay (3.7 percent). The most profitable cases were reconstructive laser procedures ($66.20; n = 361), scar revision ($36.01; n = 25), and facial trauma ($32.17; n = 64). The least profitable were hand arthroplasty ($13.93; n = 35), arthroscopy ($17.25; n = 15), and breast reduction ($17.46; n = 210). Aesthetic procedures (n = 144) yielded a significantly higher contribution margin per case minute ($24.21) compared with reconstructive procedures ($22.28; n = 3093) (p = 0.01). Plastic surgical cases performed at dedicated ambulatory surgery centers ($28.60; n = 1477) yielded significantly higher contribution margin per case minute compared with those performed at hospital-based facilities ($25.58; n = 2123) (p < 0.01). Use of standardized accounting (contribution margin per case minute) can be a strategically effective method for determining the most profitable and appropriate case mix. Within academic health centers, aesthetic surgery can be a profitable enterprise; dedicated ambulatory surgery centers yield higher profitability.

  17. Multiloop amplitudes of light-cone gauge superstring field theory: odd spin structure contributions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishibashi, Nobuyuki; Murakami, Koichi

    2018-03-01

    We study the odd spin structure contributions to the multiloop amplitudes of light-cone gauge superstring field theory. We show that they coincide with the amplitudes in the conformal gauge with two of the vertex operators chosen to be in the pictures different from the standard choice, namely (-1, -1) picture in the type II case and -1 picture in the heterotic case. We also show that the contact term divergences can be regularized in the same way as in the amplitudes for the even structures and we get the amplitudes which coincide with those obtained from the first-quantized approach.

  18. Campaign contributions, lobbying and post-Katrina contracts.

    PubMed

    Hogan, Michael J; Long, Michael A; Stretesky, Paul B

    2010-07-01

    This research explores the relationship between political campaign contributions, lobbying and post-Hurricane Katrina cleanup and reconstruction contracts. Specifically, a case-control study design is used to determine whether campaign contributions to national candidates in the 2000-04 election cycles and/or the employment of lobbyists and lobbying firms increased a company's probability of receiving a post-hurricane contract. Results indicate that both a campaign contribution dichotomous variable and the dollar amount of contributions are significantly related to whether a company received a contract, but that lobbying activity was not. These findings are discussed in the context of previous research on the politics of natural disasters, government contracting and governmental and corporate deviance.

  19. [Urban sporotrichosis: a neglected epidemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

    PubMed

    Silva, Margarete Bernardo Tavares da; Costa, Mônica Motta de Mattos; Torres, Carla Carrilho da Silva; Galhardo, Maria Clara Gutierrez; Valle, Antonio Carlos Francesconi do; Magalhães, Mônica de Avelar F M; Sabroza, Paulo Chagastelles; Oliveira, Rosely Magalhães de

    2012-10-01

    In the scientific literature, sporotrichosis has traditionally been associated with agricultural work, since the causative agent is found naturally in the soil. However, cases have been reported recently in an urban area, related to zoonotic transmission. The current study aimed to contribute to knowledge on sporotrichosis in an urban area through an exploratory analysis of its socio-spatial distribution in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 1997 to 2007, identifying the areas with the heaviest transmission. The database from the Health Surveillance Service at the Evandro Chagas Institute for Clinical Research, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, was used to estimate incidence rates and spatial distribution. During the study period, 1,848 cases of sporotrichosis were reported, predominantly in adult women not currently in the labor market. The leading source of infection was wounds caused by domestic cats, which contributed to the spread of sporotrichosis in this urban area. Georeferencing of 1,681 cases showed a transmission belt along the border between the city of Rio de Janeiro and the adjacent municipalities in the Greater Metropolitan Area.

  20. The Connotations of "Botho Philosophy" and Its Potential Contribution towards Environmental Conservation: The Case of Tlokoeng Community in Lesotho

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mokuku, Tšepo

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores innovative environmental education strategies to conserve biodiversity in a rural-based context, in Lesotho. A case study approach was employed to investigate the community's conception of botho philosophy and how it might promote nature conservation. Focus Group Interviews were conducted with 105 participants. The responses…

  1. Standardisation a Considerable Force behind Language Death: A Case of Shona

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mhute, Isaac

    2016-01-01

    The paper assesses the contribution of standardisation towards language death taking Clement Doke's resolutions on the various Shona dialects as a case study. It is a qualitative analysis of views gathered from speakers of the language situated in various provinces of Zimbabwe, the country in which the language is spoken by around 75% of the…

  2. Behavioral Treatment of Conversion Disorder in Adolescence: A Case Example of Globus Hystericus.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donohue, Brad; Thevenin, Deborah M.; Runyon, Melissa K.

    1997-01-01

    Using a case study, evaluates the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of a patient diagnosed with a conversion disorder characterized by a perceived lump in the throat and subsequent weight loss. Results indicate that the behavioral therapy procedures contributed to increased weight and improved eating behavior. (RJM)

  3. Responses to Islam in the Classroom: A Case of Muslim Girls from Minority Communities of Interpretation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merchant, Natasha Hakimali

    2016-01-01

    Coinciding with the rise of "Islamophobia" in the United States is a small but growing set of educational scholarship around the curricular impact of and response to Islamophobia. The qualitative case study discussed in this manuscript aims to contribute to this conversation by investigating how Muslim girls from minority communities of…

  4. Feline-transmitted sporotrichosis: A case study from California.

    PubMed

    Rees, Rachel K; Swartzberg, John E

    2011-06-15

    We report a case of cat-associated sporotrichosis in an adult female in California. A retrospectively diagnosed cutaneous sporotrichosis infection in the patient's cat and the unusual site of the primary lesion in the patient contributed to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Here, we also review the English literature regarding the epidemiology of Sporothrix schenkii as a cat-associated zoonosis.

  5. The contributions of human factors and ergonomics to a sustainable minerals industry.

    PubMed

    Horberry, Tim; Burgess-Limerick, Robin; Fuller, Ruth

    2013-01-01

    This article describes examples of the application of human factors research and development work to a sustainable minerals industry. It begins by outlining human-related aspects of the minerals industry and the key human factors work previously undertaken in this domain. The focus then switches to sustainability in the minerals industry. Sustainability principles are introduced and illustrations provided of how human factors research and development work fits within such a framework. Three case studies of human factors in the minerals industry research are presented and the sustainability implications in each case study are highlighted. Finally, future trends related to human factors work in a sustainable minerals industry are addressed, in particular the opportunities and possible adverse consequences that increasing deployment of mining automation might bring. Minerals industries are a major global activity with significant sustainability implications. Aspects of sustainability in mining are examined using three case studies. These illustrate the contribution of human factors/ergonomics in reducing risks; developing emergency response management systems; and the value of participatory ergonomics in improving the design of mining equipment.

  6. Addressing the human resources crisis: a case study of Cambodia’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality (1980–2012)

    PubMed Central

    Fujita, Noriko; Abe, Kimiko; Rotem, Arie; Tung, Rathavy; Keat, Phuong; Robins, Ann; Zwi, Anthony B

    2013-01-01

    Objective To identify factors that have contributed to the systematic development of the Cambodian human resources for health (HRH) system with a focus on midwifery services in response to high maternal mortality in fragile resource-constrained countries. Design Qualitative case study. Review of the published and grey literature and in-depth interviews with key informants and stakeholders using an HRH system conceptual framework developed by the authors (‘House Model’; Fujita et al, 2011). Interviews focused on the perceptions of respondents regarding their contributions to strengthening midwifery services and the other external influences which may have influenced the HRH system and reduction in the maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Setting Three rounds of interviews were conducted with senior and mid-level managers of the Ministries of Health (MoH) and Education, educational institutes and development partners. Participants A total of 49 interviewees, who were identified through a snowball sampling technique. Main outcome measures Scaling up the availability of 24 h maternal health services at all health centres contributing to MMR reduction. Results The incremental development of the Cambodian HRH system since 2005 focused on the production, deployment and retention of midwives in rural areas as part of a systematic strategy to reduce maternal mortality. The improved availability and access to midwifery services contributed to significant MMR reduction. Other contributing factors included improved mechanisms for decision-making and implementation; political commitment backed up with necessary resources; leadership from the top along with a growing capacity of mid-level managers; increased MoH capacity to plan and coordinate; and supportive development partners in the context of a conducive external environment. Conclusions Lessons from this case study point to the importance of a systemic and comprehensive approach to health and HRH system strengthening and of ongoing capacity enhancement and leadership development to ensure effective planning, implementation and monitoring of HRH policies and strategies. PMID:23674446

  7. Foucault on the case: the pastoral and juridical foundation of medical power.

    PubMed

    Tierney, Thomas F

    2004-01-01

    This paper employs Foucault's concept of "governmentality" to examine critically the efforts by medical humanists to reform the medical case. I argue that these reform efforts contribute to the individualizing dimensions of medical power through the development of a "pastoral" technique that medicine has taken over from religious authority. Clinical experiences at this NEH Institute also revealed a juridical dimension of the medical case that treats a patient's statements as suspect and in need of corroboration by evidence provided by the patient's body. The combination of these pastoral and juridical dimensions of the case contributes to the normalizing power of modern medicine, and medical humanists need to be aware of their own contribution to this form of power as they reform the case.

  8. Case studies of soil in art

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feller, C.; Landa, E. R.; Toland, A.; Wessolek, G.

    2015-08-01

    The material and symbolic appropriations of soil in artworks are numerous and diverse, spanning many centuries and artistic traditions, from prehistoric painting and ceramics to early Renaissance works in Western literature, poetry, paintings, and sculpture, to recent developments in film, architecture, and contemporary art. Case studies focused on painting, installation, and film are presented with the view of encouraging further exploration of art about, in, and with soil as a contribution to raising soil awareness.

  9. Appendix 2: Risk-based framework and risk case studies. Risk case study: a framework for assessing climate change risks to forest carbon stocks

    Treesearch

    Christopher W. Woodall; Grant M. Domke

    2012-01-01

    Forest ecosystems have the ability to reduce the effects of climate change through the sequestration of carbon (C) (Pan et al. 2011) as well as contribute to net emissions through disturbance events such as wildfires and widespread tree mortality (Kurz et al. 2008). A conceptual framework for assessing climate-change risks to forest ecosystem C stocks facilitates...

  10. [Investigation of the factors that contribute to the onset of insomnia in hypertensive patients by using a post-marketing surveillance database].

    PubMed

    Tanabe, Naoto; Fujita, Toshiharu; Fujii, Yosuke; Orii, Takao

    2011-01-01

    Many factors contribute to the onset of insomnia. However, few studies have identified the factors related to the onset of insomnia in hypertensive patients. We conducted a pharmacoepidemiologic study to examine the incidence of insomnia in hypertensive patients by using a post-marketing surveillance database. The insomnia onset was defined as the time of first prescription of hypnotics. The insomnia incidence rate in hypertensive patients under antihypertensive therapy was 0.77/100 person-years. The median insomnia onset date was 5 weeks. The insomnia type in 50.2% of the patients was difficulty in initiating sleep. We assessed the factors contributing to insomnia by using a nested case-control design. We selected 10 time-matched controls for every case. The hypotensive effect induced by antihypertensive therapy on the case group was lesser than that on the control group (p<0.01). The odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using multivariate conditional logistic regression. The factors contributing to insomnia onset were α blockers (OR, 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-4.98), β blockers (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.99-2.39), and calcium channel blockers (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.43-0.90) compared with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; female sex (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.27-2.44); complication of gastric/duodenal disorders (OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.14-4.86) or musculoskeletal system/connective tissue disorders (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.23-4.79); and concomitant antihypertensive therapy (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.31-0.63). This study identified the potential factors that may help to predict insomnia onset in hypertensive patients under antihypertensive therapy.

  11. A rare case of respiratory disorders associated with two autosomal recessive diseases and male infertility.

    PubMed

    Mendeluk, Gabriela Ruth; Costa, Sergio López; Scigliano, Sergio; Menga, Guillermo; Demiceu, Sergio; Palaoro, Luis Alberto

    2013-01-01

    The study of nasal ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and ultrastructure may contribute to the understanding of pathognomonic cases of male infertility associated with defects in sperm motility. This study was designed to report a particular case of male infertility, characterized by the association of two respiratory autosomal recessive genetic diseases (alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency [AAT-D] and primary ciliary dyskinesia [PCD]). A 39-year-old patient with complete sperm immotility, AAT-D, and bronchiectasis was studied in the Laboratory of Male Fertility, the Department of Urology, the Respiratory Center of a Pediatric Hospital, and in the Department of Clinical Medicine of a Rehabilitation Respiratory Hospital. Family history, physical examination, hormonal analysis, microbial assays, semen analysis, nasal ciliary function, and structure study by digital high-speed video photography and transmission electron microscopy are described. A noninvasive nasal biopsy to retrieve ciliated epithelium lining the inferior surface of the inferior nasal turbinates was performed and CBF was determined. Beat pattern was slightly curved and rigid, not wide, and metacronic in all the observed fields analyzed. CBF was 8.2 Hz in average (reference value, 10-15 Hz) Ultrastructural assay revealed absence of the inner dynein arms in 97% of the cilia observed. The final infertility accurate diagnosis was achieved by the study of nasal CBF and ultrastructure contributing to the patient health management and genetic counseling while deciding fatherhood. Beyond this particular case, the present report may open a new field of studies in male infertility, mainly in cases of asthenozoospermia.

  12. A rare case of respiratory disorders associated with two autosomal recessive diseases and male infertility

    PubMed Central

    Costa, Sergio López; Scigliano, Sergio; Menga, Guillermo; Demiceu, Sergio; Palaoro, Luis Alberto

    2013-01-01

    The study of nasal ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and ultrastructure may contribute to the understanding of pathognomonic cases of male infertility associated with defects in sperm motility. This study was designed to report a particular case of male infertility, characterized by the association of two respiratory autosomal recessive genetic diseases (alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency [AAT-D] and primary ciliary dyskinesia [PCD]). A 39-year-old patient with complete sperm immotility, AAT-D, and bronchiectasis was studied in the Laboratory of Male Fertility, the Department of Urology, the Respiratory Center of a Pediatric Hospital, and in the Department of Clinical Medicine of a Rehabilitation Respiratory Hospital. Family history, physical examination, hormonal analysis, microbial assays, semen analysis, nasal ciliary function, and structure study by digital high-speed video photography and transmission electron microscopy are described. A noninvasive nasal biopsy to retrieve ciliated epithelium lining the inferior surface of the inferior nasal turbinates was performed and CBF was determined. Beat pattern was slightly curved and rigid, not wide, and metacronic in all the observed fields analyzed. CBF was 8.2 Hz in average (reference value, 10–15 Hz) Ultrastructural assay revealed absence of the inner dynein arms in 97% of the cilia observed. The final infertility accurate diagnosis was achieved by the study of nasal CBF and ultrastructure contributing to the patient health management and genetic counseling while deciding fatherhood. Beyond this particular case, the present report may open a new field of studies in male infertility, mainly in cases of asthenozoospermia. PMID:23772318

  13. Exploring Biomolecular Recognition by Modeling and Simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wade, Rebecca

    2007-12-01

    Biomolecular recognition is complex. The balance between the different molecular properties that contribute to molecular recognition, such as shape, electrostatics, dynamics and entropy, varies from case to case. This, along with the extent of experimental characterization, influences the choice of appropriate computational approaches to study biomolecular interactions. I will present computational studies in which we aim to make concerted use of bioinformatics, biochemical network modeling and molecular simulation techniques to study protein-protein and protein-small molecule interactions and to facilitate computer-aided drug design.

  14. An Approach to Assign Individual Marks from a Team Mark: The Case of Australian Grading System at Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nepal, Kali Prasad

    2012-01-01

    This study uses a new approach to assign individual marks from a team mark using individual contributions to a teamwork product. A team member's contribution to a teamwork product, in the form of an individual weighting factor, is calculated using team members' co-assessment. A comparison of the proposed approach with existing methods has been…

  15. Schematic representation of case study research designs.

    PubMed

    Rosenberg, John P; Yates, Patsy M

    2007-11-01

    The paper is a report of a study to demonstrate how the use of schematics can provide procedural clarity and promote rigour in the conduct of case study research. Case study research is a methodologically flexible approach to research design that focuses on a particular case - whether an individual, a collective or a phenomenon of interest. It is known as the 'study of the particular' for its thorough investigation of particular, real-life situations and is gaining increased attention in nursing and social research. However, the methodological flexibility it offers can leave the novice researcher uncertain of suitable procedural steps required to ensure methodological rigour. This article provides a real example of a case study research design that utilizes schematic representation drawn from a doctoral study of the integration of health promotion principles and practices into a palliative care organization. The issues discussed are: (1) the definition and application of case study research design; (2) the application of schematics in research; (3) the procedural steps and their contribution to the maintenance of rigour; and (4) the benefits and risks of schematics in case study research. The inclusion of visual representations of design with accompanying explanatory text is recommended in reporting case study research methods.

  16. Sources of heavy metals in urban wastewater in Stockholm.

    PubMed

    Sörme, L; Lagerkvist, R

    2002-10-21

    The sources of heavy metals to a wastewater treatment plant was investigated. Sources can be actual goods, e.g. runoff from roofs, wear of tires, food, or activities, e.g. large enterprises, car washes. The sources were identified by knowing the metals content in various goods and the emissions from goods to sewage or stormwater. The sources of sewage water and stormwater were categorized to enable comparison with other research and measurements. The categories were households, drainage water, businesses, pipe sediment (all transported in sewage water), atmospheric deposition, traffic, building materials and pipe sediment (transported in stormwater). Results show that it was possible to track the sources of heavy metals for some metals such as Cu and Zn (110 and 100% found, respectively) as well as Ni and Hg (70% found). Other metals sources are still poorly understood or underestimated (Cd 60%, Pb 50%, Cr 20% known). The largest sources of Cu were tap water and roofs. For Zn the largest sources were galvanized material and car washes. In the case of Ni, the largest sources were chemicals used in the WTP and drinking water itself. And finally, for Hg the most dominant emission source was the amalgam in teeth. For Pb, Cr and Cd, where sources were more poorly understood, the largest contributors for all were car washes. Estimated results of sources from this study were compared with previously done measurements. The comparison shows that measured contribution from households is higher than that estimated (except Hg), leading to the conclusion that the sources of sewage water from households are still poorly understood or that known sources are underestimated. In the case of stormwater, the estimated contributions are rather well in agreement with measured contributions, although uncertainties are large for both estimations and measurements. Existing pipe sediments in the plumbing system, which release Hg and Pb, could be one explanation for the missing amount of these metals. Large enterprises were found to make a very small contribution, 4% or less for all metals studied. Smaller enterprises (with the exception of car washes) have been shown to make a small contribution in another city; the contribution in this case study is still unknown.

  17. [Control-lateral sciatrica after surgery for herniated disk].

    PubMed

    Sicard, A; Banai, M

    1976-12-01

    A study of 1,427 case records permitted the authors to discover 10 cases of reoperation for sciatica which appeared on the opposite side after removal of a dischernia. A new hernia was noted in 6 cases, whereas radiculitis of unknown origin, appeared to be responsible in 4 cases. The 10 patients who became cured, either after removal of the hernia, or after decompression through the foramin. These few cases, in fact rare, may be considered as relapses and thus poor surgical results. The provide a contribution to the understanding of intervertebral disc disease and raise an interesting medico-legal problem.

  18. Argentine Population Genetic Structure: Large Variance in Amerindian Contribution

    PubMed Central

    Seldin, Michael F.; Tian, Chao; Shigeta, Russell; Scherbarth, Hugo R.; Silva, Gabriel; Belmont, John W.; Kittles, Rick; Gamron, Susana; Allevi, Alberto; Palatnik, Simon A.; Alvarellos, Alejandro; Paira, Sergio; Caprarulo, Cesar; Guillerón, Carolina; Catoggio, Luis J.; Prigione, Cristina; Berbotto, Guillermo A.; García, Mercedes A.; Perandones, Carlos E.; Pons-Estel, Bernardo A.; Alarcon-Riquelme, Marta E.

    2011-01-01

    Argentine population genetic structure was examined using a set of 78 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to assess the contributions of European, Amerindian, and African ancestry in 94 individuals members of this population. Using the Bayesian clustering algorithm STRUCTURE, the mean European contribution was 78%, the Amerindian contribution was 19.4%, and the African contribution was 2.5%. Similar results were found using weighted least mean square method: European, 80.2%; Amerindian, 18.1%; and African, 1.7%. Consistent with previous studies the current results showed very few individuals (four of 94) with greater than 10% African admixture. Notably, when individual admixture was examined, the Amerindian and European admixture showed a very large variance and individual Amerindian contribution ranged from 1.5 to 84.5% in the 94 individual Argentine subjects. These results indicate that admixture must be considered when clinical epidemiology or case control genetic analyses are studied in this population. Moreover, the current study provides a set of informative SNPs that can be used to ascertain or control for this potentially hidden stratification. In addition, the large variance in admixture proportions in individual Argentine subjects shown by this study suggests that this population is appropriate for future admixture mapping studies. PMID:17177183

  19. Multiple Viral Infection Detected from Influenza-Like Illness Cases in Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Adam, Kindi; Pangesti, Krisna Nur Andriana; Setiawaty, Vivi

    2017-01-01

    Influenza is one of the common etiologies of the upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). However, influenza virus only contributes about 20 percent of influenza-like illness patients. The aim of the study is to investigate the other viral etiologies from ILI cases in Indonesia. Of the 334 samples, 266 samples (78%) were positive at least for one virus, including 107 (42%) cases of multiple infections. Influenza virus is the most detected virus. The most frequent combination of viruses identified was adenovirus and human rhinovirus. This recent study demonstrated high detection rate of several respiratory viruses from ILI cases in Indonesia. Further studies to determine the relationship between viruses and clinical features are needed to improve respiratory disease control program.

  20. "He Needs to Talk!": A Chaplain's Case Study of Nonreligious Spiritual Care.

    PubMed

    Nolan, Steve

    2016-01-01

    Chaplains have always worked with nonreligious people, but it is not always clear what is distinctive about their contribution. This case describes an episode of nonreligious spiritual care in order to explore the value of chaplaincy work with people who regard themselves as nonreligious. This case reports on work with a dying man and his family-wife, daughter, sister, and son-in-law-whose religion is secularized, but whose secularism is touched by the sacred.

  1. [Diabetic retinopathy complications--12-year retrospective study].

    PubMed

    Ignat, Florica; Davidescu, Livia

    2002-01-01

    It is analyzed, on a retrospective study on 12 years, the incidence of diabetus melitus cases, hospitalized in the Ophthalmologic Clinic from Craiova with special mention to the frequency of the diabetic retinopathy, of it's complications and in an accordance to other general diseases, especially cardiovascular's, which contributes to the aggravation of the diabetic ocular in juries evolution. The study underlines the high incidence of the new founded cases with diabetus melitus in complicated diabetes retinopathy stage; the high frequency of ocular complications is explained, according to our statistic facts and through an insufficient treatment, sometimes incorrect and many other cases total neglected by the patients.

  2. Legionnaires' Disease in Hotels and Passenger Ships: A Systematic Review of Evidence, Sources, and Contributing Factors.

    PubMed

    Mouchtouri, Varvara A; Rudge, James W

    2015-01-01

    Travel-associated Legionnaires' disease (LD) is a serious problem, and hundreds of cases are reported every year among travelers who stayed at hotels, despite the efforts of international and governmental authorities and hotel operators to prevent additional cases. A systematic review of travel-associated LD events (cases, clusters, outbreaks) and of environmental studies of Legionella contamination in accommodation sites was conducted. Two databases were searched (PubMed and EMBASE). Data were extracted from 50 peer-reviewed articles that provided microbiological and epidemiological evidence for linking the accommodation sites with LD. The strength of evidence was classified as strong, possible, and probable. Three of the 21 hotel-associated events identified and four of nine ship-associated events occurred repeatedly on the same site. Of 197 hotel-associated cases, 158 (80.2%) were linked to hotel cooling towers and/or potable water systems. Ship-associated cases were most commonly linked to hot tubs (59/83, 71.1%). Common contributing factors included inadequate disinfection, maintenance, and monitoring; water stagnation; poor temperature control; and poor ventilation. Across all 30 events, Legionella concentrations in suspected water sources were >10,000 cfu/L, <10,000 cfu/L, and unknown in 11, 3, and 13 events, respectively. In five events, Legionella was not detected only after repeated disinfections. In environmental studies, Legionella was detected in 81.1% of ferries (23/28) and 48.9% of hotels (587/1,200), while all 12 cruise ships examined were negative. This review highlights the need for LD awareness strategies targeting operators of accommodation sites. Increased standardization of LD investigation and reporting, and more rigorous follow-up of LD events, would help generate stronger, more comparable evidence on LD sources, contributing factors, and control measure effectiveness. © 2015 International Society of Travel Medicine.

  3. The contribution of hospital library information services to clinical care: a study in eight hospitals.

    PubMed Central

    King, D N

    1987-01-01

    Hospital health sciences libraries represent, for the vast majority of health professionals, the most accessible source for library information and services. Most health professionals do not have available the specialized services of a clinical medical librarian, and rely instead upon general information services for their case-related information needs. The ability of the hospital library to meet these needs and the impact of the information on quality patient care have not been previously examined. A study was conducted in eight hospitals in the Chicago area as a quality assurance project. A total of 176 physicians, nurses, and other health professionals requested information from their hospital libraries related to a current case or clinical situation. They then assessed the quality of information received, its cognitive value, its contribution to patient care, and its impact on case management. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents asserted that they would definitely or probably handle their cases differently as a result of the information provided by the library. Almost all rated the libraries' performance and response highly. An overview of the context and purpose of the study, its methods, selected results, limitations, and conclusions are presented here, as is a review of selected earlier research. PMID:3450340

  4. Osmotic demyelination syndrome associated with hypophosphataemia: 2 cases and a review of literature.

    PubMed

    Turnbull, Jessica; Lumsden, Daniel; Siddiqui, Ata; Lin, Jean-Pierre; Lim, Ming

    2013-04-01

    Central and extrapontine myelinolysis are collectively known as osmotic demyelination syndrome. This encephalopathic illness has been well documented in the adult literature, occurring most commonly in the context of chronic alcoholism, correction of hyponatraemia and liver transplantation. Aetiology and outcome in the paediatric population are less well understood. Two cases of osmotic demyelination syndrome occurring in children with transient severe hypophosphataemia during the course of their illness are presented. Both had very different neurological outcomes, but the changes of central and extrapontine myelinolysis were apparent on neuroimaging. Sixty-one cases in the paediatric literature were then reviewed. We summarize aetiology and outcome in paediatric cases of osmotic demyelination syndrome and postulate a role for hypophosphataemia as a contributing factor in the development of these sometimes devastating conditions. Hypophosphataemia may contribute to the risk of developing osmotic demyelination syndrome in at-risk paediatric patients and further study of this association should be undertaken. ©2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

  5. History of Vocational Education and Training in Europe: Cases, Concepts and Challenges. Studies in Vocational and Continuing Education. Volume 14

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berner, Esther, Ed.; Gonon, Philipp, Ed.

    2016-01-01

    Understanding today's Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems requires a comprehension of the rise and development, i.e. of the foundations of topical VET. This book provides a comparative view of its development in Europe. The contributions of renowned authors give insight into conceptual questions, cases, and challenges in this field.

  6. Learning in Social Action: A Contribution to Understanding Informal Education. Global Perspectives on Adult Education and Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foley, Griff

    This book argues the importance of the incidental learning that can occur when people become involved in voluntary organizations, social struggles, and political activity. Chapter 1 introduces the case studies of informal learning in social struggle used to develop the argument and outlines the theoretical framework within which the case studies…

  7. Healthy School Environment and Enhanced Educational Performance: The Case of Charles Young Elementary School, Washington, DC.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, Michael A.

    This report presents a case study of the renovation of Charles Young Elementary School in Washington, DC, focusing on how an improved school environment contributed to higher levels of educational performance. The school was chosen as a school revitalization demonstration project for the Urban Schools Initiative. The objective of the project was…

  8. Private Higher Education in Africa: The Case of Monash South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Setswe, G.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this paper was to review the contribution of private institutions to higher education in Africa and use Monash South Africa as a case study. A literature search was conducted to gain perspective on the current situation with respect to private higher education institutions in Africa and how they are perceived in relation to public…

  9. Exploring the relation between online case-based discussions and learning outcomes in dental education.

    PubMed

    Koole, Sebastiaan; Vervaeke, Stijn; Cosyn, Jan; De Bruyn, Hugo

    2014-11-01

    Online case-based discussions, parallel to theoretical dental education, have been highly valued by students and supervisors. This study investigated the relation between variables of online group discussions and learning outcomes. At Ghent University in Belgium, undergraduate dental students (years two and three) are required to participate in online case-based discussion groups (five students/group) in conjunction with two theoretical courses on basic periodontics and related therapy. Each week, a patient case is discussed under supervision of a periodontist, who authored the case and performed the treatment. Each case includes treatment history and demand, intra- and extraoral images, and full diagnostic information with periodontal and radiographic status. For this retrospective study, data were obtained for all 252 students in forty-three discussion groups between 2009 and 2012. Spearman's rank correlations were calculated to investigate the relation among group dynamics (number of group posts and views), individual student contributions (number of individual posts, newly introduced elements, questions, and reactions to other posts), supervisors' interventions (number of posts and posed questions), and learning outcomes (examination result). The results showed that learning outcomes were significantly related to the number of student posts (Spearman's rho (ρ)=0.19), newly introduced elements (ρ=0.21), reactions to other posts (ρ=0.14), number of supervisors' interventions (ρ=0.12), and supervisors' questions (ρ=0.20). These results suggest that individual student contributions during online case-based discussions and the provided supervision were related to learning outcomes.

  10. RICKETS IN RURAL KENYAN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: CASE REPORT.

    PubMed

    Bwibo, N O; Nyawade, S; Neumann, C G

    2013-03-01

    Clinical rickets has not been reported previously in Embu district, Kenya. Baseline clinical assessments performed for a nutrition intervention study in preschool children (n=324) identified 28 cases of rickets (8.6% of study sample). Clinical characteristics included: delays of sitting, walking, and teething; bone and chest deformities; widened wrists and ankles; and bowed lower extremities. Risk factors identified were short duration of breastfeeding with feeding of cereal-based supplements with little or no milk, low calcium intake, limited sunlight exposure. Vitamin D and calcium deficiencies likely contributed to these cases. Treatment with Vitamin D3 and milk resulted in clinical improvement.

  11. Long-term variability of sleep bruxism and psychological stress in patients with jaw-muscle pain: Report of two longitudinal clinical cases.

    PubMed

    Muzalev, K; Visscher, C M; Koutris, M; Lobbezoo, F

    2018-02-01

    Sleep bruxism (SB) and psychological stress are commonly considered as contributing factors in the aetiology of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain. However, the lack of longitudinal studies and fluctuating nature of SB, psychological stress and TMD pain have led to contradictory results regarding the association between the possible aetiological factors and TMD pain. In the present study we investigated the contribution of SB and psychological stress to TMD pain in a longitudinal study of 2 clinical TMD pain cases during a 6-week study protocol. Two female volunteers with clinically diagnosed myalgia based on the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) participated in the study. Questionnaires were used to record jaw-muscle pain and psychological stress experience, and an ambulatory polysomnography technique was used to record SB intensity. Visual analysis of the data revealed that the intensity of TMD pain was not hardwired, neither with psychological stress experience nor with increased SB activity. Within the limitations of single-patient clinical cases design, our study suggested that the presence of TMD pain cannot be explained by a simple linear model which takes psychological stress or SB into account. It also seems that psychological stress was a more important predictor factor for TMD pain than SB. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Practice and Impact of Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards on Patient Management: A Prospective Study

    PubMed Central

    Charara, Raghid N.; Kreidieh, Firas Y.; Farhat, Rania A.; Al-Feghali, Karine A.; Khoury, Katia E.; Haydar, Ali; Nassar, Lara; Berjawi, Ghina; Shamseddine, Ali

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs) have become commonplace. The use, attendance, and function of MTBs need continued assessment and improvement. Methods We prospectively recorded and assessed all cases presented at MTBs between October 2013 and December 2014. Data were collected before and during each MTB. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 23 (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Results Five hundred three cases were presented: 234 cases (46%) at GI cancer MTBs, 149 cases (29.6%) at breast cancer MTBs, 69 cases (13.7%) at thoracic/head and neck cancer MTBs, and 51 cases (10.7%) at neuro-oncology MTBs. A total of 86.7% of MTB cases were presented to make plans for management. Plans for upfront management were made in 67% of the breast cancer cases, 63% of GI cases, 59% of thoracic/head and neck cases, and 49% of neuro-oncology cases. Three hundred ninety-four cases (78.3%) were presented by medical oncologists, whereas only 74 cases (14.7%) were presented by surgeons, and 10 cases (2%) were presented by radiation oncologists. The majority of MTBs, with the exception of the neurosurgery MTBs, were led by medical oncologists. Surgeons presented the least number of cases but attended the most, and their contributions to discussions and decision making were essential. Conclusion MTBs enhance the multidisciplinary management of patients with cancer. Upfront multidisciplinary decision making should be considered as an indicator of benefit from MTBs, in addition to changes in management plans made at MTBs. Increasing the contributions of surgeons to MTBs should include bringing more of their own cases for discussion. PMID:28717766

  13. Social enterprises and public health improvement in England: a qualitative case study.

    PubMed

    Garnett, Emma; Baeza, Juan; Trenholm, Susan; Gulliford, Martin; Green, Judith

    2018-06-22

    To explore the contribution of social enterprises to publicly commissioned public health improvement and assess the risks and benefits of their role. Qualitative case study of four south London boroughs. Documentary research; in-depth interviews with 19 key informants. This study identified 24 social enterprises that were currently commissioned to contribute to public health improvement. These organisations ranged in size, longevity, and structure. They were widely reported as flexible and able to rapidly develop services responsive to local community needs. Their work often addressed upstream health determinants. However, to capitalise on securing contracts, they had to bureaucratise and establish provider alliances, which risked losing the very characteristics that make them unique. Social enterprises bore the financial risk of innovative service developments. Emerging mixed economies of public health were fragmented, limiting commissioners' abilities to plan strategically and evaluate the impact. Social enterprises have an increasing role in providing potential solutions to intractable health improvement challenges, contributing to a broader vision around upstream action for health. However, the fragmentation and growing outsourcing of public health has risks for coherent and equitable service planning. Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Predisposing factors and outcome of treatment of non-union of long-bone fractures in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Ogunlade, S O; Omololu, A B; Alonge, T O; Diete, S T; Obawonyi, J E

    2011-03-01

    This study was done to find out factors that contribute to development of Non-union of long bone fractures in this environment and the outcome of operative intervention. This is a prospective hospital based study. All patients with Non-union of long bone fracture that presented in the hospital since January 1997 were recruited into the study. The data included causative factors, treatment given before presenting in the hospital, type of surgical procedure and result of treatment. The study was completed in December, 2005. 78 patients presented with 87 Non-union of long bones. A male, female ratio of 1.6:1 was encountered while 69.2 per cent of the patients were below the age 55years. Road Traffic Accident accounted for 68 fractures (78.2 per cent) while duration of injury before presentation varies from 6 months to 22 months. Atrophic non-union occurred in 60 cases (69.0 per cent) and hypertrophic non-union in 21 cases. Non-union of the femur occurred in 33 cases (37.9 per cent) humerus in 24 cases (27.6 per cent), tibia in 16 cases (18.4 per cent), radius and ulna in 14 cases (16.1 per cent). The initial treatments of the fresh fracture in the 78 patients with nonunion were by the traditional bonesetters in 51 patients (65.4 per cent) while the remaining fractures were treated by plaster of paris in hospital. Open reduction and internal fixation using plate and screws with bone grafting was the most common procedure for treating the non-union in most cases. Union was achieved in the entire patients following surgical intervention. Important factor that appears to contribute to non-union of long bone in this environment is soft tissue interposition between the fracture ends of the bone, which is found in all fractures with more than one diameter displacement. Another factor is interference with periosteal blood supply from disruption of soft tissue envelope as a result of high energy injuries which is also responsible for the displacements that were observed in these fractures. The treatment by traditional bone setters which entails daily massage of the fracture creating a macro movement at the fracture site is also an important contributing factor.

  15. An observational study of bullying as a contributing factor in youth suicide in Toronto.

    PubMed

    Sinyor, Mark; Schaffer, Ayal; Cheung, Amy H

    2014-12-01

    Bullying has been identified as a potential contributing factor in youth suicide. This issue has been highlighted in recent widely publicized media reports, worldwide, in which deceased youth were bullied. We report on an observational study conducted to determine the frequency of bullying as a contributing factor to youth suicide. Coroner records were reviewed for all suicide deaths in youth aged between 10 and 19 in the city of Toronto from 1998 to 2011. Data abstracted were recent stressors (including bullying), clinical variables, such as the presence of mental illness, demographics, and methods of suicide. Ninety-four youth suicides were included in the study. The mean age was 16.8 years, and 70.2% were male. Bullying was present in 6 deaths (6.4%), and there were no deaths where online or cyberbullying was detected. Bullying was the only identified contributing factor in fewer than 5 deaths. The most common stressors identified were conflict with parents (21.3%), romantic partner problems (17.0%), academic problems (10.6%), and criminal and (or) legal problems (10.6%). Any stressor or mental and (or) physical illness was detected in 78.7% of cases. Depression was detected in 40.4% of cases. Our study highlights the need to view suicide in youth as arising from a complex interplay of various biological, psychological, and social factors of which bullying is only one. It challenges simple cause-and-effect models that may suggest that suicide arises from anyone factor, such as bullying.

  16. [Coordination between pharmaceutical services for integrated pharmacotherapy: the case of Catalonia].

    PubMed

    Costa, Karen Sarmento; Goldbaum, Moisés; Guayta-Escolies, Rafel; Modamio, Pilar; Mariño, Eduardo Luis; Tolsá, José Luis Segú

    2017-08-01

    Pharmaceutical policies have been considered strategies to contribute to the guarantee of care coordination and clinical integration. This study sought to describe the pharmaceutical services developed at different levels of care in the health network in Catalonia, as well as to identify and analyze the mechanisms and instruments that act as facilitators and/or barriers to the coordination of pharmacotherapy. This is a descriptive study of 12 cases of hospital pharmacy services, primary care and community pharmacies. Advances related to the perception, formalization and clinical and assistance coordination of the pharmaceutical services were identified. However, weaknesses and potential improvements in coordination were observed. The conclusion drawn was that the different tools and instruments implemented appear to facilitate a greater possibility of integration between pharmaceutical services and the latter with the health services network to contribute to integrated pharmacotherapy.

  17. Pooled Resequencing of 122 Ulcerative Colitis Genes in a Large Dutch Cohort Suggests Population-Specific Associations of Rare Variants in MUC2.

    PubMed

    Visschedijk, Marijn C; Alberts, Rudi; Mucha, Soren; Deelen, Patrick; de Jong, Dirk J; Pierik, Marieke; Spekhorst, Lieke M; Imhann, Floris; van der Meulen-de Jong, Andrea E; van der Woude, C Janneke; van Bodegraven, Adriaan A; Oldenburg, Bas; Löwenberg, Mark; Dijkstra, Gerard; Ellinghaus, David; Schreiber, Stefan; Wijmenga, Cisca; Rivas, Manuel A; Franke, Andre; van Diemen, Cleo C; Weersma, Rinse K

    2016-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies have revealed several common genetic risk variants for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, little is known about the contribution of rare, large effect genetic variants to UC susceptibility. In this study, we performed a deep targeted re-sequencing of 122 genes in Dutch UC patients in order to investigate the contribution of rare variants to the genetic susceptibility to UC. The selection of genes consists of 111 established human UC susceptibility genes and 11 genes that lead to spontaneous colitis when knocked-out in mice. In addition, we sequenced the promoter regions of 45 genes where known variants exert cis-eQTL-effects. Targeted pooled re-sequencing was performed on DNA of 790 Dutch UC cases. The Genome of the Netherlands project provided sequence data of 500 healthy controls. After quality control and prioritization based on allele frequency and pathogenicity probability, follow-up genotyping of 171 rare variants was performed on 1021 Dutch UC cases and 1166 Dutch controls. Single-variant association and gene-based analyses identified an association of rare variants in the MUC2 gene with UC. The associated variants in the Dutch population could not be replicated in a German replication cohort (1026 UC cases, 3532 controls). In conclusion, this study has identified a putative role for MUC2 on UC susceptibility in the Dutch population and suggests a population-specific contribution of rare variants to UC.

  18. Evaluating Effective School Improvement: Case Studies of Programmes in Eight European Countries and Their Contribution to the Effective School Improvement Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wikeley, Felicity; Stoll, Louise; Murillo, Javier; De Jong, Rob

    2005-01-01

    This article describes the empirical research that contributed to the development of the model of "effective school improvement". The focus is mainly on the findings of that research but the problematic nature of designing a methodology that is applicable in 8 very different education systems is also discussed. The 4 key factors to emerge from the…

  19. Estimating population exposure to ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in the United States - Part II: Source apportionment and cancer risk assessment.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jie; Wang, Peng; Li, Jingyi; Mendola, Pauline; Sherman, Seth; Ying, Qi

    2016-12-01

    A revised Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was developed to simulate the emission, reactions, transport, deposition and gas-to-particle partitioning processes of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as described in Part I of the two-part series. The updated CMAQ model was applied in this study to quantify the contributions of different emission sources to the predicted PAH concentrations and excess cancer risk in the United States (US) in 2011. The cancer risk in the continental US due to inhalation exposure of outdoor naphthalene (NAPH) and seven larger carcinogenic PAHs (cPAHs) was predicted to be significant. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) exceeds 1×10 -5 in many urban and industrial areas. Exposure to PAHs was estimated to result in 5704 (608-10,800) excess lifetime cancer cases. Point sources not related with energy generation and the oil and gas processes account for approximately 31% of the excess cancer cases, followed by non-road engines with 18.6% contributions. Contributions of residential wood combustion (16.2%) are similar to that of transportation-related sources (mostly motor vehicles with small contributions from railway and marine vessels; 13.4%). The oil and gas industry emissions, although large contributors to high concentrations of cPAHs regionally, are only responsible of 4.3% of the excess cancer cases, which is similar to the contributions of non-US sources (6.8%) and non-point sources (7.2%). The power generation units pose the most minimal impact on excess cancer risk, with contributions of approximately 2.3%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Dominance, biomass and extinction resistance determine the consequences of biodiversity loss for multiple coastal ecosystem processes.

    PubMed

    Davies, Thomas W; Jenkins, Stuart R; Kingham, Rachel; Kenworthy, Joseph; Hawkins, Stephen J; Hiddink, Jan G

    2011-01-01

    Key ecosystem processes such as carbon and nutrient cycling could be deteriorating as a result of biodiversity loss. However, currently we lack the ability to predict the consequences of realistic species loss on ecosystem processes. The aim of this study was to test whether species contributions to community biomass can be used as surrogate measures of their contribution to ecosystem processes. These were gross community productivity in a salt marsh plant assemblage and an intertidal macroalgae assemblage; community clearance of microalgae in sessile suspension feeding invertebrate assemblage; and nutrient uptake in an intertidal macroalgae assemblage. We conducted a series of biodiversity manipulations that represented realistic species extinction sequences in each of the three contrasting assemblages. Species were removed in a subtractive fashion so that biomass was allowed to vary with each species removal, and key ecosystem processes were measured at each stage of community disassembly. The functional contribution of species was directly proportional to their contribution to community biomass in a 1:1 ratio, a relationship that was consistent across three contrasting marine ecosystems and three ecosystem processes. This suggests that the biomass contributed by a species to an assemblage can be used to approximately predict the proportional decline in an ecosystem process when that species is lost. Such predictions represent "worst case scenarios" because, over time, extinction resilient species can offset the loss of biomass associated with the extinction of competitors. We also modelled a "best case scenario" that accounts for compensatory responses by the extant species with the highest per capita contribution to ecosystem processes. These worst and best case scenarios could be used to predict the minimum and maximum species required to sustain threshold values of ecosystem processes in the future.

  1. Dominance, Biomass and Extinction Resistance Determine the Consequences of Biodiversity Loss for Multiple Coastal Ecosystem Processes

    PubMed Central

    Davies, Thomas W.; Jenkins, Stuart R.; Kingham, Rachel; Kenworthy, Joseph; Hawkins, Stephen J.; Hiddink, Jan G.

    2011-01-01

    Key ecosystem processes such as carbon and nutrient cycling could be deteriorating as a result of biodiversity loss. However, currently we lack the ability to predict the consequences of realistic species loss on ecosystem processes. The aim of this study was to test whether species contributions to community biomass can be used as surrogate measures of their contribution to ecosystem processes. These were gross community productivity in a salt marsh plant assemblage and an intertidal macroalgae assemblage; community clearance of microalgae in sessile suspension feeding invertebrate assemblage; and nutrient uptake in an intertidal macroalgae assemblage. We conducted a series of biodiversity manipulations that represented realistic species extinction sequences in each of the three contrasting assemblages. Species were removed in a subtractive fashion so that biomass was allowed to vary with each species removal, and key ecosystem processes were measured at each stage of community disassembly. The functional contribution of species was directly proportional to their contribution to community biomass in a 1∶1 ratio, a relationship that was consistent across three contrasting marine ecosystems and three ecosystem processes. This suggests that the biomass contributed by a species to an assemblage can be used to approximately predict the proportional decline in an ecosystem process when that species is lost. Such predictions represent “worst case scenarios” because, over time, extinction resilient species can offset the loss of biomass associated with the extinction of competitors. We also modelled a “best case scenario” that accounts for compensatory responses by the extant species with the highest per capita contribution to ecosystem processes. These worst and best case scenarios could be used to predict the minimum and maximum species required to sustain threshold values of ecosystem processes in the future. PMID:22163297

  2. 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…

  3. Social Identity Theories and Educational Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Sean

    2009-01-01

    There is a large body of research in studies of schooling, particularly ethnographic case studies, which posits that collective action among students undermines engagement in school and contributes to educational inequality. In this paper I review studies of engagement from a social identity theory perspective. To what extent can collective action…

  4. "JTPE": A 30-Year Retrospective of Published Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhoades, Jesse L.; Woods, Amelia M.; Daum, David N.; Ellison, Douglas; Trendowski, Thomas N.

    2016-01-01

    This case study presents an examination of 30 years of "Journal of Teaching in Physical Education" ("JTPE") research. The purpose of this study was to provide a retrospective view of "JTPE" and its contribution to the field of physical education. In this effort the current study employed citation analysis, co-author…

  5. Fostering Undergraduate Research through a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shostya, Anna; Morreale, Joseph C.

    2017-01-01

    This case study contributes to the higher education curriculum development literature by showing how a faculty-led short-term study abroad experience can become the catalyst for student research and offer students an international perspective. The authors analyze students' reflections and provide data collected over the years of taking…

  6. Developing Occupational Programs: A Case Study of Four Arkansas Community Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doyle, Duane Edward

    2011-01-01

    This study examines how differences in the environmental conditions and organizational factors facing each community college contribute to the development of occupational and technical education programs. This study was driven by one primary research question: What environmental conditions and organizational factors influence the nature of the…

  7. International non-governmental organizations' provision of community-based tuberculosis care for hard-to-reach populations in Myanmar, 2013-2014.

    PubMed

    Soe, Kyaw Thu; Saw, Saw; van Griensven, Johan; Zhou, Shuisen; Win, Le; Chinnakali, Palanivel; Shah, Safieh; Mon, Myo Myo; Aung, Si Thu

    2017-03-24

    National tuberculosis (TB) programs increasingly engage with international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), especially to provide TB care in complex settings where community involvement might be required. In Myanmar, however, there is limited data on how such INGO community-based programs are organized and how effective they are. In this study, we describe four INGO strategies for providing community-based TB care to hard-to-reach populations in Myanmar, and assess their contribution to TB case detection. We conducted a descriptive study using program data from four INGOs and the National TB Program (NTP) in 2013-2014. For each INGO, we extracted information on its approach and key activities, the number of presumptive TB cases referred and undergoing TB testing, and the number of patients diagnosed with TB and their treatment outcomes. The contribution of INGOs to TB diagnosis in their selected townships was calculated as the proportion of INGO-diagnosed new TB cases out of the total NTP-diagnosed new TB cases in the same townships. All four INGOs implemented community-based TB care in challenging contexts, targeting migrants, post-conflict areas, the urban poor, and other vulnerable populations. Two recruited community volunteers via existing community health volunteers or health structures, one via existing community leaderships, and one directly involved TB infected/affected individuals. Two INGOs compensated volunteers via performance-based financing, and two provided financial and in-kind initiatives. All relied on NTP laboratories for diagnosis and TB drugs, but provided direct observation treatment support and treatment follow-up. A total of 21 995 presumptive TB cases were referred for TB diagnosis, with 7 383 (34%) new TB cases diagnosed and almost all (98%) successfully treated. The four INGOs contributed to the detection of, on average, 36% (7 383/20 663) of the total new TB cases in their respective townships (range: 15-52%). Community-based TB care supported by INGOs successfully achieved TB case detection in hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. This is vital to achieving the World Health Organization End TB Strategy targets. Strategies to ensure sustainability of the programs should be explored, including the need for longer-term commitment of INGOs.

  8. The Role of the Military in Building Political Community: The Case of the Two German States.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-01-01

    community is represented primarily by three vital intervening outcomes of the political socialization process: a distinct political culture, a separate...case-study attempts to first identify any conscious political socialization processes implemented by the two militaries, and then tries to link these processes to the two distinct German political communities....rapidly engineer political change in these cases, the resurrection and maintenance of a military may especially contribute to the process of political

  9. An open source Bayesian Monte Carlo isotope mixing model with applications in Earth surface processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arendt, Carli A.; Aciego, Sarah M.; Hetland, Eric A.

    2015-05-01

    The implementation of isotopic tracers as constraints on source contributions has become increasingly relevant to understanding Earth surface processes. Interpretation of these isotopic tracers has become more accessible with the development of Bayesian Monte Carlo (BMC) mixing models, which allow uncertainty in mixing end-members and provide methodology for systems with multicomponent mixing. This study presents an open source multiple isotope BMC mixing model that is applicable to Earth surface environments with sources exhibiting distinct end-member isotopic signatures. Our model is first applied to new δ18O and δD measurements from the Athabasca Glacier, which showed expected seasonal melt evolution trends and vigorously assessed the statistical relevance of the resulting fraction estimations. To highlight the broad applicability of our model to a variety of Earth surface environments and relevant isotopic systems, we expand our model to two additional case studies: deriving melt sources from δ18O, δD, and 222Rn measurements of Greenland Ice Sheet bulk water samples and assessing nutrient sources from ɛNd and 87Sr/86Sr measurements of Hawaiian soil cores. The model produces results for the Greenland Ice Sheet and Hawaiian soil data sets that are consistent with the originally published fractional contribution estimates. The advantage of this method is that it quantifies the error induced by variability in the end-member compositions, unrealized by the models previously applied to the above case studies. Results from all three case studies demonstrate the broad applicability of this statistical BMC isotopic mixing model for estimating source contribution fractions in a variety of Earth surface systems.

  10. Assessment of community contribution to the ICDS scheme in district Agra: a case study.

    PubMed

    Nayar, D; Kapil, U; Nandan, D

    1999-01-01

    This study was conducted to assess community contribution to the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, which promotes mother and child health in the Agra district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Three rural ICDS projects in the district were selected, out of which a total of 74 Anganwadi centers (AWCs) were chosen for the study. The Anganwadi workers (AWWs) were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire to assess the community¿s contribution during the previous 6 months. Results revealed that about 68% of AWWs had been able to receive assistance in bringing the children to the AWC. 53.3% had received free accommodation for AWC, and 42.6% had obtained assistance in implementation of health activities. Only 4% and 12% of the AWWs reported community assistance in the preparation and distribution of nutritional supplements, respectively. There had been no contribution received in terms of raw food for supplementary nutrition and fuel for cooking. The study concludes that rural area free accommodation for the AWC and community assistance in bringing children to the AWC were the most common forms of community contribution to the ICDS program.

  11. Hypothermia and Alzheimer's disease neuropathogenic pathways.

    PubMed

    Whittington, R A; Papon, M-A; Chouinard, F; Planel, E

    2010-12-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a major health problem, and accounts for 50 to 60% of all cases of dementia. The two histopathological hallmarks of AD are senile plaques, composed of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), and intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles composed of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Only a small proportion of AD is due to mutations in the genome of patients, the large majority of cases being of late onset and sporadic in origin. The relative contribution of genetics and environment to the sporadic cases is unclear, but they are accepted to be of multifactorial origin. This means that genetic and environmental factors can interact together to induce or accelerate the disease. Among environmental factors, studies suggest that hypothermia may contribute to the development and exacerbation AD. Here, we review the preclinical data involving hypothermia with tau and Aβ, as well as clinical evidence implicating hypothermia in the development of AD.

  12. Maternal death audit in Rwanda 2009–2013: a nationwide facility-based retrospective cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Sayinzoga, Felix; Bijlmakers, Leon; van Dillen, Jeroen; Mivumbi, Victor; Ngabo, Fidèle; van der Velden, Koos

    2016-01-01

    Objective Presenting the results of 5 years of implementing health facility-based maternal death audits in Rwanda, showing maternal death classification, identification of substandard (care) factors that have contributed to death, and conclusive recommendations for quality improvements in maternal and obstetric care. Design Nationwide facility-based retrospective cohort study. Settings All cases of maternal death audited by district hospital-based audit teams between January 2009 and December 2013 were reviewed. Maternal deaths that were not subjected to a local audit are not part of the cohort. Population 987 audited cases of maternal death. Main outcome measures Characteristics of deceased women, timing of onset of complications, place of death, parity, gravida, antenatal clinic attendance, reported cause of death, service factors and individual factors identified by committees as having contributed to death, and recommendations made by audit teams. Results 987 cases were audited, representing 93.1% of all maternal deaths reported through the national health management information system over the 5-year period. Almost 3 quarters of the deaths (71.6%) occurred at district hospitals. In 44.9% of these cases, death occurred in the post-partum period. Seventy per cent were due to direct causes, with post-partum haemorrhage as the leading cause (22.7%), followed by obstructed labour (12.3%). Indirect causes accounted for 25.7% of maternal deaths, with malaria as the leading cause (7.5%). Health system failures were identified as the main responsible factor for the majority of cases (61.0%); in 30.3% of the cases, the main factor was patient or community related. Conclusions The facility-based maternal death audit approach has helped hospital teams to identify direct and indirect causes of death, and their contributing factors, and to make recommendations for actions that would reduce the risk of reoccurrence. Rwanda can complement maternal death audits with other strategies, in particular confidential enquiries and near-miss audits, so as to inform corrective measures. PMID:26801466

  13. Analysis of new lactotransferrin gene variants in a case-control study related to periodontal disease in dog.

    PubMed

    Morinha, Francisco; Albuquerque, Carlos; Requicha, João; Dias, Isabel; Leitão, José; Gut, Ivo; Guedes-Pinto, Henrique; Viegas, Carlos; Bastos, Estela

    2012-04-01

    The molecular and genetic research has contributed to a better understanding of the periodontal disease (PD) in humans and has shown that many genes play a role in the predisposition and progression of this complex disease. Variations in human lactotransferrin (LTF) gene appear to affect anti-microbial functions of this molecule, influencing the PD susceptibility. PD is also a major health problem in small animal practice, being the most common inflammatory disease found in dogs. Nevertheless, the research in genetic predisposition to PD is an unexplored subject in this species. This work aims to contribute to the characterization of the genetic basis of canine PD. In order to identify genetic variations and verify its association with PD, was performed a molecular analysis of LTF gene in a case-control approach, including 40 dogs in the PD cases group and 50 dogs in the control group. In this study were detected and characterized eight new single nucleotide variations in the dog LTF gene. Genotype and allele frequencies of these variations showed no statistically significant differences between the control and PD cases groups. Our data do not give evidence for the contribution of these LTF variations to the genetic background of canine PD. Nevertheless, the sequence variant L/15_g.411C > T leads to an aminoacid change (Proline to Leucine) and was predicted to be possibly damaging to the LTF protein. Further investigations would be of extreme value to clarify the biological importance of these new findings.

  14. Direct and indirect effects of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis on the prevention of pelvic inflammatory disease: a mathematical modeling study.

    PubMed

    Herzog, Sereina A; Heijne, Janneke C M; Scott, Pippa; Althaus, Christian L; Low, Nicola

    2013-11-01

    Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) results from the ascending spread of microorganisms, including Chlamydia trachomatis, to the upper genital tract. Screening could improve outcomes by identifying and treating chlamydial infections before they progress to PID (direct effect) or by reducing chlamydia transmission (indirect effect). We developed a compartmental model that represents a hypothetical heterosexual population and explicitly incorporates progression from chlamydia to clinical PID. Chlamydia screening was introduced, with coverage increasing each year for 10 years. We estimated the separate contributions of the direct and indirect effects of screening on PID cases prevented per 100,000 women. We explored the influence of varying the time point at which clinical PID could occur and of increasing the risk of PID after repeated chlamydial infections. The probability of PID at baseline was 3.1% by age 25 years. After 5 years, the intervention scenario had prevented 187 PID cases per 100,000 women and after 10 years 956 PID cases per 100,000 women. At the start of screening, most PID cases were prevented by the direct effect. The indirect effect produced a small net increase in PID cases, which was outweighed by the effect of reduced chlamydia transmission after 2.2 years. The later that progression to PID occurs, the greater the contribution of the direct effect. Increasing the risk of PID with repeated chlamydial infection increases the number of PID cases prevented by screening. This study shows the separate roles of direct and indirect PID prevention and potential harms, which cannot be demonstrated in observational studies.

  15. A retrospective study on the incidences of adverse drug events and analysis of the contributing trigger factors

    PubMed Central

    Sam, Aaseer Thamby; Lian Jessica, Looi Li; Parasuraman, Subramani

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: To retrospectively determine the extent and types of adverse drug events (ADEs) from the patient cases sheets and identify the contributing factors of medication errors. To assess causality and severity using the World Health Organization (WHO) probability scale and Hartwig's scale, respectively. Methods: Hundred patient case sheets were randomly selected, modified version of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Global Trigger Tool was utilized to identify the ADEs; causality and severity were calculated utilizing the WHO probability scale and Hartwig's severity assessment scale, respectively. Results: In total, 153 adverse events (AEs) were identified using the IHI Global Trigger Tool. Majority of the AEs are due to medication errors (46.41%) followed by 60 adverse drug reactions (ADRs), 15 therapeutic failure incidents, and 7 over-dose cases. Out of the 153 AEs, 60 are due to ADRs such as rashes, nausea, and vomiting. Therapeutic failure contributes 9.80% of the AEs, while overdose contributes to 4.58% of the total 153 AEs. Using the trigger tools, we were able to detect 45 positive triggers in 36 patient records. Among it, 19 AEs were identified in 15 patient records. The percentage of AE/100 patients is 17%. The average ADEs/1000 doses is 2.03% (calculated). Conclusion: The IHI Global Trigger Tool is an effective method to aid provisionally-registered pharmacists to identify ADEs quicker. PMID:25767366

  16. Sibling incest: a Hong Kong experience.

    PubMed

    Tsun, O K

    1999-01-01

    The one case study intends to gain a preliminary understanding of the long term impact of older brother-younger sister incest in Hong Kong The adult survivor's experience did cohere with Western studies to date on age of onset, symptomatology, and feelings such as shame and guilt. The symptoms and negative feelings might also be the results of inaccessible parents and negative parental response at disclosure. Specific contextual factors such as patriarchal power structure, strong moral codes, and secrecy of family shame in Chinese culture may have contributed to the victim's inability to protect herself from her older brother's sexual advances. This case study calls for a multi-dimensional, and interactive rather than a unidimensional and unidirectional view to explore into the individual, familial, and contextual factors that may contribute to sibling incest and a delay in disclosure. The brief analysis is also a plea for systematic research in the Hong Kong context and comparative studies that take into account cultural specificity.

  17. CD30 expression by bone marrow mast cells from different diagnostic variants of systemic mastocytosis.

    PubMed

    Morgado, José M; Perbellini, Omar; Johnson, Ryan C; Teodósio, Cristina; Matito, Almudena; Álvarez-Twose, Iván; Bonadonna, Patrizia; Zamò, Alberto; Jara-Acevedo, Maria; Mayado, Andrea; Garcia-Montero, Andrés; Mollejo, Manuela; George, Tracy I; Zanotti, Roberta; Orfao, Alberto; Escribano, Luis; Sánchez-Muñoz, Laura

    2013-12-01

    CD30 expression by bone marrow (BM) mast cells (MC) has been reported recently in systemic mastocytosis (SM) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of CD30 expression in SM as assessed by multiparameter flow cytometry. A total of 163 consecutive BM samples corresponding to 142 SM patients and 21 non-mastocytosis cases were studied. CD30 was positive in most SM patients (80%), but in only one non-mastocytosis case (4.8%). When combined with CD25, CD30 contributed to an improved accuracy over that of CD25 alone (98% versus 93%) mainly because most (eight of nine) of the well-differentiated SM (WDSM), who lacked CD25, were CD30(+). Similar levels of expression of CD30 were observed among all different subgroups of SM except mast cell leukaemia; among indolent SM (ISM) patients, no significant association was observed between the levels of CD30 expression and other clinical and biological features of the disease. The increased expression of CD30 associated with absence of CD25 contributes to the diagnosis of WDSM and its distinction from other subtypes of SM. By contrast, CD30 expression did not contribute either to prognostic stratification of ISM or to the differential diagnosis between ISM and aggressive SM cases. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Case Series in Cognitive Neuropsychology: Promise, Perils and Proper Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Rapp, Brenda

    2012-01-01

    Schwartz & Dell (2010) advocated for a major role for case series investigations in cognitive neuropsychology. They defined the key features of this approach and presented a number of arguments and examples illustrating the benefits of case series studies and their contribution to computational cognitive neuropsychology. In the Special Issue on “Case Series in Cognitive Neuropsychology” there are six commentaries on Schwartz and Dell (2010) as well as a response to the six commentaries by Dell and Schwartz. In this paper, I provide a brief summary of the key points made in Schwartz and Dell (2010) and I review the promise and perils of case series design as revealed by the six commentaries. I conclude by placing the set of papers within a broader perspective, providing some clarification of the historical record on case series and single case approaches, raising some cautionary notes for case series studies and situating both case series and single case approaches within the larger context of theory development in the cognitive sciences. PMID:22746685

  19. Improving intermodal connectivity in rural areas to enhance transportation efficiency : a case study.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-05-01

    Congested roadways in Texas metropolitan centers are important arteries for transporting : agricultural commodities into domestic and international markets. Truck transportation of these : commodities contributes to the observed congestion and del...

  20. Nursing diagnoses in pemphigus vulgaris: a case study.

    PubMed

    Pena, Silvana B; Guimarães, Heloísa C Q C P; Bassoli, Sidinéia R B; Casarin, Santina N A; Herdman, Trace Heather; de Barros, Alba L B L

    2013-10-01

    This case study illustrates the use of the nursing process based upon the standardized nursing diagnoses approved by NANDA International (NANDA-I), and using the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) and the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) in the care of a patient with pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The published literature on PV and the experience and expertise of the authors in working with people with impaired skin integrity and PV were used to develop this case study. The accuracy of nursing diagnoses and appropriateness of the nursing interventions were supported by the positive health outcomes of the patient. Impaired skin integrity is a human response diagnosed by nurses, and early treatment is important due to the vulnerability of these patients. The case study contributes to nursing knowledge for professionals who care for patients with PV. © 2013 NANDA International.

  1. 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.

  2. An Expert Instructor's Use of Social Congruence, Cognitive Congruence, and Expertise in an Online Case-Based Instructional Design Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Sunnie Lee; Koehler, Adrie A.; Ertmer, Peggy; Kim, WooRi; Rico, Rudy

    2018-01-01

    Promoting and sustaining effective discussion--that which contributes to learning--is a skill that eludes many instructors (Darling-Hammond, 2008; Ge, Yamashiro, & Lee, 2000). This study explored the role and strategies of an expert instructor in an online advanced instructional design (ID) course that utilized a case-based learning (CBL)…

  3. Causes of death of patients with lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Nichols, Larry; Saunders, Rachel; Knollmann, Friedrich D

    2012-12-01

    The causes of death for patients with lung cancer are inadequately described. To categorize the immediate and contributing causes of death for patients with lung cancer. The autopsies from 100 patients who died of lung cancer between 1990 and February 2011 were analyzed. Tumor burden was judged the immediate cause of death in 30 cases, including 26 cases of extensive metastases and 4 cases with wholly or primarily lung tumor burden (causing respiratory failure). Infection was the immediate cause of death for 20 patients, including 8 with sepsis and 12 with pneumonia. Complications of metastatic disease were the immediate causes of death in 18 cases, including 6 cases of hemopericardium from pericardial metastases, 3 from myocardial metastases, 3 from liver metastases, and 3 from brain metastases. Other immediate causes of death were pulmonary hemorrhage (12 cases), pulmonary embolism (10 cases, 2 tumor emboli), and pulmonary diffuse alveolar damage (7 cases). From a functional (pathophysiologic) perspective, respiratory failure could be regarded as the immediate cause of death (or mechanism of death) in 38 cases, usually because of a combination of lung conditions, including emphysema, airway obstruction, pneumonia, hemorrhage, embolism, resection, and lung injury in addition to the tumor. For 94 of the 100 patients, there were contributing causes of death, with an average of 2.5 contributing causes and up to 6 contributing causes of death. The numerous and complex ways lung cancer kills patients pose a challenge for efforts to extend and improve their lives.

  4. Physics in Industry: A Case Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pratt-Ferguson, Ben

    2007-10-01

    Often ignored and sometimes even considered ``black sheep'' by the university & government-lab physicists, many industrial physicists continue making valuable scientific contributions in diverse areas, from computer science to aero and thermo-dynamics, communications, mathematics, engineering, and simulation, to name a few. This talk will focus on what industrial physicists do, what preparations are beneficial to obtaining a first industrial job, and what the business environment is like for physicists. The case study will be that of the author, starting with undergraduate and graduate studies and continuing on to jobs in industry.

  5. [Constraints and opportunities for inter-sector health promotion initiatives: a case study].

    PubMed

    Magalhães, Rosana

    2015-07-01

    This article analyzes the implementation of inter-sector initiatives linked to the Family Grant, Family Health, and School Health Programs in the Manguinhos neighborhood in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The study was conducted in 2010 and 2011 and included document review, local observation, and 25 interviews with program managers, professionals, and staff. This was an exploratory case study using a qualitative approach that identified constraints and opportunities for inter-sector health experiences, contributing to the debate on the effectiveness of health promotion and poverty relief programs.

  6. Addition of aripiprazole to the clozapine may be useful in reducing anxiety in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Chanachev, Aleksandar; Ansermot, Nicolas; Crettol Wavre, Séverine; Nowotka, Ute; Stamatopoulou, Maria-Eleni; Conus, Philippe; Eap, Chin B

    2011-01-01

    There exist many case reports and studies on the antipsychotic augmentation by aripirazole in partial responders to clozapine, the most seem to be finding a slight difference in the PANSS and CGI scores after the aripirazole addition. The results of our report are compatible with those of other studies but, we have found a considerable antianxiety action in both of the cases. The 5HT1A agonism of aripirazole could be hypothesized as mechanism contributing to this effect.

  7. Voces de la frontera/Voices from the Border: Using Case Studies of Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting along the U.S.-Mexico Border to Identify Shared Measures of Success.

    PubMed

    Selchau, Katherine; Babuca, Maricela; Bower, Kara; Castro, Yara; Flores, Araceli; Garcia, Jonah O; Reyes, Maria Lourdes F; Rojas, Yvonne; Shattuck, Laura

    2017-12-01

    Purpose This research analyzes the cases of five women living along the U.S.-Mexico border who overcame challenges during pregnancy or parenting with the support of a federally funded Healthy Start program, designed to eliminate disparities in perinatal health in disadvantaged communities with the poorest birth outcomes. Study objectives were to: (1) identify common factors that affect healthy maternal and child outcomes for Healthy Start participants; and (2) identify a shared definition of what success looks like for Healthy Start participants and opportunities for further study. Description Five border Healthy Start sites (CA, AZ, NM, and TX) contributed case stories from participants who had overcome access barriers to achieve positive pregnancy, birth or parenting outcomes. Case studies were collected using review of successful participant cases and non-structured interviews by Healthy Start staff, and analyzed using participatory methods and thematic analysis. Assessment Common barriers were: lack of insurance; isolation or unsupportive family relationships; timidness and lack of self-advocacy. Healthy Start programs have been successful in securing supportive relationships through the community health worker model; reducing isolation; obtaining insurance access and a medical home; building self-advocacy skills; and supporting participants to pursue their goals. Conclusion Identified barriers are in line with available literature on health care access and provide a U.S.-Mexico border-specific view. The Healthy Start model is effective at helping women to overcome barriers. Learning from this research may contribute to development of shared measures for more impactful evaluation of Healthy Start and similar programs.

  8. Are Seminar Periods Supportive of the Professional Development of Social Studies Teachers?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demir, Selçuk Besir; Dogan, Soner; Atasoy, Turgay

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency of the seminar periods intended for contributing to the professional development of social studies teachers based on their own perspectives. This study adopts a qualitative approach and is carried out in the form of a case study. Among the purposeful sampling methods, the criteria sample…

  9. Two-step sensitivity testing of parametrized and regionalized life cycle assessments: methodology and case study.

    PubMed

    Mutel, Christopher L; de Baan, Laura; Hellweg, Stefanie

    2013-06-04

    Comprehensive sensitivity analysis is a significant tool to interpret and improve life cycle assessment (LCA) models, but is rarely performed. Sensitivity analysis will increase in importance as inventory databases become regionalized, increasing the number of system parameters, and parametrized, adding complexity through variables and nonlinear formulas. We propose and implement a new two-step approach to sensitivity analysis. First, we identify parameters with high global sensitivities for further examination and analysis with a screening step, the method of elementary effects. Second, the more computationally intensive contribution to variance test is used to quantify the relative importance of these parameters. The two-step sensitivity test is illustrated on a regionalized, nonlinear case study of the biodiversity impacts from land use of cocoa production, including a worldwide cocoa products trade model. Our simplified trade model can be used for transformable commodities where one is assessing market shares that vary over time. In the case study, the highly uncertain characterization factors for the Ivory Coast and Ghana contributed more than 50% of variance for almost all countries and years examined. The two-step sensitivity test allows for the interpretation, understanding, and improvement of large, complex, and nonlinear LCA systems.

  10. Constraints on new physics from K → π ν {\\bar{ν }}

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Xiao-Gang; Valencia, German; Wong, Keith

    2018-06-01

    We study generic effects of new physics on the rare decay modes K_L → π ^0 ν {\\bar{ν }} and K^+ → π ^+ ν {\\bar{ν }}. We discuss several cases: left-handed neutrino couplings; right handed neutrino couplings; neutrino lepton flavour violating (LFV) interactions; and Δ I =3/2 interactions. The first of these cases has been studied before as it covers many new physics extensions of the standard model; the second one requires the existence of a new light (sterile) right-handed neutrino and its contribution to both branching ratios is always additive to the SM. The case of neutrino LFV couplings introduces a CP conserving contribution to K_L → π ^0 ν {\\bar{ν }} which affects the rates in a similar manner as a right handed neutrino as neither one of these interferes with the standard model amplitudes. Finally, we consider new physics with Δ I =3/2 interactions to go beyond the Grossman-Nir bound. We find that the rare kaon rates are only sensitive to new physics scales up to a few GeV for this scenario.

  11. Metal-on-Metal Hip Retrieval Analysis: A Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Pace, Thomas B.; Rusaw, Kara A.; Minette, Lawrence J.; Shirley, Brayton R.; Snider, Rebecca G.; DesJardins, John D.

    2013-01-01

    This is a case report involving a single case with severe bone and soft tissue destruction in a young male patient with a 10-year-metal on-metal total hip arthroplasty. Following complete aseptic erosion of the affected hip greater trochanter and abductor muscles, the hip was revised for recurrent instability. Histological examination of the patient's periprosthetic tissues, serological studies, and review of recent medical reports of similar cases were used to support an explanation of the destructive process and better contribute to our understanding of human reaction to metal debris in some patients following metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty. PMID:23840999

  12. Giardiasis in NSW: Identification of Giardia duodenalis assemblages contributing to human and cattle cases, and an epidemiological assessment of sporadic human giardiasis.

    PubMed

    Asher, A J; Hose, G; Power, M L

    2016-10-01

    Two genetic assemblages (A and B) of the protozoan parasite species, Giardia duodenalis, infect humans, domestic animals and wildlife. In New South Wales, Australia, over 2000 sporadic human giardiasis cases are reported annually, but parasite sources and links between sporadic cases are unknown. This study describes G. duodenalis assemblages contributing to human and cattle cases in NSW, and examines demographic, spatial, and temporal distributions of NSW human infections and G. duodenalis assemblages. Genotyping by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) gene identified G. duodenalis assemblage B as the most common (86%) cause of infection among human cases (n=165). Approximately 37% of cattle DNA samples were PCR positive (18S rRNA, gdh), and G. duodenalis assemblages E (69%) or B (31%) were identified from these samples. Human assemblage A was more common among older age groups, and seasonality in the geographic dispersal of human assemblage A was observed. The results of this study indicate G. duodenalis assemblage B is highly prevalent among humans in NSW, and the potential for cross-species transmission exists between humans and cattle in this region. Spatio-temporal and demographic distributions of human assemblage A and B are highlighted, and risk factors associated with these dispersal patterns warrants further research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. The Effect of Integrating Lab Experiments in Electronic Circuits into Mathematic Studies--A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sabag, Nissim

    2017-01-01

    Background: The importance of knowledge and skills in mathematics for electrical engineering students is well known. Engineers and engineering educators agree that any engineering curriculum must include plenty of mathematics studies to enrich the engineer's toolbox. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the possible contribution of…

  14. Team Learning: Collective Reflection Processes in Teacher Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohlsson, Jon

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to further studies of theoretical and conceptual understanding of teachers' team learning processes, with a main focus on team work, team atmosphere, and collective reflections. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical study was designed as a multi-case study in a research and development…

  15. Problems of Adolescents and Youths: Symposium IV C.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nagaraja, Jaya; Suppiah, Chandraseagran

    This symposium contains reports on: (1) a study of drug abuse among adolescents in India, by Jaya Nagaraja; and (2) a case study of factors contributing to drug addiction among Malaysian youth, by Chandraseagran Suppiah. Based on a sample of 1,000 adolescents attending metropolitan city colleges, findings of the Indian study concern psychological…

  16. Women in Mathematics: A Nested Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Köse, Emek; Johnson, Angela C.

    2016-01-01

    In this article, we present a case study of a course called Women in Mathematics. Students in the course studied the lives and the mathematical contributions of women mathematicians throughout history, as well as current gender equity issues in the study of mathematics and in mathematical careers. They also mentored 20 middle school girls…

  17. Integration of Social Sciences in Terrorism Modelling: Issues, Problems and Recommendations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-02-01

    qualitative social research : empirical data, patterns, regularities and case studies Terrorism emergence: causes...quantitative and qualitative methods in studies of terrorism, mass violence and conflicts, suggested models of human behaviour response to the threat of...epistemology of social research , demographics, quantitative sociological research , qualitative social research , cultural studies , etc.) can contribute

  18. Applying syndemics and chronicity: interpretations from studies of poverty, depression, and diabetes.

    PubMed

    Weaver, Lesley Jo; Mendenhall, Emily

    2014-01-01

    Medical anthropologists working with global health agendas must develop transdisciplinary frameworks to communicate their work. This article explores two similar but underutilized theoretical frameworks in medical anthropology, and discusses how they facilitate new insights about the relationships between epidemiological patterns and individual-level illness experiences. Two cases from our fieldwork in New Delhi and Chicago are presented to illustrate how syndemics and chronicity theories explain the epidemic problems of co-occurring depression and type 2 diabetes. We use these case studies to illustrate how the holistic agendas of syndemics and chronicity theories allow critical scholars to attend to the macrosocial factors contributing to the rise of noncommunicable diseases while still honoring the diversity of experiences that make individual illness experiences, and actual outcomes, unique. Such an approach not only promotes a more integrative medical anthropology, but also contributes to global health dialogues around diabetes, depression, and their overlap.

  19. Synchrotron X-ray reciprocal-space mapping, topography and diffraction resolution studies of macromolecular crystal quality.

    PubMed

    Boggon, T J; Helliwell, J R; Judge, R A; Olczak, A; Siddons, D P; Snell, E H; Stojanoff, V

    2000-07-01

    A comprehensive study of microgravity and ground-grown chicken egg-white lysozyme crystals is presented using synchrotron X-ray reciprocal-space mapping, topography techniques and diffraction resolution. Microgravity crystals displayed reduced intrinsic mosaicities on average, but no differences in terms of strain over their ground-grown counterparts. Topographic analysis revealed that in the microgravity case the majority of the crystal was contributing to the peak of the reflection at the appropriate Bragg angle. In the ground-control case only a small volume of the crystal contributed to the intensity at the diffraction peak. The techniques prove to be highly complementary, with the reciprocal-space mapping providing a quantitative measure of the crystal mosaicity and strain (or variation in lattice spacing) and the topography providing a qualitative overall assessment of the crystal in terms of its X-ray diffraction properties. Structural data collection was also carried out at the synchrotron.

  20. Behaviour of a Premixed Flame Subjected to Acoustic Oscillations

    PubMed Central

    Qureshi, Shafiq R.; Khan, Waqar A.; Prosser, Robert

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, a one dimensional premixed laminar methane flame is subjected to acoustic oscillations and studied. The purpose of this analysis is to investigate the effects of acoustic perturbations on the reaction rates of different species, with a view to their respective contribution to thermoacoustic instabilities. Acoustically transparent non reflecting boundary conditions are employed. The flame response has been studied with acoustic waves of different frequencies and amplitudes. The integral values of the reaction rates, the burning velocities and the heat release of the acoustically perturbed flame are compared with the unperturbed case. We found that the flame's sensitivity to acoustic perturbations is greatest when the wavelength is comparable to the flame thickness. Even in this case, the perturbations are stable with time. We conclude that acoustic fields acting on the chemistry do not contribute significantly to the emergence of large amplitude pressure oscillations. PMID:24376501

  1. Synchrotron X-Ray Reciprocal Space Mapping, Topography and Diffraction Resolution Studies of Macromolecular Crystal Quality

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boggon, T. J.; Helliwell, J. R.; Judge, Russell A.; Siddons, D. P.; Snell, Edward H.; Stojanoff, V.

    2000-01-01

    A comprehensive study of microgravity and ground grown chicken egg white lysozyme crystals is presented using synchrotron X-ray reciprocal space mapping, topography techniques and diffraction resolution. Microgravity crystals displayed, on average, reduced intrinsic mosaicities but no differences in terms of stress over their earth grown counterparts. Topographic analysis revealed that in the microgravity case the majority of the crystal was contributing to the peak of the reflection at the appropriate Bragg angle. In the earth case at the diffraction peak only a small volume of the crystal contributed to the intensity. The techniques prove to be highly complementary with the reciprocal space mapping providing a quantitative measure of the crystal mosaicity and stress (or variation in lattice spacing) and topography providing a qualitative overall assessment of the crystal in terms of its X-ray diffraction properties. Structural data collection was also carried out both at the synchrotron and in the laboratory.

  2. [Personal genome research and neurological diseases: overview].

    PubMed

    Toda, Tatsushi

    2013-03-01

    Neurological diseases include those caused by a single defective gene,e.g., Huntington's disease, other polyglutamine diseases, and muscular dystrophies, and those that are mostly sporadic but rarely show Mendelian inheritance in some families, e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and epilepsy. The latter diseases are considered polygenic disorders. Both sporadic and Mendelian cases of these diseases are believed to share some common pathological mechanisms. Since the detection of causal genes for the Mendelian cases, studies have been initiated on disease pathology. SNPs and rare gene variants play important roles in common neurological diseases. From a technological perspective, next-generation sequencers have become widely available and have contributed to the advancement of research based on individual genome sequences (personal genome). This paper presents an overview, as well as a historical context, of the contribution of personal genome research to neurological disease studies.

  3. The notch pathway is activated in neoplastic progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Lubin, Daniel J; Mick, Rosemarie; Shroff, Stuti G; Stashek, Kristen; Furth, Emma E

    2018-02-01

    The Notch signaling pathway is integral to normal human development and homeostasis and has a deterministic function on cell differentiation. Recent studies suggest aberrant Notch signaling may contribute to neoplastic progression by an increase in stem cell survival, chemoresistance, and the promotion of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. The goals of our study were to determine, utilizing quantitative technologies, the expression of activated Notch 1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to determine the relationship between Notch 1 expression and various clinicopathologic parameters. Immunohistochemical staining for Notch intracellular domain (NICD) was performed on 60 consecutive cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 42 cases of benign esophageal squamous epithelium, and 13 cases of eosinophilic esophagitis diagnosed in our department from 2007 through 2015, and exact nuclear staining and nuclear characteristics were graded using the Vectra imaging system. Clinicopathologic data (gender, age at diagnosis, smoking status, tumor grade, tumor stage, tumor location, and survival) were collected for each SCC case and these were correlated with NICD staining. Cases of esophageal SCC demonstrated significantly higher NICD staining compared to cases of benign and reactive esophageal epithelium (P=.003 and .005, respectively). Among cases of esophageal SCC, nuclear NICD staining was significantly correlated with both tumor grade and stage. Following classification and regression tree analysis, esophageal SCC patients with increased NICD expression were found to be more likely to die from their disease than those with lower levels of expression. Taken together, the findings suggest that increased Notch 1 may contribute to the development and aggressiveness of esophageal SCC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. The business case for provider participation in clinical trials research: an application to the National Cancer Institute's community clinical oncology program.

    PubMed

    Song, Paula H; Reiter, Kristin L; Weiner, Bryan J; Minasian, Lori; McAlearney, Ann Scheck

    2013-01-01

    Provider-based research networks (PBRNs) make clinical trials available in community-based practice settings, where most people receive their care, but provider participation requires both financial and in-kind contributions. The aim of this study was to explore whether providers believe there is a business case for participating in PBRNs and what factors contribute to the business case. We use a multiple case study methodology approach to examine the National Cancer Institute's community clinical oncology program, a long-standing federally funded PBRN. Interviews with 41 key informants across five sites, selected on the basis of organizational maturity, were conducted using a semistructured interview guide. We analyzed interview transcripts using an iterative, deductive process to identify themes and subthemes in the data. We found that a business case for provider participation in PBRNs may exist if both direct and indirect financial benefits are identified and included in the analysis and if the time horizon is long enough to allow those benefits to be realized. We identified specific direct and indirect financial benefits that were perceived as important contributors to the business case and the perceived length of time required for a positive return to accrue. As the lack of a business case may result in provider reluctance to participate in PBRNs, knowledge of the benefits we identified may be crucial to encouraging and sustaining participation, thereby preserving patient access to innovative community-based treatments. The results are also relevant to federally funded PBRNs outside of oncology or to providers considering participation in any clinical trials research.

  5. Fatal injuries in the slums of Nairobi and their risk factors: results from a matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Ziraba, Abdhalah Kasiira; Kyobutungi, Catherine; Zulu, Eliya Msiyaphazi

    2011-06-01

    Injuries contribute significantly to the rising morbidity and mortality attributable to non-communicable diseases in the developing world. Unfortunately, active injury surveillance is lacking in many developing countries, including Kenya. This study aims to describe and identify causes of and risk factors for fatal injuries in two slums in Nairobi city using a demographic surveillance system framework. The causes of death are determined using verbal autopsies. We used a nested case-control study design with all deaths from injuries between 2003 and 2005 as cases. Two controls were randomly selected from the non-injury deaths over the same period and individually matched to each case on age and sex. We used conditional logistic regression modeling to identity individual- and community-level factors associated with fatal injuries. Intentional injuries accounted for about 51% and unintentional injuries accounted for 49% of all injuries. Homicides accounted for 91% of intentional injuries and 47% of all injury-related deaths. Firearms (23%) and road traffic crashes (22%) were the leading single causes of deaths due to injuries. About 15% of injuries were due to substance intoxication, particularly alcohol, which in this community comes from illicit brews and is at times contaminated with methanol. Results suggest that in the pervasively unsafe and insecure environment that characterizes the urban slums, ethnicity, residence, and area level factors contribute significantly to the risk of injury-related mortality.

  6. Triazolam blood concentrations in forensic cases in Canada.

    PubMed

    Joynt, B P

    1993-01-01

    Triazolam has been a controversial drug since its appearance on world markets as a hypnotic more than ten years ago. Whole blood concentrations of triazolam as found in forensic cases are cited in several categories; that is, impaired driving: 17 cases; sexual assault: four cases; death due to drugs: 45 cases; drug-related death (drugs contributed to the death but were not the ultimate cause): 20 cases; drug-involved death (drugs were present but were not felt to be a contributing factor): six cases; miscellaneous: one case. The data was gleaned from a forensic toxicology database designed and used by the Forensic Toxicology Sections of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) laboratories in Canada. Triazolam concentrations from selected references are included for comparison.

  7. Genetic epidemiology of motor neuron disease-associated variants in the Scottish population.

    PubMed

    Black, Holly A; Leighton, Danielle J; Cleary, Elaine M; Rose, Elaine; Stephenson, Laura; Colville, Shuna; Ross, David; Warner, Jon; Porteous, Mary; Gorrie, George H; Swingler, Robert; Goldstein, David; Harms, Matthew B; Connick, Peter; Pal, Suvankar; Aitman, Timothy J; Chandran, Siddharthan

    2017-03-01

    Genetic understanding of motor neuron disease (MND) has evolved greatly in the past 10 years, including the recent identification of association between MND and variants in TBK1 and NEK1. Our aim was to determine the frequency of pathogenic variants in known MND genes and to assess whether variants in TBK1 and NEK1 contribute to the burden of MND in the Scottish population. SOD1, TARDBP, OPTN, TBK1, and NEK1 were sequenced in 441 cases and 400 controls. In addition to 44 cases known to carry a C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion, we identified 31 cases and 2 controls that carried a loss-of-function or pathogenic variant. Loss-of-function variants were found in TBK1 in 3 cases and no controls and, separately, in NEK1 in 3 cases and no controls. This study provides an accurate description of the genetic epidemiology of MND in Scotland and provides support for the contribution of both TBK1 and NEK1 to MND susceptibility in the Scottish population. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. How visas shape and make visible the geopolitical architecture of the planet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ausloos, Marcel; Saeedian, Meghdad; Jamali, Tayeb; Farahani, S. Vasheghani; Jafari, G. Reza

    2017-10-01

    The aim of the present study is to provide a picture for geopolitical globalization: the role of all world countries together with their contribution towards globalization is highlighted. In the context of the present study, every country owes its efficiency and therefore its contribution towards structuring the world by the position it holds in a complex global network. The location in which a country is positioned on the network is shown to provide a measure of its "contribution" and "importance". As a matter of fact, the visa status conditions between countries reflect their contribution towards geopolitical globalization. Based on the visa status of all countries, community detection reveals the existence of 4 + 1 main communities. The community constituted by the developed countries has the highest clustering coefficient equal to 0.9. In contrast, the community constituted by the European eastern blocks plus some middle eastern countries has the lowest clustering coefficient, approximately equal to 0.65. PR China is the exceptional case. Thus, the picture of the globe issued in this study contributes towards understanding "how the world works".

  9. Case studies continue to illuminate the cognitive neuroscience of memory.

    PubMed

    Rosenbaum, R Shayna; Gilboa, Asaf; Moscovitch, Morris

    2014-05-01

    The current ubiquity of functional neuroimaging studies, and the importance they have had in elucidating brain function, obscures the fact that much of what we know about brain-behavior relationships derives largely from the study of single- and multiple-patient cases. A major goal of the present review is to describe how single cases continue to uniquely and critically contribute to cognitive neuroscience theory. With several recent examples from the literature, we demonstrate that single cases can both challenge accepted dogma and generate hypotheses and theories that steer the field in new directions. We discuss recent findings from case studies that specify critical functions of the hippocampus in episodic memory and recollection, and clarify its role in nonmnemonic abilities. Although we focus on the hippocampus, we discuss other regions and the occurrence of new associative learning, as well as the involvement of the ventromedial prefrontal and parietal cortices in memory encoding and retrieval. We also describe ways of dealing with the shortcomings of case studies, and emphasize the partnership of patient and neuroimaging methods in constraining neurocognitive models of memory. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

  10. The Dynamics of Multilingualism: The Case of Senegal.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mansour, Gerda

    1980-01-01

    Describes a study which attempts to link micro and macro approaches in the study of societal multilingualism while introducing a diachronic perspective. The sociolinguistic profile of Senegal is used as a point of departure followed by an outline of sociohistorical factors which contributed to language use. Discusses the social implications of…

  11. Case Studies of Non-Formal Education by Distance and Open Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siaciwena, Richard, Ed.

    This document contains seven papers from a study of the role of distance learning approaches in enhancing the contribution of nonformal education to socioeconomic development in Africa. "Introduction" (Richard Siaciwena) presents an overview of the research project and defines key terms related to nonformal education. "Ghana: The…

  12. Child Geopolitical Agency: A Mixed Methods Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Habashi, Janette; Worley, Jody

    2009-01-01

    This study examines the geopolitical agency of Palestinian children. Mixed methodology was used to identify the etiologies contributing to processes of political socialization. Both qualitative and qualitative methods are equally distributed throughout this research. Focus groups and interviews with 12 Palestinian children, aged 10 to 13 years,…

  13. Bilingual Education. Case Studies in TESOL Practice Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christian, Donna, Ed.; Genesee, Fred, Ed.

    This edited volume contains studies demonstrating the linguistic, cultural, and academic contributions that bilingual approaches to education can make around the world. It is divided into three parts and 12 chapters. Chapter one, "Bilingual Education: Contexts and Programs," is an introduction by the editors. Part one, "Learning a…

  14. Teacher, Team, and School Change through Reciprocal Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cherkowski, Sabre; Schnellert, Leyton

    2018-01-01

    This paper documents the first year of a qualitative case study investigating the experiences of reciprocal learning teams of teachers within a small, rural secondary school. The purpose of this study was to examine how teachers experienced collaborative professional development (PD) and how their experiences contributed to developing the culture…

  15. Communication within the Context of Community College Governance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torchia-Thompson, Lucia

    2013-01-01

    This case study explored the nature of the communication process within the governance system in a community college and illustrated the ways that this process, , supported the fulfillment of the mission of the institution. Guided by systems theory, this study examined how governance system relationships contributed to institutional communication…

  16. Anthropologists and Missionaries. Part II. Studies in Third World Societies. Publication Number Twenty-Six.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salamone, Frank A., Ed.

    The topics of anthropologist-missionary relationships, theology and missiology, research methods and missionary contributions to ethnology, missionary training and methods, and specific case studies are presented. The ten essays are: (1) "An Ethnoethnography of Missionaries in Kalingaland" (Robert Lawless); (2) "Missionization and…

  17. Contributing Factors to a Successful Online Course Development Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevens, Karl B.

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative case study examined the experiences of instructional designers and professors during the online course development process. The purpose of this study was to determine if their experiences had an effect on the process itself. Data analysis revealed five emergent themes: communication, commitment to quality online courses,…

  18. Strengthening Partnerships: How Communication and Collaboration Contribute to School Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rubinstein, Saul A.

    2014-01-01

    For most of the past decade, this author has studied union-management efforts to improve public education, and has witnessed extraordinary examples of teachers, union leaders, and administrators working together to improve teaching and learning. In this article, seven case studies on collaborative partnerships between teachers' unions and…

  19. Development and Maintenance of Identity in Aging Community Music Participants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyer, William Leonard

    2016-01-01

    This ethnographic study contextualized identity development and maintenance within the field of community music through case studies of four performing groups and interviews with seven current members. The underlying question guiding this research was how does participatory music making contribute to the development and maintenance of identity in…

  20. Optimizing a Workplace Learning Pattern: A Case Study from Aviation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mavin, Timothy John; Roth, Wolff-Michael

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to contribute to current research on team learning patterns. It specifically addresses some negative perceptions of the job performance learning pattern. Design/methodology/approach: Over a period of three years, qualitative and quantitative data were gathered on pilot learning in the workplace. The instructional modes…

  1. The Academic Roots of Forestry Programs: A Case Study from Virginia Tech

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Copenheaver, Carolyn A.; Nelson, Katie L.; Goldbeck, Kryrille

    2009-01-01

    Constructing academic genealogies involves the practice of creating family trees based on doctoral advisors, that is, the advisor-graduate student relationship replaces the father-son relationship. Forestry academic genealogies document the historical development of forestry and quantify the contributions of other disciplines. In this study, the…

  2. Faculty Experience with Diversity: A Case Study of Macalester College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gudeman, Roxane Harvey

    This study tested the belief that domestic racial/ethnic diversity in the classroom contributes to the preparation of students for civic responsibility, focusing on Macalester College, a small liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Macalester has committed significant resources to fulfilling its goals of multicultural recruitment and…

  3. A Case Study of Leadership Pedagogy in an Organizational Behavior Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingerson, Kati; Bruce, Jackie

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand if selected leadership pedagogy (hands on activities) utilized in an organizational behavior classroom contributed to the development of workplace readiness skills. Since successful organizational behavior classes and hands on learning can lead to successful graduates, the importance of leadership…

  4. Social Support for Online Learning: Perspectives of Nursing Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Munich, Kim

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify supports beyond the educator that contributed to undergraduate and graduate nursing students' ability and motivation to learn online. Case study methodology similar to Stake (2000) was bounded or contained by undergraduate and graduate online courses. Twenty-nine undergraduate and graduate nursing…

  5. Contribution mapping: a method for mapping the contribution of research to enhance its impact

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background At a time of growing emphasis on both the use of research and accountability, it is important for research funders, researchers and other stakeholders to monitor and evaluate the extent to which research contributes to better action for health, and find ways to enhance the likelihood that beneficial contributions are realized. Past attempts to assess research 'impact' struggle with operationalizing 'impact', identifying the users of research and attributing impact to research projects as source. In this article we describe Contribution Mapping, a novel approach to research monitoring and evaluation that aims to assess contributions instead of impacts. The approach focuses on processes and actors and systematically assesses anticipatory efforts that aim to enhance contributions, so-called alignment efforts. The approach is designed to be useful for both accountability purposes and for assisting in better employing research to contribute to better action for health. Methods Contribution Mapping is inspired by a perspective from social studies of science on how research and knowledge utilization processes evolve. For each research project that is assessed, a three-phase process map is developed that includes the main actors, activities and alignment efforts during research formulation, production and knowledge extension (e.g. dissemination and utilization). The approach focuses on the actors involved in, or interacting with, a research project (the linked actors) and the most likely influential users, who are referred to as potential key users. In the first stage, the investigators of the assessed project are interviewed to develop a preliminary version of the process map and first estimation of research-related contributions. In the second stage, potential key-users and other informants are interviewed to trace, explore and triangulate possible contributions. In the third stage, the presence and role of alignment efforts is analyzed and the preliminary results are shared with relevant stakeholders for feedback and validation. After inconsistencies are clarified or described, the results are shared with stakeholders for learning, improvement and accountability purposes. Conclusion Contribution Mapping provides an interesting alternative to existing methods that aim to assess research impact. The method is expected to be useful for research monitoring, single case studies, comparing multiple cases and indicating how research can better be employed to contribute to better action for health. PMID:22748169

  6. The Case for Private Speech as a Mode of Self-Formation: What Its Absence Contributes to Understanding Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shopen, Roey

    2014-01-01

    Private speech is common among 3- to 7-year-olds but rare among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Thus far, this phenomenon has only been studied in narrow cognitive contexts. This article presents a case for why the phenomenon of private speech is essential for the development of self and subjectivity and for why an analysis of…

  7. Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Abdominal Wall in a Premature Infant: A Case Study.

    PubMed

    Narvey, Michael; Byrne, Paul; Fraser, Debbie

    2017-01-01

    We present a first report of necrotizing fasciitis of the abdominal wall in a 23-day-of-age, former 32-week-gestation premature infant. She was successfully treated with antibiotics without the need for initial debridement. After reviewing the etiology of necrotizing fasciitis, we discuss the unique aspects of this case, including the noninvasive approach to initial treatment, which we consider significantly contributed to her survival.

  8. Factors Influencing Sharing Activities in Transnational Public Sector Knowledge Networks: The Case of Mobile Disease Surveillance System Adoption in the 2009 Hajj

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gharawi, Mohammed A.

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation contributes to the growing base of theory relating to Transnational Public Sector Knowledge Networks (TPSKNs) presented by Dawes, Gharawi, and Burke (2012). A case study explores the TPSKN formed between the United States Center for Disease Control and the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health ahead of the 2009 Hajj, one of the…

  9. An Observational Study of Bullying as a Contributing Factor in Youth Suicide in Toronto

    PubMed Central

    Sinyor, Mark; Schaffer, Ayal; Cheung, Amy H

    2014-01-01

    Objective Bullying has been identified as a potential contributing factor in youth suicide. This issue has been highlighted in recent widely publicized media reports, worldwide, in which deceased youth were bullied. We report on an observational study conducted to determine the frequency of bullying as a contributing factor to youth suicide. Method: Coroner records were reviewed for all suicide deaths in youth aged between 10 and 19 in the city of Toronto from 1998 to 2011. Data abstracted were recent stressors (including bullying), clinical variables, such as the presence of mental illness, demographics, and methods of suicide. Results: Ninety-four youth suicides were included in the study. The mean age was 16.8 years, and 70.2% were male. Bullying was present in 6 deaths (6.4%), and there were no deaths where online or cyberbullying was detected. Bullying was the only identified contributing factor in fewer than 5 deaths. The most common stressors identified were conflict with parents (21.3%), romantic partner problems (17.0%), academic problems (10.6%), and criminal and (or) legal problems (10.6%). Any stressor or mental and (or) physical illness was detected in 78.7% of cases. Depression was detected in 40.4% of cases. Conclusions: Our study highlights the need to view suicide in youth as arising from a complex interplay of various biological, psychological, and social factors of which bullying is only one. It challenges simple cause-and-effect models that may suggest that suicide arises from any one factor, such as bullying. PMID:25702362

  10. Chemical leasing in the context of sustainable chemistry.

    PubMed

    Moser, Frank; Karavezyris, Vassilios; Blum, Christopher

    2015-05-01

    Chemical leasing is a new and innovative approach of selling chemicals. It aims at reducing the risks emanating from hazardous substances and ensuring long-term economic success within a global system of producing and using chemicals. This paper explores how, through chemical leasing, the consumption of chemicals, energy, resources and the generation of related wastes can be reduced. It also analyses the substitution of hazardous chemicals as a tool to protect environmental, health and safety and hence ensure compliance with sustainability criteria. For this, we are proposing an evaluation methodology that seeks to provide an answer to the following research questions: (1) Does the application of chemical leasing promote sustainability in comparison to an existing chemicals production and management system? 2. If various chemical leasing project types are envisaged, which is the most promising in terms of sustainability? The proposed methodology includes a number of basic goals and sub-goals to assess the sustainability for eight different chemical leasing case studies that have been implemented both at the local and the national levels. The assessment is limited to the relative assessment of specific case studies and allows the comparisons of different projects in terms of their relative contribution to sustainable chemistry. The findings of our assessment demonstrate that chemical leasing can be regarded as promoting sustainable chemistry in five case studies with certainty. However, on the grounds of our assessment, we cannot conclude with certainty that chemical leasing has equivalent contribution to sustainable chemistry in respect of three further case studies.

  11. The association between meteorological factors and road traffic injuries: a case analysis from Shantou city, China

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Jinghong; Chen, Xiaojun; Woodward, Alistair; Liu, Xiaobo; Wu, Haixia; Lu, Yaogui; Li, Liping; Liu, Qiyong

    2016-01-01

    Few studies examined the associations of meteorological factors with road traffic injuries (RTIs). The purpose of the present study was to quantify the contributions of meteorological factors to RTI cases treated at a tertiary level hospital in Shantou city, China. A time-series diagram was employed to illustrate the time trends and seasonal variation of RTIs, and correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted to investigate the relationships between meteorological parameters and RTIs. RTIs followed a seasonal pattern as more cases occurred during summer and winter months. RTIs are positively correlated with temperature and sunshine duration, while negatively associated with wind speed. Temperature, sunshine hour and wind speed were included in the final linear model with regression coefficients of 0.65 (t = 2.36, P = 0.019), 2.23 (t = 2.72, P = 0.007) and −27.66 (t = −5.67, P < 0.001), respectively, accounting for 19.93% of the total variation of RTI cases. The findings can help us better understand the associations between meteorological factors and RTIs, and with potential contributions to the development and implementation of regional level evidence-based weather-responsive traffic management system in the future. PMID:27853316

  12. The Diffuse Gamma-Ray Background from Type Ia Supernovae

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lien, Amy; Fields, Brian D.

    2012-01-01

    The origin of the diffuse extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGB) has been intensively studied but remains unsettled. Current popular source candidates include unresolved star-forming galaxies, starburst galaxies, and blazars. In this paper we calculate the EGB contribution from the interactions of cosmic rays accelerated by Type Ia supernovae, extending earlier work which only included core-collapse supernovae. We consider Type Ia events in star-forming galaxies, but also in quiescent galaxies that lack star formation. In the case of star-forming galaxies, consistently including Type Ia events makes little change to the star-forming EGB prediction, so long as both supernova types have the same cosmic-ray acceleration efficiencies in star-forming galaxies. Thus our updated EGB estimate continues to show that star-forming galaxies can represent a substantial portion of the signal measured by Fermi. In the case of quiescent galaxies, conversely, we find a wide range of possibilities for the EGB contribution. The dominant uncertainty we investigated comes from the mass in hot gas in these objects, which provides targets for cosmic rays: total gas masses are as yet poorly known, particularly at larger radii. Additionally, the EGB estimation is very sensitive to the cosmic-ray acceleration efficiency and confinement, especially in quiescent galaxies. In the most optimistic allowed scenarios, quiescent galaxies can be an important source of the EGB. In this case, star-forming galaxies and quiescent galaxies together will dominate the EGB and leave little room for other contributions. If other sources, such as blazars, are found to have important contributions to the EGB, then either the gas mass or cosmic-ray content of quiescent galaxies must be significantly lower than in their star-forming counterparts. In any case, improved Fermi EGB measurements will provide important constraints on hot gas and cosmic rays in quiescent galaxies.

  13. Vibrational nonlinear optical properties of spatially confined weakly bound complexes.

    PubMed

    Zaleśny, Robert; Chołuj, Marta; Kozłowska, Justyna; Bartkowiak, Wojciech; Luis, Josep M

    2017-09-13

    This study focuses on the theoretical description of the influence of spatial confinement on the electronic and vibrational contributions to (hyper)polarizabilities of two dimeric hydrogen bonded systems, namely HCNHCN and HCNHNC. A two-dimensional analytical potential is employed to render the confining environment (e.g. carbon nanotube). Based on the results of the state-of-the-art calculations, performed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, we established that: (i) the influence of spatial confinement increases with increasing order of the electrical properties, (ii) the effect of spatial confinement is much larger in the case of the electronic than vibrational contribution (this holds for each order of the electrical properties) and (iii) the decrease in the static nuclear relaxation first hyperpolarizability upon the increase of confinement strength is mainly due to changes in the harmonic term, however, in the case of nuclear relaxation second hyperpolarizability the anharmonic terms contribute more to the drop of this property.

  14. Gender bias in clinical case reports: A cross-sectional study of the "big five" medical journals.

    PubMed

    Allotey, Pascale; Allotey-Reidpath, Caitlin; Reidpath, Daniel D

    2017-01-01

    Gender bias in medical journals can affect the science and the benefit to patients. It has never been investigated in clinical case reports. The oversight is important because of the role clinical case reports play in hypothesis generation and medical education. We investigated contemporary gender bias in case reports for the highest ranked journals in general and internal medicine. PubMed case reports data from 2011 to 2016 were extracted for the Annals of Internal Medicine, British Medical Journal, the Journal of the American Medical Association, The Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine. The gender of the patients were identified and a text analysis of the Medical Subject Headings conducted. A total of 2,742 case reports were downloaded and 2,582 (95.6%) reports contributed to the final analysis. A pooled analysis showed a statistically significant gender bias against female case reports (0.45; 95%CI: 0.43-0.47). The Annals of Internal Medicine was the only journal with a point estimate (non significant) in the direction of a bias against male patients. The text analysis identified no substantive difference in the focus of the case reports and no obvious explanation for the bias. Gender bias, previously identified in clinical research and in clinical authorship, extends into the patients presented in clinical case reports. Whether it is driven by authors or editors is not clear, but it likely contributes to and supports an overall male bias of clinical medicine.

  15. The impact of intra-operative interruptions on surgeons' perceived workload: an observational study in elective general and orthopedic surgery.

    PubMed

    Weigl, Matthias; Antoniadis, Sophia; Chiapponi, Costanza; Bruns, Christiane; Sevdalis, Nick

    2015-01-01

    Surgeons' intra-operative workload is critical for effective and safe surgical performance. Detrimental conditions in the operating room (OR) environment may add to perceived workload and jeopardize surgical performance and outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the impact of different intra-operative workflow interruptions on surgeons' capacity to manage their workload safely and efficiently. This was an observational study of intra-operative interruptions and self-rated workload in two surgical specialties (general, orthopedic/trauma surgery). Intra-operative interruptions were assessed via expert observation using a well-validated observation tool. Surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists assessed their intra-operative workload directly after case completion based on three items of the validated Surgery Task Load Index (mental demand, situational stress, distraction). A total of 56 elective cases (35 open, 21 laparoscopic) with 94 workload ratings were included. Mean intra-operative duration was 1 h 37 min. Intra-operative interruptions were on average observed 9.78 times per hour. People who entered/exited the OR (30.6 %) as well as telephone-/beeper-related disruptions (23.6 %) occurred most often. Equipment and OR environment-related interruptions were associated with highest interference with team functioning particularly in laparoscopic procedures. After identifying task and procedural influences, partial correlational analyses revealed that case-irrelevant communications were negatively associated with surgeons' mental fatigue and situational stress, whereas surgeons' reported distraction was increased by case-irrelevant communication and procedural disruptions. OR nurses' and anesthesiologists' perceived workload was also related to intra-operative interruption events. Our study documents the unique contribution of different interruptions on surgeons' workload; whereas case-irrelevant communications may be beneficial for mental fatigue and stress in routine cases, procedural interruptions and case-irrelevant communication may contribute to surgeons' mental focus deteriorating. Well-designed OR environments, surgical leadership, and awareness can help to control unnecessary interruptions for effective and safe surgical care.

  16. Active case-finding for tuberculosis by mobile teams in Myanmar: yield and treatment outcomes.

    PubMed

    Myint, Ohnmar; Saw, Saw; Isaakidis, Petros; Khogali, Mohammed; Reid, Anthony; Hoa, Nguyen Binh; Kyaw, Thi Thi; Zaw, Ko Ko; Khaing, Tin Mi Mi; Aung, Si Thu

    2017-06-02

    Since 2005, the Myanmar National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) has been implementing active case finding (ACF) activities involving mobile teams in hard-to-reach areas. This study revealed the contribution of mobile team activities to total tuberculosis (TB) case detection, characteristics of TB patients detected by mobile teams and their treatment outcomes. This was a descriptive study using routine programme data between October 2014 and December 2014. Mobile team activities were a one-stop service and included portable digital chest radiography (CXR) and microscopy of two sputum samples. The algorithm of the case detection included screening patients by symptoms, then by CXR followed by sputum microscopy for confirmation. Diagnosed patients were started on treatment and followed until a final outcome was ascertained. A total of 9 349 people with symptoms suggestive of TB were screened by CXR, with an uptake of 96.6%. Of those who were meant to undergo sputum smear microscopy, 51.4% had sputum examinations. Finally, 504 TB patients were identified by the mobile teams and the overall contribution to total TB case detection in the respective townships was 25.3%. Among total cases examined by microscopy, 6.4% were sputum smear positive TB. Treatment success rate was high as 91.8% in study townships compared to national rate 85% (2014 cohort). This study confirmed the feasibility and acceptability of ACF by mobile teams in hard-to-reach contexts, especially when equipped with portable, digital CXR machines that provided immediate results. However, the follow-up process of sputum examination created a significant barrier to confirmation of the diagnosis. In order to optimize the ACF through mobile team activity, future ACF activities were needed to be strengthened one stop service including molecular diagnostics or provision of sputum cups to all presumptive TB cases prior to CXR and testing if CXR suggestive of TB.

  17. How Should Research Contribute to Instructional Improvement? The Case of Lesson Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Catherine; Perry, Rebecca; Murata, Aki

    2006-01-01

    Lesson study, a Japanese form of professional development that centers on collaborative study of live classroom lessons, has spread rapidly in the United States since 1999. Drawing on examples of Japanese and U.S. lesson study, we propose that three types of research are needed if lesson study is to avoid the fate of so many other once-promising…

  18. Transformative Learning of Pre-Service Teachers during Study Abroad in Reggio Emilia, Italy: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vatalaro, Angela; Szente, Judit; Levin, Judith

    2015-01-01

    The present paper explores the transformative learning of five pre-service teachers participating in a two-week study abroad program to Reggio Emilia, Italy. The study was conducted in order to understand how a study abroad program could contribute to pre-service teachers' content knowledge, teaching practices, and global competence. Through a…

  19. Housing Conditions Contribute to Underweight in Children: An Example From Rural Villages in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Tasnim, Tasnim; Dasvarma, Gouranga; Mwanri, Lillian

    2017-09-01

    The prevalence of underweight in children under 5 years of age is anomalously high in Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. This state of affairs may be related to poor housing conditions, such as limited access to clean water, the absence of a sanitary latrine, and the use of poor housing materials. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of housing conditions on underweight in under-5 children in Konawe District. This study was conducted in 2013 in 5 health centres in Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, and used a case-control study design. The study recruited 400 under-5 children, including 100 of whom were cases and 300 of whom were age-matched controls (1:3). Cases were underweight children, while the controls were children with a normal nutritional status. The independent variables were the availability and types of water and latrine facilities and housing materials (roof, wall, and floor). The statistical analysis used Cox regression. A lack of water availability (odds ratio [OR], 5.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7 to 9.5; p<0.001), a lack of latrine availability in the home (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.5 to 4.0; p<0.001), and poor-quality roofing materials (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.7; p<0.02) significantly contributed to underweight in children. In contrast, the walls and the floors did not contribute to under-5 year children being underweight (p=0.09 and p=0.71, respectively). Sanitation facilities and roofing were identified as important factors to address in order to improve children's nutritional status. Children's health status was directly impacted by food intake via their nutritional status.

  20. Higher Education Exchange, 2007

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, David W., Ed.; Witte, Deborah, Ed.

    2007-01-01

    "Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" discuss the concept of growing public scholars; each contribution incorporates a student component. Articles…

  1. Contribution of CT scan and CT-guided aspiration in the management of retropharyngeal abscess in children based on a series of 18 cases.

    PubMed

    Martin, C A; Gabrillargues, J; Louvrier, C; Saroul, N; Mom, T; Gilain, L

    2014-11-01

    This study was designed to analyse the contribution of CT scan to the management of retropharyngeal abscess in children and the place of CT-guided percutaneous aspiration as an alternative to surgical drainage. Retrospective study including 18 children with a mean age of 38 months [range: 5-67 months] presenting with retropharyngeal infection between 2006 and 2011. All cases were initially assessed by contrast-enhanced CT scan of the neck. Clinical, radiological treatment and bacteriological data were collected. Radiological results were correlated with surgical and percutaneous aspiration findings (presence or absence of an abscess). The initial CT scan detected 14 abscesses, 3 cases of non-suppurative lymphadenitis and one case of retropharyngeal oedema. One case of non-suppurative lymphadenitis progressed to abscess after failure of antibiotic therapy and was treated surgically. Surgical drainage revealed a purulent collection in 11 cases and no collection in 3 cases. Four CT-guided percutaneous aspirations were successfully performed. Three cases were treated by antibiotics alone (2 cases of lymphadenitis and 1 case of retropharyngeal oedema). Bacteriological examinations revealed the presence of Streptococcus pyogenes in 78.5% of cases. The positive predictive value of the initial CT scan was 78.8% in our series. Contrast-enhanced neck CT scan confirmed the diagnosis of retropharyngeal abscess and the indication for surgical drainage. It must be performed urgently, on admission. When it is decided to treat the patient with antibiotics alone, follow-up imaging should be performed in the absence of improvement 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotics. CT-guided percutaneous aspiration is both a diagnostic modality confirming abscess formation of an inflammatory lesion of the retropharyngeal space as well as a therapeutic tool, sometimes avoiding the need for surgical drainage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. The contribution of cell blocks in the diagnosis of mediastinal masses and hilar adenopathy samples from echobronchoscopy.

    PubMed

    Lourido-Cebreiro, Tamara; Leiro-Fernández, Virginia; Tardio-Baiges, Antoni; Botana-Rial, Maribel; Núñez-Delgado, Manuel; Álvarez-Martín, M Jesús; Fernández-Villar, Alberto

    2014-07-01

    Cell block material from puncture can be obtained with endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in many cases. The aim of this study was to analyse the value of additional information from cell blocks obtained with EBUS-TBNA samples from mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes and masses. Review of pathology reports with a specific diagnosis obtained from EBUS-TBNA samples of mediastinal or hilar lesions, prospectively obtained over a two-year period. The generation of cell blocks from cytology needle samples, the contribution to morphological diagnosis, and the possible use of samples for immunohistochemistry were analysed. One hundred and twenty-nine samples corresponding to 110 patients were reviewed. The diagnosis was lung cancer in 81% of cases, extrapulmonary carcinoma in 10%, sarcoidosis in 4%, lymphoma in 2.7%, and tuberculosis in 0.9%. Cell blocks could be obtained in 72% of cases. Immunohistochemistry studies on the cell blocks were significantly easier to perform than on conventional smears (52.6% vs. 14%, P<.0001). In 4cases, the cell block provided an exclusive morphological diagnosis (3sarcoidosis and one metastasis from prostatic carcinoma) and in 3carcinomas, subtype and origin could be identified. Exclusive diagnoses from the cell block were significantly more frequent in benign disease than in malignant disease (25% vs 0.9%, P=.002). Cell blocks were obtained from 72% of EBUS-TBNA diagnostic procedures. The main contributions of cell blocks to pathology examinations were the possibility of carrying out immunohistochemical staining for the better classification of neoplasms, especially extrapulmonary metastatic tumours, and the improved diagnosis of benign lesions. Copyright © 2013 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  3. Genome-wide association study identifies distinct genetic contributions to prognosis and susceptibility in Crohn's disease.

    PubMed

    Lee, James C; Biasci, Daniele; Roberts, Rebecca; Gearry, Richard B; Mansfield, John C; Ahmad, Tariq; Prescott, Natalie J; Satsangi, Jack; Wilson, David C; Jostins, Luke; Anderson, Carl A; Traherne, James A; Lyons, Paul A; Parkes, Miles; Smith, Kenneth G C

    2017-02-01

    For most immune-mediated diseases, the main determinant of patient well-being is not the diagnosis itself but instead the course that the disease takes over time (prognosis). Prognosis may vary substantially between patients for reasons that are poorly understood. Familial studies support a genetic contribution to prognosis, but little evidence has been found for a proposed association between prognosis and the burden of susceptibility variants. To better characterize how genetic variation influences disease prognosis, we performed a within-cases genome-wide association study in two cohorts of patients with Crohn's disease. We identified four genome-wide significant loci, none of which showed any association with disease susceptibility. Conversely, the aggregated effect of all 170 disease susceptibility loci was not associated with disease prognosis. Together, these data suggest that the genetic contribution to prognosis in Crohn's disease is largely independent of the contribution to disease susceptibility and point to a biology of prognosis that could provide new therapeutic opportunities.

  4. Genome-wide association study identifies distinct genetic contributions to prognosis and susceptibility in Crohn's disease

    PubMed Central

    Lee, James C.; Biasci, Daniele; Roberts, Rebecca; Gearry, Richard B.; Mansfield, John C.; Ahmad, Tariq; Prescott, Natalie J.; Satsangi, Jack; Wilson, David C.; Jostins, Luke; Anderson, Carl A.; Traherne, James A.; Lyons, Paul A.; Parkes, Miles; Smith, Kenneth G.C.

    2017-01-01

    For most immune-mediated diseases, the main determinant of patient well-being is not the diagnosis itself, but the course the disease takes over time (prognosis)1–3. This varies substantially between patients for reasons that are poorly understood. Familial studies support a genetic contribution to prognosis4–6, but little evidence has been found for a proposed association between prognosis and the burden of susceptibility variants7–13. To better characterise how genetic variation influences disease prognosis, we performed a within-cases genome-wide association study in two cohorts of patients with Crohn's disease. We identified four genome-wide significant loci, none of which showed any association with disease susceptibility. Conversely, the aggregated effect of all 170 disease susceptibility loci was not associated with prognosis. Together, these data suggest that the genetic contribution to prognosis in Crohn’s disease is largely independent from the contribution to disease susceptibility, and point to a biology of prognosis that could provide new therapeutic opportunities. PMID:28067912

  5. Healing Africa? Reflections on the peace-building role of a health-based non governmental organization operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

    PubMed

    D'Errico, Nicole C; Wake, Christopher M; Wake, Rachel M

    2010-01-01

    Whilst there are convincing theoretical arguments about the peace-building potential of the health sector, case studies documenting its interventions remain limited. This article contributes to the existing 'Peace through Health' literature by considering the model of HEAL Africa, a health-based non-governmental organization operating in Eastern Congo. Several of HEAL Africa's projects seek to prevent and reduce key risk factors; for conflict, and to contribute to longer term rehabilitation. Many of these interventions are born out of HEAL's emphasis on providing emergency health care--and the neutrality, legitimacy, access and longevity which this generates. However, this focus also tends to act as a limiting factor on the application and resourcing of its conflict prevention and reconstruction efforts. Whilst this case study warns against overstating the potential role of the health sector in promoting peace, HEAL's activities provide evidence of the types of positive contributions that can be made in practice. The role of the health sector, equipped as it is with useful tools for conflict transformation, should therefore be considered more proactively by the peace-building community.

  6. Tobacco alkaloids reduction by casings added/enzymatic hydrolysis treatments assessed through PLSR analysis.

    PubMed

    Lin, Shunshun; Zhang, Xiaoming; Song, Shiqing; Hayat, Khizar; Eric, Karangwa; Majeed, Hamid

    2016-03-01

    Based on encouraged development of potential reduced-exposure products (PREPs) by the US Institute of Medicine, casings (glucose and peptides) added treatments (CAT) and enzymatic (protease and xylanase) hydrolysis treatments (EHT) were developed to study their effect on alkaloids reduction in tobacco and cigarette mainstream smoke (MS) and further investigate the correlation between sensory attributes and alkaloids. Results showed that the developed treatments reduced nicotine by 14.5% and 24.4% in tobacco and cigarette MS, respectively, indicating that both CAT and EHT are potentially effective for developing lower-risk cigarettes. Sensory and electronic nose analysis confirmed the significant influence of treatments on sensory and cigarette MS components. PLSR analysis demonstrated that tobacco alkaloids were positively correlated to the off-taste, irritation and impact attributes, and negatively correlated to the aroma and softness attributes. Additionally, nicotine and anabasine from tobacco leaves positively contributed to the impact attribute, while they negatively contributed to the aroma attribute (P<0.05). Meanwhile, most alkaloids in cigarette MS positively contributed to the impact and irritation attributes (P<0.05). Hence, this study paved a way to better understand the correlation between tobacco alkaloids and sensory attributes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. The oil-dispersion bath in anthroposophic medicine--an integrative review.

    PubMed

    Büssing, Arndt; Cysarz, Dirk; Edelhäuser, Friedrich; Bornhöft, Gudrun; Matthiessen, Peter F; Ostermann, Thomas

    2008-12-04

    Anthroposophic medicine offers a variety of treatments, among others the oil-dispersion bath, developed in the 1930s by Werner Junge. Based on the phenomenon that oil and water do not mix and on recommendations of Rudolf Steiner, Junge developed a vortex mechanism which churns water and essential oils into a fine mist. The oil-covered droplets empty into a tub, where the patient immerses for 15-30 minutes. We review the current literature on oil-dispersion baths. The following databases were searched: Medline, Pubmed, Embase, AMED and CAMbase. The search terms were 'oil-dispersion bath' and 'oil bath', and their translations in German and French. An Internet search was also performed using Google Scholar, adding the search terms 'study' and 'case report' to the search terms above. Finally, we asked several experts for gray literature not listed in the above-mentioned databases. We included only articles which met the criterion of a clinical study or case report, and excluded theoretical contributions. Among several articles found in books, journals and other publications, we identified 1 prospective clinical study, 3 experimental studies (enrolling healthy individuals), 5 case reports, and 3 field-reports. In almost all cases, the studies described beneficial effects - although the methodological quality of most studies was weak. Main indications were internal/metabolic diseases and psychiatric/neurological disorders. Beyond the obvious beneficial effects of warm bathes on the subjective well-being, it remains to be clarified what the unique contribution of the distinct essential oils dispersed in the water can be. There is a lack of clinical studies exploring the efficacy of oil-dispersion baths. Such studies are recommended for the future.

  8. The oil-dispersion bath in anthroposophic medicine – an integrative review

    PubMed Central

    Büssing, Arndt; Cysarz, Dirk; Edelhäuser, Friedrich; Bornhöft, Gudrun; Matthiessen, Peter F; Ostermann, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    Background Anthroposophic medicine offers a variety of treatments, among others the oil-dispersion bath, developed in the 1930s by Werner Junge. Based on the phenomenon that oil and water do not mix and on recommendations of Rudolf Steiner, Junge developed a vortex mechanism which churns water and essential oils into a fine mist. The oil-covered droplets empty into a tub, where the patient immerses for 15–30 minutes. We review the current literature on oil-dispersion baths. Methods The following databases were searched: Medline, Pubmed, Embase, AMED and CAMbase. The search terms were 'oil-dispersion bath' and 'oil bath', and their translations in German and French. An Internet search was also performed using Google Scholar, adding the search terms 'study' and 'case report' to the search terms above. Finally, we asked several experts for gray literature not listed in the above-mentioned databases. We included only articles which met the criterion of a clinical study or case report, and excluded theoretical contributions. Results Among several articles found in books, journals and other publications, we identified 1 prospective clinical study, 3 experimental studies (enrolling healthy individuals), 5 case reports, and 3 field-reports. In almost all cases, the studies described beneficial effects – although the methodological quality of most studies was weak. Main indications were internal/metabolic diseases and psychiatric/neurological disorders. Conclusion Beyond the obvious beneficial effects of warm bathes on the subjective well-being, it remains to be clarified what the unique contribution of the distinct essential oils dispersed in the water can be. There is a lack of clinical studies exploring the efficacy of oil-dispersion baths. Such studies are recommended for the future. PMID:19055811

  9. Increase in reptile-associated human salmonellosis and shift toward adulthood in the age groups at risk, the Netherlands, 1985 to 2014.

    PubMed

    Mughini-Gras, Lapo; Heck, Max; van Pelt, Wilfrid

    2016-08-25

    While the contribution of the main food-related sources to human salmonellosis is well documented, knowledge on the contribution of reptiles is limited. We quantified and examined trends in reptile-associated salmonellosis in the Netherlands during a 30-year period, from 1985 to 2014. Using source attribution analysis, we estimated that 2% (95% confidence interval: 1.3-2.8) of all sporadic/domestic human salmonellosis cases reported in the Netherlands during the study period (n = 63,718) originated from reptiles. The estimated annual fraction of reptile-associated salmonellosis cases ranged from a minimum of 0.3% (corresponding to 11 cases) in 1988 to a maximum of 9.3% (93 cases) in 2013. There was a significant increasing trend in reptile-associated salmonellosis cases (+ 19% annually) and a shift towards adulthood in the age groups at highest risk, while the proportion of reptile-associated salmonellosis cases among those up to four years-old decreased by 4% annually and the proportion of cases aged 45 to 74 years increased by 20% annually. We hypothesise that these findings may be the effect of the increased number and variety of reptiles that are kept as pets, calling for further attention to the issue of safe reptile-human interaction and for reinforced hygiene recommendations for reptile owners. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2016.

  10. Increase in reptile-associated human salmonellosis and shift toward adulthood in the age groups at risk, the Netherlands, 1985 to 2014

    PubMed Central

    Mughini-Gras, Lapo; Heck, Max; van Pelt, Wilfrid

    2016-01-01

    While the contribution of the main food-related sources to human salmonellosis is well documented, knowledge on the contribution of reptiles is limited. We quantified and examined trends in reptile-associated salmonellosis in the Netherlands during a 30-year period, from 1985 to 2014. Using source attribution analysis, we estimated that 2% (95% confidence interval: 1.3–2.8) of all sporadic/domestic human salmonellosis cases reported in the Netherlands during the study period (n = 63,718) originated from reptiles. The estimated annual fraction of reptile-associated salmonellosis cases ranged from a minimum of 0.3% (corresponding to 11 cases) in 1988 to a maximum of 9.3% (93 cases) in 2013. There was a significant increasing trend in reptile-associated salmonellosis cases (+ 19% annually) and a shift towards adulthood in the age groups at highest risk, while the proportion of reptile-associated salmonellosis cases among those up to four years-old decreased by 4% annually and the proportion of cases aged 45 to 74 years increased by 20% annually. We hypothesise that these findings may be the effect of the increased number and variety of reptiles that are kept as pets, calling for further attention to the issue of safe reptile–human interaction and for reinforced hygiene recommendations for reptile owners. PMID:27589037

  11. Doing Cultural Work: Local Postcard Production and Place Identity in a Rural Shire

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayes, Robyn

    2010-01-01

    Studies of place construction in the rural studies literature have largely privileged the role of professionals over that of local lay actors. This paper contributes to redressing this imbalance through a critical case-study of lay postcard production in a rural shire. Drawing on original, qualitative research conducted in the Shire of…

  12. The Contribution of the Inferior Parietal Cortex to Spoken Language Production

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geranmayeh, Fatemeh; Brownsett, Sonia L. E.; Leech, Robert; Beckmann, Christian F.; Woodhead, Zoe; Wise, Richard J. S.

    2012-01-01

    This functional MRI study investigated the involvement of the left inferior parietal cortex (IPC) in spoken language production (Speech). Its role has been apparent in some studies but not others, and is not convincingly supported by clinical studies as they rarely include cases with lesions confined to the parietal lobe. We compared Speech with…

  13. Shared Leadership as an Outcome of Team Processes: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slantcheva-Durst, Snejana

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the dynamics of collaborative work that promote leadership as an outcome of team processes. Through an in-depth exploration of a community college that developed an organizational model of shared leadership over a period of seven months, this study aims to contribute to our qualitative understanding of how a vision of shared…

  14. Watershed management contributions to land stewardship: Case studies in the Southeast

    Treesearch

    Wayne T. Swank; David R. Tilley

    2000-01-01

    We describe three examples of watershed management studies, at different spatial scales, that provide approaches and information useful in enhancing natural resource stewardship in the southern Appalachians. A multiple use “pilot” study, initiated 35 years ago at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, demonstrates that southern Appalachian forests can be successfully...

  15. Contributions of Early Work-Based Learning: A Case Study of First Year Pharmacy Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ting, Kang Nee; Wong, Kok Thong; Thang, Siew Ming

    2009-01-01

    Generally work-based learning opportunities are only offered to students in their penultimate year of undergraduate study. Little is known about the benefits and shortcomings of such experiential learning for students in the early stages of their undergraduate education. This is a mixed method study investigating first year undergraduate pharmacy…

  16. Autonomous Pluralistic Learning Strategies among Mexican Indigenous and Minority University Students Learning English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Despagne, Colette

    2015-01-01

    This critical ethnographic case study draws on Indigenous and minority students' process of learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Mexico. The study specifically focuses on students who enrolled in a program called "A Wager with the Future." The aim of the study is to identify and understand contributing factors in these…

  17. Determinants in the development of advanced nursing practice: a case study of primary-care settings in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Twinn, Sheila; Thompson, David R; Lopez, Violeta; Lee, Diana T F; Shiu, Ann T Y

    2005-01-01

    Different factors have been shown to influence the development of models of advanced nursing practice (ANP) in primary-care settings. Although ANP is being developed in hospitals in Hong Kong, China, it remains undeveloped in primary care and little is known about the factors determining the development of such a model. The aims of the present study were to investigate the contribution of different models of nursing practice to the care provided in primary-care settings in Hong Kong, and to examine the determinants influencing the development of a model of ANP in such settings. A multiple case study design was selected using both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Sampling methods reflected the population groups and stage of the case study. Sampling included a total population of 41 nurses from whom a secondary volunteer sample was drawn for face-to-face interviews. In each case study, a convenience sample of 70 patients were recruited, from whom 10 were selected purposively for a semi-structured telephone interview. An opportunistic sample of healthcare professionals was also selected. The within-case and cross-case analysis demonstrated four major determinants influencing the development of ANP: (1) current models of nursing practice; (2) the use of skills mix; (3) the perceived contribution of ANP to patient care; and (4) patients' expectations of care. The level of autonomy of individual nurses was considered particularly important. These determinants were used to develop a model of ANP for a primary-care setting. In conclusion, although the findings highlight the complexity determining the development and implementation of ANP in primary care, the proposed model suggests that definitions of advanced practice are appropriate to a range of practice models and cultural settings. However, the findings highlight the importance of assessing the effectiveness of such models in terms of cost and long-term patient outcomes.

  18. Novel genes identified in a high-density genome wide association study for nicotine dependence.

    PubMed

    Bierut, Laura Jean; Madden, Pamela A F; Breslau, Naomi; Johnson, Eric O; Hatsukami, Dorothy; Pomerleau, Ovide F; Swan, Gary E; Rutter, Joni; Bertelsen, Sarah; Fox, Louis; Fugman, Douglas; Goate, Alison M; Hinrichs, Anthony L; Konvicka, Karel; Martin, Nicholas G; Montgomery, Grant W; Saccone, Nancy L; Saccone, Scott F; Wang, Jen C; Chase, Gary A; Rice, John P; Ballinger, Dennis G

    2007-01-01

    Tobacco use is a leading contributor to disability and death worldwide, and genetic factors contribute in part to the development of nicotine dependence. To identify novel genes for which natural variation contributes to the development of nicotine dependence, we performed a comprehensive genome wide association study using nicotine dependent smokers as cases and non-dependent smokers as controls. To allow the efficient, rapid, and cost effective screen of the genome, the study was carried out using a two-stage design. In the first stage, genotyping of over 2.4 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was completed in case and control pools. In the second stage, we selected SNPs for individual genotyping based on the most significant allele frequency differences between cases and controls from the pooled results. Individual genotyping was performed in 1050 cases and 879 controls using 31 960 selected SNPs. The primary analysis, a logistic regression model with covariates of age, gender, genotype and gender by genotype interaction, identified 35 SNPs with P-values less than 10(-4) (minimum P-value 1.53 x 10(-6)). Although none of the individual findings is statistically significant after correcting for multiple tests, additional statistical analyses support the existence of true findings in this group. Our study nominates several novel genes, such as Neurexin 1 (NRXN1), in the development of nicotine dependence while also identifying a known candidate gene, the beta3 nicotinic cholinergic receptor. This work anticipates the future directions of large-scale genome wide association studies with state-of-the-art methodological approaches and sharing of data with the scientific community.

  19. Interaction between IRF6 and TGFA Genes Contribute to the Risk of Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip/Palate

    PubMed Central

    Letra, Ariadne; Fakhouri, Walid; Fonseca, Renata F.; Menezes, Renato; Kempa, Inga; Prasad, Joanne L.; McHenry, Toby G.; Lidral, Andrew C.; Moreno, Lina; Murray, Jeffrey C.; Daack-Hirsch, Sandra; Marazita, Mary L.; Castilla, Eduardo E.; Lace, Baiba; Orioli, Ieda M.; Granjeiro, Jose M.; Schutte, Brian C.; Vieira, Alexandre R.

    2012-01-01

    Previous evidence from tooth agenesis studies suggested IRF6 and TGFA interact. Since tooth agenesis is commonly found in individuals with cleft lip/palate (CL/P), we used four large cohorts to evaluate if IRF6 and TGFA interaction contributes to CL/P. Markers within and flanking IRF6 and TGFA genes were tested using Taqman or SYBR green chemistries for case-control analyses in 1,000 Brazilian individuals. We looked for evidence of gene-gene interaction between IRF6 and TGFA by testing if markers associated with CL/P were overtransmitted together in the case-control Brazilian dataset and in the additional family datasets. Genotypes for an additional 142 case-parent trios from South America drawn from the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC), 154 cases from Latvia, and 8,717 individuals from several cohorts were available for replication of tests for interaction. Tgfa and Irf6 expression at critical stages during palatogenesis was analyzed in wild type and Irf6 knockout mice. Markers in and near IRF6 and TGFA were associated with CL/P in the Brazilian cohort (p<10−6). IRF6 was also associated with cleft palate (CP) with impaction of permanent teeth (p<10−6). Statistical evidence of interaction between IRF6 and TGFA was found in all data sets (p = 0.013 for Brazilians; p = 0.046 for ECLAMC; p = 10−6 for Latvians, and p = 0.003 for the 8,717 individuals). Tgfa was not expressed in the palatal tissues of Irf6 knockout mice. IRF6 and TGFA contribute to subsets of CL/P with specific dental anomalies. Moreover, this potential IRF6-TGFA interaction may account for as much as 1% to 10% of CL/P cases. The Irf6-knockout model further supports the evidence of IRF6-TGFA interaction found in humans. PMID:23029012

  20. Teachers' Opinions Regarding the Usage of Action Research in Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yigit, Celal; Bagceci, Birsen

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the study is to investigate the contribution of action research to teachers' professional development. In line with this goal, a group of teachers were asked their opinions. The working group of the study is comprised of six teachers working at a state primary and middle school. The study is an example of "Case Study," one of…

  1. Addition of Aripiprazole to the Clozapine May Be Useful in Reducing Anxiety in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia

    PubMed Central

    Chanachev, Aleksandar; Ansermot, Nicolas; Crettol Wavre, Séverine; Nowotka, Ute; Stamatopoulou, Maria-Eleni; Conus, Philippe; Eap, Chin B.

    2011-01-01

    There exist many case reports and studies on the antipsychotic augmentation by aripirazole in partial responders to clozapine, the most seem to be finding a slight difference in the PANSS and CGI scores after the aripirazole addition. The results of our report are compatible with those of other studies but, we have found a considerable antianxiety action in both of the cases. The 5HT1A agonism of aripirazole could be hypothesized as mechanism contributing to this effect. PMID:22937411

  2. Milwaukee County User-Side Subsidy Program : A Case Study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1982-09-01

    Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, instituted a user-side subsidy program in June 1978 for handicapped users of taxi and chair-car services. The program is funded entirely by county and state contributions. A distinctive feature of the program is that, unl...

  3. Some measures for improving night visibility at highway intersections.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1977-01-01

    Through selected case studies, this report illustrates how the inadequate visibility of road signs and pavement markings at night contributes to wrong-way driving. A concept termed "keg of legibility" for visibility at night has been developed by the...

  4. Successful Community Development Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Thomas G.

    This paper sketches several successful community economic development programs that have implications for rural education. Case studies are used to discuss community characteristics that contribute to development success. In Virginia, a Community Certification Program offers statewide business recruitment services to communities that meet program…

  5. Postmortem audit in a paediatric cardiology unit.

    PubMed Central

    Russell, G A; Berry, P J

    1989-01-01

    Postmortem examinations performed on 76 children with a clinical diagnosis of congenital heart disease were reviewed retrospectively and compared with the findings before death. Both operated and unoperated cases were studied over a three year period. Despite intensive investigation during life, there was a high rate of unsuspected abnormalities at necropsy (80%): 29 cases had undiagnosed additional cardiac anomalies or surgical flaws, which contributed to death in 13 cases. Defects in surgery were uncommon but permitted modification in surgical technique to avoid recurrence. Myocardial necrosis and pulmonary foreign body embolism were common findings, the importance of which is uncertain and requires further study for their prevention. Even in the most thoroughly investigated cases postmortem examination has a high yield of clinically important pathology which is undetected during life. Images PMID:2794078

  6. Alien invasions in aquatic ecosystems: toward an understanding of brook trout invasions and potential impacts on inland cutthroat trout in western North America

    Treesearch

    Jason B. Dunham; Susan B. Adams; Robert E. Schroeter; Douglas C. Novinger

    2002-01-01

    Experience from case studies of biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems has motivated a set of proposed empirical “rules” for understanding patterns of invasion and impacts on native species. Further evidence is needed to better understand these patterns, and perhaps contribute to a useful predictive theory of invasions. We reviewed the case of brook trout (

  7. [Immigrants treated for tuberculosis in Mazovian Center for Treatment of Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis in Otwock].

    PubMed

    Jagodziński, Jacek; Zielonka, Tadeusz M

    2010-01-01

    Migration of population contributes to the transmission of tuberculosis (TB), particularly multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. In the countries of Western Europe, the immigrants' inflow contributes to the deterioration of the epidemiological situation. Majority of newly detected TB cases in some countries were affirmed among immigrant and foreign born population. In Poland, this problem has not been investigated up to 2005. The aim of the study was the assessment of the occurrence of tuberculosis in foreigners treated in the Mazovian Centre for Treatment of Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis in Otwock. This work had a retrospective character. The number of cases of tuberculosis in foreigners admitted between 2002 and 2007 was calculated from the data base of the Mazovian Centre for Treatment of Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis; 125 patients, whose basic demographic data, bacteriological status and the radiological changes suggested TB, were included in the study. The foreigners made up to 0.5-1.7% all tuberculosis cases treated in Mazovian Centre for Treatment of Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis. Among confirmed cases, twenty four nationalities were seen. Nationals of the Russian Federation (coming from the Republic of Chechnya) formed the biggest group (24%), followed by the Vietnamese (21%) and the Ukrainians (12%). Most of all cases were young men (77%; average age - 34 years). Children made up to 12% of all cases. Tuberculosis of lungs was predominating, and there were culture confirmed extrapulmonary locations in 13.6% of cases. Bacteriological confirmation was achieved in 53% of cases, but up to 22.7% cases were resistant to one of the antituberculosis medicines and 13.6% was multidrug-resistant. Despite the fact, that foreigners made up a small proportion among all the patient treated for tuberculosis in Mazovia, their number systematically increases. High proportion of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis reported in foreign-born cases is a concern.

  8. Social Interaction in Self-Paced Distance Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2015-01-01

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

  9. Student Engagement for College Students with the Hidden Disability of Orthostatic Intolerance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karabin, Beverly Lynn

    2010-01-01

    This study described the factors that contribute to engagement patterns of college students with the hidden health-related disability of orthostatic intolerance. Specifically, it used a qualitative methodology and collective-case study design to explore the categories of campus physical, institutional, academic and social engagement from a student…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    David, Annabelle; Wei, Li

    2008-01-01

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

  11. Deploying the Chinese Knowledge Diaspora: A Case Study of Peking University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cai, Hongxing

    2012-01-01

    The paper examines how the Chinese knowledge diaspora contributes to Peking University's endeavours to become a world-class university through an in-depth study of its implementation of the 111 Project. Based on the participants' personal experiences of international collaboration, the article finds that overseas Chinese scholars have played an…

  12. Well-Being, Leadership, and Positive Organizational Scholarship: A Case Study of Project-Based Learning in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucas, Nance; Goodman, Fallon R.

    2015-01-01

    The emerging fields of positive psychology and positive organizational scholarship (POS) contribute new perspectives and approaches for leadership education and leadership development in higher education. While there are emerging empirical studies in these new fields, little connection has been made to the intellectual and practical applications…

  13. Religious Studies as a Test-Case For Computer-Assisted Instruction In The Humanities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Bruce William

    Experiences with computer-assisted instructional (CAI) programs written for religious studies indicate that CAI has contributions to offer the humanities and social sciences. The usefulness of the computer for presentation, drill and review of factual material and its applicability to quantifiable data is well accepted. There now exist…

  14. The Effect of Nature Documentaries on Students' Environmental Sensitivity: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barbas, Tasos A.; Paraskevopoulos, Stefanos; Stamou, Anastasia G.

    2009-01-01

    Despite the potential educational value of nature documentaries, the contribution of such films to environmental education is largely unknown. In the present study, we attempt to delineate the role of nature documentaries to the environmental sensitivity of students when the films are simply introduced to the class. More specifically, the present…

  15. An Analysis of Canadian Physical Education Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilborn, Michelle; Lorusso, Jenna; Francis, Nancy

    2016-01-01

    There has been much international concern about the present and future status of school physical education. Recent research has employed surveys or case studies to examine the status of physical education but there is a dearth of in-depth physical education curriculum document analysis. The aim of this study is to contribute to the international…

  16. A Case Study of Interagency Collaboration as Reported by the PREP Advisory Committee

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greene, Cathleen M.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore with key members of the Pilot Reintegration Education Program (PREP) Advisory Committee, the characteristics of their interagency process and how they perceived that these factors contributed to accomplishing the common objective of providing a smooth and effective transition for students between release…

  17. Improving Learning Performance in Laboratory Instruction by Means of SMS Messaging

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez-Torres, M. R.; Toral, S. L.; Barrero, F.; Gallardo, S.

    2007-01-01

    The study described in this paper outlines an attempt to explore those factors that contribute to learning performance improvement in laboratory instruction. As a case study, the educational methodology involved in a basic microcontroller course was analyzed. Traditional lab sessions based on the control of peripherals with low interactivity have…

  18. The Effect of a Self-Monitored Relaxation Breathing Exercise on Male Adolescent Aggressive Behavior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaines, Trudi; Barry, Leasha M.

    2008-01-01

    This study sought to contribute to the identification of effective interventions in the area of male adolescent aggressive behavior. Existing research includes both group- and single-case studies implementing treatments which typically include an anger-management component and its attendant relaxation and stress-reduction techniques. The design of…

  19. The Contribution of Scenic Beauty Indicators in Estimating Environmental Welfare Measures: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fanariotu, Ioanna; Skuras, Dimitris

    2004-01-01

    Aesthetic indicators of landscapes, expressed as individual scenic beauty estimates, may be used as proxies of individuals' specific aesthetic values, and improve the properties of welfare estimates produced by contingent valuation models. This work presents results from an interdisciplinary study where forest scenic beauty indicators are utilized…

  20. Innovative Pathways from School: The Case Studies. Phase 1 Report 2002.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyd, Sally; McDowall, Sue; Cooper, Garrick

    This report documents the Innovative Pathways study of nonconventional year 12 and 13 programs at 7 schools, considered successful in assisting "at risk" students in their transition from school to the work force or further education and training. Elements of good practice are documented that contributed to and assisted students'…

  1. Active Learning through Student Film: A Case Study of Cultural Geography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Jon

    2013-01-01

    This study contributes to the debate over the potential of film as a pedagogical aid. It argues that integrating film production into the assessment of undergraduate modules secures advantages for student learning: students connect their ideas more explicitly to "real world" examples; new voices and understandings are introduced to…

  2. A Case Study of Employee Engagement: Distributed Leadership Constructs within Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garti, Richard

    2017-01-01

    Distributed leadership for learning and teaching is an approach in which collaborative working is undertaken between individuals who trust and respect each other's contribution. During the past 10 years, the idea of distributed leadership has emerged through the theory and practice within organizations. The specific problem this study addressed is…

  3. Two Adolescents at Risk for Schizophrenia: A Family Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taichert, Louise C.

    1979-01-01

    Studies complex factors contributing to the development of adolescent psychoses in two stepbrothers. Neurodevelopmental difficulties make them vulnerable to their parents' fears and conflicts. This affects the quality of their total life experience and the kind of parent-child relationships leading to their psychoses. A discussion by Saul L. Brown…

  4. Organizing Language Intervention Relative to the Client's Personal Experience: A Clinical Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Liang; Whittington, Diane

    2006-01-01

    An analysis is presented of two different therapeutic activities designed for a profoundly deaf adult with cerebral palsy, DP. The study draws on techniques of qualitative methodology to identify elements that contribute to effective intervention practices for DP. Results indicate that therapeutic materials and activities must first of all be…

  5. Parental Inconsistency versus Parental Authoritarianism: Associations with Symptoms of Psychological Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dwairy, Marwan Adeeb

    2008-01-01

    While in western countries, such as the US and Europe, authoritarian parenting is associated with negative psycho-social outcomes. Studies have indicated that this is not the case in collective/authoritarian cultures. It has been hypothesized that inconsistency in parenting style and culture contributes to these negative outcomes. In this study a…

  6. Teaching the "Diagonalization Concept" in Linear Algebra with Technology: A Case Study at Galatasaray University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yildiz Ulus, Aysegul

    2013-01-01

    This paper examines experimental and algorithmic contributions of advanced calculators (graphing and computer algebra system, CAS) in teaching the concept of "diagonalization," one of the key topics in Linear Algebra courses taught at the undergraduate level. Specifically, the proposed hypothesis of this study is to assess the effective…

  7. Study Abroad as Professional Development: Voices of In-Service Spanish Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jochum, Christopher J.; Rawlings, Jared R.; Tejada, Ana María

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to understand how four in-service Spanish teachers interpreted their participation in a summer study abroad program and how the experience contributed to their ongoing professional development and language proficiency. Using a multiple case design (Simons, 2009; Stake, 2005; Yin, 2009), the researchers…

  8. Cases Not Proven: An Evaluation of Two Studies of Teacher Racism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Peter

    1990-01-01

    Evaluates two British ethnographic studies by Bruce Carrington and Edward Wood, and by Cecile Y. Wright claiming to find evidence of teachers' racist attitudes and behaviors toward Afro-Caribbean students that contributed to student underachievement. Delineates methodological flaws. Argues that Wright's findings that the source of racism is in…

  9. Looking at Algorithm Visualization through the Eyes of Pre-Service ICT Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saltan, Fatih

    2016-01-01

    The study investigated pre-service ICT teachers' perceptions of algorithm visualization (AV) with regard to appropriateness of teaching levels and contribution to learning and motivation. In order to achieve this aim, a qualitative case study was carried out. The participants consisted of 218 pre-service ICT teachers from four different…

  10. Application of Probabilistic Modeling to Quantify the Reduction Levels of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Attributable to Chronic Aflatoxins Exposure.

    PubMed

    Wambui, Joseph M; Karuri, Edward G; Ojiambo, Julia A; Njage, Patrick M K

    2017-01-01

    Epidemiological studies show a definite connection between areas of high aflatoxin content and a high occurrence of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis B virus in individuals further increases the risk of HCC. The two risk factors are prevalent in rural Kenya and continuously predispose the rural populations to HCC. A quantitative cancer risk assessment therefore quantified the levels at which potential pre- and postharvest interventions reduce the HCC risk attributable to consumption of contaminated maize and groundnuts. The assessment applied a probabilistic model to derive probability distributions of HCC cases and percentage reductions levels of the risk from secondary data. Contaminated maize and groundnuts contributed to 1,847 ± 514 and 158 ± 52 HCC cases per annum, respectively. The total contribution of both foods to the risk was additive as it resulted in 2,000 ± 518 cases per annum. Consumption and contamination levels contributed significantly to the risk whereby lower age groups were most affected. Nonetheless, pre- and postharvest interventions might reduce the risk by 23.0-83.4% and 4.8-95.1%, respectively. Therefore, chronic exposure to aflatoxins increases the HCC risk in rural Kenya, but a significant reduction of the risk can be achieved by applying specific pre- and postharvest interventions.

  11. CHEK2 contribution to hereditary breast cancer in non-BRCA families.

    PubMed

    Desrichard, Alexis; Bidet, Yannick; Uhrhammer, Nancy; Bignon, Yves-Jean

    2011-01-01

    Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are responsible for only a part of hereditary breast cancer (HBC). The origins of "non-BRCA" HBC in families may be attributed in part to rare mutations in genes conferring moderate risk, such as CHEK2, which encodes for an upstream regulator of BRCA1. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between CHEK2 founder mutations and non-BRCA HBC. However, very few data on the entire coding sequence of this gene are available. We investigated the contribution of CHEK2 mutations to non-BRCA HBC by direct sequencing of its whole coding sequence in 507 non-BRCA HBC cases and 513 controls. We observed 16 mutations in cases and 4 in controls, including 9 missense variants of uncertain consequence. Using both in silico tools and an in vitro kinase activity test, the majority of the variants were found likely to be deleterious for protein function. One variant present in both cases and controls was proposed to be neutral. Removing this variant from the pool of potentially deleterious variants gave a mutation frequency of 1.48% for cases and 0.29% for controls (P = 0.0040). The odds ratio of breast cancer in the presence of a deleterious CHEK2 mutation was 5.18. Our work indicates that a variety of deleterious CHEK2 alleles make an appreciable contribution to breast cancer susceptibility, and their identification could help in the clinical management of patients carrying a CHEK2 mutation.

  12. The Business Case for Provider Participation in Clinical Trials Research: An Application to the National Cancer Institute's Community Clinical Oncology Program

    PubMed Central

    Song, Paula H.; Reiter, Kristin L.; Weiner, Bryan J.; Minasian, Lori; McAlearney, Ann Scheck

    2012-01-01

    Background Provider-based research networks (PBRNs) make clinical trials available in community-based practice settings, where most people receive their care, but provider participation requires both financial and in-kind contributions. Purpose This study explores whether providers believe there is a business case for participating in PBRNs and what factors contribute to the business case. Methodology/Approach We use a multiple case study methodology approach to examine the National Cancer Institute's Community Clinical Oncology Program, a longstanding federally funded PBRN. Interviews with 41 key informants across five sites, selected on the basis of organizational maturity, were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. We analyzed interview transcripts using an iterative, deductive process to identify themes and subthemes in the data. Findings We found that a business case for provider participation in PBRNs may exist if both direct and indirect financial benefits are identified and included in the analysis, and if the time horizon is long enough to allow those benefits to be realized. We identified specific direct and indirect financial benefits that were perceived as important contributors to the business case and the perceived length of time required for a positive return to accrue. Practice Implications As the lack of a business case may result in provider reluctance to participate in PBRNs, knowledge of the benefits we identified may be crucial to encouraging and sustaining participation, thereby preserving patient access to innovative community-based treatments. The results are also relevant to federally-funded PBRNs outside of oncology or to providers considering participation in any clinical trials research. PMID:23044836

  13. Self-reported chemicals exposure, beliefs about disease causation, and risk of breast cancer in the Cape Cod Breast Cancer and Environment Study: a case-control study

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Household cleaning and pesticide products may contribute to breast cancer because many contain endocrine disrupting chemicals or mammary gland carcinogens. This population-based case-control study investigated whether use of household cleaners and pesticides increases breast cancer risk. Methods Participants were 787 Cape Cod, Massachusetts, women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1988 and 1995 and 721 controls. Telephone interviews asked about product use, beliefs about breast cancer etiology, and established and suspected breast cancer risk factors. To evaluate potential recall bias, we stratified product-use odds ratios by beliefs about whether chemicals and pollutants contribute to breast cancer; we compared these results with odds ratios for family history (which are less subject to recall bias) stratified by beliefs about heredity. Results Breast cancer risk increased two-fold in the highest compared with lowest quartile of self-reported combined cleaning product use (Adjusted OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4, 3.3) and combined air freshener use (Adjusted OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.0). Little association was observed with pesticide use. In stratified analyses, cleaning products odds ratios were more elevated among participants who believed pollutants contribute "a lot" to breast cancer and moved towards the null among the other participants. In comparison, the odds ratio for breast cancer and family history was markedly higher among women who believed that heredity contributes "a lot" (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.9, 3.6) and not elevated among others (OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5, 1.1). Conclusions Results of this study suggest that cleaning product use contributes to increased breast cancer risk. However, results also highlight the difficulty of distinguishing in retrospective self-report studies between valid associations and the influence of recall bias. Recall bias may influence higher odds ratios for product use among participants who believed that chemicals and pollutants contribute to breast cancer. Alternatively, the influence of experience on beliefs is another explanation, illustrated by the protective odds ratio for family history among women who do not believe heredity contributes "a lot." Because exposure to chemicals from household cleaning products is a biologically plausible cause of breast cancer and avoidable, associations reported here should be further examined prospectively. PMID:20646273

  14. Associations between male infertility and ancestry in South Americans: a case control study.

    PubMed

    Skowronek, Maria Fernanda; Velazquez, Tatiana; Mut, Patricia; Figueiro, Gonzalo; Sans, Monica; Bertoni, Bernardo; Sapiro, Rossana

    2017-07-26

    Infertility affects 15% of human couples, with men being responsible in approximately 50% of cases. Moreover, the aetiology of male factor infertility is poorly understood. The majority of male factor infertility remains idiopathic and potentially genetic in origin. The association of the Y chromosome and mitochondrial haplogroups with male infertility has been previously reported. This association differs between studied populations and their geographical distributions. These effects have been only rarely analysed in mixed populations, such as South Americans. In this study, we analysed the contributions of the Y chromosome and mitochondrial haplogroups to male infertility in a mixed population. A case control study was conducted. Regular PCR and high-resolutionmelting- real-time PCR were performed to type haplogroups from fertile and infertile men. The sperm parameters from infertile men were compared in each haplogroup by logistic regression analysis and ANOVA. The genotyping confirmed the known admixture characteristic of the Uruguayan population. The European paternal contribution was higher than the maternal contribution in both fertile and infertile men. Neither maternal nor paternal ancestry presented differences between the cases and controls. Men belonging to the Y chromosome haplogroup F(xK) more frequently presented with an abnormal sperm morphology than men from other haplogroups. The sperm parameters were not associated with the mitochondrial haplogroups. The data presented in this study showed an association between male infertility and ancestry in the Uruguayan population. Specifically, abnormal sperm morphology was associated with the Y chromosome haplogroup F(xK). Since the Y chromosome lacks recombination, these data suggest that some genes that determine sperm morphology might be inherited in blocks with the region that determines specific haplogroups. However, the possible association between the Y chromosome haplogroup F(xK) and sperm morphology requires further confirmatory testing. Data linking infertility with ancestry are needed to establish the possible causes of infertility and define male populations susceptible to infertility. Whether the admixed characteristics of the Uruguayan population exert any pressure on male fertility potential must be further investigated.

  15. The hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism contributes to digestive system cancer susceptibility: evidence from 48 case-control studies.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yang; Gao, Xujie; Wei, Feng; Zhang, Xinwei; Yu, Jinpu; Zhao, Hua; Sun, Qian; Yan, Fan; Yan, Cihui; Li, Hui; Ren, Xiubao

    2015-02-01

    The Ser326Cys polymorphism in the human 8-oxogunaine DNA glycosylase (hOGG1) gene had been implicated in cancer susceptibility. Studies investigating the associations between the Ser326Cys polymorphism and digestion cancer susceptibility showed conflicting results. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship. We conducted a meta-analysis of 48 studies that included 12,073 cancer cases and 19,557 case-free controls. We assessed the strength of the association using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In our analysis, the hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of digestive system cancers (Cys/Cys vs. Ser/Ser: OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.00-1.35, P < 0.001; Cys/Cys vs. Cys/Ser + Ser/Ser: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.00-1.29, P < 0.001). In subgroup analyses by cancer types, we found that the hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism may increase hepatocellular cancer and colorectal cancer risks, but decrease the risk of oral cancer. These findings supported that hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism may contribute to the susceptibility of digestive cancers.

  16. Connecting self-efficacy and views about the nature of science in undergraduate research experiences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quan, Gina M.; Elby, Andrew

    2016-12-01

    Undergraduate research can support students' more central participation in physics. We analyze markers of two coupled shifts in participation: changes in students' views about the nature of science coupled to shifts in self-efficacy toward physics research. Students in the study worked with faculty and graduate student mentors on research projects while also participating in a seminar where they learned about research and reflected on their experiences. In classroom discussions and in clinical interviews, students described gaining more nuanced views about the nature of science, specifically related to who can participate in research and what participation in research looks like. This shift was coupled to gains in self-efficacy toward their ability to contribute to research; they felt like their contributions as novices mattered. We present two case studies of students who experienced coupled shifts in self-efficacy and views about nature-of-science shifts, and a case study of a student for whom we did not see either shift, to illustrate both the existence of the coupling and the different ways it can play out. After making the case that this coupling occurs, we discuss some potential underlying mechanisms. Finally, we use these results to argue for more nuanced interpretations of self-efficacy measurements.

  17. Confessions of a pharmaceutical company: voice, narrative, and gendered dialectics in the case of Gardasil.

    PubMed

    Malkowski, Jennifer

    2014-01-01

    Despite the fact that both men and women carry the human papillomavirus (HPV) and jointly contribute to its status as an epidemic, the promotion of Gardasil, a vaccine that blocks infection from four strains of HPV, has largely been designated as a women's-only health issue. The following case study contributes to ongoing efforts in the field of health communication to identify problematic assumptions informing contemporary health policy and practices. Specifically, I analyze how Merck Pharmaceuticals, the creator of Gardasil, strategically imbues direct-to-consumer advertisements with contradiction to preserve traditional notions of both women and medicine. I found that three gendered dialectics characterize Merck's efforts to invoke complacency among female consumers: public/secret, education/ignorance, and structured/individualist. In the case of the HPV vaccination, the implications of these dialectics are the perpetuation of complacency among female audiences that threatens both the success of this particular technology and the overall status of women and health. In line with conclusions offered by Thompson (2010a), this study extends a call for health and communication scholars to continue to deconstruct dominant medical discourses and presents possibilities for re-storying narratives that mediate women's experiences with health.

  18. Echolalia or functional repetition in conversation--a case study of an individual with Huntington's disease.

    PubMed

    Saldert, Charlotta; Hartelius, Lena

    2011-01-01

    In this case study, we investigated the use of repetition in an individual with a neurogenic communication disorder. We present an analysis of interaction in natural conversations between a woman with advanced Huntington's disease (HD), whose speech had been described as sometimes characterised by echolalia, and her personal assistant. The conversational interaction is analysed on a sequential level, and recurrent patterns are explored. Although the ability of the person with HD to interact is affected by chorea, word retrieval problems and reduced comprehension, she takes an active part in conversation. The conversational partner's contributions are often adapted to her communicative ability as they are formulated as questions or suggestions that can be elaborated on or responded to with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. The person with HD often repeats the words of her conversational partner in a way that extends her contributions and shows listenership, and this use of repetition is also frequent in ordinary conversations between non-brain-damaged individuals. The results show that the conversation partners in this case cooperate in making the conversation proceed and evolve, and that verbal repetition is used in a way that works as a strategy for compensating for the impairment.

  19. The evaluation of complex interventions in palliative care: an exploration of the potential of case study research strategies.

    PubMed

    Walshe, Catherine

    2011-12-01

    Complex, incrementally changing, context dependent and variable palliative care services are difficult to evaluate. Case study research strategies may have potential to contribute to evaluating such complex interventions, and to develop this field of evaluation research. This paper explores definitions of case study (as a unit of study, a process, and a product) and examines the features of case study research strategies which are thought to confer benefits for the evaluation of complex interventions in palliative care settings. Ten features of case study that are thought to be beneficial in evaluating complex interventions in palliative care are discussed, drawing from exemplars of research in this field. Important features are related to a longitudinal approach, triangulation, purposive instance selection, comprehensive approach, multiple data sources, flexibility, concurrent data collection and analysis, search for proving-disproving evidence, pattern matching techniques and an engaging narrative. The limitations of case study approaches are discussed including the potential for subjectivity and their complex, time consuming and potentially expensive nature. Case study research strategies have great potential in evaluating complex interventions in palliative care settings. Three key features need to be exploited to develop this field: case selection, longitudinal designs, and the use of rival hypotheses. In particular, case study should be used in situations where there is interplay and interdependency between the intervention and its context, such that it is difficult to define or find relevant comparisons.

  20. New-onset asthma after exposure to the steam system additive 2-diethylaminoethanol. A descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Gadon, M E; Melius, J M; McDonald, G J; Orgel, D

    1994-06-01

    Through a leak in the steam heating system, the anticorrosive agent 2-diethylaminoethanol was released into the air of a large office building. Irritative symptoms were experienced by most of the 2500 employees, and 14 workers developed asthma within 3 months of exposure. This study was undertaken to review clinical characteristics of these asthmatics. Environmental exposure monitoring data and medical records were reviewed. Seven of 14 cases were defined as "confirmed" and 7 of 14 as "suspect," using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health surveillance case definition of occupational asthma. Spirometry was positive in 4 of 14 of the cases and peak flow testing in 10 of 14. Three cases were diagnosed on the basis of work-related symptoms and physical examination alone. The study suggests that acute exposure to the irritating steam additive 2-diethylaminoethanol was a contributing factor in the development of clinical asthma in this population.

  1. Hepatitis E in Singapore: A Case-Series and Viral Phylodynamics Study.

    PubMed

    Teo, Esmeralda Chi-Yuan; Tan, Boon-Huan; Purdy, Michael A; Wong, Pui-San; Ting, Pei-Jun; Chang, Pik-Eu Jason; Oon, Lynette Lin-Ean; Sue, Amanda; Teo, Chong-Gee; Tan, Chee-Kiat

    2017-04-01

    AbstractThe incidence of hepatitis E in Singapore appears to be increasing. A retrospective case-series study of patients diagnosed with hepatitis E in a tertiary hospital from 2009 to 2013 was conducted. Of 16 cases, eight (50%) were solid-organ transplant recipients (SOTRs), and 14 (88%) were found infected by genotype 3 hepatitis E virus (HEV-3). Bayesian inferences based on HEV subgenomic sequences from seven cases suggest that HEV-3 strains were introduced to Singapore as two principal lineages. Within limitations of the study, it can be inferred that one lineage, in the 3efg clade, emerged about 83 years ago, probably originating from Japan, whereas the other, in the 3abchij clade, emerged about 40 years ago, from the United States. Establishment and subsequent transmissions of strains from these two lineages likely contribute to the current endemicity of hepatitis E in Singapore.

  2. Maternal death audit in Rwanda 2009-2013: a nationwide facility-based retrospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Sayinzoga, Felix; Bijlmakers, Leon; van Dillen, Jeroen; Mivumbi, Victor; Ngabo, Fidèle; van der Velden, Koos

    2016-01-22

    Presenting the results of 5 years of implementing health facility-based maternal death audits in Rwanda, showing maternal death classification, identification of substandard (care) factors that have contributed to death, and conclusive recommendations for quality improvements in maternal and obstetric care. Nationwide facility-based retrospective cohort study. All cases of maternal death audited by district hospital-based audit teams between January 2009 and December 2013 were reviewed. Maternal deaths that were not subjected to a local audit are not part of the cohort. 987 audited cases of maternal death. Characteristics of deceased women, timing of onset of complications, place of death, parity, gravida, antenatal clinic attendance, reported cause of death, service factors and individual factors identified by committees as having contributed to death, and recommendations made by audit teams. 987 cases were audited, representing 93.1% of all maternal deaths reported through the national health management information system over the 5-year period. Almost 3 quarters of the deaths (71.6%) occurred at district hospitals. In 44.9% of these cases, death occurred in the post-partum period. Seventy per cent were due to direct causes, with post-partum haemorrhage as the leading cause (22.7%), followed by obstructed labour (12.3%). Indirect causes accounted for 25.7% of maternal deaths, with malaria as the leading cause (7.5%). Health system failures were identified as the main responsible factor for the majority of cases (61.0%); in 30.3% of the cases, the main factor was patient or community related. The facility-based maternal death audit approach has helped hospital teams to identify direct and indirect causes of death, and their contributing factors, and to make recommendations for actions that would reduce the risk of reoccurrence. Rwanda can complement maternal death audits with other strategies, in particular confidential enquiries and near-miss audits, so as to inform corrective measures. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  3. Improved Horvitz-Thompson Estimation of Model Parameters from Two-phase Stratified Samples: Applications in Epidemiology

    PubMed Central

    Breslow, Norman E.; Lumley, Thomas; Ballantyne, Christie M; Chambless, Lloyd E.; Kulich, Michal

    2009-01-01

    The case-cohort study involves two-phase sampling: simple random sampling from an infinite super-population at phase one and stratified random sampling from a finite cohort at phase two. Standard analyses of case-cohort data involve solution of inverse probability weighted (IPW) estimating equations, with weights determined by the known phase two sampling fractions. The variance of parameter estimates in (semi)parametric models, including the Cox model, is the sum of two terms: (i) the model based variance of the usual estimates that would be calculated if full data were available for the entire cohort; and (ii) the design based variance from IPW estimation of the unknown cohort total of the efficient influence function (IF) contributions. This second variance component may be reduced by adjusting the sampling weights, either by calibration to known cohort totals of auxiliary variables correlated with the IF contributions or by their estimation using these same auxiliary variables. Both adjustment methods are implemented in the R survey package. We derive the limit laws of coefficients estimated using adjusted weights. The asymptotic results suggest practical methods for construction of auxiliary variables that are evaluated by simulation of case-cohort samples from the National Wilms Tumor Study and by log-linear modeling of case-cohort data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Although not semiparametric efficient, estimators based on adjusted weights may come close to achieving full efficiency within the class of augmented IPW estimators. PMID:20174455

  4. Evaluation of short-duration unscheduled absences among transit operators : TriMet case study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    This report analyzes factors contributing to short duration (one to three days) unscheduled absences among operators : at TriMet, the transit provider for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region. The analysis draws on a wide array of : operator-spec...

  5. Evaluation of short-duration, unscheduled absences among transit operators: TriMet case study.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    This report analyzes factors contributing to short duration (one to three days) unscheduled absences among operators at TriMet, the transit provider for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region. The analysis draws on a wide array of operator-specific...

  6. Discourse Tracing as Qualitative Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LeGreco, Marianne; Tracy, Sarah J.

    2009-01-01

    This article introduces a qualitative research method called "discourse tracing". Discourse tracing draws from contributions made by ethnographers, discourse critics, case study scholars, and process tracers. The approach offers new insights and an attendant language about how we engage in research designed specifically for the…

  7. The organisational and human resource challenges facing primary care trusts: protocol of a multiple case study

    PubMed Central

    2001-01-01

    Background The study is designed to assess the organisational and human resource challenges faced by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). Its objectives are to: specify the organisational and human resources challenges faced by PCTs in fulfilling the roles envisaged in government and local policy; examine how PCTs are addressing these challenges, in particular, to describe the organisational forms they have adopted, and the OD/HR strategies and initiatives they have planned or in place; assess how effective these structures, strategies and initiatives have been in enabling the PCTs to meet the organisational and human resources challenges they face; identify the factors, both internal to the PCT and in the wider health community, which have contributed to the success or failure of different structures, strategies and initiatives. Methods The study will be undertaken in three stages. In Stage 1 the key literature on public sector and NHS organisational development and human resources management will be reviewed, and discussions will be held with key researchers and policy makers working in this area. Stage 2 will focus on detailed case studies in six PCTs designed to examine the organisational and human resources challenges they face. Data will be collected using semi-structured interviews, group discussion, site visits, observation of key meetings and examination of local documentation. The findings from the case study PCTs will be cross checked with a Reference Group of up to 20 other PCG/Ts, and key officers working in organisational development or primary care at local, regional and national level. In Stage 3 analysis of findings from the preparatory work, the case studies and the feedback from the Reference Group will be used to identify practical lessons for PCTs, key messages for policy makers, and contributions to further theoretical development. PMID:11737883

  8. Simple F Test Reveals Gene-Gene Interactions in Case-Control Studies

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Guanjie; Yuan, Ao; Zhou, Jie; Bentley, Amy R.; Adeyemo, Adebowale; Rotimi, Charles N.

    2012-01-01

    Missing heritability is still a challenge for Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS). Gene-gene interactions may partially explain this residual genetic influence and contribute broadly to complex disease. To analyze the gene-gene interactions in case-control studies of complex disease, we propose a simple, non-parametric method that utilizes the F-statistic. This approach consists of three steps. First, we examine the joint distribution of a pair of SNPs in cases and controls separately. Second, an F-test is used to evaluate the ratio of dependence in cases to that of controls. Finally, results are adjusted for multiple tests. This method was used to evaluate gene-gene interactions that are associated with risk of Type 2 Diabetes among African Americans in the Howard University Family Study. We identified 18 gene-gene interactions (P < 0.0001). Compared with the commonly-used logistical regression method, we demonstrate that the F-ratio test is an efficient approach to measuring gene-gene interactions, especially for studies with limited sample size. PMID:22837643

  9. Rigour in qualitative case-study research.

    PubMed

    Houghton, Catherine; Casey, Dympna; Shaw, David; Murphy, Kathy

    2013-03-01

    To provide examples of a qualitative multiple case study to illustrate the specific strategies that can be used to ensure the credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability of a study. There is increasing recognition of the valuable contribution qualitative research can make to nursing knowledge. However, it is important that the research is conducted in a rigorous manner and that this is demonstrated in the final research report. A multiple case study that explored the role of the clinical skills laboratory in preparing students for the real world of practice. Multiple sources of evidence were collected: semi-structured interviews (n=58), non-participant observations at five sites and documentary sources. Strategies to ensure the rigour of this research were prolonged engagement and persistent observation, triangulation, peer debriefing, member checking, audit trail, reflexivity, and thick descriptions. Practical examples of how these strategies can be implemented are provided to guide researchers interested in conducting rigorous case study research. While the flexible nature of qualitative research should be embraced, strategies to ensure rigour must be in place.

  10. Reexamination of the State of the Art Cloud Modeling Shows Real Improvements

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

    Muehlbauer, Andreas D.; Grabowski, Wojciech W.; Malinowski, S. P.

    Following up on an almost thirty year long history of International Cloud Modeling Workshops, that started out with a meeting in Irsee, Germany in 1985, the 8th International Cloud Modeling Workshop was held in July 2012 in Warsaw, Poland. The workshop, hosted by the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Warsaw, was organized by Szymon Malinowski and his local team of students and co-chaired by Wojciech Grabowski (NCAR/MMM) and Andreas Muhlbauer (University of Washington). International Cloud Modeling Workshops have been held traditionally every four years typically during the week before the International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation (ICCP) .more » Rooted in the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) weather modification program, the core objectives of the Cloud Modeling Workshop have been centered at the numerical modeling of clouds, cloud microphysics, and the interactions between cloud microphysics and cloud dynamics. In particular, the goal of the workshop is to provide insight into the pertinent problems of today’s state-of-the-art of cloud modeling and to identify key deficiencies in the microphysical representation of clouds in numerical models and cloud parameterizations. In recent years, the workshop has increasingly shifted the focus toward modeling the interactions between aerosols and clouds and provided case studies to investigate both the effects of aerosols on clouds and precipitation as well as the impact of cloud and precipitation processes on aerosols. This time, about 60 (?) scientists from about 10 (?) different countries participated in the workshop and contributed with discussions, oral and poster presentations to the workshop’s plenary and breakout sessions. Several case leaders contributed to the workshop by setting up five observationally-based case studies covering a wide range of cloud types, namely, marine stratocumulus, mid-latitude squall lines, mid-latitude cirrus clouds, Arctic stratus and winter-time orographic clouds and precipitation. Interested readers are encouraged to visit the workshop website at http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~andreasm/workshop2012/ and browse through the list of case studies. The web page also provides a detailed list of participants and the workshop agenda. Aside from contributed oral and poster presentations during the workshop’s plenary sessions, parallel breakout sessions focused on presentations and discussions of the individual cases. A short summary and science highlights from each of the cases is presented below.« less

  11. The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic MedicineRTM Program for Women: An Explanatory Study Regarding Its Development and Persistence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mensel, Ruth

    2010-01-01

    This study was designed to determine which factors contributed to the development and persistence of a women's leadership development program in higher education. The "Hedwig van Ameringen" Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine[R] "Program for Women" was the basis for this single-case study. To speculate about ELAM's development and…

  12. The effect of integrating lab experiments in electronic circuits into mathematic studies - a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sabag, Nissim

    2017-10-01

    The importance of knowledge and skills in mathematics for electrical engineering students is well known. Engineers and engineering educators agree that any engineering curriculum must include plenty of mathematics studies to enrich the engineer's toolbox. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the possible contribution of examples from engineering fields for the clarification of mathematical issues.

  13. The Impact of Institutional Culture on Student Activism: A Multi-Case Study in Christian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cole, Brian E.

    2013-01-01

    This study contributes to the description and meaning of student activism within the context of Christian college environments and cultures, and is interpreted through the sociological concept of symbolic interactionism. The purpose of this study is to help fill the void in the literature on student activism at Christian colleges and universities,…

  14. Students' Failure to Submit Research Projects on Time: A Case Study from Masvingo Regional Centre at Zimbabwe Open University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chabaya, Owence; Chiome, Chrispen; Chabaya, Raphinos A.

    2009-01-01

    The study sought to determine lecturers' and students' perceptions of factors contributing to students' failure to submit research projects on time in three departments of the Zimbabwe Open University. The study employed a descriptive survey design and was both quantitative and qualitative. The questionnaire used as a data-gathering instrument had…

  15. Blending Asynchronous Discussion Groups and Peer Tutoring in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study of Online Peer Tutoring Behaviour

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Smet, Marijke; Van Keer, Hilde; Valcke, Martin

    2008-01-01

    In the present study cross-age peer tutoring was implemented in a higher education context. Fourth-year students (N=39) operated as online tutors to support freshmen in discussing cases and solving authentic problems. This study contributes to a better understanding of the supportive interventions of tutors in asynchronous discussion groups. Peer…

  16. 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.

  17. Improving adolescent pregnancy outcomes and maternal health:a case study of comprehensive case managed services.

    PubMed

    Bowman, Elizabeth K; Palley, Howard A

    2003-01-01

    Our findings indicate how health outcomes regarding adolescent pregnancy and maternal and infant health care are intertwined with a case management process that fosters measures that are social in nature-the provision of direct services, as well as the encouragement of informal social supports systems. They also show how case managed services in a small, nongovernmental organization (NGO) with a strong commitment to its clients may provide the spontaneity and caring which results in a "match" between client needs and the delivery of services-and positive outcomes for pregnant women, early maternal health and infant health. The delivery of such case managed services in a manner which is intensive, comprehensive, flexible and integrated contributes significantly to such improved health outcomes.

  18. Use of passive scalar tagging for the study of coherent structures in the plane mixing layer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ramaprian, B. R.; Sandham, N. D.; Mungal, M. G.; Reynolds, W. C.

    1988-01-01

    Data obtained from the numerical simulation of a 2-D mixing layer were used to study the feasibility of using the instantaneous concentration of a passive scalar for detecting the typical coherent structures in the flow. The study showed that this technique works quite satisfactorily and yields results similar to those that can be obtained by using the instantaneous vorticity for structure detection. Using the coherent events educed by the scalar conditioning technique, the contribution of the coherent events to the total turbulent momentum and scalar transport was estimated. It is found that the contribution from the typical coherent events is of the same order as that of the time-mean value. However, the individual contributions become very large during the pairing of these structures. The increase is particularly spectacular in the case of the Reynolds shear stress.

  19. Equipment failures and their contribution to industrial incidents and accidents in the manufacturing industry.

    PubMed

    Bourassa, Dominic; Gauthier, François; Abdul-Nour, Georges

    2016-01-01

    Accidental events in manufacturing industries can be caused by many factors, including work methods, lack of training, equipment design, maintenance and reliability. This study is aimed at determining the contribution of failures of commonly used industrial equipment, such as machines, tools and material handling equipment, to the chain of causality of industrial accidents and incidents. Based on a case study which aimed at the analysis of an existing pulp and paper company's accident database, this paper examines the number, type and gravity of the failures involved in these events and their causes. Results from this study show that equipment failures had a major effect on the number and severity of accidents accounted for in the database: 272 out of 773 accidental events were related to equipment failure, where 13 of them had direct human consequences. Failures that contributed directly or indirectly to these events are analyzed.

  20. A regional-scale ecological risk framework for environmental flow evaluations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Brien, Gordon C.; Dickens, Chris; Hines, Eleanor; Wepener, Victor; Stassen, Retha; Quayle, Leo; Fouchy, Kelly; MacKenzie, James; Graham, P. Mark; Landis, Wayne G.

    2018-02-01

    Environmental flow (E-flow) frameworks advocate holistic, regional-scale, probabilistic E-flow assessments that consider flow and non-flow drivers of change in a socio-ecological context as best practice. Regional-scale ecological risk assessments of multiple stressors to social and ecological endpoints, which address ecosystem dynamism, have been undertaken internationally at different spatial scales using the relative-risk model since the mid-1990s. With the recent incorporation of Bayesian belief networks into the relative-risk model, a robust regional-scale ecological risk assessment approach is available that can contribute to achieving the best practice recommendations of E-flow frameworks. PROBFLO is a holistic E-flow assessment method that incorporates the relative-risk model and Bayesian belief networks (BN-RRM) into a transparent probabilistic modelling tool that addresses uncertainty explicitly. PROBFLO has been developed to evaluate the socio-ecological consequences of historical, current and future water resource use scenarios and generate E-flow requirements on regional spatial scales. The approach has been implemented in two regional-scale case studies in Africa where its flexibility and functionality has been demonstrated. In both case studies the evidence-based outcomes facilitated informed environmental management decision making, with trade-off considerations in the context of social and ecological aspirations. This paper presents the PROBFLO approach as applied to the Senqu River catchment in Lesotho and further developments and application in the Mara River catchment in Kenya and Tanzania. The 10 BN-RRM procedural steps incorporated in PROBFLO are demonstrated with examples from both case studies. PROBFLO can contribute to the adaptive management of water resources and contribute to the allocation of resources for sustainable use of resources and address protection requirements.

  1. Case study modeling of turbulent and mesoscale fluxes over the BOREAS region

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vidale, P.L.; Pielke, R.A.; Steyaert, L.T.; Barr, A.

    1997-01-01

    Results from aircraft and surface observations provided evidence for the existence of mesoscale circulations over the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) domain. Using an integrated approach that included the use of analytical modeling, numerical modeling, and data analysis, we have found that there are substantial contributions to the total budgets of heat over the BOREAS domain generated by mesoscale circulations. This effect is largest when the synoptic flow is relatively weak, yet it is present under less favorable conditions, as shown by the case study presented here. While further analysis is warranted to document this effect, the existence of mesoscale flow is not surprising, since it is related to the presence of landscape patches, including lakes, which are of a size on the order of the local Rossby radius and which have spatial differences in maximum sensible heat flux of about 300 W m-2. We have also analyzed the vertical temperature profile simulated in our case study as well as high-resolution soundings and we have found vertical profiles of temperature change above the boundary layer height, which we attribute in part to mesoscale contributions. Our conclusion is that in regions with organized landscapes, such as BOREAS, even with relatively strong synoptic winds, dynamical scaling criteria should be used to assess whether mesoscale effects should be parameterized or explicitly resolved in numerical models of the atmosphere.

  2. Detection and characterization of interleukin-6 gene variants in Canis familiaris: association studies with periodontal disease.

    PubMed

    Morinha, Francisco; Albuquerque, Carlos; Requicha, João; Dias, Isabel; Leitão, José; Gut, Ivo; Guedes-Pinto, Henrique; Viegas, Carlos; Bastos, Estela

    2011-10-10

    Periodontal disease (PD) is the most common inflammatory disease of the oral cavity of domestic carnivores. In Human Medicine molecular genetics research showed that several genes play a role in the predisposition and progression of this complex disease, primarily through the regulation of inflammatory mediators, but the exactly mechanisms are poorly understood. This study aims to contribute to the characterization of the genetic basis of PD in the dog, a classically accepted model in Periodontology. We searched for genetic variations in the interleukin-6 (IL6) gene, in order to verify its association with PD in a case-control study including 25 dogs in the PD case group and 45 dogs in the control group. We indentified and characterized three new genetic variations in IL6 gene. No statistically significant differences were detected between the control and PD cases groups. Our results do not support an evidence for a major role contribution of these variants in the susceptibility to PD in the analyzed population. Nevertheless, the sequence variant I/5_g.105G>A leads to an amino acid change (arginine to glutamine) and was predicted to be possibly damaging to the IL6 protein. A larger cohort and functional studies would be of extreme importance in a near future to understand the possible role of IL6 variants in this disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Liver toxicity related to herbs and dietary supplements: Online table of case reports. Part 2 of 5 series.

    PubMed

    Brown, Amy Christine

    2017-09-01

    No online current list of potentially life-threatening, hepatotoxic herbs and dietary supplements based on PubMed case reports exists in a summarized tabular form. Documented case reports of herbs or dietary supplements (DS; includes herbs) appearing to contribute to liver injury were used to create an online "DS Toxic Table" of potentially hepatotoxic herbs and dietary supplements (PubMed, 1966 to June, 2016, and cross-referencing). The spectrum of DS induced liver injuries (DSILI) included elevated liver enzymes, hepatitis, steatosis, cholestasis, hepatic necrosis, hepatic fibrosis, hepatic cirrhosis, veno-occlusive disease, acute liver failure requiring a liver transplant, and death. Over the past 50 years, approximately 21 herbs (minus germander and usnic acid that are no longer sold) and 12 dietary supplements (minus the nine no longer sold and vitamin A & niacin due to excess intake) posed a possible risk for liver injures in certain individuals. The herbs with the most number of reported publications (but not cases studies) in descending order, were germander, black cohosh, kava extract, and green tea extract. These online DS Toxic Tables will contribute to continued Phase IV post marketing surveillance to detect possible liver toxicity cases and serve to forewarn consumers, clinicians, and corporations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Practices implemented by a Texas charter school system to overcome science teacher shortage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yasar, Bilgehan M.

    The purpose of this study was to examine practices used by a charter school system to hire and retain science teachers. The research design for this study was a qualitative case study. This single instrumental case study explored the issue within a bounded system. Purposeful sampling strategy was used to identify the participants who were interviewed individually. Findings of the case study supported that using online resources, advertising in the newspaper, attending job fairs, using alternative certification programs, attracting alumni, contacting the college of educations and hiring internationally helped the charter school system with hiring science teachers. Improving teacher salary scale, implementing teacher mentorship programs, reimbursing teachers for certification and master's programs, providing professional development and supporting teachers helped to retain science teachers. Therefore, this study contributes to determining strategies and techniques, selecting methods and programs, training administrators, and monitoring for successful hiring and retaining science teacher implementation.

  5. Malignant Neoplasia of the Sex Skin in 2 Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

    PubMed

    Beck, Amanda P; Magden, Elizabeth R; Buchl, Stephanie J; Baze, Wallace B

    2016-04-01

    This report describes 2 cases of spontaneous malignant neoplasia within the sex skin of aged female chimpanzees. In both cases, the initial presentation resembled nonhealing traumatic wounds to the sex skin, with different degrees of infection, ulceration, and tissue necrosis. Histopathology of the lesions confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in one case and of adenocarcinoma with metastasis in the other. Advanced age and previous trauma likely contributed to the development of the neoplasias in both cases; long-term sun exposure may also have contributed to the development of the squamous cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, these 2 cases represent the first reports of sex skin neoplasia in chimpanzees.

  6. Solitary Fibrous Tumor of Retromolar Pad; a Rare Challenging Case

    PubMed Central

    Lotfi, Ali; Mokhtari, Sepideh; Moshref, Mohammad; Shahla, Maryam; Atarbashi Moghadam, Saede

    2017-01-01

    Solitary fibrous tumor has a wide spectrum of histopathologic features and many tumors show similar microscopic features. This similarity poses diagnostic challenges to the pathologists and immunohistochemical analysis is required in many cases. Moreover, it is a rare entity in orofacial region which consequently would make its diagnosis more challenging in oral cavity. The knowledge of various microscopic patterns of this tumor contributes to a proper diagnosis and prevents unnecessary treatment. This study reports a case of solitary fibrous tumor in the retromolar pad area and discusses its various histological features and differential diagnoses. PMID:28620640

  7. Identification of target risk groups for population-based Clostridium difficile infection prevention strategies using a population attributable risk approach.

    PubMed

    Oh, Sung-Hee; Kang, Hye-Young

    2018-01-01

    We aimed to determine risk factors associated with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and assess the contributions of these factors on CDI burden. We conducted a 1:4 matched case-control study using a national claims dataset. Cases were incident CDI without a history of CDI in the previous 84 days, and were age- and sex-matched with control patients. We ascertained exposure, defined as a history of morbidities and drug use within 90 days. The population attributable risk (PAR) percent for risk factors was estimated using odds ratios (ORs) obtained from the case-control study. Overall, the strongest CDI-associated risk factors, which have significant contributions to the CDI burden as well, were the experience of gastroenteritis (OR=5.08, PAR%=17.09%) and use of antibiotics (OR=1.69, PAR%=19.00%), followed by the experiences of female pelvic infection, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and pneumonia, and use of proton-pump inhibitors (OR=1.52-2.37, PAR%=1.95-2.90). The control of risk factors that had strong association with CDI and affected large proportions of total CDI cases would be beneficial for CDI prevention. We suggest performing CDI testing for symptomatic patients with gastroenteritis and implementing antibiotics stewardship. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Looking Very Old Age in the Eye: A Nuanced Approach to the Fourth Age in Contemporary Irish Fiction: A Case Study.

    PubMed

    Zamorano Llena, Carmen

    2018-04-21

    Associations of young-old age with successful aging have contributed to relegating negatively perceived aspects of aging to very old age. This has prompted the formation of the social imaginary of the fourth age. Re-examinations of the fourth age foreground the diversity of aging experiences among the oldest old. In this sense, literature is in a privileged position to contribute individual narratives of aging to this field. The main aim of this article is to analyze Irish writer Jennifer Johnston's later fiction and how particularly two of her later fictional works contribute a nuanced re-examination of the fourth age through the narrativization of individual aging experiences of the oldest old in the contemporary Irish context. The work of sociologists and social theorists on re-examinations of the fourth age functions as the framework to analyze the selected fictional texts. The analysis of the oldest old characters in Truth or Fiction and Naming the Stars shows the contribution of literary texts to rethinking the fourth age as a time characterized by the inextricable combination of gains and losses, with emphasis on the diversity of the aging experiences of the oldest old and on the importance of sociocultural influence on individual aging. Combining longitudinal analyses with case studies, such as the ones suggested by these fictional texts, can provide a more accurate knowledge of the experience of advanced old age and the fourth age.

  9. A novel approach to studying co-evolution of understanding and research: Family bereavement and the potential for organ donation as a case study

    PubMed Central

    Dicks, Sean G; Ranse, Kristen; Northam, Holly; van Haren, Frank MP; Boer, Douglas P

    2018-01-01

    A novel approach to data extraction and synthesis was used to explore the connections between research priorities, understanding and practice improvement associated with family bereavement in the context of the potential for organ donation. Conducting the review as a qualitative longitudinal study highlighted changes over time, and extraction of citation-related data facilitated an analysis of the interaction in this field. It was found that lack of ‘communication’ between researchers contributes to information being ‘lost’ and then later ‘rediscovered’. It is recommended that researchers should plan early for dissemination and practice improvement to ensure that research contributes to change. PMID:29399367

  10. The Science and Experimental Equipment for the 12 GeV Upgrade of CEBAF

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

    Arrington, John; Bernstein, Aron; Brooks, William

    2005-01-10

    This Conceptual Design Report (CDR) presents the compelling scientific case for upgrading the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab to 12 GeV. Such a facility will make profound contributions to the study of hadronic matter.

  11. Organizational Learning and Unlearning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Starbuck, William H.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to summarize four decades of research into organizational adaptation, learning and unlearning. Design/methodology/approach: The most important contributions to this stream of research have been case studies of organizations struggling to survive serious crises. Findings: Very diverse kinds of organizations run into serious…

  12. Depressive Disorder in Highly Gifted Adolescents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, P. Susan; Peterson, Jean

    2003-01-01

    Two case studies and clinical examples document the capacity of highly gifted adolescents to mask severe depressive disorder symptoms. Factors contributing to this masking phenomenon include shame for being incapacitated and unable to resolve their dilemma; depression's signature cognitive confusion, which disengaged their coping mechanism; and…

  13. Communication Gone Wired: Working toward a "Practiced" Cyberfeminism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gruber, Sibylle

    1999-01-01

    Examines concepts of gender and race in virtual environments by presenting a case study of an African American woman's online personalities. Discusses how her online contributions in a college class discussion influenced her and the group's perspectives on violence and gender issues. (Author/LRW)

  14. Generating Social Change through Community-Campus Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Naomi; Gaetz, Stephen; Phipps, David

    2015-01-01

    In this article, a qualitative case study approach was used to explore the changes that community-campus collaborations stimulate. The authors document the "processes of interaction" (Spaapen & van Drooge, 2011) through which collaborations seek to contribute to positive social change, highlighting the outputs, outcomes, and…

  15. A CASE STUDY OF NONPOINT SOURCES BACTERIAL CONTRIBUTION TO RURAL SURFACE WATER

    EPA Science Inventory

    The presentation will address several bacterial issues affecting the Turkey Creek (TC) watershed, in north central Ok. Our results from seasonal stream Escherichia coli (E. coli) analysis, bacterial source tracking, and antibiotic resistance will be shared and discussed in relat...

  16. 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

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

    PubMed

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

    2018-01-01

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

  18. Conducting retrospective impact analysis to inform a medical research charity’s funding strategies: the case of Asthma UK

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Debate is intensifying about how to assess the full range of impacts from medical research. Complexity increases when assessing the diverse funding streams of funders such as Asthma UK, a charitable patient organisation supporting medical research to benefit people with asthma. This paper aims to describe the various impacts identified from a range of Asthma UK research, and explore how Asthma UK utilised the characteristics of successful funding approaches to inform future research strategies. Methods We adapted the Payback Framework, using it both in a survey and to help structure interviews, documentary analysis, and case studies. We sent surveys to 153 lead researchers of projects, plus 10 past research fellows, and also conducted 14 detailed case studies. These covered nine projects and two fellowships, in addition to the innovative case studies on the professorial chairs (funded since 1988) and the MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma (the ‘Centre’) which together facilitated a comprehensive analysis of the whole funding portfolio. We organised each case study to capture whatever academic and wider societal impacts (or payback) might have arisen given the diverse timescales, size of funding involved, and extent to which Asthma UK funding contributed to the impacts. Results Projects recorded an average of four peer-reviewed journal articles. Together the chairs reported over 500 papers. All streams of funding attracted follow-on funding. Each of the various categories of societal impacts arose from only a minority of individual projects and fellowships. Some of the research portfolio is influencing asthma-related clinical guidelines, and some contributing to product development. The latter includes potentially major breakthroughs in asthma therapies (in immunotherapy, and new inhaled drugs) trialled by university spin-out companies. Such research-informed guidelines and medicines can, in turn, contribute to health improvements. The role of the chairs and the pioneering collaborative Centre is shown as being particularly important. Conclusions We systematically demonstrate that all types of Asthma UK’s research funding assessed are making impacts at different levels, but the main societal impacts from projects and fellowships come from a minority of those funded. Asthma UK used the study’s findings, especially in relation to the Centre, to inform research funding strategies to promote the achievement of impact. PMID:23651523

  19. [Social-psychological factors contributing to male juvenile delinquency].

    PubMed

    Wei, Hong-Ping; Yang, Fang-Ru

    2011-11-01

    To study the major social-psychological factors contributing to male juvenile delinquency. One hundred and thirty-seven cases of male juvenile delinquents (delinquent group) and 145 aged-matched male students (control group) were enrolled in this case-control study. A questionnaire survey was conducted using the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List, the Coping Style Questionnaire, the Family Environment Scale-Chinese version, and the Social Support Rating Scale. The monovariate analysis showed that the total score and the scores of some factors of negative life events, the scores of immature coping styles and family conflicts, and the proportion of broken families in the delinquent group were significantly higher than those in the control group. In contrast, the scores of educational levels, study stress factor in the negative life events, mature coping styles, family environments and social supports were significantly lower in the delinquent group than those in the control group. The multivariate factors analysis showed that 7 variables were enrolled into the discriminatory equations, including negative life events (interpersonal relationship and healthy adaptation), self-condemn styles, family conflicts, subjective supports, objective supports, and utilization of social supports. The total accuracy of this equation was 92.2%. Negative life events in the interpersonal relationship and healthy adaptation, self-condemn styles, family conflicts, and weak social support system may be major social-psychological factors contributing to male juvenile delinquency.

  20. Multi-criteria analysis for improving strategic environmental assessment of water programmes. A case study in semi-arid region of Brazil.

    PubMed

    Garfì, Marianna; Ferrer-Martí, Laia; Bonoli, Alessandra; Tondelli, Simona

    2011-03-01

    Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) is a family of decision-making tools that can be used in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) procedures to ensure that environmental, social and economic aspects are integrated into the design of human development strategies and planning, in order to increase the contribution of the environment and natural resources to poverty reduction. The aim of this paper is to highlight the contribution of a particular multi-criteria technique, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), in two stages of the SEA procedure applied to water programmes in developing countries: the comparison of alternatives and monitoring. This proposal was validated through its application to a case study in Brazilian semi-arid region. The objective was to select and subsequently monitor the most appropriate programme for safe water availability. On the basis of the SEA results, a project was identified and implemented with successful results. In terms of comparisons of alternatives, AHP meets the requirements of human development programme assessment, including the importance of simplicity, a multidisciplinary and flexible approach, and a focus on the beneficiaries' concerns. With respect to monitoring, the study shows that AHP contributes to SEA by identifying the most appropriate indicators, in order to control the impacts of a project. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Parallel Leadership: A Clue to the Contents of the "Black Box" of School Reform.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, Dorothy; Crowther, Frank

    2002-01-01

    Examined a conceptualization of teacher leadership (derived from a 1997 study) in a range of school reform case studies. Focused on the interactivity of teacher leaders and administrator leaders and generated a concept called "parallel leadership," a strategy that appears to illuminate ways in which school-based leadership may contribute to…

  2. What Factors Predict Undergraduate Students' Use of Technology for Learning? A Case from Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lai, Chun; Wang, Qiu; Lei, Jing

    2012-01-01

    A sound understanding of technology use from the learners' perspective is crucial. This study intends to contribute to our understanding on student technology use by focusing on identifying the factors that influence students' adoption of technology for learning and the relationships between these factors. Students studying at a Hong Kong…

  3. Construction of Pupils' School Achievements and Future Plans in Parent-Teacher Meetings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tveit, Anne Dorthe

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the study is to elaborate on factors that contribute to negotiated descriptions of the pupils' social and academic achievements and future plans in parent-teacher meetings. This is discussed according to Habermas' theoretical framework. The methodological approach comprises case-study; using focus-group interview, and the data material…

  4. Science Education: Beyond a Liminal Understanding of Knowledge Production and Dissemination

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abegglen, Sandra; Bustillos, Jessie

    2016-01-01

    The present paper is a case study based on a first year BA Hons Education Studies module that explores a number of important questions about the relationship between technology, knowledge and society and begins to think about how our ideas about each of these contribute to an understanding of what education means. Following a Foucauldian…

  5. Learning through Political Participation: A Case Study of Spanish Elders Involved in Political Organizations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Serrat, Rodrigo; Petriwskyj, Andrea; Villar, Feliciano; Warburton, Jeni

    2016-01-01

    Older people's civic participation contributes to community development while at the same time providing opportunities for personal growth in later life. One important dimension of civic participation that has been largely underexplored is informal learning. The aim of this study is to explore the learnings experienced by Spanish older people…

  6. An Exploratory Study on Principals' Conceptions about Their Role as School Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Devos, Geert; Bouckenooghe, Dave

    2009-01-01

    This inquiry, by means of the case study method, explored how principals' conceptions about their role as school leader contribute to a better understanding of their leadership behavior and how this is related to school climate. The results indicated that differences of how principals conceive their leadership role are related, indirectly through…

  7. From Bilingualism to Multilingualism in the Workplace: The Case of the Basque Autonomous Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Worp, Karin; Cenoz, Jasone; Gorter, Durk

    2017-01-01

    In this article we discuss the outcomes of a study into the languages of the workplace of internationally operating companies. Our aim is to contribute to studies of multilingualism in the workplace by adopting a holistic approach that focuses on several languages and relates the competences and attitudes of multilingual professionals to the…

  8. 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…

  9. Autism Spectrum Disorders and Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia: Clinical and Biological Contributions to a Relation Revisited

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rapopart, Judith; Chavez, Alex; Greenstein, Deanna; Addington, Anjene; Gogtay, Nitin

    2009-01-01

    Clinical, demographic, and brain development data on childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) and family, imaging and genetic data from studies of autism were reviewed. It is found that COS is preceded by and comorbid with autism/pervasive developmental disorder and schizophrenia in 30 to 50 percent of cases based on two large studies.

  10. Theorizing Uptake and Knowledge Mobilization: A Case for Intermediary Genre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tachino, Tosh

    2012-01-01

    Recent scholarship in genre studies has extended its focus from studying single genres to multiple genres, as well as how these genres interact with one another. This essay seeks to contribute to this growing scholarship by adding a new concept, "intermediary genre". That is, a genre that facilitates the "uptake" of a genre by…

  11. Putative Risk Factors in Developmental Dyslexia: A Case-Control Study of Italian Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mascheretti, Sara; Marino, Cecilia; Simone, Daniela; Quadrelli, Ermanno; Riva, Valentina; Cellino, Maria Rosaria; Maziade, Michel; Brombin, Chiara; Battaglia, Marco

    2015-01-01

    Although dyslexia runs in families, several putative risk factors that cannot be immediately identified as genetic predict reading disability. Published studies analyzed one or a few risk factors at a time, with relatively inconsistent results. To assess the contribution of several putative risk factors to the development of dyslexia, we conducted…

  12. Attending College after Involuntary Job Loss: Student Perceptions of Factors Contributing to Their Resilience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jorgensen, Patricia L.

    2013-01-01

    The qualitative study involved twelve students at Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) who involuntarily lost jobs and as a result, made the decision to attend college. Study participants were students with no postsecondary credential beyond high school, and in most cases, had no intentions of attending college until they lost their jobs. Students…

  13. Characteristics and Levels of Sophistication: An Analysis of Chemistry Students' Ability to Think with Mental Models

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Chia-Yu; Barrow, Lloyd H.

    2011-01-01

    This study employed a case-study approach to reveal how an ability to think with mental models contributes to differences in students' understanding of molecular geometry and polarity. We were interested in characterizing features and levels of sophistication regarding first-year university chemistry learners' mental modeling behaviors while the…

  14. Exploring the Principal Perspective: Implications for Expanded School Improvement and School Mental Health

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iachini, Aidyn L.; Pitner, Ronald O.; Morgan, Frank; Rhodes, Kevin

    2016-01-01

    Principals are critical to school improvement efforts, yet few studies aim to elicit their perspectives on what contributes to teaching, learning, and broader school improvement. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to elicit principals' perspectives on (a) teacher and school staff needs, and (b) student needs, in an effort to uncover…

  15. Albinism in Botswana Junior Secondary Schools: A Double Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dart, Gareth; Nkanotsang, Tiroyaone; Chizwe, Ose; Kowa, Lily

    2010-01-01

    Pupils with albinism potentially face a number of challenges in accessing quality education in schools in Botswana. Physical issues such as poor eyesight related to the condition and the problems of sensitive skin in such a dry and warm climate are both contributing factors to making learning problematic for some pupils. This study by Gareth Dart…

  16. Lessons of History: Organizational Factors in Three Aviation Mishaps

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Merlin, Peter William

    2013-01-01

    This presentation examines organizational factors that contributed to three aircraft mishaps and provides analysis of lessons learned. Three historical aviation mishaps were studied from a human factors perspective, and organizational factors identified and analyzed. These case studies provide valuable lessons for understanding the interaction of people with aircraft systems and with each other during flight operations.

  17. Teachers' Cultural Differences: Case Studies Of Geography Teachers In Brisbane, Changchun and Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lam, Chi Chung; Lidstone, John

    2007-01-01

    The primary purpose of this exploratory study is to identify variations in the ways in which individual teachers in different educational contexts interpret their curriculum and plan their lessons and in particular to explore the possibility that cultural differences as identified by Hofstede (1991) may be a contributing factor to understanding…

  18. Predicting the Success of Off-Network Television Programs in the Syndication Marketplace: The Case of Broadcast Syndication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Karla Salmon

    Like other industries, television has its own version of the used-car dealership or second-hand store: off-network syndication. Since researchers who study television have rarely investigated the market for these programs, a study examined program and marketplace characteristics to determine which contributes most to the successful syndication of…

  19. Secondary Students' Quantification of Ratio and Rate: A Framework for Reasoning about Change in Covarying Quantities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Heather Lynn

    2015-01-01

    Contributing to a growing body of research addressing secondary students' quantitative and covariational reasoning, the multiple case study reported in this article investigated secondary students' quantification of ratio and rate. This article reports results from a study investigating students' quantification of rate and ratio as…

  20. Leading Change: A Case Study of Alamo Academies--An Industry-Driven Workforce Partnership Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Xiaodan; Bowman, Gene

    2016-01-01

    In this study, the authors focus on the initiation and development of the Alamo Academies, aiming to illustrate an exemplary industry-driven model that addresses workforce development in local community. After a brief introduction of the context, the authors summarized major factors that contribute to the success of the collaboration model,…

  1. Factors Contributing to E-Learning Success: A Case Study in the Hashemite University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Khasawneh, Ahmad; Obeidallah, Randa

    2015-01-01

    This paper is concerned with the improvement of teaching and learning process through the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and e-learning in Jordanian higher education institutions particularly in The Hashemite University (HU). The main challenge of the study is to provide such an understanding of how ICT and e-learning…

  2. The Effect of Classroom Web Applications on Teaching, Learning and Academic Performance among College of Education Female Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aljraiwi, Seham Salman

    2017-01-01

    The current study proposes web applications-based learning environment to promote teaching and learning activities in the classrooms. It also helps teachers facilitate learners' contributions in the process of learning and improving their motivation and performance. The case study illustrated that female students were more interested in learning…

  3. Argumentation as/in/for Dialogical Relation: A Case Study from Elementary School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Mijung; Roth, Wolff-Michael

    2014-01-01

    Argumentation as a form of introducing children to science has received increasing attention over the past decade. Argumentation tends to be studied and theorized through the lens of individual speakers, who contribute to a conversation by means of opposing statements. M.M. Bakhtin and L.S. Vygotsky independently proposed a very different approach…

  4. Blended Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Case Study of How Professors Make It Happen

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Sarah E.; Arnold, Katie Cerrone

    2012-01-01

    Blended learning has become a prominent method of course content delivery in higher education. Researchers have found that motivation, communication, and course design are three factors that contribute to the overall success of blended learning courses and students' satisfaction with blended learning courses. This qualitative study also found that…

  5. The Principal as Change Agent. The Best of ERIC on Educational Management, Number 55.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, Eugene, OR.

    Twelve essays and books reviewed in this annotated bibliography contribute information about how principals can identify the need for change and how they can implement successful change strategies. The literature contains several case studies as well as empirical research data. One study concludes that change is more likely to occur when…

  6. Parental Perceptions on Childrens' Out-of-School Physical Activity and Family-Based Physical Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noonan, Robert J.; Boddy, Lynne M.; Fairclough, Stuart J.; Knowles, Zoe R.

    2017-01-01

    This study explored parents' physical activity (PA) knowledge and perceptions of children's out-of-school PA to formatively contribute to a family-based intervention design. Eleven telephone interviews were conducted with parents of children aged 10-11 years. Child and parent data were triangulated and family case studies were written. Most…

  7. A new conceptual model for quantifying transboundary contribution of atmospheric pollutants in the East Asian Pacific rim region.

    PubMed

    Lai, I-Chien; Lee, Chon-Lin; Huang, Hu-Ching

    2016-03-01

    Transboundary transport of air pollution is a serious environmental concern as pollutant affects both human health and the environment. Many numerical approaches have been utilized to quantify the amounts of pollutants transported to receptor regions, based on emission inventories from possible source regions. However, sparse temporal-spatial observational data and uncertainty in emission inventories might make the transboundary transport contribution difficult to estimate. This study presents a conceptual quantitative approach that uses transport pathway classification in combination with curve fitting models to simulate an air pollutant concentration baseline for pollution background concentrations. This approach is used to investigate the transboundary transport contribution of atmospheric pollutants to a metropolitan area in the East Asian Pacific rim region. Trajectory analysis categorized pollution sources for the study area into three regions: East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan cities. The occurrence frequency and transboundary contribution results suggest the predominant source region is the East Asian continent. This study also presents an application to evaluate heavy pollution cases for health concerns. This new baseline construction model provides a useful tool for the study of the contribution of transboundary pollution delivered to receptors, especially for areas deficient in emission inventories and regulatory monitoring data for harmful air pollutants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Modelling a flows in supply chain with analytical models: Case of a chemical industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benhida, Khalid; Azougagh, Yassine; Elfezazi, Said

    2016-02-01

    This study is interested on the modelling of the logistics flows in a supply chain composed on a production sites and a logistics platform. The contribution of this research is to develop an analytical model (integrated linear programming model), based on a case study of a real company operating in the phosphate field, considering a various constraints in this supply chain to resolve the planning problems for a better decision-making. The objectives of this model is to determine and define the optimal quantities of different products to route, to and from the various entities in the supply chain studied.

  9. Measures to restore metallurgical mine wasteland using ecological restoration technologies: A case study at Longnan Rare Earth Mine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rao, Yunzhang; Gu, Ruizhi; Guo, Ruikai; Zhang, Xueyan

    2017-01-01

    Whereas mining activities produce the raw materials that are crucial to economic growth, such activities leave extensive scarring on the land, contributing to the waste of valuable land resources and upsetting the ecological environment. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate various ecological technologies to restore metallurgical mine wastelands. These technologies include measures such as soil amelioration, vegetation restoration, different vegetation planting patterns, and engineering technologies. The Longnan Rare Earth Mine in the Jiangxi Province of China is used as the case study. The ecological restoration process provides a favourable reference for the restoration of a metallurgical mine wasteland.

  10. Genome-wide association study of colorectal cancer identifies six new susceptibility loci.

    PubMed

    Schumacher, Fredrick R; Schmit, Stephanie L; Jiao, Shuo; Edlund, Christopher K; Wang, Hansong; Zhang, Ben; Hsu, Li; Huang, Shu-Chen; Fischer, Christopher P; Harju, John F; Idos, Gregory E; Lejbkowicz, Flavio; Manion, Frank J; McDonnell, Kevin; McNeil, Caroline E; Melas, Marilena; Rennert, Hedy S; Shi, Wei; Thomas, Duncan C; Van Den Berg, David J; Hutter, Carolyn M; Aragaki, Aaron K; Butterbach, Katja; Caan, Bette J; Carlson, Christopher S; Chanock, Stephen J; Curtis, Keith R; Fuchs, Charles S; Gala, Manish; Giovannucc, Edward L; Giocannucci, Edward L; Gogarten, Stephanie M; Hayes, Richard B; Henderson, Brian; Hunter, David J; Jackson, Rebecca D; Kolonel, Laurence N; Kooperberg, Charles; Küry, Sébastien; Kury, Sebastian; LaCroix, Andrea; Laurie, Cathy C; Laurie, Cecelia A; Lemire, Mathieu; Lemire, Mathiew; Levine, David; Ma, Jing; Makar, Karen W; Qu, Conghui; Taverna, Darin; Ulrich, Cornelia M; Wu, Kana; Kono, Suminori; West, Dee W; Berndt, Sonja I; Bezieau, Stéphane; Brenner, Hermann; Campbell, Peter T; Chan, Andrew T; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Coetzee, Gerhard A; Conti, David V; Duggan, David; Figueiredo, Jane C; Fortini, Barbara K; Gallinger, Steven J; Gauderman, W James; Giles, Graham; Green, Roger; Haile, Robert; Harrison, Tabitha A; Hoffmeister, Michael; Hopper, John L; Hudson, Thomas J; Jacobs, Eric; Iwasaki, Motoki; Jee, Sun Ha; Jenkins, Mark; Jia, Wei-Hua; Joshi, Amit; Li, Li; Lindor, Noralene M; Matsuo, Keitaro; Moreno, Victor; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Newcomb, Polly A; Potter, John D; Raskin, Leon; Rennert, Gad; Rosse, Stephanie; Severi, Gianluca; Schoen, Robert E; Seminara, Daniela; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Slattery, Martha L; Tsugane, Shoichiro; White, Emily; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Zanke, Brent W; Zheng, Wei; Le Marchand, Loic; Casey, Graham; Gruber, Stephen B; Peters, Ulrike

    2015-07-07

    Genetic susceptibility to colorectal cancer is caused by rare pathogenic mutations and common genetic variants that contribute to familial risk. Here we report the results of a two-stage association study with 18,299 cases of colorectal cancer and 19,656 controls, with follow-up of the most statistically significant genetic loci in 4,725 cases and 9,969 controls from two Asian consortia. We describe six new susceptibility loci reaching a genome-wide threshold of P<5.0E-08. These findings provide additional insight into the underlying biological mechanisms of colorectal cancer and demonstrate the scientific value of large consortia-based genetic epidemiology studies.

  11. Long-Term Cognitive Outcomes of Birth Asphyxia and the Contribution of Identified Perinatal Asphyxia to Cerebral Palsy.

    PubMed

    Pappas, Athina; Korzeniewski, Steven J

    2016-09-01

    Neonatal encephalopathy among survivors of presumed perinatal asphyxia is recognized as an important cause of cerebral palsy (CP) and neuromotor impairment. Recent studies suggest that moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy contributes to a wide range of neurodevelopmental and cognitive impairments among survivors with and without CP. Nearly 1 of every 4 to 5 neonates treated with hypothermia has or develops CP. Neonatal encephalopathy is diagnosed in only approximately 10% of all cases. This article reviews the long-term cognitive outcomes of children with presumed birth asphyxia and describes what is known about its contribution to CP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. A note on trans-Planckian tail effects

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

    Graef, L.L.; Brandenberger, R., E-mail: leilagraef@usp.br, E-mail: rhb@physics.mcgill.ca

    2015-09-01

    We study the proposal by Mersini et al. [1] that the observed dark energy might be explained by the back-reaction of the set of tail modes in a theory with a dispersion relation in which the mode frequency decays exponentially in the trans-Planckian regime. The matter tail modes are frozen out, however they induce metric fluctuations. The energy-momentum tensor with which the tail modes effect the background geometry obtains contributions from both metric and matter fluctuations. We calculate the equation of state induced by the tail modes taking into account the gravitational contribution. We find that, in contrast to themore » case of frozen super-Hubble cosmological fluctuations, in this case the matter perturbations dominate, and they yield an equation of state which to leading order takes the form of a positive cosmological constant.« less

  13. Assessment of fluctuating pressure gradient using acceleration spectra in near wall flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cadel, Daniel; Lowe, K. Todd

    2015-11-01

    Separation of contributions to the fluctuating acceleration from pressure gradient fluctuations and viscous shear fluctuations in the frequency domain is examined in a turbulent boundary layer. Past work leveraging turbulent accelerations for pressure gradient measurements has neglected the viscous shear term from the momentum equation--an invalid assumption in the case of near wall flows. The present study seeks to account for the influence of the viscous shear term and spectrally reject its contribution, which is thought to be concentrated at higher frequencies. Spectra of velocity and acceleration fluctuations in a flat plate, zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer at a momentum thickness Reynolds number of 7500 are measured using a spatially resolving three-component laser Doppler velocimeter. This canonical case data is applied for validation of the spectral approach for future application in more complex aerodynamic flows.

  14. Making basic health care accessible to rural communities: a case study of Kiang West district in rural Gambia.

    PubMed

    Sanneh, Edward Saja; Hu, Allen H; Njai, Modou; Ceesay, Omar Malleh; Manjang, Buba

    2014-01-01

    This study focuses on lack of access to basic health care, which is one of the hindrances to the development of the poor, and subjects them to the poverty penalty. It also focuses on contributing to the Bottom of the Pyramid in a general sense, in addition to meeting the health needs of communities where people live on less than $1 a day. Strengthened multistakeholder responses and better-targeted, low-cost prevention, and care strategies within health systems are suggested to address the health burdens of poverty-stricken communities. In this study, a multistakeholder model which includes the government, World Health Organization, United Nations Children Emergency Fund, and the Medical Research Council was created to highlight the collaborative approach in rural Gambia. The result shows infant immunization and antenatal care coverage were greatly improved which contributes to the reduction in mortality. This case study also finds that strategies addressing health problems in rural communities are required to achieve 'Millennium Development Goals'. In particular, actual community visits to satellite villages within a district (area of study) are extremely vital to making health care accessible. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Anomalous Nernst and thermal Hall effects in tilted Weyl semimetals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferreiros, Yago; Zyuzin, A. A.; Bardarson, Jens H.

    2017-09-01

    We study the anomalous Nernst and thermal Hall effects in a linearized low-energy model of a tilted Weyl semimetal, with two Weyl nodes separated in momentum space. For inversion symmetric tilt, we give analytic expressions in two opposite limits: For a small tilt, corresponding to a type-I Weyl semimetal, the Nernst conductivity is finite and independent of the Fermi level; for a large tilt, corresponding to a type-II Weyl semimetal, it acquires a contribution depending logarithmically on the Fermi energy. This result is in a sharp contrast to the nontilted case, where the Nernst response is known to be zero in the linear model. The thermal Hall conductivity similarly acquires Fermi surface contributions, which add to the Fermi level-independent, zero-tilt result, and is suppressed as one over the tilt parameter at half filling in the type-II phase. In the case of inversion-breaking tilt, with the tilting vector of equal modulus in the two Weyl cones, all Fermi surface contributions to both anomalous responses cancel out, resulting in zero Nernst conductivity. We discuss two possible experimental setups, representing open and closed thermoelectric circuits.

  16. Fault tree analysis for urban flooding.

    PubMed

    ten Veldhuis, J A E; Clemens, F H L R; van Gelder, P H A J M

    2009-01-01

    Traditional methods to evaluate flood risk generally focus on heavy storm events as the principal cause of flooding. Conversely, fault tree analysis is a technique that aims at modelling all potential causes of flooding. It quantifies both overall flood probability and relative contributions of individual causes of flooding. This paper presents a fault model for urban flooding and an application to the case of Haarlem, a city of 147,000 inhabitants. Data from a complaint register, rainfall gauges and hydrodynamic model calculations are used to quantify probabilities of basic events in the fault tree. This results in a flood probability of 0.78/week for Haarlem. It is shown that gully pot blockages contribute to 79% of flood incidents, whereas storm events contribute only 5%. This implies that for this case more efficient gully pot cleaning is a more effective strategy to reduce flood probability than enlarging drainage system capacity. Whether this is also the most cost-effective strategy can only be decided after risk assessment has been complemented with a quantification of consequences of both types of events. To do this will be the next step in this study.

  17. Hearing impairment and contributing factors among fertilizer factory workers

    PubMed Central

    Saffree Jeffree, Mohammad; Ismail, Noorhassim; Awang Lukman, Khamisah

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Hearing impairment remains the main occupational health problem in the manufacturing industry, and its contributing factors have not been well controlled. Methods: Unmatched case control and comparative studies were carried out among fertilizer factory workers in Sarawak with the aim of determining contributing factors for hearing impairment. Respondents consisted of 49 cases that were diagnosed from 2005 to 2008 with 98 controls from the same work places. Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test were used in a univariate analysis to determine the association between hearing impairment and the contributing risks being studied. Results: The results of the univariate analysis showed that hearing impairment was significantly (p<0.05) associated with older age, lower education level, high smoking dose, high occupational daily noise dose, longer duration of service, infrequent used of hearing protection device (HPD), and low perception of sound on HPD usage. Multivariate logistic regression of hearing impairment after controlling for age found the following five variables: occupational daily noise dose ≥50% (OR 3.48, 95% CI 1.36-8.89), ≥15 years of services (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.16-7.33), infrequent use of HPD (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.15-6.77), low perception of sound on HPD (POR 2.77, 95% CI 1.09-6.97), and smoking more than 20 packs per year (OR 4.71, 95% CI 1.13-19.68). Discussion: In conclusion, high occupational noise exposure level, longer duration of service, low perception of sound on HPD, infrequent used of HPD, and smoking more than 20 packs per year were the contributing factors to hearing impairment, and appropriate intervention measures should be proposed and taken into considerations. PMID:27488035

  18. Hearing impairment and contributing factors among fertilizer factory workers.

    PubMed

    Saffree Jeffree, Mohammad; Ismail, Noorhassim; Awang Lukman, Khamisah

    2016-09-30

    Hearing impairment remains the main occupational health problem in the manufacturing industry, and its contributing factors have not been well controlled. Unmatched case control and comparative studies were carried out among fertilizer factory workers in Sarawak with the aim of determining contributing factors for hearing impairment. Respondents consisted of 49 cases that were diagnosed from 2005 to 2008 with 98 controls from the same work places. Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test were used in a univariate analysis to determine the association between hearing impairment and the contributing risks being studied. The results of the univariate analysis showed that hearing impairment was significantly (p<0.05) associated with older age, lower education level, high smoking dose, high occupational daily noise dose, longer duration of service, infrequent used of hearing protection device (HPD), and low perception of sound on HPD usage. Multivariate logistic regression of hearing impairment after controlling for age found the following five variables: occupational daily noise dose ≥50% (OR 3.48, 95% CI 1.36-8.89), ≥15 years of services (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.16-7.33), infrequent use of HPD (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.15-6.77), low perception of sound on HPD (POR 2.77, 95% CI 1.09-6.97), and smoking more than 20 packs per year (OR 4.71, 95% CI 1.13-19.68). In conclusion, high occupational noise exposure level, longer duration of service, low perception of sound on HPD, infrequent used of HPD, and smoking more than 20 packs per year were the contributing factors to hearing impairment, and appropriate intervention measures should be proposed and taken into considerations.

  19. Economic impacts of marine ecological change: Review and recent contributions of the VECTORS project on European marine waters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Groeneveld, Rolf A.; Bartelings, Heleen; Börger, Tobias; Bosello, Francesco; Buisman, Erik; Delpiazzo, Elisa; Eboli, Fabio; Fernandes, Jose A.; Hamon, Katell G.; Hattam, Caroline; Loureiro, Maria; Nunes, Paulo A. L. D.; Piwowarczyk, Joanna; Schasfoort, Femke E.; Simons, Sarah L.; Walker, Adam N.

    2018-02-01

    Marine ecological change is likely to have serious potential economic consequences for coastal economies all over the world. This article reviews the current literature on the economic impacts of marine ecological change, as well as a number of recent contributions to this literature carried out under the VECTORS project. We focus on three main types of change, namely invasive alien species; outbreak-forming species, such as jellyfish and toxic algae; and gradual changes in species distribution and productivity. The case studies available in the literature demonstrate that the impacts of invasions and outbreaks on fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism can potentially amount to several tens of millions of dollars each year in some regions. Moreover, stated preference studies suggest a substantial impact on coastal tourism and non-use values that is likely not visible in case studies of specific outbreak events. Climate-driven gradual changes in distribution and productivity of commercial fish stocks will have an impact on fisheries, although these impacts are likely to be overshadowed by much larger changes in prices of seafood and fuel.

  20. Musculoskeletal disorders among construction apprentices in Hungary.

    PubMed

    Rosecrance, J; Pórszász, J; Cook, T; Fekecs, E; Karácsony, T; Merlino, L; Anton, D

    2001-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of occupationally related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) symptoms and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among construction apprentices in Hungary. Symptoms of occupational MSDs and the job factors contributing to the symptoms were determined through an administered symptom and job factors survey. The prevalence of CTS was based on a case definition that included hand symptoms and nerve conduction studies of the median nerve across the carpal tunnel. The participation rate was 96% among the 201 eligible construction apprentices. More than 50% of the apprentices reported occupationally related musculoskeletal symptoms in the previous 12 months. Job tasks that required awkward postures and working in a static position were the two factors that contributed most to MSD symptoms. No cases of CTS were found in this sample of apprentices. Although disorders of the musculoskeletal system are more prevalent among experienced construction workers, this study indicated that symptoms of MSDs are present among young construction workers. Assessing the magnitude and nature of occupational related MSDs is the first step in promoting a healthier, safer, and more efficient workforce.

  1. Chiral symmetry breaking in a semilocalized magnetic field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Gaoqing

    2018-03-01

    In this work, we explore the pattern of chiral symmetry breaking and restoration in a solvable magnetic field configuration within the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model. The special semilocalized static magnetic field can roughly mimic the realistic situation in peripheral heavy ion collisions; thus, the study is important for the dynamical evolution of quark matter. We find that the magnetic-field-dependent contribution from discrete spectra usually dominates over the contribution from continuum spectra and chiral symmetry breaking is locally catalyzed by both the magnitude and scale of the magnetic field. The study is finally extended to the case with finite temperature or chemical potential.

  2. Magnetic and lattice contributions to the magnetocaloric effect in Sm1-xSrxMnO3 manganites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aliev, A. M.; Batdalov, A. B.; Khanov, L. N.

    2018-04-01

    A method is proposed to estimate the lattice and magnetic contributions to the total magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in materials with magnetostructural phase transitions. The method is based on two assumptions: (a) the lattice contribution is proportional to magnetostriction and (b) the magnetic contribution obeys a field dependence ΔTm ˜ Hn. Temperature and magnetic field dependences of the MCE and magnetostriction are used to estimate the contributions. Estimations of the contributions in Sm0.6Sr0.4MnO3 manganite are made for cases when n = 0.66 and n = 0.75. Analysis shows that in the area of the maximum of the effect for n = 0.66, the magnetic subsystem contributes about 58% of the total MCE, and the remaining 42% are due to a change in the entropy of the lattice. In the case of n = 0.75, the magnetic contribution remains predominant, but the ratio of the contributions changes: the magnetic contribution counts for 53% and the lattice contribution equals to 47%. The ratio of contributions varies with the temperature and magnetic field. The results of estimation agree with direct measurements of the MCE in Sm0.5Sr0.5MnO3 manganite, where almost the total effect is due to a change in the magnetic entropy.

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2009-01-01

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

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

    PubMed

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

    2008-01-01

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

  5. The digital history of the anglophone vocabulary of psychology: An exploration using Zipfian methods.

    PubMed

    Benjafield, John G

    2016-05-01

    The digital humanities are being applied with increasing frequency to the analysis of historically important texts. In this study, the methods of G. K. Zipf are used to explore the digital history of the vocabulary of psychology. Zipf studied a great many phenomena, from word frequencies to city sizes, showing that they tend to have a characteristic distribution in which there are a few cases that occur very frequently and many more cases that occur very infrequently. We find that the number of new words and word senses that writers contribute to the vocabulary of psychology have such a Zipfian distribution. Moreover, those who make the most contributions, such as William James, tend also to invent new metaphorical senses of words rather than new words. By contrast, those who make the fewest contributions tend to invent entirely new words. The use of metaphor makes a text easier for a reader to understand. While the use of new words requires more effort on the part of the reader, it may lead to more precise understanding than does metaphor. On average, new words and word senses become a part of psychology's vocabulary in the time leading up to World War I, suggesting that psychology was "finding its language" (Danziger, 1997) during this period. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Bringing Healthy Retail to Urban "Food Swamps": a Case Study of CBPR-Informed Policy and Neighborhood Change in San Francisco.

    PubMed

    Minkler, Meredith; Estrada, Jessica; Thayer, Ryan; Juachon, Lisa; Wakimoto, Patricia; Falbe, Jennifer

    2018-04-09

    In urban "food swamps" like San Francisco's Tenderloin, the absence of full-service grocery stores and plethora of corner stores saturated with tobacco, alcohol, and processed food contribute to high rates of chronic disease. We explore the genesis of the Tenderloin Healthy Corner Store Coalition, its relationship with health department and academic partners, and its contributions to the passage and implementation of a healthy retail ordinance through community-based participatory research (CBPR), capacity building, and advocacy. The healthy retail ordinance incentivizes small stores to increase space for healthy foods and decrease tobacco and alcohol availability. Through Yin's multi-method case study analysis, we examined the partnership's processes and contributions to the ordinance within the framework of Kingdon's three-stage policymaking model. We also assessed preliminary outcomes of the ordinance, including a 35% increase in produce sales and moderate declines in tobacco sales in the first four stores participating in the Tenderloin, as well as a "ripple effect," through which non-participating stores also improved their retail environments. Despite challenges, CBPR partnerships led by a strong community coalition concerned with bedrock issues like food justice and neighborhood inequities in tobacco exposure may represent an important avenue for health equity-focused research and its translation into practice.

  7. Successful psychotherapy for psychogenic seizures in men.

    PubMed

    Quinn, Maria Clare; Schofield, Margot J; Middleton, Warwick

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study examined factors contributing to the development and successful treatment of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), in civilian men. In-depth interviews were conducted with therapist-client dyads comprising two male clients who had been successfully treated for PNES and their therapists. A theory-building case study approach provided evidence that those factors known to contribute to PNES and other somatoform symptoms in females and in males engaged in war also contributed to these symptoms in these two civilian males. In addition, PNES in these civilian males occurred in contexts where masculine identity was developmentally curtailed and socially constrained. Successful treatments occurred in long-term therapeutic relationships that sanctioned verbal expression of strong emotion and provided the attunement necessary for development of a robust masculine identity. These findings have implications for the funding of therapy, and training of therapists.

  8. [Gene polymorphism of CYP450 2C9 and VKORC1 in Chinese population and their relationships to the maintaining dosage of warfarin].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ya-nan; Cui, Wei; Han, Mei; Zheng, Bin; Liu, Fan; Xie, Rui-qin; Yang, Xiao-hong; Gu, Guo-qiang; Zheng, Hong-mei; Wen, Jin-kun

    2010-02-01

    To investigate the distribution of gene polymorphism of CYP450 2C9 and VKORC1-1639A/G in the Chinese population as well as the difference of genetic polymorphism between Chinese Han population and other ethnic populations. Contribution of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotype to the maintenance doses on warfarin was also studied. The genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and compared with those in other populations. One hundred and one patients with stable anticoagulation with warfarin under a target international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.0 to 3.0 were enrolled for studying the relationship between the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 gene polymorphism and the warfarin maintaining dosage. CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A allele frequencies were:AA in 449 cases (92.2%), AC in 36 cases (7.4%) and CC in 2 cases (0.4%), respectively. VKORC1 -1639A/G allele frequencies were AA in 415 cases (85.2%), GA in 72 cases (14.8%), but GG in no case (0.0%), respectively. When linear stepwise regression analysis was used to identify factors contributing to warfarin stable dose, the final equation was: ln (D) = 0.346 + 0.017 (weight) - 0.376 (CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A) + 0.148 (VKORC1-1639A/G) - 0.002 (age) (r = 0.827, P = 0.02). There existed significant gene polymorphism CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A and VKORC1-1639A/G in the Chinese Han population. Both Gene polymorphisms of CYP450 2C9*3 + 1075C/A and VKORC1-1639A/G were significantly affecting the maintaining dose of warfarin in the Chinese population.

  9. Epidemiology of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in an era of effective prophylaxis: the relative contribution of non-adherence and drug failure.

    PubMed

    Lundberg, B E; Davidson, A J; Burman, W J

    2000-11-10

    To determine the relative contribution of patient non-adherence, provider failure to prescribe prophylaxis, and drug failure to the continued occurrence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), and to determine correlates of non-adherence. Retrospective case-control study. Patients with confirmed or presumptive PCP from May 1995 to September 1997 who had at least 6 months of prior HIV care (cases) were compared to controls matched for initial CD4 cell count and date of initial HIV care. The incidence of PCP declined by 85% in the 28 months of the study. Of the 118 cases of PCP identified, 59 (50%) were in HIV care for > 6 months prior to PCP diagnosis. In a multivariate logistic regression model, risk factors for PCP among patients in HIV care were patient non-adherence [odds ratio (OR), 12.4; 95% confidence interval (CI), 6.4-23.5], use of prophylaxis other than trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (OR, 27.0; 95% CI, 13.8-52.9), and absence of antiretroviral use (OR, 7.5; 95% CI, 4.5-12.5). Provider non-adherence occurred in one out of 59 cases (2%), and five out of 106 controls (5%). Of the patients who developed PCP on prophylaxis, 18 cases (30%) appeared due to drug failure; there were no cases of apparent drug failure among patients on trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. In multivariate analysis, non-adherence was more common among patients of non-white race, those with a history of injecting drug use, and those with active substance abuse or psychiatric illness. Patient non-adherence was the most common reason for the occurrence of PCP among patients in HIV care; provider non-adherence was uncommon. Drug failure occurred only among patients on prophylaxis other than trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

  10. Agreement between pre-operative and intra-operative bacteriological samples in 85 chronic peri-prosthetic infections.

    PubMed

    Matter-Parrat, V; Ronde-Oustau, C; Boéri, C; Gaudias, J; Jenny, J-Y

    2017-04-01

    Whether pre-operative microbiological sampling contributes to the management of chronic peri-prosthetic infection remains controversial. We assessed agreement between the results of pre-operative and intra-operative samples in patients undergoing single-stage prosthesis exchange to treat chronic peri-prosthetic infection. Agreement between pre-operative and intra-operative samples exceeds 75% in patients undergoing single-stage exchange of a hip or knee prosthesis to treat chronic peri-prosthetic infection. This single-centre retrospective study included 85 single-stage prosthesis exchange procedures in 82 patients with chronic peri-prosthetic infection at the hip or knee. Agreement between pre-operative and intra-operative sample results was evaluated. Changes to the initial antibiotic regimen made based on the intra-operative sample results were recorded. Of 149 pre-operative samples, 109 yielded positive cultures, in 75/85 cases. Of 452 intra-operative samples, 354 yielded positive cultures, in 85/85 cases. Agreement was complete in 54 (63%) cases and partial in 9 (11%) cases; there was no agreement in the remaining 22 (26%) cases. The complete agreement rate was significantly lower than 75% (P=0.01). The initial antibiotic regimen was inadequate in a single case. Pre-operative sampling may contribute to the diagnosis of peri-prosthetic infection but is neither necessary nor sufficient to confirm the diagnosis and identify the causative agent. The spectrum of the initial antibiotic regimen cannot be safely narrowed based on the pre-operative sample results. We suggest the routine prescription of a probabilistic broad-spectrum antibiotic regimen immediately after the prosthesis exchange, even when a pathogen was identified before surgery. IV, retrospective study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Narratives of the Leadership Development of Adults Who Served as Summer Camp Staff in the Mennonite Setting: A Multiple Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Jason

    2013-01-01

    Problem: Leaders today need a new set of knowledge and skills to be effective in collaborative environments. The focus of this study was to investigate how collaborative environments can contribute to leadership development. The purpose of this study was to describe how the collaborative environment of summer camp helped shape emerging adults as…

  12. Knowledge Contribution in a Non-Formal Virtual Setting through a Social Constructionist Approach: A Case Study of an Online Learning Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moses, Myra Gail

    2012-01-01

    This study explored an online learning community in a non-formal educational setting and the process participants used in order to share, create, and construct knowledge through their interactions in the online community. Participants in the study were college interns who were part of a grant that focused on providing professional development for…

  13. Integration of DNA barcoding for the initial recordings of Lessepsian fishes: a case study of the Indo-Pacific slender ponyfish Equulites elongatus.

    PubMed

    Sakinan, S; Karahan, A; Ok, M

    2017-03-01

    In this study, the DNA barcode of a regional Lessepsian sighting of the slender ponyfish Equulites elongatus is integrated with morphometric and meristic descriptors as a case study to address further identification problems in the Mediterranean Sea. The study also aims to contribute to the regional mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I information pool, to support other potential uses. The initial sighting of E. elongatus from the north-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey is provided from a trawl survey on 3 June 2015, where 76 specimens were captured during a 15 min tow. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  14. Challenging Gender Bias in Fifth Grade.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matthews, Catherine E.; Binkley, Wendy; Crisp, Amanda; Gregg, Kimberly

    1998-01-01

    Elementary teachers often unwittingly contribute to inequitable classroom environments. As part of a senior project, education majors at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, observed a fifth-grade class at a Guilford County school and solicited students' responses to two case studies involving gender equity issues. Kids enumerated…

  15. The Micropolitics of School District Decentralization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bjork, Lars G.; Blase, Joseph

    2009-01-01

    This case study of school district educational reform in the United States adds to the knowledge base of macropolitics of federal, state and local governing bodies and private sector agencies in formulating educational policies: It also contributes to our understanding the microplitics of policy implementation. Middle managers' political…

  16. Comprehensive Mass Analysis for Chemical Processes, a Case Study on L-Dopa Manufacture

    EPA Science Inventory

    To evaluate the “greenness” of chemical processes in route selection and process development, we propose a comprehensive mass analysis to inform the stakeholders from different fields. This is carried out by characterizing the mass intensity for each contributing chemical or wast...

  17. Evaluation of pavement design in Virginia based on layer deflections, subgrade and its moisture content.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1970-01-01

    In this investigation, the optimum structural strength contributed by a material to the overall strength of the pavement was studied for cases applicable to Virginia. The variables were (a) the modulus of elasticity or the thickness equivalency of th...

  18. Sustainable potato production: global case studies

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is grown in over 100 countries throughout the world. As a staple food, potato is the fourth most important crop after rice, wheat, and maize, and has historically contributed to food and nutrition security in the world. Global interest in potato increased sharply in 200...

  19. Global Perspectives on Multilingualism: Unity in Diversity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres-Guzman, Maria E., Ed.; Gomez, Joel, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    In this timely volume, international scholars examine how multilingual schooling is handled in schools across the world with a series of case studies from South Africa, Nigeria, Germany, Colombia, Slovakia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Presenting new contributions arising from the varied contexts of multilingualism today, this collection urges…

  20. Family Play Therapy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ariel, Shlomo

    This paper examines a case study of family play therapy in Israel. The unique contributions of play therapy are evaluated including the therapy's accessibility to young children, its richness and flexibility, its exposure of covert patterns, its wealth of therapeutic means, and its therapeutic economy. The systematization of the therapy attempts…

  1. Students' Perception on Entrepreneurship Education: The Case of Universiti Malaysia Perlis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nian, Teh Yi; Bakar, Rosni; Islam, Md. Aminul

    2014-01-01

    Entrepreneurship education plays an important role in developing entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurship knowledge and skills have vital contribution to economic growth. This study aims to investigate the practice of entrepreneurship education in University Malaysia Perlis and perception of students on entrepreneurship education. Primary data are…

  2. Training in the Community-Collaborative Context: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yamada, Racquel-María

    2014-01-01

    Emerging community-based methodologies call for collaboration with speech community members. Although motivated, community members may lack the tools or training to contribute actively. In response, many linguists deliver training workshops in documentation or preservation, while others train community members to record data. Although workshops…

  3. The use of large-scale aerial color photography for assessing forest tree diseases. I. Basal canker of white pine: a case study

    Treesearch

    David R. Houston; David R. Houston

    1972-01-01

    This paper discusses the use of aerial color photography to discern symptoms of the disease as it developed over time, the factors contributing to disease development, and the patterns of disease development.

  4. Source rock contributions to the Lower Cretaceous heavy oil accumulations in Alberta: a basin modeling study

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Berbesi, Luiyin Alejandro; di Primio, Rolando; Anka, Zahie; Horsfield, Brian; Higley, Debra K.

    2012-01-01

    The origin of the immense oil sand deposits in Lower Cretaceous reservoirs of the Western Canada sedimentary basin is still a matter of debate, specifically with respect to the original in-place volumes and contributing source rocks. In this study, the contributions from the main source rocks were addressed using a three-dimensional petroleum system model calibrated to well data. A sensitivity analysis of source rock definition was performed in the case of the two main contributors, which are the Lower Jurassic Gordondale Member of the Fernie Group and the Upper Devonian–Lower Mississippian Exshaw Formation. This sensitivity analysis included variations of assigned total organic carbon and hydrogen index for both source intervals, and in the case of the Exshaw Formation, variations of thickness in areas beneath the Rocky Mountains were also considered. All of the modeled source rocks reached the early or main oil generation stages by 60 Ma, before the onset of the Laramide orogeny. Reconstructed oil accumulations were initially modest because of limited trapping efficiency. This was improved by defining lateral stratigraphic seals within the carrier system. An additional sealing effect by biodegraded oil may have hindered the migration of petroleum in the northern areas, but not to the east of Athabasca. In the latter case, the main trapping controls are dominantly stratigraphic and structural. Our model, based on available data, identifies the Gordondale source rock as the contributor of more than 54% of the oil in the Athabasca and Peace River accumulations, followed by minor amounts from Exshaw (15%) and other Devonian to Lower Jurassic source rocks. The proposed strong contribution of petroleum from the Exshaw Formation source rock to the Athabasca oil sands is only reproduced by assuming 25 m (82 ft) of mature Exshaw in the kitchen areas, with original total organic carbon of 9% or more.

  5. Contribution of ambient ozone to Scots pine defoliation and reduced growth in the Central European forests: a Lithuanian case study.

    PubMed

    Augustaitis, Algirdas; Bytnerowicz, Andrzej

    2008-10-01

    The study aimed to explore if changes in crown defoliation and stem growth of Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) could be related to changes in ambient ozone (O(3)) concentration in central Europe. To meet this objective the study was performed in 3 Lithuanian national parks, close to the ICP integrated monitoring stations from which data on meteorology and pollution were provided. Contribution of peak O(3) concentrations to the integrated impact of acidifying compounds and meteorological parameters on pine stem growth was found to be more significant than its contribution to the integrated impact of acidifying compounds and meteorological parameters on pine defoliation. Findings of the study provide statistical evidence that peak concentrations of ambient O(3) can have a negative impact on pine tree crown defoliation and stem growth reduction under field conditions in central and northeastern Europe where the AOT40 values for forests are commonly below their phytotoxic levels.

  6. Roads to advanced vaccines: influenza case study.

    PubMed

    Riese, Peggy; Guzmán, Carlos A

    2017-09-01

    Vaccines represent a cornerstone to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. However, there are many diseases for which vaccines are not available, are relatively ineffective or need to be adapted periodically. Advances in microbial biotechnology will contribute to overcoming these roadblocks by laying the groundwork for improving and creating new approaches for developing better vaccines, as illustrated here in the case of influenza. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

  7. Study protocol: the effects of air pollution exposure and chronic respiratory disease on pneumonia risk in urban Malawian adults--the Acute Infection of the Respiratory Tract Study (The AIR Study).

    PubMed

    Jary, Hannah; Mallewa, Jane; Nyirenda, Mulinda; Faragher, Brian; Heyderman, Robert; Peterson, Ingrid; Gordon, Stephen; Mortimer, Kevin

    2015-08-20

    Pneumonia is the 2nd leading cause of years of life lost worldwide and is a common cause of adult admissions to hospital in sub-Saharan Africa. Risk factors for adult pneumonia are well characterised in developed countries, but are less well described in sub-Saharan Africa where HIV is a major contributing factor. Exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution is high, and tobacco smoking prevalence is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, yet the contribution of these factors to the burden of chronic respiratory diseases in sub-Saharan Africa remains poorly understood. Furthermore, the extent to which the presence of chronic respiratory diseases and exposure to air pollution contribute to the burden of pneumonia is not known. The Acute Infection of the Respiratory Tract Study (The AIR Study) is a case-control study to identify preventable risk factors for adult pneumonia in the city of Blantyre, Malawi. Cases will be adults admitted with pneumonia, recruited from Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, the largest teaching hospital in Malawi. Controls will be adults without pneumonia, recruited from the community. The AIR Study will recruit subjects and analyse data within strata defined by positive and negative HIV infection status. All participants will undergo thorough assessment for a range of potential preventable risk factors, with an emphasis on exposure to air pollution and the presence of chronic respiratory diseases. This will include collection of questionnaire data, clinical samples (blood, urine, sputum and breath samples), lung function data and air pollution monitoring in their home. Multivariate analysis will be used to identify the important risk factors contributing to the pneumonia burden in this setting. Identification of preventable risk factors will justify research into the effectiveness of targeted interventions to address this burden in the future. The AIR Study is the first study of radiologically confirmed pneumonia in which air pollution exposure measurements have been undertaken in this setting, and will contribute important new information about exposure to air pollution in urban SSA. Through identification of preventable risk factors, the AIR Study aims to facilitate future research and implementation of targeted interventions to reduce the high burden of pneumonia in SSA.

  8. CHEK2 contribution to hereditary breast cancer in non-BRCA families

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are responsible for only a part of hereditary breast cancer (HBC). The origins of "non-BRCA" HBC in families may be attributed in part to rare mutations in genes conferring moderate risk, such as CHEK2, which encodes for an upstream regulator of BRCA1. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between CHEK2 founder mutations and non-BRCA HBC. However, very few data on the entire coding sequence of this gene are available. Methods We investigated the contribution of CHEK2 mutations to non-BRCA HBC by direct sequencing of its whole coding sequence in 507 non-BRCA HBC cases and 513 controls. Results We observed 16 mutations in cases and 4 in controls, including 9 missense variants of uncertain consequence. Using both in silico tools and an in vitro kinase activity test, the majority of the variants were found likely to be deleterious for protein function. One variant present in both cases and controls was proposed to be neutral. Removing this variant from the pool of potentially deleterious variants gave a mutation frequency of 1.48% for cases and 0.29% for controls (P = 0.0040). The odds ratio of breast cancer in the presence of a deleterious CHEK2 mutation was 5.18. Conclusions Our work indicates that a variety of deleterious CHEK2 alleles make an appreciable contribution to breast cancer susceptibility, and their identification could help in the clinical management of patients carrying a CHEK2 mutation. PMID:22114986

  9. 29 CFR 778.215 - Conditions for exclusion of benefit-plan contributions under section 7(e)(4).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... provides for insignificant minimum contributions and permits a variation so great that, for all practical... balance in excess of specified employee contributions, will be borne by the employer. In such a case the...

  10. 29 CFR 778.215 - Conditions for exclusion of benefit-plan contributions under section 7(e)(4).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... provides for insignificant minimum contributions and permits a variation so great that, for all practical... balance in excess of specified employee contributions, will be borne by the employer. In such a case the...

  11. 29 CFR 778.215 - Conditions for exclusion of benefit-plan contributions under section 7(e)(4).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... provides for insignificant minimum contributions and permits a variation so great that, for all practical... balance in excess of specified employee contributions, will be borne by the employer. In such a case the...

  12. 29 CFR 778.215 - Conditions for exclusion of benefit-plan contributions under section 7(e)(4).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... provides for insignificant minimum contributions and permits a variation so great that, for all practical... balance in excess of specified employee contributions, will be borne by the employer. In such a case the...

  13. 29 CFR 778.215 - Conditions for exclusion of benefit-plan contributions under section 7(e)(4).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... provides for insignificant minimum contributions and permits a variation so great that, for all practical... balance in excess of specified employee contributions, will be borne by the employer. In such a case the...

  14. Campylobacter epidemiology: a descriptive study reviewing 1 million cases in England and Wales between 1989 and 2011.

    PubMed

    Nichols, Gordon L; Richardson, Judith F; Sheppard, Samuel K; Lane, Chris; Sarran, Christophe

    2012-01-01

    To review Campylobacter cases in England and Wales over 2 decades and examine the main factors/mechanisms driving the changing epidemiology. A descriptive study of Campylobacter patients between 1989 and 2011. Cases over 3 years were linked anonymously to postcode, population density, deprivation indices and census data. Cases over 5 years were anonymously linked to local weather exposure estimates. Patients were from general practice, hospital and environmental health investigations through primary diagnostic laboratories across England and Wales. There were 1 109 406 cases. Description of changes in Campylobacter epidemiology over 23 years and how the main drivers may influence these. There was an increase in Campylobacter cases over the past 23 years, with the largest increase in people over 50 years. Changes in the underlying population have contributed to this, including the impacts of population increases after World War I, World War II and the 'baby boom' of the 1960s. A recent increase in risk or ascertainment within this population has caused an increase in cases in all age groups from 2004 to 2011. The seasonal increase in cases between weeks 18 (Early May) and 22 (Early June) was consistent across ages, years and regions and was most marked in children and in more rural regions. Campylobacter prevalence by week in each region correlated with temperature 2 weeks before. There were higher prevalences in areas with a low population density, low deprivation and lower percentage of people of ethnic origin. Data from sero-phage and multilocus sequence typing show a few common types and many uncommon types. The drivers/mechanisms influencing seasonality, age distribution, population density, socioeconomic and long-term differences are diverse and their relative contributions remain to be established. Surveillance and typing provide insights into Campylobacter epidemiology and sources of infection, providing a sound basis for targeted interventions.

  15. Contribution of MRI to clinically equivocal penile fracture cases.

    PubMed

    Türkay, Rüştü; Yenice, Mustafa Gürkan; Aksoy, Sema; Şeker, Gökhan; Şahin, Selçuk; İnci, Ercan; Tuğcu, Volkan; Taşcı, Ali İhsan

    2016-11-01

    Penile fracture is a surgical emergency defined as rupture of the tunica albuginea. Although most cases can be diagnosed with clinical evaluation, it has been stated in the literature that diagnosis in as many as 15% of cases can be challenging. In uncertain cases, imaging can help determine diagnosis. Present study included 20 cases where diagnosis could not be made with certainty and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed. MR images were examined for tunical rupture and accompanying pathologies. When rupture was observed, localization and length of rupture were noted. All patients underwent degloving surgery. All imaging findings were compared to surgical findings. MRI revealed 19 tunical ruptures. In 1 case, hematoma was seen with no sign of penile fracture. No urethral injuries were found. All MRI findings were confirmed during surgery. Performing MRI in clinically equivocal cases can provide crucial data to make precise diagnosis and improve patient management.

  16. CBPR with service providers: arguing a case for engaging practitioners in all phases of research.

    PubMed

    Spector, Anya Y

    2012-03-01

    This review synthesizes the literature on CBPR with service providers to identify the benefits to, unique contributions of, and challenges experienced by professional service providers engaged in collaborative research. Service providers benefited by obtaining research-based knowledge to help the communities they serve, gaining research skills, professional relationships, professional development, and new programs. They contributed by informing research aims, designing interventions, conducting recruitment, informing overall study design, and dissemination. Challenges include time, resources, organizational factors, and disconnects between researchers and service providers. Policy and practice implications are explored.

  17. Quality of Care: A Review of Maternal Deaths in a Regional Hospital in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Adusi-Poku, Yaw; Antwil, Edward; Osei-Kwakye, Kingsley; Tetteh, Chris; Detoh, Eric Kwame; Antwi, Phyllis

    2015-09-01

    The government of Ghana and key stakeholders have put into place several interventions aimed at reducing maternal deaths. At the institutional level, the conduct of maternal deaths audit has been instituted. This also contributes to reducing maternal deaths as shortcomings that may have contributed to such deaths could be identified to inform best practice and forestall such occurrences in the future. The objective of this study was to review the quality of maternal care in a regional hospital. A review of maternal deaths using Quality of Care Evaluation Form adapted from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Maternal Death Audit Evaluation Committee was used. About fifty-five percent, 18 (55%) of cases were deemed to have received adequate documentation, senior clinicians were involved in 26(85%) of cases. Poor documentation, non-involvement of senior clinicians in the management of cases, laboratory related issues particularly in relation to blood and blood products as well as promptness of care and adequacy of intensive care facilities and specialists in the hospital were contributory factors to maternal deaths . These are common themes contributing to maternal deaths in developing countries which need to be urgently tackled. Maternal death review with emphasis on quality of care, coupled with facility gap assessment, is a useful tool to address the adequacy of emergency obstetric care services to prevent further maternal deaths.

  18. Case-control vaccine effectiveness studies: Preparation, design, and enrollment of cases and controls.

    PubMed

    Verani, Jennifer R; Baqui, Abdullah H; Broome, Claire V; Cherian, Thomas; Cohen, Cheryl; Farrar, Jennifer L; Feikin, Daniel R; Groome, Michelle J; Hajjeh, Rana A; Johnson, Hope L; Madhi, Shabir A; Mulholland, Kim; O'Brien, Katherine L; Parashar, Umesh D; Patel, Manish M; Rodrigues, Laura C; Santosham, Mathuram; Scott, J Anthony; Smith, Peter G; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Tate, Jacqueline E; Victor, J Chris; Whitney, Cynthia G; Zaidi, Anita K; Zell, Elizabeth R

    2017-06-05

    Case-control studies are commonly used to evaluate effectiveness of licensed vaccines after deployment in public health programs. Such studies can provide policy-relevant data on vaccine performance under 'real world' conditions, contributing to the evidence base to support and sustain introduction of new vaccines. However, case-control studies do not measure the impact of vaccine introduction on disease at a population level, and are subject to bias and confounding, which may lead to inaccurate results that can misinform policy decisions. In 2012, a group of experts met to review recent experience with case-control studies evaluating the effectiveness of several vaccines; here we summarize the recommendations of that group regarding best practices for planning, design and enrollment of cases and controls. Rigorous planning and preparation should focus on understanding the study context including healthcare-seeking and vaccination practices. Case-control vaccine effectiveness studies are best carried out soon after vaccine introduction because high coverage creates strong potential for confounding. Endpoints specific to the vaccine target are preferable to non-specific clinical syndromes since the proportion of non-specific outcomes preventable through vaccination may vary over time and place, leading to potentially confusing results. Controls should be representative of the source population from which cases arise, and are generally recruited from the community or health facilities where cases are enrolled. Matching of controls to cases for potential confounding factors is commonly used, although should be reserved for a limited number of key variables believed to be linked to both vaccination and disease. Case-control vaccine effectiveness studies can provide information useful to guide policy decisions and vaccine development, however rigorous preparation and design is essential. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Stroke in Indigenous Africans, African Americans and European Americans: Interplay of racial and geographic factors

    PubMed Central

    Owolabi, Mayowa; Sarfo, Fred; Howard, Virginia J.; Irvin, Marguerite R; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta; Akinyemi, Rufus; Bennett, Aleena; Armstrong, Kevin; Tiwari, Hemant K.; Akpalu, Albert; Wahab, Kolawole W.; Owolabi, Lukman; Fawale, Bimbo; Komolafe, Morenikeji; Obiako, Reginald; Adebayo, Philip; Manly, Jennifer M; Ogbole, Godwin; Melikam, Ezinne; Laryea, Ruth; Saulson, Raelle; Jenkins, Carolyn; Arnett, Donna K; Lackland, Daniel T; Ovbiagele, Bruce; Howard, George

    2017-01-01

    Background and Purpose The relative contributions of racial and geographic factors to higher risk of stroke in people of African ancestry have not been unraveled. We compared stroke type and contributions of vascular risk factors among indigenous Africans (IA), African Americans (AA) and European Americans (EA). Methods SIREN is a large multinational case-control study in West Africa - the ancestral home of 71% AA - whilst REGARDS is a cohort study including AA and EA in United States. Using harmonized assessments and standard definitions, we compared data on stroke type and established risk factors for stroke in acute stroke cases age ≥55 years in both studies. Results There were 811 IA, 452 AA and 665 EA stroke subjects, with mean age of 68.0±9.3, 73.0±8.3 and 76.0±8.3 years respectively (p<0.0001). Hemorrhagic stroke was more frequent among IA (27%) compared to AA (8%) and EA (5.4%; p < 0.001). Lacunar strokes were more prevalent in IA (47.1%), followed by AA (35.1%), and then EA (21.0%; p < 0.0001). The frequency of hypertension in decreasing order was IA (92.8%), followed by AA (82.5%) and then EA (64.2%; p<0.0001) and similarly for diabetes mellitus (DM) IA (38.3%), AA (36.8%) and EA (21.0 %; p<0.0001). Pre-morbid sedentary lifestyle was similar in AA (37.7%) and EA (34.0%) but lower frequency in IA (8.0%). Conclusion Environmental risk factors such as sedentary lifestyle may contribute to the higher proportion of ischemic stroke in AA compared to IA, while racial factors may contribute to the higher proportion of hypertension and DM among stroke subjects of African ancestry. PMID:28389611

  20. Decision-making in palliative care: a reflective case study.

    PubMed

    Birchall, Melissa

    2005-01-01

    Critical examination of the processes by which we as nurses judge and reach clinical decisions is important. It facilitates the maintenance and refinement of good standards of nursing care and the pinpointing of areas where improvement is needed. In turn this potentially could support broader validation of nurse expertise and contribute to emancipation of the nursing profession. As pure theory, clinical decision-making may appear abstract and alien to nurses struggling in 'the swampy lowlands' (Schon 1983) of the realities of practice. This paper explores some of the key concepts in decision-making theory by introducing, then integrating, them in a reflective case study. The case study, which examines a 'snapshot' of the patient and practitioner's journey, interwoven with theory surrounding clinical decision-making, may aid understanding and utility of concepts and theories in practice.

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