Sample records for case study investigating

  1. Working smarter on cold cases: identifying factors associated with successful cold case investigations.

    PubMed

    Davis, Robert C; Jensen, Carl J; Burgette, Lane; Burnett, Kathryn

    2014-03-01

    Cold case squads have garnered much attention; however, they have yet to undergo significant empirical scrutiny. In the present study, the authors interviewed investigators and reviewed 189 solved and unsolved cold cases in Washington, D.C., to determine whether there are factors that can predict cold case solvability. In the interviews, new information from witnesses or information from new witnesses was cited as the most prevalent reason for case clearance. The case reviews determined that there were factors in each of the following domains that predicted whether cases would be solved during cold case investigations: Crime Context, Initial Investigation Results, Basis for Opening Cold Case, and Cold Case Investigator Actions. The results suggest that it is possible to prioritize cold case work based on the likelihood of investigations leading to clearances. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  2. Using Case Study Multi-Methods to Investigate Close(r) Collaboration: Course-Based Tutoring and the Directive/Nondirective Instructional Continuum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corbett, Steven J.

    2011-01-01

    This essay presents case studies of "course-based tutoring" (CBT) and one-to-one tutorials in two sections of developmental first-year composition (FYC) at a large West Coast research university. The author's study uses a combination of rhetorical and discourse analyses and ethnographic and case study multi-methods to investigate both…

  3. Complexity analysis of human physiological signals based on case studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Angelova, Maia; Holloway, Philip; Ellis, Jason

    2015-04-01

    This work focuses on methods for investigation of physiological time series based on complexity analysis. It is a part of a wider programme to determine non-invasive markers for healthy ageing. We consider two case studies investigated with actigraphy: (a) sleep and alternations with insomnia, and (b) ageing effects on mobility patterns. We illustrate, using these case studies, the application of fractal analysis to the investigation of regulation patterns and control, and change of physiological function. In the first case study, fractal analysis techniques were implemented to study the correlations present in sleep actigraphy for individuals suffering from acute insomnia in comparison with healthy controls. The aim was to investigate if complexity analysis can detect the onset of adverse health-related events. The subjects with acute insomnia displayed significantly higher levels of complexity, possibly a result of too much activity in the underlying regulatory systems. The second case study considered mobility patterns during night time and their variations with age. It showed that complexity metrics can identify change in physiological function with ageing. Both studies demonstrated that complexity analysis can be used to investigate markers of health, disease and healthy ageing.

  4. Does case misclassification threaten the validity of studies investigating the relationship between neck manipulation and vertebral artery dissection stroke? No.

    PubMed

    Murphy, Donald R; Schneider, Michael J; Perle, Stephen M; Bise, Christopher G; Timko, Michael; Haas, Mitchell

    2016-01-01

    The purported relationship between cervical manipulative therapy (CMT) and stroke related to vertebral artery dissection (VAD) has been debated for several decades. A large number of publications, from case reports to case-control studies, have investigated this relationship. A recent article suggested that case misclassification in the case-control studies on this topic resulted in biased odds ratios in those studies. Given its rarity, the best epidemiologic research design for investigating the relationship between CMT and VAD is the case-control study. The addition of a case-crossover aspect further strengthens the scientific rigor of such studies by reducing bias. The most recent studies investigating the relationship between CMT and VAD indicate that the relationship is not causal. In fact, a comparable relationship between vertebral artery-related stroke and visits to a primary care physician has been observed. The statistical association between visits to chiropractors and VAD can best be explained as resulting from a patient with early manifestation of VAD (neck pain with or without headache) seeking the services of a chiropractor for relief of this pain. Sometime after the visit the patient experiences VAD-related stroke that would have occurred regardless of the care received. This explanation has been challenged by a recent article putting forth the argument that case misclassification is likely to have biased the odds ratios of the case-control studies that have investigated the association between CMT and vertebral artery related stroke. The challenge particularly focused on one of the case-control studies, which had concluded that the association between CMT and vertebral artery related stroke was not causal. It was suggested by the authors of the recent article that misclassification led to an underestimation of risk. We argue that the information presented in that article does not support the authors' claim for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the assumptions upon which their analysis is based lack substantiation and the fact that any possible misclassification would not have changed the conclusion of the study in question. Current evidence does not support the notion that misclassification threatens the validity of recent case-control studies investigating the relationship between CMT and VAD. Hence, the recent re-analysis cannot refute the conclusion from previous studies that CMT is not a cause of VAD.

  5. Toward a standardized investigation protocol in sudden unexpected deaths in infancy in South Africa: a multicenter study of medico-legal investigation procedures and outcomes.

    PubMed

    du Toit-Prinsloo, Lorraine; Dempers, Johan; Verster, Janette; Hattingh, Christa; Nel, Hestelle; Brandt, V D; Jordaan, Joyce; Saayman, Gert

    2013-09-01

    South Africa manifests a socio-economic dichotomy that shows features of both a developed and developing country. As a result of this, areas exist where a lack of resources and expertise prevents the implementation of a highly standardized protocol for the investigation of sudden and unexpected deaths in infants (SUDI). Although the medico-legal mortuaries attached to academic centers have the capacity to implement standardized protocols, a previous study conducted at two large medico-legal mortuaries indicated otherwise. This study also revealed that the exact number and incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases was unknown. These findings prompted a multicenter study of the medico-legal investigation procedures and outcomes in five academic centers in South Africa. A retrospective case audit was conducted for a 5-year period (2005-2009) at medico-legal laboratories attached to universities in Bloemfontein, Cape Town-Tygerberg, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. The total case load as well as the total number of infants younger than 1 year of age admitted to these mortuaries was documented. The case files on all infants younger than 1 year of age who were admitted as sudden and unexpected or unexplained deaths were included in the study population. Data collected on the target population included demographic details, the nature and scope of the post-mortem examinations, as well as the final outcome (cause of death). A total case load of 80,399 cases were admitted to the mortuaries over the 5 year period with a total of 3,295 (6.5 %) infants. In the infant group, 591 (0.7 %) died from non-natural causes and 2,704 (3.3 %) cases of sudden, unexpected and/or unexplained deaths in infants were admitted and included in the detailed case analysis study. One hundred and ninety-nine babies were between 0 and 7 days of age and 210 babies between 8 and 30 days. The remaining 2,295 infants were between 1 month and 12 months of age. Death scene investigation was done in a total of 14 (0.5 %) cases. Discrepancies were present in the extent of the macroscopic post-mortem examinations, as well as the type and extent of the ancillary investigations performed. The investigations were completed in 2,583 of the cases. The majority of these infants died from natural disease processes [1,976 infants (76.5 %)]. Bronchopneumonia was the leading cause of natural deaths at all the mortuaries [674 cases (26.1 %)]. SIDS was diagnosed in only 224 cases (8.7 %) and in 383 (14.8 %) cases, where a full post-mortem examination with ancillary investigations was conducted; the cause of death was recorded as "unascertained." This study indicated that the admission criteria (to medico-legal mortuaries) and the investigative process/protocols in cases of SUDI differ greatly among 5 of the largest academic medical institutions in South Africa. Establishing and implementing standardized admission criteria (to medico-legal mortuaries) and implementing uniform investigative and autopsy protocols would appear to be an essential prerequisite to gain better understanding of the mystery of SIDS in South Africa.

  6. From diagnosis to case investigation for malaria elimination in Swaziland: is reporting and response timely?

    PubMed

    Dlamini, N; Zulu, Z; Kunene, S; Geoffroy, E; Ntshalintshali, N; Owiti, P; Sikhondze, W; Makadzange, K; Zachariah, R

    2018-04-25

    Background: Swaziland is one of the southern African countries that aim to eliminate malaria by 2020. In 2010, the country introduced an Immediate Disease Notification System (IDNS) for immediate reporting of notifiable diseases, including malaria. Health facilities are to report malaria cases within 24 h through a toll-free telephone number (977), triggering an alert for case investigation at the patient's household within 48 h. We assessed the completeness of reporting in the IDNS, the subsequent case investigation, and whether it was done within the stipulated timelines. Methods: A cross-sectional study using routine country-wide data. Results: Of 1991 malaria cases notified between July 2011 and June 2015, 76% were reported in the IDNS, of which 68% were investigated-a shortfall of 24% in reporting and 32% in case investigations. Of the 76% of cases reported through the IDNS, 62% were reported within 24 h and 20% were investigated within 48 h. These shortcomings were most pronounced in hospitals and private facilities. Investigated cases ( n = 1346) were classified as follows: 60% imported, 35% local and 5% undetermined. Conclusion: The utilisation of the IDNS for case reporting to trigger investigation is crucial for active surveillance. There is a need to address the reporting and investigation gaps identified to ensure that malaria cases receive appropriate interventions.

  7. The investigation and outcome of reported cases of elder abuse: the Forsyth County Aging Study.

    PubMed

    Shiferaw, B; Mittelmark, M B; Wofford, J L; Anderson, R T; Walls, P; Rohrer, B

    1994-02-01

    This study summarizes the outcome of all investigations of elder abuse conducted in Forsyth County, North Carolina, during a 3-year period ending December 1991. Of the 123 cases investigated, 23 were confirmed as elder abuse. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, race, living arrangements, mental status, mobility, or source of report between confirmed and unconfirmed cases. Unconfirmed compared to confirmed cases were more likely to reside in a nursing home and/or to be ill. The most frequently substantiated charge was exploitation of resources (46%). Only 3% of charges of physical abuse were substantiated. Among confirmed cases, 70% were offered and accepted protective services.

  8. Wicked Problems in Large Organizations: Why Pilot Retention Continues to Challenge the Air Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-05-25

    ABSTRACT This monograph in military studies investigates the makeup of and approach to complex problems, with a case study on the Air Force’s...priorities, as well as a short, recent history of the pilot retention problem. Following that is a case study on the work done by the Air Staff in...Lonsberry, USAF, 38 pages. This monograph in military studies investigates the makeup of and approach to complex problems, with a case study on the

  9. Children with Disabilities in the Child Protective Services System: An Analog Study of Investigation and Case Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manders, Jeanette E.; Stoneman, Zolinda

    2009-01-01

    Objective: The study used a series of vignettes to investigate how the presence of three disabilities (cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, emotional/behavioral disabilities) affects the processes and outcomes of child abuse investigations at two levels of child injury severity (moderate, severe). Method: Seventy-five CPS case workers…

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-01-01

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

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2017-01-01

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

  12. Cautions on the Use of Investigative Case Studies in Meta-Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Nick L.

    1990-01-01

    A meta-analysis combining expert evaluation with naturalistic case study methods indicates that such investigations must use special methods to render evaluative judgments of worth. It is demonstrated that descriptive, interpretive, and evaluative aspects of such a study must be combined to yield justifiable conclusions. (TJH)

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zinicola, Debra A.

    2009-01-01

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

  14. Molecular investigations of β-thalassemic children in Erbil governorate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hasan, Ahmad N.; Al-Attar, Mustafa S.

    2017-09-01

    The present work studies the molecular investigation of 40 thalassemic carriers using polymerase chain reaction. Forty thalassemic carriers who were registered and treated at Erbil thalassemic center and twenty apparently healthy children have been included in the present study. Ages of both groups ranged between 1-18 years. Four primers used to detect four different beta thalassemia mutations they were codon 8/9, codon 8, codon 41/42 and IVS-1-5. The two most common mutations detected among thalassemia group were Cd8/9 with 8 cases (20%) and Cd-8 with 6 cases (15%) followed by codon 41/42 with 4 cases (10%) which investigated and detected for the first time in Erbil governorate through the present study and finally IVS-1-5 with 3 cases (7.5%), while no any cases detected among control group.

  15. Firefighter Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tracey, Edward A.

    2014-01-01

    Despite there being a significant amount of research investigating workplace learning, research exploring firefighter workplace learning is almost nonexistent. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to explore how firefighters conceptualize, report, and practice workplace learning. The researcher also investigated how firefighters…

  16. EpiNet as a way of involving more physicians and patients in epilepsy research: Validation study and accreditation process.

    PubMed

    Bergin, Peter S; Beghi, Ettore; Sadleir, Lynette G; Brockington, Alice; Tripathi, Manjari; Richardson, Mark P; Bianchi, Elisa; Srivastava, Kavita; Jayabal, Jayaganth; Legros, Benjamin; Ossemann, Michel; McGrath, Nicole; Verrotti, Alberto; Tan, Hui Jan; Beretta, Simone; Frith, Richard; Iniesta, Ivan; Whitham, Emma; Wanigasinghe, Jithangi; Ezeala-Adikaibe, Birinus; Striano, Pasquale; Rosemergy, Ian; Walker, Elizabeth B; Alkhidze, Maia; Rodriguez-Leyva, Ildefonso; Ramírez González, Jose Alfredo; D'Souza, Wendyl J

    2017-03-01

    EpiNet was established to encourage epilepsy research. EpiNet is used for multicenter cohort studies and investigator-led trials. Physicians must be accredited to recruit patients into trials. Here, we describe the accreditation process for the EpiNet-First trials. Physicians with an interest in epilepsy were invited to assess 30 case scenarios to determine the following: whether patients have epilepsy; the nature of the seizures (generalized, focal); and the etiology. Information was presented in two steps for 23 cases. The EpiNet steering committee determined that 21 cases had epilepsy. The steering committee determined by consensus which responses were acceptable for each case. We chose a subset of 18 cases to accredit investigators for the EpiNet-First trials. We initially focused on 12 cases; to be accredited, investigators could not diagnose epilepsy in any case that the steering committee determined did not have epilepsy. If investigators were not accredited after assessing 12 cases, 6 further cases were considered. When assessing the 18 cases, investigators could be accredited if they diagnosed one of six nonepilepsy patients as having possible epilepsy but could make no other false-positive errors and could make only one error regarding seizure classification. Between December 2013 and December 2014, 189 physicians assessed the 30 cases. Agreement with the steering committee regarding the diagnosis at step 1 ranged from 47% to 100%, and improved when information regarding tests was provided at step 2. One hundred five of the 189 physicians (55%) were accredited for the EpiNet-First trials. The kappa value for diagnosis of epilepsy across all 30 cases for accredited physicians was 0.70. We have established criteria for accrediting physicians using EpiNet. New investigators can be accredited by assessing 18 case scenarios. We encourage physicians with an interest in epilepsy to become EpiNet-accredited and to participate in these investigator-led clinical trials.

  17. Exploring Novice Teachers' Cognitive Processes Using Digital Video Technology: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun-Ongerth, Yuelu

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation describes a qualitative case study that investigated novice teachers' video-aided reflection on their own teaching. To date, most studies that have investigated novice teachers' video-aided reflective practice have focused on examining novice teachers' levels of reflective writing rather than the cognitive…

  18. The Heroes' Journey: A Young Couple's Experience with Choriocarcinoma

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marlowe, Dan; Hodgson, Jennifer; Lamson, Angela

    2010-01-01

    A 20 year retrospective qualitative case study was conducted to investigate the relational impact of choriocarcinoma (a type of gestational cancer) on a couple of child-bearing age. A unique feature to the study was that the primary investigator was the couple's biological son, initiating the first known auto-case study design. Using holistic…

  19. From diagnosis to case investigation for malaria elimination in Swaziland: is reporting and response timely?

    PubMed Central

    Zulu, Z.; Kunene, S.; Geoffroy, E.; Ntshalintshali, N.; Owiti, P.; Sikhondze, W.; Makadzange, K.; Zachariah, R.

    2018-01-01

    Background: Swaziland is one of the southern African countries that aim to eliminate malaria by 2020. In 2010, the country introduced an Immediate Disease Notification System (IDNS) for immediate reporting of notifiable diseases, including malaria. Health facilities are to report malaria cases within 24 h through a toll-free telephone number (977), triggering an alert for case investigation at the patient's household within 48 h. We assessed the completeness of reporting in the IDNS, the subsequent case investigation, and whether it was done within the stipulated timelines. Methods: A cross-sectional study using routine country-wide data. Results: Of 1991 malaria cases notified between July 2011 and June 2015, 76% were reported in the IDNS, of which 68% were investigated—a shortfall of 24% in reporting and 32% in case investigations. Of the 76% of cases reported through the IDNS, 62% were reported within 24 h and 20% were investigated within 48 h. These shortcomings were most pronounced in hospitals and private facilities. Investigated cases (n = 1346) were classified as follows: 60% imported, 35% local and 5% undetermined. Conclusion: The utilisation of the IDNS for case reporting to trigger investigation is crucial for active surveillance. There is a need to address the reporting and investigation gaps identified to ensure that malaria cases receive appropriate interventions. PMID:29713587

  20. Cholera outbreak in Homa Bay County, Kenya, 2015.

    PubMed

    Githuku, Jane Njoki; Boru, Waqo Gufu; Hall, Casey Daniel; Gura, Zeinab; Oyugi, Elvis; Kishimba, Rogath Saika; Semali, Innocent; Farhat, Ghada Nadim; Mattie Park, Meeyoung

    2017-01-01

    Cholera is among the re-emerging diseases in Kenya. Beginning in December 2014, a persistent outbreak occurred involving 29 out of the 47 countries. Homa Bay County in Western Kenya was among the first counties to report cholera cases from January to April 2015. This case study is based on an outbreak investigation conducted by FELTP residents in Homa Bay County in February 2015. It simulates an outbreak investigation including laboratory confirmation, active case finding, descriptive epidemiology and implementation of control measures. This case study is designed for the training of basic level field epidemiology trainees or any other health care workers working in public health-related fields. It can be administered in 2-3 hours. Used as adjunct training material, the case study provides the trainees with competencies in investigating an outbreak in preparation for the actual real-life experience of such outbreaks.

  1. "Alert-Audit-Act": assessment of surveillance and response strategy for malaria elimination in three low-endemic settings of Myanmar in 2016.

    PubMed

    Kyaw, Aye Mon Mon; Kathirvel, Soundappan; Das, Mrinalini; Thapa, Badri; Linn, Nay Yi Yi; Maung, Thae Maung; Lin, Zaw; Thi, Aung

    2018-01-01

    Myanmar, a malaria endemic country of Southeast Asia, adopted surveillance and response strategy similar to "1-3-7" Chinese strategy to achieve sub-national elimination in six low-endemic region/states of the country. Among these, Yangon, Bago-East, and Mon region/states have implemented this malaria surveillance and response strategy with modification in 2016. The current study was conducted to assess the case notification, investigation, classification, and response strategy (NICR) in these three states. This was a retrospective cohort study using routine program data of all patients with malaria diagnosed and reported under the National Malaria Control Programme in 2016 from the above three states. As per the program, all malaria cases need to be notified within 1 day and investigated within 3 days of diagnosis and response to control (active case detection and control) should be taken for all indigenous malaria cases within 7 days of diagnosis. A total of 959 malaria cases were diagnosed from the study area in 2016. Of these, the case NICR details were available only for 312 (32.5%) malaria cases. Of 312 cases, the case notification, investigation, and classification were carried out within 3 days of malaria diagnosis in 95.5% cases (298/312). Of 208 indigenous malaria cases (66.7%, 208/312), response to control was taken in 96.6% (201/208) within 7 days of diagnosis. The timeline at each stage of the strategy namely case notification, investigation, classification, and response to control was followed, and response action was taken in nearly all indigenous malaria cases for the available case information. Strengthening of health information and monitoring system is needed to avoid missing information. Future research on feasibility of mobile/tablet-based surveillance system and providing response to all cases including imported malaria can be further studied.

  2. Criminal investigations in child protective services cases: an empirical analysis.

    PubMed

    Cross, Theodore P; Chuang, Emmeline; Helton, Jesse J; Lux, Emily A

    2015-05-01

    This study analyzed the frequency and correlates of criminal investigation of child maltreatment in cases investigated by child protective service (CPS), using national probability data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. Criminal investigations were conducted in slightly more than 25% of cases. Communities varied substantially in percentage criminally investigated. Sexual abuse was the most frequent type of maltreatment criminally investigated followed by physical abuse. Logistic regression results indicated that criminal investigations were more likely when caseworkers perceived greater harm and more evidence; when CPS conducted an investigation rather than an assessment; when a parent or a legal guardian reported the maltreatment; and when cases were located in communities in which CPS and police had a memorandum of understanding (MOU) governing coordination. Most variation between communities in criminal investigation remained unexplained. The findings suggest the potential of MOUs for communities wanting to increase criminal investigation. © The Author(s) 2014.

  3. Psychological Intervention: Case Studies in School Psychological Services, Volume 3, 1979.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iowa State Dept. of Public Instruction, Des Moines. Div. of Pupil Personnel Services.

    The book presents 27 case studies illustrating psychological interventions with behavior problem school children. Studies ususally introduce the target population, describe the method of psychological evaluation, report the results of treatment, and discuss the case's implications. Among cases reported are investigations of stimulant medication on…

  4. Upper Secondary Students' Situational Interest: A Case Study of the Role of a Zoo Visit in a Biology Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dohn, Niels Bonderup

    2013-01-01

    This paper comprises a presentation of the findings of a case study that investigated how situational factors triggered 12th grade students' interest during a field trip to a zoo. The purpose was to identify sources of interest and to investigate the attributes that make them interesting. Students' interest was investigated by a descriptive…

  5. Research participation experiences of informants of suicide and control cases: taken from a case-control psychological autopsy study of people who died by suicide.

    PubMed

    Wong, Paul W C; Chan, Wincy S C; Beh, Philip S L; Yau, Fiona W S; Yip, Paul S F; Hawton, Keith

    2010-01-01

    Ethical issues have been raised about using the psychological autopsy approach in the study of suicide. The impact on informants of control cases who participated in case-control psychological autopsy studies has not been investigated. (1) To investigate whether informants of suicide cases recruited by two approaches (coroners' court and public mortuaries) respond differently to the initial contact by the research team. (2) To explore the reactions, reasons for participation, and comments of both the informants of suicide and control cases to psychological autopsy interviews. (3) To investigate the impact of the interviews on informants of suicide cases about a month after the interviews. A self-report questionnaire was used for the informants of both suicide and control cases. Telephone follow-up interviews were conducted with the informants of suicide cases. The majority of the informants of suicide cases, regardless of the initial route of contact, as well as the control cases were positive about being approached to take part in the study. A minority of informants of suicide and control cases found the experience of talking about their family member to be more upsetting than expected. The telephone follow-up interviews showed that none of the informants of suicide cases reported being distressed by the psychological autopsy interviews. The acceptance rate for our original psychological autopsy study was modest. The findings of this study are useful for future participants and researchers in measuring the potential benefits and risks of participating in similar sensitive research. Psychological autopsy interviews may be utilized as an active engagement approach to reach out to the people bereaved by suicide, especially in places where the postvention work is underdeveloped.

  6. The Effect of English Language Learning on Creative Thinking Skills: A Mixed Methods Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sehic, Sandro

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed-methods case study was to investigate the effects of English language learning on creative thinking skills in the domains of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration as measured with the Alternate Uses Test. Unlike the previous research studies that investigated the links between English…

  7. The Influence of Homeschooling on Entrepreneurial Activities: A Collective Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pannone, Sarah Jeanne

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a homeschool education influences entrepreneurial characteristics and activity. Design/methodology/approach: A collective case study design was used to investigate how a homeschool education influences entrepreneurial characteristics and activity. Findings: From the participant interviews,…

  8. Novel application of the matched case-control design to compare food supply chains during an Escherichia coli O157 outbreak, United Kingdom, 2016.

    PubMed

    Inns, Thomas; Cleary, Paul; Bundle, Nick; Foulkes, Sarah; Sharp, Ashley; Utsi, Lara; McBrien, Chris; Teagle, Rehman; Waldram, Alison; Williams, Chris; McCann, Cathy; Smith, Rob; Saleh, Sepeedeh; McCarthy, Noel; Vivancos, Roberto; Hawker, Jeremy; Decraene, Valerie

    2018-05-01

    There is a need for innovative methods to investigate outbreaks of food-borne infection linked to produce with a complex distribution network. The investigation of a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 PT34 infection in the United Kingdom in 2016 indicated that catering venues associated with multiple cases had used salad leaves sourced from one supplier. Our aim was to investigate whether catering venues linked to cases were more likely to have used salad leaves from this supplier. We conducted a matched case-control study, with catering venues as the units of analysis. We compared venues linked to cases to those without known linked cases. We included 43 study pairs and obtained information on salad leaf products received by each venue. The odds of a case venue being supplied with salad leaves by Supplier A were 7.67 times (95% confidence interval: 2.30-25.53) those of control venues. This association provided statistical evidence to support the findings of the other epidemiological investigations undertaken for this outbreak. This is a novel approach which is labour-intensive but which addresses the challenge of investigating exposures to food across a complex distribution network.

  9. Piloting a programme tool to evaluate malaria case investigation and reactive case detection activities: results from 3 settings in the Asia Pacific.

    PubMed

    Cotter, Chris; Sudathip, Prayuth; Herdiana, Herdiana; Cao, Yuanyuan; Liu, Yaobao; Luo, Alex; Ranasinghe, Neil; Bennett, Adam; Cao, Jun; Gosling, Roly D

    2017-08-22

    Case investigation and reactive case detection (RACD) activities are widely-used in low transmission settings to determine the suspected origin of infection and identify and treat malaria infections nearby to the index patient household. Case investigation and RACD activities are time and resource intensive, include methodologies that vary across eliminating settings, and have no standardized metrics or tools available to monitor and evaluate them. In response to this gap, a simple programme tool was developed for monitoring and evaluating (M&E) RACD activities and piloted by national malaria programmes. During the development phase, four modules of the RACD M&E tool were created to assess and evaluate key case investigation and RACD activities and costs. A pilot phase was then carried out by programme implementers between 2013 and 2015, during which malaria surveillance teams in three different settings (China, Indonesia, Thailand) piloted the tool over a period of 3 months each. This study describes summary results of the pilots and feasibility and impact of the tool on programmes. All three study areas implemented the RACD M&E tool modules, and pilot users reported the tool and evaluation process were helpful to identify gaps in RACD programme activities. In the 45 health facilities evaluated, 71.8% (97/135; min 35.3-max 100.0%) of the proper notification and reporting forms and 20.0% (27/135; min 0.0-max 100.0%) of standard operating procedures (SOPs) were available to support malaria elimination activities. The tool highlighted gaps in reporting key data indicators on the completeness for malaria case reporting (98.8%; min 93.3-max 100.0%), case investigations (65.6%; min 61.8-max 78.4%) and RACD activities (70.0%; min 64.7-max 100.0%). Evaluation of the SOPs showed that knowledge and practices of malaria personnel varied within and between study areas. Average monthly costs for conducting case investigation and RACD activities showed variation between study areas (min USD $844.80-max USD $2038.00) for the malaria personnel, commodities, services and other costs required to carry out the activities. The RACD M&E tool was implemented in the three pilot areas, identifying key gaps that led to impacts on programme decision making. Study findings support the need for routine M&E of malaria case reporting, case investigation and RACD activities. Scale-up of the RACD M&E tool in malaria-eliminating settings will contribute to improved programme performance to the high level that is required to reach elimination.

  10. Executive Headteachers: What's in a Name? Case Study Compendium

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wespieser, Karen, Ed.

    2016-01-01

    This Case Study Compendium provides an overview of the 12 cases that were investigated as part of the study "Executive Headteachers: What's in a Name?'" (Lord et al., 2016). The case study overviews are based on in-depth analysis and research as described in the full report (ibid) and the Technical Appendix (Harland and Bernardinelli,…

  11. Effectiveness of Three Case Studies and Associated Teamwork in Stimulating Freshman Interest in an Introduction to Engineering Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McIntyre, Joseph S.

    2011-01-01

    The effectiveness of three case studies and associated teamwork to stimulate interest of college freshman in engineering was investigated by observing students. Case studies were assigned as laboratory team exercises in an introduction to engineering course at Auburn University. Student interest in the case studies was evaluated qualitatively…

  12. Methodology Series Module 2: Case-control Studies.

    PubMed

    Setia, Maninder Singh

    2016-01-01

    Case-Control study design is a type of observational study. In this design, participants are selected for the study based on their outcome status. Thus, some participants have the outcome of interest (referred to as cases), whereas others do not have the outcome of interest (referred to as controls). The investigator then assesses the exposure in both these groups. The investigator should define the cases as specifically as possible. Sometimes, definition of a disease may be based on multiple criteria; thus, all these points should be explicitly stated in case definition. An important aspect of selecting a control is that they should be from the same 'study base' as that of the cases. We can select controls from a variety of groups. Some of them are: General population; relatives or friends; and hospital patients. Matching is often used in case-control control studies to ensure that the cases and controls are similar in certain characteristics, and it is a useful technique to increase the efficiency of the study. Case-Control studies can usually be conducted relatively faster and are inexpensive - particularly when compared with cohort studies (prospective). It is useful to study rare outcomes and outcomes with long latent periods. This design is not very useful to study rare exposures. Furthermore, they may also be prone to certain biases - selection bias and recall bias.

  13. An Investigation of a Virtual School Program in One Public School District in Texas: A Descriptive Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quadri, Rizvan

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative, descriptive case study employed the use of narrative to investigate a virtual school program in a public school district in Texas. A focus group interviewing process was used to interview the participants. Findings from this study conclude that with continued support from district leaders, along with having the appropriate…

  14. Innovating Education with an Educational Modeling Language: Two Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sloep, Peter B.; van Bruggen, Jan; Tattersall, Colin; Vogten, Hubert; Koper, Rob; Brouns, Francis; van Rosmalen, Peter

    2006-01-01

    The intent of this study was to investigate how to maximize the chances of success of an educational innovation--specifically one based on the implementation of the educational modeling language called EML. This language is both technically and organizationally demanding. Two different implementation cases were investigated, one situated in an…

  15. The Fish Kill Mystery: Using Case Studies in the Middle School Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heid, Christy; Biglan, Barbara; Ritson, Margaret

    2008-01-01

    Case studies are an excellent method for engaging middle school students in the current work of scientists. Students learn to think like scientists as they decide how to investigate the dilemma presented in the case study. This article describes one such case study, the Fish Kill Mystery, which takes place at a popular vacation spot--the beaches…

  16. [Tinea capitis in the military hospital Avicenna (Morocco): Review of 8 years (2006-2013)].

    PubMed

    El Mezouari, E; Hocar, O; Atarguine, H; Akhdari, N; Amal, S; Moutaj, R

    2016-03-01

    Tinea capitis are due to fungal infection by dermatophytes. They are common in developing countries including Morocco. The objective of this study intended to describe the epidemiology, clinical and mycological profile of tinea capitis in Avicenna military hospital of Marrakech. This is a retrospective study over an 8-year period (from 1st January 2006 to 31st December 2013). All patients targeted through this study presented to the laboratory with the suspicion of tinea capitis, they were under a detailed investigation with a careful mycological analysis; diagnosis of tinea capitis was established as the direct examination and/or the sampling proved positive. Of the 334 patients investigated, 216 had a TC with an overall prevalence of 64.67%. The average age was 6 years. The M/F sex ratio was 0.55. The isolated dermatophytes were Microsporum canis with 105 cases (63.26%), Trichophyton violaceum in 44 cases (26.51%), T. mentographytes in 8 cases (4.81%), M. langeronii in 5 cases (3.01%), T. verrucosum in 3 cases (1.8%) and T. schoenleinii in 1 case (0.61%). The contact with animals was found in 40% of cases and immunosupression in 3.47% of cases. We verify through our investigation that tineas predominate among school age children with a female predominance. The epidemiological profile of TC in our study is similar to that of other studies in Moroccan and Maghrebian countries investigations. The TC is relatively a mild infection but can be confused with other dermatoses not easy to diagnose. For this reason, their treatment necessitates a mycological analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Enhancing the quality of case studies in health services research.

    PubMed Central

    Yin, R K

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance on improving the quality of case studies in health services research. DATA SOURCES: Secondary data, drawing from previous case study research. RESEARCH DESIGN: Guidance is provided to two audiences: potential case study investigators (eight items) and reviewers of case study proposals (four additional items). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The guidance demonstrates that many operational steps can be undertaken to improve the quality of case studies. These steps have been a hallmark of high-quality case studies in related fields but have not necessarily been practiced in health services research. CONCLUSIONS: Given higher-quality case studies, the case study method can become a valuable tool for health services research. Images Figure 3 PMID:10591280

  18. The View from Inside the System: How Police Explain Their Response to Sexual Assault.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Jessica; Campbell, Rebecca; Cain, Debi

    2016-12-01

    Prior research has documented the problematic community response to sexual assault: the majority of sexual assaults reported to police are never prosecuted. Social dominance theory suggests that this response is a form of institutional discrimination, intended to maintain existing social structures, and that police personnel likely draw upon shared ideologies to justify their decision-making in sexual assault case investigations. This study drew upon social dominance theory to examine how police justified their investigatory decisions to identify potential leverage points for change. The study revealed that the likelihood of a case referral to the prosecutor increased with each additional investigative step completed; of the different types of justifications provided by police for a less-than-thorough investigative response and stalled case, blaming the victim for the poor police investigation proved to be the most damaging to case progression; and the type of explanation provided by police was impacted by specific case variables. As suggested by social dominance theory, the study demonstrates that police rely on several different mechanisms to justify their response to sexual assault; implementing criminal justice system policies that target and interrupt these mechanisms has the potential to improve this response, regardless of specific case factors. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

  19. Two Case Studies of Beginning Teachers in State-Mandated Induction Programs: The Influence of Institutional Factors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulissen, Margaret O.; And Others

    The Teacher Induction Study investigated 2 state-mandated beginning teacher programs and examined the translation of state policy by 4 school districts, 13 individual schools, and 32 classrooms. From the case histories of 16 teams, 2 case histories were selected for further study. One case illustrated how institutional factors influenced team…

  20. A Case-Based Approach Increases Student Learning Outcomes and Comprehension of Cellular Respiration Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rybarczyk, Brian J.; Baines, Antonio T.; McVey, Mitch; Thompson, Joseph T.; Wilkins, Heather

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated student learning outcomes using a case-based approach focused on cellular respiration. Students who used the case study, relative to students who did not use the case study, exhibited a significantly greater learning gain, and demonstrated use of higher-order thinking skills. Preliminary data indicate that after engaging…

  1. Research ethics and case studies in psychology: a commentary on Taus v. Loftus.

    PubMed

    Cheit, Ross E

    2014-12-01

    Loftus and Guyer have been criticized for the methods they employed in investigating an anonymous case study published by Corwin and Olafson. This article examines the ethical dimensions of their investigation. Loftus and Guyer have offered three defenses for their actions. All three of those defenses lack merit. Their investigation did not constitute oral history because it failed to comport with the basic requirements of that practice. Their investigation did not constitute ethical journalism because of the unjustified use of anonymous sources and the clear violation of basic fairness. Their investigation did not constitute justified medical research because of a failure to analyze or weigh the harms against the benefits. Their methods also violated ethical principles for psychologists, including the rule against activities that could reasonably be expected to impair the psychologist's objectivity. This case demonstrates that there is no ethical way to investigate a clinical case, without the patient's approval, that is both comprehensive enough to provide strong scholarship and yet respectful enough of privacy and medical confidentiality to honor important professional norms. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. Criminal Investigation of Child Sexual Abuse: A Comparison of Cases Referred to the Prosecutor to Those Not Referred.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stroud, Delores D.; Martens, Sonja L.; Barker, Julia

    2000-01-01

    This study compared characteristics of child sexual abuse cases either referred for criminal prosecution (N=587) or dropped (N=456) by investigators. Differences were found between groups in relation to child characteristics (age, sex, and ethnicity), offender characteristics (age, sex, and relationship to child), and case characteristics…

  3. 2013 multistate outbreaks of Cyclospora cayetanensis infections associated with fresh produce: focus on the Texas investigations.

    PubMed

    Abanyie, F; Harvey, R R; Harris, J R; Wiegand, R E; Gaul, L; Desvignes-Kendrick, M; Irvin, K; Williams, I; Hall, R L; Herwaldt, B; Gray, E B; Qvarnstrom, Y; Wise, M E; Cantu, V; Cantey, P T; Bosch, S; DA Silva, A J; Fields, A; Bishop, H; Wellman, A; Beal, J; Wilson, N; Fiore, A E; Tauxe, R; Lance, S; Slutsker, L; Parise, M

    2015-12-01

    The 2013 multistate outbreaks contributed to the largest annual number of reported US cases of cyclosporiasis since 1997. In this paper we focus on investigations in Texas. We defined an outbreak-associated case as laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis in a person with illness onset between 1 June and 31 August 2013, with no history of international travel in the previous 14 days. Epidemiological, environmental, and traceback investigations were conducted. Of the 631 cases reported in the multistate outbreaks, Texas reported the greatest number of cases, 270 (43%). More than 70 clusters were identified in Texas, four of which were further investigated. One restaurant-associated cluster of 25 case-patients was selected for a case-control study. Consumption of cilantro was most strongly associated with illness on meal date-matched analysis (matched odds ratio 19·8, 95% confidence interval 4·0-∞). All case-patients in the other three clusters investigated also ate cilantro. Traceback investigations converged on three suppliers in Puebla, Mexico. Cilantro was the vehicle of infection in the four clusters investigated; the temporal association of these clusters with the large overall increase in cyclosporiasis cases in Texas suggests cilantro was the vehicle of infection for many other cases. However, the paucity of epidemiological and traceback information does not allow for a conclusive determination; moreover, molecular epidemiological tools for cyclosporiasis that could provide more definitive linkage between case clusters are needed.

  4. Search engine as a diagnostic tool in difficult immunological and allergologic cases: is Google useful?

    PubMed

    Lombardi, C; Griffiths, E; McLeod, B; Caviglia, A; Penagos, M

    2009-07-01

    Web search engines are an important tool in communication and diffusion of knowledge. Among these, Google appears to be the most popular one: in August 2008, it accounted for 87% of all web searches in the UK, compared with Yahoo's 3.3%. Google's value as a diagnostic guide in general medicine was recently reported. The aim of this comparative cross-sectional study was to evaluate whether searching Google with disease-related terms was effective in the identification and diagnosis of complex immunological and allergic cases. Forty-five case reports were randomly selected by an independent observer from peer-reviewed medical journals. Clinical data were presented separately to three investigators, blinded to the final diagnoses. Investigator A was a Consultant with an expert knowledge in Internal Medicine and Allergy (IM&A) and basic computing skills. Investigator B was a Registrar in IM&A. Investigator C was a Research Nurse. Both Investigators B and C were familiar with computers and search engines. For every clinical case presented, each investigator independently carried out an Internet search using Google to provide a final diagnosis. Their results were then compared with the published diagnoses. Correct diagnoses were provided in 30/45 (66%) cases, 39/45 (86%) cases, and in 29/45 (64%) cases by investigator A, B, and C, respectively. All of the three investigators achieved the correct diagnosis in 19 cases (42%), and all of them failed in two cases. This Google-based search was useful to identify an appropriate diagnosis in complex immunological and allergic cases. Computing skills may help to get better results.

  5. An Investigation of the Artifacts and Process of Constructing Computers Games about Environmental Science in a Fifth Grade Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baytak, Ahmet; Land, Susan M.

    2011-01-01

    This study employed a case study design (Yin, "Case study research, design and methods," 2009) to investigate the processes used by 5th graders to design and develop computer games within the context of their environmental science unit, using the theoretical framework of "constructionism." Ten fifth graders designed computer games using "Scratch"…

  6. Northeastern Pennsylvania Retrospective Case Study Fact Sheet

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA conducted a retrospective case study in northeastern Pennsylvania to investigate reported instances of contaminated drinking water resources in areas where hydraulic fracturing activities occurred

  7. Building Language Educators: The Implications of Case-Based Pedagogy Using Practicum-Based Student-Teacher-Generated Cases for Pre-Service Language Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cournoyer, Amy Beth

    2014-01-01

    This case study investigated case-based pedagogy using student-teacher-generated cases as an instructional tool in the preparation of 12 pre-service ESL, Bilingual, and Modern Foreign Language teachers enrolled in a Student Teaching Seminar at a post-secondary institution. In the fall methods course, each participant generated a case study based…

  8. Mentoring and Professional Teacher Development: A Case Study of Mentor Teachers at a Rural North Carolina High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Patricia D.

    2016-01-01

    This case study dissertation investigated the perceptions of mentor teachers in regard to their professional practice, teacher leadership, and workplace satisfaction. The researcher investigated the lived experiences of these teachers within the bounds of their prescribed relationships with a beginning teacher. This dissertation is motivated by…

  9. Investigating Meaning in Learning: A Case Study of Adult Developmental Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glasser, Tim

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this article is to investigate meaning and relevance in the context of adult developmental math learning and instruction. In this case study, at the Art Institute of San Francisco, 12 vocational instructors and four math learners are interviewed on their early and current math experiences. During the semi-structured interviews,…

  10. An Investigation of Leadership in a Professional Learning Community: A Case Study of a Large, Suburban, Public Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liebman, Howard; Maldonado, Nancy; Lacey, Candace H.; Thompson, Steve

    2005-01-01

    This qualitative case study investigated a large, suburban, public middle school focusing on educators' perceptions of leadership within their professional learning community. Participants included the principal, administrative team, and key faculty members. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed by hand coding and…

  11. Usability Assessment of Educational Software by Students: Case of "?Pón-Ìm?`" in Osun State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tijani, O. K.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated usability of educational software: case of "?pón-Ìm?`" in Osun state, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated influences of gender and school locations on students' assessment of "?pón-Ìm?`" Technology Enhanced Learning System (OTELS) based on selected usability parameters. 701 students were…

  12. The Causes of Churn in the Telecommunication Industry: A Single, Exploratory Case Study on Kenyan Carriers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halim, Joseph

    2015-01-01

    This single explorative case study investigated the causes of churn in the telecommunication industry in Kenya, narrowed down to include only the capital city of Nairobi. The question of this dissertation was split into three sub-questions. The first sub-question investigated the behavioral patterns of customers causing churn. The second…

  13. The Power of Natural Selection: A Guided Investigation of Three Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beachly, William

    2010-01-01

    I describe a quantitative approach to three case studies in evolution that can be used to challenge college freshmen to explore the power of natural selection and ask questions that foster a deeper understanding of its operation and relevance. Hemochromatosis, the peppered moth, and hominid cranial capacity are investigated with a common algebraic…

  14. Investigating the Lecturers' Challenges to Embrace Collaborative Web Technologies in Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pima, John; Mtui, Jaqueline

    2017-01-01

    The paper investigated the challenges facing Lecturers in embracing Collaborative Web Technologies (CWTs) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Tanzania. The study was motivated by the fact that while students have become natives of the CWTs, for the Lecturers, the case if different. A case study was designed to answer two research questions…

  15. A Case Study of Single-Sex Middle School Mathematics Classes in a Mixed-Sex Public School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kawasha, Fridah Singongi Silishebo

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to (a) examine the main and interaction effects of gender, race and class-type on mathematics achievement, mathematics attitudes and sources of mathematics self-efficacy, (b) investigate teacher-student interactions in the single-sex mathematics classes and (c) investigate perspectives about single-sex…

  16. Contact investigation outcomes of Canadian-born adults with tuberculosis in Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in Alberta.

    PubMed

    Eisenbeis, Lisa; Gao, Zhiwei; Heffernan, Courtney; Yacoub, Wadieh; Long, Richard; Verma, Geetika

    2016-06-27

    Contact investigations are a critical component of tuberculosis control in high-income countries. However, the relative success of conventional methods by population group and place of residence is unknown. This study compares outcomes of contact investigations of Canadian-born Indigenous tuberculosis cases living on- and off-reserve with other Canadian-born cases. In a retrospective analysis, Canadian-born adult culture-positive pulmonary TB cases (2001-2010) were identified. Characteristics of source cases and their contacts were compared by population group. Outcomes of contact investigations, including completion of recommended investigations and preventive therapy, were compared in multivariable analysis. Of 171 cases of tuberculosis identified, 49 (29%) were Indigenous on-reserve, 62 (36%) Indigenous off-reserve, and 60 (35%) non-Indigenous or Canadian-born, "other". Indigenous people had more contacts identified per case compared to non-Indigenous patients. Case population group and smear status were the main predictors of the success of contact investigations. Of those recommended preventive therapy, close contacts of Indigenous cases on-reserve had the highest rate of completion, at 54%, vs. 41% and 37% for close contacts of Indigenous living off-reserve and Canadian-born "other" respectively (p = 0.02). Contacts of Indigenous cases living off-reserve had the greatest delay in assessment and the lowest rates of completion of assessment and preventive therapy. In multivariable analysis, population group, smear status of source case and proximity of contact were predictors of preventive therapy acceptance and/or completion. Significant differences in outcomes of contact investigations were observed between population groups. The higher priority of contacts of smear-positive cases appears to influence efficiency of service delivery, regardless of population group. Jurisdictional differences in program delivery, resource availability and perceived risk of transmission likely influence outcomes of contact investigations.

  17. Methodology Series Module 2: Case-control Studies

    PubMed Central

    Setia, Maninder Singh

    2016-01-01

    Case-Control study design is a type of observational study. In this design, participants are selected for the study based on their outcome status. Thus, some participants have the outcome of interest (referred to as cases), whereas others do not have the outcome of interest (referred to as controls). The investigator then assesses the exposure in both these groups. The investigator should define the cases as specifically as possible. Sometimes, definition of a disease may be based on multiple criteria; thus, all these points should be explicitly stated in case definition. An important aspect of selecting a control is that they should be from the same ‘study base’ as that of the cases. We can select controls from a variety of groups. Some of them are: General population; relatives or friends; and hospital patients. Matching is often used in case-control control studies to ensure that the cases and controls are similar in certain characteristics, and it is a useful technique to increase the efficiency of the study. Case-Control studies can usually be conducted relatively faster and are inexpensive – particularly when compared with cohort studies (prospective). It is useful to study rare outcomes and outcomes with long latent periods. This design is not very useful to study rare exposures. Furthermore, they may also be prone to certain biases – selection bias and recall bias. PMID:27057012

  18. Case-Control Studies of Sporadic Enteric Infections: A Review and Discussion of Studies Conducted Internationally from 1990 to 2009

    PubMed Central

    Fullerton, Kathleen E.; Scallan, Elaine; Kirk, Martyn D.; Mahon, Barbara E.; Angulo, Frederick J.; de Valk, Henriette; van Pelt, Wilfrid; Gauci, Charmaine; Hauri, Anja M.; Majowicz, Shannon; O’Brien, Sarah J.

    2015-01-01

    Epidemiologists have used case-control studies to investigate enteric disease outbreaks for many decades. Increasingly, case-control studies are also used to investigate risk factors for sporadic (not outbreak-associated) disease. While the same basic approach is used, there are important differences between outbreak and sporadic disease settings that need to be considered in the design and implementation of the case-control study for sporadic disease. Through the International Collaboration on Enteric Disease “Burden of Illness” Studies (the International Collaboration), we reviewed 79 case-control studies of sporadic enteric infections caused by nine pathogens that were conducted in 22 countries and published from 1990 through to 2009. We highlight important methodological and study design issues (including case definition, control selection, and exposure assessment) and discuss how approaches to the study of sporadic enteric disease have changed over the last 20 years (e.g., making use of more sensitive case definitions, databases of controls, and computer-assisted interviewing). As our understanding of sporadic enteric infections grows, methods and topics for case-control studies are expected to continue to evolve; for example, advances in understanding of the role of immunity can be used to improve control selection, the apparent protective effects of certain foods can be further explored, and case-control studies can be used to provide population-based measures of the burden of disease. PMID:22443481

  19. A Case Study of "Empathetic Teaching Artistry"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Risner, Doug

    2014-01-01

    This case study is one of twenty cases derived from Anderson and Risner's international study of teaching artists in dance, and theatre, which investigated participants' (n=172) artistic and academic preparation in dance, and theatre, initial entry into the teaching artist field, rewards, challenges, and obstacles in participants' work, artists'…

  20. The Investigation and Outcome of Reported Cases of Elder Abuse: The Forsyth County Aging Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shiferaw, Beletshachew; And Others

    1994-01-01

    Summarized outcome of all investigations of elder abuse conducted in Forsyth County, North Carolina, during three-year period ending December 1991. Of 123 cases investigated, 23 were confirmed as elder abuse. Found no statistically significant differences in age, sex, race, living arrangements, mental status, mobility, or source of report between…

  1. A Study of Pre-Service Information and Communication Teachers' Efficacy Levels for Analyzing and Responding to Cyberbullying Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kavuk, Melike; Bulu, Sanser; Keser, Hafize

    2016-01-01

    This case study was conducted to investigate efficacy levels of preservice Information and Communication Teachers' to identify, prevent and intervene to cyberbullying cases. Fifty participants were interviewed and 56 cyberbullying cases, which the participants experienced or witnessed, were collected to evaluate their cyberbullying readiness.…

  2. Epidemiological link of a major cholera outbreak in Greater Accra region of Ghana, 2014.

    PubMed

    Ohene-Adjei, Kennedy; Kenu, Ernest; Bandoh, Delia Akosua; Addo, Prince Nii Ossah; Noora, Charles Lwanga; Nortey, Priscillia; Afari, Edwin Andrew

    2017-10-11

    Cholera remains an important public health challenge globally. Several pandemics have occurred in different parts of the world and have been epidemiologically linked by different researchers to illustrate how the cases were spread and how they were related to index cases. Even though the risk factors associated with the 2014 cholera outbreak were investigated extensively, the link between index cases and the source of infection was not investigated to help break the transmission process. This study sought to show how the index cases from various districts of the Greater Accra Region may have been linked. We carried out a descriptive cross sectional study to investigate the epidemiological link of the 2014 cholera outbreak in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. An extensive review of all district records on cholera cases in the Greater Accra region was carried out. Index cases were identified with the help of line lists. Univariate analyses were expressed as frequency distributions, percentages, mean ± Standard Deviation, and rates (attack rates, case-fatality rates etc.) as appropriate. Maps were drawn using Arc GIS and Epi info software to describe the pattern of transmission. Up to 20,199 cholera cases were recorded. Sixty percent of the cases were between 20 and 40 years and about 58% (11,694) of the total cases were males. Almost 50% of the cases occurred in the Accra Metro district. Two-thirds of the index cases ate food prepared outside their home and had visited the Accra Metropolis. The 2014 cholera outbreak can be described as a propagated source outbreak linked to the Accra Metropolis. The link between index cases and the source of infection, if investigated earlier could have helped break the transmission process. Such investigations also inform decision-making about the appropriate interventions to be instituted to prevent subsequent outbreaks.

  3. Implementation of case studies in undergraduate didactic nursing courses: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Dutra, Danette K

    2013-07-04

    The implementation of unfolding scenario-based case studies in the didactic classroom is associated with learner-centered education. The utilization of learner-centered pedagogies, such as case studies, removes the focus from the instructor and instead places it on the student. Learner-centered pedagogies are believed to improve students' levels of cognition. The purpose of this study was to examine how nurse educators are implementing the pedagogies of case studies in their undergraduate didactic courses. The goal was to examine, document, report, and, ultimately, implement the strategies. Purposeful sampling was utilized in this qualitative, multisite-designed study. For each of the four participants, three separate site visits were completed. Observations and post-observational interviews took place at each site visit. Transcribed data from interviews, observations, and course documents were imported into the computer program Nvivo8. Repetitive comparative analysis was utilized to complete the data coding process. The guiding research question of this study sought to investigate the implementation strategies of case studies in didactic nursing courses. The implementation of case studies by the participants reflected two primary patterns: Formal Implementation (FI) and Informal Implementation (II) of case studies. The FI of case studies was further divided into two subcategories: Formal Implementation of case studies used Inside the Classroom setting (FIIC) and Formal Implementation of cases studies used Outside of the Classroom (FIOC). Results of this investigation have led to an increased understanding of implementation strategies of unfolding scenario-based case studies in undergraduate nursing didactic courses. Data collected were rich in the description of specific methodologies for utilization of case studies and may serve as a resource for faculty in development of creative strategies to enhance the didactic classroom experience.

  4. Implementation of case studies in undergraduate didactic nursing courses: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The implementation of unfolding scenario-based case studies in the didactic classroom is associated with learner-centered education. The utilization of learner-centered pedagogies, such as case studies, removes the focus from the instructor and instead places it on the student. Learner-centered pedagogies are believed to improve students’ levels of cognition. The purpose of this study was to examine how nurse educators are implementing the pedagogies of case studies in their undergraduate didactic courses. The goal was to examine, document, report, and, ultimately, implement the strategies. Methods Purposeful sampling was utilized in this qualitative, multisite-designed study. For each of the four participants, three separate site visits were completed. Observations and post-observational interviews took place at each site visit. Transcribed data from interviews, observations, and course documents were imported into the computer program Nvivo8. Repetitive comparative analysis was utilized to complete the data coding process. Results The guiding research question of this study sought to investigate the implementation strategies of case studies in didactic nursing courses. The implementation of case studies by the participants reflected two primary patterns: Formal Implementation (FI) and Informal Implementation (II) of case studies. The FI of case studies was further divided into two subcategories: Formal Implementation of case studies used Inside the Classroom setting (FIIC) and Formal Implementation of cases studies used Outside of the Classroom (FIOC). Conclusion Results of this investigation have led to an increased understanding of implementation strategies of unfolding scenario-based case studies in undergraduate nursing didactic courses. Data collected were rich in the description of specific methodologies for utilization of case studies and may serve as a resource for faculty in development of creative strategies to enhance the didactic classroom experience. PMID:23826925

  5. Sunlight upon a Dark Sky Haiti's Urban Poor Responds to Socio-Political and Socio-Cultural Conflicts: A Case Study of the Grande Ravine Community Human Rights Council

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dimmett, Deborah Lynn

    2010-01-01

    This case study investigates the organizational characteristics of a Haitian grassroots community human rights council (CHRC) that emerged as a response to three politically motivated massacres. The impromptu grassroots response of this poor urban community is at the core of the following research question investigated in this study: "What…

  6. An Investigation into the Challenges In-Service Student Teachers Encounter in Transformational Geometry, "Reflection and Rotation". The Case of Mufulira College of Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kambilombilo, Dennis; Sakala, Whyson

    2015-01-01

    The study was conducted to investigate the challenges in-service mathematics student teachers face in transformational geometry; reflection and rotation. The Van Hiele Theory of levels of Thought was used as the theoretical framework for this study. A case study was undertaken using a written test. The research was carried on second and third…

  7. Online market research panel members as controls in case-control studies to investigate gastrointestinal disease outbreaks: early experiences and lessons learnt from the UK.

    PubMed

    Mook, P; McCormick, J; Kanagarajah, S; Adak, G K; Cleary, P; Elson, R; Gobin, M; Hawker, J; Inns, T; Sinclair, C; Trienekens, S C M; Vivancos, R; McCarthy, N D

    2018-03-01

    Established methods of recruiting population controls for case-control studies to investigate gastrointestinal disease outbreaks can be time consuming, resulting in delays in identifying the source or vehicle of infection. After an initial evaluation of using online market research panel members as controls in a case-control study to investigate a Salmonella outbreak in 2013, this method was applied in four further studies in the UK between 2014 and 2016. We used data from all five studies and interviews with members of each outbreak control team and market research panel provider to review operational issues, evaluate risk of bias in this approach and consider methods to reduce confounding and bias. The investigators of each outbreak reported likely time and cost savings from using market research controls. There were systematic differences between case and control groups in some studies but no evidence that conclusions on the likely source or vehicle of infection were incorrect. Potential selection biases introduced by using this sampling frame and the low response rate are unclear. Methods that might reduce confounding and some bias should be balanced with concerns for overmatching. Further evaluation of this approach using comparisons with traditional methods and population-based exposure survey data is recommended.

  8. Why do we pay? A national survey of investigators and IRB chairpersons

    PubMed Central

    Ripley, Elizabeth; Macrina, Francis; Markowitz, Monika; Gennings, Chris

    2011-01-01

    The principle that payment to participants should not be undue or coercive is the consensus of international and national guidelines and ethical debates; however, what this means in practice is unclear. This study determined the attitudes and practices of IRB chairpersons and investigators regarding participant payment. One thousand six hundred investigators and 1900 IRB chairpersons received an invitation to participate in a web-based survey. Four hundred and fifty-five investigators (28.3%) and 395 IRB chairpersons (18.6%) responded. The survey was designed to gather considerations that govern payment determination and practical application of these considerations in hypothetical case studies. The survey asked best answer, multiple choice, and open text questions. Short hypothetical case scenarios where presented, and participants were asked to rate factors in the study that might impact payment and then determine their recommended payment. A predictive model was developed for each case to determine factors which affected payment. Although compensation was the primary reason given to justify payment by both investigators and IRB chairpersons, the cases suggested that, in practice, payment is often guided by incentive, as shown by the impact of anticipated difficulty recruiting, inconvenience, and risk in determining payment. Payment models varied by type of study. Ranges for recommended payments by both groups for different types of procedures and studies are presented. PMID:20831420

  9. The Effects of a Midbrain Glioma on Memory and Other Functions: A Longitudinal Single Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weddell, Rodger A.

    2008-01-01

    Our understanding of the effects of midbrain damage on cognition is largely based on animal studies, though there have been occasional investigations of the effects of human midbrain lesions on cognition. This investigation of a rare case of a glioma initially confined to the dorsal midbrain explores the effects of disease progression on IQ,…

  10. The Nature of Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge: The Case of The Volume of Prisms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tekin-Sitrava, Reyhan; Isiksal-Bostan, Mine

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated middle school teachers' knowledge of students' misconceptions and the sources of these misconceptions related to the volume of prisms. This case study investigated four middle school teachers who taught 8th grade students in Ankara (Turkey). Based on the analysis of the data, two misconceptions related to the volume of…

  11. Raton Basin, Colorado Retrospective Case Study Fact Sheet

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA conducted a retrospective case study in the Raton Basin of Colorado to investigate reported instances of contaminated drinking water resources in areas where hydraulic fracturing activities occurred.

  12. Effect of Case Studies on Primary School Teaching Students' Attitudes toward Chemistry Lesson

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayyildiz, Yildizay; Tarhan, Leman

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of case studies on Primary School Teaching students' attitudes toward chemistry lesson. The study was conducted on 63 freshmen from Department of Primary School Teaching at a university in Turkey. The students were taught using case studies about the subjects of Properties and States of…

  13. Investigation of Geobase Implementation Issues: Case Study of Information Resource Management

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-03-01

    case study , ethnography , phenomenological study , and grounded theory . “Of...all the research designs [described] … a grounded theory study is the one that is least likely to begin from a 40 Use this approach if...the treatments explained, the case study method best matches the objectives of this research (Leedy & Ormrod, 2001). Yin’s criteria for

  14. Searching for Educational Content in the For-Profit Internet: Case Study and Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fabos, Bettina

    This case study investigates the commercialized nature of Internet content and the ways educators and students negotiate and talk about such content. In factoring in the economic and historical context of educational Internet content, this case study also addresses educators' evolving attitudes towards commercialism in the classroom. A survey was…

  15. "Another Link in the Chain" Update: State Policies and Practices for Case Management and Environmental Investigation for Lead-Poisoned Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLaine, Pat; Gaitens, Joanna

    This report details a national survey, conducted in 2000, to document changes since 1998 in policies and practices for case management and environmental investigation for lead poisoned children; the study also investigated the impact of the previous national survey in precipitating change. Participating in the survey were program directors or…

  16. Yellow Fever outbreak in Darfur, Sudan in October 2012; the initial outbreak investigation report.

    PubMed

    Soghaier, Mohammed A; Hagar, Ahmed; Abbas, Mohammed A; Elmangory, Mutasim M; Eltahir, Khalid M; Sall, Amadou A

    2013-10-01

    Sudan is subject to repeated outbreaks, including Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF), which is considered to be a very serious illness. Yellow Fever (YF) outbreaks in Sudan have been reported from the 1940s through 2005. In 2012, a new outbreak of YF occurred in the Darfur region. To identify the potential for an outbreak, to diagnose the disease and to be able to recognize its cause among the initial reported cases. >This is a descriptive and investigative field study that applies standard communicable disease outbreak investigation steps. The study involved clinical, serological, entomological and environmental surveys. The field investigation confirmed the outbreak and identified its cause to be YF. National surveillance systems should be strong enough to detect VHFs in a timely manner. Local health facilities should be prepared to promptly treat the initial cases because the case fatality ratios (CFRs) are usually very high among the index cases. Copyright © 2013 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Promoting the Use of Online Social Technology as a Case-Based Learning Tool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ractham, Peter; Chen, Charlie

    2013-01-01

    Social technology is proliferating and influencing different aspects of society. However, very few studies have examined the use of such a technology for a case-based learning pedagogy. This preliminary study investigates the use of social technology as a case-based learning tool to improve the effectiveness of case-based learning in the…

  18. The High-Skilled VET Practitioner: Interim Findings from the Evaluation of the Long-Term Impacts of the Framing the Future Projects in 1999-2000.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, John; Wood, Sarah; Young, Susan

    Research was conducted in 2000-01 on the long-term impacts of the 200 projects funded by Australia's Framing the Future in 1999 and of the 250 conducted in 2000. Two main research methodologies (case study investigations and a survey) were used for the study. Case study investigations were conducted with the Deaf Education Network in Sydney; South…

  19. Genital herpes in children under 11 years and investigations for sexual abuse.

    PubMed

    Reading, Richard; Hughes, Gwenda; Hill, Julia; Debelle, Geoff

    2011-08-01

    The implications for sexual abuse investigation of genital herpes in a child are uncertain because of a lack of good quality research evidence. The incidence, presenting features, history of exposure, indicators of child maltreatment and outcomes of child protection investigations in children with genital herpes are described. Ascertainment of all cases of genital herpes in children <11 years of age first presenting to paediatricians in the UK and Ireland from April 2007 to April 2009 conducted through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit. 23 cases were notified. The incidence of confirmed and all reported cases was 0.091 and 0.13 per 100,000 children per year, respectively. Of the 16 virologically confirmed cases, 12 were female, 11 were <5 years of age, 14 had herpes simplex type 1, eight were tested for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and only one had a full STI screen. Three cases had other clinical features suggestive of sexual abuse. Six cases were referred for child protection investigation, but no sexual abuse was substantiated. Genital herpes in children under 11 years is rare. Almost a third of children diagnosed with genital herpes did not have appropriate virological investigation and few were screened for other STIs. Around a quarter of cases were referred to child protection agencies for further investigation, which limits any inferences in this study about mode of transmission in children. Sexual abuse guidance should emphasise the need for thorough assessment and investigation in cases of genital herpes in children.

  20. A Case Study of Environmental, Health and Safety Issues Involving the Burlington, Massachusetts Public School System. "Tips, Suggestions, and Resources for Investigating and Resolving EHS Issues in Schools."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dresser, Todd H.

    An investigation was initiated concerning the environmental health within the Burlington, Massachusetts public school system to determine what specific environmental hazards were present and determine ways of eliminating them. This report presents 20 case studies that detail the environmental health issues involved, the approaches taken in…

  1. Learning How to Be a Research-Minded Teacher: Four Instrumental Music Education Students Investigate Good Music Teaching through Case Study Methodology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sindberg, Laura K.

    2016-01-01

    Increasing evidence, both in general education and music education, points to the significance of inquiry as a part of teacher preparation. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the ways in which an introductory research project would help preservice music educators understand good "music teaching" and to discover the extent…

  2. Parental Cognitive Impairment and Child Maltreatment in Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McConnell, David; Feldman, Maurice; Aunos, Marjorie; Prasad, Narasimha

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of parental cognitive impairment in cases opened for child maltreatment investigation in Canada, and to examine the relationship between parental cognitive impairment and maltreatment investigation outcomes including substantiation, case disposition and court application. Methods:…

  3. Practical observations from an epidemiological investigation of a measles outbreak in a district of India.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Ashok; Mishra, Subodh; Lahariya, Chandrakant; Jain, Pankaj; Bhadoriya, Rahul S; Shrivastav, Dhiraj; Marathe, Neera

    2009-04-01

    Measles is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, accounting for nearly half of the morbidity associated with global vaccine preventable diseases. Regular outbreaks of Measles are reported in India, of which only a few are investigated. This study was conducted in the Shivpuri District of Madhya Pradesh (India) to investigate and asses various epidemiological factors associated with measles outbreak. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 30 randomly selected sub-centers in 8 blocks of the Shivpuri District of Madhya Pradesh, covering 212 villages, selected by cluster sampling. The villages, which had reported measles cases, were extensively investigated by the field teams through extensive house-to-house surveys during 12-19 May 2004. A total of 1204 cases with 14 deaths were reported with an attack rate of 6.2% and a case fatality rate of 1.2%. In this study, 17.7% of the cases reported post-measles complications with diarrhea as the most common post measles complication. The routine measles vaccine and Vitamin A supplementation in the area was also less than 30%. The majority of the cases had occurred in the unvaccinated children and in under 5 year old population. There are repeated outbreaks and a long delay in reporting of the cases. The occurrence of cases, in a reasonable proportion of the vaccinated population, points toward the fact that there is a possibility of a vaccine failure in older children. This study calls for an improved surveillance system, an improvement in the cold chain, and enhancements for measles vaccination if India is to achieve the goal of measles elimination.

  4. Cases of human brucellosis in Sweden linked to Middle East and Africa.

    PubMed

    Garofolo, Giuliano; Fasanella, Antonio; Di Giannatale, Elisabetta; Platone, Ilenia; Sacchini, Lorena; Persiani, Tiziana; Boskani, Talar; Rizzardi, Kristina; Wahab, Tara

    2016-05-17

    Human brucellosis cases are still reported each year in Sweden despite eradication of the disease in animals. Epidemiological investigation has never been conducted to trace back the source of human infection in the country. The purpose of the study was to identify the source of infection for 16 human brucellosis cases that occurred in Sweden, during the period 2008-2012. The isolates were identified as Brucella melitensis and MLVA-16 genotyping revealed 14 different genotypes of East Mediterranean and Africa lineages. We also reported one case of laboratory-acquired brucellosis (LAB) that was shown to be epidemiological linked to one of the cases in the current study. Brucella melitensis was the only species diagnosed, confirming its highest zoonotic potential in the genus Brucella, and MLVA-16 results demonstrated that the cases of brucellosis in Sweden herein investigated, are imported and linked to travel in the Middle East and Africa. Due to its zoonotic concerns, any acute febrile illness linked to recent travel within those regions should be investigated for brucellosis and samples should be processed according to biosafety level 3 regulations.

  5. An Investigation of Strategic Decision Making in Service Marketing through Case Study Development and Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosetti, Joseph L.; Maceiko, Meghan

    2009-01-01

    Through the collaborative efforts of an undergraduate student and a professor of marketing, this paper focuses on a case study and corresponding teaching notes developed as a final component of an independent study in service marketing. The case utilizes the hospitality industry as the template for analysis of the appropriateness of marketing…

  6. Human Resource Reporting: Some Exploratory Case Studies in Australian Enterprises. CEET Working Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferrier, Fran; Wells, Rob

    This document reports the findings of seven case studies undertaken as part of a larger research project on the measuring and reporting of intellectual capital, being conducted by an Australian research team. The case studies aimed to investigate in more detail the approach of seven Australian organizations and enterprises to the recording and…

  7. Exploring the Removal of Prayer from Public Schools: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Barbara K.

    2018-01-01

    This was a qualitative case study focused on a display of understanding how reinstating prayer within public schools can offer an effect on students nationwide. A case study was utilized in this investigation, to explore and provide a clear understanding from the teachers' perceptions on how reinstating prayer can be incorporated into students'…

  8. A Case Study of Autonomy and Motivation in a Student-Led Game Development Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prigmore, M.; Taylor, R.; De Luca, D.

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the findings of an exploratory case study into the relationship between student autonomy and motivation in project based learning, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to frame the investigation. The case study explores how different forms of motivation affect the students' response to challenges and their intention to…

  9. The Effectiveness of Simulated Robots for Supporting the Learning of Introductory Programming: A Multi-Case Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Major, Louis; Kyriacou, Theocharis; Brereton, Pearl

    2014-01-01

    This work investigates the effectiveness of simulated robots as tools to support the learning of programming. After the completion of a systematic review and exploratory research, a multi-case case study was undertaken. A simulator, named Kebot, was developed and used to run four 10-hour programming workshops. Twenty-three student participants…

  10. Student Ownership of Projects in an Upper-Division Optics Laboratory Course: A Multiple Case Study of Successful Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dounas-Frazer, Dimitri R.; Stanley, Jacob T.; Lewandowski, H. J.

    2017-01-01

    We investigate students' sense of ownership of multiweek final projects in an upper-division optics lab course. Using a multiple case study approach, we describe three student projects in detail. Within-case analyses focused on identifying key issues in each project, and constructing chronological descriptions of those events. Cross-case analysis…

  11. Treatment and Follow Up

    MedlinePlus

    ... Your Research and Clinical Trials FDA Drug Approval Case Study Learning Tool Research News Young Investigator Award For ... Free CEs in Celiac Disease and Psychological Health Case Study Video Series Other CME Opportunities Gluten-Related Disorders: ...

  12. Analysis of Suicide Notes: An experience in Eskişehir City.

    PubMed

    Karbeyaz, Kenan; Akkaya, Harun; Balci, Yasemin; Urazel, Beyza

    2014-09-01

    It is estimated that a million people around the world die by suicide each year. It has been reported that a note was left in 5%-43% of the suicides. In this study, it we aimed to evaluate and discuss suicide notes in our city which is situated in Western Anatolia and where several universities are located. All forensic deaths in Eskişehir in 10-year period between 2001 and 2011 were evaluated. Forensic investigation files were assessed. After investigation, Out of 399 cases, 168 (42.1%) cases, who were determined to have left a suicide letter, telephone message (sms) or message via social network sites, were included in the scope of the study. It was found that 95 (56.5%) of all cases had left a suicide letter, 69 (41.1%) cases had sent a telephone message to a person or more than one person, 4 (2.4%) cases had written notes about suicide and death in social networking sites. A suicide note is an important finding in suicide cases to clarify the case. However, the note should be confirmed by investigation to be accepted as evidence.

  13. Chronicles of Change: The Narrative Turn and E-Learning Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friesen, Norm

    2008-01-01

    Narrative case research has been widely utilized in educational inquiry to investigate different and changing positions and perspectives on questions of identity, curriculum and classroom practice. Despite the fact that case-study research of this kind is well suited to the investigation of changing technologies and their interpretation in…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2016-01-01

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

  15. Added value of a household-level study during an outbreak investigation of Salmonella serotype Saintpaul infections, New Mexico 2008

    PubMed Central

    Boore, A. L.; Jungk, J.; Russo, E.T.; Redd, J.T.; Angulo, F. J.; Williams, I. T.; Cheek, J. E.; Gould, L. H.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY In 2008, nationwide investigations of a Salmonella serotype Saintpaul outbreak led first to consumer warnings for Roma and red round tomatoes, then later for jalapeño and serrano peppers. In New Mexico, where there were a large number of cases but no restaurant-based clusters, the NM Department of Health and the Indian Health Service participated with CDC in individual-level and household-level case-control studies of infections in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. No food item was associated in the individual-level study. In the household-level study, households with an ill member were more likely to have had jalapeño peppers present during the exposure period and to have reported ever having serrano peppers in the household. This report illustrates the complexity of this investigation, the limitations of traditional individual-level case-control studies when vehicles of infection are ingredients or commonly eaten with other foods, and the added value of a household-level study. PMID:23228507

  16. Added value of a household-level study during an outbreak investigation of Salmonella serotype Saintpaul infections, New Mexico 2008.

    PubMed

    Boore, A L; Jungk, J; Russo, E T; Redd, J T; Angulo, F J; Williams, I T; Cheek, J E; Gould, L H

    2013-10-01

    In 2008, nationwide investigations of a Salmonella serotype Saintpaul outbreak led first to consumer warnings for Roma and red round tomatoes, then later for jalapeño and serrano peppers. In New Mexico, where there were a large number of cases but no restaurant-based clusters, the NM Department of Health and the Indian Health Service participated with CDC in individual-level and household-level case-control studies of infections in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. No food item was associated in the individual-level study. In the household-level study, households with an ill member were more likely to have had jalapeño peppers present during the exposure period and to have reported ever having serrano peppers in the household. This report illustrates the complexity of this investigation, the limitations of traditional individual-level case-control studies when vehicles of infection are ingredients or commonly eaten with other foods, and the added value of a household-level study.

  17. Four Cases of Autochthonous Dengue Infection in Japan and 46 Imported Cases: Characteristics of Japanese Dengue.

    PubMed

    Yoshimura, Yukihiro; Sakamoto, Yohei; Amano, Yuichiro; Nakaharai, Kazuhiko; Yaita, Kenichiro; Hoshina, Tokio; Kurai, Hanako; Usuku, Shuzo; Tachikawa, Natsuo

    2015-01-01

    A dengue outbreak occurred in Japan 2014. We investigated the characteristics of dengue infection among Japanese. We investigated the medical charts retrospectively. Patients The study participants are patients who came to our clinic between 2008 and 2014. We investigated 4 domestic cases and 46 imported cases of Japanese with laboratory confirmation of dengue. Major symptoms were fever (100%), rash (86%), fatigue (84%), headache (81%), joint pain (66%), muscle pain (49%), and bleeding (6%). A late rash that appeared near the time of fever resolution was observed in 37 cases (74%). A total of 38/43 (88%) cases had low WBC count (<3,500 /μL) during the febrile period, 42/48 (88%) cases had a low platelet (PLT) count (<130×10(3)/μL), and 44/50 (88%) cases had a C-reactive protein (CRP) <2.0 mg/dL. Patients with a high fever, late rash, fever-associated leukopenia, low PLT count, low CRP, and elevated aminotransferases are generally suspected of having a dengue infection.

  18. Examining the Transition to a Four-Day School Week and Investigating Post-Change Faculty/Staff Work-Life Balance: A Community College Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cardinale, Nelly

    2013-01-01

    This single descriptive embedded case study examined the process of implementing a four-day work/school week at a community college and investigated post-change faculty/staff work-life balance. All of the students attending this college live at home. The change was implemented due to state funding shortfalls, increasing college utility expenses…

  19. The Effects of Writing Choice Prompt on the Written Narratives of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: A Case Study of an Abandoned Single-Case Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ennis, Robin Parks; Jolivette, Kristine; Losinski, Mickey

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the effects of choice of writing prompt on the number of story elements included in written narratives. The investigation took place in a residential facility for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Participants included six female students in a mixed-grade-level course (students had just completed…

  20. Criminal investigation of child sexual abuse: a comparison of cases referred to the prosecutor to those not referred.

    PubMed

    Stroud, D D; Martens, S L; Barker, J

    2000-05-01

    The present study sought to identify characteristics of child sexual abuse cases which differentiate cases referred for criminal prosecution ("criminal-action") from those not referred ("dropped") by investigators. The study sample consisted of 1043 children who completed a forensic interview for sexual abuse that allegedly occurred at the hands of an adult between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 1996 in Bernalillo County of New Mexico. Data was systematically obtained from forensic interview files and offender records at the local prosecutor's office. Differences between criminal-action and dropped cases were found in relation to the children (age, sex and ethnicity), the alleged offenders (age, sex and relationship to child), and the case characteristics (disclosure and injury to the child). The present study provided insight into the characteristics of a previously ignored population (reported child sexual abuse cases that are not referred for prosecution). Recommendations are made to address the needs of these children and their families.

  1. The Role of the Senior Student Affairs Officer in Creating and Sustaining a Culture of Assessment: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ridgeway, Lindsey McKinney

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this research study was to examine the role of the senior student affairs officer (SSAO) in promoting assessment practice within the Division of Student Life at Randal University. A qualitative, single-case study research design was employed to conduct this study. The case for this investigation was the Vice President for Student…

  2. 21 CFR 312.68 - Inspection of investigator's records and reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... particular individuals require a more detailed study of the cases, or unless there is reason to believe that the records do not represent actual case studies, or do not represent actual results obtained. ...

  3. Better cancer biomarker discovery through better study design.

    PubMed

    Rundle, Andrew; Ahsan, Habibul; Vineis, Paolo

    2012-12-01

    High-throughput laboratory technologies coupled with sophisticated bioinformatics algorithms have tremendous potential for discovering novel biomarkers, or profiles of biomarkers, that could serve as predictors of disease risk, response to treatment or prognosis. We discuss methodological issues in wedding high-throughput approaches for biomarker discovery with the case-control study designs typically used in biomarker discovery studies, especially focusing on nested case-control designs. We review principles for nested case-control study design in relation to biomarker discovery studies and describe how the efficiency of biomarker discovery can be effected by study design choices. We develop a simulated prostate cancer cohort data set and a series of biomarker discovery case-control studies nested within the cohort to illustrate how study design choices can influence biomarker discovery process. Common elements of nested case-control design, incidence density sampling and matching of controls to cases are not typically factored correctly into biomarker discovery analyses, inducing bias in the discovery process. We illustrate how incidence density sampling and matching of controls to cases reduce the apparent specificity of truly valid biomarkers 'discovered' in a nested case-control study. We also propose and demonstrate a new case-control matching protocol, we call 'antimatching', that improves the efficiency of biomarker discovery studies. For a valid, but as yet undiscovered, biomarker(s) disjunctions between correctly designed epidemiologic studies and the practice of biomarker discovery reduce the likelihood that true biomarker(s) will be discovered and increases the false-positive discovery rate. © 2012 The Authors. European Journal of Clinical Investigation © 2012 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

  4. Implementing Tuberculosis Close-contact Investigation in a Tertiary Hospital in Iran.

    PubMed

    Shamaei, Masoud; Esmaeili, Shahrbanoo; Marjani, Majid; Tabarsi, Payam

    2018-01-01

    Close contact investigation is the essential key in tuberculosis (TB) case finding and an effective strategy for TB control program within any society. In this prospective study, 1186 close family contacts of hospitalized TB patients (index) in a referral TB hospital in Tehran-Iran were passively studied. These people were studied to rollout TB infection and disease. Demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory data of these individuals were reviewed and summarized for analysis. A total of 886 (74.4%) close-family contacts completed their investigation. The index TB patients of these individuals were sputum smear negative for acid-fast bacilli in 137 cases (11.6%) and the rest were smear positive. A total of 610 (68.8%) close-family contact ruled out for TB infection or disease (Group I). A total of 244 cases (27.5%) had latent TB infection (Group II) and active TB (Group III) was confirmed in 32 cases (3.6%). A significant difference was shown for female gender, signs and symptoms, family size, and positive radiological finding between Group I and Group II. The study of index parameter including positive sputum smear/culture did not reveal any significant difference, but positive cavitary lesion significantly more has seen in active TB group ( P = 0.004). This study emphasizes on sign and symptoms and radiological finding in TB contact investigation, where index parameters including positive smear/culture, does not implicate any priority. Although cavitary lesions in index patient have more accompanied by active TB, close contact study should include all of TB indexes. This investigation should include chest radiography for these individuals.

  5. Association between vestibular schwannomas and mobile phone use.

    PubMed

    Moon, In Seok; Kim, Bo Gyung; Kim, Jinna; Lee, Jong Dae; Lee, Won-Sang

    2014-01-01

    Vestibular schwannomas (VSs) grow in the region where the energy from mobile phone use is absorbed. We examined the associations of VSs with mobile phone use. This study included 119 patients who had undergone surgical tumor removal. We used two approaches in this investigation. First, a case-control study for the association of mobile phone use and incidence of VSs was conducted. Both cases and controls were investigated with questions based on INTERPHONE guidelines. Amount of mobile phone use according to duration, daily amount, and cumulative hours were compared between two groups. We also conducted a case-case study. The location and volume of the tumors were investigated by MRI. Associations between the estimated amount of mobile phone use and tumor volume and between the laterality of phone use and tumor location were analyzed. In a case-control study, the odds ratio (OR) of tumor incidence according to mobile phone use was 0.956. In the case-case study, tumor volume and estimated cumulative hours showed a strong correlation (r(2) = 0.144, p = 0.002), and regular mobile phone users showed tumors of a markedly larger volume than those of non-regular users (p < 0.001). When the analysis was limited to regular users who had serviceable hearing, laterality showed a strong correlation with tumor side (OR = 4.5). We found that tumors may coincide with the more frequently used ear of mobile phones and tumor volume that showed strong correlation with amount of mobile phone use, thus there is a possibility that mobile phone use may affect tumor growth.

  6. Poliomyelitis case confirmation: characteristics for use by national eradication programmes.

    PubMed Central

    Biellik, R. J.; Bueno, H.; Olive, J. M.; de Quadros, C.

    1992-01-01

    Highly sensitive case definitions were first introduced by national poliomyelitis eradication programmes to avoid missing true cases of the disease, though false-positive diagnostic errors could still occur owing to low specificity. Extensive data from all 1620 cases of acute, flaccid paralysis reported in Brazil during 1987-88 provided an opportunity to study the characteristics of confirmed poliomyelitis cases and epidemiologically to evaluate potential case definitions that maximized both sensitivity and specificity. Cases that had been confirmed by wild poliomyelitis virus isolation were compared with those that had been rejected (non-polio cases). To guarantee the consistency of clinical, epidemiological and laboratory investigations, only cases less than 10 years of age that had been investigated within 15 days of the onset and with complete laboratory specimens were included. No single practical case definition combining both high sensitivity and high specificity emerged from the study. However, the results showed that poliomyelitis endemic countries with limited resources should give priority to the investigation of cases in less than 5-year-olds, cases with prodromal fever, cases without involvement in all four limbs, cases without progression greater than 3 days after the onset, and cases occurring in areas where poliomyelitis had recently been confirmed. In countries without laboratory resources, cases of acute, flaccid paralysis with initial involvement in one or both lower limbs and residual neurological sequelae at 60 days should be confirmed. Countries that are close to eradication may selectively reject any cases lacking laboratory confirmation, despite adequate specimen collection, if they do not have initial involvement in one or both lower limbs and residual neurological sequelae at 60 days. PMID:1314710

  7. Turning a hazardous waste lagoon into reclaimed land for wildlife management: A case study

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

    Leong, A.K.

    Brownfields are turning back to green. This paper presents a case study of a former dump site for hazardous waste that has been remediated and will be developed into an enhanced wildlife management habitat. This successful remediation case combined various investigations, remedial designs, risk assessments, ecological studies, and engineering practices. 3 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.

  8. The Use of Case Studies in OR Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penn, Marion L.; Currie, Christine S. M.; Hoad, Kathryn A.; O'Brien, Frances A.

    2016-01-01

    This article investigates the current use of case studies in the teaching of Operational Research (OR) in the UK: how and where they are used; how they are developed; and whether there is an interest in training this area. It is aimed at lecturers teaching OR who are using or planning to use case studies in their teaching. It may also be of…

  9. The Burger Court in Factorial Space.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwartz, Thomas A.

    The attitudes of Supreme Court justices toward freedom of the press and ways in which their voting patterns affect the press were investigated in a study involving an examination of 235 nonunanimous decisions (G-cases), 199 nonunanimous civil liberties cases (C-cases), and 23 nonunanimous freedom of the press cases (P-cases) decided by the Burger…

  10. A stochastic approach for automatic generation of urban drainage systems.

    PubMed

    Möderl, M; Butler, D; Rauch, W

    2009-01-01

    Typically, performance evaluation of new developed methodologies is based on one or more case studies. The investigation of multiple real world case studies is tedious and time consuming. Moreover extrapolating conclusions from individual investigations to a general basis is arguable and sometimes even wrong. In this article a stochastic approach is presented to evaluate new developed methodologies on a broader basis. For the approach the Matlab-tool "Case Study Generator" is developed which generates a variety of different virtual urban drainage systems automatically using boundary conditions e.g. length of urban drainage system, slope of catchment surface, etc. as input. The layout of the sewer system is based on an adapted Galton-Watson branching process. The sub catchments are allocated considering a digital terrain model. Sewer system components are designed according to standard values. In total, 10,000 different virtual case studies of urban drainage system are generated and simulated. Consequently, simulation results are evaluated using a performance indicator for surface flooding. Comparison between results of the virtual and two real world case studies indicates the promise of the method. The novelty of the approach is that it is possible to get more general conclusions in contrast to traditional evaluations with few case studies.

  11. Case Studies in Elementary and Secondary Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boboc, Marius; Nordgren, R. D.

    2010-01-01

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

  12. Employing Case Study Methodology in Special Educational Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rouse, Angelise M.

    2016-01-01

    In general, case studies are a preferred strategy when "how" or "why" questions are being posed, when the investigator has little control over events, and when the focus is on a contemporary phenomenon within some real-life context (Yin, 2009). This article will examine the advantages and disadvantages of employing case study…

  13. Child Sexual Abuse: A Case Study in Community Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faller, Kathleen Coulborn; Henry, James

    2000-01-01

    A study investigated the effectiveness of a collaborative approach to the case management of child sexual abuse. Data from 323 criminal court files found a sex offense confession rate of 64 percent and plea rate of 70 percent. Fifteen cases went to trial and in six the offender was convicted. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tompson, George H.; Dass, Parshotam

    2000-01-01

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

  15. Enhancing the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design: Bridging the research-practice gap.

    PubMed

    Wall, Jessie M; Kwee, Janelle L; Hu, Monica; McDonald, Marvin J

    2017-09-01

    Systematic case study designs are emerging as alternative paradigm strategies for psychotherapy and social science research. Through enhanced sensitivity to context, these designs examine idiographic profiles of causal processes. We specifically advocate the use of the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design (HSCED). HSCED has recently been used to investigate the efficacy of an existing therapy with a new population (Observed and Experiential Integration for athlete performance barriers) and an emerging therapy (Lifespan Integration Therapy). We describe innovations in HSCED that were implemented for these studies. These developments include (a) integrating psychotherapists as case developers, (b) incorporating multiple cases in one investigation, and (c) tailoring the repertoire of assessment tools. These extensions strategically incorporated principles of contextual paradigms in HSCED, thus complementing single-case designs that neglect idiographic contexts. We discuss recommendations for using HSCED in practice-based research, highlighting its potential as a bridge to address the research-practice gap.

  16. Commuter choice program case study development and analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2004-08-01

    This paper presents the results of a study in which the case study method was used to sort out the internal and external conditions that might affect the success of a work site trip reduction program. Investigators attempted to disprove a null hypoth...

  17. Use of warrants for breath test refusal : case studies

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-10-01

    This study investigated the use of warrants to obtain blood samples from drivers arrested for alcohol-impaired driving and who refuse to provide breath samples when requested to do so by law enforcement officers. Case studies were conducted in four S...

  18. The medico-legal investigation of sudden, unexpected and/or unexplained infant deaths in South Africa: where are we--and where are we going?

    PubMed

    du Toit-Prinsloo, L; Dempers, J J; Wadee, S A; Saayman, G

    2011-03-01

    Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) has been reported to be the leading cause of death in infants under 1 year of age in many countries. Unfortunately, a paucity of published research data exists in South Africa, with regard to the incidence of and investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Infants (SUDI) and/or SIDS. Currently, even though most academic centers conform to a protocol consistent with internationally accepted standards, there exists no nationally accepted infant death investigation protocol in South Africa. It is the aim of this study to review the current practice of infant death investigation in two representative but geographically and demographically distinct centers. Retrospective case audit over a five-year period (2000-2004) was conducted at two large medico-legal mortuaries in Pretoria (Gauteng) and Tygerberg (Cape Town). Case files on all infants younger than 1 year of age were reviewed. The outcome measures included number of deaths, demographic details and the nature and final outcome of the post mortem examinations. A total of 512 cases were identified as possible SIDS cases and of these, 171 was classified as SIDS. The study showed marked inter-case and inter-divisional variation in terms of the investigation of infant deaths at the two institutions. It is envisaged that this study will focus attention on the current lack of usable data regarding sudden/unexplained/unexpected infant deaths in South Africa, and aid in the formulation and implementation of a practical (yet internationally accountable) infant death investigation protocol, which could facilitate comparisons with other countries and initiate further structured research in this field.

  19. Suggested guidelines for the management of high-profile fatality cases.

    PubMed

    Perper, Joshua A; Juste, Gertrude M; Schueler, Harold E; Motte, Reinhard W; Cina, Stephen J

    2008-10-01

    The investigation of high-profile fatalities poses special challenges to medical examiners and coroners. Most high-profile cases can be readily recognized early in the course of the investigation. Commonly encountered examples include police-related fatalities or deaths in custody, deaths of celebrities, and mass fatalities or clustered deaths (eg, serial killers). Medical examiner and coroner offices should have policies and procedures in place for adequately handling such cases. A rational approach to these high-profile cases includes activating medical examiner or coroner investigative teams, preplanning before the autopsy, using special autopsy techniques and toxicology procedures, skillful questioning of key witnesses, preparing detailed and comprehensive reports, and planning effective communication with the media. The investigation of the sudden and unexpected death of Anna Nicole Smith, an entertainment personality, is presented as an example of how to address the challenging issues inherent in high-profile fatalities and how to adequately prepare for the forensic investigation of high-profile cases. This article presents a methodical approach to the investigation of high-profile deaths. A comprehensive, preplanned forensic investigation and autopsy (including use of adjunctive studies) following the death of Anna Nicole Smith resulted in the accurate determination of the cause and manner of her death while adequately convincing the public of the objectivity and reliability of the Medical Examiners Office with respect to its conclusions. The forensic investigation of death in high-profile cases can be much more tedious and demanding than the investigation of routine cases. It requires more stringent safekeeping of the body and its evidence, more extensive and sophisticated dissection techniques on occasion, and exhaustive toxicologic analysis to exclude low-probability allegations. Procedures for honest, unbiased, and judicious communication with outside agencies and the media must be followed. Failure to follow such procedures might have serious consequences for the medical examiner, the family of the deceased, and the community at large. Adherence to these suggested guidelines may resolve most of the intricate problems involved in the investigation of these types of cases.

  20. A Case Study of SSP for Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mostavan, A.; Kaya, N.

    2002-01-01

    The market of the Solar Power Satellite must be worldwide, because it can be provide electricity anywhre in the world from the Earth's orbits. We have perform case studies of various countries to understand their benefits and disadvantages provide by the Space Solar Power, because each country has much different condition on energy from other countries. We are starting the international collaboration between Indonesia and Japan to carry out the case study for Indonesia. In Japan, METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has already organized a committee to investigate the feasibility of the Space Solar Power and to make a plan to launch a space demonstration of the Solar Power Satellite. While, Indonesia is quickly developing economy and increasing their energy demand. We are investigating the detailed energy conditions of Indonesia and the benefits and disadvantages of he SSP for Indonesia. Especially, we will perform the investigation on the receiving system for the Japanese pilot SPS.

  1. Research in the Rehabilitation Unit Presents Challenges to Nurse Researchers.

    PubMed

    Rose, Mary Ann; Neil, Janice A; Castles, Ricky; Pokorny, Marie; Watkins, Frank; Hand, Mark

    Gathering data from patients on a rehabilitation unit poses challenges for nurse researchers. A case study is presented that describes ways the researchers attempted to meet these challenges while conducting their study. The case study presents the approaches that the investigators took to undertake the study and then described the ways in which these approaches could have been improved. Their successes and failures are described. Suggestions are made for future investigators. Clinical nursing research is required to develop an evidence base for practice in the rehabilitation unit. An analysis of the challenges and possible methods of overcoming these challenges is useful to both future investigators and nurses in practice to insure that studies can be carried out effectively.

  2. The Effects of Instructional Implementation on Learning with Interactive Multimedia Case-Based Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchem, Katherine; Koury, Kevin; Fitzgerald, Gail; Hollingsead, Candice; Miller, Kevin; Tsai, Hui-Hsien; Zha, Shenghua

    2009-01-01

    Interactive, multimedia cases with technology supports present new ways of teaching and learning in teacher education. In this mixed-methods, naturalistic study, the authors investigate how and what participants learn from multimedia cases and, in particular, how instructional implementation affects learning outcomes from multimedia cases.…

  3. Teachers' Practices of Inquiry When Teaching Investigations: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dudu, Washington T.; Vhurumuku, Elaosi

    2012-01-01

    Teacher practices are essential for supporting learners in scientific inquiry practices of framing research questions, designing and conducting investigations, collecting data, and drawing conclusions. This study examines instructional practices of two Grade 11 Physical Science teachers engaged in teaching practical investigations. Data were…

  4. A Cost Benefits Analysis of International Education: A Case of Zimbabwean Students in South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chimucheka, Tendai

    2012-01-01

    The study investigated the costs and benefits of international education to Zimbabwean students studying in South African Universities. The objectives of the study were to investigate the actual and perceived benefits of international education to students. The study also investigated the impact of international education on the lives of students,…

  5. Educational Research in Palestine: Epistemological and Cultural Challenges--A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalifah, Ayman A.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the prevailing epistemological and cultural conditions that underlie educational research in Palestine. Using a case study of a major Palestinian University that awards Masters Degrees in Education, the study analyzes the assumptions and the methodology that characterizes current educational research. Using an analysis of…

  6. Simulation study of the ROMPS robot control system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, Charles C.; Liu, HUI-I.

    1994-01-01

    This is a report presenting the progress of a research grant funded by NASA for work performed from June 1, 1993 to August 1, 1993. The report deals with the Robot Operated Material Processing System (ROMPS). It presents results of a computer simulation study conducted to investigate the performance of the control systems controlling the azimuth, elevation, and radial axes of the ROMPS and its gripper. Four study cases are conducted. The first case investigates the control of free motion of the three areas. In the second case, the compliant motion in the elevation axis with the wrist compliant device is studied in terms of position accuracy and impact forces. The third case focuses on the behavior of the control system in controlling the robot motion along the radial axis when pulling the pallet out of the rack. In the fourth case, the compliant motion of the gripper grasping a solid object under the effect of the gripper passive compliance is studied in terms of position accuracy and contact forces. For each of the above cases, a set of PIR gains will be selected to optimize the controller performance and computer simulation results will be presented and discussed.

  7. The Impact of Facilitated Communication on the Educational Lives of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Four Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knox, Michael

    2013-01-01

    This action qualitative study with a case research design investigated the impact of facilitated communication (FC) on the educational lives of high school students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The effect of FC on nonverbal students and schools' reactions to FC were also examined. The results from the four case studies indicate that FC…

  8. Case studies in geographic information systems for internet portals

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-30

    The following report investigates the experiences of transportation agencies in the deployment of Internet-based mapping portals based on GIS. It presents background information, a series of case studies, and a summary of conclusions given the experi...

  9. National outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 linked to mixed salad leaves, United Kingdom, 2016.

    PubMed

    Gobin, Maya; Hawker, Jeremy; Cleary, Paul; Inns, Thomas; Gardiner, Daniel; Mikhail, Amy; McCormick, Jacquelyn; Elson, Richard; Ready, Derren; Dallman, Tim; Roddick, Iain; Hall, Ian; Willis, Caroline; Crook, Paul; Godbole, Gauri; Tubin-Delic, Drazenka; Oliver, Isabel

    2018-05-01

    We investigated a large outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 in the United Kingdom (UK) with 165 cases between 31 May and 29 July 2016. No linked cases were reported in other countries. Cases were predominately female (n = 128) and adult (n = 150), 66 attended hospital and nine had features of haemorrhagic uraemic syndrome. A series of epidemiological studies (case-control, case-case, ingredients-based and venue-based studies) and supply chain investigations implicated mixed salad leaves from Supplier A as the likely outbreak vehicle. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) indicated a link with strains from the Mediterranean and informed the outbreak control team to request that Supplier A cease distributing salad leaves imported from Italy. Microbiological tests of samples of salad leaves from Supplier A were negative. We were unable to confirm the source of contamination or the contaminated constituent leaf although our evidence pointed to red batavia received from Italy as the most likely vehicle. Variations in Shiga toxin-producing E. coli surveillance and diagnosis may have prevented detection of cases outside the UK and highlights a need for greater standardisation. WGS was useful in targeting investigations, but greater coverage across Europe is needed to maximise its potential.

  10. Till receipts--a new approach for investigating outbreaks? Evaluation during a large Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 14b outbreak in a North West London takeaway restaurant, September 2009.

    PubMed

    Zenner, D; Zoellner, J; Charlett, A; Marmairis, W; Lane, C; Chow, J Y

    2014-07-10

    Selecting suitable controls for outbreak investigations is often difficult and if done inappropriately will lead to biased inferences. Till receipts and other sales records are frequently available on food premises, but their applicability has not been fully explored. Using data from an investigation into a Salmonella outbreak affecting 66 individuals exposed in a London takeaway restaurant, this study aimed to evaluate the use of till receipts to assess associations between sales and illness. Cases identified through local case-finding were subjected to a standardised exposure questionnaire. Till receipts over the time period when cases arose were analysed. Estimated food exposures from sales were compared to case reported exposures and till receipts analysis showed strong association between illness and consumption of rotisserie chicken (odds ratio (OR): 2.75; confidence interval (CI): 1.7-4.5). Chicken sales immediately prior to food consumption for cases were compared to two control periods in an ecological case-crossover design. On average there was an estimated increase of 3.7 (CI: 2.2-5.2) extra chickens sold in the hour immediately prior to the consumption in the cases (p<0.0001) and the risk of becoming ill at busy times increased by 5% with each additional chicken quarter sold per hour (OR: 1.05; CI: 1.03-1.08). Microbiological and environmental investigations revealed Salmonella Enteritidis phage type (PT)14b in all available cases' stool samples, two environmental samples and leftover chicken from the takeaway. The feasibility of this novel approach to obtain exposure information in the population at risk has been demonstrated, and its limitations are discussed. Further validation is required, comparing results with those in a concurrent classic case-control study.

  11. Is case-chaos methodology an appropriate alternative to conventional case-control studies for investigating outbreaks?

    PubMed

    Edelstein, Michael; Wallensten, Anders; Kühlmann-Berenzon, Sharon

    2014-08-15

    Case-chaos methodology is a proposed alternative to case-control studies that simulates controls by randomly reshuffling the exposures of cases. We evaluated the method using data on outbreaks in Sweden. We identified 5 case-control studies from foodborne illness outbreaks that occurred between 2005 and 2012. Using case-chaos methodology, we calculated odds ratios 1,000 times for each exposure. We used the median as the point estimate and the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles as the confidence interval. We compared case-chaos matched odds ratios with their respective case-control odds ratios in terms of statistical significance. Using Spearman's correlation, we estimated the correlation between matched odds ratios and the proportion of cases exposed to each exposure and quantified the relationship between the 2 using a normal linear mixed model. Each case-control study identified an outbreak vehicle (odds ratios = 4.9-45). Case-chaos methodology identified the outbreak vehicle 3 out of 5 times. It identified significant associations in 22 of 113 exposures that were not associated with outcome and 5 of 18 exposures that were significantly associated with outcome. Log matched odds ratios correlated with their respective proportion of cases exposed (Spearman ρ = 0.91) and increased significantly with the proportion of cases exposed (b = 0.054). Case-chaos methodology missed the outbreak source 2 of 5 times and identified spurious associations between a number of exposures and outcome. Measures of association correlated with the proportion of cases exposed. We recommended against using case-chaos analysis during outbreak investigations. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Adolescent occupational fatalities in North Carolina (1990-2008): an investigation of child labor and OSHA violations and enforcement.

    PubMed

    Rauscher, Kimberly; Runyan, Carol

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated adolescent worker fatalities involving violations of the child labor laws and/or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, as well as the enforcement activity involved in each case. Medical examiner records were used to identify work-related deaths among adolescents ages 11-17 between 1990 and 2008 and child labor violations. Investigations from state and federal Departments of Labor (DOL) were used to determine inspection activity, identify OSHA violations, and confirm child labor violations. Fifty-two percent of cases involved one or more child labor violations. Nine cases were investigated by either the U.S. or North Carolina DOL; among them, four had child labor violations. Eleven cases were investigated by the North Carolina DOL and all involved OSHA violations. Significant child labor and OSHA violations exist in adolescent worker fatalities in North Carolina, and gaps exist in enforcement at both the federal and state level, signaling needed improvements in the protection of adolescent workers.

  13. Neural Dissociation of Phonological and Visual Attention Span Disorders in Developmental Dyslexia: fMRI Evidence from Two Case Reports

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peyrin, C.; Lallier, M.; Demonet, J. F.; Pernet, C.; Baciu, M.; Le Bas, J. F.; Valdois, S.

    2012-01-01

    A dissociation between phonological and visual attention (VA) span disorders has been reported in dyslexic children. This study investigates whether this cognitively-based dissociation has a neurobiological counterpart through the investigation of two cases of developmental dyslexia. LL showed a phonological disorder but preserved VA span whereas…

  14. Investigation into the Educational Process of Cancer Case Conferences.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nyquist, Julie G.; And Others

    1990-01-01

    This study investigated the educational process used in tumor boards (cancer case conferences) and whether the process varied based on type of board, frequency of meetings, and presence or absence of residency training programs in the hospital. These data were collected through observation of 715 board sessions of 37 hospitals and 43 tumor boards.…

  15. Caseload management, work-related stress and case manager self-efficacy among Victorian mental health case managers.

    PubMed

    King, Robert

    2009-05-01

    In Australia and comparable countries, case management has become the dominant process by which public mental health services provide outpatient clinical services to people with severe mental illness. There is recognition that caseload size impacts on service provision and that management of caseloads is an important dimension of overall service management. There has been little empirical investigation, however, of caseload and its management. The present study was undertaken in the context of an industrial agreement in Victoria, Australia that required services to introduce standardized approaches to caseload management. The aims of the present study were therefore to (i) investigate caseload size and approaches to caseload management in Victoria's mental health services; and (ii) determine whether caseload size and/or approach to caseload management is associated with work-related stress or case manager self-efficacy among community mental health professionals employed in Victoria's mental health services. A total of 188 case managers responded to an online cross-sectional survey with both purpose-developed items investigating methods of case allocation and caseload monitoring, and standard measures of work-related stress and case manager personal efficacy. The mean caseload size was 20 per full-time case manager. Both work-related stress scores and case manager personal efficacy scores were broadly comparable with those reported in previous studies. Higher caseloads were associated with higher levels of work-related stress and lower levels of case manager personal efficacy. Active monitoring of caseload was associated with lower scores for work-related stress and higher scores for case manager personal efficacy, regardless of size of caseload. Although caseloads were most frequently monitored by the case manager, there was evidence that monitoring by a supervisor was more beneficial than self-monitoring. Routine monitoring of caseload, especially by a workplace supervisor, may be effective in reducing work-related stress and enhancing case manager personal efficacy.

  16. An Investigation of GeoBase Mission Data Set Design, Implementation, and Usage Within Air Force Civil Engineer Electrical and Utilities Work Centers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-03-01

    ethnography , grounded theory , phenomenological , case study , and content analysis. As ethnography is based upon a longitudinal study in...a qualitative methodology consisting of a case study strategy is warranted for this research project. Yin (2003) lists five components of research ...systems. Journal of End User Computing, 12(3), 14. Yin, R. K. (2003). Case Study Research : Design and

  17. Hospital branding in Italy: A pilot study based on the case method.

    PubMed

    Esposito, Annamaria

    2017-01-01

    The article investigates if, and in affirmative case how, Italian hospitals are managing corporate brand communication. Thanks to results of qualitative research, this article offers insights on Italian hospital branding. The pilot study based in the case method is to be considered a starting point for wider investigations on this topic, and it is useful for managers and practitioners who want to understand the role of corporate brand in hospital communication management and to connect health care professionals with the audience in a meaningful way in those countries in which the health care system is a mix of both public and private institutions.

  18. Retrospective measles outbreak investigation: Sudan, 2004.

    PubMed

    Coronado, Fátima; Musa, Nisreen; El Tayeb, El Sayed Ahmed; Haithami, Salah; Dabbagh, Alya; Mahoney, Frank; Nandy, Robin; Cairns, Lisa

    2006-10-01

    Recent population-based studies of measles incidence and deaths in Sudan are not available. To determine the epidemiology and case-fatality rate (CFR) of measles, we conducted a retrospective outbreak investigation in two states in northern Sudan. Of 1144 case-patients identified, 92% were <15 years; 48.6% were vaccinated; and 62% received vitamin A before illness. Ten measles-associated deaths were identified (CFR 0.9%; 95% confidence interval 0.16-1.91). CFR determined by this investigation is lower than expected for the region but remains 10 times higher than that in developed countries. Measles control should be strengthened by improving vaccine coverage, measles surveillance and case-management.

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

    PubMed

    1996-09-01

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

  20. Incidence of cancer among Norwegian boiler welders.

    PubMed Central

    Danielsen, T E; Langård, S; Andersen, A

    1996-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The cancer incidence among 2957 boiler welders was investigated. The subjects were registered electrical welders from 1942 to 1981. A subcohort of 606 stainless steel welders was studied separately. METHODS: The investigation was a historical prospective cohort study based on a national registry. The loss of follow up was 4.9%. RESULTS: There were 625 deaths (659 expected). There were 269 cancer cases (264 expected). An excess of lung cancer was found; 50 cases v 37.5 expected. There were three cases of pleural mesotheliomas v 1.1 expected. The subcohort of stainless steel welders had six cases of lung cancer v 5.8 expected, and one case of pleural mesothelioma v 0.2 expected. CONCLUSIONS: The welders in the study were assumed to represent a qualified work force. These welders had a small excess risk of lung cancer. The excess risk did not seem to be associated with stainless steel welding. Smoking and asbestos exposure were potential confounders. PMID:8664959

  1. Multicenter Outbreak of Infections by Saprochaete clavata, an Unrecognized Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen

    PubMed Central

    Vaux, Sophie; Criscuolo, Alexis; Desnos-Ollivier, Marie; Diancourt, Laure; Tarnaud, Chloé; Vandenbogaert, Matthias; Brisse, Sylvain; Coignard, Bruno; Garcia-Hermoso, Dea; Blanc, Catherine; Hoinard, Damien; Lortholary, Olivier; Bretagne, Stéphane; Thiolet, Jean-Michel; de Valk, Henriette; Courbil, Rémi; Chabanel, Anne; Simonet, Marion; Maire, Francoise; Jbilou, Saadia; Tiberghien, Pierre; Blanchard, Hervé; Venier, Anne-Gaëlle; Bernet, Claude; Simon, Loïc; Sénéchal, Hélène; Pouchol, Elodie; Angot, Christiane; Ribaud, Patricia; Socié, G.; Flèche, M.; Brieu, Nathalie; Lagier, Evelyne; Chartier, Vanessa; Allegre, Thierry; Maulin, Laurence; Lanic, Hélène; Tilly, Hervé; Bouchara, Jean-Philippe; Pihet, Marc; Schmidt, Aline; Kouatchet, Achille; Vandamme, Yves-Marie; Ifrah, Norbert; Mercat, Alain; Accoceberry, Isabelle; Albert, Olivier; Leguay, Thibaut; Rogues, Anne-Marie; Bonhomme, Julie; Reman, Oumédaly; Lesteven, Claire; Poirier, Philippe; Chabrot, Cécile Molucon; Calvet, Laure; Baud, Olivier; Cambon, Monique; Farkas, Jean Chistophe; Lafon, Bruno; Dalle, Frédéric; Caillot, Denis; Lazzarotti, Aline; Aho, Serge; Combret, Sandrine; Facon, Thierry; Sendid, Boualem; Loridant, Séverine; Louis, Terriou; Cazin, Bruno; Grandbastien, Bruno; Bourgeois, Nathalie; Lotthé, Anne; Cartron, Guillaume; Ravel, Christophe; Colson, Pascal; Gaudard, Philippe; Bonmati, Caroline; Simon, Loic; Rabaud, Christian; Machouart, Marie; Poisson, Didier; Carp, Diana; Meunier, Jérôme; Gaschet, Anne; Miquel, Chantal; Sanhes, Laurence; Ferreyra, Milagros; Leibinger, Franck; Geudet, Philippe; Toubas, Dominique; Himberlin, Chantal; Bureau-Chalot, Florence; Delmer, Alain; Favennec, Loïc; Gargala, Gilles; Michot, Jean-Baptiste; Girault, Christophe; David, Marion; Leprêtre, Stéphane; Jardin, Fabrice; Honderlick, Pierre; Caille, Vincent; Cerf, Charles; Cassaing, Sophie; Recher, Christian; Picard, Muriel; Protin, Caroline; Huguet, Françoise; Huynh, Anne; Ruiz, Jean; Riu-Poulenc, Béatrice; Letocart, Philippe; Marchou, Bruno; Verdeil, Xavier; Cavalié, Laurent; Chauvin, Pamela; Iriart, Xavier; Valentin, Alexis; Bouvet, Emmanuelle; Delmas-Marsalet, Béatrice; Jeblaoui, Asma; Kassis-Chikhani, Najiby; Mühlethaler, Konrad; Zimmerli, Stefan; Zalar, Polona; Sánchez-Reus, Ferran; Gurgui, Merce

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Rapidly fatal cases of invasive fungal infections due to a fungus later identified as Saprochaete clavata were reported in France in May 2012. The objectives of this study were to determine the clonal relatedness of the isolates and to investigate possible sources of contamination. A nationwide alert was launched to collect cases. Molecular identification methods, whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and clone-specific genotyping were used to analyze recent and historical isolates, and a case-case study was performed. Isolates from thirty cases (26 fungemias, 22 associated deaths at day 30) were collected between September 2011 and October 2012. Eighteen cases occurred within 8 weeks (outbreak) in 10 health care facilities, suggesting a common source of contamination, with potential secondary cases. Phylogenetic analysis identified one clade (clade A), which accounted for 16/18 outbreak cases. Results of microbiological investigations of environmental, drug, or food sources were negative. Analysis of exposures pointed to a medical device used for storage and infusion of blood products, but no fungal contamination was detected in the unused devices. Molecular identification of isolates from previous studies demonstrated that S. clavata can be found in dairy products and has already been involved in monocentric outbreaks in hematology wards. The possibility that S. clavata may transmit through contaminated medical devices or can be associated with dairy products as seen in previous European outbreaks is highly relevant for the management of future outbreaks due to this newly recognized pathogen. This report also underlines further the potential of WGS for investigation of outbreaks due to uncommon fungal pathogens. PMID:25516620

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

    PubMed

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

    2005-06-01

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

  3. National outbreak of Salmonella serotype saintpaul infections: importance of Texas restaurant investigations in implicating jalapeño peppers.

    PubMed

    Mody, Rajal K; Greene, Sharon A; Gaul, Linda; Sever, Adrianne; Pichette, Sarah; Zambrana, Ingrid; Dang, Thi; Gass, Angie; Wood, René; Herman, Karen; Cantwell, Laura B; Falkenhorst, Gerhard; Wannemuehler, Kathleen; Hoekstra, Robert M; McCullum, Isaac; Cone, Amy; Franklin, Lou; Austin, Jana; Delea, Kristin; Behravesh, Casey Barton; Sodha, Samir V; Yee, J Christopher; Emanuel, Brian; Al-Khaldi, Sufian F; Jefferson, Val; Williams, Ian T; Griffin, Patricia M; Swerdlow, David L

    2011-02-23

    In May 2008, PulseNet detected a multistate outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype Saintpaul infections. Initial investigations identified an epidemiologic association between illness and consumption of raw tomatoes, yet cases continued. In mid-June, we investigated two clusters of outbreak strain infections in Texas among patrons of Restaurant A and two establishments of Restaurant Chain B to determine the outbreak's source. We conducted independent case-control studies of Restaurant A and B patrons. Patients were matched to well controls by meal date. We conducted restaurant environmental investigations and traced the origin of implicated products. Forty-seven case-patients and 40 controls were enrolled in the Restaurant A study. Thirty case-patients and 31 controls were enrolled in the Restaurant Chain B study. In both studies, illness was independently associated with only one menu item, fresh salsa (Restaurant A: matched odds ratio [mOR], 37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.2-386; Restaurant B: mOR, 13; 95% CI 1.3-infinity). The only ingredient in common between the two salsas was raw jalapeño peppers. Cultures of jalapeño peppers collected from an importer that supplied Restaurant Chain B and serrano peppers and irrigation water from a Mexican farm that supplied that importer with jalapeño and serrano peppers grew the outbreak strain. Jalapeño peppers, contaminated before arrival at the restaurants and served in uncooked fresh salsas, were the source of these infections. Our investigations, critical in understanding the broader multistate outbreak, exemplify an effective approach to investigating large foodborne outbreaks. Additional measures are needed to reduce produce contamination.

  4. National Outbreak of Salmonella Serotype Saintpaul Infections: Importance of Texas Restaurant Investigations in Implicating Jalapeño Peppers

    PubMed Central

    Mody, Rajal K.; Greene, Sharon A.; Gaul, Linda; Sever, Adrianne; Pichette, Sarah; Zambrana, Ingrid; Dang, Thi; Gass, Angie; Wood, René; Herman, Karen; Cantwell, Laura B.; Falkenhorst, Gerhard; Wannemuehler, Kathleen; Hoekstra, Robert M.; McCullum, Isaac; Cone, Amy; Franklin, Lou; Austin, Jana; Delea, Kristin; Behravesh, Casey Barton; Sodha, Samir V.; Yee, J. Christopher; Emanuel, Brian; Al-Khaldi, Sufian F.; Jefferson, Val; Williams, Ian T.; Griffin, Patricia M.; Swerdlow, David L.

    2011-01-01

    Background In May 2008, PulseNet detected a multistate outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype Saintpaul infections. Initial investigations identified an epidemiologic association between illness and consumption of raw tomatoes, yet cases continued. In mid-June, we investigated two clusters of outbreak strain infections in Texas among patrons of Restaurant A and two establishments of Restaurant Chain B to determine the outbreak's source. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted independent case-control studies of Restaurant A and B patrons. Patients were matched to well controls by meal date. We conducted restaurant environmental investigations and traced the origin of implicated products. Forty-seven case-patients and 40 controls were enrolled in the Restaurant A study. Thirty case-patients and 31 controls were enrolled in the Restaurant Chain B study. In both studies, illness was independently associated with only one menu item, fresh salsa (Restaurant A: matched odds ratio [mOR], 37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.2–386; Restaurant B: mOR, 13; 95% CI 1.3–infinity). The only ingredient in common between the two salsas was raw jalapeño peppers. Cultures of jalapeño peppers collected from an importer that supplied Restaurant Chain B and serrano peppers and irrigation water from a Mexican farm that supplied that importer with jalapeño and serrano peppers grew the outbreak strain. Conclusions/Significance Jalapeño peppers, contaminated before arrival at the restaurants and served in uncooked fresh salsas, were the source of these infections. Our investigations, critical in understanding the broader multistate outbreak, exemplify an effective approach to investigating large foodborne outbreaks. Additional measures are needed to reduce produce contamination. PMID:21373185

  5. Investigating Approaches to Achieve Modularity Benefits in the Acquisition Ecosystem

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-09

    actions and that of others, and how the assessments are affected by their actions. • Case study approach based on best practices, tacit knowledge... case study -derived exemplars, and items requiring further research on identifying additional enablers and useful knowledge constructs. All of these... case studies that document the effective use of modularity in system design for some or all of innovation, competition, cost, technology and

  6. An outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in an acute care pediatric hospital: Lessons from environmental screening and a case-control study

    PubMed Central

    Drews, Steven J; Richardson, Susan E; Wray, Rick; Freeman, Renee; Goldman, Carol; Streitenberger, Laurie; Stevens, Derek; Goia, Cristina; Kovach, Danuta; Brophy, Jason; Matlow, Anne G

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND The present study describes a vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) outbreak investigation and a case-control study to identify risk factors for VRE acquisition in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. OBJECTIVE To report an outbreak investigation and a case-control study to identify risk factors for VRE colonization or infection in hospitalized children. METHODS Screening for VRE cases was performed by culture or polymerase chain reaction. A case-control study of VRE-colonized patients was undertaken. Environmental screening was performed using standard culture and susceptibility methods, with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to determine relationships between VRE isolates. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS version 9.0 (SAS Institute Inc, USA). RESULTS Thirty-four VRE-positive cases were identified on 10 wards between February 28, 2005, and May 27, 2005. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis confirmed a single outbreak strain that was also isolated from a video game found on one affected ward. Multivariate analysis identified cephalosporin use as the major risk factor for VRE colonization. CONCLUSIONS In the present study outbreak, VRE colonization was significantly associated with cephalosporin use. Because shared recreational items and environmental surfaces may be colonized by VRE, they warrant particular attention in housekeeping protocols, particularly in pediatric institutions. PMID:19412380

  7. The CASE Project: Evaluation of Case-Based Approaches to Learning and Teaching in Statistics Service Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fawcett, Lee

    2017-01-01

    The CASE project (Case-based Approaches to Statistics Education; see www.mas.ncl.ac.uk/~nlf8/innovation) was established to investigate how the use of real-life, discipline-specific case study material in Statistics service courses could improve student engagement, motivation, and confidence. Ultimately, the project aims to promote deep learning…

  8. International outbreak investigation of Salmonella Heidelberg associated with in-flight catering.

    PubMed

    Rebolledo, J; Garvey, P; Ryan, A; O'Donnell, J; Cormican, M; Jackson, S; Cloak, F; Cullen, L; Swaan, C M; Schimmer, B; Appels, R W; Nygard, K; Finley, R; Sreenivasan, N; Lenglet, A; Gossner, C; McKeown, P

    2014-04-01

    Rapid and wide dispersal of passengers after flights makes investigation of flight-related outbreaks challenging. An outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg was identified in a group of Irish travellers returning from Tanzania. Additional international cases sharing the same flight were identified. Our aim was to determine the source and potential vehicles of infection. Case-finding utilized information exchange using experts' communication networks and national surveillance systems. Demographic, clinical and food history information was collected. Twenty-five additional cases were identified from Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, USA and Canada. We conducted a case-control study which indicated a significant association between illness and consumption of milk tart (OR 10.2) and an egg dish (OR 6) served on-board the flight. No food consumed before the flight was associated with illness. Cases from countries other than Ireland provided supplementary information that facilitated the identification of likely vehicles of infection. Timely, committed international collaboration is vital in such investigations.

  9. "'Knowledge Growth": A Multiple Case Study of English Literature Graduates' Learning Experiences for Teaching Composition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Kathleen A.

    2013-01-01

    This multiple case study investigates the learning processes of postsecondary English literature graduates who teach composition to diverse student groups. Since the context of study in English literature graduate programs concentrates on literature and literary theory, the interest of this study examines how teachers learn to teach composition…

  10. Case Study Applications in Chemistry Lesson: Gases, Liquids, and Solids

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayyildiz, Yildizay; Tarhan, Leman

    2013-01-01

    This study aims at investigating the effects of case studies developed by the researchers on Science Teaching students' understanding of "gases, liquids and solids," and their attitudes towards chemistry lessons. The study was conducted on 52 freshmen from the Department of Science Teaching at a university in Turkey. Pre-test and…

  11. Societal Perceptions of Agriculture: A Brunei Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dhindsa, Harkirat S.; Md-Hamdilah, Amhra-Zawatil-Amal

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of Bruneian lower secondary students, and, their teachers and parents of agriculture. Design/methodology/approach: The sample of the study was 151 lower secondary agriculture students, and, their 138 parents and eight teachers. The data, using one-shot case study (pre-experimental…

  12. Smoking during Pregnancy and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type: A Case-Control Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmitz, Marcelo; Denardin, Daniel; Silva, Tatiana Laufer; Pianca, Thiago; Hutz, Mara Helena; Faraone, Stephen; Rohde, Luis Augusto

    2006-01-01

    Objective: Few previous studies assessed specifically attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, predominantly inattentive subtype (ADHD-I) in nonreferred samples. This study investigated the association between ADHD-I and prenatal exposure to nicotine. Method: In a case-control study performed between September 2002 and April 2005, we assessed a…

  13. Socio-Cultural Factors in Second Language Learning: A Case Study of Adventurous Adult Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozfidan, Burhan; Machtmes, Krisanna L.; Demir, Husamettin

    2014-01-01

    Sociocultural theories consider language learning as a social practice examines students as active participants in the construction of learning processes. This study investigates sociocultural theories' central concepts, which includes peer interaction and feedback, private speech, and self-efficacy. The present study is a case study of twenty…

  14. Web survey-based selection of controls for epidemiological analyses of a multi-prefectural outbreak of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 in Japan associated with consumption of self-grilled beef hanging tender.

    PubMed

    Yahata, Y; Ohshima, N; Odaira, F; Nakamura, N; Ichikawa, H; Matsuno, K; Shuri, J; Toyozawa, T; Terajima, J; Watanabe, H; Nakashima, K; Sunagawa, T; Taniguchi, K; Okabe, N

    2018-03-01

    An outbreak of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 occurred in multiple prefectures of Japan in November 2009. We conducted two case-control studies with trace-back and trace-forward investigations to determine the source. The case definition was met by 21 individuals; 14 (66.7%) were hospitalised, but no haemolytic uraemic syndrome, acute encephalopathy or deaths occurred. Median age was 23 (range 12-48) years and 14 cases were male (66.7%). No significant associations with food were found in a case-control study by local public health centres, but our matched case-control study using Internet surveys found that beef hanging tender (or hanger steak), derived from the diaphragm of the cattle, was significantly associated with illness (odds ratio = 15.77; 95% confidence interval, 2.00-124.11). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of isolates from patients and the suspected food showed five different patterns: two in faecal and food samples, and another three in patient faecal samples only, although there were epidemiological links to the meat consumed at the restaurants. Trace-back investigation implicated a common food processing company from outside Japan. Examination of the logistics of the meat processing company suggested that contamination did not occur in Japan. We concluded that the source of the outbreak was imported hanging tender. This investigation revealed that Internet surveys could be useful for outbreak investigations.

  15. Independent Senior Women Who Travel Internationally: A Collective Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarrett, Barbara

    2010-01-01

    Nine independent women over age 55 who traveled internationally were investigated through a qualitative case study. The purpose of the study was to explore the women's attitudes, actions, and motivations during and after their international travel experiences. The adult, aging, experiential, and transformational theories of researchers such as…

  16. Organizational Change in Academic Programs: A Case Study of Doctoral Students' Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frazier, Christina Coffee

    2011-01-01

    This qualitative case study explored the experiences of doctoral students at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities as they transitioned from a fairly stable academic department experiencing significant changes. To achieve the purpose of the study, I investigated the experiences of doctoral students through an organizational development…

  17. Children and Professionals Rights to Participation: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mesquita-Pires, Cristina

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the process of praxiological transformation developed in an early childhood education institution, in Portugal, within four activity rooms. It is a single case study using action research, context-based staff development and participatory childhood pedagogy as means to change educational practices. It undertakes thorough…

  18. Distance Learning Case Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barker, Bruce O.

    The Office of Technology Assessment authorized a series of case studies in 1989 to investigate how technologies, services, and programs are implemented in distance education projects. The studies were also intended to look at the role of local, state, and federal agencies, and other public and private entities in providing educational services to…

  19. Academic Capitalism and Academic Culture: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mendoza, Pilar; Berger, Joseph B.

    2008-01-01

    This case study investigated the impact of academic capitalism on academic culture by examining the perspectives of faculty members in an American academic department with significant industrial funding. The results of this study indicate that faculty members believe that the broad integrity of the academic culture remains unaffected in this…

  20. Pathology analysis for mesothelioma study in the United Kingdom: Current practice and historical development.

    PubMed

    Case, B W

    2016-01-01

    Following up on the largest case-control study of malignant mesothelioma yet performed, investigators at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine assessed 1732 male and 670 female cases as of May 2013. Epidemiological findings of a subset of these were published previously, excluding patients who died or who refused to be interviewed. Pathology reports were collected for subjects, including those both eligible and ineligible for epidemiology study based on vital status. The current investigation examined 860 cases having pathology reports available. Sixty-one cases were diagnosed using cytology only, often with equivocal diagnoses, while 799 reported at least a biopsy of the tumor. Of these, 748 had pathology sufficiently detailed for evaluation. These reports were examined for basis of diagnosis, differences between study cases and ineligible cases, pathology characteristics, and immunohistochemical and other tests used. The most prominent subtype was epithelioid (64% of study cases but only 49% of ineligible cases). Biphasic subtype was present in 10% of study cases and 16% of those ineligible. Sarcomatoid subtype was present in 7% of study cases and 19% of ineligible cases, most of whom died. Twelve percent of study cases displayed no specified subtype, versus 7% of ineligible cases. Of recorded immunohistochemical stains specific for mesothelial cell origin, calretinin (95%) and CK 5/6 or CK5 alone (84%) were by far the most common. Calretinin and CK 5/6 or CK 5 alone were also most sensitive and positive in 92% of cases presenting with surgical pathology report. Ninety percent of cases had at least one immunohistochemical marker for possible lung carcinoma applied, with BER-Ep4 and TTF-1 the most frequent at 68% and CEA at 58%. TTF-1 and CEA were positive in 1% or less of cases. Patterns of use and positive and negative results for each of these as well as other immunohistochemical stains are presented and discussed, along with a brief historical description of their development and use. Possible effects of the pathologic analysis on the results of previously published and future epidemiological studies are discussed.

  1. Case Study: Feeling Detoxified: Expectations, Effects, and Explanations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCallum, Giselle; Prud'homme-Genereux, Annie

    2016-01-01

    The idea for this case study came about after a student described her experience at a spa with an ionic foot bath. The student was skeptical about the explanation provided to her about the underlying mechanism of the foot bath and wished to know more about it. The story of this case mirrors the student's experience and investigates the possible…

  2. An Examination of Court Cases Relating to the Dismissal of K-12 Teachers for Immorality (1977-2007)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Summerville, Tammy

    2010-01-01

    This was a purposeful, qualitative, historical and document-based research study that investigated the trends and outcomes of the legal issues relating to teacher dismissal for "immorality". The study included 114 cases over a 30-year period spanning from 1977-2007. Federal and state level law cases were researched to determine the ruling of…

  3. Let's Make a Movie: Investigating Pre-Service Teachers' Reflections on Using Video Recorded Role Playing Cases in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koc, Mustafa

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the potential consequences of using student-filmed video cases in the study of classroom management in teacher education. Pre-service teachers in groups were engaged in video-recorded role playing to simulate classroom memoirs. Each group shared their video cases and interpretations in a class presentation. Qualitative data…

  4. A Case Study of Principal Leadership in an Effective Inclusive School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoppey, David; McLeskey, James

    2013-01-01

    This investigation examined the role of the principal in school change during the current era of high-stakes accountability. Qualitative methods were used to conduct a case study of one principal who had a record of success in leading school change efforts and developing a model inclusive program in his school. The results of the case study…

  5. Teaching Literacy to English Language Learners in the Borderlands: A Case Study of A Sixth Grade Language Arts and Reading Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Ann Marie; Salgado, Yolanda

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to investigate how an English language arts teacher used young adult literature to help English language learners improve English and literacy comprehension. Through the lens of Anzaldua's (2007) "borderlands", and Rolon-Dow's (2005) "critical care", the authors analyze the case study…

  6. Postmortem audit in a paediatric cardiology unit.

    PubMed Central

    Russell, G A; Berry, P J

    1989-01-01

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

  7. An internet-based epidemiological investigation of the outbreak of H7N9 Avian influenza A in China since early 2013.

    PubMed

    Mao, Chen; Wu, Xin-Yin; Fu, Xiao-Hong; Di, Meng-Yang; Yu, Yuan-Yuan; Yuan, Jin-Qiu; Yang, Zu-Yao; Tang, Jin-Ling

    2014-09-25

    In early 2013, a new type of avian influenza, H7N9, emerged in China. It quickly became an issue of great public concern and a widely discussed topic on the Internet. A considerable volume of relevant information was made publicly available on the Internet through various sources. This study aimed to describe the outbreak of H7N9 in China based on data openly available on the Internet and to validate our investigation by comparing our findings with a well-conducted conventional field epidemiologic study. We searched publicly accessible Internet data on the H7N9 outbreak primarily from government and major mass media websites in China up to February 10, 2014. Two researchers independently extracted, compared, and confirmed the information of each confirmed H7N9 case using a self-designed data extraction form. We summarized the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of confirmed H7N9 cases and compared them with those from the field study. According to our data updated until February 10, 2014, 334 confirmed H7N9 cases were identified. The median age was 58 years and 67.0% (219/327) were males. Cases were reported in 15 regions in China. Five family clusters were found. Of the 16.8% (56/334) of the cases with relevant data, 69.6% (39/56) reported a history of exposure to animals. Of the 1751 persons with a close contact with a confirmed case, 0.6% (11/1751) of them developed respiratory symptoms during the 7-day surveillance period. In the 97.9% (327/334) of the cases with relevant data, 21.7% (71/327) died, 20.8% (68/327) were discharged from a hospital, and 57.5% (188/327) were of uncertain status. We compared our findings before February 10, 2014 and those before December 1, 2013 with those from the conventional field study, which had the latter cutoff date of ours in data collection. Our study showed most epidemiological and clinical characteristics were similar to those in the field study, except for case fatality (71/327, 21.7% for our data before February 10; 45/138, 32.6% for our data before December 1; 47/139, 33.8% for the field study), time from illness onset to first medical care (4 days, 3 days, and 1 day), and time from illness onset to death (16.5 days, 17 days, and 21 days). Findings from our Internet-based investigation were similar to those from the conventional field study in most epidemiological and clinical aspects of the outbreak. Importantly, publicly available Internet data are open to any interested researchers and can thus greatly facilitate the investigation and control of such outbreaks. With improved efforts for Internet data provision, Internet-based investigation has a great potential to become a quick, economical, novel approach to investigating sudden issues of great public concern that involve a relatively small number of cases like this H7N9 outbreak.

  8. An Exploratory Case-Study Research Report Incorporating Service Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mcloughlin, Caven S.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Traditional approaches to reducing adolescents' socially inappropriate behaviour typically target individuals rather than groups. This case study investigates whether positive outcomes might accrue in social behaviours among a group of extraordinarily behaviourally-challenging youth resulting from a peer-mediated service-learning…

  9. A Case Study of Educational Computer Game Design by Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    An, Yun-Jo

    2016-01-01

    Only a limited number of research studies have investigated how students design educational computer games and its impact on student learning. In addition, most studies on educational game design by students were conducted in the areas of mathematics and science. Using the qualitative case study approach, this study explored how seventh graders…

  10. DNA testing in homicide investigations.

    PubMed

    Prahlow, Joseph A; Cameron, Thomas; Arendt, Alexander; Cornelis, Kenneth; Bontrager, Anthony; Suth, Michael S; Black, Lisa; Tobey, Rebbecca; Pollock, Sharon; Stur, Shawn; Cotter, Kenneth; Gabrielse, Joel

    2017-10-01

    Objectives With the widespread use of DNA testing, police, death investigators, and attorneys need to be aware of the capabilities of this technology. This review provides an overview of scenarios where DNA evidence has played a major role in homicide investigations in order to highlight important educational issues for police, death investigators, forensic pathologists, and attorneys. Methods This was a nonrandom, observational, retrospective study. Data were obtained from the collective files of the authors from casework during a 15-year period, from 2000 through 2014. Results A series of nine scenarios, encompassing 11 deaths, is presented from the standpoint of the police and death investigation, the forensic pathology autopsy performance, the subsequent DNA testing of evidence, and, ultimately, the final adjudication of cases. Details of each case are presented, along with a discussion that focuses on important aspects of sample collection for potential DNA testing, especially at the crime scene and the autopsy. The presentation highlights the diversity of case and evidence types in which DNA testing played a valuable role in the successful prosecution of the case. Conclusions By highlighting homicides where DNA testing contributed to the successful adjudication of cases, police, death investigators, forensic pathologists, and attorneys will be better informed regarding the types of evidence and situations where such testing is of potential value.

  11. Pesticide Exposure and Head and Neck Cancers: A Case-Control Study in an Agricultural Region

    PubMed Central

    Amizadeh, Maryam; Safari-Kamalabadi, Mohammad; Askari-Saryazdi, Ghasem; Amizadeh, Marzieh; Reihani-Kermani, Hamed

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Causes of head and neck cancers (HNCs) are multifactorial, and few studies have investigated the association between chemical exposure and HNCs. The objective of this study was to investigate associations between HNCs, agricultural occupations, and pesticide exposure. The potential for the accumulation of pesticides in the adipose tissue of patients was also investigated. Materials and Methods: A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on demographics, occupation, and exposure to pesticides in a hospital-based case-control study. Pesticide residue in the adipose tissue of the neck in both cases and controls was also monitored via gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. Results: Thirty-one HNC cases were included in this study as well as 32 gender-, age-, and smoking-matched controls. An agricultural occupation was associated with HNC (odds ratio [OR], 3.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–9.43) after controlling for age, sex, and smoking. Pesticide exposure was associated with total HNC cases (OR, 7.45; 95% CI, 1.78–3.07) and larynx cancer (OR, 9.33; 95% CI, 1.65–52.68). A dose-response pattern was observed for HNC cases (P=0.06) and larynx cancer (P=0.01). In tracing the pesticide residue, five chlorinated pesticides, namely dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodipheny-ldichloroethane (DDD), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), dieldrin, and lindane, were identified in the adipose tissue. Chlorinated pesticide detection was significantly associated with HNC (OR, 3.91; 95% CI 0.9–0.16.9). Conclusion: HNCs were found to be associated with pesticide exposure after controlling for confounders. A high education level was identified as a modifying factor decreasing the risk of HNCs. Further studies with larger number of subjects are recommended to assess these relationships in greater detail. PMID:28955675

  12. Re-use of pilot data and interim analysis of pivotal data in MRMC studies: a simulation study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Weijie; Samuelson, Frank; Sahiner, Berkman; Petrick, Nicholas

    2017-03-01

    Novel medical imaging devices are often evaluated with multi-reader multi-case (MRMC) studies in which radiologists read images of patient cases for a specified clinical task (e.g., cancer detection). A pilot study is often used to measure the effect size and variance parameters that are necessary for sizing a pivotal study (including sizing readers, non-diseased and diseased cases). Due to the practical difficulty of collecting patient cases or recruiting clinical readers, some investigators attempt to include the pilot data as part of their pivotal study. In other situations, some investigators attempt to perform an interim analysis of their pivotal study data based upon which the sample sizes may be re-estimated. Re-use of the pilot data or interim analyses of the pivotal data may inflate the type I error of the pivotal study. In this work, we use the Roe and Metz model to simulate MRMC data under the null hypothesis (i.e., two devices have equal diagnostic performance) and investigate the type I error rate for several practical designs involving re-use of pilot data or interim analysis of pivotal data. Our preliminary simulation results indicate that, under the simulation conditions we investigated, the inflation of type I error is none or only marginal for some design strategies (e.g., re-use of patient data without re-using readers, and size re-estimation without using the effect-size estimated in the interim analysis). Upon further verifications, these are potentially useful design methods in that they may help make a study less burdensome and have a better chance to succeed without substantial loss of the statistical rigor.

  13. Science Investigation That Best Supports Student Learning: Teachers' Understanding of Science Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moeed, Azra

    2013-01-01

    Internationally, learning science through investigation is promoted as a preferred pedagogical approach. Research presented takes a view that such learning depends on how teachers understand science investigation. Teachers' understanding of science investigation was an aspect of an interpretive case study of the phenomenon of science investigation…

  14. Investigating the Relationship among Test Anxiety, Gender, Academic Achievement and Years of Study: A Case of Iranian EFL University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rezazadeh, Mohsen; Tavakoli, Mansoor

    2009-01-01

    The construct of anxiety plays a major role in one's life. One of these anxieties is test anxiety or apprehension over academic evaluation. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between gender, academic achievement, years of study and levels of test anxiety. This investigation is a descriptive analytic study and was done…

  15. Case Studies on Technical and Vocational Education in Asia and the Pacific. Report of Regional Meeting (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, December 12-15, 1994). Exemplar Curriculum Project Working Group Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haas, Adrian, Ed.

    This conference report provides summaries of presentations of country case studies from a project to investigate factors that impinged upon the status of technical and vocational education (TVE) in Asian and Pacific countries. The report includes the case study project terms of reference, a list of delegates, and agenda. Summaries follow of the…

  16. Rebel Integration in Conflict Settlements: Past Lessons and the Prospects of MILF Reintegration

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-12-01

    ethnicity, religion, or language among a nation’s citizens.33 A series of investigations on case studies conducted by Matthew Hoddie and Caroline Hartzell...rebel reintegration from previous peace agreements was consulted. The selected case studies center on the peace agreements in Zimbabwe, Rwanda...Dayton.” 85 Akyol. 86 David Wage and Lois Haigh, “A Case Study on the Arusha Peace Agreement” (Florida State University, July 19, 2004), http

  17. Intra- and perioral shooting fatalities.

    PubMed

    Azmak, D; Altun, G; Koç, S; Yorulmaz, C; Ozaslan, A

    1999-05-17

    Determination of the manner of death in the case of intra- and perioral firearm wounds can be difficult especially if death scene investigation is unclear and inadequate. In this study, we investigated some characteristics of these firearm wounds which were autopsied in Istanbul. During the 5-year period from 1991 through 1995, there were 15 intra- and perioral firearm fatalities investigated. In all the cases, only one shot was fired into the mouth. They constituted 1% of all the firearm fatalities. The mean age of the victims was 27 years and males constituted 73.3% of the victims. Most of the wounds were caused by handguns. Homicides accounted for 53.3% of these deaths. Three of 15 cases could not be identified as intraoral firearm wounds by general practitioners during the scene investigations.

  18. Social media and professionalism: a retrospective content analysis of Fitness to Practise cases heard by the GDC concerning social media complaints.

    PubMed

    Neville, P

    2017-09-08

    Introduction Since 2013, all General Dental Council (GDC) registrants' online activities have been regulated by the GDC's social media guidelines. Failure to comply with these guidelines results in a Fitness to Practise (FtP) complaint being investigated.Aims This study explores the prevalence of social media related FtP cases investigated by the GDC from 1 September 2013 to 21 June 2016.Method Documentary analysis of social media related FtP cases published on the GDC's website was undertaken. All cases that met the study's inclusion criteria were analysed using a quantitative content analysis framework.Findings It was found that 2.4% of FtP cases published on the GDC website during that period were related to breaches of the social media guidelines. All of the cases investigated were proven and upheld. Most of those named in the complaints were dental nurses and the most common type of complaint was inappropriate Facebook comments.Conclusions The low incidence rate should be interpreted with caution, being illustrative of the types of issues that might arise rather than the volume. The GDC will need to remain vigilant in this area and ensure that social media awareness training is an active part of CPD for all the dental team.

  19. Opportunities to learn from medical incidents: a review of published reports from the Health and Disability Commissioner.

    PubMed

    Temelkovski, Sara; Callaghan, Kathleen

    2010-05-14

    To analyse recent published information about the Health and Disability Commissioner's investigations in the context of The New Zealand Medical Council's Domains of Competence and investigate possible relationships. Retrospective review of 100 recent Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) investigations published online (all cases reviewed regardless of the Commissioner's 'verdict'), involving at least one medical practitioner. Breaches and issues raised were categorised according to the Domains of Competence set by the Medical Council of New Zealand. The most common area of competence identified in the HDC investigations was that of Medical Expert, in 92.9% of cases. The second was Communication, identified in 48.7% of cases. Many cases included more than one Domain of Competence, with an average of 1.8 domains per investigation. Further characteristics of the cases were examined and a number of medical practitioner, patient, setting and timing statistics are also presented. This study finds medical expertise and communication skills to be the key areas of a medical practitioner's role that public complaints address. Beyond this, the limited data available through the Commissioner's published reports make it difficult to draw conclusions which might assist with the improvement of medical practice in New Zealand. We therefore conclude that the data available is useful only at a case-by-case level. More extensive use of published information about incidents involving medical practitioners will have to await changes to provide for the systematic reporting of a much higher proportion of incident investigations. Given New Zealand's current environment for dealing with medical complaints, this may require changes beyond the area of consumer complaint investigations considered here.

  20. Medication exposure and spontaneous abortion: a case-control study using a French medical database.

    PubMed

    Abadie, D; Hurault-Delarue, C; Damase-Michel, C; Montastruc, J L; Lacroix, I

    2015-01-01

    Few studies have been conducted to investigate drug effects on spontaneous abortion risk. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential association between first trimester drug exposure and spontaneous abortion occurrence. The authors performed a nested case-control study using data from TERAPPEL, a French medical database. Cases were the women who had a spontaneous abortion (before the 22nd week of amenorrhea) and controls were women who gave birth to a child. Analyzed variables were: maternal age, obstetric history, tobacco, and alcohol and drug consumption during the first trimester of pregnancy. For comparison of drug exposures between cases and controls, the authors calculated odds ratios (ORs) by means of multivariate logistic regressions adjusted on age and on other drug exposures. The study included 838 cases and 4,508 controls that were identified in the database. In adjusted analyses, cases were more exposed than controls to "non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors" [OR=2.2 (CI 95% 1.5-3.3)], "antiprotozoals" [OR = 1.6 (CI 95% 1.1 - 2.5)] and "centrally acting antiobesity products" [OR = 3.4 (CI 95% 1.9 - 6.2)]. Conversely, controls were more exposed than cases to H1 antihistamines [OR = 0.6 (CI 95% 0.4 - 0.9)]. This exploratory study highlights some potential associations between first trimester drug exposure and risk of spontaneous abortion. Further studies have to be carried out to investigate these findings.

  1. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 4 outbreak associated with eggs in a large prison, London 2009: an investigation using cohort and case/non-case study methodology.

    PubMed

    Davies, A R; Ruggles, R; Young, Y; Clark, H; Reddell, P; Verlander, N Q; Arnold, A; Maguire, H

    2013-05-01

    In September 2009, an outbreak of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis affected 327 of 1419 inmates at a London prison. We applied a cohort design using aggregated data from the kitchen about portions of food distributed, aligned this with individual food histories from 124 cases (18 confirmed, 106 probable) and deduced the exposures of those remaining well. Results showed that prisoners eating egg cress rolls were 26 times more likely to be ill [risk ratio 25.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 15.5-42.8, P<0.001]. In a case/non-case multivariable analysis the adjusted odds ratio for egg cress rolls was 41.1 (95% CI 10.3-249.7, P<0.001). The epidemiological investigation was strengthened by environmental and microbiological investigations. This paper outlines an approach to investigations in large complex settings where aggregate data for exposures may be available, and led to the development of guidelines for the management of future gastrointestinal outbreaks in prison settings.

  2. An outbreak investigation of congenital rubella syndrome in Solomon Islands, 2013

    PubMed Central

    Durski, Kara N; Tituli, Carol; Ogaoga, Divi; Joshua, Cynthia; Dofai, Alfred; Leydon, Jennie; Nilles, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Introduction During May 2012, a rubella outbreak was declared in Solomon Islands. A suspected case of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) was reported from one hospital 11 months later in 2013. This report describes the subsequent CRS investigation, findings and measures implemented. Methods Prospective CRS surveillance was conducted at the newborn nursery, paediatric and post-natal wards, and the paediatric cardiology and ophthalmology clinics of the study hospital from April to July 2013. Retrospective case finding by reviewing medical records was also undertaken to identify additional cases born between January and March 2013 for the same wards and clinics. Cases were identified using established World Health Organization case definitions for CRS. Results A total of 13 CRS cases were identified, including two laboratory-confirmed, four clinically confirmed and seven suspected cases. Five CRS cases were retrospectively identified, including four suspected and one clinically confirmed case. There was no geospatial clustering of residences. The mothers of the cases were aged between 20 and 36 years. Three of the six mothers available for interview recalled an acute illness with rash during the first trimester of pregnancy. Discussion Additional CRS cases not captured in this investigation are likely. Caring for CRS cases is a challenge in resource-poor settings. Rubella vaccination is safe and effective and can prevent the serious consequences of CRS. Well planned and funded vaccination activities can prevent future CRS cases. PMID:27757248

  3. An outbreak investigation of congenital rubella syndrome in Solomon Islands, 2013.

    PubMed

    Durski, Kara N; Tituli, Carol; Ogaoga, Divi; Musto, Jennie; Joshua, Cynthia; Dofai, Alfred; Leydon, Jennie; Nilles, Eric

    2016-01-01

    During May 2012, a rubella outbreak was declared in Solomon Islands. A suspected case of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) was reported from one hospital 11 months later in 2013. This report describes the subsequent CRS investigation, findings and measures implemented. Prospective CRS surveillance was conducted at the newborn nursery, paediatric and post-natal wards, and the paediatric cardiology and ophthalmology clinics of the study hospital from April to July 2013. Retrospective case finding by reviewing medical records was also undertaken to identify additional cases born between January and March 2013 for the same wards and clinics. Cases were identified using established World Health Organization case definitions for CRS. A total of 13 CRS cases were identified, including two laboratory-confirmed, four clinically confirmed and seven suspected cases. Five CRS cases were retrospectively identified, including four suspected and one clinically confirmed case. There was no geospatial clustering of residences. The mothers of the cases were aged between 20 and 36 years. Three of the six mothers available for interview recalled an acute illness with rash during the first trimester of pregnancy. Additional CRS cases not captured in this investigation are likely. Caring for CRS cases is a challenge in resource-poor settings. Rubella vaccination is safe and effective and can prevent the serious consequences of CRS. Well planned and funded vaccination activities can prevent future CRS cases.

  4. Mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma of the lung: a case study and literature review.

    PubMed

    Inamura, Kentaro; Kumasaka, Toshio; Furuta, Reiko; Shimada, Kei; Hiyama, Noriko; Furuhata, Yoshiaki; Tanaka, Isao; Takemura, Tamiko

    2011-04-01

    Mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma (mixed papilloma) of the lung is an extremely rare neoplasm, with only 10 cases reported so far in the English literature. We present a case study of endobronchial mixed papilloma with immunohistochemical and etiological investigations. A 49-year-old male with a smoking history complained of hemoptysis, presented with a lung mass closely adjacent to large vessels in the computed tomography findings, and underwent lobectomy. The 3.0-cm sized polypoid tumor was histologically diagnosed as endobronchial mixed papilloma. Immunohistochemically, intracellular mucin was positive for MUC5AC, which is expressed in tracheobronchial goblet cells. CAM5.2 and CK19 were diffusely positive, indicating that the tumor originated from the columnar epithelium by squamous metaplasia. CEA and CA19-9 were focally positive. A human papillomavirus (HPV) investigation with in situ hybridization using a wide spectrum probe and a newly-developed PCR system did not detect any HPV infection. Including this case with a detailed HPV investigation, all of the reported cases of mixed papilloma were HPV-negative, and a literature review including newly-reported cases indicated a high frequency of smoking in such cases. Endobronchial mixed papillomas might have a smoking-related etiology. © 2011 The Authors. Pathology International © 2011 Japanese Society of Pathology and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  5. Teaching Grade 5 Life Science with a Case Study Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olgun, Ozlem Sila; Adali, Belgin

    2008-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a case study approach on students' achievement and attitudes towards viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protista. Fifth-grade students (N = 88) from two different classes were involved in the study. One intact class was assigned as the experimental group, whereas the other intact class…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2018-01-01

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

  7. The Effects of Policy Changes on the Educational Opportunity Centers: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fountain-Ellis, Debra L.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore the programmatic changes that occurred in the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) and how those changes influenced educational opportunities for adults. A case study design was used for this investigation. The directors of three EOCs were selected and interviewed for the study. These directors combined…

  8. Teaching the Properties of Chromium's Oxidation States with a Case Study Method

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozdilek, Zehra

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate how a mixed-method case study affects pre-service science teachers' awareness of hexavalent chromium pollution and content knowledge about the properties of chromium's different oxidation states. The study was conducted in Turkey with 55 sophomores during the fall semester of 2013-2014. The students…

  9. A Case Study on Pre-Service Secondary School Mathematics Teachers' Cognitive-Metacognitive Behaviours in Mathematical Modelling Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sagirli, Meryem Özturan

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study is to investigate pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' cognitive-metacognitive behaviours during the mathematical problem-solving process considering class level. The study, in which the case study methodology was employed, was carried out with eight pre-service mathematics teachers, enrolled at a university in…

  10. Maternal Infection during Pregnancy and Autism Spectrum Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zerbo, Ousseny; Qian, Yinge; Yoshida, Cathleen; Grether, Judith K.; Van de Water, Judy; Croen, Lisa A.

    2015-01-01

    We conducted a nested case-control study including 407 cases and 2,075 frequency matched controls to investigate the association between maternal infections during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cases, controls, and maternal infections were ascertained from Kaiser Permanente Northern California clinical databases. No…

  11. The relationship between urban environment and the inflammatory bowel diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Soon, Ing Shian; Molodecky, Natalie A; Rabi, Doreen M; Ghali, William A; Barkema, Herman W; Kaplan, Gilaad G

    2012-05-24

    The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of studies assessing the association between living in an urban environment and the development of the Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). A systematic literature search of MEDLINE (1950-Oct. 2009) and EMBASE (1980-Oct. 2009) was conducted to identify studies investigating the relationship between urban environment and IBD. Cohort and case-control studies were analyzed using incidence rate ratio (IRR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs), respectively. Stratified and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore heterogeneity between studies and assess effects of study quality. The search strategy retrieved 6940 unique citations and 40 studies were selected for inclusion. Of these, 25 investigated the relationship between urban environment and UC and 30 investigated this relationship with CD. Included in our analysis were 7 case-control UC studies, 9 case-control CD studies, 18 cohort UC studies and 21 cohort CD studies. Based on a random effects model, the pooled IRRs for urban compared to rural environment for UC and CD studies were 1.17 (1.03, 1.32) and 1.42 (1.26, 1.60), respectively. These associations persisted across multiple stratified and sensitivity analyses exploring clinical and study quality factors. Heterogeneity was observed in the cohort studies for both UC and CD, whereas statistically significant heterogeneity was not observed for the case-control studies. A positive association between urban environment and both CD and UC was found. Heterogeneity may be explained by differences in study design and quality factors.

  12. Evaluation, Supervision, and Staff Development under Mandated Reform: The Perceptions and Practices of Rural Middle School Principals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eady, Charlotte King; Zepeda, Sally J.

    2007-01-01

    The perspectives of three rural middle school principals as they implement Georgia's A Plus Education Reform Act of 2000 were investigated in this study. A case study approach was used, employing both within case and cross case analyses. Three interviews were conducted with each of the three participants, resulting in a total of nine interviews.…

  13. Radar Interferometry for Monitoring the Vibration Characteristics of Buildings and Civil Structures: Recent Case Studies in Spain.

    PubMed

    Luzi, Guido; Crosetto, Michele; Fernández, Enric

    2017-03-24

    The potential of a coherent microwave sensor to monitor the vibration characteristics of civil structures has been investigated in the past decade, and successful case studies have been published by different research teams. This remote sensing technique is based on the interferometric processing of real aperture radar acquisitions. Its capability to estimate, simultaneously and remotely, the displacement of different parts of the investigated structures, with high accuracy and repeatability, is its main advantage with respect to conventional sensors. A considerable amount of literature on this technique is available, including various case studies aimed at testing the ambient vibration of bridges, buildings, and towers. In the last years, this technique has been used in Spain for civil structures monitoring. In this paper, three examples of such case studies are described: the monitoring of the suspended bridge crossing the Ebro River at Amposta, the communications tower of Collserola in Barcelona, and an urban building located in Vilafranca del Penedès, a small town close to Barcelona. This paper summarizes the main outcomes of these case studies, underlining the advantages and limitations of the sensors currently available, and concluding with the possible improvements expected from the next generation of sensors.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menashy, Francine

    2017-01-01

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

  15. Heading for Success: Three Case Studies of School Transformation through Capital Construction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Wen-Yan; Pan, Hui-Ling Wendy

    2016-01-01

    Utilizing capital as a construct to analyze leadership that triggers school transformation is a newly emerged perspective. This study employed the capital theory as the framework to explore how schools undertook the transformative tasks by multi-case study. Three secondary schools in Taiwan were recruited to investigate how leaders constructed the…

  16. Toward a Conceptual Synthesis and Ecological Approach to Case Studies of Curricular Innovation Implementation and University Restructuring in Russian HE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Savelyeva, Tamara

    2013-01-01

    This study addresses the methodological and conceptual challenges associated with the application of disconnected frameworks of organizational theory and case studies, focused on "efficiency, effectiveness, and economy" to investigate complex educational phenomena in post-Soviet higher education systems under the condition of…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mansouri, S. Afshin; Piki, Andriani

    2016-01-01

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

  18. Gender Differences in Student Performance in Large Lecture Classrooms Using Personal Response Systems ("Clickers") with Narrative Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Hosun; Lundeberg, Mary; Wolter, Bjorn; delMas, Robert; Herreid, Clyde F.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated gender differences in science learning between two pedagogical approaches: traditional lecture and narrative case studies using personal response systems ("clickers"). Thirteen instructors of introductory biology classes at 12 different institutions across the USA and Canada used two types of pedagogy (Clicker…

  19. Postproduction Focus Groups in Dance: A Case Study and Protocol

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huskey, Sybil; Latulipe, Celine; Word, Melissa; Lottridge, Danielle

    2018-01-01

    This case study looks at the use of focus groups as a reflective pedagogical tool in a collaborative project at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The study involved the DanceDraw project, a collaboration between choreographers and computer scientists investigating the intersection of dance and technology. Eight dance and technology…

  20. Influences of Training and Personal Experiences on Counselor Trainees' GLBT Ally Development: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Shannon L.; Bruhn, Rick A.; Henriksen, Richard C., Jr.

    2013-01-01

    The goal of this multiple case study was to investigate straight counseling students' perceptions of their preparation to work with GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender] clients. For this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six straight counselor education students from two universities. Pattern matching analysis…

  1. Using Aspen to Teach Chromatographic Bioprocessing: A Case Study in Weak Partitioning Chromatography for Biotechnology Applications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans, Steven T.; Huang, Xinqun; Cramer, Steven M.

    2010-01-01

    The commercial simulator Aspen Chromatography was employed to study and optimize an important new industrial separation process, weak partitioning chromatography. This case study on antibody purification was implemented in a chromatographic separations course. Parametric simulations were performed to investigate the effect of operating parameters…

  2. Teacher Efficacy Beliefs: A Case Study Investigation of Core Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Natalie Marie

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how utilizing the Core Knowledge Sequence and aligned curricular resources influenced teachers' perceived self-efficacy for a sample of Arizona elementary charter school teachers. The sample for this study was a convenience sample of 15 elementary teachers, who were currently…

  3. Changing Perceptions of Science in Undergraduate Students: A Mixed Methods Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larson-Miller, Cindy S.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this bounded single-case study was to explore the understanding of the nature and process of science for undergraduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The study investigated one professor's methodology to explicitly teach undergraduate students about the nature and process of science, and documented their…

  4. Mission US and Historical Empathy: A Qualitative Case Study of Sixth-Grade Students' Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maxlow, James Richard

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the potential development and use of historical empathy in sixth-grade students while using the colonial-era historical education game "Mission US" and its associated learning activities. A collective case study was developed to describe and interpret students' experiences. The gathered data included the students'…

  5. A Case Study of Language Learners' Social Presence in Synchronous CMC

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ko, Chao-Jung

    2012-01-01

    This study adopts a case study approach to investigate the impacts of synchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) learning environments on learners' perception of social presence. The participants were twelve French as a foreign language (FFL) beginners in a Taiwanese university. Divided into three groups, they conducted some tasks in three…

  6. Analyzing FCS Professionals in Higher Education: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Scott S.; Harden, Amy; Pucciarelli, Deanna L.

    2016-01-01

    A national study of family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals in higher education was analyzed as a case study to illustrate procedures useful for investigating issues related to FCS. The authors analyzed response rates of more than 1,900 FCS faculty and administrators by comparing those invited to participate and the 345 individuals who…

  7. German outbreak of Escherichia coli O104:H4 associated with sprouts.

    PubMed

    Buchholz, Udo; Bernard, Helen; Werber, Dirk; Böhmer, Merle M; Remschmidt, Cornelius; Wilking, Hendrik; Deleré, Yvonne; an der Heiden, Matthias; Adlhoch, Cornelia; Dreesman, Johannes; Ehlers, Joachim; Ethelberg, Steen; Faber, Mirko; Frank, Christina; Fricke, Gerd; Greiner, Matthias; Höhle, Michael; Ivarsson, Sofie; Jark, Uwe; Kirchner, Markus; Koch, Judith; Krause, Gérard; Luber, Petra; Rosner, Bettina; Stark, Klaus; Kühne, Michael

    2011-11-10

    A large outbreak of the hemolytic-uremic syndrome caused by Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 occurred in Germany in May 2011. The source of infection was undetermined. We conducted a matched case-control study and a recipe-based restaurant cohort study, along with environmental, trace-back, and trace-forward investigations, to determine the source of infection. The case-control study included 26 case subjects with the hemolytic-uremic syndrome and 81 control subjects. The outbreak of illness was associated with sprout consumption in univariable analysis (matched odds ratio, 5.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 29) and with sprout and cucumber consumption in multivariable analysis. Among case subjects, 25% reported having eaten sprouts, and 88% reported having eaten cucumbers. The recipe-based study among 10 groups of visitors to restaurant K included 152 persons, among whom bloody diarrhea or diarrhea confirmed to be associated with Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli developed in 31 (20%). Visitors who were served sprouts were significantly more likely to become ill (relative risk, 14.2; 95% CI, 2.6 to ∞). Sprout consumption explained 100% of cases. Trace-back investigation of sprouts from the distributor that supplied restaurant K led to producer A. All 41 case clusters with known trading connections could be explained by producer A. The outbreak strain could not be identified on seeds from the implicated lot. Our investigations identified sprouts as the most likely outbreak vehicle, underlining the need to take into account food items that may be overlooked during subjects' recall of consumption.

  8. Study Habits and Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Mathematic: A Case Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Uyo Local Education Council

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sakirudeen, Abisola Oladeni; Sanni, Kudirat Bimbo

    2017-01-01

    The study examined study habits and academic performance of secondary school students in Mathematics. A case study of selected secondary schools in Uyo Local Education Council. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between study habits and academic performance of secondary school students in Mathematics. To carry out…

  9. Studying the Longitudinal Study. I. Introduction: Do Impromptu Essays Show Changes in Critical Thinking over the Span of College? Cautions and Insights from a Pilot Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Francelia

    The problematic results of longitudinal studies on college writing indicate the need for multidimensional studies to be able to explore perceptible changes in students' writing. Accordingly a small pilot case study, to explore the promise and the limitations of doing a longitudinal multidimensional study, investigated whether impromptu essays…

  10. JOB REDESIGN FOR OLDER WORKERS, TEN CASE STUDIES.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MITNICK, EDWARD; ROTHBERG, HERMAN

    AFTER IDENTIFYING FIRMS WHICH HAD USED JOB REDESIGN TO SALVAGE THE SKILL OF OLDER EMPLOYEES, RESEARCH INVESTIGATORS MADE 10 INTENSIVE CASE STUDIES IN FIRMS PRODUCING AIRCRAFT ENGINES, ALUMINUM FRAMING, BUILDING MATERIALS, CARPETS, COMPUTERS, COPPER PIPE FITTINGS, FOOTWEAR, HEAVY IRON PIPE, PRECISION INSTRUMENTS, AND PRINTED NOVELTIES. EACH STUDY…

  11. A Case Study of Teachers' Development of Well-Structured Mathematical Modelling Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stohlmann, Micah; Maiorca, Cathrine; Allen, Charlie

    2017-01-01

    This case study investigated how three teachers developed mathematical modelling activities integrated with content standards through participation in a course on mathematical modelling. The class activities involved experiencing a mathematical modelling activity, reading and rating example mathematical modelling activities, reading articles about…

  12. Multiple Case Study of STEM in School-Based Agricultural Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stubbs, Eric A.; Myers, Brian E.

    2015-01-01

    This multiple case study investigated the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in three Florida high school agriculture programs. Observations, interviews, documents, and artifacts provided qualitative data that indicated the types of STEM knowledge taught. Variables of interest included student and teacher…

  13. A Meta-Analysis of Single Case Research Studies on Aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ganz, Jennifer B.; Earles-Vollrath, Theresa L.; Heath, Amy K.; Parker, Richard I.; Rispoli, Mandy J.; Duran, Jaime B.

    2012-01-01

    Many individuals with autism cannot speak or cannot speak intelligibly. A variety of aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) approaches have been investigated. Most of the research on these approaches has been single-case research, with small numbers of participants. The purpose of this investigation was to meta-analyze the single…

  14. West Nile virus lineage 2 as a cause of zoonotic neurological disease in humans and horses in southern Africa.

    PubMed

    Venter, Marietjie; Swanepoel, Robert

    2010-10-01

    West Nile virus (WNV) is widely distributed in South Africa, but since a few cases of neurological disease have been reported from this region, endemic lineage 2 strains were postulated to be of low virulence. Several cases of nonfatal encephalitis in humans as well as fatal cases in a foal, dog, and ostrich chicks have, however, been associated with lineage 2 WNV in South Africa. The pathogenesis of lineage 2 WNV strains was investigated using mouse neuroinvasive experiments, gene expression experiments, and genome sequence comparisons which indicated that lineage 2 strains that are highly pathogenic exist. To determine whether cases of WNV were being missed in South Africa, horses with fever and neurological disease were investigated. Several cases of WNV were identified, all associated with severe neurological disease, 85% of which had to be euthanized or died. All cases positive by RT-PCR were shown to belong to lineage 2 WNV by DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Two cases of occupational infection were investigated, including a case of zoonotic transmission to a veterinarian who performed an autopsy on one of the horses as well as a laboratory infection after a needle stick injury with a neuroinvasive lineage 2 strain. Both resulted in neurological disease. Cytokine expression was investigated in the second case to assess the immunopathogenesis of WNV. Collectively, these studies suggest that lineage 2 WNV may be significantly under estimated as a cause of neurological disease in South Africa.

  15. A case study on modeling and independent practice cycles in teaching beginning science inquiry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sadeghpour-Kramer, Margaret Ann Plattenberger

    With increasing pressure to produce high standardized test scores, school systems will be looking for the surest ways to increase scores. Decision makers uninformed about the value of inquiry science may recommend more direct teaching methods and curricula in the hope that students will more quickly accumulate factual information for high test scores. This researcher and other proponents of inquiry science suggest that the best preparation for any test is the ability to use all available information and problem solving skills to think through to a solution. This study proposes to test the theory that inquiry problem solving skills need to be modeled and practiced in increasingly independent situations to be learned. Students tend to copy what they have been led to believe is correct, and to avoid continued copying, their skills must be applied in new situations requiring independent practice and improvement. This study follows ten sixth grade students, selected for maximum variation, as they participate in a series of five cycles of modeling and practicing inquiry science investigations as part of an ongoing unit on water quality. The cycles were designed to make the students increasingly independent in their use of inquiry. The results showed that all ten students made significant progress from copying teacher modeling in investigation #1 towards independent inquiry, with nine of the ten achieving acceptable to good beginning independent inquiry in investigation #5. Each case was analyzed independently using such case study methodology as pattern matching, case study protocols, and theoretical propositions. Constant comparison and other case study methods were used in a cross-case analysis. Eight cases confirmed a matching set of propositions and the hypothesis, in literal replication, and the other two cases confirmed a set of propositions and the hypothesis through theoretical replication. The study suggests to educators that repeated cycles of modeling and increasingly independent practice serve three purposes; first to develop independent inquiry skills by providing multiple opportunities with intermittent modeling, second to repeat the modeling initially in very similar situations and then encourage transfer to new situations, and third to provide repeated modeling for those students who do not grasp the concepts as quickly as do their classmates.

  16. Adam (MDMA) and Eve (MDEA) misuse: an immunohistochemical study on three fatal cases.

    PubMed

    Fineschi, V; Centini, F; Mazzeo, E; Turillazzi, E

    1999-09-30

    Three fatal cases of MDMA/MDEA misuse have been examined. These referred to white males between 19 and 20 years of age, in which post-mortem toxicology showed the presence of MDMA (in one case), MDEA (in one case) and both (in one case). The clinical data were analysed and the histopathological findings were studied following immunohistochemical investigations. A complete immunohistochemical study has made it possible to demonstrate rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria with alterations of the organs typical of a DIC. Clinical, histopathological and toxicological data suggest that severe or fatal complications following ecstasy ingestion could be related to idiosyncratic response.

  17. Undergraduate Labs for Biological Physics: Brownian Motion and Optical Trapping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2006-12-01

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

  18. Feasibility study for remote assessment of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    George, Michaela F; Holingue, Calliope B; Briggs, Farren B S; Shao, Xiaorong; Bellesis, Kalliope H; Whitmer, Rachel A; Schaefer, Catherine; Benedict, Ralph Hb; Barcellos, Lisa F

    2016-01-01

    Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), and affects employment and quality of life. Large studies are needed to identify risk factors for cognitive decline. Currently, a MS-validated remote assessment for cognitive function does not exist. Studies to determine feasibility of large remote cognitive function investigations in MS have not been published. To determine whether MS patients would participate in remote cognitive studies. We utilized the Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M), a previously validated phone assessment for cognitive function in healthy elderly populations to detect mild cognitive impairment. We identified factors that influenced participation rates. We investigated the relationship between MS risk factors and TICS-M score in cases, and score differences between cases and control individuals. The TICS-M was administered to MS cases and controls. Linear and logistic regression models were utilized. 11.5% of eligible study participants did not participate in cognitive testing. MS cases, females and individuals with lower educational status were more likely to refuse (p<0.001). Cases who did complete testing did not differ in terms of perceived cognitive deficit compared to cases that did participate. More severe disease, smoking, and being male were associated with a lower TICS-M score among cases (p<0.001). The TICS-M score was significantly lower in cases compared to controls (p=0.007). Our results demonstrate convincingly that a remotely administered cognitive assessment is quite feasible for conducting large epidemiologic studies in MS, and lay the much needed foundation for future work that will utilize MS-validated cognitive measures.

  19. Feasibility study for remote assessment of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    George, Michaela F.; Holingue, Calliope B.; Briggs, Farren B.S.; Shao, Xiaorong; Bellesis, Kalliope H.; Whitmer, Rachel A.; Schaefer, Catherine; Benedict, Ralph HB; Barcellos, Lisa F.

    2017-01-01

    Background Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), and affects employment and quality of life. Large studies are needed to identify risk factors for cognitive decline. Currently, a MS-validated remote assessment for cognitive function does not exist. Studies to determine feasibility of large remote cognitive function investigations in MS have not been published. Objective To determine whether MS patients would participate in remote cognitive studies. We utilized the Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M), a previously validated phone assessment for cognitive function in healthy elderly populations to detect mild cognitive impairment. We identified factors that influenced participation rates. We investigated the relationship between MS risk factors and TICS-M score in cases, and score differences between cases and control individuals. Methods The TICS-M was administered to MS cases and controls. Linear and logistic regression models were utilized. Results 11.5% of eligible study participants did not participate in cognitive testing. MS cases, females and individuals with lower educational status were more likely to refuse (p<0.001). Cases who did complete testing did not differ in terms of perceived cognitive deficit compared to cases that did participate. More severe disease, smoking, and being male were associated with a lower TICS-M score among cases (p<0.001). The TICS-M score was significantly lower in cases compared to controls (p=0.007). Conclusions Our results demonstrate convincingly that a remotely administered cognitive assessment is quite feasible for conducting large epidemiologic studies in MS, and lay the much needed foundation for future work that will utilize MS-validated cognitive measures. PMID:28255581

  20. Case-control vaccine effectiveness studies: Data collection, analysis and reporting results.

    PubMed

    Verani, Jennifer R; Baqui, Abdullah H; Broome, Claire V; Cherian, Thomas; Cohen, Cheryl; Farrar, Jennifer L; Feikin, Daniel R; Groome, Michelle J; Hajjeh, Rana A; Johnson, Hope L; Madhi, Shabir A; Mulholland, Kim; O'Brien, Katherine L; Parashar, Umesh D; Patel, Manish M; Rodrigues, Laura C; Santosham, Mathuram; Scott, J Anthony; Smith, Peter G; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Tate, Jacqueline E; Victor, J Chris; Whitney, Cynthia G; Zaidi, Anita K; Zell, Elizabeth R

    2017-06-05

    The case-control methodology is frequently used to evaluate vaccine effectiveness post-licensure. The results of such studies provide important insight into the level of protection afforded by vaccines in a 'real world' context, and are commonly used to guide vaccine policy decisions. However, the potential for bias and confounding are important limitations to this method, and the results of a poorly conducted or incorrectly interpreted case-control study can mislead policies. In 2012, a group of experts met to review recent experience with case-control studies evaluating vaccine effectiveness; we summarize the recommendations of that group regarding best practices for data collection, analysis, and presentation of the results of case-control vaccine effectiveness studies. Vaccination status is the primary exposure of interest, but can be challenging to assess accurately and with minimal bias. Investigators should understand factors associated with vaccination as well as the availability of documented vaccination status in the study context; case-control studies may not be a valid method for evaluating vaccine effectiveness in settings where many children lack a documented immunization history. To avoid bias, it is essential to use the same methods and effort gathering vaccination data from cases and controls. Variables that may confound the association between illness and vaccination are also important to capture as completely as possible, and where relevant, adjust for in the analysis according to the analytic plan. In presenting results from case-control vaccine effectiveness studies, investigators should describe enrollment among eligible cases and controls as well as the proportion with no documented vaccine history. Emphasis should be placed on confidence intervals, rather than point estimates, of vaccine effectiveness. Case-control studies are a useful approach for evaluating vaccine effectiveness; however careful attention must be paid to the collection, analysis and presentation of the data in order to best inform evidence-based vaccine policies. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Learning from Multiple Cases: A New Paradigm for Investigating the Effects of Clinical Experience on Knowledge Restructuring and Knowledge Acquisition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boshuizen, Henny P. A.; Bongaerts, Maureen Machiels; van de Wiel, Margaretha W. J.; Schmidt, Henk G.

    The effects of experience with a series of similar cases on the knowledge restructuring and learning from text were studied in a longitudinal design. Two groups of fourth-year medical students were confronted with a series of cases, part of them having the same underlying disease. The cases were interspersed with fillers, and each set of cases had…

  2. Does a Case-Based Online Group Project Increase Students' Satisfaction with Interaction in Online Courses?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Sang Joon; Ngampornchai, Anchalee; Trail-Constant, Trudian; Abril, Andres; Srinivasan, Sandhya

    2016-01-01

    Due to the realistic, complex natures of authentic cases involved in case-based learning, the use of group work has been encouraged and expected to enhance the quality of interaction among participants and to improve students' learning experiences. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the case-based online group work increased…

  3. Investigating Fourth Amendment Judicial Outcomes across Contrasting Minority School Settings: Subjectivity in Disciplinary Decision Making in Diverse Settings?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres, Mario S., Jr.; Callahan, Jamie L.

    2008-01-01

    This study explores the court system's treatment of students' Fourth Amendment rights in cases emerging from contrasting minority school settings and whether discrepancies exist in case outcomes between these extremes. From virtually every search and seizure case that occurred between the 1985 U.S. Supreme Court case in "New Jersey v.…

  4. Aligning Accreditation and Academic Program Reviews: A Canadian Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowker, Lynne

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the potential benefits and limitations associated with aligning accreditation and academic program reviews in post-secondary institutions, using a descriptive case study approach. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes two Canadian graduate programs that are subject to both external professional…

  5. Case Study, Poetic Transcription and Learning to Teach Indigenous Movement in Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Legge, Maureen

    2015-01-01

    This article describes a case study designed to investigate some of the consequences of physical education teacher education (PETE) coursework to discern how students reinterpreted those experiences into their professional practice. In particular the article examines PETE student learning when teaching "Maori" content, "te reo…

  6. Cultural Competence and School Counselor Training: A Collective Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Judith A.; Bustamante, Rebecca; Sawyer, Cheryl; Sloan, Eva D.

    2015-01-01

    This collective case study investigated the experiences of bilingual counselors-in-training who assessed school-wide cultural competence in public schools. Analysis and interpretation of data resulted in the identification of 5 themes: eye-opening experiences, recognition of strengths, the role of school leaders, road maps for change, and…

  7. Elementary Teachers' Experiences and Perceptions of Departmentalized Instruction: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strohl, Alecia; Schmertzing, Lorraine; Schmertzing, Richard

    2014-01-01

    This case study investigated elementary teachers' experiences and perceptions during a trial year of departmentalized instruction in a rural south Georgia elementary school. To inform their decision about whole-school departmentalization for the future, school administrators appointed twelve first through third grade teachers to pilot the…

  8. Critical Thinking and Online Supplemental Instruction: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Cassandra S.; Holmes, Karen E.

    2014-01-01

    A wealth of research is available regarding supplemental instruction; however, a dearth exists regarding online supplemental instruction and critical thinking. This case study explored what was assumed to be known of critical thinking and investigated the extent to which critical thought was promoted within a university's online supplemental…

  9. Student Attitudes toward Reading: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seitz, Lindsey

    2010-01-01

    Over the last 15 years, researchers have become increasingly interested in children's motivation to read. Because reading is an exigent activity that often involves choice, motivation is crucial to reading engagement. The purpose of this case study was to investigate student attitudes toward reading at summer reading clinic through an urban…

  10. Factors Affecting Service Learning Implementation: A Comparison of Novice and Veteran Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Losser, Janet L.; Caldarella, Paul; Black, Sharon J.; Pate, P. Elizabeth

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative study investigated factors that facilitate and hinder implementation of service learning for novice and veteran teachers. We conducted case studies of three novice teachers and three veteran teachers, using a cross-case analysis within and across groups. Confirming prior research, facilitating factors included teachers' knowledge…

  11. High and Low Visualization Skills and Pedagogical Decision of Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unal, Hasan

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the preservice secondary mathematics teachers' development of pedagogical understanding in the teaching of modular arithmetic problems. Data sources included, written assignments, interview transcripts and filed notes. Using case study and action research approaches cases of three preservice teachers…

  12. Professional Identity of an Early Childhood Black Teacher in a Predominantly White School: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Khatib, Amal J.; Lash, Martha J.

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative case study investigated the role of race, school context, and personal and professional experiences in the formation of an early childhood minority teacher's professional identity. Data sources included interviews, observations, conversations, field notes and school artefacts. Member checking, triangulation and extended…

  13. Music Composition in the High School Curriculum: A Multiple Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menard, Elizabeth A.

    2015-01-01

    Student and teacher perceptions regarding composition instruction were investigated using case study techniques in two high school music programs: a general music program providing accelerated instruction to gifted musicians in small classes and a typical performance-based band program. Students in both programs participated in a composition…

  14. Inside the Black Box--An Implementation Evaluation Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rector, Patricia; Bakacs, Michele; Rowe, Amy; Barbour, Bruce

    2016-01-01

    The case study presented in this article is an example of an implementation evaluation. The evaluation investigated significant components of the implementation of a long-term environmental educational program. Direct observation, evaluation-specific survey data, and historical data were used to determine program integrity as identified by…

  15. Examination of Student Outcomes in Play Therapy: A Qualitative Case Study Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dillman Taylor, Dalena L.; Blount, Ashley J.; Bloom, Zachary

    2017-01-01

    Outcome research examining the effectiveness of teaching methods in counselor education is sparse. The researchers conducted a qualitative investigation utilizing an instrumental case study to examine the influence of a constructivist-developmental format on a play therapy counseling course in a large CACREP accredited university in the…

  16. Preservice Music Teacher Perceptions of Mentoring Young Composers: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menard, Elizabeth A.; Rosen, Robert

    2016-01-01

    Case study techniques were used to investigate perceptions of undergraduate music majors participating as teacher/mentors for elementary students in a university sponsored music composition program. Data included teacher interviews and observation of teacher training and composition mentoring sessions. Teacher perceptions were categorized as…

  17. The Management of Training in Multinational Corporations: Comparative Case Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noble, Charles

    1997-01-01

    Case studies of British and Australian multinational corporations in the food and drink industry investigated how training and development are managed. Competency-based education and industry boards are important elements in both countries. Lack of a training culture in the industry and little innovation in training were observed. (SK)

  18. Why University Members Use and Resist Technology? A Structure Enactment Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Canchu; Singer, Ross; Ha, Louisa

    2010-01-01

    This case study investigated university members' use of and resistance to a communication information technology system in a higher education organization. This case study utilized the technology enactment framework to examine structure enactment in university members' technology use and resistance. We found that the following structures were…

  19. English-Medium Instruction and Intercultural Sensitivity: A Korean Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Jeongyeon; Choi, Jinsook; Tatar, Bradley

    2017-01-01

    This case study examined the reactions of local students to the diversity in student population. Specifically, it investigated how the local students' intercultural sensitivity to the international students is interrelated with their perception of the English-medium instruction (EMI) policy. The quantitative and qualitative analyses of the…

  20. Course Sequencing in the Communication Curriculum: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Adam S.

    2012-01-01

    This case study of the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland demonstrates the need to consider course sequencing in the communication curriculum. The investigation assessed whether the order in which undergraduates took courses predicted grade performance. Students' (N = 6,166) grade data from earlier courses were used to…

  1. NCI International EBV-Gastric Cancer Consortium

    Cancer.gov

    A collaboration among NCI and extramural investigators, established by DCEG in 2006, that utilizes data and biospecimens from completed and ongoing case series and observational studies of gastric cancer to replicate and extend findings from previous studies hindered by small numbers of EBV-positive cases, and to stimulate multidisciplinary research in this area.

  2. Integrated Bioprocess Design: A Case Study for Undergraduates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Titchener-Hooker, Nigel; Zhou, Yu-Hong

    2000-01-01

    Presents a case study for use in the teaching of bioprocess design. Taking the production and isolation of the intracellular protein s. cerevisae, demonstrates how undergraduates can use a range of data to construct and then investigate the range of processes flowsheet options available for a process duty. (Author/SAH)

  3. Business and Legal Case Genre Networks: Two Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uhrig, Karl

    2012-01-01

    The framework of genre systems (Bazerman, 1994; Bhatia, 2004; Swales, 2004) offers an opportunity to illuminate the ways in which students enculturate into their disciplinary cultures (Berkenkotter & Huckin, 1995). To explore the ways in which genre chains are constructed through engagement in specific tasks, this study investigates two…

  4. Putting Life into Computer-Based Training: The Creation of an Epidemiologic Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gathany, Nancy C.; Stehr-Green, Jeanette K.

    1994-01-01

    Describes the design of "Pharyngitis in Louisiana," a computer-based epidemiologic case study that was created to teach students how to conduct disease outbreak investigations. Topics discussed include realistic content portrayals; graphics; interactive teaching methods; interaction between the instructional designer and the medical…

  5. Child custody disputes within the context of child protection investigations: secondary analysis of the Canadian Incident Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect.

    PubMed

    Saini, Michael A; Black, Tara; Fallon, Barbara; Marshall, Alena

    2013-01-01

    This national study of child custody disputes within the context of child protection investigations confirms and reinforces the perception in the field that child custody disputes are more likely to reopen for investigations, include higher rates of malicious referrals and involve a higher proportion of children with emotional and functioning issues compared to non-custody-related investigations. Future research might consider the reasons for these higher rates so to improve the identification of these cases and to make more informed decisions about how best to respond to these families. The greatest contribution of this study is that it provides important new evidence to reinforce the need to prioritize child custody disputes within the context of child protection services given the unique challenges and opportunities for making well-informed case plan decisions.

  6. Making intelligent systems team players: Additional case studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Malin, Jane T.; Schreckenghost, Debra L.; Rhoads, Ron W.

    1993-01-01

    Observations from a case study of intelligent systems are reported as part of a multi-year interdisciplinary effort to provide guidance and assistance for designers of intelligent systems and their user interfaces. A series of studies were conducted to investigate issues in designing intelligent fault management systems in aerospace applications for effective human-computer interaction. The results of the initial study are documented in two NASA technical memoranda: TM 104738 Making Intelligent Systems Team Players: Case Studies and Design Issues, Volumes 1 and 2; and TM 104751, Making Intelligent Systems Team Players: Overview for Designers. The objective of this additional study was to broaden the investigation of human-computer interaction design issues beyond the focus on monitoring and fault detection in the initial study. The results of this second study are documented which is intended as a supplement to the original design guidance documents. These results should be of interest to designers of intelligent systems for use in real-time operations, and to researchers in the areas of human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence.

  7. Effects of Doctorate Program on a Novice Teacher's Conceptualization of an Effective Teacher: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ilin, Gülden

    2016-01-01

    This case study, the framework of which is provided by Kelly's Personal Construct Theory, investigates how a female novice ELT teacher structures her constructs on the qualities of an effective teacher. Repertory grid, a cognitive mapping approach, based on Kelly's theory was used as an elicitation technique in the study. The study focused on four…

  8. Entering Industry: A Case Study of Links between a School Vocational Program and the Building and Construction Industry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Anthea

    2004-01-01

    Few studies have tracked youth transition beyond the immediate post-school period or have looked at the longer-term outcomes of post-school programs. This study reports the findings of a case study investigating links between an industry-specific school vocational education and training (VET) program and subsequent work transitions to the building…

  9. Towards a Typology of At-Risk Students: A Case Study in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobele, Angela R.; Kopanidis, Foula; Gangemi, Michael; Thomas, Stuart; Janssen, Rabea; Blasche, Rose E.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine at-risk students and the reasons they give to explain their poor academic performance, with a view to developing a typology of at-risk students. A case study methodology was used to investigate the total population of at-risk students for Semester 2, 2008 studying at the Singapore campus of an…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shifflet, Mark; Brown, Jane

    2006-01-01

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

  11. The Enterprise Training System and Training Content Analysis of Selected Manufacturing Companies in Taiwan, R.O.C.: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuo, Mike Chu-Hsun

    A study investigated the current enterprise training system in Taiwan and proposed suitable training suggestions for manufacturing industry through a carefully designed case study. Literature review and field study were used to gather research data. Interviews were conducted at four large manufacturing companies during the period October 1990 to…

  12. Students' Conceptual Knowledge of Limits in Calculus: A Two-Part Constructivist Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Margaret Smolinka

    2013-01-01

    This case study investigated students' conceptual knowledge of limits in calculus by implementing semi-structured interviews. The constructivist learning principles of Piaget and Inhelder as well as theories of understanding by Skemp guided the study. In Phase I, a pilot study was conducted with 15 students from a Calculus III class. By using…

  13. Evaluating the Effects of Medical Explorers a Case Study Curriculum on Critical Thinking, Attitude toward Life Science, and Motivational Learning Strategies in Rural High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brand, Lance G.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was three-fold: to measure the ability of the "Medical Explorers" case-based curriculum to improve higher order thinking skills; to evaluate the impact of the "Medical Explorers" case-based curriculum to help students be self directed learners; and to investigate the impact of the "Medical…

  14. The Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes (FIND): design and methods.

    PubMed

    Knowler, William C; Coresh, Josef; Elston, Robert C; Freedman, Barry I; Iyengar, Sudha K; Kimmel, Paul L; Olson, Jane M; Plaetke, Rosemarie; Sedor, John R; Seldin, Michael F

    2005-01-01

    The Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes (FIND) is a multicenter study designed to identify genetic determinants of diabetic nephropathy. It is conducted in eight U.S. clinical centers and a coordinating center, and with four ethnic groups (European Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, and American Indians). Two strategies are used to localize susceptibility genes: a family-based linkage study and a case-control study using mapping by admixture linkage disequilibrium (MALD). In the family-based study, probands with diabetic nephropathy are recruited with their parents and selected siblings. Linkage analyses will be conducted to identify chromosomal regions containing genes that influence the development of diabetic nephropathy or related quantitative traits such as serum creatinine concentration, urinary albumin excretion, and plasma glucose concentrations. Regions showing evidence of linkage will be examined further with both genetic linkage and association studies to identify genes that influence diabetic nephropathy or related traits. Two types of MALD studies are being done. One is a case-control study of unrelated individuals of Mexican American heritage in which both cases and controls have diabetes, but only the case has nephropathy. The other is a case-control study of African American patients with nephropathy (cases) and their spouses (controls) unaffected by diabetes and nephropathy; offspring are genotyped when available to provide haplotype data. Identification of genes that influence susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy will lead to a better understanding of how nephropathy develops. This should eventually lead to improved treatment and prevention.

  15. Case studies in organic contaminant hydrogeology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baker, John A.

    1989-07-01

    The effective management of domestic solid waste and hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste is a major problem in the area of environmental geology and water sciences over the world. This series of case studies of organic contaminants from both solid and hazardous waste disposal facilities provides examples of these problems. The facilities were investigated to determine risks and liabilities before acquisition, to determine the site hydrogeologic conditions for design of appropriate groundwater monitoring plans, and/or to determine the potential for groundwater contamination. The results of these studies and investigations by Waste Management Inc. (WMI) and its consultants have shown certain relationships in the distribution of organic pollutants to the different geologic and hydrogeologic charac teristics of each facility. In each of the case studies, all 129 priority pollutants were analyzed in private wells and/or monitoring wells at the request of regulatory agencies. The 31 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the priority pollutant list were the majority of the organic compounds detected and these data are evaluated in each case study. The case studies are on disposal facilities located in glacial tills, carbonaceous weathered clay soils, weathered shale, limestone bedrock, dolomite bedrock, and alluvial and sedimentary deposits. A brief discussion of groundwater quality impacts and remedial measures also is included.

  16. How Does Student Peer Review Influence Perceptions, Engagement and Academic Outcomes? A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulder, Raoul; Baik, Chi; Naylor, Ryan; Pearce, Jon

    2014-01-01

    Involving students in peer review has many pedagogical benefits, but few studies have explicitly investigated relationships between the content of peer reviews, student perceptions and assessment outcomes. We conducted a case study of peer review within a third-year undergraduate subject at a research-intensive Australian university, in which we…

  17. Key Elements in Successful Training A Comparative Study of Two Workplaces. Project Report, 2000-2001.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adult Literacy and Numeracy Australian Research Consortium, Alice Springs. Northern Territory Centre.

    This publication presents case studies of two sites--one with and one without a history of involvement in Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL)-funded training programs. Case study 1, "Partnership, Flexibility, and Experience: Key Elements in Successful Training" (Jenny McGuirk), investigates a food processing company in New South Wales…

  18. Reflections on Language and Mathematics Problem Solving: A Case Study of a Bilingual First-Grade Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musanti, Sandra I.; Celedon-Pattichis, Sylvia; Marshall, Mary E.

    2009-01-01

    This case study investigates a professional development initiative in which a first-grade bilingual teacher engages in learning and teaching Cognitively Guided Instruction, a framework for understanding student thinking through context-rich word-problem lessons. The study explores (a) the impact of classroom-based professional development on a…

  19. Enquiry into the Side Effects of School Inspection in a "Low-Stakes" Inspection Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penninckx, Maarten; Vanhoof, Jan; De Maeyer, Sven; Van Petegem, Peter

    2016-01-01

    This article describes a qualitative study into the occurrence of the side effects of school inspection through in-depth interviews in five case schools. The study investigates the extent to which strategic activities, disturbing effects and emotional side effects occur in the case schools. The study also aims to understand features that may…

  20. 33 CFR 209.140 - Operations of the Corps of Engineers under the Federal Power Act.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... directing studies to be made. In the case of an application for permit or license for an unconstructed... required to insure coordination of the applicant's studies with the Division or District Engineer in cases... studies, will when requested by the Chief of Engineers submit an estimate of the cost of the investigation...

  1. Engagement in Work: Case Study of Four Schools in Suffolk County, New York

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Sean Bayles

    2013-01-01

    The study was a qualitative case study on engagement in work in four schools in Suffolk County, New York. The purpose of this researcher was to investigate how school systems and educators engage students and adults in 21st Century education. The levels of engagement were examined using patterns of instruction, organization, governance, and…

  2. Explicit Instruction of Graphic Organizers as an Informational Text Reading Comprehension Strategy: Third-Grade Students' Strategies and Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fealy, Erin Marie

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this case study research was to explore the effects of explicit instruction of graphic organizers to support students' understandings of informational text. An additional purpose was to investigate students' perceptions of using graphic organizers as a comprehension strategy. Using case study methodology, this study occurred…

  3. Focus on Success: An Explanatory Embedded Multiple-Case Study on How Youth Successfully Navigate Workforce Development Programs in Southern Nevada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Villalobos, Ricardo

    2017-01-01

    This explanatory qualitative study investigated the perspectives of participant's and practitioner's perceived barriers to success and the necessary navigational expertise for overcoming the identified barriers. This multiple-case study research design examined three WIA out-of-school youth workforce development programs in Southern Nevada, with…

  4. The Role of E-Mentoring in Mathematically Gifted Students' Academic Life: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mammadov, Sakhavat; Topçu, Abdullah

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative inquiry presents the case study of five gifted eighth-grade students who engaged in an e-mentoring project in mathematics. The study reported in this article investigated the role of e-mentoring in gifted students' academic life. Three themes predominated in the collected data were (a) motivation, (b) effective communication and…

  5. The Brief History of Environmental Education and Its Changes from 1972 to Present in Iran

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shobeiri, Seyed Mohammad; Meiboudi, Hossein; Kamali, Fatemeh Ahmadi

    2014-01-01

    The present study investigates environmental education (EE) before and after Iran's Islamic Revolution. The research method is case study, and among the case study methods, historical analysis has been used in this research. A wide array of sources were employed, from government performance reports to documents, records, books, and articles…

  6. Value of Coaching in Building Leadership Capacity of Principals in Urban Schools: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farver, Anita

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how coaching support structures enabled and sustained leadership practices of urban principals. The study investigated how the intervention of coaching for academic leaders can serve as evidence based professional development for building leadership capacity. The central focus was on…

  7. Becoming Qualified to Teach Low-literate Refugees: A Case Study of One Volunteer Instructor

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perry, Kristen H.

    2013-01-01

    This case study investigates Carolyn, an effective volunteer ESL and literacy instructor of adult African refugees, in order to understand both what it means to be a qualified instructor, and also how community-based volunteer instructors may become more qualified. The study's findings suggest that Carolyn's qualifications are a combination of…

  8. Toward a Theory of Discontinuous Career Transition: Investigating Career Transitions Necessitated by Traumatic Life Events

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haynie, J. Michael; Shepherd, Dean

    2011-01-01

    Career researchers have focused on the mechanisms related to career progression. Although less studied, situations in which traumatic life events necessitate a discontinuous career transition are becoming increasingly prevalent. Employing a multiple case study method, we offer a deeper understanding of such transitions by studying an extreme case:…

  9. Academic and Linguistic Gains during a Semester-Long Study Abroad: A Cohort Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cai, Wei; Li, Xiangrong; Liu, Meihua

    2013-01-01

    The present case study investigated university students' academic and linguistic gains during a semester-long exchange program abroad. Thirty three third-year English majors from a Chinese university answered a battery of questionnaires and 13 of them participated in semi-structured interviews both prior to and after the program. Analyses of the…

  10. Dynamics of Complexity and Accuracy: A Longitudinal Case Study of Advanced Untutored Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Polat, Brittany; Kim, Youjin

    2014-01-01

    This longitudinal case study follows a dynamic systems approach to investigate an under-studied research area in second language acquisition, the development of complexity and accuracy for an advanced untutored learner of English. Using the analytical tools of dynamic systems theory (Verspoor et al. 2011) within the framework of complexity,…

  11. Psychosocial and Psychiatric Factors Associated with Adolescent Suicide: A Case-Control Psychological Autopsy Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Portzky, Gwendolyn; Audenaert, Kurt; van Heeringen, Kees

    2009-01-01

    This study aimed at the investigation of psychosocial and psychiatric risk factors of adolescent suicide by means of a case-control psychological autopsy study. Relatives and other informants of 19 suicide victims and 19 matched psychiatric controls were interviewed by means of a semi-structured interview schedule. Psychiatric controls included…

  12. Organizational Influences in Technology Adoption Decisions: A Case Study of Digital Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oguz, Fatih

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand the organizational level decision factors in technology adoption in the context of digital libraries. A qualitative case study approach was used to investigate the adoption of a specific technology, XML-based Web services, in digital libraries. Rogers' diffusion of innovations and Wenger's communities of…

  13. Exploring ESL Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Practices of CLT: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rahman, Mohammad Mosiur; Singh, Manjet Kaur Mehar; Pandian, Ambigapathy

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents a case study that investigated and compared the stated beliefs and observed classroom practices relating to Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) of two ESL teachers. The findings of the study revealed that both the teachers hold similar complex beliefs that mostly contradict the philosophy of CLT. The practices were not in…

  14. A Case Study of Group Processes and Student Evaluation of Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mortenson, Kristian G.; Sathe, Richard S.

    2017-01-01

    This paper documents a case study undertaken to understand the effect of group processes on student evaluation of teaching (SET). The study used interviews to investigate the experiences of students in a cohort model Master of Science in Accountancy degree program and how those experiences influenced SET. The cohort served as an extreme example in…

  15. Innovation at U.S Medical Schools: A Multiple Case Study of Leaders' Perceptions of Educational Techology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parisky, Alex

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand the implementation of educational technology in selected medical schools. This study utilized Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory to investigate the perspectives of educational technology leaders at four different medical schools in the United States. In the coming years,…

  16. Student's Plagiarisms in Higher Learning Institutions in the Era of Improved Internet Access: Case Study of Developing Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anney, Vicent Naano; Mosha, Mary Atanas

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated students' plagiarism practices in Tanzania higher learning institutions by involving two universities-one public and one private university as a case study. The universities involved have honour code and policies for plagiarism detection however they do not employ software for checking students' plagiarism. The study…

  17. Knowledge Transfer: A Case Study of a Community Nutrition Education Program at a Land-Grant University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hurtado, Ghaffar Ali

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of knowledge transfer. The setting is a health and nutrition educational program at University of Minnesota Extension. The main research question was how is Knowledge Transfer being implemented in Extension, specifically Educational Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program? A case study,…

  18. Analysis of gunshot residue test results in 112 suicides.

    PubMed

    Reed, G E; McGuire, P J; Boehm, A

    1990-01-01

    The results of gunshot residue (GSR) tests in 112 suicide cases investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command over a ten-year period are described. Only suicide cases in which there was certainty that the victim fired a weapon were examined in an effort to reduce ambiguous results. Previous case work research by Rudzitis indicated that positive GSR test results were encountered in suicides 62% of the time using various combinations of neutron activation analysis (NAA) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Threshold values of 0.2-micrograms antimony and 0.3-micrograms barium (0.2-micrograms antimony and 0.5-micrograms barium after 1985) used by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory resulted in positive GSR results in suicide cases 38% of the time. The effects of time, location of body, handling of the body, weapon type, caliber, and condition of the hands on GSR results are examined. Case studies involving suicides by unit armorers are discussed.

  19. Dissemination and implementation: INQRI's potential impact.

    PubMed

    Titler, Marita G; Wilson, Deleise S; Resnick, Barbara; Shever, Leah L

    2013-04-01

    Application of research evidence in care delivery improves patient outcomes. Large gaps still exist, however, between recommended care and that used in practice. To increase the understanding of implementation studies, and dissemination of research findings, we present the perspective of investigators from seven Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI)-funded studies. To describe implementation strategies, challenges, and lessons learned from conducting 5 INQRI-funded implementation studies, and present 2 case examples of other INQRI studies to illustrate dissemination strategies. Potential impact of study findings are set forth. Qualitative descriptive methods were used for the implementation studies. Case examples were set forth by investigators using reflection questions. Four of the 5 implementation studies focused on clinical topics and 1 on professional development of nurse managers, 4 were multisite studies. Common implementation strategies used across studies addressed education, ongoing interaction with sites, use of implementation tools, and visibility of the projects on the study units. Major challenges were the Institutional Review Board approval process and the short length of time allocated for implementation. Successes and lessons learned included creating excitement about research, packaging of study tools and resources for use by other organizations, and understanding the importance of context when conducting this type of research. Case examples revealed that study findings have been disseminated to study sites and to the health care community through publications and presentations. The potential impact of all 7 studies is far reaching. This study captures several nuanced perspectives from 5 Principal Investigators, who were completing INQRI-funded implementation studies. These nuanced perspectives are important lessons for other scientists embarking on implementation studies. The INQRI case examples illustrate important dissemination strategies and impact of findings on quality of care.

  20. Significant rising antibody titres to influenza A are associated with an acute reduction in milk yield in cattle.

    PubMed

    Crawshaw, Timothy R; Brown, Ian H; Essen, Steve C; Young, Stuart C L

    2008-10-01

    Sporadic cases of an acute fall in milk production, "milk drop", were investigated in a Holstein Friesian dairy herd in Devon. The investigation was a case control study with two controls per case. Paired blood samples demonstrated that rising antibody titres to human influenza A/England/333/80 (H1N1) and human influenza A/Eng/427/88 (H3N2) were associated with an acute fall in milk production. Rising titres to bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and parainfluenza virus 3 (PI3) were not associated with an acute fall in milk production. Cases with rises in antibody to influenza A had significantly higher respiratory scores and rectal temperatures than their controls. The mean loss of milk production for the cases with rises in antibody to influenza A compared to their controls was 159.9L. This study provides further evidence that influenza A persists in cattle and causes clinical disease.

  1. Aircraft-Assisted Pilot Suicides: Lessons to be Learned.

    PubMed

    Vuorio, Alpo; Laukkala, Tanja; Navathe, Pooshan; Budowle, Bruce; Eyre, Anne; Sajantila, Antti

    2014-08-01

    Aircraft assisted suicides were studied in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Finland during 1956-2012 by means of literature search and accident case analysis. According to our study the frequency varied slightly between the studies. Overall, the new estimate of aircraft assisted suicides in the United States in a 20-yr period (1993-2012) is 0.33% (95% CI 0.21-0.49) (24/7244). In the detailed accident case analysis, it was found that in five out of the eight cases from the United States, someone knew of prior suicidal ideation before the aircraft assisted fatality. The caveats of standard medico-legal autopsy and accident investigation methods in investigation of suspected aircraft assisted suicides are discussed. It is suggested that a psychological autopsy should be performed in all such cases. Also the social context and possibilities of the prevention of aviation-related suicides were analyzed. In addition, some recent aircraft assisted suicides carried out using commercial aircraft during scheduled services and causing many casualties are discussed.

  2. Case report: on the use of the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Ancestry Panel in a real forensic case.

    PubMed

    Hollard, C; Keyser, C; Delabarde, T; Gonzalez, A; Vilela Lamego, C; Zvénigorosky, V; Ludes, B

    2017-03-01

    In the absence of any other conclusive forensic evidence, DNA profiling is the method of choice for body identification. This study focuses on the case of a carbonized corpse whose complete autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) profile could not lead to direct identification by the investigators. To assist in the progress of investigation, we endeavoured to determine the biogeographical origin and eye colour of the deceased individual. Along with Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA analyses, we applied a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach to the study of ancestry informative markers (AIMs) using the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Ancestry Panel launched by Thermo Fisher Scientific. This work gave us the opportunity to test this new technology in a real forensic case. Although this study highlights the benefits of such a combined approach, as it markedly improves the specificity of the biogeographical profile, it also underlines the need for the accurate characterization of a larger collection of reference populations and the necessity of caution in data interpretation.

  3. DRG benchmarking study establishes national coding norms.

    PubMed

    Vaul, J H

    1998-05-01

    With the increase in fraud and abuse investigations, healthcare financial managers should examine their organization's medical record coding procedures. The Federal government and third-party payers are looking specifically for improper billing of outpatient services, unbundling of procedures to increase payment, assigning higher-paying DRG codes for inpatient claims, and other abuses. A recent benchmarking study of Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) data has established national norms for hospital coding and case mix based on DRGs and has revealed the majority of atypical coding cases fall into six DRG pairs. Organizations with a greater percentage of atypical cases--those more likely to be scrutinized by Federal investigators--will want to conduct suitable review and be sure appropriate documentation exists to justify the coding.

  4. Improved turbopump dynamics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kiefling, L.

    1985-01-01

    A study was initiated to investigate the practicality of increasing rotor critical speeds by changes in manufacturing method. The technique would be to build a pump with an all laser welded shaft and case; such unit to be opened by laser cutting and rebuilt by rewelding the same surface. Use of a split casing, common in industry, would permit assembly of the rotor outside the case. A team was formed to perform the study; however, the work of the team was severely restricted by conflict with higher priority tasks. No manpower was available to evaluate alternate configurations. Thus, much of the synergetic effects of cohesive design modification was lost. Although very limited results were achieved, nothing was found to indicate that the method is not worth further investigation.

  5. [Concomitant injuries after upper ankle joint dislocations].

    PubMed

    Dann, K; Wahler, G; Neubauer, N; Steiner, R; Titze, W; Wagner, M

    1996-09-01

    Functional treatment with the Air Stirrup Ankle Brace recommended by C. N. Stover in 1979 can reduce pathological inversion of the ankle joint. In our retrospective study of 109 patients treated by this kind of ankle brace we found 96 patients (88%) with excellent results. Only 13 patients (12%) reported moderate to good results. To detect and characterize their painful conditions of ankles we did a clinical, radiological and MRI-Investigation. In only 2 cases we found a moderate instability after clinical investigation, anterior stress roentgenogram and talar tilt. By using the MRI-investigation 1.0 Tesla with a 512 x 360 Matrix we could find 10 cases with osteochondral lesions of the ankle. In 7 cases there was separated ossicle in the fibulotalar joint, in 1 case we detected a fracture of the processus anterior tali, in another case we could see a posttraumatic lesion of the talus and calcaneus with bone bruise and at least one osteochondral fracture of the distal tibia. The capability of the MRI to detect particularly osteo-chondral lesions of the talus and the tibiofibular joint was shown in 10 of 13 cases. Therefore we recommend to do an MRI-investigation on all patients after ankle sprain if there are painful conditions within the ankle after conservative treatment.

  6. Professor Eric Can't See: A Project-Based Learning Case for Neurobiology Students.

    PubMed

    Ogilvie, Judith Mosinger; Ribbens, Eric

    2016-01-01

    "Professor Eric Can't See" is a semi-biographical case study written for an upper level undergraduate Neurobiology of Disease course. The case is integrated into a unit using a project-based learning approach to investigate the retinal degenerative disorder Retinitis pigmentosa and the visual system. Some case study scenes provide specific questions for student discussion and problem-based learning, while others provide background for student inquiry and related active learning exercises. The case was adapted from "'Chemical Eric' Can't See," and could be adapted for courses in general neuroscience or sensory neuroscience.

  7. The medico-legal investigation of abandoned fetuses and newborns--a review of cases admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, South Africa.

    PubMed

    du Toit-Prinsloo, L; Pickles, C; Smith, Z; Jordaan, J; Saayman, G

    2016-03-01

    There is a dearth of literature on the extent of fetal or newborn abandonment or "dumping" and the medico-legal investigation procedures these cases require. This is despite the fact that these occurrences are a worldwide phenomenon and by definition involve criminal law concerns such as illegal abortion, concealment of birth, murder, or neonaticide, depending on the country concerned. This article contributes to current literature in both respects and provides a retrospective case audit for the period 2004-2008 pertaining to all abandoned newborns and fetuses admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory (PMLL) in South Africa. Demographic details, scope, and nature of the medico-legal investigation as well as formulation of cause of death were recorded. A total of 289 cases were identified for inclusion in this study, 57% of which were considered to have been non-viable fetuses, while 45 of the viable fetuses were deemed to have been stillborn. These instances involve the crimes of concealment of birth and at times illegal abortion, yet prosecution of these cases are relatively unheard of. Signs of live birth were identified in 38 of the cases in the study. Of these infants, 9 were deemed to have died from injuries they have sustained, and in a further 9 cases, no anatomical cause of death could be identified. Homicidal cases should be brought in cases where death ensued as a result of abandonment; however, it is not known how many cases were prosecuted. A comparatively large number of cases were found to have been admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory. This is alarming because South African abortion laws are liberal and services are free at point of access in the public health care sector. A substantial percentage of cases of abandoned infants were found to have shown signs of life after birth implying a homicidal manner of death or death by abandonment, but it seems these cases are merely shelved.

  8. Case Vignettes of School Psychologists' Consultations Involving Hispanic Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramirez, Sylvia Z.; Smith, Kenneth A.

    2007-01-01

    Despite the recognized importance of multicultural issues in school consultation, there has been a paucity of research in the area, especially regarding Hispanic issues. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate how school consultation was adapted in cases involving Hispanic youth. The anonymous case vignettes were provided by 49…

  9. Exploring Prospective Teachers' Critical Thinking: Case-Based Pedagogy and the Standards of Professional Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cherubini, Lorenzo

    2009-01-01

    This qualitative constructivist research study employed a unique professional case-based pedagogy to investigate how concurrent Education undergraduate students made sense of the complex dilemmas inherent in the cases and in particular, the factors that influenced their critical thinking processes. The paper identifies three core categories that…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van den Noortgate, Wim; Onghena, Patrick

    2007-01-01

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

  11. Protein self-marking by ectoparasites: a case study using bed bugs

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    1. The ability to mark individuals is a critical feature of many ecological and evolutionary investigations, including dispersal studies. Insect dispersal is generally investigated using mark-release-recapture techniques, whereby marked individuals are released at a known location and then captured ...

  12. Autism Spectrum Disorder and New Jersey Administrative Law Decisions: An Analysis of Case Law Involving Public School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barcadepone, Michael J.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to investigate existing New Jersey case law for the special education population classified as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and analyze New Jersey Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) decisions to identify why districts win or lose cases, adding to the limited body of research in New Jersey. In addition, the purpose…

  13. Technical know-how relevant to planning of borehole investigation for fault characterization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizuno, T.; Takeuchi, R.; Tsuruta, T.; Matsuoka, T.; Kunimaru, T.; Saegusa, H.

    2011-12-01

    As part of the national R&D program for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), the broad scientific study of the deep geological environment, JAEA has established the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) in Central Japan as a generic underground research laboratory (URL) facility. The MIU Project focuses on the crystalline rocks. In the case of fractured rock, a fault is one of the major discontinuity structures which control the groundwater flow conditions. It is important to estimate geological, hydrogeological, hydrochemical and rock mechanical characteristics of faults, and then to evaluate its role in the engineering design of repository and the assessment of long-term safety of HLW disposal. Therefore, investigations for fault characterization have been performed to estimate its characteristics and to evaluate existing conceptual and/or numerical models of the geological environment in the MIU project. Investigations related to faults have been conducted based on the conventional concept that a fault consists of a "fault core (FC)" characterized by distribution of the faulted rocks and a "fractured zone (FZ)" along FC. With the progress of investigations, furthermore, it is clear that there is also a case in which an "altered zone (AZ)" characterized by alteration of host rocks to clay minerals can be developed around the FC. Intensity of alteration in AZ generally decreases with distance from the FC, and AZ transits to FZ. Therefore, the investigation program focusing on properties of AZ is required for revising the existing conceptual and/or numerical models of geological environment. In this study, procedures for planning of fault characterizations have been summarized based on the technical know-how learnt through the MIU Project for the development of Knowledge Management System performed by JAEA under a contract with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as part of its R&D supporting program for developing geological disposal technology in 2010. Taking into account the experience from the fault characterization in the MIU Project, an optimization procedure for investigation program is summarized as follows; 1) Definition of investigation aim, 2) Confirmation of current understanding of the geological environment, 3) Specification and prioritization of the data to be obtained 4) Selection of the methodology for obtaining the data, 5) Specification of sequence of the investigations, and 6) Establishment of drilling and casing program including optional cases and taking into account potential problems. Several geological conceptual models with uncertainty of geological structures were illustrated to define the investigation aim and to confirm the current uncertainties. These models were also available to establish optional cases by predicting the type and location of potential problems. The procedures and case study related to establishment of the investigation program are summarized in this study and can be available for site characterization works conducted by the implementing body (NUMO) in future candidate areas.

  14. Prospect for Cell Phones as Instructional Tools in the EFL Classroom: A Case Study of Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Begum, Roksana

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the potentiality of cell phone use in the EFL classroom of Bangladesh as an instructional tool. The researcher conducted a case study on Jahangirnagar University of Bangladesh. For the study, some SMS based class tests were conducted in the English Department of the university where one hundred…

  15. Investigation of Aggression Levels of University Students (Kocaeli University Case)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keskin, Özlem; Akdeniz, Hakan

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the aggression levels of university students in different departments in terms of sport and other variables. The population of the study consists of university students studying at Kocaeli University; the sample group consists of a total of 700 students, 378 male and 322 female, studying in the Faculty of…

  16. Radar Interferometry for Monitoring the Vibration Characteristics of Buildings and Civil Structures: Recent Case Studies in Spain

    PubMed Central

    Luzi, Guido; Crosetto, Michele; Fernández, Enric

    2017-01-01

    The potential of a coherent microwave sensor to monitor the vibration characteristics of civil structures has been investigated in the past decade, and successful case studies have been published by different research teams. This remote sensing technique is based on the interferometric processing of real aperture radar acquisitions. Its capability to estimate, simultaneously and remotely, the displacement of different parts of the investigated structures, with high accuracy and repeatability, is its main advantage with respect to conventional sensors. A considerable amount of literature on this technique is available, including various case studies aimed at testing the ambient vibration of bridges, buildings, and towers. In the last years, this technique has been used in Spain for civil structures monitoring. In this paper, three examples of such case studies are described: the monitoring of the suspended bridge crossing the Ebro River at Amposta, the communications tower of Collserola in Barcelona, and an urban building located in Vilafranca del Penedès, a small town close to Barcelona. This paper summarizes the main outcomes of these case studies, underlining the advantages and limitations of the sensors currently available, and concluding with the possible improvements expected from the next generation of sensors. PMID:28338604

  17. Preservation of person-specific knowledge in semantic memory disorder: a longitudinal investigation in two cases of dementia.

    PubMed

    Haslam, Catherine; Sabah, Mazen

    2013-03-01

    The double dissociation involving person-specific and general semantic knowledge is supported by numerous patient studies, though cases with preservation of the former are few. In this paper, we report longitudinal data from two cases. Their knowledge in both domains was preserved at the start of the investigation, but progressive deterioration was primarily observed on tests of general semantics. These data strengthen the evidence-base for preservation of person-specific knowledge in semantic memory disorder, and support its separate representation from object knowledge. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

  18. Anatomy of Advocacy: A Case Study of the White House Petition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Elizabeth; Kimmel, Sue; Dickinson, Gail

    2016-01-01

    Little research has been conducted examining advocacy efforts in the school library field despite the fact that program advocate is a prominent role for school librarians. One element of advocacy is the engagement in political initiatives that may affect school library programs. This case study investigates the effectiveness of one advocacy effort…

  19. Perceptions of ESL Program Management in Canadian Higher Education: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eaton, Sarah Elaine

    2017-01-01

    ESL programs at post-secondary institutions must often generate revenue in addition to teaching students English. Institutions often impose explicit expectations on these programs to generate profit, creating unique challenges for those who administer them. This qualitative case study investigated challenges faced by ESL program directors at one…

  20. Practices of Management Development: A Malaysian Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Law, Kian Aun

    2008-01-01

    This paper deals with a case study of Management Development (MD) practices at Malaysian Assurance Alliance (MAA). The aim of this research is to investigate how a large Malaysian insurance corporation developed and integrated MD initiatives with current organizational needs and tasks. Attempts were made to map and categorize the MD initiatives…

  1. Effect of Case-Based Video Support on Cyberbullying Awareness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akbulut, Yavuz

    2014-01-01

    When it comes to safe and ethical information technology use, cyberbullying stands out. Indeed, it is seen to be a prevalent and complex problem. Prevention suggestions tend to rely on implications of descriptive and correlational studies rather than true experimental works. In this regard, the current study investigated the effect of case-based…

  2. Crossfading Music Education: Connections between Secondary Students' In- and Out-of-School Music Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tobias, Evan S.

    2015-01-01

    In this case study, the author investigated intersections of secondary students' musical engagement in a Songwriting and Technology Class (STC) and outside of school. The study traces the experiences of three individual participants and three participant groups (six embedded cases in total) in the creation, performance, recording, and production…

  3. Service Journalism in the Association Magazine: A Case Study of the "Angus Journal."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeffers, Dennis W.

    Examining the role of service journalism in association magazines (magazines focusing on technical and educational information relating to specific practices of association members), a case study of the "Angus Journal" (a monthly magazine devoted to the beef breeding industry) investigated the problem of determining the amount of service…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuske, Kyle

    2015-01-01

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

  5. Sounds of Silence: Race and Emergent Counter-Narratives of Art Teacher Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kraehe, Amelia M.

    2015-01-01

    This article presents case studies of two Black preservice art teachers and their racialized experiences in art teacher education. Drawing from a critical race theory perspective, their stories are conceptualized as emergent counternarratives of becoming an art teacher. The case studies are based on interviews from an ethnographic investigation of…

  6. Organized Dissonance and Emotionality: A Case Study of One Public Kindergarten in Moscow

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Konobeeva, E. A.

    2016-01-01

    This article investigates the organizational form of kindergarten through a particular case study. The article seeks to answer the question: how does kindergarten reconcile emotionality with formal rules and regulations, and how does this affect the structure of kindergarten as an organization? The features of bureaucratic and feminist…

  7. Educational JavaBeans: a Requirements Driven Architecture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Jon; Rapanotti, Lucia

    This paper investigates, through a case study, the development of a software architecture that is compatible with a system's high-level requirements. The case study is an example of an extended customer/supplier relationship (post-point of sale support) involved in e-universities and is representative of a class of enterprise without current…

  8. Pedagogical Leadership in Action: Two Case Studies in English Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Male, Trevor; Palaiologou, Ioanna

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores the construct of pedagogical leadership in action in two case-study schools in England. Both schools investigated had headteachers who were recognized as excellent practitioners who had led their schools from a failing position to being judged as "outstanding" and had successfully sustained and extended this status.…

  9. A Case Study of the Importance of Practitioner Research for Teacher Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bartlett, Steve; Burton, Diana; Buckley, Sue

    2005-01-01

    This article considers the important part that practitioner research can play in the professional development of teachers. The case study illustrates how a teacher's interests encouraged her to investigate particular areas of her practice. She read literature about emotional intelligence and devised strategies to enhance her classroom teaching.…

  10. Using Online Learning To Meet Workforce Demand: A Case Study of Stakeholder Influence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benson, Angela D.

    2002-01-01

    Investigated how stakeholder interests influenced one state's efforts to provide online undergraduate degree programs to meet workforce needs. Describes the use of an embedded qualitative case study design; discusses findings that showed that the interests of some stakeholder groups prevailed at the expense of other groups; and suggests further…

  11. Employment of Young Adults with Disabilities in Dubai--A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alborno, Nadera; Gaad, Eman

    2012-01-01

    The authors investigated the implementation of the United Arab Emirates Federal Law regarding the employment of people with disabilities. They used a case study evaluation of an employment program initiated by a private national landscaping company in Dubai providing training and employment opportunities for young adults with varied physical and…

  12. Online Collaborative Learning in a Project-Based Learning Environment in Taiwan: A Case Study on Undergraduate Students' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Ke; Peng, Shiang Wuu; Hung, Jui-long

    2009-01-01

    This case study investigated undergraduate students' first experience in online collaborative learning in a project-based learning (PBL) environment in Taiwan. Data were collected through interviews of 48 students, instructor's field notes, researchers' online observations, students' online discourse, and group artifacts. The findings revealed…

  13. Depression and Dementia in Aging Adults with Down Syndrome: A Case Study Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sung, Hyunsook; And Others

    1997-01-01

    A case study of three adults (ages 46-47) with Down syndrome investigated the patterns of symptoms associated with depression and dementia. Characteristics that distinguish between dementia and depression in adults with Down syndrome are described. Periodic comprehensive assessment of adults with Down syndrome to detect functioning changes is…

  14. A Case Study of Conflict in an Educational Workplace: Managing Personal and Cultural Differences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torpey, Michael John

    2006-01-01

    This article is about conflict in an educational workplace setting. It reports on a case study investigating the emergence, development, and management of conflict among diverse native English speakers working as language instructors within a Japanese university. The example of conflict presented, which deals with divergent assumptions about the…

  15. Effectiveness of Case-Based Learning Instruction on Epistemological Beliefs and Attitudes toward Chemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cam, Aylin; Geban, Omer

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of case-based learning instruction over traditionally designed chemistry instruction on eleventh grade students' epistemological beliefs and their attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject. The subjects of this study consisted of 63 eleventh grade students from two intact classes…

  16. Two Case Studies of L2 Writers' Experiences across Learning-Directed Portfolio Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hirvela, Alan; Sweetland, Yuerong Liu

    2005-01-01

    Portfolios have attracted considerable interest among ESL writing and assessment specialists since the 1980s. Whether they have fulfilled the promise their proponents envision is a question still under investigation. This paper describes two case studies which looked at student experiences with portfolios in two ESL writing courses where the…

  17. The Effects of Macroglossia on Speech: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mekonnen, Abebayehu Messele

    2012-01-01

    This article presents a case study of speech production in a 14-year-old Amharic-speaking boy. The boy had developed secondary macroglossia, related to a disturbance of growth hormones, following a history of normal speech development. Perceptual analysis combined with acoustic analysis and static palatography is used to investigate the specific…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parks, Rachida F.; Adams, Lascelles

    2016-01-01

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

  19. Digital Storytelling in Writing: A Case Study of Student Teacher Attitudes toward Teaching with Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bumgarner, Barri L.

    2012-01-01

    This case study investigated how preservice teachers taught digital storytelling to students who often possessed more technology skills than the teachers. During the spring semester of 2011, two secondary-level language arts teaching interns and their cooperating teachers taught a digital storytelling project. The participants and their students…

  20. "Do You Know Actimel?" The Adaptive Nature of Dialogic Teacher-Led Discussions in the CLIL Science Classroom: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Escobar Urmeneta, Cristina; Evnitskaya, Natalia

    2014-01-01

    This interpretive case study is framed within recent sociocultural conceptualisations of learning. It draws on research on teacher-led classroom discussions, and investigates the conversational intricacies through which "dialogicity" is accomplished in adaptive ways in one content and language integrated learning (CLIL) science…

  1. Peer Learning Group among College Voice Majors: Collaborative Inquiry Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Joo Yeon

    2013-01-01

    This collaborative inquiry case study investigated a pre-existing peer learning group composed of five Korean college voice students and a non-musician facilitator. The group was chosen for this research to understand the implications of a diversified learning context in addition to the typical master-apprenticeship context of higher music…

  2. Teaching Trump: A Case Study of Two Teachers and the Election of 2016

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Derek L.; Zyhowski, Joni

    2018-01-01

    This case study investigated how two 8th-grade teachers planned for, delivered, and reflected on their teaching of the 2016 Presidential Election. Data sources included classroom observations, teacher interviews, and lesson plans. Despite integrating student-centered lessons about the election with social and political events in US History from…

  3. Student Perceptions of Online Writing Center Designs for Fully Online Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simpson, Shelah Y.

    2017-01-01

    In this multiple-case study, the author investigated fully online students' perceptions of and experiences with asynchronous and synchronous writing support options of an institutional writing center and a commercial tutoring service. This dissertation used a multiple-case study design (Merriam, 1998, 2009; Yin, 2009) to ascertain which features…

  4. Assessing Online Collaboration among Language Teachers: A Cross-Institutional Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnold, Nike; Ducate, Lara; Lomicka, Lara; Lord, Gillian

    2009-01-01

    This paper focuses on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) among foreign language (FL) graduate students from three universities, who worked together to create a wiki. In order to investigate the nature of CSCL among participants, this qualitative case study used the Curtis and Lawson framework (2001) to conduct a content analysis of…

  5. Managing the Quality of Cross-Border Higher Education in Zimbabwe

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garwe, Evelyn Chiyevo

    2015-01-01

    A study on investigating the issues of quality associated with cross-border higher education was carried out using the case study approach focusing on Zimbabwe. The methodology involved document analysis of the cases of regulation and accreditation of cross-border higher education providers and assessment of qualifications acquired from foreign…

  6. Catholic School Principals' Leadership Perspectives in Lebanon: A Case Study of Mount Lebanon

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Younes, Jean Eias

    2011-01-01

    This qualitative case study investigated the leadership perspectives of 13 Lebanese Catholic school principals and 4 educational leaders in the Governorate of Mount Lebanon via personal interviews, observations, and documents. It focused on whether Catholic school principals are able to act as revolutionary or transformational change agents to…

  7. Investigating Coherence among Turkish Elementary Science Teachers' Teaching Belief Systems, Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bahcivan, Eralp; Cobern, William W.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated comprehensive science teaching belief systems and their relation to science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and teaching practices. Rokeach's (1968) belief system was used as a framework for representing the hierarchy among in-service teachers' teaching beliefs. This study employed a multiple case study design with…

  8. Chickenpox outbreak in a tribal and industrial zone from the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, India.

    PubMed

    Vaidya, S R; Tilavat, S M; Kumbhar, N S; Kamble, M B

    2018-03-01

    During 9th December 2016 and 12th February 2017, 149-chickenpox cases were reported in a tribal and industrial zone of Rakholi (n = 80) and Surangi (n = 69) villages from Union Territory of India. An epidemiological investigation was performed to assess the characteristics and determinants of the chickenpox outbreak. Overall, the attack rate per 100 population in Rakholi village (n = 1757) was 4.5% and 19.1% in Surangi village (n = 360). Ages of the cases were ranged from 6 months to 55 years and there were 53 females and 96 males. For the laboratory investigations, 25 serum samples, three urine specimens, three throat swabs and six blister/skin swabs were collected from 37-suspected chickenpox cases. Altogether, 30-suspected cases were laboratory confirmed by either IgM EIA or varicella zoster virus (VZV) DNA PCR. Both VZV-specific IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in 19-suspected cases. Two suspected cases showed the presence of VZV-specific IgG antibodies but not IgM antibodies. On the contrary, three suspected cases showed VZV-specific IgM but not IgG antibodies. Overall, 31 of 37-suspected cases (including one equivocal case) were laboratory confirmed. The partial sequencing of ORF-28 gene of VZV revealed circulation of clade-1 viruses. In conclusion, this investigation provides detail information about the chickenpox outbreak in the tribal and industrial setting from India. Furthermore, the study emphasises the need to investigate more chickenpox outbreaks in different parts of India.

  9. Case-control study of multiple chemical sensitivity, comparing haematology, biochemistry, vitamins and serum volatile organic compound measures.

    PubMed

    Baines, Cornelia Johanna; McKeown-Eyssen, Gail Elizabeth; Riley, Nicole; Cole, David Edward C; Marshall, Lynn; Loescher, Barry; Jazmaji, Vartouhi

    2004-09-01

    Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), although poorly understood, is associated with considerable morbidity. To investigate potential biological mechanisms underlying MCS in a case-control study. Two hundred and twenty-three MCS cases and 194 controls (urban females, aged 30-64 years) fulfilled reproducible eligibility criteria with discriminant validity. Routine laboratory results and serum levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were compared. Dose-response relationships, a criterion for causality, were examined linking exposures to likelihood of case status. Routine laboratory investigations revealed clinically unimportant case-control differences in means. Confounder-adjusted odds ratios (OR) showed MCS was negatively associated with lymphocyte count and total plasma homocysteine, positively associated with mean cell haemoglobin concentration, alanine aminotransferase and serum vitamin B6, and not associated with thyroid stimulating hormone, folate or serum vitamin B12. More cases than controls had detectable serum chloroform (P = 0.001) with the OR for detectability 2.78 (95% confidence interval = 1.73-4.48, P < 0.001). Chloroform levels were higher in cases. However, cases had significantly lower means of detectable serum levels of ethylbenzene, m&p-xylene, 3-methylpentane and hexane, and means of all serum levels of 1,3,5- and 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, 2- and 3-methylpentane, and m&p-xylene. Our findings are inconsistent with proposals that MCS is associated with vitamin deficiency or thyroid dysfunction, but the association of lower lymphocyte counts with an increased likelihood of MCS is consistent with theories of immune dysfunction in MCS. Whether avoidance of exposures or different metabolic pathways in cases explain the observed lower VOC levels or the higher chloroform levels should be investigated.

  10. The Expanded Core Curriculum at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ringwalt, Gail Mulholland

    2013-01-01

    This case study investigated how the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) was taught to high school students who are blind or visually impaired at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI). The study focused on three students pursing different academic tracks with varying degrees of vision. The students were observed throughout…

  11. Mathematics Teacher Candidates' Skills of Using Multiple Representations for Division of Fractions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biber, Abdullah Çagri

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is to reveal teacher candidates' preference regarding uses of verbal, symbolic, number line, and/or model representations of fraction divisions, and to investigate their skill of transferring from one representation type to the others. Case study was used as the research method in this study. The case that is examined within…

  12. Exploring the Factors That Influence Female Students' Decision to (Not) Enrol in Elective Physical Education: A Private School Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kiley, Jill; Robinson, Daniel Bruce

    2016-01-01

    This article presents the results from a qualitative case study that examined the influencers upon a somewhat unique group of female students who opted out of elective physical education (PE). More specifically, this study focused upon female students attending an affluent private school, investigating why--when they transitioned from middle…

  13. Using Information Communication Technologies to Develop Dynamic Curriculum Frameworks for Diverse Cohorts: A Case Study from Event Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hadley, Bree Jamila

    2012-01-01

    This article investigates the role of information communication technologies (ICTs) in establishing a well-aligned, authentic learning environment for a diverse cohort of non-cognate and cognate students studying event management in a higher education context. Based on a case study which examined the way ICTs assisted in accommodating diverse…

  14. Formative Postgraduate Assessment: A Comparative Case Study Using a University in the USA and One in South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friedrich-Nel, Hesta; Mac Kinnon, Joyce

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate formative postgraduate assessment from an international perspective while acknowledging the two countries' differing cultures and environments. Using a case study approach, data were collected from research supervisors of postgraduate work at a university in the United States (USA) and a university in…

  15. Expanding Our Vision of Museum Education and Perception: An Analysis of Three Case Studies of Independent Blind Arts Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayhoe, Simon

    2013-01-01

    In this study, Simon Hayhoe investigates the experiences of blind museum visitors in the context of the relationships between the artworks they learned about in museums, those they experienced when younger, and the social, cultural, and emotional influences of their museum experiences. The three case studies he presents support his hypothesis…

  16. A Case Study on the Professional Development of Elementary Teachers Related to Brain Research and the Strategies Used to Help Struggling Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Denton, Valerie R.

    2010-01-01

    This case study examined the impact of classroom interventions for struggling readers as changed/improved by teachers who participated in ongoing professional development on brain research studies. It investigated how teachers' knowledge of brain research impacted their instruction and the interventions they implemented in elementary classrooms.…

  17. A Case Study of Progressing Geography Fieldwork Skills over Years 7-10

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woolhouse, Julian

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates the teaching of fieldwork skills over the course of a student's geography education from Years 7 to 10. Relevant research is considered, and findings and discussion are drawn from a case study of the fieldwork program at an independent school in Melbourne. The rationale for this study is that a geography teacher will be…

  18. Experiences of Leaders in One Texas School District Integrating Social Media as a Communication Medium: Bounded Phenomenological Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Bradley D.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this bounded phenomenological case study was to investigate the experiences of leaders in one Texas school district integrating social media into communication practices. The participants in this study were twelve campus leaders, four district level leaders, and the superintendent of schools. The focus groups consisted of three…

  19. Critical Success Factors for an Effective Security Risk Management Program in an Organization: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zafar, Humayun

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates differences in perception between layers of management (executive, middle, and lower) and staff with regard to the influence of critical success factors (CSFs) on security risk management (SRM) effectiveness. This is an in-depth case study conducted at a Fortune 500 company. Rockart's (1979) CSF method is modified through…

  20. San Junior Secondary Students' Home-School Literacy Disconnection: A Case Study of a Remote Area Dweller School in Botswana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ketsitlile, Lone Elizabeth

    2011-01-01

    The study investigated how San students of Botswana, in a junior community secondary school, understood literacy in school and at home. A qualitative, narrative case study approach was used to gain a deeper understanding of what students value and understand by literacy from co-participants' and informants' perspectives. Findings across…

  1. The Subtlety of Age, Gender, and Race Barriers: A Case Study of Early Career African American Female Principals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jean-Marie, Gaetane

    2013-01-01

    While all educational leaders face challenges in achieving success, African American female principals often face a unique set of challenges associated with the complexity of their gender, race, and, as examined in this study, age. This case study investigates the experiences of two highly visible, early career African American female principals…

  2. School and Community, Community and School: A Case Study of a Rural Missouri Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franklin, Melia K.

    2011-01-01

    How do a school and a community interact? This question guided this dissertation examining one rural school and community. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the relationship between the rural Marceline R-V School District (a K-12 school system) and its community, Marceline, Missouri. The framework for this study included the…

  3. A Case Study of E-Tutors' Teaching Practice: Does Technology Drive Pedagogy?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chuang, Hsueh-Hua

    2013-01-01

    This article presents a case study of e-tutoring teaching practice during a 20-week e-tutoring program aimed at improving the English proficiency of targeted students. The study revealed what and why certain online tools were used by e-tutors and investigated how different technological proficiency and face-to-face (f2f) teaching experience shaped…

  4. A Case Study to Evaluate Balance Training with Movement Test Items and through Teaching Observation: Beyond Specificity and Transfer of Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kluwe, Margret; Miyahara, Motohide; Heveldt, Kate

    2012-01-01

    Background: Specificity and transfer of learning have been examined in experimental studies. However, their findings may not be relevant to practitioners because of the difference between the experiment conditions and teaching situations. This case study investigates the theoretical issue of specificity vs. transfer of learning by conducting…

  5. Addressing Gender-Based Violence at Schools for Learners with Intellectual Disability in Gauteng, South Africa: A Multiple Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phasha, T. N.; Nyokangi, D.

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports part of the findings of the study which investigated sexual violence at two schools catering specifically for learners with mild intellectual disability in Gauteng Province. It looks particularly on participants' suggestions for addressing sexual violence in such school. A multiple case study within the qualitative research…

  6. The Relationship between Pedagogical Beliefs and Teacher Efficacy: A Case Study of Chinese Foreign Language Teachers in Texas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, I-Chun

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated an emerging language learning culture by examining the relationship between teachers' pedagogical beliefs and perceived efficacy in two cities in southern Texas. Drawing on Bandura's (1994) theory of self-efficacy and Ashton and Webb's (1986) notions about teacher efficacy, a multi-sited case study was conducted to explore…

  7. Social Factors for Code-Switching in Tunisian Business Companies: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baoueb, Lamia Bach

    2009-01-01

    Although the literature on CS between Arabic and French in different bilingual speech communities is wide, few studies have dealt with the Tunisian context and no previous work has ever been done on the Tunisian business sector as a specific group using more than one pair of languages to communicate. This case study investigates the variety of…

  8. Developing a Disruptive Innovation in U.S. Higher Education: A Case Study of Competency-Based Education at College for America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen, Sarah Elizabeth Wilson

    2016-01-01

    Direct assessment competency-based education (CBE) is an online, self-directed learning innovation that is disrupting higher education. This study examined the development and early diffusion of direct assessment CBE at a private, nonprofit university. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the presence of organizational factors and the…

  9. A Multiple Case Study: The Effect of Professional Development on Teachers' Perceived Ability to Foster Resilience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klinger, Mary A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the effect of professional development on teachers' perceptions of their ability to foster resilience. Secondary questions investigated the effects of school level and socioeconomic status. An exploratory multi-site case study was designed to compare the perceptions of educators from…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koutsoukos, Marios; Mouratidis, Antonios

    2016-01-01

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

  11. The Effect of Case Teaching on Meaningful and Retentive Learning When Studying Genetic Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Güccük, Ahmet; Köksal, Mustafa Serdar

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of case teaching on how students learn about genetic engineering, in terms of meaningful learning and retention of learning. The study was designed as quasi-experimental research including 63 8th graders (28 boys and 35 girls). To collect data, genetic engineering achievement tests were…

  12. Role of U.S. animal control agencies in equine neglect, cruelty, and abandonment investigations.

    PubMed

    Stull, C L; Holcomb, K E

    2014-05-01

    Every state in the United States has regulations prohibiting acts of neglect and cruelty against animals. Local law enforcement and animal control agencies are responsible in many communities to enforce these statutes. As society's perception of horses has changed from their origin as livestock to companion animals in modern times, owners have transitioned their care and management. The goal of this study was to identify the role and capacities of local animal control services in the United States that investigate equine neglect, cruelty, and abandonment investigations and to identify challenges and outcomes of the investigations. A 128-question online survey was accessible for animal agencies to complete. Comprehensive questions included their capacity for investigating equine cases, funding, housing for horses, and causes and outcomes of investigations. Respondents also were asked to select a single case and provide detailed information on the condition of horses, seizure and custody procedures, costs, and prosecution proceedings. A total of 165 respondents from 26 states completed all or the majority of the questions. A total of 6,864 equine investigations were initiated between 2007 and 2009 by 90 agencies, which extrapolates to 38 investigations annually per agency. A typical agency has an average annual budget of $740,000, employs 7 animal control officers, and spends about $10,000 annually on equine cases. Neglect was ranked as the most common reason for investigation. Owner ignorance, economic hardship, and lack of responsibility were the highest ranked causes of neglect and cruelty. Individual cases were provided by 91 agencies concerning 749 equines. The physical condition of the horse was the primary factor of investigation, and low body condition, parasite infestation, and compromised dental condition were present in most seized horses. Over half of the equine owners previously had been investigated or charged with neglect or cruelty of animals or were identified with cruelty or abuse offenses to people. Less than 3% of the cases advanced to adjudication, and these were likely to be decided by a judge rather than a jury. Judgments of guilty verdicts and pleas were 9 times more common than acquittal. Challenges for equine investigations cases included lack of funding, limited availability of facilities for horses, and providing educational materials for horse owners to aid in prevention and resolution of neglect cases.

  13. The Use of Tablets Distributed within the Scope of FATIH Project for Education in Turkey (Is FATIH Project a Fiasco or a Technological Revolution?)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isci, Tugce Gamze; Demir, Selcuk Besir

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to profoundly investigate the usage of tablets distributed within the scope of FATIH Project in Turkey in terms of teacher views. The study was conducted with case study design, which is one of the qualitative study methods. The participants in the study were determined using critical case sampling. Data was collected using…

  14. Qualitative case study methodology in nursing research: an integrative review.

    PubMed

    Anthony, Susan; Jack, Susan

    2009-06-01

    This paper is a report of an integrative review conducted to critically analyse the contemporary use of qualitative case study methodology in nursing research. Increasing complexity in health care and increasing use of case study in nursing research support the need for current examination of this methodology. In 2007, a search for case study research (published 2005-2007) indexed in the CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Sociological Abstracts and SCOPUS databases was conducted. A sample of 42 case study research papers met the inclusion criteria. Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review method guided the analysis. Confusion exists about the name, nature and use of case study. This methodology, including terminology and concepts, is often invisible in qualitative study titles and abstracts. Case study is an exclusive methodology and an adjunct to exploring particular aspects of phenomena under investigation in larger or mixed-methods studies. A high quality of case study exists in nursing research. Judicious selection and diligent application of literature review methods promote the development of nursing science. Case study is becoming entrenched in the nursing research lexicon as a well-accepted methodology for studying phenomena in health and social care, and its growing use warrants continued appraisal to promote nursing knowledge development. Attention to all case study elements, process and publication is important in promoting authenticity, methodological quality and visibility.

  15. Birth order and sibship size: evaluation of the role of selection bias in a case-control study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Mensah, F K; Willett, E V; Simpson, J; Smith, A G; Roman, E

    2007-09-15

    Substantial heterogeneity has been observed among case-control studies investigating associations between non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and familial characteristics, such as birth order and sibship size. The potential role of selection bias in explaining such heterogeneity is considered within this study. Selection bias according to familial characteristics and socioeconomic status is investigated within a United Kingdom-based case-control study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed during 1998-2001. Reported distributions of birth order and maternal age are each compared with expected reference distributions derived using national birth statistics from the United Kingdom. A method is detailed in which yearly data are used to derive expected distributions, taking account of variability in birth statistics over time. Census data are used to reweight both the case and control study populations such that they are comparable with the general population with regard to socioeconomic status. The authors found little support for an association between non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and birth order or family size and little evidence for an influence of selection bias. However, the findings suggest that between-study heterogeneity could be explained by selection biases that influence the demographic characteristics of participants.

  16. Biochemical studies on hepatic involvement in infectious mononucleosis

    PubMed Central

    Baron, D. N.; Bell, Joyce L.; Dunnet, W. N.

    1965-01-01

    Eighty cases of infectious mononucleosis have been investigated by serum enzyme studies and other liver function tests. Maximum abnormalities occurred between the second and fourth weeks of illness and all tests were usually normal by the sixth week. Serum isocitric dehydrogenase activity was increased in 93% of cases and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase in 74%. Conventional liver function tests were less sensitive. Serum bilirubin was above normal in 40% of cases; in 17% of cases the increase was sufficient to show as clinical jaundice. No patient has developed chronic hepatitis. PMID:14276157

  17. Multi-phase post-mortem CT-angiography: a pathologic correlation study on cardiovascular sudden death

    PubMed Central

    Turillazzi, Emanuela; Frati, Paola; Pascale, Natascha; Pomara, Cristoforo; Grilli, Giampaolo; Viola, Rocco Valerio; Fineschi, Vittorio

    2016-01-01

    Multi-phase post-mortem CT-angiography (MPMCTA) has the great potential to increase the quality of the post-mortem investigation, especially in the area of sudden death; however, its role as routine complement to the pathology toolbox is still questioned as it needs to be further standardized. The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of MPMCTA in cases of sudden unexplained death in adults and in particular in sudden cardiovascular death. Sixty-eight sudden unexpected deaths of adults were investigated at our institution between 2012 and 2013. Ten cases underwent MPMCTA and autopsy and were included in the study. Before the angiographic step by complete filling of the vascular system, prior to any manipulation of the body, a non-contrast CT-scan was carried out. Image reconstructions were performed on a CT workstation (Vitrea) and two radiologists experienced with post mortem imaging interpreted the MPMCTA findings. In all 10 cases, we could state a good correlation between combination of post-mortem CT and MPMCTA and autopsy procedures, confirming a high diagnostic sensitivity. With this case series we want to illustrate the advantages offered by performing MPMCTA when facing a sudden death, regardless of specific suspicion for acute coronary syndrome or other vascular or ischemic disease. PMID:27928228

  18. PCMO L01-Setting Specifications for Biological Investigational Medicinal Products.

    PubMed

    Krause, Stephan O

    2015-01-01

    This paper provides overall guidance and best practices for the setting of specifications for clinical biological drug substances and drug products within the framework of ICH guidelines on pharmaceutical development [Q8(R2) and Q11], quality risk management (Q9), and quality systems (Q10). A review is provided of the current regulatory expectations for the specification setting process as part of a control strategy during product development, pointing to existing challenges for the investigational new drug/investigational medicinal product dossier (IND/IMPD) sponsor. A case study illustrates how the investigational medicinal product specification revision process can be managed within a flexible quality system, and how specifications can be set and justified for early and late development stages. This paper provides an overview for the setting of product specifications for investigational medicinal products used in clinical trials. A case study illustrates how product specifications of investigational medicinal products can be justified and managed within a modern product quality system. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

  19. Research on a New Method of Estimating the Potential Depth of Slope Failure Using the Airborne Electromagnetic Survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seto, Shuji; Takahara, Teruyoshi; Kinoshita, Atsuhiko; Mizuno, Hideaki; Kawato, Katsushi; Okumura, Minoru; Kageura, Ryouta

    2017-04-01

    In Japan, at Ontake volcano in 1984 and Kurikoma volcano in 2008, parts of the volcanoes collapsed and large-scale sediment-related disasters occurred. These disasters were unrelated to volcanic eruption directly. We conducted the case studies by using the airborne electromagnetic surveys to investigate the slopes likely to induce landslides on such volcanoes. The airborne electromagnetic surveys are the effective exploration tool when we investigate in extreme environments that person can't enter and it's necessary to investigate with wide range by a short time. The surveys were conducted by using a helicopter carrying the survey instruments; this method of non-contact investigation acquires resistivity data by the electromagnetic induction. In Japan, the surveys were conducted of 15 active volcanoes where volcanic disasters could have serious social implications. These cases focused on the seeking for the possible slopes that landslides would occur. However, the depth of the slope failure was not evaluated. Therefore in the study, we proposed a new method to determine the potential depth of slope failure. First, we categorized the three characteristics as the cap rock type, the extended collapse type, and the landslide type on the basis of collapsed cases and paid attention to the slope of the cap rock type and also defined the collapse range based on the topography and geological properties. Second, we analyzed resistivity structure about collapsed cases with the differential filter and made clear that collapse occurred in the depth which resistivity suddenly changes. In other volcanoes, we could estimate failure depth by extracting the part which resistivity suddenly changes. In the study, we use the three volcanoes as the main cases, Hokkaido Komagatake, Asama Volcano, and Ontake volcano.

  20. Workplace violence investigations and activation of the threat management teams in a multinational corporation.

    PubMed

    Peek-Asa, Corinne; Casteel, Carri; Rugala, Eugene; Romano, Steve; Ramirez, Marizen

    2013-11-01

    We examined threat management investigations conducted by a large multinational company. The company provided a database, removing any identifiers, of investigations by the corporate Threat Management Teams in 2009 and 2010. Rates were calculated using worker population data. During the 2-year study period, the company investigated threat management cases at a rate of 13.9 per 10,000 employees per year. Cases that activated a Threat Management Team were more likely to lead to corrective action (odds ratio = 2.0; 95% confidence interval = 1.08 to 3.87) and referral to the Employee Assistance Program (odds ratio = 4.8; 95% confidence interval = 3.00 to 7.77), but were not related to likelihood of termination. When the multidisciplinary teams were involved, cases were more likely to result in some type of action but were not more likely to lead to termination.

  1. Facilitating Employees' and Students' Process towards Nascent Entrepreneurship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hietanen, Lenita

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate a model for facilitating employees' and full-time, non-business students' entrepreneurial capabilities during their optional entrepreneurship studies at one Finnish Open University. Design/methodology/approach: The case study investigates the course in which transitions from employees or…

  2. Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with consumption of ground beef, June-July 2002.

    PubMed

    Vogt, Richard L; Dippold, Laura

    2005-01-01

    A case-control and environmental study tested the hypothesis that purchasing and eating ground beef from a specific source was the cause of a cluster of cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 gastroenteritis. A case-control study comparing risk factors was conducted over the telephone on nine case-patients with 23 selected controls. An environmental investigation was conducted that consisted of reviewing beef handling practices at a specific local supermarket and obtaining ground beef samples from the store and two households with case-patients. The analysis of the case-control study showed that eight case-patients (89%) purchased ground beef at Grocery Chain A compared with four controls who did not develop illness (17%) (matched odds ratio=undefined; 95% confidence interval 2.8, infinity; p=0.006). The environmental investigation showed that Grocery Chain A received meat from Meatpacker A. Laboratory analysis of meat samples from Meatpacker A and Grocery Chain A and stool samples from some patients recovered an identical strain of E. coli O157:H7 according to pulse-field gel electrophoresis. Both the case-control and environmental studies showed that purchasing ground beef at Grocery Chain A, which received ground beef from Meatpacker A, was the major risk factor for illness in eight case-patients; the ninth case-patient was found to be unrelated to the outbreak. Furthermore, meat from Meatpacker A was associated with a nationwide outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illness that resulted in the second largest recall of beef in U.S. history at the time.

  3. Allergies and risk of head and neck cancer: an original study plus meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Hsiao, Jenn-Ren; Ou, Chun-Yen; Lo, Hung-I; Huang, Cheng-Chih; Lee, Wei-Ting; Huang, Jehn-Shyun; Chen, Ken-Chung; Wong, Tung-Yiu; Tsai, Sen-Tien; Yen, Chia-Jui; Wu, Yuan-Hua; Hsueh, Wei-Ting; Yang, Ming-Wei; Wu, Shang-Yin; Chang, Jang-Yang; Chang, Kwang-Yu; Lin, Chen-Lin; Wang, Fang-Ting; Wang, Yi-Hui; Weng, Ya-Ling; Yang, Han-Chien; Chang, Jeffrey S

    2013-01-01

    Although the relationship between allergy and cancer has been investigated extensively, the role of allergy in head and neck cancer (HNC) appears less consistent. It is not clear whether allergies can independently influence the risk of HNC in the presence of known strong environmental risk factors, including consumption of alcohol, betel quid, and cigarette. THE CURRENT PAPER REPORTS RESULTS FROM: 1) an original hospital-based case-control study, which included 252 incident cases of HNC and 236 controls frequency-matched to cases on sex and age; and 2) a meta-analysis combining the results of the current case-control study and 13 previously published studies (9 cohort studies with 727,569 subjects and 550 HNC outcomes and 5 case-control studies with 4,017 HNC cases and 10,928 controls). In the original case-control study, we observed a strong inverse association between allergies and HNC [odds ratio = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27-0.62]. The meta-analysis also indicated a statistically significant inverse association between HNC and allergies [meta-relative risk (RR) = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63-0.91], particularly strong for allergic rhinitis (meta-RR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40-0.76). In addition, the inverse association between allergies and HNC was observed only among men (meta-RR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.54-0.84) but not among women (meta-RR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.81-1.18). These findings suggest that immunity plays an influential role in the risk of HNC. Future studies investigating immune biomarkers, including cytokine profiles and genetic polymorphisms, are warranted to further delineate the relationship between allergies and HNC. Understanding the relationship between allergies and HNC may help devise effective strategies to reduce and treat HNC.

  4. Incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in Shimokita, Japan, from 1989 to 1998.

    PubMed

    Ohkuma, Hiroki; Fujita, Seiichiroh; Suzuki, Shigeharu

    2002-01-01

    The incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been investigated in many studies. A recent study in Izumo, Japan, indicates that the incidence of SAH is as high as that in Finland. The purpose of this study was to confirm the high incidence of SAH in Japan. The incidence rate of SAH was investigated from 1989 through 1998 in the Shimokita peninsula, which is a clearly defined closed-boundary area in northern Japan with a population of 89 991. The registration was based on the complete referral system of SAH patients. All cases suspected of SAH underwent CT scan, and the images were referred to stroke specialists. The moribund cases and dead-on-arrival cases suspected of SAH also underwent CT scan. From 1989 through 1998, 198 cases were diagnosed as having aneurysmal SAH. Out of these, 26 cases were moribund or dead when the initial CT scan was performed. The age-adjusted annual incidence of SAH was 21 per 100 000 person-years. The age and sex distribution of the cases indicated that the incidence plateaued after age 45 in men and the incidence increased after age 45 and reached the peak after 75 years in women. The high incidence of SAH in Japan is confirmed. The incidence of SAH obtained in this study is near to that of the Izumo study, of which the size of the geographic region and denominator and diagnostic criteria were similar to this study.

  5. Anticonvulsants to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hee Ryung; Woo, Young Sup; Bahk, Won-Myong

    2014-09-01

    We reviewed the existing literature on the efficacy of anticonvulsants in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. We performed a literature search using PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane database on 30 September 2013. Randomized,controlled studies that investigated the efficacy of anticonvulsants for post-traumatic stress disorder were included in this review. Studies with retrospective designs, case reports and case series were excluded. A total of seven studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Three studies used topiramate with negative findings regarding its efficacy. Two studies used divalproex, both of which failed to show superiority over placebo. One study used lamotrigine, with favourable results, and one study used tiagabine, with negative results. Future long-term studies with larger sample sizes are needed to investigate the clinical utility of anticonvulsants for posttraumatic stress disorder treatment.

  6. Characteristics and clinical assessment of unexplained sudden cardiac arrest in the real-world setting: focus on idiopathic ventricular fibrillation

    PubMed Central

    Waldmann, Victor; Bougouin, Wulfran; Karam, Nicole; Dumas, Florence; Sharifzadehgan, Ardalan; Gandjbakhch, Estelle; Algalarrondo, Vincent; Narayanan, Kumar; Zhao, Alexandre; Amet, Denis; Jost, Daniel; Geri, Guillaume; Lamhaut, Lionel; Beganton, Frankie; Ludes, Bertrand; Bruneval, Patrick; Plu, Isabelle; Hidden-Lucet, Françoise; Albuisson, Juliette; Lavergne, Thomas; Piot, Olivier; Alonso, Christine; Leenhardt, Antoine; Lellouche, Nicolas; Extramiana, Fabrice; Cariou, Alain; Jouven, Xavier; Marijon, Eloi

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Aims Recent studies have shown that in more than half of apparently unexplained sudden cardiac arrests (SCA), a specific aetiology can be unmasked by a careful evaluation. The characteristics and the extent to which such cases undergo a systematic thorough investigation in real-life practice are unknown. Methods and results Data were analysed from an ongoing study, collecting all cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Paris area. Investigations performed during the index hospitalization or planned after discharge were gathered to evaluate the completeness of assessment of unexplained SCA. Between 2011 and 2016, among the 18 622 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, 717 survivors (at hospital discharge) fulfilled the definition of cardiac SCA. Of those, 88 (12.3%) remained unexplained after electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and coronary angiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging yielded the diagnosis in 25 (3.5%) cases, other investigations accounted for 14 (2.4%) additional diagnoses, and 49 (6.8%) patients were labelled as idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) (48.7 ± 15 years, 69.4% male). Among those labelled IVF, only 8 (16.3%) cases benefited from a complete workup (including pharmacological testing). Younger patients [odds ratio (OR) 6.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.80–22.26] and those admitted to university centres (OR 3.60, 95% CI 1.12–12.45) were more thoroughly investigated. Genetic testing and family screening were initiated in only 9 (18.4%) and 12 (24.5%) cases, respectively. Conclusion Our findings suggest that complete investigations are carried out in a very low proportion of unexplained SCA. Standardized, systematic approaches need to be implemented to ensure that opportunities for specific therapies and preventive strategies (including relatives) are not missed. PMID:29566157

  7. Characteristics and clinical assessment of unexplained sudden cardiac arrest in the real-world setting: focus on idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.

    PubMed

    Waldmann, Victor; Bougouin, Wulfran; Karam, Nicole; Dumas, Florence; Sharifzadehgan, Ardalan; Gandjbakhch, Estelle; Algalarrondo, Vincent; Narayanan, Kumar; Zhao, Alexandre; Amet, Denis; Jost, Daniel; Geri, Guillaume; Lamhaut, Lionel; Beganton, Frankie; Ludes, Bertrand; Bruneval, Patrick; Plu, Isabelle; Hidden-Lucet, Françoise; Albuisson, Juliette; Lavergne, Thomas; Piot, Olivier; Alonso, Christine; Leenhardt, Antoine; Lellouche, Nicolas; Extramiana, Fabrice; Cariou, Alain; Jouven, Xavier; Marijon, Eloi

    2018-06-01

    Recent studies have shown that in more than half of apparently unexplained sudden cardiac arrests (SCA), a specific aetiology can be unmasked by a careful evaluation. The characteristics and the extent to which such cases undergo a systematic thorough investigation in real-life practice are unknown. Data were analysed from an ongoing study, collecting all cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Paris area. Investigations performed during the index hospitalization or planned after discharge were gathered to evaluate the completeness of assessment of unexplained SCA. Between 2011 and 2016, among the 18 622 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, 717 survivors (at hospital discharge) fulfilled the definition of cardiac SCA. Of those, 88 (12.3%) remained unexplained after electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and coronary angiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging yielded the diagnosis in 25 (3.5%) cases, other investigations accounted for 14 (2.4%) additional diagnoses, and 49 (6.8%) patients were labelled as idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) (48.7 ± 15 years, 69.4% male). Among those labelled IVF, only 8 (16.3%) cases benefited from a complete workup (including pharmacological testing). Younger patients [odds ratio (OR) 6.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.80-22.26] and those admitted to university centres (OR 3.60, 95% CI 1.12-12.45) were more thoroughly investigated. Genetic testing and family screening were initiated in only 9 (18.4%) and 12 (24.5%) cases, respectively. Our findings suggest that complete investigations are carried out in a very low proportion of unexplained SCA. Standardized, systematic approaches need to be implemented to ensure that opportunities for specific therapies and preventive strategies (including relatives) are not missed.

  8. Investigating a cluster of Legionnaires' cases: public health implications.

    PubMed

    Carr, R; Warren, R; Towers, L; Bartholomew, A; Duggal, H V; Rehman, Y; Harrison, T G; Olowokure, B

    2010-06-01

    To describe the multidisciplinary investigation and management of a rapidly increasing number of cases of Legionnaires' disease in the North Shropshire area, UK during August 2006. Epidemiological and environmental investigation of a cluster of cases of Legionnaires' disease. Outbreak investigation included: agreeing case definitions; case finding; epidemiological survey; identification and environmental investigation of potential sources; microbiological analysis of clinical and environmental samples; mapping the location of potential sources; and the movement and residence of cases. Three cases of Legionnaires' disease were admitted to a local hospital between 30 and 31 August 2006. Two of these cases were Shropshire residents, with the third living in Wales. A fourth case was also identified which, it was thought, may have been linked to this cluster as the patient had a history of travel to the same area as the two Shropshire residents. Over the next few weeks, three more cases were identified, two of whom were admitted to hospital. Subsequent detailed environmental, epidemiological and microbiological investigation did not support the hypothesis that any of these cases could be linked to a common source. The results of this investigation strongly suggest that a single source was not responsible for the cluster, and it was concluded that this incident was a pseudo-outbreak. This investigation serves as a reminder that clusters can and do occur, and that an apparent outbreak may be a collection of sporadic cases distinguishable only by rigorous epidemiological, environmental and microbiological investigation. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. The effect of banning MDPV on the incidence of MDPV-positive findings among users of illegal drugs and on court decisions in traffic cases in Finland.

    PubMed

    Kriikku, Pirkko; Rintatalo, Janne; Pihlainen, Katja; Hurme, Jukka; Ojanperä, Ilkka

    2015-07-01

    In this study, we sought to determine what impact the banning of 3, 4- methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) had on the incidence of MDPV-positive findings and on user profiles in driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and postmortem (PM) investigations in Finland. All MDPV-positive cases and a selection of corresponding court cases between 2009 and 2012 were examined. The median serum concentration of MDPV in DUID cases was 0.030 mg/L and in PM blood 0.12 mg/L. The number of MDPV-positive cases decreased both in DUID and PM investigations after the drug was banned. The decrease in the mean monthly numbers of MDPV-positive DUID cases was 51.1%. In court cases, MDPV was rarely mentioned until banned and frequently mentioned thereafter. Of the convicted, 37% were without a fixed abode, 98% had other charges besides that of DUID, and 13% appeared in the study material more than once. In MDPV-positive PM cases, the proportion of suicides was very high (24%). Research on new psychoactive substances is required not only to support banning decisions but more importantly to be able to provide a scientific assessment of the risks of these new substances to the public and potential users.

  10. Mobile phone use and the risk for malignant brain tumors: a case-control study on deceased cases and controls.

    PubMed

    Hardell, Lennart; Carlberg, Michael; Hansson Mild, Kjell

    2010-08-01

    We investigated the use of mobile or cordless phones and the risk for malignant brain tumors in a group of deceased cases. Most previous studies have either left out deceased cases of brain tumors or matched them to living controls and therefore a study matching deceased cases to deceased controls is warranted. Recall error is one issue since it has been claimed that increased risks reported in some studies could be due to cases blaming mobile phones as a cause of the disease. This should be of less importance for deceased cases and if cancer controls are used. In this study brain tumor cases aged 20-80 years diagnosed during 1997-2003 that had died before inclusion in our previous studies on the same topic were included. Two control groups were used: one with controls that had died from another type of cancer than brain tumor and one with controls that had died from other diseases. Exposure was assessed by a questionnaire sent to the next-of-kin for both cases and controls. Replies were obtained for 346 (75%) cases, 343 (74%) cancer controls and 276 (60%) controls with other diseases. Use of mobile phones gave an increased risk, highest in the >10 years' latency group yielding odds ratio (OR) = 2.4, and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.4-4.1. The risk increased with cumulative number of lifetime hours for use, and was highest in the >2,000 h group (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.6-7.1). No clear association was found for use of cordless phones, although OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 0.8-3.4 was found in the group with >2,000 h of cumulative use. This investigation confirmed our previous results of an association between mobile phone use and malignant brain tumors. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. Auditory and communicative abilities in the auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder and mutation in the Otoferlin gene: clinical cases study.

    PubMed

    Costa, Nayara Thais de Oliveira; Martinho-Carvalho, Ana Claudia; Cunha, Maria Claudia; Lewis, Doris Ruthi

    2012-01-01

    This study had the aim to investigate the auditory and communicative abilities of children diagnosed with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder due to mutation in the Otoferlin gene. It is a descriptive and qualitative study in which two siblings with this diagnosis were assessed. The procedures conducted were: speech perception tests for children with profound hearing loss, and assessment of communication abilities using the Behavioral Observation Protocol. Because they were siblings, the subjects in the study shared family and communicative context. However, they developed different communication abilities, especially regarding the use of oral language. The study showed that the Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder is a heterogeneous condition in all its aspects, and it is not possible to make generalizations or assume that cases with similar clinical features will develop similar auditory and communicative abilities, even when they are siblings. It is concluded that the acquisition of communicative abilities involves subjective factors, which should be investigated based on the uniqueness of each case.

  12. Novel application of three-dimensional technologies in a case of dismemberment.

    PubMed

    Baier, Waltraud; Norman, Danielle G; Warnett, Jason M; Payne, Mark; Harrison, Nigel P; Hunt, Nicholas C A; Burnett, Brian A; Williams, Mark A

    2017-01-01

    This case study reports the novel application of three-dimensional technologies such as micro-CT and 3D printing to the forensic investigation of a complex case of dismemberment. Micro-CT was successfully employed to virtually align severed skeletal elements found in different locations, analyse tool marks created during the dismemberment process, and virtually dissect a charred piece of evidence. High resolution 3D prints of the burnt human bone contained within were created for physical visualisation to assist the investigation team. Micro-CT as a forensic radiological method provided vital information and the basis for visualisation both during the investigation and in the subsequent trial making it one of the first examples of such technology in a UK court. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Epistemic Agency in an Environmental Sciences Watershed Investigation Fostered by Digital Photography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

    2018-01-01

    This collective case study investigates the role of digital photography to support high school students' engagement in science inquiry practices during a three-week environmental sciences unit. The study's theoretical framework brings together research from digital photography, participation in environmental science practices, and epistemic…

  14. Multimodal Representations in Senior Biology Assessments: A Case Study of NSW Australia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Rooy, Wilhelmina Sabina; Chan, Eveline

    2017-01-01

    This paper investigates the use of multimodal representations to assess biological understanding in the final senior secondary school public examination in New South Wales, Australia. The investigation emanates from a larger Australian study concerned with the impact of disciplinary and technological innovations on science pedagogy, particularly…

  15. Two Concepts of Radiation: A Case Study Investigating Existing Preconceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plotz, Thomas; Hopf, Martin

    2016-01-01

    Conceptual Change is a widely accepted theoretical framework for science education. Setting up successful learning and teaching arrangements in this framework necessarily entails including students´ preconceptions into the construction of those arrangements. In order to provide a basis for such arrangements this study investigated and explored…

  16. Understanding Learning Transfer in Employment Preparation Programmes for Adults with Low Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Maurice C.; Ayala, Gabriel E.; Pinsent-Johnson, Christine

    2009-01-01

    This Canadian study investigated how the transfer of learning occurred in an employment preparation programme for adults with low literacy skills using a multi-site case study research design. Four different programmes involving trainees, instructors and workplace supervisors participated in the investigation. Results indicated that the transfer…

  17. From Teacher to Teacher Educator: Reframing Knowledge in Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dinkelman, Todd; Margolis, Jason; Sikkenga, Karl

    2006-01-01

    This paper concludes our report of an investigation of two beginning teacher educators making the transition from classroom teacher to university-based teacher educator. The authors combined case study and self-study of teacher education practices to investigate features of the institutional context they encountered, the knowledge they employed in…

  18. The Usage of Domination Strategies in Conflicts between the Teachers and Students: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özgan, Habib

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the sources of conflict between students and teachers, how they are managed, and their effect on students and thus gain insight about student-teacher conflicts. The study is a qualitative one and has been carried out with the method of case study. The method of criterion sampling which is one of the methods…

  19. An Analysis of Minimum Service Standards (MSS) in Basic Education: A Case Study at Magelang Municipality, Central Java, Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haryati, Sri

    2014-01-01

    The study aims at analyzing the achievement of Minimum Service Standards (MSS) in Basic Education through a case study at Magelang Municipality. The findings shall be used as a starting point to predict the needs to meet MMS by 2015 and to provide strategies for achievement. Both primary and secondary data were used in the study investigating the…

  20. A Case Control Study Reveals that Polyomaviruria Is Significantly Associated with Interstitial Cystitis and Vesical Ulceration

    PubMed Central

    Winter, Benjamin J.; O'Connell, Helen E.; Bowden, Scott; Carey, Marcus; Eisen, Damon P.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To investigate whether polyomaviruses contribute to interstitial cystitis pathogenesis. Subjects and Methods A prospective study was performed with 50 interstitial cystitis cases compared with 50 age-matched, disease-free controls for the frequency of polyomaviruria. Associations between polyomaviruria and disease characteristics were analysed in cases. Polyomavirus in urine and bladder tissue was detected with species (JC virus vs. BK virus) specific, real-time PCR. Results Case patients were reflective of interstitial cystitis epidemiology with age range from 26–88 years (median 58) and female predominance (41/50 F). There was a significant increase in the frequency of polyomavirus shedding between cases and controls (p<0.02). Polyomavirus shedding, in particular BK viruria, was associated with vesical ulceration, a marker of disease severity, among interstitial cystitis cases after adjustment for age and sex (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.89–24.4). There was a significant association among cases between the presence of BK viruria and response to intravesical Clorpactin therapy (OR 4.50, 95% CI 1.17–17.4). Conclusion The presence of polyomaviruria was found to be associated with the ulcerative form of interstitial cystitis. Clorpactin, which has anti-DNA virus activity, was more likely to improve symptoms in the presence of BK viruria. These data from this pilot study suggest associations between polyomaviruria and interstitial cystitis warranting further investigation. PMID:26325074

  1. Investigation of Pertussis Cases in a Texas County, 2008-2012.

    PubMed

    Staudt, Amanda; Mangla, Anil T; Alamgir, Hasanat

    2015-07-01

    Within the past 25 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of pertussis cases in the United States. As such, this investigation reports on the high-risk groups and describes risk factors of pertussis cases in a large Texas county. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of data collected by health department employees using the Texas Department of State Health Service's Pertussis Case Track Record, which is the standard investigation form for collecting vital information on pertussis cases. We extracted and analyzed county-level data for a 5-year period (2008-2012). The study population at risk included all current residents in this county, and cases included all who were clinically diagnosed as having confirmed or probable pertussis cases that were reported to the health department according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention case definition. The vaccination status of a case was defined as fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or not vaccinated. A total of 198 probable and confirmed pertussis cases were included in this analysis. Most of the cases were infants younger than 1 year old (n = 107). The largest category of cases was not vaccinated and of the rest, 32.8% were partially vaccinated, 17.2% had unknown vaccination status, and 13.1% were fully vaccinated. Only 48 (24.2%) sources of exposure were identified and they included fathers (14.6%), sisters (14.6%), brothers (14.6%), other children (14.6%), and mothers (12.5%). Many sources of exposure (n = 26, 54.1%) were unaware of their vaccination history. Hispanics accounted for 84.5% of cases in the younger than 1 year old group and 88.9% of cases were in the 1 to 2 years old group. With respect to race/ethnicity and vaccination status of the cases, 39.46% of Hispanics, 32% of whites, and 50% of blacks were reported to be unvaccinated. Increasing pertussis vaccination coverage among children, as well as providing booster shots to adults with special attention on the Hispanic population, may prove to be an effective strategy for health departments.

  2. [Malignant mesothelioma risk factors: experience in the General Hospital of Mexico].

    PubMed

    Hernández-Solís, Alejandro; Garcia-Hernández, Cyntia; Reding-Bernal, Arturo; Cruz-Ortiz, Humberto; Cicero-Sabido, Raúl

    2013-01-01

    Malignant mesothelioma is a neoplasm of bad prognosis, it is linked with asbestos contact, but there are cases without this antecedent. To investigate the relationship of asbestos exposition and other factors with malignant mesothelioma. Retrospective analysis of histologic confirmed cases of malignant mesothelioma, neoplasic familiar history, tobacco smoking, exposure to wood smoke and to asbestos, were annotated in a paired case/control study 1: 1-3 with logistic regression model to identify risk factors for OR. 61 cases of malignant mesothelioma were confirmed by histopathologic study, 41 male and 20 female. Mean age was 56 years ± 13 years; 56 cases (91.8%) correspond to epithelial malignant mesothelioma, three sarcomatous (4.9%) one desmoplastic and one biphasic. One in eight (13.1%) had exposure to asbestos. Model of logistic regression with four variables: history of familiar cancer, tobacco smoking, wood smoke and asbestos exposition, the the last one with an OR= 3.083 and p > 0.05. No other variables found to be a risk factor for malignant mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos is a risk factor for malignant mesothelioma, which is confirmed in this study, however it is important to extend the investigation of other possible causal factors of this disease.

  3. Evaluating statistical and clinical significance of intervention effects in single-case experimental designs: an SPSS method to analyze univariate data.

    PubMed

    Maric, Marija; de Haan, Else; Hogendoorn, Sanne M; Wolters, Lidewij H; Huizenga, Hilde M

    2015-03-01

    Single-case experimental designs are useful methods in clinical research practice to investigate individual client progress. Their proliferation might have been hampered by methodological challenges such as the difficulty applying existing statistical procedures. In this article, we describe a data-analytic method to analyze univariate (i.e., one symptom) single-case data using the common package SPSS. This method can help the clinical researcher to investigate whether an intervention works as compared with a baseline period or another intervention type, and to determine whether symptom improvement is clinically significant. First, we describe the statistical method in a conceptual way and show how it can be implemented in SPSS. Simulation studies were performed to determine the number of observation points required per intervention phase. Second, to illustrate this method and its implications, we present a case study of an adolescent with anxiety disorders treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques in an outpatient psychotherapy clinic, whose symptoms were regularly assessed before each session. We provide a description of the data analyses and results of this case study. Finally, we discuss the advantages and shortcomings of the proposed method. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. [Investigation of the causes of infant sudden unexpected death in children younger than one year in Bariloche city and surrounding areas].

    PubMed

    Gil, Leonardo; Herbón, Fabiana; Little, Andrés; López, Mónica; Martínez, Lucía; Cancilliere, María del Carmen

    2008-12-01

    In the beginning of 2002 there were an unusually high number of sudden unexpected infant deaths. A prospective study was started to determine the cause of unexpected deaths in infants younger than 1 year. Investigate the possible causes of sudden and unexpected death in infants of Bariloche and surrounding areas, using a protocol created for that purpose. All infants under 1 year of age who died unexpectedly between May 2002 and April 2007 were studied. A complete physical examination, a thorough interrogation to the parents and an autopsy were performed. According to the findings a definitive diagnosis was made on each case. During the study period 10 infants younger than 1 year died. One case was excluded because the autopsy could not be done. The mean age was 74 days, 6 were males. All died while sleeping and no sign of disease were noticed in any case. In 6 cases, the autopsy findings explained the death. In the 3 others no cause for the death was found. The implementation of this protocol allowed to find out the cause of death in 6 cases, that could not have been achieved without the autopsy.

  5. Positive Bacteriological Analyses in Individuals With Diabetes Mellitus: Preliminary Results From a Forensic Study.

    PubMed

    Palmiere, Cristian; Tettamanti, Camilla

    2018-06-01

    Increased infection susceptibility in the diabetic population is a controversial issue in the clinical field. The greater frequency of infections in diabetic patients has been speculated as caused by the hyperglycemic environment that favors immune dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion of positive bacterial cultures in a series of diabetic individuals who underwent forensic investigations and assess the frequency of hyperglycemia at the time of death in these cases as well as the percentage of diabetics with cause of death due to bacterial infection. Forensic autopsy cases characterized by positive bacterial cultures and pre-existing diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were included in the study. Initial findings revealed that 12% (7/58 cases) of positive bacterial cultures concerned individuals with a pre-existing diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Bacterial infection was considered to be the cause of death in 22% (7/31 cases) of diabetics with positive bacterial cultures. Hyperglycemia could be identified in 1 case only at the time of death. These preliminary results highlight the usefulness of systematically performing postmortem bacteriology in the forensic setting to more precisely characterize infectious risk factors in diabetics.

  6. Investigating the role of Fuzzy as confirmatory tool for service quality assessment (Case study: Comparison of Fuzzy SERVQUAL and SERVQUAL in hotel service evaluation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wahyudi, R. D.

    2017-11-01

    The problem was because of some indicators qualitatively assessed had been discussed in engineering field. Whereas, qualitative assessment was presently used in certain occasion including in engineering field, for instance, the assessment of service satisfaction. Probably, understanding of satisfaction definition caused bias if customers had their own definition of satisfactory level of service. Therefore, the use of fuzzy logic in SERVQUAL as service satisfaction measurement tool would probably be useful. This paper aimed to investigate the role of fuzzy in SERVQUAL by comparing result measurement of SERVQUAL and fuzzy SERVQUAL for study case of hotel service evaluation. Based on data processing, initial result showed that there was no significant different between them. Thus, either implementation of fuzzy SERVQUAL in different case or study about the role of fuzzy logic in SERVQUAL would be interesting further discussed topic.

  7. The effect of long working hours on cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease; A case-crossover study.

    PubMed

    Shin, Kyong-Sok; Chung, Yun Kyung; Kwon, Young-Jun; Son, Jun-Seok; Lee, Se-Hoon

    2017-09-01

    This study investigated the relationship between weekly working hours and the occurrence of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases using a case-crossover study design. We investigated average working hours during the 7 days before the onset of illness (hazard period) and average weekly working hours between 8 days and 3 months before the onset of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases (control period) for 1,042 cases from the workers' compensation database for 2009. Among all subjects, the odds ratio by conditional logistic regression for the risk of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases with a 10 hr increase in average weekly working hours was 1.45 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-1.72), a significant association. An increase in average weekly working hours may trigger the onset of cerebro-cardiovascular disease. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:753-761, 2017. © 2017. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. A meta-analysis of single case research studies on aided augmentative and alternative communication systems with individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

    PubMed

    Ganz, Jennifer B; Earles-Vollrath, Theresa L; Heath, Amy K; Parker, Richard I; Rispoli, Mandy J; Duran, Jaime B

    2012-01-01

    Many individuals with autism cannot speak or cannot speak intelligibly. A variety of aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) approaches have been investigated. Most of the research on these approaches has been single-case research, with small numbers of participants. The purpose of this investigation was to meta-analyze the single case research on the use of aided AAC with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Twenty-four single-case studies were analyzed via an effect size measure, the Improvement Rate Difference (IRD). Three research questions were investigated concerning the overall impact of AAC interventions on targeted behavioral outcomes, effects of AAC interventions on individual targeted behavioral outcomes, and effects of three types of AAC interventions. Results indicated that, overall, aided AAC interventions had large effects on targeted behavioral outcomes in individuals with ASD. AAC interventions had positive effects on all of the targeted behavioral outcome; however, effects were greater for communication skills than other categories of skills. Effects of the Picture Exchange Communication System and speech-generating devices were larger than those for other picture-based systems, though picture-based systems did have small effects.

  9. Investigation of Bohr Hamiltonian in presence of Killingbeck potential using bi-confluent Heun functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sobhani, Hadi; Hassanabadi, Hassan; Chung, Won Sang

    2018-05-01

    In this study, Bohr Hamiltonian is studied for the triaxial and rotational cases. In both cases, Killingbeck potential is used as interaction. The wave function and energy of these cases are found using bi-confluent Heun functions. The results are examined by reproducing experimental data of some isotopes for each case. Energy levels of the isotopes are shown graphically as well as theoretical results for staggering in γ bands of the isotopes is discussed. In the next step, we argue about B (E 2) transition rates of the isotopes for each case. The results have a good agreement with experimental data.

  10. An Investigation of Factors Determining the Study Abroad Destination Choice: A Case Study of Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Cheng-Fei

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies on the field of education abroad have mainly focused on the factors influencing the mobility of international students from developing to developed countries and very few have been conducted to investigate the factors influencing the flow of international students to the Asia Pacific region. As a piece of country-specific…

  11. Learning to Mentor: Unravelling Routine Practice to Develop Adaptive Mentoring Expertise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langdon, Frances J.

    2017-01-01

    While studies have shown that mentoring is central to new teacher development, few investigations have examined what mentors learn about themselves as mentors. The purpose of the study was to illuminate mentor learning. The article reports on two case studies that investigated the development of mentoring expertise over a two-year period. During…

  12. Acquisition of L2 English Morphology: A Family Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Yanyin; Widyastuti, Ima

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the status of morphology in the L2 English of three members of a family from Indonesia (parents and their 5-year-old daughter) who have lived, studied or worked in Australia for a year. The investigation is contextualized against various learning settings in which the informants have learned English: formal instruction in…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eskin, Handan; Ogan-Bekiroglu, Feral

    2009-01-01

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

  14. Investigating Foreign Language Learning Anxiety: A Case of Saudi Undergraduate EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Khasawneh, Fadi Maher

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the level and sources of foreign language learning anxiety experienced by Saudi students studying at King Khalid University (KKU). It also aims to examine the differences between the level of language anxiety and the students' study level. For this purpose, 97 English majored students from different levels were purposively…

  15. Applications of nuclear magnetic resonance in paediatric surgery: magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and new sequences.

    PubMed

    Ragazzi, S; Vanzulli, A; Del Maschio, A; Tomaselli, V; Dell' Agnola, C A

    2007-12-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate fast magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP) sequences as an alternative and safe investigation method for neonatal and children's pancreaticobiliary diseases. Between January 2000 and December 2000, five children (age: 1 month 14 years; mean: 7 years) affected by pancreaticobiliary diseases or already operated for biliary pathologies were studied. Patients were evaluated by 1.5 T magnet single shot T2-weighted sequences (1 image per s, TR = infinite, TE = 150-180 ms). T1-weighted conventional sequences were obtained to study parenchymal tissue. No patient needed general anaesthetic. Only in one case was sedation necessary. Fast MRCP sequences provided very precise information on biliary tract anatomy. They revealed the intra and extrahepatic bile ducts, the gallbladder, the common bile duct and the bilio-pancreatic junction in all cases investigated. MRCP allowed us to evaluate Roux-en-Y type bilio-enteric anastomosis as accurately as percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC). In addition MRCP was the only reliable study in evaluating Roux-en-Y type anastomosis where ultrasonography (US) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) could not be used. In conclusion MRCP is an accurate and non-invasive method with which to investigate the anatomy of the pancreaticobiliary tract in children. It could become the investigation of choice after US in the case of biliary and pancreatic diseases.

  16. 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)

  17. Employee Attitudes Regarding Electronic Mail Policies: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hacker, Kenneth L.; Goss, Blaine; Townley, Charles; Horton, Valerie J.

    1998-01-01

    Investigates attitudes toward e-mail and e-mail policies through a case study of e-mail users at a university library. Indicates those who use e-mail frequently have more favorable attitudes to it than less frequent users and are more opposed to policies regulating e-mail communication. Notes that employees prefer guidelines to restrictive…

  18. Secondary School Senior Capstone Projects: A Descriptive and Interpretive Case Study on Post-Secondary Students' Perspectives of Learning Transfer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yasuda, Vanessa Applbaum

    2017-01-01

    This descriptive and interpretive case study investigates how 12 undergraduate college students perceived participation in their high school Senior Capstone Project (SCP) impacted their college academic experience. Learning transfer was explored from the learner's perspective. Data was collected using qualitative methods in three sequential phases…

  19. The Effect of Scaffolding Students' Context-Generating Cognitive Activity in Technology-Enhanced Case-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demetriadis, S. N.; Papadopoulos, P. M.; Stamelos, I. G.; Fischer, F.

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates the hypothesis that students' learning and problem-solving performance in ill-structured domains can be improved, if elaborative question prompts are used to activate students' context-generating cognitive processes, during case study. Two groups of students used a web-based learning environment to criss-cross and study…

  20. Rethinking Sport Teaching in Physical Education: A Case Study of Research Based Innovation in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pill, Shane; Penney, Dawn; Swabey, Karen

    2012-01-01

    This paper focuses on the significance of physical education teacher education (PETE) in the diffusion of "new" thinking about sport teaching in physical education. It explores issues arising from a case study investigation that sought to respond to the critical commentary about the form and substance of sport teaching in physical…

  1. Using a Facebook Closed Group to Improve EFL Students' Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodliyah, Rojab Siti

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates how social media, in this case Facebook, can be incorporated in ELT through e-dialogue journal writing shared in a Facebook closed group. Fifteen EFL students participated in this case study. They were second, third, and fourth year students of English Education Department of a university in Bandung, who voluntarily joined…

  2. Knowledge about Education for Sustainable Development: Four Case Studies of Student Teachers in English Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winter, Christine; Firth, Roger

    2007-01-01

    Considerable activity has occurred in the recent past regarding policy-making around Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the school curriculum. Teaching about sustainable development involves complex and contested ethical and political issues. This case study research investigates how four student teachers taking part in a one-year…

  3. Using Evidence in L2 Argumentative Writing: A Longitudinal Case Study across High School and University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kibler, Amanda K.; Hardigree, Christine

    2017-01-01

    This 8-year longitudinal case study of Fabiola, a Spanish-English bilingual, investigated her argumentative writing development, focusing on her use of evidence to support and develop arguments over time from high school through university. Data sources included 36 writing samples. Texts across grade levels and course types were analyzed to…

  4. Should the Dead Sea Be Sustainable?: Investigating Environmental Issues Using a Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saunders, Cheston Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Many students leave the environmental science classroom with misconceptions centered on the availability of natural resources such as water. This article presents a case study where students assume the roles of various stakeholders and articulate their position on whether or not to pipe water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. Additionally,…

  5. Cultivate Mindfulness: A Case Study of Mindful Learning in an English as a Foreign Language Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Yang; Liu, Chao

    2016-01-01

    This case study investigated how the use of mindfulness affected college English as a foreign language (EFL) students' learning and how mindful learning strategies supported their learning of English. Mindful learning considers the students' abilities to be aware, perceive and conceive. Mindfulness results in an increase in competence, memory,…

  6. Management Science in Higher Education Institutions: Case Studies from Greece

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saiti, Anna

    2010-01-01

    Regardless of the source of funding, university quality is based on knowledge, teaching, and research, and hence cannot be run like private enterprises as they are expert organisations that provide solely a public service. The purpose of this paper is to investigate, through the analysis of case studies, whether or not management theory,…

  7. Project-Based Learning in Education: Integrating Business Needs and Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cho, Yonjoo; Brown, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this case study was to investigate how project-based learning (PBL) is being practiced in Columbus Signature Academy (CSA), a high school located in Columbus, Indiana, USA. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used the case study method to provide qualitative details about CSA's use of PBL that is being practiced in a…

  8. Lasting Connections: A Case Study of Relationships Formed during a First-Year Seminar Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Enke, Kathryn A. E.

    2011-01-01

    This article investigates the evolution of friendships formed during a first-year seminar for honors students enrolled in a private liberal arts college. Through an electronic survey and interviews with former students who had participated in the seminar course six years prior to the research, this case study examined why some friendships were…

  9. Recognizing Talent: Cross-Case Study of Two High Potential Students with Cerebral Palsy. Collaborative Research Study 94308.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willard-Holt, Colleen

    Qualitative cross-case methodology was employed to explore the experiences of two gifted students with cerebral palsy. The following questions were investigated: (1) In what ways do these students show their intellectual abilities? and (2) What instructional strategies or techniques were especially beneficial in developing these abilities? One…

  10. Effects of Activation of Prior Knowledge on the Recall of a Clinical Case.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmidt, Henk G.; Boshuizen, Henny P. A.

    A study investigated the known phenomenon of "intermediate effect" in which medical students with an intermediate amount of knowledge and experience demonstrate higher amounts of recall of the text of a medical case than either experienced clinicians or novices. In this study the amount of activation of prior knowledge was controlled by…

  11. Learning in Collaboration: A Case Study of a Community Based Partnership Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Syam, Devarati S.

    2010-01-01

    This ethnographic case study investigated a multi-agency partnership project in a Midwestern city, the goal of which was to holistically address the health, safety and wellness issues of teen girls in an alternative school. The researcher was one of the eleven partners representing five different organizations that came together to create a…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2016-01-01

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

  13. From Lady Teacher to Professional: A Case Study of Some of the First Headteachers of Girls' Secondary Schools in England.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watts, Ruth

    1998-01-01

    Investigates women headteachers' professional identity and leadership styles, returning readers to the late 19th century, when the first (British) secondary schools for girls were established. Explores various issues, such as sensible dress, girls' sports, health education, and extracurricular activities, employing case studies of three Birmingham…

  14. A Case Study of English-Speaking Native-Born German Public School Educators' Experiences with Refugee and Immigrant Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snow, Victor Adams

    2017-01-01

    Teachers worldwide are adapting to meet educational needs caused by increased immigration. Germany has many immigrant students and ranks high in international education. This case study investigated experiences of English-speaking native-born German educators in Germany's public primary schools when responding to refugee and immigrant students.…

  15. Internationalization of an African University in the Post-Colonial Era: A Case Study of the University of Nairobi

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Otieno, Iddah Aoko

    2012-01-01

    This case study uses post-colonial and dependency theoretical lenses to investigate the forces influencing policy, procedures, and participation in international activity in the post-colonial African university environment of Kenya's first national public university-the University of Nairobi (UoN). The research addresses (1) the approaches and…

  16. How Educators Perceive the Process and Implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS): A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maniglia, Linda M.

    2017-01-01

    In this qualitative case study the researcher examined educators' perceptions of an RTI/MTSS model of instruction and how staff perceptions relate to fidelity of implementation. The purpose of this research was to investigate educators' understanding of the critical components necessary to support implementation of RTI/MTSS framework. The…

  17. A Case Study of Chinese University English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Students' Attitudes toward Learning Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayes, Kenneth Michael

    2010-01-01

    This qualitative case study investigates Chinese university English in the context of foreign language (EFL) learners' attitudes about video-aided instruction (VAI), video recording instruction, and mobile phone instruction (learning technologies). When I was working as an English teacher in Mainland China, several instructors and students stated…

  18. A Case Study of the Effects of the Gaskin Case on Seven School Districts in Southeastern Pennsylvania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Suzanne H.

    2010-01-01

    This qualitative study investigated the impact of the Gaskin v. Pennsylvania Department of Education Court Settlement Agreement on school districts in Southeast Pennsylvania. This class action suit was brought on behalf of students with physical, behavioral and developmental delays, their parents and eleven national organizations. The lawsuit…

  19. Educational Policy and Literacy Learning in an ESL Classroom: Constraints and Opportunities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ricklefs, Mariana Alvayero

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation was a qualitative case study of an educational program for English Language Learners (ELL) at an elementary school in a small city in the Midwest. This case study investigated how language ideologies influence the constraints and opportunities for the planning and execution of this educational program. The findings evidenced that…

  20. 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...

  1. Virtual Worlds and Social and Educational Inclusion: Case Study at Secondary Education Institute Cal Gravat

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castañeda Quintero, Linda; Román García, María del Mar; Barlam Aspasch, Ramón

    2015-01-01

    This article presents a case study with the goal of becoming familiar with and understanding the incorporation of one virtual learning world--Espurnik--in a curricular diversification classroom with students in a situation of educational exclusion or academic failure. This investigation was carried out from an interpretive paradigm with a…

  2. A Case Study of Legitimate Literacies: Teens' "Small World" and the School Library

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comstock, Sharon L.

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation is a dual-site ethnographic case study of the lived information literacy experiences of students in their junior year of high school relative to their school library and librarians. What began as an investigation of an apparent gap in understanding between the views of teens and school librarians regarding "information…

  3. An Ethnographic Case Study of the Professional Development Model in a Successful Elementary School within a Suburban Southeast Texas School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petrzelka, Valerie

    2012-01-01

    This ethnographic case study was designed to investigate a successful professional development model, perceived effective professional learning and process for determining professional development for teachers. With eighty years of research on professional development, limited research was available on the process for determining professional…

  4. Teacher Supervision and Evaluation: A Case Study of Administrators' and Teachers' Perceptions of Mini Observations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Thomas F.

    2013-01-01

    This case study will investigate teachers' and administrators' perceptions of the relationship between mini observations and teacher performance to understand what effect, if any, a system of mini observations has on teacher performance, and if mini observations influences a teacher's pedagogical practice differently than a…

  5. An Evaluative Case Study of Project-Based Learning in High School Vocational Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanner, Andrea P.

    2012-01-01

    There is growing apprehension among business people, educators, and government policy makers regarding the gap between the skills and knowledge needed for success in the workforce and those provided in school. The purpose of this qualitative evaluative case study was to investigate the effectiveness of project-based learning (PBL) in the…

  6. Music Performance Anxiety in Instrumental Music Students: A Multiple Case Study of Teacher Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sieger, Crystal

    2017-01-01

    Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) is a sometimes debilitating condition affecting many young musicians as they perform in testing or concert settings. These students may consult their teachers to seek aid in overcoming their anxiety. The purpose of this multiple case study was to investigate the strategies and methods utilized by middle and high…

  7. The Impact of Instructor Grouping Strategies on Student Efficacy in Inquiry Science Labs: A Phenomenological Case Study of Grouping Perceptions and Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Nathaniel J.

    2015-01-01

    Abundant educational research has integrated Albert Bandura's concepts of self-efficacy and collective efficacy within educational settings. In this phenomenological case study, the investigation sought to capture the manifestation of self-efficacy and collective efficacy within inquiry-based science laboratory courses. Qualitative data was…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2014-01-01

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

  9. Factors Leading to Retention of School Librarian Positions: A School District Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ewbank, Ann Dutton

    2010-01-01

    In the past five years, the number of school librarians has greatly diminished despite valiant advocacy efforts by librarians, parents, and state and national library associations. This descriptive case study investigated the factors that led governing board members in a mid-sized urban high school district to retain certified school librarian…

  10. Perceptions of L1 Glossed Feedback in Automated Writing Evaluation: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilken, Jayme Lynn

    2018-01-01

    Learner perceptions toward and utilization of L1 glossed feedback in an automated writing evaluation (AWE) program were investigated in an Intensive English Program (IEP) class. This small case study focused on two Chinese students who responded to weekly surveys, semi-structured interviews, and screen capture videos of their revisions over a…

  11. The Effects of Computer-Mediated Synchronous and Asynchronous Direct Corrective Feedback on Writing: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shintani, Natsuko

    2016-01-01

    This case study investigated the characteristics of computer-mediated synchronous corrective feedback (SCF, provided while students wrote) and asynchronous corrective feedback (ACF, provided after students had finished writing) in an EFL writing task. The task, designed to elicit the use of the hypothetical conditional, was completed by two…

  12. From Student-Athlete to Student-Teacher: A Case Study of One Student's Journey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caniglia, Joanne; Pellegrino, Christine

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe patterns of behavior that a student-athlete not only exhibits during athletic competition, but also transfers from the soccer field to the college classroom and to the teaching profession. Using journals, lesson plans, teaching commentaries, videos, and interviews, a qualitative case study…

  13. Democracy in the Israeli Education System: The Case of the English Matriculation Exam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zaher, Rana

    2012-01-01

    This research investigates the extent to which indices of social justice and democratic rights are expressed in Israel in the crucial national English matriculation exam, as perceived by Palestinian Arab high school pupils studying for these exams and their English teachers. The research employed Critical Theory as a paradigm, case study as a…

  14. Supporting More Inclusive Learning with Social Networking: A Case Study of Blended Socialised Design Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodrigo, Russell; Nguyen, Tam

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a qualitative case study of socialised blended learning, using a social network platform to investigate the level of literacies and interactions of students in a blended learning environment of traditional face-to-face design studio and online participatory teaching. Using student and staff feedback, the paper examines the use…

  15. Promoting Democratic Citizenship through Non-Formal Adult Education: The Case of Denmark

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milana, Marcella; Sorensen, Tore Bernt

    2009-01-01

    The article presents selected findings from in-depth case studies of two non-formal learning activities organized by the Danish Folk High Schools and Day High Schools, respectively. The purpose of the empirical study was to investigate how longstanding, non-formal, adult education institutions have worked to foster the acquisition of civic…

  16. Bilingual Education in English-Only: A Qualitative Case Study of Language Policy in Practice at Lincoln Elementary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colón, Ingrid; Heineke, Amy J.

    2015-01-01

    In this qualitative case study, we investigate teachers' appropriation of language policy at one urban elementary school in Illinois. Recognizing classroom teachers' central role in the education of English learners, we probe teachers' policy appropriation, or how bilingual educators take state-, district-, and school-level policies and…

  17. The School Principal as Change Agent: An Explanatory Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLaughlin, Lisa; Hyle, Adrienne E.

    This single-site case study was designed to investigate ways in which a principal considers the individual needs of faculty members when promoting a particular change, as perceived by faculty and staff. Four research questions were addressed: (1) How does a principal create a context for change? (2) Is school culture acknowledged as an integral…

  18. Building a Community of Scholars: One University's Comparison of "Typical" vs. Open Ended Ethics Case Studies in First-Year Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reid, Kenneth J.

    2012-01-01

    Ethics is among the professional skills embedded in the first year engineering curriculum in many institutions. The general format of the study of ethics is similar to many other institutions: student teams review case studies and develop written and oral presentations on the ethical issues encountered. This report investigates whether the use of…

  19. Navigating Change and Leading an Institution of Higher Education: A Case Study of the Missional Leadership of a University President

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bunn, Christopher Edward

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative, single case study is to explore key leadership principles and strategies related to the "good to great" pattern of growth at Lee University. In order to accomplish this purpose, this study investigates Dr. Paul Conn's thoughts and navigation through times of change, conflict, and the strategic execution of planned…

  20. Autism Spectrum Disorder Reclassified: A Second Look at the 1980s Utah/UCLA Autism Epidemiologic Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Judith S.; Bilder, Deborah; Farley, Megan; Coon, Hilary; Pinborough-Zimmerman, Judith; Jenson, William; Rice, Catherine E.; Fombonne, Eric; Pingree, Carmen B.; Ritvo, Edward; Ritvo, Riva-Ariella; McMahon, William M.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to re-examine diagnostic data from a state-wide autism prevalence study (n = 489) conducted in the 1980s to investigate the impact of broader diagnostic criteria on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) case status. Sixty-four (59%) of the 108 originally "Diagnosed Not Autistic" met the current ASD case definition.…

  1. Islam, Modernity, and the Liminal Space Between: A Vertical Case Study of the Institute of Traditional Islamic Art and Architecture in Amman, Jordan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meehan, Mark W.

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation investigates the development and function of the Institute of Traditional Islamic Art and Architecture in Amman, Jordan. A vertical case study using grounded theory methodology, the research attempts to create a rich and holistic understanding of the Institute. Specific areas of study include the factors involved in the founding…

  2. Adult Motivations in Community Orchestra Participation: A Pilot Case Study of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (New Jersey)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shansky, Carol

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations of adults in choosing to participate in community orchestras. This paper identifies many of those motivations and examines the reasons and implications of why the adults in the study chose to continue to play in community orchestras. The investigation was conducted in 2007 via a case study…

  3. The Effect of School Culture on Science Education at an Ideologically Innovative Elementary Magnet School: An Ethnographic Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meier, Lori T.

    2012-01-01

    This ethnographic case study investigated the science practices of teachers at one public elementary magnet school in light of how school culture influenced science curriculum design and instruction. The purpose of the study was to address how school culture impacted the school's overall treatment of science as a viable content area. Key informant…

  4. Schematic representation of case study research designs.

    PubMed

    Rosenberg, John P; Yates, Patsy M

    2007-11-01

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

  5. Evolving epidemiology of Nipah virus infection in Bangladesh: evidence from outbreaks during 2010–2011

    PubMed Central

    CHAKRABORTY, A.; SAZZAD, H. M. S.; HOSSAIN, M. J.; ISLAM, M. S.; PARVEEN, S.; HUSAIN, M.; BANU, S. S.; PODDER, G.; AFROJ, S.; ROLLIN, P. E.; DASZAK, P.; LUBY, S. P.; RAHMAN, M.; GURLEY, E. S.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY Drinking raw date palm sap is the primary route of Nipah virus (NiV) transmission from bats to people in Bangladesh; subsequent person-to-person transmission is common. During December 2010 to March 2011, we investigated NiV epidemiology by interviewing cases using structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and group discussions to collect clinical and exposure histories. We conducted a case-control study to identify risk factors for transmission. We identified 43 cases; 23 were laboratory-confirmed and 20 probable. Thirty-eight (88%) cases died. Drinking raw date palm sap and contact with an infected person were major risk factors; one healthcare worker was infected and for another case transmission apparently occurred through contact with a corpse. In absence of these risk factors, apparent routes of transmission included drinking fermented date palm sap. For the first time, a case was detected in eastern Bangladesh. Identification of new epidemiological characteristics emphasizes the importance of continued NiV surveillance and case investigation. PMID:26122675

  6. Evolving epidemiology of Nipah virus infection in Bangladesh: evidence from outbreaks during 2010-2011.

    PubMed

    Chakraborty, A; Sazzad, H M S; Hossain, M J; Islam, M S; Parveen, S; Husain, M; Banu, S S; Podder, G; Afroj, S; Rollin, P E; Daszak, P; Luby, S P; Rahman, M; Gurley, E S

    2016-01-01

    Drinking raw date palm sap is the primary route of Nipah virus (NiV) transmission from bats to people in Bangladesh; subsequent person-to-person transmission is common. During December 2010 to March 2011, we investigated NiV epidemiology by interviewing cases using structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and group discussions to collect clinical and exposure histories. We conducted a case-control study to identify risk factors for transmission. We identified 43 cases; 23 were laboratory-confirmed and 20 probable. Thirty-eight (88%) cases died. Drinking raw date palm sap and contact with an infected person were major risk factors; one healthcare worker was infected and for another case transmission apparently occurred through contact with a corpse. In absence of these risk factors, apparent routes of transmission included drinking fermented date palm sap. For the first time, a case was detected in eastern Bangladesh. Identification of new epidemiological characteristics emphasizes the importance of continued NiV surveillance and case investigation.

  7. Fibromyalgia: epidemiology and risk factors, a population-based case-control study in Lebanon.

    PubMed

    Moukaddem, Afaf; Chaaya, Monique; Slim, Zeinab F N; Jaffa, Miran; Sibai, Abla Mehio; Uthman, Imad

    2017-02-01

    To investigate the epidemiology of fibromyalgia (FM) and assess its risk factors. Using data from the 2009 Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) study conducted in Lebanon, a population-based case control study was performed. The sample included 34 FM patients, frequency matched with 136 controls free from any musculoskeletal complaints and randomly sampled from the population. The controls were frequency matched with cases by age and gender. The 34 female FM cases were prevalent cases which existed for a long period of time and all those who consulted a doctor were previously misdiagnosed. Family history of joint problems (OR = 4.93, 95% CI: 1.56-15.58) and working status (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.04-6.93) were significant risk factors for FM, after adjusting for body mass index, distress level, smoking status and residence location. This was the first study to address the epidemiology of FM in Lebanon and the region. The chronic nature of FM that is characterized by frequent bouts of intense disabling pain and symptoms constitutes a significant health and economic burden. Clustering of cases in coastal areas was partially explained by other factors such as body mass index, distress level, smoking and work status. The high burden of FM found in our study calls for further investigation of potential risk factors of this condition. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  8. [Use of emergency 2-dimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis and maintenance of newborn and nursing infants hospitalized because of poorly tolerated cardiopathy. A prospective study of 82 cases].

    PubMed

    Cloez, J L; Hda, A; Khalife, K; Marçon, F; Worms, A M; Pernot, C

    1983-05-01

    The value of 2D echocardiography was assessed prospectively in 82 patients (average age 2.6 months) including 41 newborn babies, in the emergency investigation of cardiac distress. The recording was made before any other investigations or treatment and associated subcostal and supra sternal views, and the results were compared with angiography (64 cases) or anatomical findings (44 cases). A cardiac abnormality was excluded in 5 cyanotic newborn children (persistent foetal circulation) and a precise diagnosis was made in 74 of the remaining 77 patients (94 p. 100). All cases of malposition of the great vessels were recognised (17 cases). The diagnosis was based on the simultaneous recording of the vessels, proximal branches and their ventricular connections. In conditions with severe obstruction of the pulmonary outflow tract (26 cases), 2D echo enabled an exact evaluation of ventriculo arterial concordance, pulmonary confluence and a quantitative assessment of the diameter of the pulmonary artery in 25 patients. Angiography provided little further information, mainly concerning associated lesions (anterior muscular VSDs, abnormalities of the supra aortic vessels). On the other hand, 2D echocardiography was superior to angiocardiography for the study of the atrioventricular values and intracavitary and subvalvular obstruction. 2D echo is a reliable method for emergency assessment of the indication for therapeutic catheterisation (atrioseptostomy). In other cases it allows it to be deferred and guided. The comparison of the results of 2D echo and angiocardiography in this series suggests the possibility of reducing the number of endocavitary investigations in the newborn and infant in the future, even in cases where surgery is being considered.

  9. Bovine tuberculosis slaughter surveillance in the United States 2001–2010: assessment of its traceback investigation function

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The success of tracing cattle to the herd of origin after the detection and confirmation of bovine tuberculosis (TB) lesions in cattle at slaughter is a critical component of the national bovine TB eradication program in the United States (U.S.). The aims of this study were to 1) quantify the number of bovine TB cases identified at slaughter that were successfully traced to their herd of origin in the U.S. during 2001–2010, 2) quantify the number of successful traceback investigations that found additional TB infected animals in the herd of origin or epidemiologically linked herds, and 3) describe the forms of animal identification present on domestic bovine TB cases and their association with traceback success. Results We analyzed 2001–2010 data in which 371 granulomatous lesions were confirmed as bovine TB. From these 114 bovine TB cases, 78 adults (i.e. sexually intact bovines greater than two years of age), and 36 fed (i.e. less than or equal to two years of age) were classified as domestic cattle (U.S. originated). Of these adults and fed cases, 83% and 13% were successfully traced, respectively. Of these traceback investigations, 70% of adult cases and 50% of fed cases identified additional bovine TB infected animals in the herd of origin or an epidemiologically linked herd. We found that the presence of various forms of animal identification on domestic bovine TB cases at slaughter may facilitate successful traceback investigations; however, they do not guarantee it. Conclusions These results provide valuable information with regard to epidemiological traceback investigations and serve as a baseline to aid U.S. officials when assessing the impact of newly implemented strategies as part of the national bovine TB eradication in the U.S. PMID:25123050

  10. URINARY MUTAGENICITY AND COLORECTAL ADENOMA RISK

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abstract

    We investigated urinary mutagenicity and colorectal adenoma risk in a clinic-based, case-control study of currently nonsmoking cases (n = 143) and controls (n = 156). Urinary organics were extracted by C18/methanol from 12-h overnight urine samples, and mutagenici...

  11. Investigating an outbreak of measles in Margibi County, Liberia, October 2015.

    PubMed

    Frimpong, Joseph Asamoah; Amo-Addae, Maame Pokuah; Adewuyi, Peter Adebayo; Park, Meeyoung Mattie; Hall, Casey Daniel; Nagbe, Thomas Knue

    2017-01-01

    The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases highlights the need to have well-trained field epidemiologists who will be at the forefront in the fight against these diseases, especially during an outbreak. Training for outbreak investigation is most effective when participants can develop their competencies in a practical exercise. To that end, this case study was based on a measles outbreak investigation conducted in Liberia during October 2015 by Liberia Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) residents, simulating steps to perform outbreak investigation in a real-life situation as a field epidemiologist. This case study is ideally suited to reinforce principles and skills already covered in a classroom lecture or in background reading by providing a practical training beyond the scope of theoretical learning. It is primarily intended for training novice public health practitioners who should be able to complete the exercises in approximately 3 hours.

  12. Chronic behavior disturbance and neurocognitive deficits in neuro-Behcet's disease: a case study.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Caroline A; Sewell, Katherine; Baker, Amy

    2016-06-01

    Behcet's disease is a vasculitis and multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Neurological abnormalities occur in a subset of patients. This report presents a case of neuro-Behcet's disease characterized by an initial onset of behavior changes prior to diagnosis, which evolved into a chronic behavioral syndrome. Neuroimaging investigations revealed progressive periventricular white matter and brainstem atrophy and lesions in the basal ganglia and deep white matter tracts, while neuropsychological investigations revealed reductions in information processing, executive functioning, and memory. The case indicates that behavior changes may be the first symptoms to emerge in Behcet's, before other defining features of the disease.

  13. Multicenter outbreak of infections by Saprochaete clavata, an unrecognized opportunistic fungal pathogen.

    PubMed

    Vaux, Sophie; Criscuolo, Alexis; Desnos-Ollivier, Marie; Diancourt, Laure; Tarnaud, Chloé; Vandenbogaert, Matthias; Brisse, Sylvain; Coignard, Bruno; Dromer, Françoise

    2014-12-16

    Rapidly fatal cases of invasive fungal infections due to a fungus later identified as Saprochaete clavata were reported in France in May 2012. The objectives of this study were to determine the clonal relatedness of the isolates and to investigate possible sources of contamination. A nationwide alert was launched to collect cases. Molecular identification methods, whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and clone-specific genotyping were used to analyze recent and historical isolates, and a case-case study was performed. Isolates from thirty cases (26 fungemias, 22 associated deaths at day 30) were collected between September 2011 and October 2012. Eighteen cases occurred within 8 weeks (outbreak) in 10 health care facilities, suggesting a common source of contamination, with potential secondary cases. Phylogenetic analysis identified one clade (clade A), which accounted for 16/18 outbreak cases. Results of microbiological investigations of environmental, drug, or food sources were negative. Analysis of exposures pointed to a medical device used for storage and infusion of blood products, but no fungal contamination was detected in the unused devices. Molecular identification of isolates from previous studies demonstrated that S. clavata can be found in dairy products and has already been involved in monocentric outbreaks in hematology wards. The possibility that S. clavata may transmit through contaminated medical devices or can be associated with dairy products as seen in previous European outbreaks is highly relevant for the management of future outbreaks due to this newly recognized pathogen. This report also underlines further the potential of WGS for investigation of outbreaks due to uncommon fungal pathogens. Several cases of rapidly fatal infections due to the fungus Saprochaete clavata were reported in France within a short period of time in three health care facilities, suggesting a common source of contamination. A nationwide alert collected 30 cases over 1 year, including an outbreak of 18 cases over 8 weeks. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to analyze recent and historical isolates and to design a clade-specific genotyping method that uncovered a clone associated with the outbreak, thus allowing a case-case study to analyze the risk factors associated with infection by the clone. The possibility that S. clavata may transmit through contaminated medical devices or can be associated with dairy products as seen in previous European outbreaks is highly relevant for the management of future outbreaks due to this newly recognized pathogen. Copyright © 2014 Vaux et al.

  14. Thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies and early miscarriages in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Toulis, Konstantinos A; Goulis, Dimitrios G; Tsolakidou, Konstantina; Hilidis, Ilias; Fragkos, Marios; Polyzos, Stergios A; Gerofotis, Antonios; Kita, Marina; Bili, Helen; Vavilis, Dimitrios; Daniilidis, Michail; Tarlatzis, Basil C; Papadimas, Ioannis

    2013-08-01

    We have previously hypothesized that early miscarriage in women with Hashimoto thyroiditis might be the result of a cross-reactivity process, in which blocking autoantibodies against thyrotropin receptor (TSHr-Ab) antagonize hCG action on its receptor on the corpus luteum. To test this hypothesis from the clinical perspective, we investigated the presence of TSHr-Ab in Hashimoto thyroiditis patients with apparently unexplained, first-trimester recurrent miscarriages compared to that in Hashimoto thyroiditis patients with documented normal fertility. A total of 86 subjects (43 cases and 43 age-matched controls) were finally included in a case-control study. No difference in the prevalence of TSHr-Ab positivity was detected between cases and controls (Fisher's exact test, p value = 1.00). In patients with recurrent miscarriages, TSHr-Ab concentrations did not predict the number of miscarriages (univariate linear regression, p value = 0.08). These results were robust in sensitivity analyses, including only cases with full investigation or those with three or more miscarriages. We conclude that no role could be advocated for TSHr-Ab in the aetiology of recurrent miscarriages in women with Hashimoto thyroiditis.

  15. Preschool Children's Interpretation of Object-Initial Sentences: Neural Correlates of Their Behavioral Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schipke, Christine S.; Knoll, Lisa J.; Friederici, Angela D.; Oberecker, Regine

    2012-01-01

    The acquisition of the function of case-marking is a key step in the development of sentence processing for German-speaking children since case-marking reveals the relations between sentential arguments. In this study, we investigated the development of the processing of case-marking and argument structures in children at 3, 4;6 and 6 years of…

  16. Chemical Understanding and Graphing Skills in an Honors Case-Based Computerized Chemistry Laboratory Environment: The Value of Bidirectional Visual and Textual Representations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dori, Yehudit J.; Sasson, Irit

    2008-01-01

    The case-based computerized laboratory (CCL) is a chemistry learning environment that integrates computerized experiments with emphasis on scientific inquiry and comprehension of case studies. The research objective was to investigate chemical understanding and graphing skills of high school honors students via bidirectional visual and textual…

  17. Case Study: Using Microbe Molecular Biology for Gulf Oil Spill Clean Up

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Daniel R.

    2011-01-01

    This case has the student actively investigate the regulation of expression of a novel bacterial gene in the context of attempts to solve a real world problem, clean up of the April 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although the case is fictitious, it is based on factual gene regulatory characteristics of oil-degrading…

  18. Lesson Study in the U.S.: Is It a Mechanism for Individual and Organizational Change? A Case Study of Three Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Droese, Shirley M.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the use of Lesson Study in three U.S. schools. Lesson Study is part of the culture of teaching in Japanese K-8 schools. Researchers in the United States brought the practice of Lesson Study ("jugyokenkyo" in Japanese) to light in the late 1990's while investigating reasons for differences in the performance of…

  19. Psychiatric comorbidity may not predict suicide during and after hospitalization. A nested case-control study with blinded raters.

    PubMed

    Walby, Fredrik A; Odegaard, Erik; Mehlum, Lars

    2006-06-01

    To investigate the differential impact of DSM-IV axis-I and axis-II disorders on completed suicide and to study if psychiatric comorbidity increases the risk of suicide in currently and previously hospitalized psychiatric patients. A nested case-control design based on case notes from 136 suicides and 166 matched controls. All cases and controls were rediagnosed using the SCID-CV for axis-I and the DSM-IV criteria for axis-II disorders and the inter-rater reliability was satisfactory. Raters were blind to the case and control status and the original hospital diagnoses. Depressive disorders and bipolar disorders were associated with an increased risk of suicide. No such effect was found for comorbidity between axis-I disorders and for comorbidity between axis-I and axis-II disorders. Psychiatric diagnoses, although made using a structured and criteria-based approach, was based on information recorded in case notes. Axis-II comorbidity could only be investigated at an aggregated level. Psychiatric comorbidity did not predict suicide in this sample. Mood disorders did, however, increase the risk significantly independent of history of previous suicide attempts. Both findings can inform identification and treatment of patients at high risk for completed suicide.

  20. Investigation of hepatitis A outbreak in district of Manjung, Perak, Malaysia, October 2012.

    PubMed

    Yusoff, Faudzi Ahmad; Rahman, Rusdi Abdul; May, Ling He; Budart, Suzana Binti; Sulaiman, Lokman Hakim

    2015-01-01

    In September 2012, 10 cases suspected to be hepatitis A were notified to the Manjung District Health Department. An investigation was conducted to identify the possible mode of transmission, source of the outbreak and to recommend prevention and control measures. A case was a person with acute illness with discrete onset of symptoms and jaundice or elevated serum aminotransferase levels in September 2012 in the Manjung District. We conducted a case-control study and environmental assessments of processing plants and food premises. There were 78 confirmed cases of hepatitis A; an attack rate of 3.1 per 10,000 population. Multiple logistic regression showed that being male (odds ratio [OR]: 18.4 [5.13-65.9]; P < 0.001) and drinking toddy at processing place A (Adjusted OR: 2.70 [1.17-6.25]; P < 0.05) were associated with being a case. Environmental investigations of this and one other processing place found them to be unhygienic, and the pH of the toddy was at levels that encouraged growth of hepatitis A virus. Toddy was possibly the primary source of this outbreak based on both epidemiological and environmental results. Both toddy preparation places and several food premises were closed as a result of this investigation.

  1. Investigation of hepatitis A outbreak in district of Manjung, Perak, Malaysia, October 2012

    PubMed Central

    Rahman, Rusdi Abdul; May, Ling He; Budart, Suzana Binti; Sulaiman, Lokman Hakim

    2015-01-01

    Background In September 2012, 10 cases suspected to be hepatitis A were notified to the Manjung District Health Department. An investigation was conducted to identify the possible mode of transmission, source of the outbreak and to recommend prevention and control measures. Methods A case was a person with acute illness with discrete onset of symptoms and jaundice or elevated serum aminotransferase levels in September 2012 in the Manjung District. We conducted a case-control study and environmental assessments of processing plants and food premises. Results There were 78 confirmed cases of hepatitis A; an attack rate of 3.1 per 10 000 population. Multiple logistic regression showed that being male (odds ratio [OR]: 18.4 [5.13–65.9]; P < 0.001) and drinking toddy at processing place A (Adjusted OR: 2.70 [1.17–6.25]; P < 0.05) were associated with being a case. Environmental investigations of this and one other processing place found them to be unhygienic, and the pH of the toddy was at levels that encouraged growth of hepatitis A virus. Conclusion Toddy was possibly the primary source of this outbreak based on both epidemiological and environmental results. Both toddy preparation places and several food premises were closed as a result of this investigation. PMID:26306213

  2. Investigating the Effects of Side Airbag Deployment in Real-World Crashes Using Crash Comparison Techniques

    PubMed Central

    Loftis, Kathryn L.; Weaver, Ashley A.; Stitzel, Joel D.

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate side airbag (SAB) deployment in near side crashes and compare injuries and contact points between occupants with and without SAB deployment. Using NASS 2000–2008 and selecting for near side cases, with PDOF ± 20 degrees from 90 or 270, for non-pregnant adult belted occupants, there were 20,253 (weighted) SAB deployments. NASS showed that SABs have been increasing within the fleet, comprising 2% of airbags in 2000 and increasing to 33% of airbags in 2008. To investigate deployed SABs, we developed a three-step methology to pair CIREN cases to study the effects of deployment on occupant outcome. The first step involved extracting near side impacts from CIREN with adult, non-pregnant occupants seated in row 1 (drivers or right front passengers). In the second step, each case was quantitatively compared to FMVSS 214 barrier test standards using a 6 point similarity scoring system. Cases scoring at least 3 points were then qualitatively analyzed and 33 pairs of cases of the same vehicle make/model but opposite SAB status were chosen. Occupants with deployed SAB had reduced occurrences and severity of head and face, neck and cervical spine, and thoracic injuries and fewer injurious contacts to side components including the door, a-pillar, and window sill. SAB deployment was statistically significant for reducing occupant MAIS and ISS and thorax airbags were statistically significant for reducing thoracic and neck/cervical spine injury severity. The average ISS with SAB deployment was 21, while the average ISS of those without was 33. This study establishes methods for performing comparisons between CIREN cases based on regulatory conditions and shows injury reduction in key body regions with SAB deployment. PMID:22105386

  3. The association between thyroid malignancy and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis: should it alter the surgical approach?

    PubMed

    Büyükaşık, Oktay; Hasdemir, Ahmet Oğuz; Yalçın, Erol; Celep, Bahadır; Sengül, Serkan; Yandakçı, Kemal; Tunç, Gündüz; Küçükpınar, Tevfik; Alkoy, Seval; Cöl, Cavit

    2011-01-01

    The relation between thyroid neoplasms and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) is controversial. While it is accepted that focal lymphocytic thyroiditis develops secondarily to malignancy, it is not clear whether diffuse lymphocytic thyroiditis has a tendency to develop into thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between CLT and malignant tumours of the thyroid and evaluate the surgical approach to CLT cases. In this study, 917 patients operated on for thyroid diseases were investigated retrospectively. Seventy-seven (8.4%) patients histopathologically diagnosed as having CLT (either non-specific or Hashimoto's thyroiditis) were investigated for any concurrent malignant neoplasm. Fifteen patients in whom CLT and thyroid malignancy were coexisting were included in the study. In the pathological evaluation of 917 cases, malignancy in the thyroid was found in 97 (10.6%) cases. Seventy-seven cases were categorised as CLT. Of these 77, 16 (20.8%) were Hashimoto's thyroiditis (specific CLT) and the other 61 (79.2%) were non-specific CLT. In 15 cases, thyroid malignancy was found to be concurrent with CLT. Of the malignities, nine (60%) were papillary carcinoma, three (20%) medullar carcinoma, one (6.6%) follicular carcinoma, one (6.6%) Hurthle cell carcinoma, and one (6.6%) lymphoma. In our series, the rate of the development of malignancy against the background of CLT was 19.48%, while the rate in the groups without CLT was 9.76%, with a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.008). CLT cases should be evaluated more carefully in terms of malignancy. If a nodule is detected on thyroiditis, the minimal surgical intervention should be lobectomy. Total thyroidectomy should be considered as preferable to subtotal thyroidectomy because of its many advantages such as controlling thyroiditis, removing the probability of reoperation, and hormonal stability.

  4. On the Difficulties of Concurrent-System Design, Illustrated with a 2×2 Switch Case Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Daylight, Edgar G.; Shukla, Sandeep K.

    While various specification languages for concurrent-system design exist today, it is often not clear which specification language is more suitable than another for a particular case study. To address this problem, we study four different specification languages for the same 2×2 Switch case study: TLA + , Bluespec, Statecharts, and the Algebra of Communicating Processes (ACP). By slightly altering the design intent of the Switch, we obtain more complicated behaviors of the Switch. For each design intent, we investigate how each specification, in each of the specification languages, captures the corresponding behavior. By using three different criteria, we judge each specification and specification language. For our case study, however, all four specification languages perform poorly in at least two criteria! Hence, this paper illustrates, on a seemingly simple case study, some of the prevailing difficulties of concurrent-system design.

  5. The reliability of forensic osteology--a case in point. Case study.

    PubMed

    Kemkes-Grottenthaler, A

    2001-03-01

    The medico-legal investigation of skeletons is a trans-disciplinary effort by forensic scientists as well as physical anthropologists. The advent of DNA extraction and amplification from bones and teeth has led to the assumption that morphological assessment of skeletal remains might soon become obsolete. But despite the introduction and success of molecular biology, the analysis of skeletal biology will remain an integral part of the identification process. This is due to the fact, that the skeletal record allows relatively fast and accurate inferences about the identity of the victim. Moreover, a standard biological profile may be established to effectively narrow the police investigator's search parameters. The following study demonstrates how skeletal biology may collaborate in the forensic investigation and support DNA fingerprinting evidence. In this case, the information gained from standard morphological methods about the unknown person's sex, age and heritage immediately led the police to suspect, that the remains were that of a young man from Vietnam, who had been missing for 2.5 years. The investigation then quickly shifted to prove the victim's identity via DNA extraction and mtDNA sequence analysis and biostatistical calculations involving questions of kinship [4].

  6. Performance of cancer cluster Q-statistics for case-control residential histories

    PubMed Central

    Sloan, Chantel D.; Jacquez, Geoffrey M.; Gallagher, Carolyn M.; Ward, Mary H.; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole; Nordsborg, Rikke Baastrup; Meliker, Jaymie R.

    2012-01-01

    Few investigations of health event clustering have evaluated residential mobility, though causative exposures for chronic diseases such as cancer often occur long before diagnosis. Recently developed Q-statistics incorporate human mobility into disease cluster investigations by quantifying space- and time-dependent nearest neighbor relationships. Using residential histories from two cancer case-control studies, we created simulated clusters to examine Q-statistic performance. Results suggest the intersection of cases with significant clustering over their life course, Qi, with cases who are constituents of significant local clusters at given times, Qit, yielded the best performance, which improved with increasing cluster size. Upon comparison, a larger proportion of true positives were detected with Kulldorf’s spatial scan method if the time of clustering was provided. We recommend using Q-statistics to identify when and where clustering may have occurred, followed by the scan method to localize the candidate clusters. Future work should investigate the generalizability of these findings. PMID:23149326

  7. Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools. 3rd Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levstik, Linda S.; Barton, Keith C.

    2005-01-01

    This book offers a unique perspective on history instruction in the elementary and middle grades. Through case studies of teachers and students in diverse classrooms and from diverse backgrounds, the text shows children engaging in authentic historical investigations, often in the context of an integrated social studies curriculum. The authors…

  8. Wind Turbine Acoustic Investigation: Infrasound and Low-Frequency Noise--A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ambrose, Stephen E.; Rand, Robert W.; Krogh, Carmen M. E.

    2012-01-01

    Wind turbines produce sound that is capable of disturbing local residents and is reported to cause annoyance, sleep disturbance, and other health-related impacts. An acoustical study was conducted to investigate the presence of infrasonic and low-frequency noise emissions from wind turbines located in Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA. During the…

  9. A New Era of Leadership: Preparing Leaders for Urban Schools & the 21st Century

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbott, Sunday C.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of principal participation in the Davis Principal Coaching Initiative, an executive leadership capacity building development program, on leader practice and professional practice of teachers. This mixed-method comparative case study investigated the following five research questions: (1) How…

  10. Investigating Lebanese Grade Seven Biology Teachers Mathematical Knowledge and Skills: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raad, Nawal Abou; Chatila, Hanadi

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates Lebanese grade 7 biology teachers' mathematical knowledge and skills, by exploring how they explain a visual representation in an activity depending on the mathematical concept "Function". Twenty Lebanese in-service biology teachers participated in the study, and were interviewed about their explanation for the…

  11. Investigating the Use of Traditional and Spectral Biofeedback Approaches to Intervention for /r/ Misarticulation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byun, Tara McAllister; Hitchcock, Elaine R.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Misarticulation of /r/ is among the most challenging developmental speech errors to remediate. Case studies suggest that visual biofeedback treatment can establish perceptually accurate /r/ in clients who have not responded to traditional treatments. This investigation studied the response of children with persistent /r/ misarticulation…

  12. Predicting Virtual Learning Environment Adoption: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penjor, Sonam; Zander, Pär-Ola

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the significance of Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory with regard to the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) at the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB). The focus is on different adoption types and characteristics of users. Rogers' DOI theory is applied to investigate the influence of five predictors…

  13. Analyzing the Effect of Metaconceptual Teaching Practices on Students' Understanding of Force and Motion Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuruk, Nejla; Beeth, Michael E.; Andersen, Christopher

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of metaconceptual teaching interventions on students' understanding of force and motion concepts. A multimethod research design including quasi-experimental design and case study designs was employed to compare the effect of the metaconceptual activities and traditional instruction and investigate students'…

  14. A New Context Affording for Regulation: The Case of Musical Play

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zachariou, Antonia; Whitebread, David

    2017-01-01

    The present study set out to investigate theoretical speculations that regulation and musical play, an initial manifestation of musicality, are directly linked. This study aimed to explore the potential for regulation to occur during musical play and investigate the nature of the regulatory behaviours. Thirty-six children, aged 6 and 8, were…

  15. An Investigation of the Goals for an Environmental Science Course: Teacher and Student Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blatt, Erica N.

    2015-01-01

    This investigation uses an ethnographic case study approach to explore the benefits and challenges of including a variety of goals within a high school Environmental Science curriculum. The study focuses on environmental education (EE) goals established by the Belgrade Charter (1975), including developing students' environmental awareness and…

  16. Science Teachers' Conceptualizations and Implications for the Development of the Professional Development Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaymakamoglu, Sibel Ersel

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the two primary school science teachers' conceptions of professional development, their perceptions of self-improvement and the factors influencing their professional development. In this investigation, a case study approach was adopted. The participant teachers were given a semi-structured interview and the data…

  17. Assessing clinical competency in the health sciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panzarella, Karen Joanne

    To test the success of integrated curricula in schools of health sciences, meaningful measurements of student performance are required to assess clinical competency. This research project analyzed a new performance assessment tool, the Integrated Standardized Patient Examination (ISPE), for assessing clinical competency: specifically, to assess Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students' clinical competence as the ability to integrate basic science knowledge with clinical communication skills. Thirty-four DPT students performed two ISPE cases, one of a patient who sustained a stroke and the other a patient with a herniated lumbar disc. Cases were portrayed by standardized patients (SPs) in a simulated clinical setting. Each case was scored by an expert evaluator in the exam room and then by one investigator and the students themselves via videotape. The SPs scored each student on an overall encounter rubric. Written feedback was obtained from all participants in the study. Acceptable reliability was demonstrated via inter-rater agreement as well as inter-rater correlations on items that used a dichotomous scale, whereas the items requiring the use of the 4-point rubric were somewhat less reliable. For the entire scale both cases had a significant correlation between the Expert-Investigator pair of raters, for the CVA case r = .547, p < .05 and for the HD case r = .700, p < .01. The SPs scored students higher than the other raters. Students' self-assessments were most closely aligned with the investigator. Effects were apparent due to case. Content validity was gathered in the process of developing cases and patient scenarios that were used in this study. Construct validity was obtained from the survey results analyzed from the experts and students. Future studies should examine the effect of rater training upon the reliability. Criterion or predictive validity could be further studied by comparing students' performances on the ISPE with other independent estimates of students' competence. The unique integration questions of the ISPE were judged to have good content validity from experts and students, suggestive that integration, a most crucial element of clinical competence, while done in the mind of the student, can be practiced, learned and assessed.

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

    PubMed

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

    2008-12-01

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

  19. Integrated Case Learning: Teaching Clinical Reasoning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Radomski, Natalie; Russell, John

    2010-01-01

    Learning how to "think like doctors" can be difficult for undergraduate medical students in their early clinical years. Our model of collaborative Integrated Case Learning (ICL) and simulated clinical reasoning aims to address these issues. Taking a socio-cultural perspective, this study investigates the reflective learning interactions…

  20. The case-control design in veterinary sciences: A survey.

    PubMed

    Cullen, Jonah N; Sargeant, Jan M; Makielski, Kelly M; O'Connor, Annette M

    2016-11-01

    The case-control study design is deceptively simple. However, many design considerations influence the estimated effect measure. An investigation of case-control studies in the human health literature suggested that some of these considerations are not described in reports of case-control studies. Our hypothesis was that the majority of veterinary studies labeled as case-controls would be incident density designs, and many would not interpret the effect measure obtained from those studies as the rate ratio rather than the odds ratio. Reference databases were searched for author-designated case-control studies. A survey of 100 randomly selected studies was conducted to examine the different design options described and estimated effect measures. Of the 100 author-identified case-control studies, 83 assessed an exposure-outcome association and, of those, only 54 (65.1%) sampled the study population based on an outcome and would thus be considered case-control designs. Twelve studies were incidence density designs but none used this terminology. Of the studies that reported an odds ratio as the effect measure, none reported on additional considerations that would have enabled a more interpretable result. This survey indicated many case-control-labeled studies were not case-control designs and among case-control studies, key design aspects were not often described. The absence of information about study design elements and underlying assumptions in case-control studies limits the ability to establish the effect measured by the study and the evidentiary value of the study might be underestimated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Industrial Guidelines for Undertaking a Hard-Core Employment Program: An Analytic Case Study of the Experience of an Urban Industrial Organization.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feifer, Irwin; And Others

    Based on an analytically evaluative case study of a New York City furniture department store's experiences with a Manpower Administration contract, this report deals with the development and progress of the program as analyzed by one investigator through interviews with almost all of the participants in the program. As a result of the study,…

  2. What Does It Mean to Learn Oral and Written English Language: A Case Study of a Rural Kenyan Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lisanza, Esther Mukewa

    2011-01-01

    This study was an ethnographic case study that investigated oral and written language learning in a first grade classroom in Kenya. The languages used in this classroom were Swahili and English only. Kamba the mother tongue of the majority of the children, was banned in the entire school. In this classroom there were 89 children with two teachers,…

  3. The Role of Oral Language Interactions in English Literacy Learning: A Case Study of a First Grade Korean Child

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Kwangok

    2011-01-01

    This paper is a qualitative case study of a Korean first grade child. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of a first grade Korean child's oral language interactions with teachers, parents, peers, and community members and to examine how a child's oral language impacts his literacy learning in English. The data were…

  4. The Survival of Arts Education in the NCLB Era: A Case Study of One K-8th Grade Arts-Focused Charter School in a California Program Improvement School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kratochvil, Kathie R.

    2009-01-01

    This research study presents one in-depth case study that investigates the successes, challenges, and processes of developing and enacting arts education programming at the elementary school level given the time limitations and other constraints associated with the high stakes testing environment that currently characterizes many of California's…

  5. Re-Fitting for a Different Purpose: A Case Study of Item Writer Practices in Adapting Source Texts for a Test of Academic Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Anthony; Hawkey, Roger

    2012-01-01

    The important yet under-researched role of item writers in the selection and adaptation of texts for high-stakes reading tests is investigated through a case study involving a group of trained item writers working on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). In the first phase of the study, participants were invited to reflect in…

  6. A Case Study on an Item Writing Process: Use of Test Specifications, Nature of Group Dynamics, and Individual Item Writers' Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Jiyoung; Chi, Youngshin; Huensch, Amanda; Jun, Heesung; Li, Hongli; Roullion, Vanessa

    2010-01-01

    This article discusses a case study on an item writing process that reflects on our practical experience in an item development project. The purpose of the article is to share our lessons from the experience aiming to demystify item writing process. The study investigated three issues that naturally emerged during the project: how item writers use…

  7. Psychological disorders and oral lichen planus: matched case-control study and literature review.

    PubMed

    Pippi, R; Romeo, U; Santoro, M; Del Vecchio, A; Scully, C; Petti, S

    2016-04-01

    Oral lichen planus (OLP) may be linked to psychological disorders. This study investigated psychological factors associated with OLP. A case-control study with incident OLP case patients and age-gender-socio-economic status-matched controls, recruited from among relatives, accompanying persons, and departmental staff, investigated psychological traits using the Psychological General Well-Being Index-Short form. Common factor analysis was used to generate a set of psychological dimensions. The association between these dimensions and OLP adjusted for confounders (education, number of lifetime sexual partners, drinking-smoking) and interactions was assessed through conditional logistic regression and odds ratios (OR) were estimated. A total of 67 case-control pairs were recruited. Psychological dimensions generated were: dimension-1 (anxiety, low vitality), dimension-2 (negative well-being, low vitality), dimension-3 (depressed mood, low self-control). The ORs for OLP were, dimension-1, 1.0 (95% confidence interval -95CI, 0.3-2.6); dimension-2, 0.5 (95CI, 0.2-1.2); dimension-3, 4.8 (95CI, 1.8-12.9). Dimension-3 was highly associated with mild, but not associated with severe, OLP. Literature searching provided 21 studies, with anxiety and depression principally associated with OLP. Depressed mood and low self-control were highly associated with OLP, particularly the reticular-papular forms. These traits could have a causative role in OLP development-progression, but further investigations are necessary. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. The influence of tie strength on evolutionary games on networks: An empirical investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buesser, Pierre; Peña, Jorge; Pestelacci, Enea; Tomassini, Marco

    2011-11-01

    Extending previous work on unweighted networks, we present here a systematic numerical investigation of standard evolutionary games on weighted networks. In the absence of any reliable model for generating weighted social networks, we attribute weights to links in a few ways supported by empirical data ranging from totally uncorrelated to weighted bipartite networks. The results of the extensive simulation work on standard complex network models show that, except in a case that does not seem to be common in social networks, taking the tie strength into account does not change in a radical manner the long-run steady-state behavior of the studied games. Besides model networks, we also included a real-life case drawn from a coauthorship network. In this case also, taking the weights into account only changes the results slightly with respect to the raw unweighted graph, although to draw more reliable conclusions on real social networks many more cases should be studied as these weighted networks become available.

  9. The Investigation of Preservice Teachers' and Primary School Students' Views about Online Digital Storytelling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karakoyun, Ferit; Kuzu, Abdullah

    2016-01-01

    This study was aimed at investigating the views held by preservice teachers from the department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (CEIT) and those of 6th grade students about the process of online digital storytelling activities as it applies to the students' education. The study was designed as a case study. The data were…

  10. Analysis of Teacher Beliefs and Efficacy for Teaching Writing to Weak Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohar, Tunku Mohani Tunku; Singh, Charajit Kaur Swaran; Kepol, Napisah; Ahmad, Ahmad Zainuri Loap; Moneyam, Sasigaran

    2017-01-01

    The present study investigated the beliefs and efficacy of a teacher teaching English to students who were weak at the language. The objective of the study was mainly to investigate the beliefs and efficacy of the ESL teacher for teaching writing to weak learners. The research was a case study of the English Language teacher teaching Form Three…

  11. Everyday Thoughts about Nature: An Interpretive Study of 16 Ninth Graders' Conceptualizations of Nature.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cobern, William W.; And Others

    This study investigates student world views in an effort to provide information that will improve the learning environment of the science classroom. The research focuses on furthering knowledge of students as people in the context of investigating what students think about nature or the natural world. The objective of the descriptive case study is…

  12. Employing a Case Study Approach to Capture Motivation and Self-Regulation of Young Students with Learning Disabilities in Authentic Educational Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lichtinger, Einat; Kaplan, Avi

    2015-01-01

    Recent theory and research suggest that self-regulation is not a unitary set of strategies, and that students may employ different types of self-regulation strategies in ways that correspond with different motivational orientations. In this paper, we describe a situated case study approach to investigate the motivational orientation and…

  13. "Not at the Expense of Their Culture": Graduating Native American Youth from High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilcox, Kristen Campbell

    2015-01-01

    What kinds of challenges do educators face in increasing Native American high school graduation rates, and what kinds of adaptations to a traditional high school are understood as necessary to achieve this outcome? This case study explored these questions as part of a larger multiple case study that investigated practices and processes related to…

  14. Effectiveness of Written Materials in a Rehabilitative Program for Female Offenders: A Case Study at the Montana Women's Prison

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dillon, Laura; Colling, Kyle

    2010-01-01

    This case study of the Therapeutic Community Program at Montana Women's Prison investigates the relationship between inmate reading levels and the self-help materials used for rehabilitative purposes within prison settings. The Therapeutic Community Handbook, published by the Montana Department of Corrections, is used as the primary method of…

  15. Excitement or Anxiety? A Case Study of Indian Postgraduate Sojourners at University of Nottingham

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unjore, Sanju

    2014-01-01

    Moving to a new country is often seen as a disturbing event in sojourners' lives. Several models of adjustment postulate that the first phase of the sojourn is either categorised by euphoria or anxiety. Using a case study of three Indian Postgraduate students, this paper investigates whether the beginning phase of these sojourners was euphoric or…

  16. A Multi-Case Study of University Students' Language-Learning Experience Mediated by Mobile Technologies: A Socio-Cultural Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Qing

    2017-01-01

    Emerging mobile technologies can be considered a new form of social and cultural artefact that mediates people's language learning. This multi-case study investigates how mobile technologies mediate a group of Hong Kong university students' L2 learning, which serves as a lens with which to capture the personalised, unique, contextual and…

  17. HEFCE's People Management Self-Assessment Tool: Ticking Boxes or Adding Value? A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDonald, Claire

    2009-01-01

    This article examines one specific organisational development tool in depth and uses a case study to investigate whether using the tool is more than a tick-box exercise and really can add value and help organisations to develop and improve. The People Management Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) is used to examine higher education institutions' (HEIs)…

  18. An Examination of Physical Education Data Sources and Collection Procedures during a Federally Funded Grant

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dauenhauer, Brian D.; Keating, Xiaofen D.; Lambdin, Dolly

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: This study aimed to conduct an in-depth investigation into physical education data sources and collection procedures in a district that was awarded a Physical Education Program (PEP) grant. Method: A qualitative, multi-site case study was conducted in which a single school district was the overarching case and eight schools served as…

  19. An Exploratory Investigation of Online Forum Mediated Collaborative Learning of Speech Writing: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lata, Pushp; Luhach, Suman

    2014-01-01

    Learning Management Systems (LMS) are being integrated in the curriculum by many educational institutions to extend teaching and learning beyond classroom. This paper is based on a case study exploring the integration of LMS Nalanda created on Moodle in Effective Public Speaking (EPS) classroom to give students an additional platform to practice,…

  20. Enhancing Technology Education by Forming Links with Industry: A New Zealand Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brunton, Margaret; Coll, Richard K.

    2005-01-01

    The New Zealand technology curriculum suggests that schools should seek to develop links with industry as a means of providing real-world examples of technology practice. However, if a school is to form links, what form might such links take, and with whom should they be made? The case study research reported here represents an investigation into…

Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.
Top