Can a Morel-Lavallée lesion be misdiagnosed as a mass like lesion?

PubMed

Lee, Yoon Jae; Kim, Jun Hyeok; Kim, Ji Young; Han, Hyun Ho

2017-12-01

The Morel-Lavallée lesion (MLL) is a post-traumatic closed soft tissue degloving injury. Common complaints of MLL patients are a haematoma or fluid collection on the trunk or the lower extremity. However, the authors introduce unique cases of MLL that present an atypical appearance. The fluid collection was not apparent, and the capsule formation was not detected on preoperative image study. The main complaint of patients was the uncomfortable mass-like lesion that was regarded as a simple benign lump. The purpose of this case study is to introduce the atypical cases of MLL and to help other physicians make accurate diagnosis based on trial and error of our cases. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Simple Case Study of a Grid Performance System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aydt, Ruth; Gunter, Dan; Quesnel, Darcy; Smith, Warren; Taylor, Valerie; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This document presents a simple case study of a Grid performance system based on the Grid Monitoring Architecture (GMA) being developed by the Grid Forum Performance Working Group. It describes how the various system components would interact for a very basic monitoring scenario, and is intended to introduce people to the terminology and concepts presented in greater detail in other Working Group documents. We believe that by focusing on the simple case first, working group members can familiarize themselves with terminology and concepts, and productively join in the ongoing discussions of the group. In addition, prototype implementations of this basic scenario can be built to explore the feasibility of the proposed architecture and to expose possible shortcomings. Once the simple case is understood and agreed upon, complexities can be added incrementally as warranted by cases not addressed in the most basic implementation described here. Following the basic performance monitoring scenario discussion, unresolved issues are introduced for future discussion.

Can cognitive exercises help treat anorexia nervosa?

PubMed

Tchanturia, K; Whitney, J; Treasure, J

2006-12-01

Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is used as an intervention for people with brain lesions and psychosis. This case report demonstrates the possible benefits of introducing CRT into treatment packages for anorexia nervosa (AN). In our previous work, we reported that people with AN demonstrate inflexibility in cognitive set-shifting tasks. Weight gain alone does not improve the neuropsychological profile in set-shifting tasks. This case report illustrates how training programmes can address problems in cognitive rigidity. We acknowledge the limitations of case studies, however, this is a starting point in exploring the possibilities of introducing CRT as part of the treatment of AN.

Integration of QR codes into an anesthesia information management system for resident case log management.

PubMed

Avidan, Alexander; Weissman, Charles; Levin, Phillip D

2015-04-01

Quick response (QR) codes containing anesthesia syllabus data were introduced into an anesthesia information management system. The code was generated automatically at the conclusion of each case and available for resident case logging using a smartphone or tablet. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use and usability/user-friendliness of such system. Resident case logging practices were assessed prior to introducing the QR codes. QR code use and satisfactions amongst residents was reassessed at three and six months. Before QR code introduction only 12/23 (52.2%) residents maintained a case log. Most of the remaining residents (9/23, 39.1%) expected to receive a case list from the anesthesia information management system database at the end of their residency. At three months and six months 17/26 (65.4%) and 15/25 (60.0%) residents, respectively, were using the QR codes. Satisfaction was rated as very good or good. QR codes for residents' case logging with smartphones or tablets were successfully introduced in an anesthesia information management system and used by most residents. QR codes can be successfully implemented into medical practice to support data transfer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

CHP and Local Governments: Case Studies and EPA’s New Guide (Webinar) – September 30, 2014

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This webinar presents two case studies of CHP development projects undertaken through cooperation between private companies and government entities, and introduces an EPA guide to assist local governments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Introducing Values of Peace Education in Quranic Schools in Western Africa: Advantages and Challenges of the Islamic Peace-Building Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abu-Nimer, Mohammed; Nasser, Ilham; Ouboulahcen, Seddik

2016-01-01

Quranic schools (QS) play a central role in the education system in the Islamic world. Despite their relatively small numbers, QS teachers play a major role in introducing Islamic values to the public. Thus, working with QS becomes a key strategy in influencing local Islamic discourse. This article introduces a case study of a program integrating…

Describing Elementary Teachers' Operative Systems: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotger, Sharon; McQuitty, Vicki

2014-01-01

This case study introduces the notion of an operative system to describe elementary teachers' knowledge and practice. Drawing from complex systems theory, the operative system is defined as the network of knowledge and practices that constituted teachers' work within a lesson study cycle. Data were gathered throughout a lesson study cycle in which…

Introducing Scientific Literature to Honors General Chemistry Students: Teaching Information Literacy and the Nature of Research to First-Year Chemistry Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrer-Vinent, Ignacio J.; Bruehl, Margaret; Pan, Denise; Jones, Galin L.

2015-01-01

This paper describes the methodology and implementation of a case study introducing the scientific literature and creative experiment design to honors general chemistry laboratory students. The purpose of this study is to determine whether first-year chemistry students can develop information literacy skills while they engage with the primary…

The Legitimacy of Curriculum Development in Post-Colonial Hong Kong: Insights from the Case of Liberal Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Dennis; Liang, Tim

2018-01-01

Liberal Studies was initially introduced as a non-statutory subject in Hong Kong in 1992. It then confronted intense opposition and a bumpy implementation path before securing mandatory status in the new senior secondary curriculum introduced in 2009. Recently, this core subject has been under review. Whilst it is considered to promote students'…

Protocol for introducing new and licensed citrus varieties into California. A Florida case study.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the light of the current Huanglongbing (HLB) threat to the California (CA) citrus industry, and preliminary data indicating that some citrus varieties in Florida (FL) may possess some degree of tolerance to HLB, the California citrus growers indicated a strong interest in proactively introducing ...

Introducing Mathematics to Information Problem-Solving Tasks: Surface or Substance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Ander

2017-01-01

This study employs a cross-case analysis in order to explore the demands and opportunities that arise when information problem-solving tasks are introduced into college mathematics classes. Professors at three universities collaborated with me to develop statistics-related activities that required students to engage in research outside the…

A Case Study in Securities Law: SEC v. Baker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoen, Edward J.; Hughes, Diane Y.; Kowalsky, Michelle A.

2017-01-01

There are two overarching goals to this case study. First, the authors want to introduce students as early as possible in their study of business to the perils of deliberate misstatements of income in financial statement and the significant consequences that await those who do. Given the recent business scandals involving mortgage-backed…

Audio Feedback -- Better Feedback?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voelkel, Susanne; Mello, Luciane V.

2014-01-01

National Student Survey (NSS) results show that many students are dissatisfied with the amount and quality of feedback they get for their work. This study reports on two case studies in which we tried to address these issues by introducing audio feedback to one undergraduate (UG) and one postgraduate (PG) class, respectively. In case study one…

The Bureaucratising of Lesson Study: A Javanese Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kusanagi, Kanako N.

2014-01-01

Lesson study developed organically in Japan over a period of 140 years, whereas in Indonesia, lesson study was introduced as a top-down initiative. This research explores beyond general cultural differences by illustrating how the daily concerns of teachers and their social interactions differ in Japan and in the case of an Indonesian school, the…

A Case for Advanced Skills and Employability in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Alison; Miller, Stuart

2000-01-01

Case Studies to Advance Skills and Employability is a project designed to introduce a vocational dimension into academic curriculum. Key employability skills are developed as students work on real-life case situations in such areas as public sculpture, waste management, human organizations, and environmental issues. (SK)

The Zoom Lens: A Case Study in Geometrical Optics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheville, Alan; Scepanovic, Misa

2002-01-01

Introduces a case study on a motion picture company considering the purchase of a newly developed zoom lens in which students act as the engineers designing the zoom lens based on the criteria of company's specifications. Focuses on geometrical optics. Includes teaching notes and classroom management strategies. (YDS)

Organic Process Technology Valuation: Cyclohexanone Oxime Syntheses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Kevin C.; Breen, Maureen P.

2010-01-01

Three contemporary processes for cyclohexanone oxime synthesis are evaluated in a case study. The case study introduces organic chemistry students to basic cost accounting to determine the most economical technology. Technical and financial aspects of these processes are evaluated with problem-based exercises that may be completed by students…

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

PubMed

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

2014-03-01

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

Introducing the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in the Undergraduate Psychiatric Curriculum: Evaluation after One Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zahid, Muhammad Ajmal; Al-Zayed, Adel; Ohaeri, Jude; Varghese, Ramani

2011-01-01

Objective: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was introduced in undergraduate psychiatry clerkship in 2008. The authors studied the effect of OSCE on the students' performance. Methods: The "short case" (SC) and "oral examination" (OE), two of the five components of the previous assessment format, were…

Design and Implementation of an Enterprise Internet of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jing; Zhao, Huiqun; Wang, Ka; Zhang, Houyong; Hu, Gongzhu

Since the notion of "Internet of Things" (IoT) introduced about 10 years ago, most IoT research has focused on higher level issues, such as strategies, architectures, standardization, and enabling technologies, but studies of real cases of IoT are still lacking. In this paper, a real case of Internet of Things called ZB IoT is introduced. It combines the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) with EPC global standards in the system design, and focuses on the security and extensibility of IoT in its implementation.

The Executive Process, Grade Eight. Resource Unit (Unit III).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis. Project Social Studies Curriculum Center.

This resource unit, developed by the University of Minnesota's Project Social Studies, introduces eighth graders to the executive process. The unit uses case studies of presidential decision making such as the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the Cuba Bay of Pigs and quarantine decisions, and the Little Rock decision. A case study of…

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)…

Something's Fishy in Paxton Lake: A Case on Speciation in Sticklebacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Joan

2002-01-01

Introduces a case study on speciation and evolutionary mechanisms. Teaches science process skills as well as natural selection, biological species concepts, basic genetic terminology, and classification. Includes teaching notes and classroom management strategies. (Contains 14 references.) (YDS)

Enacting Curriculum Reform through Lesson Study: A Case Study of Mathematics Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ni Shuilleabhain, Aoibhinn; Seery, Aidan

2018-01-01

Based in a time of major curriculum reform, this article reports on a qualitative case study of teacher professional development (PD) in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Five mathematics teachers in an Irish secondary school were introduced to and participated in successive cycles of school-based lesson study (LS) over the course of one academic…

A Critical Analysis of USAir's Image Repair Discourse.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benoit, William L.; Czerwinski, Anne

1997-01-01

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

Communicating and Teaching Languages: A Module for Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koglbauer, René; Andersen, Elizabeth; Stewart, Sophie

2016-01-01

This case study introduces a final year undergraduate module in the School of Modern Languages at Newcastle University. The module offers a model for embedding careers in modern languages teaching into the curriculum, and thereby enhancing student employability. The case study gives an insight into the various strands of activity undertaken by the…

Case Studies in Sustainability Used in an Introductory Laboratory Course to Enhance Laboratory Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luster-Teasley, Stephanie; Hargrove-Leak, Sirena; Gibson, Willietta; Leak, Roland

2017-01-01

This educational research seeks to develop novel laboratory modules by using Case Studies in the Science Teaching method to introduce sustainability and environmental engineering laboratory concepts to 21st century learners. The increased interest in "going green" has led to a surge in the number of engineering students studying…

An Active Learning Activity for an IT Ethics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, David M.; Howard, Elizabeth V.

2014-01-01

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

Teaching Information Security with Workflow Technology--A Case Study Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Wu; Kshirsagar, Ashish; Nwala, Alexander; Li, Yaohang

2014-01-01

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the demand from professionals in different areas for improving the curricula regarding information security. The use of authentic case studies in teaching information security offers the potential to effectively engage students in active learning. In this paper, the authors introduce the…

Employer Engagement: The Critical Role of Employee Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drake, Julie; Blake, Joanne; Swallow, Wayne

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce a case study that identifies the practical issues and implications of employer engagement through course design, delivery and employee commitment in a higher education course delivered in the financial services sector. Design/methodology/approach: Using a case study the paper draws on the course…

Cultural Capital and Innovative Pedagogy: A Case Study among Indigenous Communities in Mexico and Honduras

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregorcic, Marta

2009-01-01

This article introduces case studies of innovative approaches to pedagogy among indigenous Mayan communities in Chiapas (Mexico) and Lencan communities in Intibuca (Honduras). Innovative approaches to researching alternative theories and practices of pedagogy are used by the author to develop an epistemology of critical pedagogy and its potential…

Introducing integrated product and process development into the education of science and engineering undergraduates: a lecture course with an accompanying case-study programme at the ETH chemistry department.

PubMed

Fenner, K; Jödicke, G; Alean-Kirkpatrick, P; Hungerbühler, K

2001-04-01

Increased quality requirements in the development of chemical products and a growing awareness within society of the activities of chemical companies present a new challenge to the education of young scientists. Nowadays, the teaching of chemists, chemical engineers and environmental scientists at universities has to go beyond the traditional, discipline-orientated knowledge acquisition. The students also have to learn to work and communicate in interdisciplinary teams, to solve application-oriented tasks and to integrate scientific, economical, ecological and social aspects into their work. For this reason, a case-study programme was launched at the chemistry department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. In this paper, we describe the organisational aspects of the programme, its inclusion into academic and industrial environments and summarise some of the scientific methodologies applied. One of the seven case-studies, an assessment of a modern insecticide, is presented in more detail. Finally, we discuss how far the case-study programme is suitable for introducing a new mode of knowledge production to universities.

Complexity Leadership Theory: A United States Marine Corps Historical Overlay

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-25

methodology is comparative, introducing Dr. Mary Uhl- Bien’s complexity leadership model as the lens to evaluate two historical case studies involving...transformed the Marine Corps, but changed broader warfare. In each case , the US military relied on the innovation for the operating environment that...immediately followed. The case studies indicate a legacy of Marine Corps’ senior leadership fostering a culture with the capacity to circumvent

XPAT: a toolkit to conduct cross-platform association studies with heterogeneous sequencing datasets.

PubMed

Yu, Yao; Hu, Hao; Bohlender, Ryan J; Hu, Fulan; Chen, Jiun-Sheng; Holt, Carson; Fowler, Jerry; Guthery, Stephen L; Scheet, Paul; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Yandell, Mark; Huff, Chad D

2018-04-06

High-throughput sequencing data are increasingly being made available to the research community for secondary analyses, providing new opportunities for large-scale association studies. However, heterogeneity in target capture and sequencing technologies often introduce strong technological stratification biases that overwhelm subtle signals of association in studies of complex traits. Here, we introduce the Cross-Platform Association Toolkit, XPAT, which provides a suite of tools designed to support and conduct large-scale association studies with heterogeneous sequencing datasets. XPAT includes tools to support cross-platform aware variant calling, quality control filtering, gene-based association testing and rare variant effect size estimation. To evaluate the performance of XPAT, we conducted case-control association studies for three diseases, including 783 breast cancer cases, 272 ovarian cancer cases, 205 Crohn disease cases and 3507 shared controls (including 1722 females) using sequencing data from multiple sources. XPAT greatly reduced Type I error inflation in the case-control analyses, while replicating many previously identified disease-gene associations. We also show that association tests conducted with XPAT using cross-platform data have comparable performance to tests using matched platform data. XPAT enables new association studies that combine existing sequencing datasets to identify genetic loci associated with common diseases and other complex traits.

Introducing New Peer Worker Roles into Mental Health Services in England: Comparative Case Study Research Across a Range of Organisational Contexts.

PubMed

Gillard, Steve; Holley, Jess; Gibson, Sarah; Larsen, John; Lucock, Mike; Oborn, Eivor; Rinaldi, Miles; Stamou, Elina

2015-11-01

A wide variety of peer worker roles is being introduced into mental health services internationally. Empirical insight into whether conditions supporting role introduction are common across organisational contexts is lacking. A qualitative, comparative case study compared the introduction of peer workers employed in the statutory sector, voluntary sector and in organisational partnerships. We found good practice across contexts in structural issues including recruitment and training, but differences in expectations of the peer worker role in different organisational cultures. Issues of professionalism and practice boundaries were important everywhere but could be understood very differently, sometimes eroding the distinctiveness of the role.

DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR URBAN AND ENERGY PLANNING TOWARDS A LOW-CARBON CITY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeda, Hideto; Nakakubo, Toyohiko; Tokai, Akihiro

In this study, we developed an integrated management model that supports local government to make a promising energy saving measure on a block-scale combined with urban planning. We applied the model to Osaka city and estimated CO2 emissions from the residential and commercial buildings to 2050. The urban renewal cases selected in this study included advanced multipole accumulation case, normal multipole accumulation case, and actual trend continuation case. The energy saving options introduced in each case included all-electric HP system, micro grid system, and we also set the option where the greater CO2 reduction one is selected in each block. The results showed that CO2 emission in 2050 would be reduced by 54.8-57.6% relative to the actual condition by introducing the new energy system in all cases. In addition, the amount of CO2 reduction in actual trend continuation case was highest. The major factor was that the effect of CO2 emission reductions by installing the solar power generation panel was higher than the effect by utilizing heated water mutually on the high-density blocks in terms of total urban buildings' energy consumption.

Designing an Online Case-Based Library for Technology Integration in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hebebci, Mustafa Tevfik; Kucuk, Sirin; Celik, Ismail; Akturk, A. Oguz; Sahin, Ismail; Eren, Fetah

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an interactive online case-study library website developed in a national project. The design goal of the website is to provide interactive, enhanced, case-based and online educational resource for educators through the purpose and within the scope of a national project. The ADDIE instructional design model…

Noisy bases in Hilbert space: A new class of thermal coherent states and their properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vourdas, A.; Bishop, R. F.

1995-01-01

Coherent mixed states (or thermal coherent states) associated with the displaced harmonic oscillator at finite temperature, are introduced as a 'random' (or 'thermal' or 'noisy') basis in Hilbert space. A resolution of the identity for these states is proved and used to generalize the usual coherent state formalism for the finite temperature case. The Bargmann representation of an operator is introduced and its relation to the P and Q representations is studied. Generalized P and Q representations for the finite temperature case are also considered and several interesting relations among them are derived.

Introducing Evolution to Non-Biology Majors via the Fossil Record: A Case Study from the Israeli High School System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodick, Jeff; Orion, Nir

2003-01-01

Discusses challenges faced in the teaching and learning of evolution. Presents a curricular program and a case study on evolutionary biology. Investigates students' conceptual knowledge after exposure to the program "From Dinosaurs to Darwin," which focuses on fossil records as evidence of evolution. (Contains 32 references.) (YDS)

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...

Ka Lama o ke Kaiaulu: Research on Teacher Education for a Hawaiian Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Au, Kathryn H.; Maaka, Margaret J.

1998-01-01

Introduces a three-year research project designed to answer the questions of how schools can better meet the educational needs of individuals from underrepresented groups. Provides overviews of a case study of a preservice teacher of Hawaiian ethnicity and a set of case studies of five Hawaiian women throughout their educations. (SLD)

Data Mining in Course Management Systems: Moodle Case Study and Tutorial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero, Cristobal; Ventura, Sebastian; Garcia, Enrique

2008-01-01

Educational data mining is an emerging discipline, concerned with developing methods for exploring the unique types of data that come from the educational context. This work is a survey of the specific application of data mining in learning management systems and a case study tutorial with the Moodle system. Our objective is to introduce it both…

Current Practices in Constructing and Evaluating Assurance Cases With Applications to Aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinehart, David J.; Knight, John C.; Rowanhill, Jonathan

2015-01-01

This report introduces and provides an overview of assurance cases including theory, practice, and evaluation. This report includes a section that introduces the principles, terminology, and history of assurance cases. The core of the report presents twelve example uses of assurance cases from a range of domains, using a novel classification scheme. The report also reviews the state of the art in assurance case evaluation methods.

Source identification of autochthonous-introduced Plasmodium vivax Malaria, Spain.

PubMed

Barrado, Laura; Ezpeleta, Carmen; Rubio, José Miguel; Martín, Carmen; Azcona, José Manuel; Arteaga, Miren; Beristain, Xabier; Navascués, Ana; Ongay, Eva; Castilla, Jesús

2017-02-01

In 2014, an autochthonous case of introduced malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax was identified in Spain. The strain that infected this patient was identical to that of a prior imported case from Pakistan. This is the first case where the source of infection could be identified since elimination in Spain.

Introduction Analysis of Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Technologies in Micro Grid Type Food Industrial Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimazaki, Yoichi

The aim of this study was to evaluate the refrigerating and air-conditioning technologies in cases of introducing both cogeneration system and energy network in food industrial park. The energy data of 14 factories were classified into steam, hot water, heating, cooling, refrigerating, freezing and electric power by interviews. The author developed a micro grid model based on linear programming so as to minimize the total system costs. The industrial park was divided into the 2,500 square meter mesh in order to take steam transport into consideration. Four cases were investigated. It was found that the electric power driven freezer was introduced compared with the ammonia absorption freezer. The ammonia absorption freezer was introduced in the factory that there is a little steam demand and large freezing demand at the same time.

Environmental Education in Finland--A Case Study of Environmental Education in Nature Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeronen, Eila; Jeronen, Juha; Raustia, Hanna

2009-01-01

The article aims to introduce Environmental Education (EE) in Finland and to discuss how it has been taken into account in Finnish nature schools. Firstly, we present EE models used in Finland. Thereafter we describe a qualitative case study on EE in nature schools (NS). The aim of the study was to get information for the development of EE. The…

Small-Scale Industries in Kenya: A Case Study of Economic Development. Toward a Better World Series, Learning Kit No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Harriet; Ross-Larson, Bruce, Ed.

This World Bank (Washington, D.C.) kit is a case study designed to introduce secondary school social studies students to a project in Kenya established to strengthen small-scale industries. The kit contains a pamphlet, a booklet, a sound filmstrip, and a teacher's guide. The pamphlet, "Economic Summary: Kenya," points out the severe…

The Performance of the Japanese Case Particles in Children's Speech: With Special Reference to "Ga" and "O."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miyata, Hiroko

1993-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that children's use of Japanese case particles obeys the grammatical principles introduced at the earlier stage of language development. In previous studies concerning the acquisition of Japanese case examined through the experimental method, it has been suggested that children acquire the functional use…

Addressing Problems Encountered in Case-Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turgeon, A. J.

2007-01-01

TURF 436 (Case Studies in Turfgrass Management) is the capstone course for turfgrass science majors at the Pennsylvania State University. Students are introduced to problems and complex problematic situations encountered in the management of golf and sports turf and in professional lawn-care operations. Following completion of the orientation case…

Internationalisation of the Chemistry Curriculum: Two Problem-Based Learning Activities for Undergraduate Chemists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Overton, Tina L.; Bradley, John S.

2010-01-01

In this paper we describe the development and evaluation of two activities for delivery in first year B.Sc. and M.Chem. degree courses, in which we introduced an international context representing either a linguistic or a cultural modification to the previously developed case studies. The case studies focus on an industrial and an environmental…

Environmental Impact Assessment: Teaching the Principles and Practices by Means of a Role-Playing Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crittenden, Barry D.; England, Richard

2005-01-01

The principles and practices of environmental impact assessment are best taught to chemical engineering undergraduate students by means of a role­-playing case study. Many suitable examples are available from public sources. The planning appeal process has been selected so as to introduce an adversarial style involving cross-­examination on…

(Re)Reading National Identities in School Historiographies: Pedagogical Implications from the Case of Cyprus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klerides, Eleftherios

2016-01-01

The article, using Cyprus as a case study, seeks to reframe disputes over the nature of national identities constituted in school historiographies and it does so by introducing a novel approach to the study of the making of identity in school history. This approach, grounded on post-foundational thinking and an inter-discursive mode of textual…

How and What Can We Learn from Replicating Historical Experiments? A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hottecke, Dietmar

2000-01-01

Argues that historical experiments replicated as closely as possible to the original enable experiences that are intellectual as well as sensual in kind. Demonstrates that learning by replicating makes it possible to learn on different levels of human activity related to mind and body. Introduces a case study of the replication of the kind of…

Introducing Students to Ways of Thinking and Acting Like a Researcher: A Case Study of Research-Led Education in the Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valter, Krisztina; Akerlind, Gerlese

2010-01-01

The concept of research-led education is gaining increasing attention in higher education. However, the concept may be interpreted in different ways, some more feasible within an undergraduate curriculum than others. The approach described in this paper aims to introduce students to ways of thinking and acting like a researcher through engaging in…

Differential effects of green tax reform over economies: A case of Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tae Heon

2011-12-01

It is controversial whether or not green tax reform through a carbon tax has double dividend feature. The economic effects of green tax reform vary according to economies due to different preexisting conditions. Recent studies about the economic impacts of a carbon tax have noted the role of preexisting factor taxes in the second best world. The present study, however, explores the role of existing taxes on energy products in introducing a carbon tax, by employing a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for Korea, a country that has high existing taxes on petroleum products. Above all, I find that a carbon tax is the most efficient policy instrument among three alternative taxes---an energy tax, a carbon tax and an ad valorem tax---to reduce carbon emissions in Korea under both lump-sum tax replacement and labor tax replacement. The carbon tax, however, brings about welfare and GDP loss. The economic costs can be reduced, but cannot be completely removed by revenue recycling. Second, this study explores how existing taxes on petroleum products affect the economic cost of introducing a carbon tax, by manipulating existing taxes on petroleum products. I find that the existing taxes raise the economic costs of introducing a carbon tax. Third, this study shows that the economic costs of a carbon tax can be reduced when its revenue is returned to cut preexisting taxes on petroleum products. Thus, restructuring existing taxes on energy products plays a crucial role in introducing a carbon tax. From the specific case of the Korean economy, the present study indicates that existing taxes on not only factors but also energy products are one of the main sources of economic costs in introducing a carbon tax.

Responses of Children in an Ethnically Diverse Elementary Classroom to the Use of Multicultural Cinderella Stories: A Qualitative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stout-Swain, Carolyn R.

2013-01-01

John Dewey believed that the foundation of education is built on social responsibility and democracy, and specifically proposed social change and thought of teachers essentially as social workers as a conduit to that change. In this qualitative case study, different cultures were introduced via literature to a group of fourth grade students in an…

The Use of Electronic Voting Systems in Lectures within Business and Marketing: A Case Study of Their Impact on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masikunas, George; Panayiotidis, Andreas; Burke, Linda

2007-01-01

This article presents a case study of the impact on student learning of introducing an electronic voting system (EVS) into large-group lectures for first-year undergraduate students undertaking degrees in marketing and business systems. We discuss the potential for using EVS-style interactive lectures in marketing and business programmes. We then…

Use of Anthropomorphic Brand Mascots for Student Motivation and Engagement: A Promotional Case Study with Pablo the Penguin at the University of Portsmouth Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, David E.; Thompson, Paula

2016-01-01

A case study demonstrating how an online narrative featuring the adventures of a cuddly toy penguin, Pablo Penguin (@uoppenguin on Twitter) has been introduced at the University of Portsmouth Library to build trust and engagement between university students and library services and facilities. Evidence for the benefits of anthropomorphic brand…

Making Sense in the City: Dolly Parton, Early Reading and Educational Policy-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Christine; Jones, Susan

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a case study of a philanthropic literacy initiative, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a book-gifting scheme for under 5s, and consider the impact of the scheme on literacy policy in the English city where it was introduced. We bring four lenses to bear on the case study. First, we analyse the operation of the scheme in…

Should We Add History of Science to Provide Nature of Science into Vietnamese Biology Textbook: A Case of Evolution and Genetics Teaching?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diem, Huynh Thi Thuy; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

History of science (HOS) plays a substantial role in the enhancement of rooted understanding in science teaching and learning. HOS of evolution and genetics has not been included in Vietnamese biology textbooks. This study aims to investigate the necessity of introducing evolution and genetics HOS into Vietnamese textbooks. A case study approach…

Evolving the ECSS Standards and their Use: Experience Based on Industrial Case Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldt, R.; Ahmad, E.; Raza, B.; Hult, E.; Nordebäck, T.

2009-05-01

This paper introduces two case studies conducted at two Swedish companies developing software for the space industry. The overall goal of the project is to evaluate if current use of ECSS is cost efficient and if there are ways to make the process leaner while maintaining quality. The case studies reported on here focused on how the ECSS standard was used by the companies and how that affected software development processes and software quality. This paper describes the results and recommendations based on identified challenges.

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…

Using Simulation for Enhanced Accounting Learning: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sa Silva, Pedro; Trigo, Antonio; Varajao, Joao

2012-01-01

The increasing focus of government institutions, such as the Tax Administration or Social Security, e-government has introduced a new paradigm that is the obligation of fulfilling obligations to these institutions through online channels. In the case of tax compliance by businesses, there is another requirement, only authorized persons, such as…

Kermit to Kermette? Does the Herbicide Atrazine Feminize Male Frogs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinan, Frank J.

2006-01-01

This interrupted case study, developed for an honors seminar and a nonmajors chemistry course, is based on data taken from a series of published research articles. The case explores the unintended side effects of chemicals introduced into the environment, specifically organic compounds that can act as environmental estrogens. Students examine the…

Creating Caddisfly Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Donna M.

2005-01-01

The larval stage of a northern casemaker caddisfly provides a creative hands-on activity for students while also introducing them to aquatic insect development and adaptations to stream life. This project is an opportunity to study the role of this invertebrate in the food web of a stream. Using cardboard tubes to fashion a case for a generic…

Assessing impacts of introduced aquatic species: Grass carp in large systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bain, Mark B.

1993-03-01

Introduced species have created environmental benefits and unanticipated disasters so a priori assessments of species introductions are needed for environmental management. A checklist for assessing impacts of introduced species was developed from studies of introduced species and recommendations for planning introductions. Sterile, triploid grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella) are just beginning to be used as a biocontrol agent for the management of aquatic vegetation in open waterways. Potential impacts of grass carp in open systems were identified by reviewing grass carp biology relative to the impact assessment checklist. The potential consequences of introduced grass carp were reviewed for one case study. The case study demonstrated that conclusions about potential impacts and monitoring needs can be made despite incomplete information and uncertainty. Indicators of environmental impact and vulnerability of host systems were grouped into six categories: population control, hybridization, diseases and parasites, habitat alterations, biological effects, and management issues. Triploid grass carp can significantly alter habitat and biological resources through the secondary effects of reductions in aquatic vegetation. Potential impacts and significant uncertainties involve fish dispersions from plant control areas, inability to control vegetation loss, loss of diverse plant communities and their dependent species, and conflicts with human use of the water resource. Adequate knowledge existed to assess most potential consequences of releasing large numbers of triploid grass carp in Guntersville Reservoir, Alabama. However, the assessment of potential impacts indicated that moderate, incremental stockings combined with monitoring of vegetation and biological resources are necessary to control the effects of grass carp and achieve desirable, intermediate plant densities.

A case study of ‘The Good School:’ Examples of the use of Peterson’s strengths-based approach with students

PubMed Central

White, Mathew A.; Waters, Lea E.

2015-01-01

This applied case study centers on two aspects of Peterson’s research as introduced into a large K-12 school in Australia: (i) creating enabling institutions and (ii) applications of character strengths. The paper describes five character strengths initiatives. Four of the strengths initiatives have been integrated into existing school experiences such as English curriculum, school sport, student leadership, and counseling. The fifth initiative involved a brand new program which introduced a Positive Education Curriculum for years K-10. We describe these five initiatives and then explain how students at the school may experience these in a more holistic and integrated way. We hope that this article will act as a fitting tribute to the legacy of Christopher Peterson. PMID:25431614

Distributed leadership, team working and service improvement in healthcare.

PubMed

Boak, George; Dickens, Victoria; Newson, Annalisa; Brown, Louise

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the introduction of distributed leadership and team working in a therapy department in a healthcare organisation and to explore the factors that enabled the introduction to be successful. This paper used a case study methodology. Qualitative and quantitative information was gathered from one physiotherapy department over a period of 24 months. Distributed leadership and team working were central to a number of system changes that were initiated by the department, which led to improvements in patient waiting times for therapy. The paper identifies six factors that appear to have influenced the successful introduction of distributed learning and team working in this case. This is a single case study. It would be interesting to explore whether these factors are found in other cases where distributed leadership is introduced in healthcare organisations. The paper provides an example of successful introduction of distributed leadership, which has had a positive impact on services to patients. Other therapy teams may consider how the approach may be adopted or adapted to their own circumstances. Although distributed leadership is thought to be important in healthcare, particularly when organisational change is needed, there are very few studies of the practicalities of how it can be introduced.

Stability of the line preserving flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figura, Przemysław

2017-11-01

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

The ecological risks of genetically engineered organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfenbarger, Lareesa

2001-03-01

Highly publicized studies have suggested environmental risks of releasing genetically engineered organisms (GEOs) and have renewed concerns over the evaluation and regulation of these products in domestic and international arenas. I present an overview of the risks of GEOs and the available evidence addressing these and discuss the challenges for risk assessment. Main categories of risk include non-target effects from GEOs, emergence of new viral diseases, and the spread of invasive (weedy) characteristics. Studies have detected non-target effects in some cases but not all; however, much less information exists on other risks, in part due to a lack of conceptual knowledge. For example, general models for predicting invasiveness are not well developed for any introduced organism. The risks of GEOs appear comparable to those for any introduced species or organism, but the magnitude of the risk or the pathway of exposure to the risk can differ among introduced organisms. Therefore, assessing the risks requires a case-by-case analysis so that any differences can be identified. Challenges to assessing risks to valued ecosystems include variability in effects and ecosystem complexity. Ecosystems are a dynamic and complex network of biological and physical interactions. Introducing a new biological entity, such as a GEO, may potentially alter any of these interactions, but evaluating all of these is unrealistic. Effects on a valued ecosystem could vary greatly depending on the geographical location of the experimental site, the GEO used, the plot size of the experiment (scaling effects), and the biological and physical parameters used in the experiment. Experiments that address these sources of variability will provide the most useful information for risk assessments.

Is introducing rapid culture into the diagnostic algorithm of smear-negative tuberculosis cost-effective?

PubMed

Yakhelef, N; Audibert, M; Varaine, F; Chakaya, J; Sitienei, J; Huerga, H; Bonnet, M

2014-05-01

In 2007, the World Health Organization recommended introducing rapid Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture into the diagnostic algorithm of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). To assess the cost-effectiveness of introducing a rapid non-commercial culture method (thin-layer agar), together with Löwenstein-Jensen culture to diagnose smear-negative TB at a district hospital in Kenya. Outcomes (number of true TB cases treated) were obtained from a prospective study evaluating the effectiveness of a clinical and radiological algorithm (conventional) against the alternative algorithm (conventional plus M. tuberculosis culture) in 380 smear-negative TB suspects. The costs of implementing each algorithm were calculated using a 'micro-costing' or 'ingredient-based' method. We then compared the cost and effectiveness of conventional vs. culture-based algorithms and estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. The costs of conventional and culture-based algorithms per smear-negative TB suspect were respectively €39.5 and €144. The costs per confirmed and treated TB case were respectively €452 and €913. The culture-based algorithm led to diagnosis and treatment of 27 more cases for an additional cost of €1477 per case. Despite the increase in patients started on treatment thanks to culture, the relatively high cost of a culture-based algorithm will make it difficult for resource-limited countries to afford.

Developing and sustaining adolescent-friendly health services: A multiple case study from Ecuador and Peru.

PubMed

Goicolea, Isabel; Coe, Anna-Britt; San Sebastián, Miguel; Hurtig, Anna-Karin

2017-08-01

Adolescent-Friendly Health Services (AFHSs) are those that are accessible, acceptable, equitable, appropriate and effective for different youth sub-populations. This study investigated the process through which four clinics in two countries - Peru and Ecuador - introduced, developed and sustained AFHSs. A multiple case study design was chosen, and data from each clinic were collected through document review, observations and informant interviews. National level data were also collected. Data were analysed following thematic analysis. The findings showed that the process of introducing, developing and sustaining AFHSs was long term, and required a creative team effort and collaboration between donors, public institutions and health providers. The motivation and external support was crucial to initiating and sustaining the implementation of AFHSs. Health facilities' transformation into AFHSs was linked to the broader organisation of country health systems, and the evolution of national adolescent health policies. In Peru, the centralised approach to AFHSs introduction facilitated the dissemination of a comprehensive national model to health facilities, but dependency on national directives made it more difficult to systemise them when ideological and organisational changes occurred. In Ecuador, a less centralised approach to introducing AFHSs made for easier integration of the AFHSs model.

Ultrasensitivity in signaling cascades revisited: Linking local and global ultrasensitivity estimations.

PubMed

Altszyler, Edgar; Ventura, Alejandra C; Colman-Lerner, Alejandro; Chernomoretz, Ariel

2017-01-01

Ultrasensitive response motifs, capable of converting graded stimuli into binary responses, are well-conserved in signal transduction networks. Although it has been shown that a cascade arrangement of multiple ultrasensitive modules can enhance the system's ultrasensitivity, how a given combination of layers affects a cascade's ultrasensitivity remains an open question for the general case. Here, we introduce a methodology that allows us to determine the presence of sequestration effects and to quantify the relative contribution of each module to the overall cascade's ultrasensitivity. The proposed analysis framework provides a natural link between global and local ultrasensitivity descriptors and it is particularly well-suited to characterize and understand mathematical models used to study real biological systems. As a case study, we have considered three mathematical models introduced by O'Shaughnessy et al. to study a tunable synthetic MAPK cascade, and we show how our methodology can help modelers better understand alternative models.

Ultrasensitivity in signaling cascades revisited: Linking local and global ultrasensitivity estimations

PubMed Central

Altszyler, Edgar; Ventura, Alejandra C.; Colman-Lerner, Alejandro; Chernomoretz, Ariel

2017-01-01

Ultrasensitive response motifs, capable of converting graded stimuli into binary responses, are well-conserved in signal transduction networks. Although it has been shown that a cascade arrangement of multiple ultrasensitive modules can enhance the system’s ultrasensitivity, how a given combination of layers affects a cascade’s ultrasensitivity remains an open question for the general case. Here, we introduce a methodology that allows us to determine the presence of sequestration effects and to quantify the relative contribution of each module to the overall cascade’s ultrasensitivity. The proposed analysis framework provides a natural link between global and local ultrasensitivity descriptors and it is particularly well-suited to characterize and understand mathematical models used to study real biological systems. As a case study, we have considered three mathematical models introduced by O’Shaughnessy et al. to study a tunable synthetic MAPK cascade, and we show how our methodology can help modelers better understand alternative models. PMID:28662096

Design and Facilitation of Problem-Based Learning in Graduate Teacher Education: An MA TESOL Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caswell, Cynthia Ann

2016-01-01

This exploratory, evaluative case study introduces a new context for problem-based learning (PBL) involving an iterative, modular approach to curriculum-wide delivery of PBL in an MA TESOL program. The introduction to the curriculum context provides an overview of the design and delivery features particular to the situation. The delivery approach…

Orienting Student Using a Case-Based Instructional Approach: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agbor-Baiyee, W.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Orientation facilitates the transition to a new academic program to meet the need of new students to know programmatic items such as academic expectations, courses, policies and procedures. We used a problem based learning (PBL) approach to introduce our students to the expectations of our intensive 10-week Medical College Admission Test…

Case study - human body relay race.

PubMed

Lewis, Heather

2017-04-01

This case presentation introduces the work of Heather Lewis, Graphic Designer from Birmingham Community Healthcare Foundation Trust, Clinical Illustration department. The graphic design team offer professional design solutions in a variety of formats such as scientific posters, banners, patient information booklets and promotional items. This particular project was requested by the Combined Community Dental Service, a Specialist Division in Birmingham.

Remote Control and Children's Understanding of Robots

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Somanader, Mark C.; Saylor, Megan M.; Levin, Daniel T.

2011-01-01

Children use goal-directed motion to classify agents as living things from early in infancy. In the current study, we asked whether preschoolers are flexible in their application of this criterion by introducing them to robots that engaged in goal-directed motion. In one case the robot appeared to move fully autonomously, and in the other case it…

Probable autochthonous introduced malaria cases in Italy in 2009-2011 and the risk of local vector-borne transmission.

PubMed

Romi, R; Boccolini, D; Menegon, M; Rezza, G

2012-11-29

We describe two cases of probable autochthonous introduced Plasmodium vivax malaria that occurred in 2009 and 2011 in two sites of South-Central Italy. Although the sources of the infections were not detected, local transmission could not be disproved and therefore the cases were classified as autochthonous. Sporadic P. vivax cases transmitted by indigenous vectors may be considered possible in some areas of the country where vector abundance and environmental conditions are favourable to malaria transmission.

Enhancement of Markov chain model by integrating exponential smoothing: A case study on Muslims marriage and divorce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamaluddin, Fadhilah; Rahim, Rahela Abdul

2015-12-01

Markov Chain has been introduced since the 1913 for the purpose of studying the flow of data for a consecutive number of years of the data and also forecasting. The important feature in Markov Chain is obtaining the accurate Transition Probability Matrix (TPM). However to obtain the suitable TPM is hard especially in involving long-term modeling due to unavailability of data. This paper aims to enhance the classical Markov Chain by introducing Exponential Smoothing technique in developing the appropriate TPM.

Monte Carlo Simulations of the Photospheric Emission in Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bégué, D.; Siutsou, I. A.; Vereshchagin, G. V.

2013-04-01

We studied the decoupling of photons from ultra-relativistic spherically symmetric outflows expanding with constant velocity by means of Monte Carlo simulations. For outflows with finite widths we confirm the existence of two regimes: photon-thick and photon-thin, introduced recently by Ruffini et al. (RSV). The probability density function of the last scattering of photons is shown to be very different in these two cases. We also obtained spectra as well as light curves. In the photon-thick case, the time-integrated spectrum is much broader than the Planck function and its shape is well described by the fuzzy photosphere approximation introduced by RSV. In the photon-thin case, we confirm the crucial role of photon diffusion, hence the probability density of decoupling has a maximum near the diffusion radius well below the photosphere. The time-integrated spectrum of the photon-thin case has a Band shape that is produced when the outflow is optically thick and its peak is formed at the diffusion radius.

MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS OF THE PHOTOSPHERIC EMISSION IN GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

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

Begue, D.; Siutsou, I. A.; Vereshchagin, G. V.

2013-04-20

We studied the decoupling of photons from ultra-relativistic spherically symmetric outflows expanding with constant velocity by means of Monte Carlo simulations. For outflows with finite widths we confirm the existence of two regimes: photon-thick and photon-thin, introduced recently by Ruffini et al. (RSV). The probability density function of the last scattering of photons is shown to be very different in these two cases. We also obtained spectra as well as light curves. In the photon-thick case, the time-integrated spectrum is much broader than the Planck function and its shape is well described by the fuzzy photosphere approximation introduced by RSV.more » In the photon-thin case, we confirm the crucial role of photon diffusion, hence the probability density of decoupling has a maximum near the diffusion radius well below the photosphere. The time-integrated spectrum of the photon-thin case has a Band shape that is produced when the outflow is optically thick and its peak is formed at the diffusion radius.« less

Introducing Students to Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brickman, Peggy; Glynn, Shawn; Graybeal, Geoffrey

2008-01-01

Strategically introducing students to a controversial science case--before they read it, watch it, or listen to it--motivates them to learn from it and paves the way for successful discussion and debate. A strategic introduction also provides an opportunity for the instructor to demonstrate scientific reasoning and share guidelines for the…

Literature Search through Mixed-Membership Community Discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliassi-Rad, Tina; Henderson, Keith

We introduce a new approach to literature search that is based on finding mixed-membership communities on an augmented co-authorship graph (ACA) with a scalable generative model. An ACA graph contains two types of edges: (1) coauthorship links and (2) links between researchers with substantial expertise overlap. Our solution eliminates the biases introduced by either looking at citations of a paper or doing a Web search. A case study on PubMed shows the benefits of our approach.

Our Legal Heritage: A Case Approach. Bulletin No. 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery. Div. of Instructional Services.

This booklet, intended for use with junior high school students, contains background readings on specific areas of the legal system and case studies of authentic court decisions relevant to each area. The purpose of the booklet is to introduce students to the influence of law on everyday life and to make them aware of the legal heritage and legal…

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…

Case Study -- Improving Management Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stait, Norman

1970-01-01

The Knitting, Lace, and Net Industry Training Board in Great Britain is beginning to work with management training, using three firms for experimental pilot projects. The Board plans to introduce this management system throughout the industry. (MF)

Enantioselective analysis of citalopram and escitalopram in postmortem blood together with genotyping for CYP2D6 and CYP2C19.

PubMed

Carlsson, Björn; Holmgren, Anita; Ahlner, Johan; Bengtsson, Finn

2009-03-01

Citalopram is marketed as a racemate (50:50) mixture of the S(+)-enantiomer and R(-)-enantiomer and the active S(+)-enantiomer (escitalopram) that possess inhibitory effects. Citalopram was introduced in Sweden in 1992 and is the most frequently used antidepressant to date in Sweden. In 2002, escitalopram was introduced onto the Swedish market for treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. The main objective of this study was to investigate S(+)-citalopram [i.e., the racemic drug (citalopram) or the enantiomer (escitalopram)] present in forensic autopsy cases positive for the presence of citalopram in routine screening using a non-enantioselective bioanalytical method. Fifty out of the 270 samples found positive by gas chromatography-nitrogen-phosphorus detection were further analyzed using enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography. The 50 cases were genotyped for CYP2D6 and CYP2C19, as these isoenzymes are implicated in the metabolism of citalopram and escitalopram. In samples positive for racemic citalopram using the screening method for forensic autopsy cases, up to 20% would have been misinterpreted in the absence of an enantioselective method. An enantioselective method is thus necessary for correct interpretation of autopsy cases, after the enantiomer has been introduced onto the market. The percentage of poor metabolizers was 6% for CYP2D6 and 8% for CYP2C19.

Ethics: A Course of Study for Educational Leaders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimbrough, Ralph B.

This monograph provides readings in ethical thought and professional ethics in educational administration, supplemented by case studies illustrating ethical problems administrators face. Comments on the field of ethics and the importance of administrative ethics introduce the booklet, along with background information about the booklet and…

Bovine Acellular Dermal Matrix for Levator Lengthening in Thyroid-Related Upper-Eyelid Retraction.

PubMed

Sun, Jing; Liu, Xingtong; Zhang, Yidan; Huang, Yazhuo; Zhong, Sisi; Fang, Sijie; Zhuang, Ai; Li, Yinwei; Zhou, Huifang; Fan, Xianqun

2018-05-02

BACKGROUND Eyelid retraction is the most common and often the first sign of thyroid eye disease (TED). Upper-eyelid retraction causes both functional and cosmetic problems. In order to correct the position of the upper eyelid, surgery is required. Many procedures have demonstrated good outcomes in mild and moderate cases; however, unpredictable results have been obtained in severe cases. Dryden introduced an upper-eyelid-lengthening procedure, which used scleral grafts, but outcomes were unsatisfactory. A new technique is introduced in this study as a reasonable alternative for TED-related severe upper-eyelid retraction correction. MATERIAL AND METHODS An innovative technique for levator lengthening using bovine acellular dermal matrix as a spacer graft is introduced for severe upper-eyelid retraction secondary to TED. Additionally, 2 modifications were introduced: the fibrous cords scattered on the surface of the levator aponeurosis were excised and the orbital fat pad anterior to the aponeurosis was dissected and sutured into the skin closure in a "skin-tarsus-fat-skin" fashion. RESULTS The modified levator-lengthening surgery was performed on 32 eyelids in 26 patients consisting of 21 women and 5 men (mean age, 37.8 years; age range, 19-67 years). After corrective surgery, the average upper margin reflex distance was lowered from 7.7±0.85 mm to 3.3±0.43 mm. Eighteen cases (69%) had perfect results, while 6 cases (23%) had acceptable results. CONCLUSIONS A modified levator-lengthening procedure using bovine acellular dermal matrix as a spacer graft ameliorated both the symptoms and signs of severe upper-eyelid retraction secondary to TED. This procedure is a reasonable alternative for correction of TED-related severe upper-eyelid retraction.

Bovine Acellular Dermal Matrix for Levator Lengthening in Thyroid-Related Upper-Eyelid Retraction

PubMed Central

Sun, Jing; Liu, Xingtong; Zhang, Yidan; Huang, Yazhuo; Zhong, Sisi; Fang, Sijie; Zhuang, Ai; Li, Yinwei; Zhou, Huifang

2018-01-01

Background Eyelid retraction is the most common and often the first sign of thyroid eye disease (TED). Upper-eyelid retraction causes both functional and cosmetic problems. In order to correct the position of the upper eyelid, surgery is required. Many procedures have demonstrated good outcomes in mild and moderate cases; however, unpredictable results have been obtained in severe cases. Dryden introduced an upper-eyelid-lengthening procedure, which used scleral grafts, but outcomes were unsatisfactory. A new technique is introduced in this study as a reasonable alternative for TED-related severe upper-eyelid retraction correction. Material/Methods An innovative technique for levator lengthening using bovine acellular dermal matrix as a spacer graft is introduced for severe upper-eyelid retraction secondary to TED. Additionally, 2 modifications were introduced: the fibrous cords scattered on the surface of the levator aponeurosis were excised and the orbital fat pad anterior to the aponeurosis was dissected and sutured into the skin closure in a “skin-tarsus-fat-skin” fashion. Results The modified levator-lengthening surgery was performed on 32 eyelids in 26 patients consisting of 21 women and 5 men (mean age, 37.8 years; age range, 19–67 years). After corrective surgery, the average upper margin reflex distance was lowered from 7.7±0.85 mm to 3.3±0.43 mm. Eighteen cases (69%) had perfect results, while 6 cases (23%) had acceptable results. Conclusions A modified levator-lengthening procedure using bovine acellular dermal matrix as a spacer graft ameliorated both the symptoms and signs of severe upper-eyelid retraction secondary to TED. This procedure is a reasonable alternative for correction of TED-related severe upper-eyelid retraction. PMID:29718902

Narrative and evidence. How can case studies from the history of science support claims in the philosophy of science?

PubMed

Kinzel, Katherina

2015-02-01

A common method for warranting the historical adequacy of philosophical claims is that of relying on historical case studies. This paper addresses the question as to what evidential support historical case studies can provide to philosophical claims and doctrines. It argues that in order to assess the evidential functions of historical case studies, we first need to understand the methodology involved in producing them. To this end, an account of historical reconstruction that emphasizes the narrative character of historical accounts and the theory-laden character of historical facts is introduced. The main conclusion of this paper is that historical case studies are able to provide philosophical claims with some evidential support, but that, due to theory-ladenness, their evidential import is restricted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rethinking Case Study Methodology in Poststructural Research.

PubMed

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

2015-03-01

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

Elective Drama Course in Mathematics Education: An Assessment of Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sagirli, Meryem Özturan

2014-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate a newly introduced elective course "Drama in Mathematics Education" into mathematics education curriculum from the viewpoints of pre-service mathematics teachers. A case study was employed in the study. The study group consisted of 37 pre-service mathematics teachers who were enrolled in a Turkish state…

Mesothelial Cell Autoantibodies Induce Collagen Deposition in vitro & Using a Case Study to Introduce Undergraduates to Bioinformatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serve, Kinta M.

Part I. Pleural fibrosis, a non-malignant, asbestos-related respiratory disease characterized by excessive collagen deposition, is progressive, debilitating, and potentially fatal. Disease severity may be influenced by the type of asbestos fiber inhaled, with Libby amphibole (LA) a seemingly more potent mediator of pleural fibrosis than chrysotile (CH) asbestos. This difference in severity may be due to the reported immunological component associated with LA but not CH related diseases. Here, we report the potential mechanisms by which asbestos-associated mesothelial cell autoantibodies (MCAAs) contribute to pleural fibrosis development. MCAAs are shown to bind cultured human pleural mesothelial cells and induce the deposition of type I collagen proteins in the absence of phenotypic changes typically associated with fibrosis development. However, additional extracellular proteins seem to differentially contribute to LA and CH MCAA-associated collagen deposition. Our data also suggest that IgG subclass distributions differ between LA and CH MCAAs, potentially altering the antibody effector functions. Differences in MCAA mechanisms of action and effector functions may help explain the disparate clinical disease phenotypes noted between LA and CH-exposed populations and may provide insights for development of novel therapeutic strategies. Part II. As scientific research becomes increasingly reliant on computational tools, it is more important than ever before to train students to use these tools. While educators agree that biology students should gain experience with bioinformatics, there exists no consensus as to how to integrate these concepts into the already demanding undergraduate curriculum. The Portal-21 project offers a solution by utilizing on-line learning case studies to allow flexibility for classroom integration. Presented here are the results from two field tests of a case study developed to introduce the common bioinformatics tools pBLAST and PubMed to undergraduate students while reinforcing concepts of protein function. Data suggest positive gains in student learning and confidence with using bioinformatics tools following use of the case study. These results indicate that on-line case studies are a useful tool for introducing bioinformatics into undergraduate classrooms.

Flash flood disasters analysis and evaluation: a case study of Yiyang County in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Haichen; Zhang, Xiaolei; Li, Qing; Qin, Tao; Lei, Xiaohui

2018-03-01

Global climate change leads to the more extreme precipitation and more flash flood disasters, which is a serious threat to the mountain inhabitants. To prevent flash flood disasters, China started flash flood disaster control planning and other projects from 2006. Among those measures, non-engineering measures are effective and economical. This paper introduced the framework of flash flood disaster analysis and evaluation in China, followed by a case study of Yiyang County.

Introducing Managers to Expert Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlay, Paul N.; And Others

1991-01-01

Describes a short course to expose managers to expert systems, consisting of (1) introductory lecture; (2) supervised computer tutorial; (3) lecture and discussion about knowledge structuring and modeling; and (4) small group work on a case study using computers. (SK)

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.

Plagiarism, Cheating and Research Integrity: Case Studies from a Masters Program in Peru.

PubMed

Carnero, Andres M; Mayta-Tristan, Percy; Konda, Kelika A; Mezones-Holguin, Edward; Bernabe-Ortiz, Antonio; Alvarado, German F; Canelo-Aybar, Carlos; Maguiña, Jorge L; Segura, Eddy R; Quispe, Antonio M; Smith, Edward S; Bayer, Angela M; Lescano, Andres G

2017-08-01

Plagiarism is a serious, yet widespread type of research misconduct, and is often neglected in developing countries. Despite its far-reaching implications, plagiarism is poorly acknowledged and discussed in the academic setting, and insufficient evidence exists in Latin America and developing countries to inform the development of preventive strategies. In this context, we present a longitudinal case study of seven instances of plagiarism and cheating arising in four consecutive classes (2011-2014) of an Epidemiology Masters program in Lima, Peru, and describes the implementation and outcomes of a multifaceted, "zero-tolerance" policy aimed at introducing research integrity. Two cases involved cheating in graded assignments, and five cases correspond to plagiarism in the thesis protocol. Cases revealed poor awareness of high tolerance to plagiarism, poor academic performance, and widespread writing deficiencies, compensated with patchwriting and copy-pasting. Depending on the events' severity, penalties included course failure (6/7) and separation from the program (3/7). Students at fault did not engage in further plagiarism. Between 2011 and 2013, the Masters program sequentially introduced a preventive policy consisting of: (i) intensified research integrity and scientific writing education, (ii) a stepwise, cumulative writing process; (iii) honor codes; (iv) active search for plagiarism in all academic products; and (v) a "zero-tolerance" policy in response to documented cases. No cases were detected in 2014. In conclusion, plagiarism seems to be widespread in resource-limited settings and a greater response with educational and zero-tolerance components is needed to prevent it.

Numerical Investigation of Flow Around Rectangular Cylinders with and Without Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tiwari, S. N .; Pidugu, S. B.

1999-01-01

The problem of flow past bluff bodies was studied extensively in the past. The problem of drag reduction is very important in many high speed flow applications. Considerable work has been done in this subject area in case of circular cylinders. The present study attempts to investigate the feasibility of drag reduction on a rectangular cylinder by flow injection by flow injection from the rear stagnation region. The physical problem is modeled as two-dimensional body and numerical analysis is carried out with and without trailing jets. A commercial code is used for this purpose. Unsteady computation is performed in case of rectangular cylinders with no trailing jets where as steady state computation is performed when jet is introduced. It is found that drag can be reduced by introducing jets with small intensity in rear stagnation region of the rectangular cylinders.

Parametric number covariance in quantum chaotic spectra.

PubMed

Vinayak; Kumar, Sandeep; Pandey, Akhilesh

2016-03-01

We study spectral parametric correlations in quantum chaotic systems and introduce the number covariance as a measure of such correlations. We derive analytic results for the classical random matrix ensembles using the binary correlation method and obtain compact expressions for the covariance. We illustrate the universality of this measure by presenting the spectral analysis of the quantum kicked rotors for the time-reversal invariant and time-reversal noninvariant cases. A local version of the parametric number variance introduced earlier is also investigated.

Third Party Collection Program; Case Study of Naval Hospital Oakland and Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

the reader to the hospital TPC program, the concept , the La:., and tbe progran implementation responsibilities. it qives a brief explanation of the DoD...Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP). This thesis briefly introduces the reader to the hospital TPC program, the concept , the Law, and the...current program. E. THESIS CHAPTER SUMMARY The first chapter briefly introduces the reader to the hospital TPC program, the concept , the law, and the

A targeted change-detection procedure by combining change vector analysis and post-classification approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Su; Chen, Dongmei; Yu, Jie

2016-04-01

In remote sensing, conventional supervised change-detection methods usually require effective training data for multiple change types. This paper introduces a more flexible and efficient procedure that seeks to identify only the changes that users are interested in, here after referred to as "targeted change detection". Based on a one-class classifier "Support Vector Domain Description (SVDD)", a novel algorithm named "Three-layer SVDD Fusion (TLSF)" is developed specially for targeted change detection. The proposed algorithm combines one-class classification generated from change vector maps, as well as before- and after-change images in order to get a more reliable detecting result. In addition, this paper introduces a detailed workflow for implementing this algorithm. This workflow has been applied to two case studies with different practical monitoring objectives: urban expansion and forest fire assessment. The experiment results of these two case studies show that the overall accuracy of our proposed algorithm is superior (Kappa statistics are 86.3% and 87.8% for Case 1 and 2, respectively), compared to applying SVDD to change vector analysis and post-classification comparison.

Prospects of poisoning - a multi facet study.

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

Queer blindfolding: a case study on difference "blindness" toward persons who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.

PubMed

Smith, Lance C; Shin, Richard Q

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to introduce and explore the narrative strategy of queer blindfolding. Utilizing psycho-discursive qualitative methodology, the authors will draw from a case study to demonstrate how some beneficent, well-intended persons who identify as heterosexual adopt the narrative strategy of queer blindfolding as they negotiate the discourse of heteronormativity. We will map this narrative strategy, compare and contrast it to racial colorblindness, and unpack the accompanying intra-psychic conflict and defense mechanisms that are utilized by the participant in the case study. We will also demonstrate how this discursive strategy positions participants within systemic heterosexism.

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.

Challenges in Introducing New Products: A Case Study on the New Product Development Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rankin, Robert; Mintu-Wimsatt, Alma

2017-01-01

The case is based on an actual product introduction, and is designed to provide instruction on the new product development process. With the cost to launch new products estimated at least US $15 million and new product failure rates ranging from 40% to 80%, it is imperative that students learn how to determine the financial and market feasibility…

Role Clarification Processes for Better Integration of Nurse Practitioners into Primary Healthcare Teams: A Multiple-Case Study

PubMed Central

D'Amour, Danielle; Contandriopoulos, Damien; Chouinard, Véronique; Dubois, Carl-Ardy

2014-01-01

Role clarity is a crucial issue for effective interprofessional collaboration. Poorly defined roles can become a source of conflict in clinical teams and reduce the effectiveness of care and services delivered to the population. Our objective in this paper is to outline processes for clarifying professional roles when a new role is introduced into clinical teams, that of the primary healthcare nurse practitioner (PHCNP). To support our empirical analysis we used the Canadian National Interprofessional Competency Framework, which defines the essential components for role clarification among professionals. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted on six cases in which the PHCNP role was introduced into primary care teams. Data collection included 34 semistructured interviews with key informants involved in the implementation of the PHCNP role. Our results revealed that the best performing primary care teams were those that used a variety of organizational and individual strategies to carry out role clarification processes. From this study, we conclude that role clarification is both an organizational process to be developed and a competency that each member of the primary care team must mobilize to ensure effective interprofessional collaboration. PMID:25692039

Role clarification processes for better integration of nurse practitioners into primary healthcare teams: a multiple-case study.

PubMed

Brault, Isabelle; Kilpatrick, Kelley; D'Amour, Danielle; Contandriopoulos, Damien; Chouinard, Véronique; Dubois, Carl-Ardy; Perroux, Mélanie; Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique

2014-01-01

Role clarity is a crucial issue for effective interprofessional collaboration. Poorly defined roles can become a source of conflict in clinical teams and reduce the effectiveness of care and services delivered to the population. Our objective in this paper is to outline processes for clarifying professional roles when a new role is introduced into clinical teams, that of the primary healthcare nurse practitioner (PHCNP). To support our empirical analysis we used the Canadian National Interprofessional Competency Framework, which defines the essential components for role clarification among professionals. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted on six cases in which the PHCNP role was introduced into primary care teams. Data collection included 34 semistructured interviews with key informants involved in the implementation of the PHCNP role. Our results revealed that the best performing primary care teams were those that used a variety of organizational and individual strategies to carry out role clarification processes. From this study, we conclude that role clarification is both an organizational process to be developed and a competency that each member of the primary care team must mobilize to ensure effective interprofessional collaboration.

Using Generic Inductive Approach in Qualitative Educational Research: A Case Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Lisha

2016-01-01

Qualitative research strategy has been widely adopted by educational researchers in order to improve the quality of their empirical studies. This paper aims to introduce a generic inductive approach, pragmatic and flexible in qualitative theoretical support, by describing its application in a study of non-English major undergraduates' English…

Judicious Discipline: A Case Study of a Student Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackley, Blaine C.; Campbell, Travis C.

This study examined the effects of using the Judicious Discipline (JD) program in one student teacher's classroom. The student teacher administered anonymous student surveys on discipline to his high school social studies class. He then introduced and discussed freedom, justice, and equality with his students and examined the concepts of rights…

Active Vertex Model for cell-resolution description of epithelial tissue mechanics

PubMed Central

Barton, Daniel L.; Henkes, Silke

2017-01-01

We introduce an Active Vertex Model (AVM) for cell-resolution studies of the mechanics of confluent epithelial tissues consisting of tens of thousands of cells, with a level of detail inaccessible to similar methods. The AVM combines the Vertex Model for confluent epithelial tissues with active matter dynamics. This introduces a natural description of the cell motion and accounts for motion patterns observed on multiple scales. Furthermore, cell contacts are generated dynamically from positions of cell centres. This not only enables efficient numerical implementation, but provides a natural description of the T1 transition events responsible for local tissue rearrangements. The AVM also includes cell alignment, cell-specific mechanical properties, cell growth, division and apoptosis. In addition, the AVM introduces a flexible, dynamically changing boundary of the epithelial sheet allowing for studies of phenomena such as the fingering instability or wound healing. We illustrate these capabilities with a number of case studies. PMID:28665934

Active Vertex Model for cell-resolution description of epithelial tissue mechanics.

PubMed

Barton, Daniel L; Henkes, Silke; Weijer, Cornelis J; Sknepnek, Rastko

2017-06-01

We introduce an Active Vertex Model (AVM) for cell-resolution studies of the mechanics of confluent epithelial tissues consisting of tens of thousands of cells, with a level of detail inaccessible to similar methods. The AVM combines the Vertex Model for confluent epithelial tissues with active matter dynamics. This introduces a natural description of the cell motion and accounts for motion patterns observed on multiple scales. Furthermore, cell contacts are generated dynamically from positions of cell centres. This not only enables efficient numerical implementation, but provides a natural description of the T1 transition events responsible for local tissue rearrangements. The AVM also includes cell alignment, cell-specific mechanical properties, cell growth, division and apoptosis. In addition, the AVM introduces a flexible, dynamically changing boundary of the epithelial sheet allowing for studies of phenomena such as the fingering instability or wound healing. We illustrate these capabilities with a number of case studies.

Improving the Science Curriculum with Bioethics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundmark, Cathy

2002-01-01

Explains the importance of integrating bioethics into the science curriculum for student learning. Introduces a workshop designed for middle and high school science teachers teaching bioethics, its application to case studies, and how teachers can fit bioethics into their classroom. (YDS)

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…

Vocational Training for Advanced Technology in Hong Kong. Monograph No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Ng Sek

Case studies were conducted in industrial enterprises of varying sizes and a university library in Hong Kong that have introduced advanced technology. The studies investigated the management of technological change, vocational training, and human resources development at the workplace, as well as the repercussions on work attitudes, the…

Towards a Pedagogy of Imagination: A Phenomenological Case Study of Holistic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Thomas William

2006-01-01

This article offers a synthesis of my recently completed doctorate study of Rudolf Steiner's notion of imaginative teaching. Seven original imaginative teaching methods (drama, exploration, storytelling, routine, arts, discussion and empathy) are introduced via phenomenological moments, followed by analysis and discussion. The article concludes…

Lights, Camera, Lesson: Teaching Literacy through Film

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipiner, Michael

2011-01-01

This in-depth case study explores a modern approach to education: the benefits of using film, technology and other creative, non-conventional pedagogical methods in the classroom to enhance students' understanding of literature. The study explores the positive effects of introducing a variety of visual-based (and auditory-based) teaching methods…

Invasive species: Ocean ecosystem case studies for earth systems and environmental sciences

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schofield, Pam; Brown, Mary E.

2016-01-01

Marine species are increasingly transferred from areas where they are native to areas where they are not. Some nonnative species become invasive, causing undesirable impacts to environment, economy and/or human health. Nonnative marine species can be introduced through a variety of vectors, including shipping, trade, inland corridors (such as canals), and others. Effects of invasive marine species can be dramatic and irreversible. Case studies of four nonnative marine species are given (green crab, comb jelly, lionfish and Caulerpa algae).

Protease inhibitors: changing the way AIDS case management does business.

PubMed

Merithew, M A; Davis-Satterla, L

2000-09-01

The purpose of the qualitative evaluation study discussed in this article was to examine the AIDS case management model under which five nonprofit AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in Midcity were operating. The study was organized around 40 qualitative interviews with executive directors, directors, and case managers. The finding was that AIDS case management is evolving to accommodate the changing environmental/contextual conditions that have resulted from combination drug therapies (protease inhibitors) introduced in 1996. The agencies are responding to the changes individually rather than as a network, and responses vary among the agencies. Institutional theory, an examination of the interconnectedness of clients, the ASOs, and their environmental context guided the analysis of the findings.

[Hazard function and life table: an introduction to the failure time analysis].

PubMed

Matsushita, K; Inaba, H

1987-04-01

Failure time analysis has become popular in demographic studies. It can be viewed as a part of regression analysis with limited dependent variables as well as a special case of event history analysis and multistate demography. The idea of hazard function and failure time analysis, however, has not been properly introduced to nor commonly discussed by demographers in Japan. The concept of hazard function in comparison with life tables is briefly described, where the force of mortality is interchangeable with the hazard rate. The basic idea of failure time analysis is summarized for the cases of exponential distribution, normal distribution, and proportional hazard models. The multiple decrement life table is also introduced as an example of lifetime data analysis with cause-specific hazard rates.

Examining the prevalence, role and impact of evidence regarding Antisocial Personality, sociopathy and psychopathy in capital cases: a survey of defense team members.

PubMed

Edens, John F; Cox, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Although anecdotal case accounts suggest that evidence concerning Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), sociopathy and psychopathy is frequently introduced by the prosecution in capital murder trials, to date there has been no systematic research to determine the actual prevalence, role, or perceived impact of such evidence in these cases. Survey data collected from attendees at a national capital mitigation conference (n=41) indicated that prosecution evidence concerning APD was quite prevalent, with "sociopath" and "psychopath" labels being introduced less frequently. Evidence concerning these disorders, which were assessed primarily via DSM criteria and self-report personality inventories, was most often introduced by the prosecution in the sentencing phase to address a defendant's ostensible risk of future dangerousness and/or to rebut mitigating evidence-although it was also introduced frequently in the guilt/innocence phase of these trials to rebut mental health evidence offered by the defense. Survey respondents believed that evidence concerning APD, sociopathy, and psychopathy had a considerable impact on trial outcomes. Also, although defense objections were common, such evidence was rarely ruled to be inadmissible in these cases. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adoption of robotics in a general surgery residency program: at what cost?

PubMed

Mehaffey, J Hunter; Michaels, Alex D; Mullen, Matthew G; Yount, Kenan W; Meneveau, Max O; Smith, Philip W; Friel, Charles M; Schirmer, Bruce D

2017-06-01

Robotic technology is increasingly being utilized by general surgeons. However, the impact of introducing robotics to surgical residency has not been examined. This study aims to assess the financial costs and training impact of introducing robotics at an academic general surgery residency program. All patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic cholecystectomy, ventral hernia repair (VHR), and inguinal hernia repair (IHR) at our institution from 2011-2015 were identified. The effect of robotic surgery on laparoscopic case volume was assessed with linear regression analysis. Resident participation, operative time, hospital costs, and patient charges were also evaluated. We identified 2260 laparoscopic and 139 robotic operations. As the volume of robotic cases increased, the number of laparoscopic cases steadily decreased. Residents participated in all laparoscopic cases and 70% of robotic cases but operated from the robot console in only 21% of cases. Mean operative time was increased for robotic cholecystectomy (+22%), IHR (+55%), and VHR (+61%). Financial analysis revealed higher median hospital costs per case for robotic cholecystectomy (+$411), IHR (+$887), and VHR (+$1124) as well as substantial associated fixed costs. Introduction of robotic surgery had considerable negative impact on laparoscopic case volume and significantly decreased resident participation. Increased operative time and hospital costs are substantial. An institution must be cognizant of these effects when considering implementing robotics in departments with a general surgery residency program. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the relationship between human papilloma virus vaccine and autoimmune diseases.

PubMed

Pellegrino, Paolo; Carnovale, Carla; Pozzi, Marco; Antoniazzi, Stefania; Perrone, Valentina; Salvati, Dionigi; Gentili, Marta; Brusadelli, Tatiana; Clementi, Emilio; Radice, Sonia

2014-07-01

The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines were introduced to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. The bivalent vaccine is effective against HPV-16, -18, -31, -33 and -45 while the quadrivalent vaccine is effective against HPV-16, 18, 31, 6 and 11 types. The immunisation, recommended for adolescent females, has led to high vaccine coverage in many countries. Along with the introduction of the HPV vaccines, several cases of onset or exacerbations of autoimmune diseases following the vaccine shot have been reported in the literature and pharmacovigilance databases, triggering concerns about its safety. This vaccination programme, however, has been introduced in a population that is at high risk for the onset of autoimmune diseases, making it difficult to assess the role of HPV vaccine in these cases and no conclusive studies have been reported thus far. We have thus analysed and reviewed comprehensively all case reports and studies dealing with either the onset of an autoimmune disease in vaccinated subject or the safety in patients with autoimmune diseases to define the role of the HPV vaccines in these diseases and hence its safety. A solid evidence of causal relationship was provided in few cases in the examined studies, and the risk vs. benefit of vaccination is still to be solved. The on-going vigilance for the safety of this vaccine remains thus of paramount importance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed Central

Thompson, Trevor DB

2004-01-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2015-02-10

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

Economic Effects of Introducing Alternative Salmonella Control Strategies in Sweden

PubMed Central

Sundström, Kristian; Wahlström, Helene; Ivarsson, Sofie; Sternberg Lewerin, Susanna

2014-01-01

The objective of the study was to analyse the economic effects of introducing alternative Salmonella control strategies in Sweden. Current control strategies in Denmark and the Netherlands were used as benchmarks. The true number of human Salmonella cases was estimated by reconstructing the reporting pyramids for the various scenarios. Costs were calculated for expected changes in human morbidity (Salmonella and two of its sequelae), for differences in the control programmes and for changes in cattle morbidity. The net effects (benefits minus costs) were negative in all scenarios (€ −5 to −105 million), implying that it would not be cost-effective to introduce alternative control strategies in Sweden. This result was mainly due to an expected increase in the incidence of Salmonella in humans (6035–57108 reported and unreported new cases/year), with expected additional costs of € 5–55 million. Other increased costs were due to expected higher incidences of sequelae (€ 3–49 million) and a higher cattle morbidity (€ 4–8 million). Benefits in terms of lower control costs amounted to € 4–7 million. PMID:24831797

Locating Gender: Occupational Segregation, Wages and Domestic Responsibilities. Cambridge Studies in Work and Social Inequality 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siltanen, Janet

This text combines a case-study approach with significant theoretical development to challenge existing explanations of occupational segregation. Chapter 1 reviews issues raised by the conceptual status of "gender" in attempting to explain women's and men's employment experience and introduces the study that forms the core of the…

Vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis cases from children presenting with acute flaccid paralysis in Uganda.

PubMed

Nanteza, Mary B; Kisakye, Annet; Ota, Martin O; Gumede, Nicksy; Bwogi, Josephine

2015-12-01

A retrospective study to identify VAPP cases from the entire Uganda was conducted between January 2003 and December 2011. Eleven of the 106 AFP cases were VAPPs. The VAPP rate ranged from 0 to 3.39 cases per 1,000,000 birth cohorts and the peak was in 2009 when there was scaling up of OPV immunization activities following an importation of wild poliovirus in the country. All the subsequent polio suspect cases since then have been vaccine-associated polio cases. Our data support the strategy to withdraw OPV and introduce IPV progressively in order to mitigate against the paralysis arising from Sabin polioviruses. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Plagiarism, Cheating and Research Integrity: Case Studies from a Masters Program in Peru

PubMed Central

Carnero, Andres M.; Mayta-Tristan, Percy; Konda, Kelika A.; Mezones-Holguin, Edward; Bernabe-Ortiz, Antonio; Alvarado, German F.; Canelo-Aybar, Carlos; Maguiña, Jorge L.; Segura, Eddy R.; Quispe, Antonio M.; Smith, Edward S.; Bayer, Angela M.; Lescano, Andres G.

2017-01-01

Plagiarism is a serious, yet widespread type of research misconduct, and is often neglected in developing countries. Despite its far-reaching implications, plagiarism is poorly acknowledged and discussed in the academic setting, and insufficient evidence exists in Latin America and developing countries to inform the development of preventive strategies. In this context, we present a longitudinal case study of seven instances of plagiarism and cheating arising in four consecutive classes (2011–2014) of an Epidemiology Masters program in Lima, Peru, and describes the implementation and outcomes of a multifaceted, “zero-tolerance” policy aimed at introducing research integrity. Two cases involved cheating in graded assignments, and five cases correspond to plagiarism in the thesis protocol. Cases revealed poor awareness of high tolerance to plagiarism, poor academic performance, and widespread writing deficiencies, compensated with patchwriting and copy-pasting. Depending on the events’ severity, penalties included course failure (6/7) and separation from the program (3/7). Students at fault did not engage in further plagiarism. Between 2011 and 2013, the Masters program sequentially introduced a preventive policy consisting of: (i) intensified research integrity and scientific writing education, (ii) a stepwise, cumulative writing process; (iii) honor codes; (iv) active search for plagiarism in all academic products; and (v) a “zero-tolerance” policy in response to documented cases. No cases were detected in 2014. In conclusion, plagiarism seems to be widespread in resource-limited settings and a greater response with educational and zero-tolerance components is needed to prevent it. PMID:27848191

An integrated hypnotherapeutic model for the treatment of childhood sexual trauma: a case study.

PubMed

Fourie, Gerda; Guse, Tharina

2011-01-01

Sexual abuse appears to constitute a major risk factor for a variety of problems in adult life. The effects of abuse on adult living are not uniform therefore intervention strategies should be individualized to address unique symptom constellations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an integrated Ericksonian and Ego state therapy approach, based on a strengths perspective for the treatment of survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The theoretical foundation for this model is described, followed by a case study. The case study demonstrates how application of this model enabled the client to resolve the experience of sexual abuse, as well as to enhance her sense of general psychological well-being.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frelin, Anneli; Grannäs, Jan

2014-01-01

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

Adapting Western Pedagogies for Chinese Literacy Instruction: Case Studies of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Singapore Preschools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Hui; Rao, Nirmala; Tse, Shek Kam

2012-01-01

Research Findings: Western ideas and progressive pedagogies have been introduced to China (including Shenzhen), Hong Kong, and Singapore to replace traditional Chinese pedagogy. But these imported ideas are not congruent with traditional Chinese culture and thus have encountered resistance from Chinese teachers. The present study observed and…

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…

A Study of E-Readiness Assessment: The Case of Three Universities in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eweni, Samuel O.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the readiness of three higher educational institutions in Nigeria in their attempt to introduce and maintain technology-driven services to students, faculty, and support staff. The prerequisites for participation in the digital, networked economy include the affordable ICT, reliable electric supply, reliable and up-to-date…

Factors Influencing Enrolment: A Case Study from Birth to Twenty, the 1990 Birth Cohort in Soweto-Johannesburg

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richter, Linda M.; Panday, Saadhna; Norris, Shane A.

2009-01-01

Longitudinal studies offer significant advantages in rendering data commensurate with the complexity of human development. However, incomplete enrolment and attrition over time can introduce bias. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of evaluative information on cohorts in developing countries. This paper documents various strategies adopted to…

Integrating Health Information Systems into a Database Course: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Nicole; Zhang, Mingrui; McMaster, Kirby

2011-01-01

Computer Science is a rich field with many growing application areas, such as Health Information Systems. What we suggest here is that multi-disciplinary threads can be introduced to supplement, enhance, and strengthen the primary area of study in a course. We call these supplementary materials "threads," because they are executed…

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…

A Model for Integrating New Technologies into Pre-Service Teacher Training Programs Ajman University (A Case Study)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaqour, Ali Zuhdi H.

2005-01-01

This study introduces a "Technology Integration Model" for a learning environment utilizing constructivist learning principles and integrating new technologies namely computers and the Internet into pre-service teacher training programs. The technology integrated programs and learning environments may assist learners to gain experiences…

Introducing a Precursor Model of Inheritance to Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ergazaki, Marida; Valanidou, Eftychia; Kasimati, Maria-Christina; Kalantzi, Mara

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a mixed-model case study of designing and implementing a constructivist teaching intervention about reproduction and physical family resemblance for young children. The objective of the study was to explore whether the ways that preschoolers reason about the resemblance between offspring and parents can be improved with a…

Operation of SCINDA Receiver at the University of Calcutta and Space Weather Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-18

Terr . Phys., 2014]. (ii) The pole ward gradient of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) introduces more intense propagation effects on...in the Indian longitude sector: Case studies, T. Das, K.S. Paul and A. Paul, J. Atmos. Sol. Terr . Phys., http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp

Telecollaboration in the Secondary Language Classroom: Case Study of Adolescent Interaction and Pedagogical Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ware, Paige; Kessler, Greg

2016-01-01

This study builds on research examining the in-school technology practices of adolescent language learners by exploring the patterns of classroom literacy practices that emerge when a telecollaborative project is introduced into a conventional secondary language classroom. We draw on the conceptual frameworks and discourse analytical tools…

Professional Identity, Curriculum and Teaching "Intercultural Communication": An Indonesian Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gandana, Isti; Parr, Graham

2013-01-01

Influenced by contemporary research into the interconnectedness of language and culture, many Indonesian teacher education courses have introduced "new" subjects such as "Intercultural Communication" and "Cross-Cultural Understanding", hoping to unsettle their students' traditional assumptions that language is merely…

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…

Teaching about Contracts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froman, Michael; Kosnoff, Kathy

1978-01-01

Presents teaching strategies for introducing high school students to contract law. Offers as a case study a contract agreement between pro football players and team owners. Stresses basic elements of contracts (offer, acceptance, consideration, and understanding the bargaining process). Journal available from the American Bar Association, 1155…

Social and Psychological Factors in Teaching Farming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, A. D.

1974-01-01

The organization of farming among the Plateau Tonga of Zambia is described in the first part of this paper, after which a case study is reported which describes an attempt by an agricultural extension worker to introduce new methods of pig husbandry. (Author/KM)

Introduction to economic assessment.

PubMed

McMahon, Ann; Sin, Chih Hoong

2013-11-01

This is the first in a series of four continuing professional development articles that explain some of the principles of economic assessment and describe the most commonly cited approaches. The series aims to enable readers to critically examine economic assessments in the context of nurse-led service innovation. It introduces a tried-and-tested methodology, with associated tools and templates, used to conduct economic assessments in nursing. In this article, the principles of economic assessment are introduced and two case studies of nurse-led innovation are used to illustrate how they are applied in practice.

Food safety evaluation for R-proteins introduced by biotechnology: A case study of VNT1 in late blight protected potatoes.

PubMed

Habig, Jeffrey W; Rowland, Aaron; Pence, Matthew G; Zhong, Cathy X

2018-06-01

Resistance genes (R-genes) from wild potato species confer protection against disease and can be introduced into cultivated potato varieties using breeding or biotechnology. The R-gene, Rpi-vnt1, which encodes the VNT1 protein, protects against late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans. Heterologous expression and purification of active VNT1 in quantities sufficient for regulatory biosafety studies was problematic, making it impractical to generate hazard characterization data. As a case study for R-proteins, a weight-of-evidence, tiered approach was used to evaluate the safety of VNT1. The hazard potential of VNT1 was identified from relevant safety information including history of safe use, bioinformatics, mode of action, expression levels, and dietary intake. From the assessment it was concluded that Tier II hazard characterization was not needed. R-proteins homologous to VNT1 and identified in edible crops, have a history of safe consumption. VNT1 does not share sequence identity with known allergens. Expression levels of R-proteins are generally low, and VNT1 was not detected in potato varieties expressing the Rpi-vnt1 gene. With minimal hazard and negligible exposure, the risks associated with consumption of R-proteins in late blight protected potatoes are exceedingly low. R-proteins introduced into potatoes to confer late blight protection are safe for consumption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Local dominance of exotic plants declines with residence time: a role for plant–soil feedback?

PubMed Central

Speek, Tanja A.A.; Schaminée, Joop H.J.; Stam, Jeltje M.; Lotz, Lambertus A.P.; Ozinga, Wim A.; van der Putten, Wim H.

2015-01-01

Recent studies have shown that introduced exotic plant species may be released from their native soil-borne pathogens, but that they become exposed to increased soil pathogen activity in the new range when time since introduction increases. Other studies have shown that introduced exotic plant species become less dominant when time since introduction increases, and that plant abundance may be controlled by soil-borne pathogens; however, no study yet has tested whether these soil effects might explain the decline in dominance of exotic plant species following their initial invasiveness. Here we determine plant–soil feedback of 20 plant species that have been introduced into The Netherlands. We tested the hypotheses that (i) exotic plant species with a longer residence time have a more negative soil feedback and (ii) greater local dominance of the introduced exotic plant species correlates with less negative, or more positive, plant–soil feedback. Although the local dominance of exotic plant species decreased with time since introduction, there was no relationship of local dominance with plant–soil feedback. Plant–soil feedback also did not become more negative with increasing time since introduction. We discuss why our results may deviate from some earlier published studies and why plant–soil feedback may not in all cases, or not in all comparisons, explain patterns of local dominance of introduced exotic plant species. PMID:25770013

Application of Probabilistic Methods for the Determination of an Economically Robust HSCT Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mavris, Dimitri N.; Bandte, Oliver; Schrage, Daniel P.

1996-01-01

This paper outlines an approach for the determination of economically viable robust design solutions using the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) as a case study. Furthermore, the paper states the advantages of a probability based aircraft design over the traditional point design approach. It also proposes a new methodology called Robust Design Simulation (RDS) which treats customer satisfaction as the ultimate design objective. RDS is based on a probabilistic approach to aerospace systems design, which views the chosen objective as a distribution function introduced by so called noise or uncertainty variables. Since the designer has no control over these variables, a variability distribution is defined for each one of them. The cumulative effect of all these distributions causes the overall variability of the objective function. For cases where the selected objective function depends heavily on these noise variables, it may be desirable to obtain a design solution that minimizes this dependence. The paper outlines a step by step approach on how to achieve such a solution for the HSCT case study and introduces an evaluation criterion which guarantees the highest customer satisfaction. This customer satisfaction is expressed by the probability of achieving objective function values less than a desired target value.

Safety assessment in plant layout design using indexing approach: implementing inherent safety perspective. Part 2-Domino Hazard Index and case study.

PubMed

Tugnoli, Alessandro; Khan, Faisal; Amyotte, Paul; Cozzani, Valerio

2008-12-15

The design of layout plans requires adequate assessment tools for the quantification of safety performance. The general focus of the present work is to introduce an inherent safety perspective at different points of the layout design process. In particular, index approaches for safety assessment and decision-making in the early stages of layout design are developed and discussed in this two-part contribution. Part 1 (accompanying paper) of the current work presents an integrated index approach for safety assessment of early plant layout. In the present paper (Part 2), an index for evaluation of the hazard related to the potential of domino effects is developed. The index considers the actual consequences of possible escalation scenarios and scores or ranks the subsequent accident propagation potential. The effects of inherent and passive protection measures are also assessed. The result is a rapid quantification of domino hazard potential that can provide substantial support for choices in the early stages of layout design. Additionally, a case study concerning selection among various layout options is presented and analyzed. The case study demonstrates the use and applicability of the indices developed in both parts of the current work and highlights the value of introducing inherent safety features early in layout design.

Treatments of Missing Values in Large National Data Affect Conclusions: The Impact of Multiple Imputation on Arthroplasty Research.

PubMed

Ondeck, Nathaniel T; Fu, Michael C; Skrip, Laura A; McLynn, Ryan P; Su, Edwin P; Grauer, Jonathan N

2018-03-01

Despite the advantages of large, national datasets, one continuing concern is missing data values. Complete case analysis, where only cases with complete data are analyzed, is commonly used rather than more statistically rigorous approaches such as multiple imputation. This study characterizes the potential selection bias introduced using complete case analysis and compares the results of common regressions using both techniques following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty were extracted from the 2005 to 2015 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. As examples, the demographics of patients with and without missing preoperative albumin and hematocrit values were compared. Missing data were then treated with both complete case analysis and multiple imputation (an approach that reproduces the variation and associations that would have been present in a full dataset) and the conclusions of common regressions for adverse outcomes were compared. A total of 6117 patients were included, of which 56.7% were missing at least one value. Younger, female, and healthier patients were more likely to have missing preoperative albumin and hematocrit values. The use of complete case analysis removed 3467 patients from the study in comparison with multiple imputation which included all 6117 patients. The 2 methods of handling missing values led to differing associations of low preoperative laboratory values with commonly studied adverse outcomes. The use of complete case analysis can introduce selection bias and may lead to different conclusions in comparison with the statistically rigorous multiple imputation approach. Joint surgeons should consider the methods of handling missing values when interpreting arthroplasty research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personnel and Welfare: The Case of the Problem Drinker at Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyman, J.; Beaumont, P. B.

1985-01-01

Presents evidence of welfare activity in a number of work organizations based in Scotland that have introduced recovery programs for employees with alcohol-related problems. The study points to extensive involvement by personnel specialists in the operation of these policies. (CT)

Plants get sick too!

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although many people may never have given consideration to plant health, plants can suffer from a wide range of diseases. These plant diseases are caused by micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The audience will be introduced to short case studies of several plant diseases that m...

The State-Sponsored Student Entrepreneur

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mars, Matthew M.; Slaughter, Sheila; Rhoades, Gary

2008-01-01

This paper introduces the emergent role of the state-sponsored student entrepreneur within the academic capitalist knowledge/learning regime. Drawing on two clarifying cases of such entrepreneurship, the study explores the shifting boundaries between public and private sectors, the creation of new circuits of knowledge, and the entrepreneurial…

Study protocol: DEcisions in health Care to Introduce or Diffuse innovations using Evidence (DECIDE).

PubMed

Turner, Simon; Morris, Stephen; Sheringham, Jessica; Hudson, Emma; Fulop, Naomi J

2016-04-05

A range of evidence informs healthcare decision-making, from formal research findings to 'soft intelligence' or local data, as well as practical experience or tacit knowledge. However, cultural and organisational factors often prevent the translation of such evidence into practice. Using a multi-level framework, this project will analyse how interactions between the evidence available and processes at the micro (individual/group) and meso (organisational/system) levels influence decisions to introduce or diffuse innovations in acute and primary care within the National Health Service in the UK. This study will use a mixed methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, and involves four interdependent work streams: (1) rapid evidence synthesis of relevant literature with stakeholder feedback; (2) in-depth case studies of 'real-world' decision-making in acute and primary care; (3) a national survey and discrete choice experiment; and (4) development of guidance for decision-makers and evaluators to support the use of evidence in decision-making. This study will enhance the understanding of decision-makers' use of diverse forms of evidence. The findings will provide insights into how and why some evidence does inform decisions to introduce healthcare innovations, and why barriers persist in other cases. It will also quantify decision-makers' preferences, including the 'tipping point' of evidence needed to shift stakeholders' views. Practical guidance will be shared with healthcare decision-makers and evaluators on uses of evidence to enable the introduction and diffusion of innovation.

Development and Climate Change: A Mainstreaming Approach for Assessing Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts of Adaptation Measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halsnæs, Kirsten; Trærup, Sara

2009-05-01

The paper introduces the so-called climate change mainstreaming approach, where vulnerability and adaptation measures are assessed in the context of general development policy objectives. The approach is based on the application of a limited set of indicators. These indicators are selected as representatives of focal development policy objectives, and a stepwise approach for addressing climate change impacts, development linkages, and the economic, social and environmental dimensions related to vulnerability and adaptation are introduced. Within this context it is illustrated using three case studies how development policy indicators in practice can be used to assess climate change impacts and adaptation measures based on three case studies, namely a road project in flood prone areas of Mozambique, rainwater harvesting in the agricultural sector in Tanzania and malaria protection in Tanzania. The conclusions of the paper confirm that climate risks can be reduced at relatively low costs, but the uncertainty is still remaining about some of the wider development impacts of implementing climate change adaptation measures.

Development and climate change: a mainstreaming approach for assessing economic, social, and environmental impacts of adaptation measures.

PubMed

Halsnaes, Kirsten; Traerup, Sara

2009-05-01

The paper introduces the so-called climate change mainstreaming approach, where vulnerability and adaptation measures are assessed in the context of general development policy objectives. The approach is based on the application of a limited set of indicators. These indicators are selected as representatives of focal development policy objectives, and a stepwise approach for addressing climate change impacts, development linkages, and the economic, social and environmental dimensions related to vulnerability and adaptation are introduced. Within this context it is illustrated using three case studies how development policy indicators in practice can be used to assess climate change impacts and adaptation measures based on three case studies, namely a road project in flood prone areas of Mozambique, rainwater harvesting in the agricultural sector in Tanzania and malaria protection in Tanzania. The conclusions of the paper confirm that climate risks can be reduced at relatively low costs, but the uncertainty is still remaining about some of the wider development impacts of implementing climate change adaptation measures.

Deployment of a Smart Structural Health Monitoring System for Long-Span Arch Bridges: A Review and a Case Study

PubMed Central

Chen, Zengshun; Zhou, Xiao; Wang, Xu; Dong, Lili; Qian, Yuanhao

2017-01-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) technology for surveillance and evaluation of existing and newly built long-span bridges has been widely developed, and the significance of the technique has been recognized by many administrative authorities. The paper reviews the recent progress of the SHM technology that has been applied to long-span bridges. The deployment of a SHM system is introduced. Subsequently, the data analysis and condition assessment including techniques on modal identification, methods on signal processing, and damage identification were reviewed and summarized. A case study about a SHM system of a long-span arch bridge (the Jiubao bridge in China) was systematically incorporated in each part to advance our understanding of deployment and investigation of a SHM system for long-span arch bridges. The applications of SHM systems of long-span arch bridge were also introduced. From the illustrations, the challenges and future trends for development a SHM system were concluded. PMID:28925943

Management Perception of Introducing Social Networking Sites as a Knowledge Management Tool in Higher Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Elaine; Annansingh, Fenio; Elbeltagi, Ibrahim

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a study of the understanding and usage of social networking sites (SNS) as a knowledge management (KM) tool in knowledge-intensive enterprises. Design/methodology/approach: In terms of research approach, the study has taken an interpretitivist framework, using a higher education (HE) institution as…

Interorganizational Special Education Programming in Rural Areas: Technical Report on the Multisite Naturalistic Field Study. Volumes I through IV.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skrtic, Thomas M.; And Others

The report discusses a field study of the implementation of major requirements of P.L. 94-142, the Education For All Handicapped Children Act, by rural districts, and presents detailed case studies of five districts' responses. The first volume introduces the naturalistic model of inquiry, noting its philosophical underpinnings and basic…

Changing Pedagogical Styles: A Case Study of the Trading Game in a Japanese University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takahashi, Satoru; Saito, Eisuke

2011-01-01

Even in recent times, students in Japanese universities have few opportunities to work in groups and interact with their peers. The purpose of this study was to examine interpersonal games and to investigate the significance of introducing a participatory style of teaching in the context of higher education in Japan. In particular, the study aimed…

Understanding Grammars through Diachronic Change

PubMed Central

Madariaga, Nerea

2017-01-01

In this paper, I will vindicate the importance of syntactic change for the study of synchronic stages of natural languages, according to the following outline. First, I will analyze the relationship between the diachrony and synchrony of grammars, introducing some basic concepts: the notions of I-language/E-language, the role of Chomsky's (2005) three factors in language change, and some assumptions about language acquisition. I will briefly describe the different approaches to syntactic change adopted in generative accounts, as well as their assumptions and implications (Lightfoot, 1999, 2006; van Gelderen, 2004; Biberauer et al., 2010; Roberts, 2012). Finally, I will illustrate the convenience of introducing the diachronic dimension into the study of at least certain synchronic phenomena with the help of a practical example: variation in object case marking of several verbs in Modern Russian, namely, the verbs denoting avoidance and the verbs slušat'sja “obey” and dožidat'sja “expect,” which show two object case-marking patterns, genitive case in standard varieties and accusative case in colloquial varieties. To do so, I will review previous descriptive and/or functionalist accounts on this or equivalent phenomena (Jakobson, 1984 [1936]; Clancy, 2006; Nesset and Kuznetsova, 2015a,b). Then, I will present a formal—but just synchronic—account, applying Sigurðsson (2011) hypothesis on the expression of morphological case to this phenomenon. Finally, I will show that a formal account including the diachronic dimension is superior (i.e., more explanative) than purely synchronic accounts. PMID:28824474

Trends in EFL Technology and Educational Coding: A Case Study of an Evaluation Application Developed on LiveCode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uehara, Suwako; Noriega, Edgar Josafat Martinez

2016-01-01

The availability of user-friendly coding software is increasing, yet teachers might hesitate to use this technology to develop for educational needs. This paper discusses studies related to technology for educational uses and introduces an evaluation application being developed. Through questionnaires by student users and open-ended discussion by…

Exploring the Use of Multiple Analogical Models when Teaching and Learning Chemical Equilibrium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Allan G.; De Jong, Onno

2005-01-01

This study describes the multiple analogical models used to introduce and teach Grade 12 chemical equilibrium. We examine the teacher's reasons for using models, explain each model's development during the lessons, and analyze the understandings students derived from the models. A case study approach was used and the data were drawn from the…

Feasibility Study on the Use of Computer Managed Learning in Secondary Schools in the U.S.A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charp, Sylvia

A brief description of computer managed instruction (CMI), including its applications and capabilities, introduces case studies of schools in the United States that are using three different CMI systems. The first system discussed is the Comprehensive Achievement Monitoring (CAM) Program, which was developed by a small school district (Hopkins,…

Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) as a Bridge between Engineering Education Research and Mathematics Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Eric; Lesh, Richard; Lester, Frank; Brilleslyper, Michael

2008-01-01

This article introduces Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) as a form of case study team problem-solving. MEA design focuses on eliciting from students conceptual models that they iteratively revise in problem-solving. Though developed by mathematics education researchers to study the evolution of mathematical problem-solving expertise in middle…

Incorporating Active Learning with Videos: A Case Study from Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kester J.; Sharma, Manjula D.

2008-01-01

Watching a video often results in passive learning and does not actively engage students. In this study, a class of 20 HSC Physics students were introduced to a teaching model that incorporated active learning principles with the watching of a video that explored the Meissner Effect and superconductors. Students would watch short sections of the…

Just Do It: Flipped Lecture, Determinants and Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kensington-Miller, Barbara; Novak, Julia; Evans, Tanya

2016-01-01

This paper describes a case study of two pure mathematicians who flipped their lecture to teach matrix determinants in two large mathematics service courses (one at Stage I and the other at Stage II). The purpose of the study was to transform the passive lecture into an active learning opportunity and to introduce valuable mathematical skills,…

Introducing Dynamic Mathematics Software to Secondary School Teachers: The Case of GeoGebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohenwarter, Judith; Hohenwarter, Markus; Lavicza, Zsolt

2009-01-01

This paper describes a study aimed to identify most common impediments related to the introduction of an open-source mathematical software package GeoGebra. We report on the analysis of data collected during a three-week professional development programme organised for middle and high school teachers in Florida. The study identified challenges…

Digital Participation, Agency, and Choice: An African American Youth's Digital Storytelling about Minecraft

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis Ellison, Tisha

2017-01-01

This case study examines one African American adolescent male's digital choices and experiences during the creation of a digital story about Minecraft. This study introduces digital participatory choice cultures as a framework to consider how he might recognize and use existing meaning-making and composition strategies to bridge what young people…

Legislative Process, Grade Eight. Resource Unit (Unit IV).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis. Project Social Studies Curriculum Center.

This resource unit, developed by the University of Minnesota's Project Social Studies, introduces eighth graders to the legislative process. The unit uses case studies such as the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1964 and attempts to change the Rules Committee in 1961. It also uses much data on background of congressmen and on distribution of…

The Production, Communication, and Contestation of Physical Education Policy: The Cases of Mississippi and Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyson, Ben; Wright, Paul M.; Amis, John; Ferry, Hugh; Vardaman, James M.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the production, communication, interpretation and contestation of new physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA) policy initiatives introduced in Mississippi and Tennessee for the academic year 2006-2007. These states provide a relevant context to study such issues, since Mississippi has the highest…

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…

Semi-automatic knee cartilage segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2006-03-01

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

Application of geostatistical simulation to compile seismotectonic provinces based on earthquake databases (case study: Iran)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalali, Mohammad; Ramazi, Hamidreza

2018-04-01

This article is devoted to application of a simulation algorithm based on geostatistical methods to compile and update seismotectonic provinces in which Iran has been chosen as a case study. Traditionally, tectonic maps together with seismological data and information (e.g., earthquake catalogues, earthquake mechanism, and microseismic data) have been used to update seismotectonic provinces. In many cases, incomplete earthquake catalogues are one of the important challenges in this procedure. To overcome this problem, a geostatistical simulation algorithm, turning band simulation, TBSIM, was applied to make a synthetic data to improve incomplete earthquake catalogues. Then, the synthetic data was added to the traditional information to study the seismicity homogeneity and classify the areas according to tectonic and seismic properties to update seismotectonic provinces. In this paper, (i) different magnitude types in the studied catalogues have been homogenized to moment magnitude (Mw), and earthquake declustering was then carried out to remove aftershocks and foreshocks; (ii) time normalization method was introduced to decrease the uncertainty in a temporal domain prior to start the simulation procedure; (iii) variography has been carried out in each subregion to study spatial regressions (e.g., west-southwestern area showed a spatial regression from 0.4 to 1.4 decimal degrees; the maximum range identified in the azimuth of 135 ± 10); (iv) TBSIM algorithm was then applied to make simulated events which gave rise to make 68,800 synthetic events according to the spatial regression found in several directions; (v) simulated events (i.e., magnitudes) were classified based on their intensity in ArcGIS packages and homogenous seismic zones have been determined. Finally, according to the synthetic data, tectonic features, and actual earthquake catalogues, 17 seismotectonic provinces were introduced in four major classes introduced as very high, high, moderate, and low seismic potential provinces. Seismotectonic properties of very high seismic potential provinces have been also presented.

Workplace Reform and TAFE: Four Case Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayton, Geoff; Loveder, Philip

To meet new market requirements and respond to increasing international competition, enterprises in Australia are introducing competitive strategies involving workplace reform. Many enterprises are adopting a strategy for change that is focused on human resource development rather than on technology. A four-phase model of development for an…

The Project-Approach to GIS as an Integrative Classroom Technology: An Environmental Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gatrell, Jay D.; Oshiro, Kenji K.

2001-01-01

Explains how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) influences geography curricula and how project-based learning can be applied to GIS experiences. Introduces a project investigating non-geography college students' design and implementation of a environmental GIS application. (Contains 16 references.) (YDS)

Variations on an Historical Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Patrick

2006-01-01

The National Inquiry Standard for Science Education Preparation requires science teachers to introduce students to scientific inquiry to solve problems by various methods, including active learning in a collaborative environment. In order for science teachers to comply with this inquiry standard, activities must be designed for students to…

Enriching Science and Math through Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redmond, Adrienne; Thomas, Julie; High, Karen; Scott, Margaret; Jordan, Pat; Dockers, Jean

2011-01-01

This case study reviewed the collaborative efforts of university engineers, teacher educators, and middle school teachers to advance sixth- and seventh-grade students' learning through a series of project-based engineering activities. This two-year project enriched regular school curricula by introducing real-world applications of science and…

Narrative Counseling for Professional School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nafziger, Jacinta; DeKruyf, Lorraine

2013-01-01

This article introduces narrative counseling concepts and techniques for professional school counselors. The authors provide a case study of narrative school counseling with an elementary student struggling with selective mutism. Examples also demonstrate how a narrative approach could be used at elementary, middle, and high school levels within…

Action Learning in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marquardt, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Action learning was introduced into China less than 20 years ago, but has rapidly become a valuable tool for organizations seeking to solve problems, develop their leaders, and become learning organizations. This article provides an historical overview of action learning in China, its cultural underpinnings, and five case studies. It concludes…

Learned Helplessness in Mathematics: What Educators Should Know.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentile, J. Ronald; Monaco, Nanci M.

1986-01-01

The range of problems associated with learned helplessness in mathematics is introduced through three hypothetical case studies. Then the basic theory of, the evidence for, and variables affecting learned helplessness are described. Issues of cure and prevention are discussed, and some suggestions are offered for teachers. (MNS)

Numerical and Experimental Case Study of Blasting Works Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papán, Daniel; Valašková, Veronika; Drusa, Marian

2016-10-01

This article introduces the theoretical and experimental case study of dynamic monitoring of the geological environment above constructed highway tunnel. The monitored structure is in this case a very important water supply pipeline, which crosses the tunnel and was made from steel tubes with a diameter of 800 mm. The basic dynamic parameters had been monitored during blasting works, and were compared with the FEM (Finite Element Method) calculations and checked by the Slovak standard limits. A calibrated FEM model based on the experimental measurement data results was created and used in order to receive more realistic results in further predictions, time and space extrapolations. This case study was required and demanded by the general contractor company and also by the owner of water pipeline, and it was an answer of public safety evaluation of risks during tunnel construction.

Correcting for batch effects in case-control microbiome studies

PubMed Central

Gibbons, Sean M.; Duvallet, Claire

2018-01-01

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

The case for introducing pre-registered confirmatory pharmacological pre-clinical studies.

PubMed

Kiwanuka, Olivia; Bellander, Bo-Michael; Hånell, Anders

2018-05-01

When evaluating the design of pre-clinical studies in the field of traumatic brain injury, we found substantial differences compared to phase III clinical trials, which in part may explain the difficulties in translating promising experimental drugs into approved treatments. By using network analysis, we also found cases where a large proportion of the studies evaluating a pre-clinical treatment was performed by inter-related researchers, which is potentially problematic. Subjecting all pre-clinical trials to the rigor of a phase III clinical trial is, however, likely not practically achievable. Instead, we repeat the call for a distinction to be made between exploratory and confirmatory pre-clinical studies.

1+1 Gaudin Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zotov, Andrei V.

2011-07-01

We study 1+1 field-generalizations of the rational and elliptic Gaudin models. For sl(N) case we introduce equations of motion and L-A pair with spectral parameter on the Riemann sphere and elliptic curve. In sl(2) case we study the equations in detail and find the corresponding Hamiltonian densities. The n-site model describes n interacting Landau-Lifshitz models of magnets. The interaction depends on position of the sites (marked points on the curve). We also analyze the 2-site case in its own right and describe its relation to the principal chiral model. We emphasize that 1+1 version impose a restriction on a choice of flows on the level of the corresponding 0+1 classical mechanics.

Dynamical continuous time random Lévy flights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jian; Chen, Xiaosong

2016-03-01

The Lévy flights' diffusive behavior is studied within the framework of the dynamical continuous time random walk (DCTRW) method, while the nonlinear friction is introduced in each step. Through the DCTRW method, Lévy random walker in each step flies by obeying the Newton's Second Law while the nonlinear friction f(v) = - γ0v - γ2v3 being considered instead of Stokes friction. It is shown that after introducing the nonlinear friction, the superdiffusive Lévy flights converges, behaves localization phenomenon with long time limit, but for the Lévy index μ = 2 case, it is still Brownian motion.

Open quantum random walk in terms of quantum Bernoulli noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Caishi; Wang, Ce; Ren, Suling; Tang, Yuling

2018-03-01

In this paper, we introduce an open quantum random walk, which we call the QBN-based open walk, by means of quantum Bernoulli noise, and study its properties from a random walk point of view. We prove that, with the localized ground state as its initial state, the QBN-based open walk has the same limit probability distribution as the classical random walk. We also show that the probability distributions of the QBN-based open walk include those of the unitary quantum walk recently introduced by Wang and Ye (Quantum Inf Process 15:1897-1908, 2016) as a special case.

Studies of felonious crimes by the University Department of Forensic Medicine in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.

PubMed

Tsunenari, S; Kibayashi, K; Honjyo, K; Hamada, C

1993-01-01

This paper gives an understanding of Japan in the respect of forensic medicine. The fight against felonious crimes in Kumamoto is introduced by reference to the police system, crime statistics, an association of police surgeons and medico-legal autopsy in Kumamoto Prefecture. The police have 23 local police stations with 2,670 police officers and the unique Hashutsu-sho and Chyuzai-sho systems. The crime rate is not very high, but crimes committed by Yakuza groups and traffic accidents are major problems in Kumamoto. Medico-legal autopsy is performed in the university department on only criminal and suspected cases after examination of the body externally by a police surgeon. Two illustrative cases are also introduced in this report, which shows good cooperation among the police force, the university department of forensic medicine, and police surgeons in Kumamoto, Japan.

Bond Ellipticity Alternation: An Accurate Descriptor of the Nonlinear Optical Properties of π-Conjugated Chromophores.

PubMed

Lopes, Thiago O; Machado, Daniel F Scalabrini; Risko, Chad; Brédas, Jean-Luc; de Oliveira, Heibbe C B

2018-03-15

Well-defined structure-property relationships offer a conceptual basis to afford a priori design principles to develop novel π-conjugated molecular and polymer materials for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications. Here, we introduce the bond ellipticity alternation (BEA) as a robust parameter to assess the NLO characteristics of organic chromophores and illustrate its effectiveness in the case of streptocyanines. BEA is based on the symmetry of the electron density, a physical observable that can be determined from experimental X-ray electron densities or from quantum-chemical calculations. Through comparisons to the well-established bond-length alternation and π-bond order alternation parameters, we demonstrate the generality of BEA to foreshadow NLO characteristics and underline that, in the case of large electric fields, BEA is a more reliable descriptor. Hence, this study introduces BEA as a prominent descriptor of organic chromophores of interest for NLO applications.

Using Formative Assessment Despite the Constraints of High Stakes Testing and Limited Resources: A Case Study of Chemistry Teachers in Anglophone Cameroon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akom, George Viche

2010-01-01

Formative assessment, as a strategy used to improve student learning, encounters several obstacles in its implementation. This study explores changes in teachers' views and practices as they are introduced to formative assessment in a high stakes testing and limited resource environment. The study examines the extent to which teachers use the…

Personalised Virtual Learning Spaces to Support Undergraduates in Producing Research Reports: Two Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallkvist, Marie; Gomez, Stephen; Andersson, Holger; Lush, David

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to create and evaluate personalised virtual learning spaces (PVLSs) in a course that was previously delivered face-to-face only. The study addressed three related questions: (1) Can a PVLS successfully be introduced into a course where IT has not previously featured? (2) Can the PVLSs be used to enhance the assessment…

Homework Policy Review: A Case Study of A Public School in the Western Cape Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfeiffer, Verbra

2018-01-01

A key concern today is the question of homework in our nation's public schools. In this study, an investigation was conducted with the first no-homework policy, which has been introduced in one of the primary schools in the Western Cape. This study seeks to determine whether a no-homework policy will validate a positive or negative effect on…

Cultivating Parabolas in the Parlor Garden: Reconciling Mathematics Education and Feminine Ideals in Nineteenth-Century America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiss, Andrew

2014-01-01

This article introduces the justification problem for mathematics, which it explores through the case study of 1820s-1840s rationales for the teaching of mathematics to women in the United States. It argues that, while educators in the 1820s justified women's studies through mental discipline (a common reason for men's study), those of…

Metacognition: An Effective Tool to Promote Success in College Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Ningfeng; Wardeska, Jeffrey G.; McGuire, Saundra Y.; Cook, Elzbieta

2014-01-01

Metacognition has been shown to lead to deeper, more durable, and more transferable learning (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). This article describes a case study in which metacognition was introduced to undergraduate science (chemistry) classrooms. Students came to understand the difference between superficial memorization and real…

Teaching Linear Equations: Case Studies from Finland, Flanders and Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Paul; Sayers, Judy

2012-01-01

In this paper we compare how three teachers, one from each of Finland, Flanders and Hungary, introduce linear equations to grade 8 students. Five successive lessons were videotaped and analysed qualitatively to determine how teachers, each of whom was defined against local criteria as effective, addressed various literature-derived…

Using Clustering Strategies for Creating Authority Files.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, James C.; Powell, Allison L.; Schulman, Eric

2000-01-01

Discussion of quality control of data in online bibliographic databases focuses on authority files. Describes approximate string matching, introduces the concept of approximate word matching and clustering, and presents a case study using the Astrophysics Data System (ADS) that shows how to reduce human effort involved in authority work. (LRW)

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Comprehension of Quantum Mechanical Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Didis, Nilufer; Eryilmaz, Ali; Erkoc, Sakir

2010-01-01

When quantum theory caused a paradigm shift in physics, it introduced difficulties in both learning and teaching of physics. Because of its abstract, counter-intuitive and mathematical structure, students have difficulty in learning this theory, and instructors have difficulty in teaching the concepts of the theory. This case study investigates…

Land Use Planning Exercise Using Geographic Information Systems and Digital Soil Surveys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stout, Heidi M.; Lee, Brad D.

2004-01-01

Geographic information system (GIS) technology has become a valuable tool for environmental science professionals. By incorporating GIS into college-level course curricula, agricultural students become better qualified for employment opportunities. We have developed a case study-based laboratory exercise that introduces students to GIS and the…

Critical Hip Hop Pedagogy as a Form of Liberatory Praxis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akom, A. A.

2009-01-01

This article uses Paulo Freire's problem-posing method, youth participatory action research, and case study methodology to introduce an alternative instructional strategy called Critical Hip Hop Pedagogy (CHHP). This approach attempts to address deep-rooted ideologies to social inequities by creating a space in teacher education courses for…

Crossing the Chasm--Introducing Flexible Learning into the Botswana Technical Education Programme: From Policy to Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Alison Mead

2009-01-01

This paper reports on a longitudinal, ethnomethodological case study of the development towards flexible delivery of the Botswana Technical Education Programme (BTEP), offered by Francistown College of Technical & Vocational Education (FCTVE). Data collection methods included documentary analysis, naturalistic participant observation, and…

The Power of an MIS Degree: Inspiring Students by Connecting with Innovators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Cameron; Clouse, Shawn; Firth, David; Evans, Gerald; Stephens, Nathan

2014-01-01

Recently the ["Information Systems Education Journal"] (ISEDJ) introduced a new area within its case study category that seeks to capture and disseminate successful classroom practices and teaching strategies. The primary motivation behind this enterprise is the construction of a repository that will help new academics draw from…

The Introduction of Data Processing in Middle-Level Accountancy Training Programs in Developing Countries: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schramm, Karin

1985-01-01

Examines the impact of introducing data processing in middle-level accountancy training programs in Botswana. Hardware and software considerations for the program are also examined. Since the beginning of the program, some 300 students have been trained in accounting. (JN)

Educational Directions for Students with Traumatic Brain Injury.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Innovations in Special Education, Columbia, MO.

This manual, developed to assist Missouri school personnel in the provision of educational opportunities for students with traumatic brain injury (TBI), answers commonly asked questions about the educational needs of these students, and gives practical applications of educational practices and programming. Three case studies are introduced to help…

Water System Adaptation To Hydrological Changes: Module 5, Water Quality and Infrastructure Response to Rapid Urbanization: Adaptation Case Study in China

EPA Science Inventory

This course will introduce students to the fundamental principles of water system adaptation to hydrological changes, with emphasis on data analysis and interpretation, technical planning, and computational modeling. Starting with real-world scenarios and adaptation needs, the co...

A Special Issue: Geomathematics in practice: Case studies from earth- and environmental sciences - Proceedings of the Croatian-Hungarian Geomathematical Congress, Hungary 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatvani, István Gábor; Horváth, Janina

2016-01-01

The present paper aims to introduce the current problems of geomathematics along with giving on overview on the papers published in the special issue covering the Croatian-Hungarian Geomathematical Congress of 2015 in Hungary.

The Sensorial Effect: Dynamics of Emotion in Pro-Environmental Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipolito, Joana

2011-01-01

In this article, sensorial effects are introduced as emotional stimuli for shaping environmentally significant behaviors. This research provides a link between sensorial effect as ubiquitous environmental behavior feedback and the effect of sensorial stimuli on emotions that trigger individuals' pro-environment behavior. A case study of using…

Generalized pure Lovelock gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Concha, Patrick; Rodríguez, Evelyn

2017-11-01

We present a generalization of the n-dimensional (pure) Lovelock Gravity theory based on an enlarged Lorentz symmetry. In particular, we propose an alternative way to introduce a cosmological term. Interestingly, we show that the usual pure Lovelock gravity is recovered in a matter-free configuration. The five and six-dimensional cases are explicitly studied.

A Killer Lake

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horvath, Thomas

2005-01-01

In 1986, Lake Nyos, a volcanic lake in Cameroon, released a huge amount of carbon dioxide gas, killing over 1,700 people in the surrounding area. This case study, developed for use in a limnology or aquatic biology course, explores that event, introducing students to concepts relating to lake formation, thermal stratification, and dissolved gases.…

A Framework for Mixing Methods in Quantitative Measurement Development, Validation, and Revision: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luyt, Russell

2012-01-01

A framework for quantitative measurement development, validation, and revision that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methods is introduced. It extends and adapts Adcock and Collier's work, and thus, facilitates understanding of quantitative measurement development, validation, and revision as an integrated and cyclical set of…

syNErgy: A Case Study in Workforce Curriculum Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killingsworth, John; Grosskopf, Kevin R.

2013-01-01

With high unemployment and structural changes to industry, workforce development in the United States is a growing concern. Many semiskilled workers lack knowledge, skills, and abilities to be competitive for reemployment to green jobs. Nebraska's syNErgy research grant was introduced to address the training needs of unemployed and underemployed…

Folk Linguistics and Language Teaching Education. A Case Study in an Italian Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santipolo, Matteo

2016-01-01

This paper, after shortly introducing "Folk Linguistics" by defining its domain of competence [cf. Preston, Dennis R., ed. 1999. "Handbook of Perceptual Dialectology." Amsterdam: John Benjamins; Niedzielski, Nancy A., and Dennis R. Preston. 2003. "Folk Linguistics." Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter], attempts to draw an…

Neustadt's "Presidential Power" and University Governance: A Case Study Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lander, Byron G.

The relevance of Richard E. Neustadt's presidential choice making theory to a university presidency is analyzed. This theory, which was introduced in Neustadt's 1960 publication "Presidential Power," is examined in regard to situations that occurred at Kent State University (KSU): the KSU Black United Student (BUS) confrontation with the…

Peace Education with Refugees: Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyuchukov, Hristo; New, William

2016-01-01

The authors suggest the possibility of using concepts and practices drawn from peace education to assist in the treatment and education of refugees suffering from post-traumatic stress. They introduce four basic principles of peace education, which permit students/clients to work through memory and present conflicts, and calls on…

An Opening: Graphic Design's Discursive Spaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blauvelt, Andrew

1994-01-01

Introduces a special issue on critical histories of graphic design with a review of the particular problems identified with the history of graphic design as a field of study and the emerging discipline of graphic design history. Makes a case for the examination of graphic design through its relationships with larger discourses. (SR)

In the Flow of Media, Religion, and Culture: A Case Study with TVbyGIRLS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bischoff, Claire; Bullen, Rebecca Richards; Nemer, Molly; Quednau, Rachel

2011-01-01

This article introduces TVbyGIRLS, a nonprofit organization supporting girls in the development of critical thinking, digital literacy and storytelling, leadership, compassionate collaboration, and social justice engagement. Religious educator Claire Bischoff interviews Rebecca Richards Bullen, TVbyGIRLS mentor, and Molly Nemer and Rachel Quednau,…

Pediatric Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Guatemala City: Importance of Serotype 2.

PubMed

Gaensbauer, James T; Asturias, Edwin J; Soto, Monica; Holt, Elizabeth; Olson, Daniel; Halsey, Neal A

2016-05-01

To inform estimations of the potential impact of recently introduced pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), we report results of 11 years of pre-PCV surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) among children in Guatemala City. Cases of IPD in children younger than 5 years were identified by active surveillance at 3 referral hospitals in Guatemala City from October 1996 through 2007. Clinical and demographic data were obtained, and isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from normally sterile sites were serotyped using latex agglutination and confirmed by Quellung reaction. Four hundred fifty-two cases of IPD were identified with a case fatality rate of 21%. Meningitis was the most common cause of death (77% of all deaths) and occurred more often in infancy (median age 5 months) than other clinical syndromes. Of the 137 isolates serotyped, type 1 (26 cases, 17%), type 2 (25 cases, 16%) and type 5 (18 cases, 12%) were the most common. Serotype 2 was associated with a higher case fatality rate (28%), higher rate of meningitis (68%) and occurred in younger infants (median age, 3.5 months) than other common serotypes. Recently introduced PCV13 includes 73% of observed serotypes in the study. Infants with IPD presented at a young age. Serotype 2, rarely reported as a significant cause of IPD and not included in available PCVs, was a common cause of disease in this population. PCV13 introduction in Guatemala, begun in 2013, may not have as great an impact in disease reduction as has been observed in other countries.

Dimer geometry, amoebae and a vortex dimer model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nash, Charles; O'Connor, Denjoe

2017-09-01

We present a geometrical approach and introduce a connection for dimer problems on bipartite and non-bipartite graphs. In the bipartite case the connection is flat but has non-trivial {Z}2 holonomy round certain curves. This holonomy has the universality property that it does not change as the number of vertices in the fundamental domain of the graph is increased. It is argued that the K-theory of the torus, with or without punctures, is the appropriate underlying invariant. In the non-bipartite case the connection has non-zero curvature as well as non-zero Chern number. The curvature does not require the introduction of a magnetic field. The phase diagram of these models is captured by what is known as an amoeba. We introduce a dimer model with negative edge weights which correspond to vortices. The amoebae for various models are studied with particular emphasis on the case of negative edge weights. Vortices give rise to new kinds of amoebae with certain singular structures which we investigate. On the amoeba of the vortex full hexagonal lattice we find the partition function corresponds to that of a massless Dirac doublet.

Team effectiveness in academic medical libraries: a multiple case study*

PubMed Central

Russo Martin, Elaine

2006-01-01

Objectives: The objective of this study is to apply J. Richard Hackman's framework on team effectiveness to academic medical library settings. Methods: The study uses a qualitative, multiple case study design, employing interviews and focus groups to examine team effectiveness in three academic medical libraries. Another site was selected as a pilot to validate the research design, field procedures, and methods to be used with the cases. In all, three interviews and twelve focus groups, with approximately seventy-five participants, were conducted at the case study libraries. Findings: Hackman identified five conditions leading to team effectiveness and three outcomes dimensions that defined effectiveness. The participants in this study identified additional characteristics of effectiveness that focused on enhanced communication, leadership personality and behavior, and relationship building. The study also revealed an additional outcome dimension related to the evolution of teams. Conclusions: Introducing teams into an organization is not a trivial matter. Hackman's model of effectiveness has implications for designing successful library teams. PMID:16888659

On the properties of circular beams: normalization, Laguerre-Gauss expansion, and free-space divergence.

PubMed

Vallone, Giuseppe

2015-04-15

Circular beams were introduced as a very general solution to the paraxial wave equation carrying orbital angular momentum. Here, we study their properties by looking at their normalization and their expansion in terms of Laguerre-Gauss modes. We also study their far-field divergence and, for particular cases of the beam parameters, their possible experimental generation.

Students' Perceptions on Environmental Management of HEIs and the Role of Social Capital: A Case Study in the University of the Aegean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Nikoleta; Roumeliotis, Spiridon; Iosifides, Theodoros; Hatziantoniou, Maria; Sfakianaki, Eleni; Tsigianni, Eleni; Thivaiou, Kalliopi; Biliraki, Athina; Evaggelinos, Kostas

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to contribute to the discussion introducing the concept of social capital as a significant parameter influencing students' perceptions concerning greening initiatives in HEIs. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical analysis is presented concerning the possible links of social capital components with…

Threat Perception and Attitudes of Adolescents towards Re-Introduced Wild Animals: A Qualitative Study of Young Learners from Affected Regions in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hermann, Nadin; Menzel, Susanne

2013-01-01

Conservation efforts such as the restoration of European bison or the support of wolf immigration into Germany are often socio-scientifically controversial. In many cases, disputes are based on individuals' threat perception and attitudes towards the animal involved. The herewith reported study provides qualitative insights into German…

Introducing Tablets in a Portuguese School: a Micool Project Case Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judge, Miriam

2017-01-01

The increasing popularity of tablets in society generally has sparked much interest in their educational potential and while a number of studies on the use of tablets in schools have been conducted world-wide most of these have been conducted in English-speaking and well-resourced education jurisdictions such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand and…

Youth Perspectives on Risk and Resiliency: A Case Study from Juiz De Fora, Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Penelope; Nikolajski, Cara; Borrero, Sonya; Zickmund, Susan

2014-01-01

The present work seeks to contribute to studies of cross-cultural risk and resiliency by presenting results from qualitative research with adolescents attending programs for at-risk youth in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. In 1990, Brazil introduced the Child and Adolescent Act (ECA), a significant piece of legislation that has had a direct impact on how…

Transferring Community Music into the Classroom: Some Issues Concerning the Pedagogy of Japanese Traditional Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiobara, Mari

2011-01-01

Based on my personal experiences of learning nagauta as a case study, this article examines the process of learning traditional Japanese music. It raises attention to potential pedagogical issues when traditional music is introduced into school music classrooms, as was suggested in the 2008 Japanese Course of Study for Music. From my observation…

Practically Speaking: Community College Practices That Help (Re)define Student Success. A Practitioner Primer. Spring 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Darla; Rodriguez-Kiino, Diane; Scharper, Alice; Karandjeff, Kelley; Chaplot, Priyadarshini; Schiorring, Eva

2014-01-01

This primer introduces 23 practices designed to support students inside and outside of the classroom and increase their community college success. These case studies illustrate the five themes for effective student support that emerged from Student Support (Re)defined--a multi-year study performed by the Research and Planning Group for California…

English-Medium Programmes at Austrian Business Faculties: A Status Quo Survey on National Trends and a Case Study on Programme Design and Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unterberger, Barbara

2012-01-01

Internationalisation processes have accelerated the implementation of English-medium programmes (EMPs) across European higher education institutions. The field of business and management studies has been particularly affected by this trend (Wachter & Maiworm 2008: 46) with numerous new EMPs introduced each year. This paper presents key…

Cheilitis glandularis: Case report with respect to immunohistochemical findings

PubMed Central

Friedrich, Reinhard E.; Löning, Thomas

2016-01-01

Cheilitis glandularis (CG) is a rare benign affection of the lip mucosa. The etiology and pathogenesis of CG are unknown. Surgical measures are the leading therapeutic options to treat CG. This case report on a 55-year-old female illustrates the recurrent affection of the lips over several years and local therapy. Furthermore, the study of the resected glands intends to differentiate the lesions with respect to the recently introduced concept of immunoglobulin G4-related diseases. PMID:26816670

The Case of Web-Based Course on Taxation: Current Status, Problems and Future Improvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Zhigang

This paper mainly introduces the case of the web-based course on taxation developed by Xiamen University. We analyze the current status, problems and future improvement of the web-based course. The web-based course has the basic contents and modules, but it has several problems including unclear object, lacking interaction, lacking examination module, lacking study management module, and the learning materials and the navigation are too simple. According to its problems, we put forward the measures to improve it.

A Framework for Implementing Virtual Collaborative Networks - Case Study on Automobile Components Production Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parvinnia, Elham; Khayami, Raouf; Ziarati, Koorush

Virtual collaborative networks are composed of small companies which take most advantage from the market opportunity and are able to compete with large companies. So some frameworks have been introduced for implementing this type of collaboration; although none of them has been standardized completely. In this paper we specify some instances that need to be standardized for implementing virtual enterprises. Then, a framework is suggested for implementing virtual collaborative networks. Finally, based on that suggestion, as a case study, we design a virtual collaborative network in automobile components production industry.

KEY ITEMS OF INNOVATION MANAGEMENT IN THE PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTRES CASE STUDY: FINLAND.

PubMed

Aslani, Alireza; Zolfagharzadeh, Mohammad Mahdi; Naaranoja, Marja

2015-09-01

Trends such as aging populations, excess costs, rising public expectations, and progress in medical science and technologies point out the necessity of adaptation and development of innovation in the healthcare systems particularly in developed countries. The main objective of this article is to review diffusion of innovation in the healthcare sector. Different types of innovation, diffusion characteristics, and adoption mechanisms are the subjects that are discussed in the selected case study, Finland. Finally, the key items of innovation management in the Finnish health system are introduced. The results can be implemented in other countries as well.

Falciparum Malaria Outbreak in Sabah Linked to an Immigrant Rubber Tapper.

PubMed

Jeffree, Saffree Mohammad; Ahmed, Kamruddin; Safian, Nazarudin; Hassan, Rohaizat; Mihat, Omar; Lukman, Khamisah Awang; Shamsudin, Shamsul Bahari; Kamaludin, Fadzilah

2018-01-01

Sabah is a Malaysian state situated in the northern part of Borneo, and it is endemic for malaria. The incidence of malaria is the lowest (0.05/1,000 population) in Penampang districts of Sabah. In June 26, 2012, two Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases were notified to public health department from a village in Penampang. Immediate investigation was initiated to identify the risk factors and to institute control measures. We performed active case finding by asking household members of all houses in the village regarding malaria symptoms and by examining blood smears. Environmental investigation was performed by collecting samples to detect mosquito breeding sites and to identify malaria transmitting vector mosquitoes. A case-control study with a ratio of 1:4 (11 cases and 44 controls) was conducted using self-administered questionnaire. The microscopic examination of blood smear for malarial parasite and entomology sampling was carried out. The malarial attack rate was 2.3%, 6/11 smears have gametocyte, and the case fatality rate was 9.1%. One case was a migrant rubber tapper from Indonesia which happened to be the first case with gametocyte positive. Overall, the incidence of malaria was higher (6/11) among rubber tappers. The odds of cases for those living nearby stagnant water were 7.3 [95% confidence interval: 1.2-43.5] times higher. In conclusion, an outbreak of P. falciparum malaria was introduced into a malaria-free village by a migrant rubber tapper, by whom the imported parasite was introduced to the community via vector Anopheles balabacensis . Living near stagnant water bodies was the risk factor in this outbreak.

A method of developing and introducing case-based learning to a preclinical veterinary curriculum.

PubMed

Crowther, Emma; Baillie, Sarah

2016-01-01

Case-based learning (CBL) has been introduced as part of a major review of the veterinary curriculum at the University of Bristol. The initial aim was to improve integration between all first year subjects, i.e., basic science disciplines (anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry), animal management, and professional studies, while highlighting the relevance by providing clinical context. The CBL was delivered as whole class sessions in a lecture theatre, as small group teaching facilities were not readily available, co-facilitated by two to four basic scientists and clinicians. Active learning tasks were included by using an audience response system and encouraging discussion. A case template was developed in PowerPoint and then populated by basic science and clinical staff in an iterative design process. Comments from a student focus group informed the design of the case sessions. Feedback collected from students via a survey after the first three cases suggested that CBL was well received and assisted students in integrating material taught in the first year units and was used to further improve the ongoing case design. The project team developed eight cases for Year 1 and is implementing CBL in various formats throughout the curriculum. There was a considerable time commitment in developing each case; however, the use of readily available software and the large group format overcame limitations, including resourcing small group sessions. This article reports a model that could be successfully adapted by other institutions wishing to use CBL to provide clinical context and promote integration of the basic sciences. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

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.

Problem-based learning in optical engineering studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voznesenskaya, Anna

2016-09-01

Nowadays, the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is one of the most prospective educational technologies. PBL is based on evaluation of learning outcomes of a student, both professional and personal, instead of traditional evaluation of theoretical knowledge and selective practical skills. Such an approach requires changes in the curricula development. There should be introduced projects (cases) imitating real tasks from the professional life. These cases should include a problem summary with necessary theoretic description, charts, graphs, information sources etc, task to implement and evaluation indicators and criteria. Often these cases are evaluated with the assessment-center method. To motivate students for the given task they could be divided into groups and have a contest. Whilst it looks easy to implement in social, economic or teaching fields PBL is pretty complicated in engineering studies. Examples of cases in the first-cycle optical engineering studies are shown in this paper. Procedures of the PBL implementation and evaluation are described.

Use of Uas for the Conservation of Historical Buildings in Case of Emergencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagliolo, S.; Fagandini, R.; Federici, B.; Ferrando, I.; Passoni, D.; Pagliari, D.; Pinto, L.; Sguerso, D.

2017-05-01

The task of conservation and management of cultural heritage is quite central in Italy, which lists a high number of beautiful architectures. A quick and precise survey may be requested in case of calamity. In the present paper, the most commonly used survey techniques are discussed, focusing on their applications for the conservation of the artistic heritage in case of emergency. Particular attention is given to Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) photogrammetry and its potentiality in obtaining good results in terms of speed, cheapness, precision and accuracy, assuring at the same time the safety of the operators in critical situations (e.g. natural disasters). A case study, realized at the Castle of Casalbagliano (Alessandria, Italy), is discussed. Different image block configurations and acquisition geometries (nadiral and oblique images) have been exploited, with the aim of defining useful guidelines for emergencies UAS survey of partially collapsed structures. An application to a significative case study is introduced.

Case formulation and management using pattern-based formulation (PBF) methodology: clinical case 1.

PubMed

Fernando, Irosh; Cohen, Martin

2014-02-01

A tool for psychiatric case formulation known as pattern-based formulation (PBF) has been recently introduced. This paper presents an application of this methodology in formulating and managing complex clinical cases. The symptomatology of the clinical presentation has been parsed into individual clinical phenomena and interpreted by selecting explanatory models. The clinical presentation demonstrates how PBF has been used as a clinical tool to guide clinicians' thinking, that takes a structured approach to manage multiple issues using a broad range of management strategies. In doing so, the paper also introduces a number of patterns related to the observed clinical phenomena that can be re-used as explanatory models when formulating other clinical cases. It is expected that this paper will assist clinicians, and particularly trainees, to better understand PBF methodology and apply it to improve their formulation skills.

Malaria in Brazil: what happens outside the Amazonian endemic region.

PubMed

de Pina-Costa, Anielle; Brasil, Patrícia; Di Santi, Sílvia Maria; de Araujo, Mariana Pereira; Suárez-Mutis, Martha Cecilia; Santelli, Ana Carolina Faria e Silva; Oliveira-Ferreira, Joseli; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Daniel-Ribeiro, Cláudio Tadeu

2014-08-01

Brazil, a country of continental proportions, presents three profiles of malaria transmission. The first and most important numerically, occurs inside the Amazon. The Amazon accounts for approximately 60% of the nation's territory and approximately 13% of the Brazilian population. This region hosts 99.5% of the nation's malaria cases, which are predominantly caused by Plasmodium vivax (i.e., 82% of cases in 2013). The second involves imported malaria, which corresponds to malaria cases acquired outside the region where the individuals live or the diagnosis was made. These cases are imported from endemic regions of Brazil (i.e., the Amazon) or from other countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia. Imported malaria comprised 89% of the cases found outside the area of active transmission in Brazil in 2013. These cases highlight an important question with respect to both therapeutic and epidemiological issues because patients, especially those with falciparum malaria, arriving in a region where the health professionals may not have experience with the clinical manifestations of malaria and its diagnosis could suffer dramatic consequences associated with a potential delay in treatment. Additionally, because the Anopheles vectors exist in most of the country, even a single case of malaria, if not diagnosed and treated immediately, may result in introduced cases, causing outbreaks and even introducing or reintroducing the disease to a non-endemic, receptive region. Cases introduced outside the Amazon usually occur in areas in which malaria was formerly endemic and are transmitted by competent vectors belonging to the subgenus Nyssorhynchus (i.e., Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles aquasalis and species of the Albitarsis complex). The third type of transmission accounts for only 0.05% of all cases and is caused by autochthonous malaria in the Atlantic Forest, located primarily along the southeastern Atlantic Coast. They are caused by parasites that seem to be (or to be very close to) P. vivax and, in a less extent, by Plasmodium malariae and it is transmitted by the bromeliad mosquito Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii. This paper deals mainly with the two profiles of malaria found outside the Amazon: the imported and ensuing introduced cases and the autochthonous cases. We also provide an update regarding the situation in Brazil and the Brazilian endemic Amazon.

Malaria in Brazil: what happens outside the Amazonian endemic region

PubMed Central

de Pina-Costa, Anielle; Brasil, Patrícia; Santi, Sílvia Maria Di; de Araujo, Mariana Pereira; Suárez-Mutis, Martha Cecilia; Santelli, Ana Carolina Faria e Silva; Oliveira-Ferreira, Joseli; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Daniel-Ribeiro, Cláudio Tadeu

2014-01-01

Brazil, a country of continental proportions, presents three profiles of malaria transmission. The first and most important numerically, occurs inside the Amazon. The Amazon accounts for approximately 60% of the nation’s territory and approximately 13% of the Brazilian population. This region hosts 99.5% of the nation’s malaria cases, which are predominantly caused by Plasmodium vivax (i.e., 82% of cases in 2013). The second involves imported malaria, which corresponds to malaria cases acquired outside the region where the individuals live or the diagnosis was made. These cases are imported from endemic regions of Brazil (i.e., the Amazon) or from other countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia. Imported malaria comprised 89% of the cases found outside the area of active transmission in Brazil in 2013. These cases highlight an important question with respect to both therapeutic and epidemiological issues because patients, especially those with falciparum malaria, arriving in a region where the health professionals may not have experience with the clinical manifestations of malaria and its diagnosis could suffer dramatic consequences associated with a potential delay in treatment. Additionally, because the Anopheles vectors exist in most of the country, even a single case of malaria, if not diagnosed and treated immediately, may result in introduced cases, causing outbreaks and even introducing or reintroducing the disease to a non-endemic, receptive region. Cases introduced outside the Amazon usually occur in areas in which malaria was formerly endemic and are transmitted by competent vectors belonging to the subgenus Nyssorhynchus (i.e., Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles aquasalis and species of the Albitarsis complex). The third type of transmission accounts for only 0.05% of all cases and is caused by autochthonous malaria in the Atlantic Forest, located primarily along the southeastern Atlantic Coast. They are caused by parasites that seem to be (or to be very close to) P. vivax and, in a less extent, by Plasmodium malariae and it is transmitted by the bromeliad mosquito Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii. This paper deals mainly with the two profiles of malaria found outside the Amazon: the imported and ensuing introduced cases and the autochthonous cases. We also provide an update regarding the situation in Brazil and the Brazilian endemic Amazon. PMID:25185003

Combining matched and unmatched control groups in case-control studies.

PubMed

le Cessie, Saskia; Nagelkerke, Nico; Rosendaal, Frits R; van Stralen, Karlijn J; Pomp, Elisabeth R; van Houwelingen, Hans C

2008-11-15

Multiple control groups in case-control studies are used to control for different sources of confounding. For example, cases can be contrasted with matched controls to adjust for multiple genetic or unknown lifestyle factors and simultaneously contrasted with an unmatched population-based control group. Inclusion of different control groups for a single exposure analysis yields several estimates of the odds ratio, all using only part of the data. Here the authors introduce an easy way to combine odds ratios from several case-control analyses with the same cases. The approach is based upon methods used for meta-analysis but takes into account the fact that the same cases are used and that the estimated odds ratios are therefore correlated. Two ways of estimating this correlation are discussed: sandwich methodology and the bootstrap. Confidence intervals for the pooled estimates and a test for checking whether the odds ratios in the separate case-control studies differ significantly are derived. The performance of the method is studied by simulation and by applying the methods to a large study on risk factors for thrombosis, the MEGA Study (1999-2004), wherein cases with first venous thrombosis were included with a matched control group of partners and an unmatched population-based control group.

Oman: A Case Study on Research and Development of the Indigenous Building Methods, Materials, Local Skills and Resources. Report Studies ... C.88.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, John

A brief resume of a major study conducted in 1973 identifies the extent to which the indigenous building methods and materials of Oman are capable of meeting the country's contemporary shelter needs, and compares them with alternative materials and techniques being introduced as replacements. Visits to 20 towns and villages in 6 regions and…

Interim Report by Asia International Grid Connection Study Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omatsu, Ryo

2018-01-01

The Asia International Grid Connection Study Group Interim Report examines the feasibility of developing an international grid connection in Japan. The Group has investigated different cases of grid connections in Europe and conducted research on electricity markets in Northeast Asia, and identifies the barriers and challenges for developing an international grid network including Japan. This presentation introduces basic contents of the interim report by the Study Group.

Benefits and Pitfalls of GRACE Data Assimilation: a Case Study of Terrestrial Water Storage Depletion in India

PubMed Central

Girotto, Manuela; De Lannoy, Gabriëlle J. M.; Reichle, Rolf H.; Rodell, Matthew; Draper, Clara; Bhanja, Soumendra N.; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2018-01-01

This study investigates some of the benefits and drawbacks of assimilating Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) into a land surface model over India. GRACE observes TWS depletion associated with anthropogenic groundwater extraction in northwest India. The model, however, does not represent anthropogenic groundwater withdrawals and is not skillful in reproducing the interannual variability of groundwater. Assimilation of GRACE TWS introduces long-term trends and improves the interannual variability in groundwater. But the assimilation also introduces a negative trend in simulated evapotranspiration whereas in reality evapotranspiration is likely enhanced by irrigation, which is also unmodeled. Moreover, in situ measurements of shallow groundwater show no trend, suggesting that the trends are erroneously introduced by the assimilation into the modeled shallow groundwater, when in reality the groundwater is depleted in deeper aquifers. The results emphasize the importance of representing anthropogenic processes in land surface modeling and data assimilation systems. PMID:29643570

Benefits and Pitfalls of GRACE Data Assimilation: a Case Study of Terrestrial Water Storage Depletion in India.

PubMed

Girotto, Manuela; De Lannoy, Gabriëlle J M; Reichle, Rolf H; Rodell, Matthew; Draper, Clara; Bhanja, Soumendra N; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2017-05-16

This study investigates some of the benefits and drawbacks of assimilating Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) into a land surface model over India. GRACE observes TWS depletion associated with anthropogenic groundwater extraction in northwest India. The model, however, does not represent anthropogenic groundwater withdrawals and is not skillful in reproducing the interannual variability of groundwater. Assimilation of GRACE TWS introduces long-term trends and improves the interannual variability in groundwater. But the assimilation also introduces a negative trend in simulated evapotranspiration whereas in reality evapotranspiration is likely enhanced by irrigation, which is also unmodeled. Moreover, in situ measurements of shallow groundwater show no trend, suggesting that the trends are erroneously introduced by the assimilation into the modeled shallow groundwater, when in reality the groundwater is depleted in deeper aquifers. The results emphasize the importance of representing anthropogenic processes in land surface modeling and data assimilation systems.

Benefits and Pitfalls of GRACE Data Assimilation: A Case Study of Terrestrial Water Storage Depletion in India

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Girotto, Manuela; De Lannoy, Gabrielle J. M.; Reichle, Rolf H.; Rodell, Matthew; Draper, Clara S.; Bhanja, Soumendra N.; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2017-01-01

This study investigates some of the benefits and drawbacks of assimilating Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) into a land surface model over India. GRACE observes TWS depletion associated with anthropogenic groundwater extraction in northwest India. The model, however, does not represent anthropogenic groundwater withdrawals and is not skillful in reproducing the interannual variability of groundwater. Assimilation of GRACE TWS introduces long-term trends and improves the interannual variability in groundwater. But the assimilation also introduces a negative trend in simulated evapotranspiration whereas in reality evapotranspiration is likely enhanced by irrigation, which is also unmodeled. Moreover, in situ measurements of shallow groundwater show no trend, suggesting that the trends are erroneously introduced by the assimilation into the modeled shallow groundwater, when in reality the groundwater is depleted in deeper aquifers. The results emphasize the importance of representing anthropogenic processes in land surface modeling and data assimilation systems.

Optimization of location routing inventory problem with transshipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghani, Nor Edayu Abd; Shariff, S. Sarifah Radiah; Zahari, Siti Meriam

2015-05-01

Location Routing Inventory Problem (LRIP) is a collaboration of the three components in the supply chain. It is confined by location-allocation, vehicle routing and inventory management. The aim of the study is to minimize the total system cost in the supply chain. Transshipment is introduced in order to allow the products to be shipped to a customer who experiences a shortage, either directly from the supplier or from another customer. In the study, LRIP is introduced with the transshipment (LRIPT) and customers act as the transshipment points. We select the transshipment point by using the p-center and we present the results in two divisions of cases. Based on the analysis, the results indicated that LRIPT performed well compared to LRIP.

Incorporating Risk Assessment and Inherently Safer Design Practices into Chemical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seay, Jeffrey R.; Eden, Mario R.

2008-01-01

This paper introduces, via case study example, the benefit of including risk assessment methodology and inherently safer design practices into the curriculum for chemical engineering students. This work illustrates how these tools can be applied during the earliest stages of conceptual process design. The impacts of decisions made during…

Erasmus Language Students in a British University: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogain, Ariane

2012-01-01

Students' assessment of their academic experience is actively sought by higher education institutions, as evidenced in the UK's National Student Survey, introduced in 2005. Erasmus students, despite their growing numbers, tend to be excluded from these satisfaction surveys, even though they, too, are primary customers of a university. This study…

Maintaining Web-based Bibliographies: A Case Study of Iter, the Bibliography of Renaissance Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castell, Tracy

1997-01-01

Introduces Iter, a nonprofit research project developed for the World Wide Web and dedicated to increasing access to all published materials pertaining to the Renaissance and, eventually, the Middle Ages. Discusses information management issues related to building and maintaining Iter's first Web-based bibliography, focusing on printed secondary…

Taking Root in Foreign Soil: Adaptation Processes of Imported Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Terrece F.

2016-01-01

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 ushered in a period of change in higher-education systems across the former Eastern bloc. Reform-minded leaders in the region sought to introduce western models and policies promoted by foreign development aid agendas. Private higher-education institutions emerged. This qualitative multiple case study examines…

The Present Status of the Antigonish Movement in Nova Scotia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sowder, Ellie Mae

A comprehensive case study is presented of the Antigonish Movement in eastern Nova Scotia. Originally founded to combat poverty and exploitation, it has functioned since 1929 under the extension department of St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish. The Movement brought education into the lives of ordinary working people and introduced group…

Education for Freedom? "Living Room Learning" and the Liberal Arts of Government

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Scott

2012-01-01

This article provokes critical reflection about the role of adult educators in contemporary processes of social control. It does so through presenting an empirical case study of an important liberal adult education program (Living Room Learning) and through introducing the work of British sociologist, Nikolas Rose. Rose's provocative ideas about…

An Alternative View of Quality Assurance and Enhancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Viola Yuk-Yue

2012-01-01

This paper attempts to deal with the elusive nature of quality in quality management, using a case study to examine quality control measures implemented in an academic context and to show an emergent framework for quality enhancement. This paper introduces the concept of the ecology of quality assurance and examines efforts to maintain and advance…

Cancer Ward Staff Group: An Intervention Designed to Prevent Disaster.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, William H.

1985-01-01

Describes a case study illustrating organizational and system contingencies for introducing and maintaining a support group for oncology nursing staff in a large general hospital culture. Criteria for long-run survivability of innovation in a work system are applied to a group structured like that described by Balint for training physicians in…

Social Class and Workplace Harassment during the Transition to Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Heather; Uggen, Christopher; Blackstone, Amy

2008-01-01

Young disadvantaged workers are especially vulnerable to harassment due to their age and social class position. As young people enter the workforce, their experiences of, and reactions to, harassment may vary dramatically from those of older adult workers. Three case studies introduce theory and research on the relationship between social class…

Development of Integrated Public Administration Custom Services in Hungary.

PubMed

Laki, Tamas

2015-01-01

The paper is a case-study introducing a national project in Hungary establishing a countrywide public administration customer service system where accessibility was a key issue. Starting from the concept the paper describes the methods and organisational background how accessible design was integrated in the planning method and gives a feedback of site experiences.

The Bushido Matrix for Couple Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Chi-Sing; Lin, Yu-Fen; Ginsburg, Phil; Eckstein, Daniel

2012-01-01

The concept of Japanese Bushido and its seven virtues were introduced by the authors in this article for the practice and application of couple communication. The Bushido Matrix Worksheet (BMW) was created for enhancing couple's awareness and understanding of each other's values and experiences. An activity and a case study to demonstrate the use…

Introducing Future Engineers to Sustainable Ecology Problems: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filipkowski, A.

2011-01-01

The problem of Earth environmental destruction by human activities is becoming dangerous. Engineers responsible for the production of any goods should be well aware of the negative influence of their activities on the state of the planet. This is why the understanding of ecological problems is essential for people responsible for production and…

Using Online Games to Teach Personal Finance Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chin-Wen; Hsu, Chun-Pin

2011-01-01

This case study explores the use of online games to teach personal finance concepts at the college level. A number of free online games targeting such topics as budgeting and saving, risk and return, consumer credit, financial services, and investments were introduced to the experimental group as homework assignments. Statistical results indicate…

Teacher Educators' Evaluation of the English Language Teaching Program: A Turkish Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz, Aysun; Zehir Topkaya, Ece

2013-01-01

This study explored the perceptions of teacher educators regarding the changes in the English Language Teacher Education Program introduced by the Turkish Higher Education Council (HEC) in 2006. Employing a qualitative design, open-ended questionnaires were administered to 18 lecturers working at five different state universities. The analysis of…

78 FR 65955 - Migratory Bird Permits; Control Order for Introduced Migratory Bird Species in Hawaii

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

... must be postmarked no later than February 3, 2014. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the... Hawaiian bird species including several threatened and endangered species. Studies indicate that neither.... Though they have altered their management in such cases, the predation continues to be a problem. Having...

A new approximate sum rule for bulk alloy properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bozzolo, Guillermo; Ferrante, John

1991-01-01

A new, approximate sum rule is introduced for determining bulk properties of multicomponent systems, in terms of the pure components properties. This expression is applied for the study of lattice parameters, cohesive energies, and bulk moduli of binary alloys. The correct experimental trends (i.e., departure from average values) are predicted in all cases.

The Magnitude Response Learning Tool for DSP Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kulmer, Florian; Wurzer, Christian Gun; Geiger, Bernhard C.

2016-01-01

Many concepts in digital signal processing are intuitive, despite being mathematically challenging. The lecturer not only has to teach the complicated math but should also help students develop intuition about the concept. To aid the lecturer in this task, the Magnitude Response Learning Tool has been introduced, a computer-based learning game…

Coding the Composing Process: A Guide for Teachers and Researchers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perl, Sondra

Designed for teachers and researchers interested in the study of the composing process, this guide introduces a method of analysis that can be applied to data from a range of different cases. Specifically, the guide offers a simple, direct coding scheme for describing the movements occurring during composing that involves four procedures: teaching…

Case Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis for Students and Adults with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storey, Keith; Haymes, Linda

2016-01-01

This book responds to a critical need for highly qualified personnel who will become exemplary professionals because of their advanced knowledge, skills, and experiences in working with students and adults that have varying disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Since Board Certification for behavior analysts was introduced,…

Using Student Conferences to Increase Participation in the Classroom: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arenas, M. G.; Castillo, P. A.; de Vega, F. F.; Merelo, J. J.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the use of a student conference as a novel experience aimed at motivating students enrolled in various computer architecture courses, such as Microprocessor Systems. The goal was to increase student engagement, to decrease failure rates, and to introduce students to the world of research. This multidisciplinary experience…

Localizing Play-Based Pedagogy: Nigerian Educators' Appropriation of Sesame Classroom Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moland, Naomi A.

2017-01-01

This article examines how international organizations promote play-based pedagogical approaches in early childhood settings around the world, and how local educators respond. As a case study, I investigated Sesame Workshop's efforts to introduce play-based approaches in Nigerian classrooms. In addition to producing a Nigerian version of…

Active Learning in a Finnish Engineering University Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Debra; Ahonen, Anna-Maija

2004-01-01

This paper is a case study on the use of active learning techniques in an upper-level engineering course at the Helsinki University of Technology. The paper describes how these techniques were introduced and successfully used within the Finnish university classroom. The cultural subtext is explored and attention is given to teaching techniques…

Challenges of Literacy Coaching in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Patricia A.

2012-01-01

This qualitative case study examined a state-run, foundation-funded initiative to introduce literacy coaching in a medium-sized urban high school district over a period of two years. Data analyses revealed the complex development and multiple understandings of the process of literacy coaching on the secondary level. The role of the coaches…

Planning a Whole-School Approach to STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Becca

2014-01-01

An interdisciplinary approach to STEM has huge benefits in terms of engaging young people and increasing their awareness of the opportunities that STEM skills can provide. However, planning a whole-school approach to STEM education can be challenging. This article gives case studies of two recent projects in STEM education and introduces two…

The Matching Process in E-Mentoring: A Case Study in Luxury Hotels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmonds, David; Lupi, Anne Marie Zammit

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to examine the effectiveness of an innovative e-mentoring programme introduced in an international group of luxury hotels. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employs the survey method, with quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The research model was developed from a literature review. Findings: While mentoring…

A Case Study: Introducing a New Benefit Plan on Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustin, Karen; Bursic, Paul

2004-01-01

Many higher education institutions are strapped by benefit compensation costs for medical and pharmaceutical insurance, and there are few budget dollars left over for other health benefits, such as dental and eye care. Cornell University faced this dilemma and found voluntary dental and eye care plans to be an excellent solution. This article…

Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Primary School. Case Studies in TESOL Practice Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCloskey, Mary Lou, Ed.; Orr, Janet, Ed.; Dolitsky, Marlene, Ed.

2006-01-01

Although language specialists do not always agree about the best age at which to introduce English language instruction, policy changes are increasingly mandating earlier introduction of English in foreign language (EFL) settings worldwide. In this volume, language educators and program implementers from various countries describe programs and…

The Difficult Bridge between University and Industry: A Case Study in Computer Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schilling, Jan; Klamma, Ralf

2010-01-01

Recently, there has been increasing criticism concerning academic computer science education. This paper presents a new approach based on the principles of constructivist learning design as well as the ideas of knowledge transfer in communities of practice. The course "High-tech Entrepreneurship and New Media" was introduced as an…

Orienting the Work-Based Curriculum Towards Work Process Knowledge: A Rationale and a German Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boreham, Nick

2004-01-01

The term 'work process knowledge' refers to the knowledge needed for working in flexible and innovative business environments, including those in which information and communication technologies have been introduced to integrate previously separated production functions. It involves a systems-level understanding of the work process in the…

Formalization and Analysis of Reasoning by Assumption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosse, Tibor; Jonker, Catholijn M.; Treur, Jan

2006-01-01

This article introduces a novel approach for the analysis of the dynamics of reasoning processes and explores its applicability for the reasoning pattern called reasoning by assumption. More specifically, for a case study in the domain of a Master Mind game, it is shown how empirical human reasoning traces can be formalized and automatically…

Introducing Whole-Systems Design to First-Year Engineering Students with Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blizzard, Jackie; Klotz, Leidy; Pradhan, Alok; Dukes, Michael

2012-01-01

Purpose: A whole-systems approach, which seeks to optimize an entire system for multiple benefits, not isolated components for single benefits, is essential to engineering design for radically improved sustainability performance. Based on real-world applications of whole-systems design, the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is developing educational…

How Culture Matters in Educational Borrowing? Chinese Teachers' Dilemmas in a Global Era

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Sheng-nan; Feng, Da-ming

2015-01-01

Educational borrowing may cause numerous dilemmas that emerge from cross-cultural differences among teachers in the globalization. Through the case study on the flipped classroom introduced from the United States into Chinese middle schools, this article presents an examination of dilemmas that teachers encountered during educational borrowing in…

Creativity-Based Assessment and Neural Understandings: A Discussion and Case Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penaluna, Andrew; Coates, Jackie; Penaluna, Kathryn

2010-01-01

Purpose: Enabling entrepreneurial creativity is a key aim of UK Government; however, there is a dearth of constructively aligned models of teaching and assessment. This paper aims to introduce design-based pedagogies and to highlight cognitive approaches that develop innovative mindsets; it seeks to indicate their propensity for adoption in…

Human Systems Engineering: A Leadership Model for Collaboration and Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Karen L.

Human systems engineering (HSE) was created to introduce a new way of viewing collaboration. HSE emphasizes the role of leaders who welcome risk, commit to achieving positive change, and help others achieve change. The principles of HSE and its successful application to the collaborative process were illustrated through a case study representing a…

A Two-Step Bayesian Approach for Propensity Score Analysis: Simulations and Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, David; Chen, Jianshen

2012-01-01

A two-step Bayesian propensity score approach is introduced that incorporates prior information in the propensity score equation and outcome equation without the problems associated with simultaneous Bayesian propensity score approaches. The corresponding variance estimators are also provided. The two-step Bayesian propensity score is provided for…

Additive, Multi-Component Treatment of Emerging Refusal Topographies in a Pediatric Feeding Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, William G.; Jaquess, David L.; Bogard, Jennifer D.; Morton, Jane F.

2010-01-01

This case study describes inter-disciplinary treatment of chronic food refusal and tube dependency in a 2-year-old female with a pediatric feeding disorder. Evidence-based behavioral components--including escape extinction (EE), differential reinforcement of alterative mealtime behavior (DRA), and stimulus fading--were introduced sequentially as…

Acute flaccid paralysis surveillance: looking beyond the global poliomyelitis eradication initiative.

PubMed

Saraswathy, T S; Zahrin, H Nor; Apandi, M Y; Kurup, D; Rohani, J; Zainah, S; Khairullah, N S

2008-11-01

In 1992 surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases was introduced in Malaysia along with the establishment of a national referral laboratory at the Institute for Medical Research. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, viral etiology and clinical picture of AFP cases below 15 years of age, reported from 2002 to 2007. Six hundred seventy-eight of 688 reported cases were confirmed as AFP by expert review. The clinical presentation of acute flaccid paralysis in these cases was diverse, the most commonly reported being Guillian-Barre syndrome (32.3%). Sixty-nine viruses were isolated in this study. They were Sabin poliovirus (25), Echovirus (22), Cocksackie B (11), EV71 (5), Cocksackie A (1), and untypable (5). Malaysia has been confirmed as free from wild polio since the surveillance was established.

Science foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study marsh macroinvertebrates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brusati, Elizabeth; Woo, Isa

2015-01-01

This case study includes representative macroinvertebrates that live in the marsh plain, its associated channels and pannes (ponds), and the marsh-upland transition zone. While less visible than animals such as birds, invertebrates play important roles in physical and biological processes (e.g., burrowing activity and channel bank erosion, and detritivores breaking down organic matter) and are important food resources for higher trophic animals. Common invertebrates in these habitats include plant-hopper (Prokelisia marginata), beach hopper (Traskorchestia traskiana), pygmy blue butterfly (Brephidium exilis), inchworm moth (Perizoma custodiata), western tanarthus beetle (Tanarthus occidentalis), salt marsh mosquitoes (Aedes spp.; Maffei 2000a, Maffei 2000b, Maffei 2000c), crabs (native Hemigrapsus oregonensis and introduced Carcinus maenas), copepods, snails (e.g. native California horn snail Cerithidea californica and introduced Ilyanassa obsoleta, Myosotella myosotis), polychaetes (e.g. Capitella spp., Eteone californica, Neanthes brandti), small clams (Macoma petalum/M. balthica), and corophiid amphipods (Cohen 2011, Race 1982, Robinson et al. 2011). Some common species were described in detail in the San Francisco Bay Goals Project Species and Community Profiles (Goals Project 2000).

Dengue Virus Type 3, Brazil, 2002

PubMed Central

Schatzmayr, Hermann Gonçalves; Bispo de Filippis, Ana Maria; Barreto dos Santos, Flávia; Venâncio da Cunha, Rivaldo; Coelho, Janice Oliveira; José de Souza, Luiz; Guimarães, Flávia Ramos; Machado de Araújo, Eliane Saraiva; De Simone, Thatiane Santos; Baran, Meri; Teixeira, Gualberto; Miagostovich, Marize Pereira

2005-01-01

During the summer of 2002, Rio de Janeiro had a large epidemic of dengue fever; 288,245 cases were reported. A subset of 1,831 dengue hemorrhagic fever cases occurred. In this study, performed in the first half of 2002, samples from 1,559 patients with suspected cases of dengue infection were analyzed. From this total, 1,497 were obtained from patients with nonfatal cases, and 62 were obtained from patients with fatal cases. By the use of different methods, 831 (53.3%) cases, including 40 fatal cases, were confirmed as dengue infection. When virus identification was successful, dengue virus type 3 (DENV-3) was obtained in 99% of cases. Neurologic involvement was shown in 1 patient with encephalitis, confirmed by the detection of DENV-3 RNA in the cerebrospinal fluid. This explosive epidemic of DENV-3 was the most severe dengue epidemic reported in Brazil since dengue viruses were introduced in 1986. PMID:16229765

76 FR 38177 - Falcon Shipping Inc., Abdiel Falcon-Application for a License as an Ocean Transportation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... unlawful importation of goods (smuggling), in violation of 18 U.S.C 545.\\1\\ See Case No. 1:10-20719-CR... States, smuggles, or clandestinely introduces or attempts to smuggle or clandestinely introduce into the...

Inflationary dynamics with a smooth slow-roll to constant-roll era transition

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

Odintsov, S.D.; Oikonomou, V.K., E-mail: odintsov@ieec.uab.es, E-mail: v.k.oikonomou1979@gmail.com

In this paper we investigate the implications of having a varying second slow-roll index on the canonical scalar field inflationary dynamics. We shall be interested in cases that the second slow-roll can take small values and correspondingly large values, for limiting cases of the function that quantifies the variation of the second slow-roll index. As we demonstrate, this can naturally introduce a smooth transition between slow-roll and constant-roll eras. We discuss the theoretical implications of the mechanism we introduce and we use various illustrative examples in order to better understand the new features that the varying second slow-roll index introduces.more » In the examples we will present, the second slow-roll index has exponential dependence on the scalar field, and in one of these cases, the slow-roll era corresponds to a type of α-attractor inflation. Finally, we briefly discuss how the combination of slow-roll and constant-roll may lead to non-Gaussianities in the primordial perturbations.« less

Mixed Model Association with Family-Biased Case-Control Ascertainment.

PubMed

Hayeck, Tristan J; Loh, Po-Ru; Pollack, Samuela; Gusev, Alexander; Patterson, Nick; Zaitlen, Noah A; Price, Alkes L

2017-01-05

Mixed models have become the tool of choice for genetic association studies; however, standard mixed model methods may be poorly calibrated or underpowered under family sampling bias and/or case-control ascertainment. Previously, we introduced a liability threshold-based mixed model association statistic (LTMLM) to address case-control ascertainment in unrelated samples. Here, we consider family-biased case-control ascertainment, where case and control subjects are ascertained non-randomly with respect to family relatedness. Previous work has shown that this type of ascertainment can severely bias heritability estimates; we show here that it also impacts mixed model association statistics. We introduce a family-based association statistic (LT-Fam) that is robust to this problem. Similar to LTMLM, LT-Fam is computed from posterior mean liabilities (PML) under a liability threshold model; however, LT-Fam uses published narrow-sense heritability estimates to avoid the problem of biased heritability estimation, enabling correct calibration. In simulations with family-biased case-control ascertainment, LT-Fam was correctly calibrated (average χ 2 = 1.00-1.02 for null SNPs), whereas the Armitage trend test (ATT), standard mixed model association (MLM), and case-control retrospective association test (CARAT) were mis-calibrated (e.g., average χ 2 = 0.50-1.22 for MLM, 0.89-2.65 for CARAT). LT-Fam also attained higher power than other methods in some settings. In 1,259 type 2 diabetes-affected case subjects and 5,765 control subjects from the CARe cohort, downsampled to induce family-biased ascertainment, LT-Fam was correctly calibrated whereas ATT, MLM, and CARAT were again mis-calibrated. Our results highlight the importance of modeling family sampling bias in case-control datasets with related samples. Copyright © 2017 American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing Ceramics for Diesel Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, H. W.

1985-01-01

Adaptation of diesel engine allows prestressed ceramic materials evaluated under realistic pressure, temperature, and stress without introducing extraneous stress. Ceramic specimen part of prechamber of research engine. Specimen held in place by clamp, introduces required axial compressive stress. Specimen -- cylindrical shell -- surrounded by chamber vented or pressurized to introduce requisite radial stress in ceramic. Pressure chamber also serves as safety shield in case speimen disintegrates. Materials under consideration as cylinder liners for diesel engines.

Selection, Evaluation, and Modification of a Standard Operating Procedure as a Mechanism for Introducing an Undergraduate Student to Chemical Research: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Claycomb, Gregory D.; Venable, Frances A.

2015-01-01

In an effort to broaden the selection of research opportunities available to a student registered in a one-semester, upper-level independent study course at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI), a highly motivated student was asked to select, evaluate, and modify a standard operating procedure (SOP). The student gained valuable experience…

The Expanding Educational Services Sector: Neoliberalism and the Corporatization of Curriculum at the Local Level in the US

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Kris

2008-01-01

This study analyzes and describes the links between the curriculum policies of one urban school district in the US and an intervention by the economics firm Standard & Poor's (S&P). It characterizes the languages and values introduced to the district leadership by S&P as ideologically neoliberal. This school-level case study that makes…

In Search for Instructional Techniques to Maximize the Use of Germane Cognitive Resources: A Case of Teaching Complex Tasks in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sliva, Yekaterina

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to introduce an instructional technique for teaching complex tasks in physics, test its effectiveness and efficiency, and understand cognitive processes taking place in learners' minds while they are exposed to this technique. The study was based primarily on cognitive load theory (CLT). CLT determines the amount of…

Photobiomodulation (PBM) with 20 W at 640 nm: pre-clinical results and propagation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gendron, Denis J.; Ménage, Alexander R.

2017-02-01

A novel treatment modality for photobiomodulation (PBM) is introduced called High Intensity Physio Light (HIPL) Therapy with a light source at 640 nm wavelength, 20 nm bandwidth, and up to 20 W in large 10 cm flat beam. This report exemplifies the efficacy performance of this method with three pre-clinical cases: (i) ankle: sport injury, (ii) foot: bone fractures, and (iii) shoulder: musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). In all cases, the patients systematically experienced a significant pain reduction (by 2 / 10 - 4 / 10) on a visual pain scale. In case (ii) and (iii), a steady improvement and complete recovery of the patient was respectfully obtained. This report describes the experimental treatment condition for each case, and introduces an intensity-dependant propagation model to explain our observation.

Odor impact assessment of trace sulfur compounds from working faces of landfills in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Liu, Yanjun; Lu, Wenjing; Wang, Hongtao; Huang, Qifei; Gao, Xingbao

2018-08-15

Odor pollution from landfills is causing a growing number of public complaints and concerns. Compared with hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and ammonia (NH 3 ), odor impacts of trace sulfur compounds (TSCs) are arousing concerns due to their low odor threshold values (OTVs). Working face on landfill sites has been claimed as major source of odor impacts. This study estimated the odor impacts of fugitive TSCs from the working face of a large typical municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Beijing, China. A modified wind tunnel system was introduced to estimate emission rates of TSCs, which is a basic requirement for odor impact assessment. The odor activity value (OAV) method was introduced for odor evaluation. Fieldwork in the selected landfill was conducted from 2014 to 2015. Methyl mercaptan (CH 3 SH), dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), and carbon disulfide (CS 2 ) were the TSCs studied in this work. The spatial concentration distributions of the TSCs were calculated on the basis of the Gaussian dispersion model in a "normal case" scenario and a "worst case" scenario. DMDS showed the highest emission rate (7.18 μg m -2  s -1 ), and CH 3 SH was the dominant odorous compound with an average emission rate of 4.58 μg m -2  s -1 . The dispersion modeling indicated that the odor impact distances of the TSCs in the studied landfill for the normal case and worst case scenarios were 495 ± 96 m and 9230 m at the downwind regions, respectively. Results of this study can benefit the formulation of strategies for odor control and abatement in landfill sites. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An accurate algorithm to calculate the Hurst exponent of self-similar processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Martínez, M.; Sánchez-Granero, M. A.; Trinidad Segovia, J. E.; Román-Sánchez, I. M.

2014-06-01

In this paper, we introduce a new approach which generalizes the GM2 algorithm (introduced in Sánchez-Granero et al. (2008) [52]) as well as fractal dimension algorithms (FD1, FD2 and FD3) (first appeared in Sánchez-Granero et al. (2012) [51]), providing an accurate algorithm to calculate the Hurst exponent of self-similar processes. We prove that this algorithm performs properly in the case of short time series when fractional Brownian motions and Lévy stable motions are considered. We conclude the paper with a dynamic study of the Hurst exponent evolution in the S&P500 index stocks.

Key aspects in managing safety when working with multiple contractors: A case study.

PubMed

Drupsteen, Linda; Rasmussen, Hanna B; Ustailieva, Erika; van Kampen, Jakko

2015-01-01

Working with multiple contractors in a shared workplace can introduce and increase safety risks due to complexity. The aim of this study was to explore how safety issues are recognized in a specific case and to identify whether clients and contractors perceive problems similarly. The safety issues are explored through a brief survey and a workshop in the maintenance department of a logistics company. The results indicate that culture and behavior are recognized differently by clients and by contractors. The contractors and client had different perceptions of involvement of contractors by the client. The contractors complained on lack of involvement, which was not fully recognized by the client. The case study used a practical approach to show differences in perception of safety within a project. The study illustrates the need for more applied studies and interventions on contractor safety.

Trialling diagnosis-related groups classification in the Iranian health system: a case study examining the feasibility of introducing casemix.

PubMed

Ghaffari, S; Doran, C; Wilson, A; Aisbett, C

2010-05-01

This paper examines the quality of routinely collected information in an Iranian hospital in a trial of casemix classification. Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (AR-DRG) were used to classify patient episodes. There were 327 DRGs identified, of which 20% had only 1 case. The grouper program identified invalid records for 4% of total separations. Approximately 4.5% of cases were classified into error DRGs and 3.4% were ungroupable. No complication and comorbidity effects were identified with 93% of total cases. R2 (variance in length of stay explained) was 44% for untrimmed cases, increasing to 63%, 57% and 58% after trimming by L3H3, IQR and 10th-95th percentile methods respectively.

Probability sampling in legal cases: Kansas cellphone users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadane, Joseph B.

2012-10-01

Probability sampling is a standard statistical technique. This article introduces the basic ideas of probability sampling, and shows in detail how probability sampling was used in a particular legal case.

Necessity of introducing postencounter note describing history and physical examination at clinical performance examination in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Jonghoon

2014-06-01

Information gathering ability had been evaluated mainly via checklists in clinical performance examinations (CPX). But, it is not proved yet if students write the information correctly in postencounter note (PN), although they asked questions or performed physical examinations (PE) about the information when they interacted with standardized patients in CPX. This study addressed the necessity of introducing PN to evaluate the ability in CPX. After patient encounters, students were instructed to write the findings of history taking and physical examination that they considered as important information in approaching the patient's problems in PN. PNs were scored using answer keys selected from checklist items, which were considered to be recorded in PN by CPX experts. PNs of six CPX cases from 54 students were analyzed. Correlation coefficients between the key-checklist scores and PN scores of six cases were moderate to high (0.52 to 0.79). However, students frequently neglected some cardinal features of chief complains, pertinent findings of past/social history and PE, and pertinent negative findings of associated symptoms in PNs, which were checked as 'done' in the keys of checklists. It is necessary to introduce PN in CPX to evaluate the students' ability of synthesis and integration of patient information.

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.

HSPF Modeling for Compliance and Enforcement: An Urban Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshalonis, D.

2017-12-01

Stormwater runoff is one of the most significant challenges to water quality facing surface waters globally. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates stormwater flows through its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program permits. When egregious violations occur, EPA may develop its case and prove those violations through the legal dispute process. However, evidence in stormwater-related cases is ephemeral, difficult to collect due to unpredictable weather dynamics, and there are usually no witnesses. The work presented here illustrates an approach EPA takes for certain wet weather cases: introduce results from hydrologic and hydraulic models as evidence to meet legal burden of proof standards. The challenges and opportunities of using models in stormwater discharge modeling are highlighted.

Current status of water environment and their microbial biosensor techniques - Part II: Recent trends in microbial biosensor development.

PubMed

Nakamura, Hideaki

2018-05-08

In Part I of the present review series, I presented the current state of the water environment by focusing on Japanese cases and discussed the need to further develop microbial biosensor technologies for the actual water environment. I comprehensively present trends after approximately 2010 in microbial biosensor development for the water environment. In the first section, after briefly summarizing historical studies, recent studies on microbial biosensor principles are introduced. In the second section, recent application studies for the water environment are also introduced. Finally, I conclude the present review series by describing the need to further develop microbial biosensor technologies. Graphical abstract Current water pollution indirectly occurs by anthropogenic eutrophication (Part I). Recent trends in microbial biosensor development for water environment are described in part II of the present review series.

Analysis of risk factors for schizophrenia with two different case definitions: a nationwide register-based external validation study.

PubMed

Sørensen, Holger J; Larsen, Janne T; Mors, Ole; Nordentoft, Merete; Mortensen, Preben B; Petersen, Liselotte

2015-03-01

Different case definitions of schizophrenia have been used in register based research. However, no previous study has externally validated two different case definitions of schizophrenia against a wide range of risk factors for schizophrenia. We investigated hazard ratios (HRs) for a wide range of risk factors for ICD-10 DCR schizophrenia using a nationwide Danish sample of 2,772,144 residents born in 1955-1997. We compared one contact only (OCO) (the case definition of schizophrenia used in Danish register based studies) with two or more contacts (TMC) (a case definition of at least 2 inpatient contacts with schizophrenia). During the follow-up, the OCO definition included 15,074 and the TMC 7562 cases; i.e. half as many. The TMC case definition appeared to select for a worse illness course. A wide range of risk factors were uniformly associated with both case definitions and only slightly higher risk estimates were found for the TMC definition. Choosing at least 2 inpatient contacts with schizophrenia (TMC) instead of the currently used case definition would result in almost similar risk estimates for many well-established risk factors. However, this would also introduce selection and include considerably fewer cases and reduce power of e.g. genetic studies based on register-diagnosed cases only. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Schur polynomials and biorthogonal random matrix ensembles

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

Tierz, Miguel

The study of the average of Schur polynomials over a Stieltjes-Wigert ensemble has been carried out by Dolivet and Tierz [J. Math. Phys. 48, 023507 (2007); e-print arXiv:hep-th/0609167], where it was shown that it is equal to quantum dimensions. Using the same approach, we extend the result to the biorthogonal case. We also study, using the Littlewood-Richardson rule, some particular cases of the quantum dimension result. Finally, we show that the notion of Giambelli compatibility of Schur averages, introduced by Borodin et al. [Adv. Appl. Math. 37, 209 (2006); e-print arXiv:math-ph/0505021], also holds in the biorthogonal setting.

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

PubMed Central

Wei, Duo; Bodenreider, Olivier

2015-01-01

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

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

PubMed

Wei, Duo; Bodenreider, Olivier

2010-01-01

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

The Sharma-Parthasarathy stochastic two-body problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cresson, J.; Pierret, F.; Puig, B.

2015-03-01

We study the Sharma-Parthasarathy stochastic two-body problem introduced by Sharma and Parthasarathy in ["Dynamics of a stochastically perturbed two-body problem," Proc. R. Soc. A 463, 979-1003 (2007)]. In particular, we focus on the preservation of some fundamental features of the classical two-body problem like the Hamiltonian structure and first integrals in the stochastic case. Numerical simulations are performed which illustrate the dynamical behaviour of the osculating elements as the semi-major axis, the eccentricity, and the pericenter. We also derive a stochastic version of Gauss's equations in the planar case.

Synthesis and Characterization of Quantum Dots: A Case Study Using PbS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Yi; Li, Yue Ru; Zhao, Yu; Akins, Daniel L.

2015-01-01

A research project for senior undergraduates of chemistry has been developed to introduce syntheses of a series of monodispersed semiconductor PbS quantum dots (QDs) and their characterization methodologies. In this paper, we report the preparation of monodispersed semiconductor PbS QDs with sizes smaller than the exciton Bohr radius using a…

How Can Mobile SMS Communication Support and Enhance a First Year Undergraduate Learning Environment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Geraldine; Edwards, Gabriele; Reid, Alan

2009-01-01

In this paper we discuss a case study investigating how the academic and personal development of first year students on an undergraduate sports education degree can be supported and enhanced with mobile SMS (Short Message Service) communication. SMS-based technologies were introduced in response to students' particular needs (in transition to…

Why the South African NQF Failed: Lessons for Countries Wanting to Introduce National Qualifications Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allais, Stephanie Matseleng

2007-01-01

This article examines the South African National Qualifications Framework as a case study of a particular approach to the design of qualifications frameworks, which revolves around the specification of learning outcomes separate from educational institutions or programmes. It shows how an outcomes-led qualifications framework was seen as a…

Investigating Fresh Water--Some Ideas That Have Been Used Successfully in Primary Schools in the ACT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoring, Nola

2003-01-01

Outlines some strategies used in primary schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to teach science. Teachers wanting to investigate freshwater conducted experiments and drew concepts for reuse, recycling, and conservation. Presents two case studies using these activities to show how this theme can be used to introduce and consolidate a…

Attending to the Noise: Applying Chaos Theory to School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wertheimer, Richard; Zinga, Mario

The Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh (CK:P), a technology-based project, introduced the Internet into all levels of the Pittsburgh Public Schools during 1993-97. This is a case study of the ideology, strategies, and process of the CK:P project describes the project's activities, examines the project in light of school-reform literature, and uses its…

Evaluations of Introducing Project-Based Design Activities in the First and Second Years of Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edward, Norrie S.

2004-01-01

This paper presents three evaluated case studies of the use of design activities in the early years of undergraduate engineering courses. Analyses of academic performance in these activities and in a separate test of understanding were correlated with student perceptions of the activities and with measures of learning style. General student…

Charter Schools as Nation Builders: Democracy Prep and Civic Education. Policy Brief 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lautzenheiser, Daniel; Kelly, Andrew P.

2013-01-01

This policy brief is the first in a series of in-depth case studies exploring how top-performing charter schools have incorporated civic learning in their school curriculum and school culture. This paper introduces Democracy Prep, a network of seven public charter schools with a civic mission at its core. Democracy Prep's founder and…

Mesothelial Cell Autoantibodies Induce Collagen Deposition in vitro & Using a Case Study to Introduce Undergraduates to Bioinformatics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serve, Kinta M.

2013-01-01

Part I. Pleural fibrosis, a non-malignant, asbestos-related respiratory disease characterized by excessive collagen deposition, is progressive, debilitating, and potentially fatal. Disease severity may be influenced by the type of asbestos fiber inhaled, with Libby amphibole (LA) a seemingly more potent mediator of pleural fibrosis than chrysotile…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Tian; Sickel, Jamie; Cheng, Li

2017-01-01

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

Online Library Accessibility Support: A Case Study within the Open University Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mears, Wendy; Clough, Helen

2015-01-01

The Open University (OU) is the UK's largest distance education provider and has a large and growing disabled student population. Disabled user support presents particular challenges for an online library service in the distance learning environment. The OU introduced guidelines for working with non-OU--authored content (external content) in 2011…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haughton, Dominique; Phong, Nguyen

2004-01-01

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

A Computer-Based Curriculum for Head-Injured Students, Intended for Implementation in the Massachusetts Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feer, Michael

The report discusses a program incorporating cognitive therapy with microcomputer technology for head injured students. The goals of cognitive rehabilitation are introduced, the nature and extent of the head injury problem analyzed, and social, emotional, and educational considerations of adolescent head injury illustrated through a case study.…

Cross Currents: Communication/Language/Cultural Skills, Volume IX, Number 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Thomas Walter, Ed.; And Others

1982-01-01

The following articles and features are presented in this issue: (1) "Approaches to Text," by R. Gannon; (2) "A Case Study in Dealing with Cultural Reserve as an Impediment to Language Learning," by R. Harker; (3) "Student-Centered Chalkboard Activities for Beginning Learners," by W. Matreyek; (4) "Introducing Dialects in the ESL Class," by M.…

Using an Outdoor Learning Space to Teach Sustainability and Material Processes in HE Product Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firth, Richard; Stoltenberg, Einar; Jennings, Trent

2016-01-01

This "case study" of two jewellery workshops, used outdoor learning spaces to explore both its impact on learning outcomes and to introduce some key principles of sustainable working methodologies and practices. Using the beach as the classroom, academics and students from a Norwegian and Scottish (HE) product design exchange programme…

Exploring Leadership in Schools-Based iPad Initiatives: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrold, Richard

2017-01-01

The world's first school-based one-to-one iPad initiative was implemented in a British school in 2010. Every year since, more iPad initiatives have been implemented in British schools, with school leaders citing various reasons for introducing them. However, results of iPad initiatives have not always matched expectations. British schools are also…

Parameterized Algorithmics for Finding Exact Solutions of NP-Hard Biological Problems.

PubMed

Hüffner, Falk; Komusiewicz, Christian; Niedermeier, Rolf; Wernicke, Sebastian

2017-01-01

Fixed-parameter algorithms are designed to efficiently find optimal solutions to some computationally hard (NP-hard) problems by identifying and exploiting "small" problem-specific parameters. We survey practical techniques to develop such algorithms. Each technique is introduced and supported by case studies of applications to biological problems, with additional pointers to experimental results.

The Role of Teachers in Reducing/Increasing Listening Comprehension Test Anxiety: A Case of Iranian EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atasheneh, Naser; Izadi, Ahmad

2012-01-01

Three components have been introduced for foreign language learning anxiety in the literature: Test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation and communication apprehension. This study teases out the first of the three components with special focus on listening comprehension test to investigate the correlation between listening test results and foreign…

A Singapore Case Study of Curriculum Innovation in the Twenty-First Century: Demands, Tensions and Deliberations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Elizabeth; Ponnusamy, Letchmi Devi; Tan, Liang See; Lee, Shu-Shing; Ramos, Maria Eloisa

2014-01-01

With the ever-pressing twenty-first century demands, such as the need for new knowledge generation and application, schools today are aware of the necessity to change their structures, processes and practices to be relevant. In Singapore's centralized education system, the Ministry has introduced several decentralization initiatives in the hope of…

Hidden Stories: Uncovering the Visual Metaphor for Education and Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hube, Amy M.; Tremblay, Kenneth R., Jr.; Leigh, Katharine E.

2015-01-01

Design solutions have become increasingly complex and based on a rapidly growing body of knowledge. In order to articulate a design solution to a client, the graphic use of the design narrative can effectively communicate complex ideas. Two case study interventions were conducted in an interior design program in which students were introduced to…

Local Instruction Theory on Division in Mathematics GASING: The Case of Rural Area's Student in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prahmana, Rully Charitas Indra; Suwasti, Petra

2014-01-01

Several studies on learning mathematics for rural area's student indicate that students have difficulty in understanding the concept of division operation. Students are more likely to be introduced by the use of the formula without involving the concept itself and learning division separate the concrete situation of learning process. This…

Using Capstones to Develop Research Skills and Graduate Capabilities: A Case Study from Physiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Julien, Brianna L.; Lexis, Louise; Schuijers, Johannes; Samiric, Tom; McDonald, Stuart

2012-01-01

In 2011, the Department of Human Biosciences introduced two physiology capstone subjects as part of the Design for Learning Project at La Trobe University. Consistent with the project, the aims of these subjects were to provide an effective culmination point for the Bachelor of Health Science course and to offer students orientation to…

Reviving the Turtle: Exploring the Use of Logo with Students with Mild Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratcliff, Corbet C.; Anderson, Susan E.

2011-01-01

In this case study, a group of nine 4th grade children were introduced to the Logo programming language during three 90-minute sessions over a four-week period. They attended a private university-based laboratory school serving students with various learning disabilities. This project demonstrated that a classic version of Logo captured the…

A Stimulating Approach To Teaching, Learning and Assessing Finite Element Methods: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karadelis, J. N.

1998-01-01

Examines the benefits of introducing finite element methods into the curriculum of undergraduate courses. Analyzes the structure of the computer-assisted-design module and the extent to which it fulfills its main objectives. Discusses the efficiency of modern teaching and learning techniques used to develop skills for solving engineering problems;…

The Use of Computers in Early Childhood Education: A Growing Concern.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tse, Miranda Siu Ping

A rationale for introducing computers in early childhood education in Hong Kong is presented. Findings from a survey of computer use in preschools, and case studies of preschools in which children use computers but do not achieve desired results, provide the background for this discussion. Arguments advanced for the use of computers concern…

Computer Science Education in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knobelsdorf, Maria; Magenheim, Johannes; Brinda, Torsten; Engbring, Dieter; Humbert, Ludger; Pasternak, Arno; Schroeder, Ulrik; Thomas, Marco; Vahrenhold, Jan

2015-01-01

In North-Rhine Westphalia, the most populated state in Germany, Computer Science (CS) has been taught in secondary schools since the early 1970s. This article provides an overview of the past and current situation of CS education in North-Rhine Westphalia, including lessons learned through efforts to introduce and to maintain CS in secondary…

Bringing the World to the Classroom through Videoconferencing and Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopper, Susan B.

2014-01-01

The focus of this paper is a case study of a Texas-based school that implemented global projects to connect their students with many states and countries as a platform for integrating collaboration and communication skills, technology tools, and cultural diversity into an existing curriculum. The school introduced videoconferencing at every grade…

Socrates and Technology a New Millennium Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, W. Gary

2006-01-01

The Socratic Method has impacted thinkers and instructors from Hegel, who moved through the negation to the negation of the negation, to Marx, who viewed history through dialectical materialism, to C.C. Langdell, who introduced case law as an innovative method to study law as a science, to present-day professors who use this method to compel…

Water System Adaptation To Hydrological Changes: Module 6, Synchronous Management of Storm Surge, Sea Level Rise, and Salt Water Intrusion: Case Study in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

EPA Science Inventory

This course will introduce students to the fundamental principles of water system adaptation to hydrological changes, with emphasis on data analysis and interpretation, technical planning, and computational modeling. Starting with real-world scenarios and adaptation needs, the co...

Adolescents during and after Times of Social Change: The Case of the Czech Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macek, Petr; Ježek, Stanislav; Vazsonyi, Alexander T.

2013-01-01

The paper introduces a set of four studies focused on adolescents in the Czech Republic. In the first part, authors reflect on the cultural background, the political, social, and psychological factors that have had influence on several generations of adolescents in the period of the communist totalitarian regime. They also describe the social…

Aid Effectiveness in Education: Why It Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bermingham, Desmond; Christensen, Olav Rex; Mahn, Timo Casjen

2009-01-01

This article introduces the special issue of "Prospects" on "Aid effectiveness in education". It brings together case studies of attempts in several very different contexts to improve the effectiveness of the use of aid in the education sector. By drawing on the historical evolution of the new paradigm over the last 20 years, the authors make the…

Achieving Relevance in Assessment through Fieldtrips

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton-Brady, Catherine

2008-01-01

Students often bemoan the fact that they can't see the relevance of the report they are asked to write or the case study they have to analyze. This paper introduces the use of attending an industry tradeshow as a means of making assessment more interesting and meaningful. Much has been written about the need to bring reality back to management…

Introducing Innovative Approaches to Learning in Fluid Mechanics: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gynnild, Vidar; Myrhaug, Dag; Pettersen, Bjornar

2007-01-01

The purpose of the current article is to examine the impact of laboratory demonstrations and computer visualizations on learning in a third-year fluid mechanics course at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). As a first step, on entering the course, students were exposed to a laboratory demonstration focusing on the nature of…

Promoting Athletic Training through a General Education Course in Psychosocial Aspects of Sports Injuries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardiner-Shires, Alison Marie; Heinerichs, Scott

2012-01-01

Context: A general education course taught by athletic training education faculty has the potential to expose the entire student body to the athletic training profession in a unique way while also meeting requirements of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Objective: To introduce a detailed case study of a general…

Introduction of Vertical Integration and Case-Based Learning in Anatomy for Undergraduate Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parmar, Suresh K.; Rathinam, Bertha A. D.

2011-01-01

The purpose of the present pilot study was to evaluate the benefits of innovative teaching methodologies introduced to final year occupational and physical therapy students in Christian Medical College in India. Students' satisfactions along the long-term retention of knowledge and clinical application of the respiratory anatomy have been…

Benefits of pre-release population genetics: a case study using Psyttalia lounsburyi, a biocontrol agent of the olive fruit fly in California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

From a pest management perspective, limited knowledge on the genetics of released biocontrol agents has been repeatedly considered as one possible cause of failures in classical biological control. Introduced biocontrol agents are expected to experience a loss in genetic diversity as the result of s...

Lecture and Tutorial via the Internet - Experiences from a Pilot Project Connecting Five Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wulf, Volker; Schinzel, Britta

This paper reports on a pilot project in which German universities in Freiburg, Constance, Mannheim, Stuttgart, and Ulm connected computer science departments via the Internet for a summer 1997 telelecture and teletutorial on computers and society. The first section provides background on telelearning and introduces the case study. The second…

Promoting Digital Competence in Secondary Education: Are Schools There? Insights from a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sancho Gil, Juana M.; Padilla Petry, Paulo

2016-01-01

In recent years, a large number of educational systems, following the recommendations of international organisations, have introduced a competence-based emphasis into their traditionally subject-based curriculum. This move, beyond what any document can deal with, does not seem to find its way into everyday school practice easily or with instant…

Using a Thyroid Case Study and Error Plausibility to Introduce Basic Lab Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Samantha; Urschler, Margaret; Meidl, Katherine; Peculis, Brenda; Milanick, Mark

2017-01-01

We describe a 3-hour session that provides students with the opportunity to review basic lab concepts and important techniques using real life scenarios. We began with two separate student-engaged discussions to remind/reinforce some basic concepts in physiology and review calculations with respect to chemical compounds. This was followed by…

School Choice with Education Vouchers: An Empirical Case Study from Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Amelia N. Y.; Bagley, Carl

2016-01-01

This paper seeks to question what impact education vouchers have on the process of school choice. The context examined in the paper is the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme ("Voucher Scheme") introduced in 2007 in Hong Kong. Using a Straussian grounded theory method, data collected from 40 parent interviews are coded, analysed and…

A Case Study of the Formosan Subterranean Termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki(Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Transported with a Non-Cellulosic Commercial Carrier in South Mississippi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, was accidently introduced to south Mississippi and has significantly infested more counties over the past decade. Traditionally, it has been accepted that the movement of infested cellulosic wood products has led to the establishmen...

Introducing Reflexivity to Evaluation Practice: An In-Depth Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Draanen, Jenna

2017-01-01

There is currently a paucity of literature in the field of evaluation regarding the practice of reflection and reflexivity and a lack of available tools to guide this practice--yet using a reflexive model can enhance evaluation practice. This paper focuses on the methods and results of a reflexive inquiry that was conducted during a participatory…

The House System: Evaluating Its Role in the Experience of Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antoniadou, Marilena

2017-01-01

This paper presents a case study of students' experiences of the House system, an innovative scheme introduced for business students, aiming to enhance student experience. The findings are based on a survey of 350 students and 4 group interviews. Analysis of the findings, both statistical and qualitative, indicated perceived clear benefits for the…

The E-Portfolio Continuum: Discovering Variables for E-Portfolio Adoption within Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, John; Dunbar-Hall, Peter; Rowley, Jennifer

2012-01-01

This article presents the results of audit data compiled from a case study introducing e-portfolios into a Music Education degree program, and highlights the key challenges faced from the initial stages of student use to curricular embedding and student adoption. This article discusses the technological, social and educational impacts inherent in…

Failure of an Additive-Free Diet to Control Hyperactivity: A Case Study. Technical Report 77-02.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grosek, Robert J.

Measured were the effects of a diet climinating natural salicylates, preservatives, artificial coloring and artificial flavoring on the hyperactive behavior of a 4-year-old boy. Two of four behavioral measures showed a statistically significant reduction in hyperactivity when the diet was introduced. However, when the diet was terminated, the S…

Respondent-Driven Sampling with Hard-to-Reach Emerging Adults: An Introduction and Case Study with Rural African Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogan, Steven M.; Wejnert, Cyprian; Chen, Yi-fu; Brody, Gene H.; Slater, LaTrina M.

2011-01-01

Obtaining representative samples from populations of emerging adults who do not attend college is challenging for researchers. This article introduces respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a method for obtaining representative samples of hard-to-reach but socially interconnected populations. RDS combines a prescribed method for chain referral with a…

Change through Networking in Vocational Education. New Developments in Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nasta, Tony

This book explores the role of networks in forming and delivering vocational education in the United Kingdom and in a single European market. In Part 1, the concepts surrounding networking are introduced and related to the environment of accelerating change in vocational education. Part 2 contains the following case studies and reflective articles…

Inferring the origin of populations introduced from a genetically structured native range by approximate Bayesian computation: case study of the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The correct identification of the source population of an invasive species is a prerequisite for defining and testing different hypotheses concerning the environmental and evolutionary factors responsible for biological invasions. The native area of invasive species may be large, barely known and/or...

Participants' Experiences in Hellinger's Family Constellation Work: A Grounded Theory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgiadou, Sofia

2012-01-01

As a recently introduced to the U.S. model of intergenerational systemic therapy from Germany, Bert Hellinger's Family Constellation Work (FCW) has very limited research support. Hellinger himself has authored a number of publications referencing hundreds of cases, where he implemented his method to approach a broad array of physical,…

The Universidad Nacional Abierta of Venezuela. A Case Study in Distance Learning Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, H. Z.

A brief description of the country of Venezuela (geography, population, economy, internal communications, and politics) and its educational system introduce a description of the Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA). The UNA was opened in July 1978 to expand the national system of higher education by the use of distance learning techniques. These…

Genetic programming based quantitative structure-retention relationships for the prediction of Kovats retention indices.

PubMed

Goel, Purva; Bapat, Sanket; Vyas, Renu; Tambe, Amruta; Tambe, Sanjeev S

2015-11-13

The development of quantitative structure-retention relationships (QSRR) aims at constructing an appropriate linear/nonlinear model for the prediction of the retention behavior (such as Kovats retention index) of a solute on a chromatographic column. Commonly, multi-linear regression and artificial neural networks are used in the QSRR development in the gas chromatography (GC). In this study, an artificial intelligence based data-driven modeling formalism, namely genetic programming (GP), has been introduced for the development of quantitative structure based models predicting Kovats retention indices (KRI). The novelty of the GP formalism is that given an example dataset, it searches and optimizes both the form (structure) and the parameters of an appropriate linear/nonlinear data-fitting model. Thus, it is not necessary to pre-specify the form of the data-fitting model in the GP-based modeling. These models are also less complex, simple to understand, and easy to deploy. The effectiveness of GP in constructing QSRRs has been demonstrated by developing models predicting KRIs of light hydrocarbons (case study-I) and adamantane derivatives (case study-II). In each case study, two-, three- and four-descriptor models have been developed using the KRI data available in the literature. The results of these studies clearly indicate that the GP-based models possess an excellent KRI prediction accuracy and generalization capability. Specifically, the best performing four-descriptor models in both the case studies have yielded high (>0.9) values of the coefficient of determination (R(2)) and low values of root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) for training, test and validation set data. The characteristic feature of this study is that it introduces a practical and an effective GP-based method for developing QSRRs in gas chromatography that can be gainfully utilized for developing other types of data-driven models in chromatography science. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Youth Attitude Tracking Study II, Fall 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

one - group pretest - posttest design." In this, though a . "before" group of the same individuals is introduced...there is no control group that is not exposed to the event. S Both the one -shot case study and the one - group pretest - posttest design are subject to a...segmentation analysis -A identified five Recruiting Priority Groups on the basis of educational status and average grades earned in high school.

[A morbidity study of intraocular foreign bodies].

PubMed

Mocanu, C; Bădescu, S

1993-01-01

190 patients presenting intraocular foreign bodies, hospitalized between 1981-1991, are examined. The study of accidents: cases showed a clear prevalence of work accidents--127 cases (66.84%); 86 of these cases occurred in industry (45.26%), the rest of 41 occurred in agriculture (21.58%). The professions most exposed to such accidents are those of locksmith, mechanic in agriculture or automobile industry. The postsurgical evolution and the incidence of complications show that intraocular foreign bodies are wosse-making factors of ocular plagues, because of anatomical structures disorganization, transparency modifications and infectious complications implied, which determined the diminishing of visual acuity in 88.08% of cases. The big percentage of work accidents in the etiology of intraocular foreign bodies emphasize the great importance of foreign the work-protection rules (regarding a especially the wearing of protection glasses) and of introducing of automation in technological processes involving great risks.

The Lazarillo’s game: Sharing resources with asymmetric conditions

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The Lazarillo of Tormes’ picaresque novel introduces a story where two subjects sequentially extract (one, two or three) tokens from a common pool in an asymmetric information framework (the first player cannot observe her partners’ actions). By introducing a reward for both subjects in case that in every period at least one subject had taken one single token, we define an interesting coordination game. We conduct an experiment with 120 undergraduate students to study their behavior in this framework. We find that if the second player is allowed to take more tokens than her partner, then the frequency of cooperators does not seem to be affected by the informational asymmetry. Nevertheless, this asymmetry (i) incentives the second player to use her ‘power of extraction’ while the social externality is still available, (ii) yields to more asymmetric profit distributions when subjects win the social externality and (iii) delays the breach period in case of coordination failure. Furthermore, the first choice of the first player is determinant for getting the reward. PMID:28704408

Handling Missing Data With Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling and Full Information Maximum Likelihood Techniques.

PubMed

Schminkey, Donna L; von Oertzen, Timo; Bullock, Linda

2016-08-01

With increasing access to population-based data and electronic health records for secondary analysis, missing data are common. In the social and behavioral sciences, missing data frequently are handled with multiple imputation methods or full information maximum likelihood (FIML) techniques, but healthcare researchers have not embraced these methodologies to the same extent and more often use either traditional imputation techniques or complete case analysis, which can compromise power and introduce unintended bias. This article is a review of options for handling missing data, concluding with a case study demonstrating the utility of multilevel structural equation modeling using full information maximum likelihood (MSEM with FIML) to handle large amounts of missing data. MSEM with FIML is a parsimonious and hypothesis-driven strategy to cope with large amounts of missing data without compromising power or introducing bias. This technique is relevant for nurse researchers faced with ever-increasing amounts of electronic data and decreasing research budgets. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Global synchronization of complex dynamical networks through digital communication with limited data rate.

PubMed

Wang, Yan-Wu; Bian, Tao; Xiao, Jiang-Wen; Wen, Changyun

2015-10-01

This paper studies the global synchronization of complex dynamical network (CDN) under digital communication with limited bandwidth. To realize the digital communication, the so-called uniform-quantizer-sets are introduced to quantize the states of nodes, which are then encoded and decoded by newly designed encoders and decoders. To meet the requirement of the bandwidth constraint, a scaling function is utilized to guarantee the quantizers having bounded inputs and thus achieving bounded real-time quantization levels. Moreover, a new type of vector norm is introduced to simplify the expression of the bandwidth limit. Through mathematical induction, a sufficient condition is derived to ensure global synchronization of the CDNs. The lower bound on the sum of the real-time quantization levels is analyzed for different cases. Optimization method is employed to relax the requirements on the network topology and to determine the minimum of such lower bound for each case, respectively. Simulation examples are also presented to illustrate the established results.

Immediate Implants: Clinical Guidelines for Esthetic Outcomes

PubMed Central

Javaid, Mohammad A.; Khurshid, Zohaib; Zafar, Muhammad S.; Najeeb, Shariq

2016-01-01

Research has shown that tooth loss results in morphological changes in alveolar ridge that may influence the subsequent implant placement. Immediate implant placement was introduced as a possible means to limit bone resorption and reduce the number of surgical procedures following tooth extraction. Histological and clinical evidence from human clinical studies showing efficacy of immediate implants has come to light over the last decade or so. However, immediate implant placement is a challenging surgical procedure and requires proper case selection and surgical technique. Furthermore, there appears to be a lack of clinical guidelines for immediate implant placement case selection. Therefore, the aim of this mini-review is to analyze critical evidence from human studies in order to establish clinical guidelines which may help clinicians in case selection when considering immediate implant placement protocol. PMID:29563463

Impact of Laboratory Practice Changes on the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis with the Introduction of Xpert MTB/RIF in Kiribati.

PubMed

Tonganibeia, Alfred; Harries, Anthony D; Merilles, Onofre Edwin A; Tarataake, Tekaibeti; Tiira, Teatao; Kienene, Takeieta

2018-02-01

The Republic of Kiribati, Central Pacific, has the largest tuberculosis epidemic in the region. There is a national tuberculosis control program, which has used smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli as the main diagnostic tool for many years. In 2015, an Xpert MTB/RIF machine was procured and became functional within the tuberculosis hospital. The aim of this cross-sectional study, using routinely collected data, was to determine the effects of introducing Xpert MTB/RIF on laboratory smear microscopy practices and the pattern of registered tuberculosis cases. Between February 2015 and January 2016, there were 220 Xpert MTB/RIF assays performed with 6.4% errors and 15% detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: one patient showed rifampicin-resistance. One year before and after introducing Xpert MTB/RIF, the number of presumptive tuberculosis patients increased by 9% from 2,138 to 2,322. There were no changes in demographic characteristics, smear-positive results, or acid-fast bacilli grade between the two periods. The number of specimens cultured for Mycobacterium tuberculosis significantly declined from 638 to zero, with 76 positive MTB cultures before and none after introducing Xpert MTB/RIF. There was a significant change in the profile of registered tuberculosis cases with more children (34% versus 21%) and fewer bacteriologically-confirmed cases (29% versus 43%) - P < .001. Since the deployment of Xpert MTB/RIF in Kiribati, there have been a small number of assays performed and this has been associated with no adverse effects on smear microscopy, a stoppage in mycobacterial cultures, and a change in the types and categories of diagnosed tuberculosis.

Emergent organization in a model market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Avinash Chand; Manchanda, Kaustubh; Ramaswamy, Ramakrishna

2017-09-01

We study the collective behaviour of interacting agents in a simple model of market economics that was originally introduced by Nørrelykke and Bak. A general theoretical framework for interacting traders on an arbitrary network is presented, with the interaction consisting of buying (namely consumption) and selling (namely production) of commodities. Extremal dynamics is introduced by having the agent with least profit in the market readjust prices, causing the market to self-organize. In addition to examining this model market on regular lattices in two-dimensions, we also study the cases of random complex networks both with and without community structures. Fluctuations in an activity signal exhibit properties that are characteristic of avalanches observed in models of self-organized criticality, and these can be described by power-law distributions when the system is in the critical state.

Transapical endovascular implantation of neochordae using a suction and suture device.

PubMed

Maisano, Francesco; Michev, Iassen; Rowe, Stanton; Addis, Alessandro; Campagnol, Marino; Guidotti, Andrea; Colombo, Antonio; Alfieri, Ottavio

2009-07-01

Neochordae implantation is a standard method for treatment of mitral valve prolapse. We describe a transcatheter technology enabling transapical endovascular chordal implantation. Six adult pigs were anesthetized. Two 10F sheaths were introduced in the femoral vessels for monitoring and intracardiac echo. After midline sternotomy, the pericardium was opened, the apex was punctured inside two 2-0 polypropylene purse strings. A 0.035 in J tipped guidewire was introduced in the left ventricle and an ultra stiff 14F sheath (guide catheter) inserted through the apex. A suction-and-suture device was introduced in the left ventricle. The mitral valve was crossed under echo guidance. Using suction, either the anterior (two cases) or posterior (four cases) leaflet was captured and a loop of 4-0 polypropylene was thrown at the edge of the leaflet. The loop, with a pledget, was exteriorized through the introducer. The introducer was removed and the purse-string tied. Under echo guidance, the neochordae suture was pulled and tied over a pledget to evoke leaflet tethering. The animals were sacrificed and gross anatomy reviewed. Leaflet capture was feasible in the intended location in all cases. Following suture tethering, variable degrees of MR were obtained. At gross anatomy, the neochordae were positioned at 1-4mm from the leaflet free edge, and were firmly attached to the leaflets. Transcatheter endovascular neochordae implantation is feasible. A prolapse model is needed to further demonstrate feasibility under pathologic conditions. The apical approach allows easy and direct route to transcatheter beating heart minimally invasive mitral repair.

The impact of market oriented reforms on choice and information: a case study of cataract surgery in outer London and Stockholm.

PubMed

Fotaki, M

1999-05-01

In the early 1990s, a set of market-oriented reforms was introduced into health care systems of the UK and Sweden, two exemplary cases of reliance on planned budgeting and integrated provision of services. In the pursuit of increased efficiency, several County Councils in Sweden have followed the public competition model, while in the UK internal market reforms were introduced. It was expected that the separation of functions of planners and purchasers from those of providers, which were to be freely chosen by the former, would achieve higher allocative efficiency but also enhance users' satisfaction with care. This paper uses cataract surgery as a case study to trace the impact of competition among providers on choice and information. Qualitative research methods were employed to record the perception of changes in their type and amount as it was given to both purchasers and patients. A set of open ended and standardised questionnaires was designed to elicit the views of all actors involved and to measure the likely transformations. Four study sites from Outer London were selected representing the diversity of responses, and the only existing large provider of eye services to Stockholm County Council was used. The analysis of the data showed that the quasi-market reforms have resulted in a change of attitude of providers. Some improvements in the amount and type of information given to purchasers and patients could also be detected, although as far as direct users were concerned, the demand has not been fully satisfied. However, the impact on choice available to patients and purchasers alike seemed to be adverse, an effect that was particularly strong in the UK case.

A new sternum elevator reduces severe complications during minimally invasive repair of the pectus excavatum.

PubMed

Takagi, Satoshi; Oyama, Takuto; Tomokazu, Nishihira; Kinoshita, Koji; Makino, Taro; Ohjimi, Hiroyuki

2012-06-01

Although the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum is widely employed, a variety of complications have been reported with relatively high frequency; those that involve cardiac and pericardial injuries can be life threatening. To reduce such dangers, we present here a newly developed sternal elevator. The elevator is horseshoe shaped. Its elevator side has the same curvature as a Nuss introducer, so that interference between devices is minimal and no extra skin incision is needed for the elevator insertion. The elevator holds the sternum forward and enlarges the retrosternal space for safer passage of thoracoscopically guided introducer. The authors have used the elevator for 61 pectus excavatum cases between March 2004 and December 2009 without any major complications. The entire process of substernal tunneling was endoscopically observed, which eliminated any blunt and blind dissection, even in a significantly depressed funnel chest case. With the device, the sternum was effectively elevated again for the placement of the second plate in 30 cases. Our newly developed sternum elevator makes the Nuss procedure safer and more affordable without introducing any extra scarring.

Inferring species interactions through joint mark–recapture analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yackulic, Charles B.; Korman, Josh; Yard, Michael D.; Dzul, Maria C.

2018-01-01

Introduced species are frequently implicated in declines of native species. In many cases, however, evidence linking introduced species to native declines is weak. Failure to make strong inferences regarding the role of introduced species can hamper attempts to predict population viability and delay effective management responses. For many species, mark–recapture analysis is the more rigorous form of demographic analysis. However, to our knowledge, there are no mark–recapture models that allow for joint modeling of interacting species. Here, we introduce a two‐species mark–recapture population model in which the vital rates (and capture probabilities) of one species are allowed to vary in response to the abundance of the other species. We use a simulation study to explore bias and choose an approach to model selection. We then use the model to investigate species interactions between endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha) and introduced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Colorado River between 2009 and 2016. In particular, we test hypotheses about how two environmental factors (turbidity and temperature), intraspecific density dependence, and rainbow trout abundance are related to survival, growth, and capture of juvenile humpback chub. We also project the long‐term effects of different rainbow trout abundances on adult humpback chub abundances. Our simulation study suggests this approach has minimal bias under potentially challenging circumstances (i.e., low capture probabilities) that characterized our application and that model selection using indicator variables could reliably identify the true generating model even when process error was high. When the model was applied to rainbow trout and humpback chub, we identified negative relationships between rainbow trout abundance and the survival, growth, and capture probability of juvenile humpback chub. Effects on interspecific interactions on survival and capture probability were strongly supported, whereas support for the growth effect was weaker. Environmental factors were also identified to be important and in many cases stronger than interspecific interactions, and there was still substantial unexplained variation in growth and survival rates. The general approach presented here for combining mark–recapture data for two species is applicable in many other systems and could be modified to model abundance of the invader via other modeling approaches.

An optical fusion gate for W-states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özdemir, Ş. K.; Matsunaga, E.; Tashima, T.; Yamamoto, T.; Koashi, M.; Imoto, N.

2011-10-01

We introduce a simple optical gate to fuse arbitrary-size polarization entangled W-states to prepare larger W-states. The gate requires a polarizing beam splitter (PBS), a half-wave plate (HWP) and two photon detectors. We study, numerically and analytically, the necessary resource consumption for preparing larger W-states by fusing smaller ones with the proposed fusion gate. We show analytically that resource requirement scales at most sub-exponentially with the increasing size of the state to be prepared. We numerically determine the resource cost for fusion without recycling where W-states of arbitrary size can be optimally prepared. Moreover, we introduce another strategy that is based on recycling and outperforms the optimal strategy for the non-recycling case.

Theory of the dynamical thermal conductivity of metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhalla, Pankaj; Kumar, Pradeep; Das, Nabyendu; Singh, Navinder

2016-09-01

The Mori's projection method, known as the memory function method, is an important theoretical formalism to study various transport coefficients. In the present work, we calculate the dynamical thermal conductivity in the case of metals using the memory function formalism. We introduce thermal memory functions for the first time and discuss the behavior of thermal conductivity in both the zero frequency limit and in the case of nonzero frequencies. We compare our results for the zero frequency case with the results obtained by the Bloch-Boltzmann kinetic approach and find that both approaches agree with each other. Motivated by some recent experimental advancements, we obtain several new results for the ac or the dynamical thermal conductivity.

Zoogeomorphology and resilience theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, David R.; Anzah, Faisal; Goff, Paepin D.; Villa, Jennifer

2018-03-01

Zoogeomorphology, the study of animals as geomorphic agents, has been largely overlooked in the context of resilience theory and biogeomorphic systems. In this paper, examples are provided of the interactions between external landscape disturbances and zoogeomorphological agents. We describe cases in which naturally occurring zoogeomorphological agents occupy a landscape, and examine whether those zoogeomorphic agents provide resilience to a landscape or instead serve as a landscape stress capable of inducing a phase-state shift. Several cases are described whereby the presence of exotic (introduced) zoogeomorphic agents overwhelms a landscape and induce collapse. The impact of climate change on species with zoogeomorphological importance is discussed in the context of resilience of a landscape. We conclude with a summary diagram illustrating the relationships existing between zoogeomorphic impacts and landscape resilience in the context of our case studies, and speculate about the future of the study of zoogeomorphology in the framework of resilience theory.

On the equivalence of case-crossover and time series methods in environmental epidemiology.

PubMed

Lu, Yun; Zeger, Scott L

2007-04-01

The case-crossover design was introduced in epidemiology 15 years ago as a method for studying the effects of a risk factor on a health event using only cases. The idea is to compare a case's exposure immediately prior to or during the case-defining event with that same person's exposure at otherwise similar "reference" times. An alternative approach to the analysis of daily exposure and case-only data is time series analysis. Here, log-linear regression models express the expected total number of events on each day as a function of the exposure level and potential confounding variables. In time series analyses of air pollution, smooth functions of time and weather are the main confounders. Time series and case-crossover methods are often viewed as competing methods. In this paper, we show that case-crossover using conditional logistic regression is a special case of time series analysis when there is a common exposure such as in air pollution studies. This equivalence provides computational convenience for case-crossover analyses and a better understanding of time series models. Time series log-linear regression accounts for overdispersion of the Poisson variance, while case-crossover analyses typically do not. This equivalence also permits model checking for case-crossover data using standard log-linear model diagnostics.

A Better State of War: Surmounting the Ethical Cliff in Cyber Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

This study analyzes the emergent field of cyber warfare through the lens of commonly-accepted tenets of ethical warfare. By comparing the...foundational understanding of concepts that determine the justice of wars (jus ad bellum) and justice in war (jus en bello) with the capabilities cyber warfare offers...analyzing how cyber warfare affects each of the core concepts introduced above. The fourth chapter presents a case study that tests the theoretical

Comparing the historic olive trees (Olea europaea L.) of Santa Cruz with contemporaneous trees in the Santa Barbara, CA area: a case study of diversity and structure in an introduced agricultural species conserved in situ

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Historic populations of crop species outside their centers of origin and diversity, like the domestic olive (Olea europaea L.) in North America, are genetic resources for contemporary agriculture, including genotypes that could be adapted to, local conditions. The primary goal of this study was to d...

[Foreign body in the tricuspid valve with valvular insufficiency and right-left shunt].

PubMed

Delebarre, P; Augustin-Normand, C; Capronier, C; Cramer, J; Godeau, P; Letac, B; Forman, J; Maurice, P; Ourbak, P

1987-05-01

We present the case of a 50-year old man who progressively developed tricuspid valve insufficiency with opening of a patent foramen ovale responsible for right-to-left shunt with polycythaemia. The tricuspid valve insufficiency was due to a foreign body, probably of surgical origin as suggested by its radiological image and by the patient's previous history. It would have been introduced, far away from the tricuspid valve (compound fracture of the wrist), several years previously. At surgery, we found the foreign body embedded in the valve system. As a possible mechanism for the mutilation, an undiagnosed endocarditis was suspected but could not be confirmed. Three cases tricuspid endocarditis (with foreign bodies in the right ventricle) and 3 cases of asymptomatic tricuspid valve foreign bodies have been published. Fifty-five cases of foreign bodies introduced peripherally and migrated into the heart, the pericardium and the pulmonary artery are reviewed.

Beckham as Physicist?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireson, Gren

2001-01-01

If football captures the interest of students, it can be used to teach physics. In this case, a Beckham free-kick can be used to introduce concepts such as drag, the Bernoulli principle, Reynolds number, and the Magnus effect by asking the simple question: How does he curve the ball so much? Introduces basic mechanics along the way. (Author/ASK)

Exploratory Bi-Factor Analysis: The Oblique Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennrich, Robert I.; Bentler, Peter M.

2012-01-01

Bi-factor analysis is a form of confirmatory factor analysis originally introduced by Holzinger and Swineford ("Psychometrika" 47:41-54, 1937). The bi-factor model has a general factor, a number of group factors, and an explicit bi-factor structure. Jennrich and Bentler ("Psychometrika" 76:537-549, 2011) introduced an exploratory form of bi-factor…

Introducing a Culture of Civility in First-Year College Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connelly, Robert J.

2009-01-01

Higher education, as well as the larger society appears to be experiencing a serious decline in civility. In this article the author presents the case for introducing civility education in first-year general education courses. After citing some of the research documenting both faculty and student perceptions of incivility in the university and…

The Non-Institutionalization of the Use of Self-Instructional Materials in Primary Schools in Jamaica: The Case of Project PRIMER.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Zellynne

1993-01-01

Asserts that many educational innovations introduced into developing nations from developed nations fail. Describes a project utilizing community involvement and individualized instruction that was introduced into Jamaica after successful development and implementation in the Philippines. Concludes that the project failed. (CFR)

Circles and the Lines That Intersect Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clay, Ellen L.; Rhee, Katherine L.

2014-01-01

In this article, Clay and Rhee use the mathematics topic of circles and the lines that intersect them to introduce the idea of looking at the single mathematical idea of relationships--in this case, between angles and arcs--across a group of problems. They introduce the mathematics that underlies these relationships, beginning with the questions…

The Complexities of Neutrality in Teaching Religious Education: The Ethics and Religious Culture Program as Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaver, Arzina

2015-01-01

In 2008, the Québec Ministry of Education introduced the Ethics and Religious Culture (ERC) program. Though the ERC is a positive step forward in promoting and fostering much-needed religious literacy skills, the implications of a "neutral" professional posture asked of its teachers have been difficult to translate into the classroom.…

Deterring Cross-Border Conflict in the Horn of Africa: A Case Study of Kenya-Uganda Border

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

enabled them to poach elephants and introduced a new dimension in the competition for scarce resources, leading to the development of a superior social...SOCIAL- ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL IMPACT OF THE CONFLICTS...rivalries. These conflicts have caused extensive local crises, drawn heavily on military resources, and have had an adverse impact on economic

WORKING WITH WHAEM2000: CAPTURE ZONE DELINEATION FOR A CITY WELLFIELD IN A VALLEY FILL GLACIAL OUTWASH AQUIFER SUPPORTING WELLHEAD PROTECTION

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this document is to introduce through a case study the use of the ground water geohydrology computer program WhAEM for Microsoft Windows (32-bit), or WhAEM2000. WhAEM2000 is a public domain, ground-water flow model designed to facilitate capture zone delineation an...

Vocational Qualifications and Progression to Higher Education: The Case of the 14-19 Diplomas in the English System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgson, Ann; Spours, Ken

2010-01-01

Ensuring effective progression from vocational qualifications to higher education has become an important issue internationally as a part of government strategies to raise skill levels and to provide more equitable access to tertiary level study. From September 2008, the Government in England has begun to introduce a new set of qualifications for…

The Outcome of Behavioral Intervention with a Person Living with Schizophrenia Who Exhibited Medication Noncompliance: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanahara, Shunsuke

2009-01-01

The behavioral counseling of a withdrawn and noncompliant schizophrenic South American person, who is an immigrant, by an Asian counselor taking place in the United States is introduced. Although some difficulties, such as a language barrier, exist in the clinical setting, a behavioral assessment to analyze the client's issues through focusing on…

Response to Intervention (RtI) in Secondary Schools: A Comparison of the RtI Service Delivery Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epler-Brooks, Pam L.

2011-01-01

This qualitative, collective case study researched how the Response to Intervention (RtI) service delivery model was used within the secondary educational environment in two Ohio schools. Areas researched included the type of professional development used to introduce and sustain RtI, the amount of administrative support, the use of universal…

Collaboratively Teaching and Doing History: Promoting Historical Research in the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Elaine; Pun, Raymond

2016-01-01

A collaborative course introduced history students to a variety of digital tools and printed materials for historical research. The authors explore the development of this program by a historian and a librarian as a case study to address the value of teaching history outside of the classroom and allowing students to conduct research on-site. This…

Choices in International Conflict: With a Focus on Security Issues in Asia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Gregory; Mukai, Gary; Kim, Pearl; Leininger, James

Many world leaders and scholars feel that the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance is essential for long-term peace, prosperity, and stability in Asia. The purpose of this curriculum unit is to examine this alliance by introducing students to case studies of international conflict, with a focus on security issues in Asia. Through each of the lessons…

Biodiversity in School Grounds: Auditing, Monitoring and Managing an Action Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansell, Michelle

2010-01-01

The idea of using site biodiversity action plans to introduce biodiversity management initiatives into school grounds is outlined. Selected parts of a case study, involving the use of such an action plan to record, monitor and plan for biodiversity on a university campus, are described and ideas for applying a similar plan to a school setting are…

Use of Item Models in a Large-Scale Admissions Test: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinharay, Sandip; Johnson, Matthew S.

2008-01-01

"Item models" (LaDuca, Staples, Templeton, & Holzman, 1986) are classes from which it is possible to generate items that are equivalent/isomorphic to other items from the same model (e.g., Bejar, 1996, 2002). They have the potential to produce large numbers of high-quality items at reduced cost. This article introduces data from an…

Eliciting Students' Understanding of a Local Socioscientific Issue through the Use of Critical Response Pedagogies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karahan, Engin; Andzenge, Senenge T.; Roehrig, Gillian

2017-01-01

This study introduces a critical response pedagogy (CRP), an arts-based critical technique to facilitate meaningful dialogue in focus group settings, to secondary school science education students to engage them in discussion about sediment and chemical load in their local river basin community. Using a holistic single case design, twenty-two 11th…

Literacy Instruction in the Mother Tongue: The Case of Pupils Using Mixed Vocabularies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Alma Sonia Q.

2013-01-01

In the institutionalization of the mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) in the country, several trainings were conducted introducing its unique features such as the use of the two-track method in teaching reading based on the frequency of the sounds of the first language (L1). This study attempted to find out how the accuracy track…

The Complementary Use of Audience Response Systems and Online Tests to Implement Repeat Testing: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratling, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Although learning theories suggest that repeat testing can be highly beneficial for students' retention and understanding of material, there is, so far, little guidance on how to implement repeat testing in higher education. This paper introduces one method for implementing a three-stage model of repeat testing via computer-aided formative…

Creative and Collaborative Problem Solving in Technology Education: A Case Study in Primary School Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavonen, Jari; Autio, Ossi; Meisalo, Veijo

2004-01-01

In this article, the Creative Technology Education Project (CTEP) is presented, and phases of problem-solving processes in which the participating primary school student teachers generate alternatives and evaluate ideas are analyzed. The aims of this project were to introduce technology education goals and contents to these students, as well as to…

Understanding Why Things Happen: Case-Studies of Pupils Using an Abstract Picture Language to Represent the Nature of Changes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stylianidou, Fani; Boohan, Richard

1998-01-01

Six 12-year-old students were followed during an eight-month course using "Energy and Change" curricular materials, which introduce ideas related to the Second Law of Thermodynamics through an abstract picture language. Concludes that students had higher levels of generalization in their explanations of physical, chemical, and biological…

MBA Teaching Challenges in a Changing Political and Economic Environment: A Case Study of MBA Teachers and Students in Poland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kowalski, Ewa

2008-01-01

Master of Business Administration (MBA) education was introduced to Poland in the early 1990s with the purpose of preparing business practitioners for effective management and leadership in a market economy and increasingly globalizing marketplace. Due to individual, institutional, and national factors; adjusting teaching to address the complex…

A Non-Blaming Chance and Action Approach to Therapy with Sexually Explicit Media Overuse: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wernik, Uri

2012-01-01

In this clinical presentation a non-blaming, non-judgmental approach to overuse of sexually explicit media (SEM) is introduced. This approach normalizes the problem and sees it in the context of evolution and market forces. It is claimed that such an approach contributes to change and strengthens the therapeutic alliance. A new technique utilizing…

Do Test Design and Uses Influence Test Preparation? Testing a Model of Washback with Structural Equation Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xie, Qin; Andrews, Stephen

2013-01-01

This study introduces Expectancy-value motivation theory to explain the paths of influences from perceptions of test design and uses to test preparation as a special case of washback on learning. Based on this theory, two conceptual models were proposed and tested via Structural Equation Modeling. Data collection involved over 870 test takers of…

Wronski Brackets and the Ferris Wheel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Keye

2005-11-01

We connect the Bayesian order on classical states to a certain Lie algebra on C^infty[0,1]. This special Lie algebra structure, made precise by an idea we introduce called a Wronski bracket, suggests new phenomena the Bayesian order naturally models. We then study Wronski brackets on associative algebras, and in the commutative case, discover the beautiful result that they are equivalent to derivations.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and Teacher Pedagogy in a New Zealand Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rae, Genevieve; Dabner, Nicki; Mackey, Julie

2017-01-01

The practice of students bringing their own mobile devices (BYOD) to school is increasingly being used to leverage digital learning opportunities in New Zealand schools. This paper presents a summary of the findings from a case study that explored the experiences of three primary school teachers as they introduced BYOD into their classrooms for…

Putting Ourselves in the Big Picture: A Sustainable Approach to Project Management for e-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchan, Janet

2010-01-01

In a case study of a large Australian university the metaphor of panarchy is used as a means of describing and understanding the complex interrelationships of multi-scale institutional projects and the influences of a variety factors on the potential success of e-learning initiatives. The concept of para-analysis is introduced as a management…

A Didactic Activity for Introducing Design and Optimization of Experiments Assisted by Revised Bloom's Taxonomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amorim, Gabriela; Balestrassi, Pedro; Paiva, Anderson; Gottzandt, Isabella

2014-01-01

The methodology used in this study was action-research and the considered activity is been applied successfully for at least five years to undergraduate and to master classes for Industrial Engineering students in Brazil. It showed a significant result in both cases, providing the basis for the deepening in the subject in further lessons.…

The Educational Implications of Introducing a NQF for Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michael

2011-01-01

The one-year research project on the implementation of NQFs in developing countries was launched by the ILO 2009 in collaboration with the ETF. This article reviews some of the educational issues that arose from the project. The findings of the case studies raise issues that are important for how future research and policy on NQFs is taken…

Collective Designing and Sharing of Open Educational Resources: A Study of the French CARTOUN Platform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quere, Nolwenn

2017-01-01

Designing and sharing Open Educational Resources (OERs) requires teachers to develop new competences, in particular with digital resources. In this paper, the case of a language resource production group is introduced. Due to the centrality of the OERs in their collective activity, I show that the documents they produce are essential to the…

Introducing a Mentor into a Children's Composition Project: Reflections on a Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locke, Millie; Locke, Terry

2012-01-01

This article reports on a case study where a professional musician was assigned to a primary school as mentor in a project where 14 primary-aged children, with their teacher's direction, were involved in the composition of a piece of music that would act as prologue to the school's major production. The researchers were interested in aspects of…

Detection probability of forest pests in current inspection protocols - a case study of the bronze birch borer

Treesearch

Bjorn Okland; Robert A. Haack; Gunnar. Wilhelmsen

2012-01-01

Increasing inter-continental trade of wood chips for biofuel represents a significant risk of introducing invasive pest species that can cause biome-scale impacts on forest ecosystems. Some potentially invasive species have the capacity to cause high tree mortality on the Eurasian continent and could cause significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functions....

Evolution of the Students' Conceptual Understanding in the Case of a Teaching Sequence in Mechanics: Concept of Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Küçüközer, Asuman

2006-01-01

This study aims to better understand the construction of the meaning of physics concepts in mechanics during a teaching sequence at the upper secondary school level. In the teaching sessions, students were introduced to the concepts of interaction and force. During this teaching sequence the models called "interactions" and "laws of…

Fuel treatment effectiveness in forests of the upper Atlantic Coastal Plain—an evaluation at two spatial scales

Treesearch

Roger D. Ottmar; Susan J. Prichard

2012-01-01

Fuel treatment effectiveness in Southern forests has been demonstrated using fire behavior modeling and observations of reduced wildfire area and tree damage. However, assessments of treatment effectiveness may be improved with a more rigorous accounting of the fuel characteristics. We present two case studies to introduce a relatively new approach to characterizing...

Effects of Competitive E-Learning Tools on Higher Education Students: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regueras, L. M.; Verdu, E.; Munoz, M. F.; Perez, M. A.; de Castro, J. P.; Verdu, M. J.

2009-01-01

Over the last few years, most of the attempts to introduce active learning methodologies in the classroom have made use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Many of these efforts have been directed to collaborative scenarios used in remote, blended or face-to-face experiences, in order to take advantage of the flexibility provided by…

Culture-Specificity of Teacher Demotivation: Iranian Junior High School Teachers Caught in the Newly-Introduced CLT Trap!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yaghoubinejad, Hadi; Zarrinabadi, Nourollah; Nejadansari, Dariush

2017-01-01

Research has shown that lack of motivation on either students or teachers' part negatively influences language learning. The latter case is a serious problem in this regard, since an unmotivated teacher will extinguish his learners' enthusiasm and energy for learning. This study employed a mixed-method approach to investigate the demotivating…

A Case Study of Cooperative Learning in Bushenyi District in Uganda: Educational Leaders' and Teachers' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mujuni, John Bosco

2015-01-01

In 2003-2007, the government of Uganda through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), under the umbrella of UPHOLD and in Partnership with USAID, introduced cooperative learning as a "student-centered teaching approach" in some selected districts and schools in Uganda. This dissertation explored the current state and practice of…

Developing Assessment Policy and Evaluating Practice: A Case Study of the Introduction of A New Marking Scheme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handley, Fiona J. L.; Read, Ann

2017-01-01

In 2011, Southampton Solent University, a post-1992 university in southern England, introduced a new marking scheme with the aims of changing marking practice to achieve greater transparency and consistency in marking, and to ensure that the full range of marks was being awarded to students. This paper discusses the strategic background to the…

Direct Study of Parenting: A Serendipitous Outcome in a Course on Adult Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Robert B.

2015-01-01

This paper describes the activities of a course on adult development. The course intended to sensitize participants to the theories and reality of adulthood and aging by introducing them to selected literature on adult development and to the preparation of case records and mastery of activities that permit an analysis of the adult's world. The…

Exploring the Impact of Written Reflections on Learning in the Elementary Mathematics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Christie S.; Polly, Drew; Kissel, Brian

2017-01-01

The authors examined the implementation of written reflections in a Grade 4 mathematics classroom over the course of 8 weeks. Students in this case study engaged in a workshop modeled after Calkin's Writers' Workshop and within this workshop the use of writing as a reflective tool in mathematics was introduced. The authors explore how students…

The Representation of Women in a Sample of Post-1994 South African School History Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoeman, Sonja

2009-01-01

History curriculum revisions post 1994 were followed by a range of new History textbooks intended to meet the needs of teachers seeking to implement the revised curriculum. I sought to establish whether or not a sample of these textbooks had built upon the gender equality initiatives introduced after 1994. A qualitative intrinsic case study was…

Integrating strategic and tactical decisions in livestock supply chain using bi-level programming, case study: Iran poultry supply chain.

PubMed

Teimoury, Ebrahim; Jabbarzadeh, Armin; Babaei, Mohammadhosein

2017-01-01

Inventory management has frequently been targeted by researchers as one of the most pivotal problems in supply chain management. With the expansion of research studies on inventory management in supply chains, perishable inventory has been introduced and its fundamental differences from non-perishable inventory have been emphasized. This article presents livestock as a type of inventory that has been less studied in the literature. Differences between different inventory types, affect various levels of strategic, tactical and operational decision-making. In most articles, different levels of decision-making are discussed independently and sequentially. In this paper, not only is the livestock inventory introduced, but also a model has been developed to integrate decisions across different levels of decision-making using bi-level programming. Computational results indicate that the proposed bi-level approach is more efficient than the sequential decision-making approach.

Integrating strategic and tactical decisions in livestock supply chain using bi-level programming, case study: Iran poultry supply chain

PubMed Central

Jabbarzadeh, Armin; Babaei, Mohammadhosein

2017-01-01

Inventory management has frequently been targeted by researchers as one of the most pivotal problems in supply chain management. With the expansion of research studies on inventory management in supply chains, perishable inventory has been introduced and its fundamental differences from non-perishable inventory have been emphasized. This article presents livestock as a type of inventory that has been less studied in the literature. Differences between different inventory types, affect various levels of strategic, tactical and operational decision-making. In most articles, different levels of decision-making are discussed independently and sequentially. In this paper, not only is the livestock inventory introduced, but also a model has been developed to integrate decisions across different levels of decision-making using bi-level programming. Computational results indicate that the proposed bi-level approach is more efficient than the sequential decision-making approach. PMID:28982180

["Shock" therapies in Nazi Germany. The example of Berlin psychiatry].

PubMed

Rzesnitzek, L

2014-09-01

The idea that "shock" therapies were introduced by "Nazi-Psychiatry" very early and used radically in a cruel way darkens the image of these therapies until today. A case analysis of patient files of psychiatric hospitals in Berlin is used to recapitulate the introduction of insulin coma, metrazol and electroconvulsive therapy during the National Socialism era. Contrary to the false assumption that these "shock" therapies would have been introduced and preferred by psychiatrists involved with the Nazi regime and "euthanasia", in the case of Berlin these therapies were delayed by them and seldom used.

Application of disease burden to quantitative assessment of health hazards for a decentralized water reuse system.

PubMed

Gao, Tingting; Chen, Rong; Wang, Xiaochang; Ngo, Huu Hao; Li, Yu-You; Zhou, Jinhong; Zhang, Lu

2016-05-01

The aim of this article is to introduce the methodology of disease burden (DB) to quantify the health impact of microbial regrowth during wastewater reuse, using the case study of a decentralized water reuse system in Xi'an Si-yuan University, located in Xi'an, China. Based on field investigation findings, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella and rotavirus were selected as typical regrowth pathogens causing potential health hazards during the reuse of reclaimed water. Subsequently, major exposure routes including sprinkler irrigation, landscape fountains and toilet flushing were identified. Mathematical models were established to build the relationship between exposure dose and disease burden by calculating the disability adjusted life year (DALY). Results of disease burden for this case study show that DALYs attributed to E. coli were significantly greater than those caused by other pathogens, and DALYs associated with sprinkler irrigation were higher than those originating from other routes. A correlation between exposure dose and disease was obtained by introducing a modified calculation of morbidity, which can extend the assessment endpoint of health risk to disease burden from the conventional infection rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A 1D-2D coupled SPH-SWE model applied to open channel flow simulations in complicated geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Kao-Hua; Sheu, Tony Wen-Hann; Chang, Tsang-Jung

2018-05-01

In this study, a one- and two-dimensional (1D-2D) coupled model is developed to solve the shallow water equations (SWEs). The solutions are obtained using a Lagrangian meshless method called smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) to simulate shallow water flows in converging, diverging and curved channels. A buffer zone is introduced to exchange information between the 1D and 2D SPH-SWE models. Interpolated water discharge values and water surface levels at the internal boundaries are prescribed as the inflow/outflow boundary conditions in the two SPH-SWE models. In addition, instead of using the SPH summation operator, we directly solve the continuity equation by introducing a diffusive term to suppress oscillations in the predicted water depth. The performance of the two approaches in calculating the water depth is comprehensively compared through a case study of a straight channel. Additionally, three benchmark cases involving converging, diverging and curved channels are adopted to demonstrate the ability of the proposed 1D and 2D coupled SPH-SWE model through comparisons with measured data and predicted mesh-based numerical results. The proposed model provides satisfactory accuracy and guaranteed convergence.

Provision of ambulatory health services in Poland: a case study from Krakow.

PubMed

Chawla, Mukesh; Berman, Peter; Windak, Adam; Kulis, Marzena

2004-01-01

This study provides a comprehensive picture of the organization and delivery of ambulatory health care services in Poland. A main finding of the study is that, following the introduction of health insurance in 1999, the newly introduced Sickness Funds have become the main players in the medical services market, introducing new bidding procedures and contracts for provision of medical services. Contracts, and negotiations which precede them, have introduced elements of market competition, which has affected the number and types of services provided by health care centers operating under a contract. The health financing reforms have led to an even playing field for public and non-public providers, marked by a proliferation of structurally smaller health units. The introduction of a market environment has changed the way in which providers are compensated, with a discernible shift away from salary-based systems to capitation and fee-for-service compensation. The analysis of the provider market for outpatient care underscores the importance of understanding the organization and supply of health services, particularly insofar as it relates to the design of appropriate financial and other incentives for providers of health services and of policy interventions necessary for achieving systemic changes.

Adjustment of the thermal component of two tourism climatological assessment tools using thermal perception and preference surveys from Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovács, Attila; Unger, János; Gál, Csilla V.; Kántor, Noémi

2016-07-01

This study introduces new methodological concepts for integrating seasonal subjective thermal assessment patterns of people into the thermal components of two tourism climatological evaluation tools: the Tourism Climatic Index (TCI) and the Climate-Tourism/Transfer-Information-Scheme (CTIS). In the case of the TCI, we replaced the air temperature and relative humidity as the basis of the initial rating system with the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET)—a complex human biometeorological index. This modification improves the TCI's potential to evaluate the thermal aspects of climate. The major accomplishments of this study are (a) the development of a new, PET-based rating system and its integration into the thermal sub-indices of the TCI and (b) the regionalization of the thermal components of CTIS to reflect both the thermal sensation and preference patterns of people. A 2-year-long (2011-2012) thermal comfort survey conducted in Szeged, Hungary, from spring to autumn was utilized to demonstrate the implementation of the introduced concepts. We found considerable differences between the thermal perception and preference patterns of Hungarians, with additional variations across the evaluated seasons. This paper describes the proposed methodology for the integration of the new seasonal, perception-based, and preference-based PET rating systems into the TCI, and presents the incorporation of new PET thresholds into the CTIS. In order to demonstrate the utility of the modified evaluation tools, we performed case study climate analyses for three Hungarian tourist destinations. The additional adjustments introduced during the course of those analyses include the reduction of TCI's temporal resolution to 10-day intervals and the exclusion of nocturnal and winter periods from the investigation.

Effect of digital problem-based learning cases on student learning outcomes in ophthalmology courses.

PubMed

Kong, Jun; Li, Xiaoyan; Wang, Youdong; Sun, Wei; Zhang, Jinsong

2009-09-01

To assess the impact of digital problem-based learning (PBL) cases on student learning in ophthalmology courses. Ninety students were randomly divided into 3 classes (30 students per class). The first class studied under a didactic model. The other 2 classes were divided into 6 groups (10 students per group) and received PBL teaching; 3 groups studied via cases presented in digital form and the others studied via paper-form cases. The results of theoretical and case analysis examinations were analyzed using the chi(2) test. Student performance on the interval practice was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Questionnaires were used to evaluate student and facilitator perceptions. Students in the digital groups exhibited better performance in the practice procedures according to tutorial evaluations compared with the other groups (P < .05). The 2 PBL classes had significantly higher mean results of theoretical and case analysis examinations (P < .001), but there was no significant difference between the 2 PBL classes. Ninety-three percent of students in the digital groups (vs 73% in the paper groups) noted that the cases greatly stimulated their interest. Introducing PBL into ophthalmology could improve educational quality and effectiveness. Digital PBL cases stimulate interest and motivate students to further improve diagnosis and problem-handling skills.

Life Cycle Assessment Perspectives on Delivering an Infant in the US

PubMed Central

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

2012-01-01

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

Introducing CUBES: the Cassegrain U-band Brazil-ESO spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bristow, Paul; Barbuy, Beatriz; Macanhan, Vanessa B.; Castilho, Bruno; Dekker, Hans; Delabre, Bernard; Diaz, Marcos; Gneiding, Clemens; Kerber, Florian; Kuntschner, Harald; La Mura, Giovanni; Reiss, Roland; Vernet, J.

2014-07-01

CUBES is a high-efficiency, medium-resolution (R ≃ 20, 000) spectrograph dedicated to the "ground based UV" (approximately the wavelength range from 300 to 400nm) destined for the Cassegrain focus of one of ESO's VLT unit telescopes in 2018/19. The CUBES project is a joint venture between ESO and Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG) at the Universidade de São Paulo and the Brazilian Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica (LNA). CUBES will provide access to a wealth of new and relevant information for stellar as well as extra-galactic sources. Principle science cases include the study of heavy elements in metal-poor stars, the direct determination of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen abundances by study of molecular bands in the UV range and the determination of the Beryllium abundance as well as the study of active galactic nuclei and the inter-galactic medium. With a streamlined modern instrument design, high efficiency dispersing elements and UV-sensitive detectors, it will enable a significant gain in sensitivity over existing ground based medium-high resolution spectrographs enabling vastly increased sample sizes accessible to the astronomical community. We present here a brief overview of the project, introducing the science cases that drive the design and discussing the design options and technological challenges.

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

PubMed Central

Cook-Snyder, Denise R.

2017-01-01

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

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

PubMed

Cook-Snyder, Denise R

2017-01-01

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

Building Action Research Teams: A Case of Struggles and Successes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Fengning

2009-01-01

Teaching teams can hold the promise of being an ideal vehicle in which collaborative action research is conducted. This case documents the mixed results of a team leader's efforts to improve teaching and introduce inquiry-based professional development through action research in a community college. This case paints a realistic and…

Radiation-damage-induced phasing: a case study using UV irradiation with light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

de Sanctis, Daniele; Zubieta, Chloe; Felisaz, Franck; Caserotto, Hugo; Nanao, Max H

2016-03-01

Exposure to X-rays, high-intensity visible light or ultraviolet radiation results in alterations to protein structure such as the breakage of disulfide bonds, the loss of electron density at electron-rich centres and the movement of side chains. These specific changes can be exploited in order to obtain phase information. Here, a case study using insulin to illustrate each step of the radiation-damage-induced phasing (RIP) method is presented. Unlike a traditional X-ray-induced damage step, specific damage is introduced via ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs). In contrast to UV lasers, UV-LEDs have the advantages of small size, low cost and relative ease of use.

Non-verbal Full Body Emotional and Social Interaction: A Case Study on Multimedia Systems for Active Music Listening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camurri, Antonio

Research on HCI and multimedia systems for art and entertainment based on non-verbal, full-body, emotional and social interaction is the main topic of this paper. A short review of previous research projects in this area at our centre are presented, to introduce the main issues discussed in the paper. In particular, a case study based on novel paradigms of social active music listening is presented. Active music listening experience enables users to dynamically mould expressive performance of music and of audiovisual content. This research is partially supported by the 7FP EU-ICT Project SAME (Sound and Music for Everyone, Everyday, Everywhere, Every Way, www.sameproject.eu).

Finite element analysis of fretting contact for nonhomogenous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korkmaz, Y. M.; Coker, D.

2018-01-01

Fretting problem arises in the case of relatively small sliding motion between contacting surfaces. Fatigue life of the components that are in contact with each other, especially in rotorcraft may be significantly reduced due to fretting. The purpose of this study is to investigate material inhomogeneity near the contact region on the fretting problem in a cylindrical on flat contact configuration. A finite element (FE) model was constructed by using commercial finite element package ABAQUSTMto study partial sliding and stress concentrations. In order to investigate the effect of material inhomogeneity, the fretting contact is analyzed by introducing voids near the contact region. The void size and an array of voids is introduced into the substrate. The results are compared in terms of pressure, shear traction, tangential stress magnitudes and relative slip between the contacting materials.

The Use of a Hemostasis Introducer for Percutaneous Extraction of Bile Duct Stones.

PubMed

Feisthammel, Juergen; Moche, Micheal; Mossner, Joachim; Hoffmeister, Albrecht

2012-02-01

Choledocholithiasis is defined as presence of at least one gallstone in the bile duct. Those bile duct stones (BDS) usually are extracted by ERCP. In case the bile duct is not accessible endoscopically (e.g. after major abdominal surgery), PTCD has to be performed. Extraction of the stones via PTCD has several risks as are hemorrhage, pancreatitis and injuries of the liver tissue. We here report about our experience with a significant modification of this technique by use of a 13-french hemostasis introducer as a sheath to track the transhepatic access to the bile ducts in order to reduce time and risk. Three patients were treated by use of the reported modification. In all cases, the stones were successfully removable without complications. We demonstrate that the use of a hemostasis introducer for percutaneous extraction of common bile duct stones seems to be promising in terms of shortening hospital stay and increasing patient safety.

Hybridization and adaptation to introduced balloon vines in an Australian soapberry bug.

PubMed

Andres, J A; Thampy, P R; Mathieson, M T; Loye, J; Zalucki, M P; Dingle, H; Carroll, S P

2013-12-01

Contemporary adaptation of plant feeding insects to introduced hosts provides clear cases of ecologically based population divergence. In most cases the mechanisms permitting rapid differentiation are not well known. Here we study morphological and genetic variation associated with recent shifts by the Australian soapberry bug Leptocoris tagalicus onto two naturalized Neotropical balloon vines, Cardiospermum halicacabum and C. grandiflorum that differ in time since introduction. Our results show that these vines have much larger fruits than the native hosts (Whitewood tree -Atalaya hemiglauca- and Woolly Rambutan -Alectryon tomentosus-) and that bugs living on them have evolved significantly longer beaks and new allometries. Genetic analyses of mitochondrial haplotypes and amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) markers indicate that the lineage of bugs on the annual vine C. halicacabum, the older introduction, is intermediate between the two subspecies of L. tagalicus found on native hosts. Moreover, where the annual vine and Whitewood tree co-occur, the morphology and genomic composition of the bugs are similar to those occurring in allopatry. These results show that hybridization provided the genetic elements underlying the strongly differentiated 'Halicacabum bugs'. In contrast, the bugs feeding on the recently introduced perennial balloon vine (C. grandiflorum) showed no evidence of admixture, and are genetically indistinguishable from the nearby populations on a native host. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PT -symmetric currents of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a triple well

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haag, Daniel; Dast, Dennis; Cartarius, Holger; Wunner, Günter

2015-11-01

We study the case of PT -symmetric perturbations of Hermitian Hamiltonians with degenerate eigenvalues using the example of a triple-well system. The degeneracy complicates the question of whether or not a stationary current through such a system can be established, i.e., whether or not the PT -symmetric states are stable. It is shown that this is only the case for perturbations that do not couple to any of the degenerate states. The physical explanation for the inhibition of stable currents is discussed. However, introducing an on-site interaction restores the capability to support stable currents.

Time-stable boundary conditions for finite-difference schemes solving hyperbolic systems: Methodology and application to high-order compact schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Mark H.; Gottlieb, David; Abarbanel, Saul

1993-01-01

We present a systematic method for constructing boundary conditions (numerical and physical) of the required accuracy, for compact (Pade-like) high-order finite-difference schemes for hyperbolic systems. First, a roper summation-by-parts formula is found for the approximate derivative. A 'simultaneous approximation term' (SAT) is then introduced to treat the boundary conditions. This procedure leads to time-stable schemes even in the system case. An explicit construction of the fourth-order compact case is given. Numerical studies are presented to verify the efficacy of the approach.

The Sharma-Parthasarathy stochastic two-body problem

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

Cresson, J.; SYRTE/Observatoire de Paris, 75014 Paris; Pierret, F.

2015-03-15

We study the Sharma-Parthasarathy stochastic two-body problem introduced by Sharma and Parthasarathy in [“Dynamics of a stochastically perturbed two-body problem,” Proc. R. Soc. A 463, 979-1003 (2007)]. In particular, we focus on the preservation of some fundamental features of the classical two-body problem like the Hamiltonian structure and first integrals in the stochastic case. Numerical simulations are performed which illustrate the dynamical behaviour of the osculating elements as the semi-major axis, the eccentricity, and the pericenter. We also derive a stochastic version of Gauss’s equations in the planar case.

Continuous manufacturing of tablets with PROMIS-line - Introduction and case studies from continuous feeding, blending and tableting.

PubMed

Simonaho, Simo-Pekka; Ketolainen, Jarkko; Ervasti, Tuomas; Toiviainen, Maunu; Korhonen, Ossi

2016-07-30

Drug manufacturing technology is in the midst of modernization and continuous manufacturing of drug products is especially the focus of great interest. The adoption of new manufacturing approaches requires extensive cooperation between industry, regulatory bodies, academics and equipment manufacturers. In this paper we introduce PROMIS-line which is a continuous tableting line built at the University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy, PROMIS-centre. PROMIS-line is modular and tablets can be produced via dry granulation or direct compression. In three case studies, continuous feeding, blending and tablet performance is studied to illustrate some basic features of PROMIS-line. In conclusion, the PROMIS-line is an excellent tool for studying the fundamentals of continuous manufacturing of tablets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cultural Heritage Through Time: a Case Study at Hadrian's Wall, United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fieber, K. D.; Mills, J. P.; Peppa, M. V.; Haynes, I.; Turner, S.; Turner, A.; Douglas, M.; Bryan, P. G.

2017-02-01

Diachronic studies are central to cultural heritage research for the investigation of change, from landscape to architectural scales. Temporal analyses and multi-temporal 3D reconstruction are fundamental for maintaining and safeguarding all forms of cultural heritage. Such studies form the basis for any kind of decision regarding intervention on cultural heritage, helping assess the risks and issues involved. This article introduces a European-wide project, entitled "Cultural Heritage Through Time", and the case study research carried out as a component of the project in the UK. The paper outlines the initial stages of the case study of landscape change at three locations on Hadrian's Wall, namely Beckfoot Roman Fort, Birdoswald Roman Fort and Corbridge Roman Station, all once part of the Roman Empire's north-west frontier. The main aim of the case study is to integrate heterogeneous information derived from a range of sources to help inform understanding of temporal aspects of landscape change. In particular, the study sites are at risk from natural hazards, notably erosion and flooding. The paper focuses on data collection and collation aspects, including an extensive archive search and field survey, as well as the methodology and preliminary data processing.

Introducing Participatory Curriculum Development in China's Higher Education: The Case of Community-Based Natural Resource Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gubo, Qi; Xiuli, Xu; Ting, Zuo; Xiaoyun, Li; Keke, Chen; Xiaowei, Gao; Miao, Ji; Lin, Liu; Miankui, Mao; Jingsong, Li; Yiching, Song; Zhipu, Long; Min, Lu; Juanwen, Yuan; Vernooy, Ronnie

2008-01-01

This article describes and reflects on a novel course developed at China Agricultural University to introduce Community-Based Natural Resource Management at the postgraduate level. This course, part of a larger educational renewal initiative addressing the current reform of China's higher education system, was developed through a participatory…

Gender Policies Meet VET Practices--The Case of Health and Social Care in Norway

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Høst, Håkon; Seland, Idunn; Skålholt, Asgeir

2015-01-01

Could the labour market gender balance be improved by introducing new types of apprenticeship-trained workers? This article investigates what happened in the wake of the Norwegian VET programme for health and social care, a new approach introduced via the 1994 educational reform. By upgrading this traditionally female-dominated area of education,…

The Interns Play: A Mimetic Approach to Introducing and Working with Countertransference in Professional Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiMino, John L.

2009-01-01

An approach is presented that introduces the concept of countertransference to predoctoral interns and externs in a unique way during their professional training. This approach goes beyond a didactic presentation of the concept and even beyond discussion of case material in supervision. Through an experiential role-play process called Mimesis,…

Introducing Molecular Life Science Students to Model Building Using Computer Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aegerter-Wilmsen, Tinri; Kettenis, Dik; Sessink, Olivier; Hartog, Rob; Bisseling, Ton; Janssen, Fred

2006-01-01

Computer simulations can facilitate the building of models of natural phenomena in research, such as in the molecular life sciences. In order to introduce molecular life science students to the use of computer simulations for model building, a digital case was developed in which students build a model of a pattern formation process in…

Introducing forensic entomology in cases of suspected animal neglect.

PubMed

McGarry, John; Ratsep, Emily; Ressel, Lorenzo; Leeming, Gail; Ricci, Emanuele; Verin, Ranieri; Blundell, Richard; Kipar, Anja; Hetzel, Udo; Yeates, James

2018-02-03

Cases of arthropod-infested, abandoned or abused animals are sometimes brought to the attention of veterinarians by animal welfare authorities, with the requirement for a full postmortem examination towards criminal or civil proceedings. In these situations, entomology is an important support tool for the pathologists' investigation since the presence of arthropod life cycle stages serve as reliable forensic markers, especially for blowflies which form the first waves of activity following death. In the present study, 70 cadavers from a total of 544 referred to the Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, between 2009 and 2014 displayed evidence of infestation. Here, the authors introduce principles of applied entomology and simplified approaches for estimating the minimum time since death, relevant in the context of routine submissions and the broad remit of individual cases. Despite often limited availability of scene of the crime and local thermal data, the interpretation of the minimum postmortem interval has nonetheless proved valuable as an adjunct to the expert pathology report. However, future developments and enhanced accuracy in this area of animal welfare require resource and training in expertise, and agreed standardisation of both laboratory and field procedures. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Soil carbon content and character in an old-growth forest in northwestern Pennsylvania: a case study introducing pyrolysis molecular beam mass spectrometry (py-MBMS)

Treesearch

C.M. Hoover; K.A. Magrini; R.J. Evans

2002-01-01

This study was conducted to: (1) test the utility of a new and rapid analytical method, pyrolysis molecular beam mass spectrometry (py-MBMS), for the measurement and characterization of carbon in forest soils, and (2) examine the effects of natural disturbance on soil carbon dynamics. An additional objective was to test the ability of py-MBMS to distinguish recent from...

Reconstruction of the in-plane mode shape of a rotating tire with a continuous scanning measurement using the Hilbert-Huang transform.

PubMed

Lee, Jongsuh; Wang, Semyung; Pluymers, Bert; Desmet, Wim; Kindt, Peter

2015-02-01

Generally, the dynamic characteristics (natural frequency, damping, and mode shape) of a structure can be estimated by experimental modal analysis. Among these dynamic characteristics, mode shape requires multiple measurements of the structure at different positions, which increases the experimental cost and time. Recently, the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) method has been introduced to extract mode-shape information from a continuous measurement, which requires vibration measurements from one position to another position continuously with a non-contact sensor. In this research study, an effort has been made to estimate the mode shapes of a rolling tire with a single measurement instead of using the conventional experimental setup (i.e., measurement of the vibration of a rolling tire at multiple positions similar to the case of a non-rotating structure), which is used to estimate the dynamic behavior of a rolling tire. For this purpose, HHT, which was used in the continuous measurement of a non-rotating structure in previous research studies, has been used for the case of a rotating system in this study. Ambiguous mode combinations can occur in this rotating system, and therefore, a method to overcome this ambiguity is proposed in this study. In addition, the specific phenomenon for a rotating system is introduced, and the effect of this phenomenon with regard to the obtained results through HHT is investigated.

Leading change: introducing an electronic medical record system to a paramedic service.

PubMed

Baird, Shawn; Boak, George

2016-05-03

Purpose Leaders in health-care organizations introducing electronic medical records (EMRs) face implementation challenges. The adoption of EMR by the emergency medical and ambulance setting is expected to provide wide-ranging benefits, but there is little research into the processes of adoption in this sector. The purpose of this study is to examine the introduction of EMR in a small emergency care organization and identify factors that aided adoption. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews with selected paramedics were followed up with a survey issued to all paramedics in the company. Findings The user interfaces with the EMR, and perceived ease of use, were important factors affecting adoption. Individual paramedics were found to have strong and varied preferences about how and when they integrated the EMR into their practice. As company leadership introduced flexibility of use, this enhanced both individual and collective ability to make sense of the change and removed barriers to acceptance. Research limitations/implications This is a case study of one small organization. However, there may be useful lessons for other emergency care organizations adopting EMR. Practical implications Leaders introducing EMR in similar situations may benefit from considering a sense-making perspective and responding promptly to feedback. Originality/value The study contributes to a wider understanding of issues faced by leaders who seek to implement EMRs in emergency medical services, a sector in which there has been to date very little research on this issue.

[The cost-effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine for children under 2 years of age in Colombia].

PubMed

Alvis Guzmán, Nelson; De La Hoz Restrepo, Fernando; Vivas Consuelo, David

2006-10-01

Conjugate vaccines are the best public health tools available for preventing most invasive diseases caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), but the high cost of the vaccines has so far kept them from being introduced worldwide. The objective of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of introducing Hib conjugate vaccines for the prevention of meningitis and pneumonia among children under 2 years of age in Colombia. We estimated the direct and indirect costs of managing in-hospital pneumonia and meningitis cases. In addition, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization, we assessed the cost-effectiveness of Hib vaccination programs. We also estimated the costs for preventing Hib cases, and the cost per year of life saved in two hypothetical situations: (1) with vaccination against Hib (with 90% coverage) and (2) without vaccination. The average in-hospital treatment costs were 611.50 US$ (95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 532.2 to 690.8 US$) per case of pneumonia and 848.9 US$ (95% CI = 716.8 to 981.0 US$) per case of meningitis. The average cost per Hib case prevented was 316.7 US$ (95% CI = 294.2 to 339.2 US$). In terms of cost-effectiveness, the cost would be 2.38 US$ per year of life saved for vaccination, versus 3.81 US$ per year of life saved without vaccination. Having an adequate Hib vaccination program in Colombia could prevent around 25,000 cases of invasive disease per year, representing a cost savings of at least 15 million US$ annually. Furthermore, the program could prevent some 700 deaths per year and save 44,054 years of life per year.

Changes in Saturday outpatient volume and billings after introducing the Saturday incentive programme to clinics in South Korea: a longitudinal cohort study using claims data from 2012 to 2014.

PubMed

Ha, Hyun Ji; Han, Kyu-Tae; Kim, Sun Jung; Sohn, Tae Yong; Jeon, Byungyool; Park, Eun-Cheol

2016-06-09

In October 2013, the South Korean government introduced an incentive programme to increase the availability of Saturday treatment at clinics, hoping to increase the role of primary care providers as gatekeepers to medical care. To the best of our knowledge, no one has yet investigated this programme's effect on overall outpatient care. Our study aims to analyse the change in Saturday outpatient volume and billings in clinics that adopted the Saturday incentive programme. Our study used 3 types of data from the period October 2012 to March 2014: National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data, hospital evaluation data and medical institution data. These data consisted of 66 825 881 outpatient cases from 2837 clinics. Introducing the Saturday incentive programme. We performed a multilevel analysis that adjusted for clinic-level and outpatient-level variables to examine the difference in the percentage of Saturday outpatient volume and billings after introducing the Saturday incentive programme. The percentages of Saturday outpatient volume and billings were higher after introducing the programme (outpatient volume: β=2.065, p<0.001; outpatient billings: β=3.518, p<0.001). In addition, outpatient volume and billings on Friday and Saturday increased after introducing the programme, while those on weekdays, excluding Friday, decreased. Our findings suggest that the Saturday incentive programme has affected clinic outpatient care and is a worthwhile health policy in terms of promoting primary care. Thus, it may improve healthcare accessibility and quality of care, and prevent inappropriate usage such as emergency room visits by providing patients with weekend clinic hours. 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/

Moving from a regional to a continental perspective of Phragmites australis invasion in North America

PubMed Central

Kettenring, Karin M.; de Blois, Sylvie; Hauber, Donald P.

2012-01-01

Aims We use a regional comparison of Phragmites australis (common reed) subsp. americanus, P. australis subsp. berlandieri and introduced P. australis (possibly five sublineages) in the Chesapeake Bay, the St Lawrence River, Utah and the Gulf Coast to inform a North American perspective on P. australis invasion patterns, drivers, impacts and research needs. Findings and research needs Our regional assessments reveal substantial diversity within and between the three main lineages of P. australis in terms of mode of reproduction and the types of environment occupied. For introduced P. australis, the timing of introduction also differed between the regions. Nevertheless, a common finding in these regions reinforces the notion that introduced P. australis is opportunistic and thrives in disturbed habitats. Thus, we expect to see substantial expansion of introduced P. australis with increasing anthropogenic disturbances in each of these regions. Although there have been some studies documenting the negative impacts of introduced P. australis, it also plays a beneficial role in some regions, and in some cases, the purported negative impacts are unproven. There is also a broader need to clarify the genetic and ecological relationships between the different introduced sublineages observed in North America, and their relative competitive ability and potential for admixture. This may be done through regional studies that use similar methodologies and share results to uncover common patterns and processes. To our knowledge, such studies have not been performed on P. australis in spite of the broad attention given to this species. Such research could advance theoretical knowledge on biological invasion by helping to determine the extent to which the patterns observed can be generalized or are sublineage specific or region specific. Synthesis Given what appears to be sometimes idiosyncratic invasion patterns when interpreted in isolation in the regions that we analysed, it may be time to consider initiatives on a continental (if not intercontinental) scale to tackle unresolved issues about P. australis. PMID:23755351

What Level of English Proficiency Do Elementary School Teachers Need to Attain to Teach EFL? Case Studies from Korea, Taiwan, and Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Y. G.

2004-01-01

Responding to the growing need to foster communicative abilities in English, many Asian countries where English is taught as a foreign language have recently introduced English at the elementary school level. However, the majority of elementary school teachers in such countries might not be adequately prepared to teach English; improving their…

School Improvement and Urban Renewal: The Impact of a Turnaround School's Performance on Real Property Values in Its Surrounding Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Stephen L.; Szczesek, Jill

2013-01-01

This study investigates the economic impact of a "turnaround" school on real property values in its surrounding community as related to the argument introduced by Tiebout in 1956 correlating local public goods, in this case school success, to housing-location decision making. Using single-family home sales found on the Multiple Listing System and…

The Use of History of Science Texts in Teaching Science: Two Cases of an Innovative, Constructivist Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koliopoulos, Dimitris; Dossis, Sotiris; Stamoulis, Efthymios

2007-01-01

This study proposes an empirical classification of ways to introduce elements of the history of science into science teaching, as well as describing a special way to do so characterized by the introduction of short extracts from historical texts. The aim is to motivate students to participate in problem-solving activities and to transform their…

Introducing a Symbolic Interactionist Approach on Teaching Mathematics: The Case of Revoicing as an Interactional Strategy in the Teaching of Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckert, Andreas; Nilsson, Per

2017-01-01

This study examines an interactional view on teaching mathematics, whereby meaning is co-produced with the students through a process of negotiation. Further, teaching is viewed from a symbolic interactionism perspective, allowing the analysis to focus on the teacher's role in the negotiation of meaning. Using methods inspired by grounded theory,…

The Microcomputerization of Business Schools. Part I: General Strategies, Lessons, and Issues. Part II: A Case Study of the UCLA Graduate School of Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frand, Jason L.

Part I (General Strategies, Lessons and Issues) of this two-part analysis of the microcomputerization process describes strategies schools have followed in their microcomputerization efforts and the lessons and issues that have emerged. Part I covers the following: strategies for introducing microcomputers into the curriculum (the saturation,…

Permutation parity machines for neural cryptography.

PubMed

Reyes, Oscar Mauricio; Zimmermann, Karl-Heinz

2010-06-01

Recently, synchronization was proved for permutation parity machines, multilayer feed-forward neural networks proposed as a binary variant of the tree parity machines. This ability was already used in the case of tree parity machines to introduce a key-exchange protocol. In this paper, a protocol based on permutation parity machines is proposed and its performance against common attacks (simple, geometric, majority and genetic) is studied.

Removing the Walls and Textbook from the Classroom: A Case Study of a Creative Entrepreneurship Class of Multinational Students in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parry, Zen; Baird, Craig

2012-01-01

Introducing creative elements into the syllabus and pedagogy of an Entrepreneurship class in a business school can be a risky endeavour for an educator and students alike. Populating the class with students from traditionally risk-averse cultures provides opportunities for everyone involved. Identifying the core behavioural issues for students in…

A Case Study of Introducing Innovation Through Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

contacts, freeing more of their mental energy to assist the CO in developing and tackling the overall complexities of the mission. With more energy ...organizations experiencing change while design thinking is devoted to finding solutions to difficult problems by harnessing the creative energy inherent...change. “Rather than focusing on one major opportunity, [embedded actors] pepper the landscape with many cultivated opportunities.”53 (2) Fitting the

Teaching "Human Rights" through Olympic Education in the Intercultural Lyceum of Athens: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aroni, Angeliki

2013-01-01

Working in an Intercultural School is one of the most inspiring, motivating challenges an educator can be given in any given society, but that was especially true for Greece at the beginning of the last decade, since it was only in 1996 that the term Intercultural Education was introduced. Partly due to chance, and partly due to personal and…

Key Challenges in the Reform of Governance, Quality Assurance, and Finance in Vietnamese Higher Education--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dao, Khanh Van

2015-01-01

Vietnam's higher education is highly centralized in terms of its governance and management. A couple of higher education reform plans have been introduced over the past decade but they seem to result in poor outcomes. This paper addresses the challenges faced in the areas of governance, quality assurance and finance by a "key" university…

A method for locating potential tree-planting sites in urban areas: a case study of Los Angeles, USA

Treesearch

Chunxia Wua; Qingfu Xiaoa; Gregory E. McPherson

2008-01-01

A GIS-based method for locating potential tree-planting sites based on land cover data is introduced. Criteria were developed to identify locations that are spatially available for potential tree planting based on land cover, sufficient distance from impervious surfaces, a minimum amount of pervious surface, and no crown overlap with other trees. In an ArcGIS...

All about Sex: The School Counselor's Guide to Handling Tough Adolescent Problems. Practical Skills for Counselors Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Loretta J.; Jarchow, Elaine; Robinson, Beth

This book is designed to be used by school counselors to help them respond to sexual issues of adolescence. Chapter 1, "Sexual Stuff: What's a Counselor To Do?" introduces the topic of knowing the boundaries of school policy, parents, values and religion, and confidentiality. A series of case studies are presented and answers common concerns…

Children with Special Needs: Lessons for Early Childhood Professionals. Early Childhood Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostelnik, Marjorie J.; Onaga, Esther; Rohde, Barbara; Whiren, Alice

Bridging the gap between child development and strategies for inclusion, this book is intended to help early childhood practitioners and pre-service teachers feel better equipped to meet the needs of all the children in their early childhood setting. Each chapter of the book is a case study introducing a child (ages birth to 8 years) with one or…

Does the Curriculum Matter in Peer Mentoring? From Mentee to Mentor in Problem-Based Learning: A Unique Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Michelle

2004-01-01

Peer mentoring has been used for many years by the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine to integrate new students into the academic and social culture of the institution. In 2001, an unusual situation arose. A problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum was introduced and the first cohort in this programme was mentored by senior traditional curriculum…

Learning Environment in Vietnamese Physics Teacher Education Programme through the Lens of Constructivism: A Case Study of a State University in Mekong Delta Region, Vietnam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thao-Do, Thi Phuong; Bac-Ly, Dang Thi; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2016-01-01

Constructivism was introduced to Vietnam through many ways such as workshops, books, the Internet, and so on. However, due to the lack of professional education, fundamental ideas of constructivist learning perhaps were missing or neglected through classroom activities. Furthermore, due to the influence of culture and society, Vietnamese…

The Effect of Project Based Learning in Teaching EFL Vocabulary to Young Learners of English: The Case of Pre-School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimsesiz, Fatma; Dolgunso¨z, Emrah; Konca, M. Yavuz

2017-01-01

English language teaching has newly been introduced to pre-school curriculum in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teaching EFL vocabulary to pre-school children through Project Based Learning (PBL). For this purpose, an experimental design, consisted of observation checklists, exam scores and a short survey,…

Permutation parity machines for neural cryptography

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

Reyes, Oscar Mauricio; Escuela de Ingenieria Electrica, Electronica y Telecomunicaciones, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga; Zimmermann, Karl-Heinz

2010-06-15

Recently, synchronization was proved for permutation parity machines, multilayer feed-forward neural networks proposed as a binary variant of the tree parity machines. This ability was already used in the case of tree parity machines to introduce a key-exchange protocol. In this paper, a protocol based on permutation parity machines is proposed and its performance against common attacks (simple, geometric, majority and genetic) is studied.

Religious Diversity, Inter-Ethnic Relations and the Catholic School: Introducing the "Responsive" Approach to Single Faith Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breen, Damian

2009-01-01

The article offers a case study of the ways in which a Catholic primary school located in the centre of a large South-Asian community in Leicester, UK, responded to the religious and ethnic diversity of its surroundings. The school, Our Saviour's, engaged in shared activities with a neighbouring school which had a majority intake of Hindu, Muslim…

Impact of the Minimum Pricing Policy and introduction of brand (generic) substitution into the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Australia.

PubMed

McManus, P; Birkett, D J; Dudley, J; Stevens, A

2001-01-01

To describe the effects of introducing the Minimum Pricing Policy (MPP) and generic (brand) substitution in 1990 and 1994 respectively on the dispensing of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescriptions both at the aggregate and individual patient level. The relative proportion of prescriptions with a brand premium and those at benchmark was examined 4 years after introduction of the MPP and again 5 years later after generic substitution by pharmacists was permitted. To determine the impact of a price signal at the individual level, case studies involving a patient tracking methodology were conducted on two drugs (fluoxetine and ranitidine) that received a brand premium. From a zero base when the MPP was introduced in 1990, there were 5.4 million prescriptions (17%) dispensed for benchmark products 4 years later in 1994. At this stage generic (brand) substitution by pharmacists was then permitted and the market share of benchmark brands increased to 45% (25.2 million) by 1999. In the patient tracking studies, a significantly lower proportion of patients was still taking the premium brand of fluoxetine 3 months after the introduction of a price signal compared with patients taking paroxetine which did not have a generic competitor. This was also the case for the premium brand of ranitidine when compared to famotidine. The size of the price signal also had a marked effect on dispensing behaviour with the drug with the larger premium (fluoxetine) showing a significantly greater switch away from the premium brand to the benchmark product. The introduction in 1990 of the Minimum Pricing Policy without allowing generic substitution had a relatively small impact on the selection of medicines within the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. However the effect of generic substitution at the pharmacist level, which was introduced in December 1994, resulted in a marked increase in the percentage of eligible PBS items dispensed at benchmark. Case studies showed a larger premium resulted in a greater shift of patients from drugs with a brand premium to the benchmark alternative.

Impact of seeing and host galaxy into the analysis of photo-polarimetric microvariability in blazars. Case study of the nearby blazars 1ES 1959+650 and HB89 2201+044

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sosa, M. S.; von Essen, C.; Andruchow, I.; Cellone, S. A.

2017-11-01

Blazars, a type of Active Galactic Nuclei, present a particular orientation of their jets close to the line of sight. Their radiation is thus relativistically beamed, giving rise to extreme behaviors, specially strong variability on very short timescales (I.e., microvariability). Here we present simultaneous photometric and polarimetric observations of two relatively nearby blazars, 1ES 1959+650 and HB89 2201+044, that were obtained using the Calar Alto Faint Object Spectrograph mounted at the 2.2 m telescope in Calar Alto, Spain. An outstanding characteristic of these two blazars is the presence of well resolved host galaxies. This particular feature allows us to produce a study of their intrinsic polarization, a measurement of the polarization state of the galactic nucleus unaffected by the host galaxy. To carry out this work, we computed photometric fluxes from which we calculated the degree and orientation of the blazars polarization. Then, we analyzed the depolarizing effect introduced by the host galaxy with the main goal to recover the intrinsic polarization of the galactic nucleus, carefully taking into consideration the spurious polarimetric variability introduced by changes in seeing along the observing nights. We find that the two blazars do not present intra-night photo-polarimetric variability, although we do detect a significant inter-night variability. Comparing polarimetric values before and after accounting for the host galaxies, we observe a significant difference in the polarization degree of about 1% in the case of 1ES 1959+650, and 0.3% in the case of HB89 2201+044, thus evidencing the non-negligible impact introduced by the host galaxies. We note that this host galaxy effect depends on the waveband, and varies with changing seeing conditions, so it should be particularly considered when studying frequency-dependent polarization in blazars. Based on observations collected at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by the Max-Planck Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC).

Identifying hub stations and important lines of bus networks: A case study in Xiamen, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hui; Zhuge, Chengxiang; Yu, Xiaohua

2018-07-01

Hub stations and important lines play key roles in transfers between stations. In this paper, a node failure model is proposed to identify hub stations. In the model, we introduce two new indicators called neighborhood degree ratio and transfer index to evaluate the importance of stations, which consider neighborhood stations' degree of station and the initial transfer times between stations. Moreover, line accessibility is developed to measure the importance of lines in the bus network. Xiamen bus network in 2016 is utilized to test the model. The results show that the two introduced indicators are more effective to identify hub stations compared with traditional complex network indicators such as degree, clustering coefficient and betweenness.

Temporal correlations in the Vicsek model with vectorial noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulich, Damián; Baglietto, Gabriel; Rozenfeld, Alejandro F.

2018-07-01

We study the temporal correlations in the evolution of the order parameter ϕ(t) for the Vicsek model with vectorial noise by estimating its Hurst exponent H with detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). We present results on this parameter as a function of noise amplitude η introduced in simulations. We also compare with well known order-disorder phase transition for that same noise range. We find that - regardless of detrending degree - H spikes at the known coexistence noise for phase transition, and that this is due to nonstationarities introduced by the transit of the system between two well defined states with lower exponents. We statistically support this claim by successfully synthesizing equivalent cases derived from a transformed fractional Brownian motion (TfBm).

Basis for paraxial surface-plasmon-polariton packets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Herrero, Rosario; Manjavacas, Alejandro

2016-12-01

We present a theoretical framework for the study of surface-plasmon polariton (SPP) packets propagating along a lossy metal-dielectric interface within the paraxial approximation. Using a rigorous formulation based on the plane-wave spectrum formalism, we introduce a set of modes that constitute a complete basis set for the solutions of Maxwell's equations for a metal-dielectric interface in the paraxial approximation. The use of this set of modes allows us to fully analyze the evolution of the transversal structure of SPP packets beyond the single plane-wave approximation. As a paradigmatic example, we analyze the case of a Gaussian SPP mode, for which, exploiting the analogy with paraxial optical beams, we introduce a set of parameters that characterize its propagation.

An Ontological Solution to Support Interoperability in the Textile Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duque, Arantxa; Campos, Cristina; Jiménez-Ruiz, Ernesto; Chalmeta, Ricardo

Significant developments in information and communication technologies and challenging market conditions have forced enterprises to adapt their way of doing business. In this context, providing mechanisms to guarantee interoperability among heterogeneous organisations has become a critical issue. Even though prolific research has already been conducted in the area of enterprise interoperability, we have found that enterprises still struggle to introduce fully interoperable solutions, especially, in terms of the development and application of ontologies. Thus, the aim of this paper is to introduce basic ontology concepts in a simple manner and to explain the advantages of the use of ontologies to improve interoperability. We will also present a case study showing the implementation of an application ontology for an enterprise in the textile/clothing sector.

Serologic Evidence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in a Patient with Suspected Lyme Disease in Japan.

PubMed

Yoshii, Kentaro; Sato, Kozue; Ishizuka, Mariko; Kobayashi, Shintaro; Kariwa, Hiroaki; Kawabata, Hiroki

2018-05-29

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is widely prevalent on the Eurasian continent, including Japan, but four cases of TBE have been reported in Japan. To inspect unconfirmed TBE cases in Japan, we conducted a retrospective seroepidemiological study of a total of 158 samples from 81 meningoencephalitis patients suspected as Lyme disease. Two serum samples from one patient showed neutralizing antibodies against TBE virus. The patient with severe and progressive encephalitis had a history of tick bite in Hokkaido in 2012. These results demonstrated that tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) case was actually unconfirmed in Japan. Further seroepidemiological surveys are required to identify unconfirmed TBEV infections to consider the pros and cons of introducing specific countermeasures including vaccination in Japan.

Corrosion resistance of lithium/iodine batteries fabricated in an extremely dry environment

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

Brown, W.R.; Holmes, C.F.; Stinebring, R.C.

1981-10-01

Early lithium/iodine pacemaker batteries employed considerable amounts of inert plastic materials to encase the active ingredients inside the stainless steel case. Several years ago the Wilson Greatbatch Ltd. (WGL) Model 755 cell was introduced and represented a significant change in lithium/iodine battery construction. In this design (1) the iodinepolyvinylpyridine (PVP) depolarizer material was placed in direct contact with the 304L stainless steel case and much of the inert material was eliminated. This change resulted in obtaining substantially more depolarizer in the battery thereby greatly increasing the electrical capacity for the same cell volume. A study was instituted to evaluate possiblemore » corrosion effects between the iodine in the depolarizer and the stainless steel case.« less

Hand injury with a nail gun: a case report with literature review.

PubMed

Boya, Hakan; Uzun, Belkan

2015-01-01

The nail gun was introduced in the late 1950s to increase the ease of driving nails, studs, bolts, or staples into various hard surfaces. The nail gun is a potentially dangerous device that is still commonly used in the construction industry. Since its introduction, an increasing number of studies have reported injuries associated with nail guns. Nail gun-related injuries-such as to the head, neck, and chest-can be devastating, and in some cases, even fatal. Extremity injuries, notably in the hand, can cause loss of function, missed work, and long-term health effects. This case report describes a nail-gun injury of the hand along with a discussion of the unique features of and treatment strategies for nail gun injuries.

On the Penrose inequality along null hypersurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mars, Marc; Soria, Alberto

2016-06-01

The null Penrose inequality, i.e. the Penrose inequality in terms of the Bondi energy, is studied by introducing a functional on surfaces and studying its properties along a null hypersurface Ω extending to past null infinity. We prove a general Penrose-type inequality which involves the limit at infinity of the Hawking energy along a specific class of geodesic foliations called Geodesic Asymptotically Bondi (GAB), which are shown to always exist. Whenever this foliation approaches large spheres, this inequality becomes the null Penrose inequality and we recover the results of Ludvigsen-Vickers (1983 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 16 3349-53) and Bergqvist (1997 Class. Quantum Grav. 14 2577-83). By exploiting further properties of the functional along general geodesic foliations, we introduce an approach to the null Penrose inequality called the Renormalized Area Method and find a set of two conditions which imply the validity of the null Penrose inequality. One of the conditions involves a limit at infinity and the other a restriction on the spacetime curvature along the flow. We investigate their range of applicability in two particular but interesting cases, namely the shear-free and vacuum case, where the null Penrose inequality is known to hold from the results by Sauter (2008 PhD Thesis Zürich ETH), and the case of null shells propagating in the Minkowski spacetime. Finally, a general inequality bounding the area of the quasi-local black hole in terms of an asymptotic quantity intrinsic of Ω is derived.

Reply & Supply: Efficient crowdsourcing when workers do more than answer questions

PubMed Central

McAndrew, Thomas C.; Guseva, Elizaveta A.

2017-01-01

Crowdsourcing works by distributing many small tasks to large numbers of workers, yet the true potential of crowdsourcing lies in workers doing more than performing simple tasks—they can apply their experience and creativity to provide new and unexpected information to the crowdsourcer. One such case is when workers not only answer a crowdsourcer’s questions but also contribute new questions for subsequent crowd analysis, leading to a growing set of questions. This growth creates an inherent bias for early questions since a question introduced earlier by a worker can be answered by more subsequent workers than a question introduced later. Here we study how to perform efficient crowdsourcing with such growing question sets. By modeling question sets as networks of interrelated questions, we introduce algorithms to help curtail the growth bias by efficiently distributing workers between exploring new questions and addressing current questions. Experiments and simulations demonstrate that these algorithms can efficiently explore an unbounded set of questions without losing confidence in crowd answers. PMID:28806413